From the very beginning, Roy had planned to summon two Servants.
One would serve as his public-facing Servant, while the other would remain hidden in the shadows, tasked with assassinating enemy Masters and Servants.
Originally, Roy intended for one of the two Servants to be summoned through compatibility, ensuring they would naturally align with his personality and be easier to build rapport with. This Servant would be the one operating in the darkness, handling assassinations and covert operations.
Unsurprisingly, the Servant summoned via compatibility was Okita Souji.
As expected, Roy quickly established a strong bond with Okita. Even if he ordered her to perform Assassin-class duties, she wouldn't refuse. Moreover, Okita herself wasn't truly suited for the Saber class—her true calling was Assassin. With Presence Concealment, her Shukuchi movement technique, Lightless Three-Stage Thrust, and the superhuman agility granted by Roy as her Master, she was practically born to be a top-tier assassin, capable of eliminating threats unseen.
That was why, the day after summoning her, Roy commanded her to remain hidden until the Holy Grail War officially began.
He had always intended for Okita to operate behind the scenes.
However, plans are never set in stone.
The biggest variable lay in Roy's second Servant—the one he intended to summon using a catalyst.
Unlike the compatibility-based summon, this Servant had to possess overwhelming combat prowess, capable of standing toe-to-toe with other top-tier Servants. Thus, a relic was mandatory.
Originally, Roy's first choice for this Servant wasn't Taigong Wang.
It was Karna.
Yes, the Hero of Charity from the Indian epic Mahabharata, the son of the Sun God, Surya. Not only was Karna absurdly powerful, a true exception among exceptions, but his personality was also loyal, reliable, and obedient—as a Servant, there was nothing to criticize.
Karna was Roy's ideal candidate for the catalyst summon.
Unfortunately, relics are hard to come by, especially in a world still reeling from the catastrophe ten years prior. Many renowned magus families had perished in the flames, and countless named relics had been lost.
Roy had asked Touko to search for the relics he needed during her travels. His top priority was Karna's relic, but if that proved impossible, he was willing to settle for others—such as Taigong Wang's.
The key requirement was that the Servant had to be an exception among Heroic Spirits.
If no suitable relics could be found…
Roy planned to turn to Rin and borrow the snake-shed skin left behind by her father, Tokiomi Tohsaka. Given their relationship, he was confident she wouldn't refuse.
Using the snake-shed skin would likely summon a Servant related to Gilgamesh—or even Gilgamesh himself. That would mean fighting himself, but if no other relics were available, Roy would have no choice.
Thankfully…
Fate smiled upon him.
Though Touko failed to bring back Karna's relic, she did return with Taigong Wang's.
While not his first choice, Taigong Wang was by no means inferior.
In fact, for Roy, Taigong Wang's value exceeded even Karna's—because Taigong Wang wasn't just strong, he was versatile, with special advantages against divine beings.
The reason Roy had initially preferred Karna was simple: Taigong Wang wasn't even dead. He had long since ascended to immortality and was still living comfortably in the Reverse Side of the World. Under normal circumstances, summoning him should have been impossible.
At first, Roy hadn't held much hope for summoning Taigong Wang.
But to his surprise—Taigong Wang actually answered his call!
According to Taigong Wang himself, he was "intrigued by this world's developments" and saw this as a rare opportunity to participate legitimately. How could he pass that up?
Roy could only inwardly sigh in relief.
But with this development, the plan had to change.
Taigong Wang was more useful than Karna.
Karna was purely a fighter, but Taigong Wang could not only fight—he could also help fulfill Roy's wish.
After a discussion and convincing Taigong Wang to cooperate, Roy flipped the roles of his two Servants:
Taigong Wang would remain hidden.
Okita Souji would take the public stage.
This led to complications—such as Bazett recognizing him as the intruder in the underground cavern—but Roy didn't care. Keeping Taigong Wang as his trump card until the final battle was far more important.
The rest, as they say, is history. Though Roy suffered quite a few setbacks due to his "public" Servant being the relatively weaker Okita, he endured until the very end.
"Now, all that's left is to defeat you—and victory will be ours!"
Roy's gaze was sharp and unyielding, his heart burning with a determination that refused to lose here.
"Taigong Wang—I'm counting on you! Defeat the King of Heroes!"
His voice, firm and resounding, echoed across the mountaintop clearing.
"My Master has spoken, O King of Heroes."
Taigong Wang chuckled lightly, raising his hands in a battle-ready stance.
From his palms, multiple crimson magic circles unfolded, rippling with shimmering magical energy like heat haze.
"From what I know… you possess two-thirds divine blood, do you not?
"Heh. How unfortunate—because sealing gods is my specialty!"
The words "sealing gods" were spoken lightly.
But the meaning behind them was clear:
"Killing gods."
"Hmph! You seek to send this king to the 'Fengshen Bang' (Register of the Gods)? If you can, then try!"
Gilgamesh's expression darkened instantly.
He loathed any mention of his divine heritage—even in this slightly more serious state, this was an absolute taboo.
With a wave of his hand—
HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM—!
A deafening hum filled the air as hundreds of golden ripples tore open across the sky. From within, countless golden Noble Phantasms emerged.
■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■—!
In an instant, a rain of golden armaments descended like divine punishment, hurtling toward Roy and Taigong Wang with thunderous force.
"Heh!"
Taigong Wang remained unshaken. With a snap of his fingers—
A crimson magic circle materialized beneath their feet.
Space twisted.
Roy's vision blurred—before he could process it, the scenery had completely inverted.
Mount Enzou, Fuyuki City—everything was now beneath them.
In the span of a single breath, Taigong Wang had teleported them into the sky using Earth Escape.
With another wave of his hand, Taigong Wang summoned a peculiar mount beneath Roy, allowing him to sit comfortably.
The creature was small, resembling a rhinoceros at a glance—but upon closer inspection, its head and body were fox-like, its ears long and rabbit-like, its tail bushy like a squirrel's, and its hind legs resembled a deer's.
It was a fusion of four different animals—utterly bizarre, yet undeniably mystical.
Moreover, it carried Roy without complaint, its body radiating a warmth so soothing it felt as though even the curses clinging to him were being purified.
This was undoubtedly a creature of auspicious fortune.
"So this is… Sibuxiang?"
Roy stared in amazement at the mythical beast beneath him.
"Moo!"
The Sibuxiang nudged Roy's backside gently.
"…Why does it sound like a cow?"
***
Hey readers!
Want to read ahead? 📖 Join my Patreon for early access to 30+ advance chapters! Your support helps me write more and bring the story to you faster.
🔹patreon.com/aarvan🔹