King of Heroes in Marvel and multiverse

"You two should be thanking me for this." Arthur said as he pulled his beloved Mustang Boss out of the Gate of Babylon, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Why was it there?

Obviously, because a treasure should remain among other treasures.

They could have arrived in Japan effortlessly through a spatial portal, but Irisviel wanted to experience traveling by plane.

And Arthur… saw no problem in turning everything into a complete experience.

"So… do you want to drive, or would you prefer that I take the wheel?" Arthur asked, casting a sideways glance at Artoria with a faint, teasing smile.

"I'll drive."

Without hesitation, Artoria answered immediately.

Since she had never driven a modern car before, it felt more like an opportunity than a problem.

"Eh?"

Irisviel blinked in surprise.

"You know how to drive?"

"Certainly."

Already seated in the driver's seat, Artoria replied in a firm tone—with a hint of pride she couldn't quite hide.

"If necessary, I can also pilot that airplane with ease."

Thanks to the "Riding" skill, controlling human vehicles was trivial for her.

Irisviel was completely stunned.

"A mere car means nothing to me." Artoria added, crossing her arms briefly before starting the engine.

Arthur let out a low chuckle.

Perhaps under his influence, Artoria was gradually opening up more—even allowing small traces of humor to slip through.

"Really?"

Irisviel still seemed somewhat unsure.

Then—

"Aaaaaah!"

"Artie, slow down! Slow down!!"

On the mountain road by the cliffside, the Mustang Boss roared like an untamed beast.

The tires screeched.

The engine rumbled.

And Irisviel… screamed.

Meanwhile, Arthur was laughing.

Laughing as if it were the greatest thing in the world.

"Now this is driving worthy of a king!" he commented, holding onto the seat, clearly enjoying himself far more than he should.

Before long, they arrived in the city of Fuyuki.

The car slowed smoothly, merging perfectly into urban traffic as if nothing had happened.

Irisviel, now calmer, gazed out the window with sparkling eyes.

"What a vibrant city!"

She turned excitedly.

"Artie, Arthur, shall we go shopping first? Since we came all the way to Japan, we should enjoy it before the war begins."

Upon hearing that, Artoria slightly furrowed her brows.

"Irisviel, that is not a wise choice. Our priority should be to find a base and contact Kiritsugu to determine our next move."

Then—

"Arthur, what do you think? ✪ω✪"

Irisviel simply ignored the objection and turned toward Arthur, who had his head resting on her lap, pretending to sleep… very unconvincingly.

Without opening his eyes, he raised one hand.

"I vote in favor of shopping. I urgently need to replace this suit."

"Nice!"

Irisviel clenched her fist excitedly.

"Artie, that makes it two against one!"

"Shopping! Shopping! Shopping!" ×2

Arthur and Irisviel cheered in perfect sync, like two children conspiring.

Artoria let out a deep sigh.

"…I truly can't do anything with you two."

Even so—

She did not refuse.

...

After properly parking the car, the trio quickly dove into the bustling streets.

Within minutes—

They had already gone through several stores.

And, as the only man in the group, Arthur was carrying all the bags.

"This is starting to feel like labor exploitation…" he commented, though he didn't seem bothered in the slightest.

At his suggestion, Artoria also changed clothes, abandoning her usual black suit.

The result was impossible to ignore.

She now wore a slightly open dress shirt at the collar, with fine black-and-white stripes, fitting her body elegantly. The neckline highlighted not only her ample chest but also her curves in a provocative way. Over the shirt, she wore a well-fitted black blazer that precisely outlined her silhouette.

The fitted pants completed the ensemble, emphasizing her long legs, while elegant shoes finished the look naturally.

Her long blonde hair was tied into a high ponytail, with a few loose strands gently framing her face, softening her expression.

Artoria exuded a mature, elegant, and dangerously attractive presence—effortlessly.

Arthur paused for a moment.

Then smiled.

"…I thought you looked good in that black suit, but now I realize I was still underestimating you."

"Do you think so?" she asked, looking at herself, genuinely curious.

"I think you have no idea just how beautiful you are."

He tilted his head slightly.

"What do you think, Iri?"

"I completely agree." Irisviel replied without hesitation, smiling.

Arthur and Iri crossed their arms, examining Artoria from head to toe without the slightest bit of shame.

"If we keep this up, I might end up getting jealous of all the attention you're attracting," Arthur suddenly said.

Artoria looked away for a brief moment.

As for Arthur himself, he kept his suit, only changing its color from black to red.

After all, he looked much better in red—and he knew it.

---xXx---

Amid Irisviel's laughter, night fell quickly.

The full moon rose on the horizon.

On the beach, the cold moonlight illuminated the trio.

A gentle sea breeze blew, carrying the faint salty scent of the ocean.

In front of Arthur and Artoria, Irisviel crouched down, removed her shoes, then her stockings, and walked barefoot across the sand.

Her movements were light, almost dance-like.

As if she were savoring every second of freedom that moment offered.

Arthur watched in silence, a faint smile on his lips.

Meanwhile, without realizing it, Artoria remained by his side.

As if it had already become… natural.

Both of them watched Irisviel walking freely along the shore.

A slight smile could be seen on both faces—subtle in Artoria's case, almost imperceptible, and more relaxed on Arthur's, though it still carried that unwavering aura of confidence he never abandoned.

"It's been a long time since I've felt this happy!"

"Arthur, Artie, thank you for being with me."

Irisviel suddenly stopped, spinning lightly on the sand before facing the two of them, her face softly flushed.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, Iri." Arthur replied, in a gentler tone than usual.

"This is my first time in the outside world. My entire life until now has been spent inside Einzbern Castle, as a homunculus created for the Holy Grail War..."

"Before today, my understanding of the outside world came from films, photographs, and Kiritsugu's accounts."

"So being able to spend today with both of you truly made me happy."

She placed her hands over her chest for a moment, as if trying to preserve that feeling.

"So… thank you for spending the entire day with me."

A faint trace of regret appeared on her face.

Arthur stepped forward.

"It's alright."

He placed a hand on her head and gently patted it in a protective manner.

"We'll stay with you until the end." Artoria added, her voice firm, yet filled with sincerity.

The three exchanged glances and smiled.

However, moments like this never lasted long.

"Arthur."

Artoria's expression changed instantly, turning serious.

The earlier lightness vanished as if it had never existed.

"I know."

Arthur didn't even need to look at her.

His eyes were already fixed beyond the beach, toward an apartment building standing under the city lights.

"An enemy Servant?"

Irisviel intertwined her fingers, her posture becoming more cautious.

"Yes."

Artoria nodded.

"An apartment building approximately 2.5 kilometers from here. It seems he's inviting us."

"Inviting us, hm?"

Irisviel brushed a strand of hair aside and smiled calmly, despite the tension.

"It seems he's quite confident in his abilities." Arthur commented, a faint smile mixing interest and… amusement.

Without hurry, he took out a fox mask and placed it over his face.

He quickly sent a message to Kiritsugu.

The reason for the mask?

It was simple.

He couldn't just appear before the other Gilgamesh of this world without preparation.

In truth, he could.

But a king does not step onto the stage without setting it first.

Turning around, Arthur extended one of his arms.

Irisviel, without hesitation, stepped closer and positioned herself at his right side, allowing him to hold her by the waist.

"I know you can move on your own… but this will be much faster."

He then opened his other arm.

Artoria watched for a second, then sighed in resignation.

She stepped forward, positioning herself at his left side with surprising naturalness.

Something that, not long ago, would have been unthinkable.

Arthur smiled, satisfied—and in the next instant, he disappeared.

---xXx---

With his arms around Irisviel and Artoria, Arthur appeared on a deserted road.

Streetlights illuminated the area.

Low buildings surrounded the silent street.

The moment they appeared, a male voice echoed.

"I spent the entire day wandering the city, drawing attention, but no one showed themselves. You're the only one who accepted my invitation. I suppose you are the Lancer-class Servant, correct?"

In front of them stood a man holding two spears.

There was a distinctive beauty mark beneath his right eye.

His gaze was fixed on Arthur.

Hearing his confident—and completely wrong—assumption, Irisviel and Artoria exchanged a quick glance behind Arthur.

They discreetly raised their hands to their lips.

Their shoulders trembled slightly.

'He's been fooled.' ×3

The trio shared the same thought.

"Yes… I am Lancer."

Arthur replied naturally.

In an instant, his clothes transformed into elegant armor, replacing the suit—after all, he had no intention of ruining his new outfit.

The spear Longinus appeared in his hand.

The man in front of him prepared to attack, but then—

"I am the Lancer-class Servant. My 'true' name is Arthur Pendragon, the King of Britain, and I swear that I will win this Holy Grail War!"

The declaration echoed through the night.

Loud, clear, and filled with pride.

Silence.

'…That was more embarrassing than I expected, but it served its purpose,' Arthur muttered internally. He wanted all attention focused on him.

Even so, he maintained the impeccable bearing of a king.

Behind him, Irisviel and Artoria were visibly surprised.

Not by the content of his words—but by the delivery.

Even for someone accustomed to his own grandeur, that had been… a bit too much.

Still, the performance was flawless.

---

(End of Chapter)