Gilgamesh felt no fear at the sudden appearance of the giant serpent, but instead let out a laugh.
"Hydra Serpent," Gilgamesh said. "It seems this Caster is an interesting fellow this time."
"Hydra Serpent?" Bai Ye pondered. "The fearsome beast from Hercules' Twelve Labors? The Hydra Serpent, said to possess venom that kills upon contact, and capable of regrowing heads instantly even if severed?"
Gilgamesh nodded. "The Hydra Serpent's venom is indeed no small matter. Step aside, and let this king..."
Before Gilgamesh could finish speaking, he saw Bai Ye bolt forward like a carefree child.
Gilgamesh was utterly bewildered.
What was he doing?
Did he have some trick up his sleeve to deal with the Hydra Serpent?
Then...
Gilgamesh watched as the Hydra Serpent opened its gaping maw, lunged forward, and swallowed Bai Ye whole.
Gilgamesh: "..."
What happened to the trick?
Gilgamesh's gaze immediately turned grim as he waved his hand forward. "Spit him out!"
Instantly, the golden gate behind Gilgamesh erupted in blinding radiance. Countless weapons reappeared and surged towards the giant serpent's head.
Gilgamesh did not care about Bai Ye's fate.
However, if Bai Ye died, it would mean the end of Bai Ye's Holy Grail War journey.
This was unacceptable to Gilgamesh!
He, the great King of Heroes, failing to obtain the Grail? Failing?
This was an unforgivable transgression!
*Boom!* 138 Reading Network
Accompanied by the impact of the weapons, an explosive roar ensued.
Under Gilgamesh's barrage, the colossal Hydra Serpent was forcefully thrown off balance, almost falling from the hotel's outer wall.
Innumerable fragments of stone plummeted downwards, smashing into the ground, and vast clouds of dust billowed up.
However, the Hydra Serpent soon regained its footing, and its massive maw once again turned towards Gilgamesh.
"Wretch, are you provoking me?" Gilgamesh reached to his side. "Spiraling Sword!"
From the golden gate of the King's Treasure, a spiral-shaped knight's sword slowly materialized and fell into Gilgamesh's hand.
The Spiraling Sword, a demonic blade from Celtic mythology, forged by elves from the realm of gods and imbued with the mighty power of celestial lightning!
The next instant, with the Spiraling Sword in hand, Gilgamesh raised his sword and swung it forward.
*Zzzzz!*
A piercing hum of crackling arcs of electricity filled the air, followed by countless azure currents that shot forward with Gilgamesh's swing, slamming into the Hydra Serpent's head.
*Boom!*
The electricity exploded upon impact with the Hydra Serpent, numerous arcs of electricity coiling around its body.
The next instant, the Hydra Serpent reared its head high and then plunged downwards.
Its colossal body crashed from the hotel's outer wall, falling towards the ground, and then...
The ground collapsed!
Almost instantly, the ground beneath the hotel erupted. Countless giant rocks surged upwards, and vast areas caved in at a visible rate.
Surrounding vehicles were crushed into scrap metal by the falling debris. Windows of nearby buildings shattered continuously. Streetlights and utility poles toppled, intermingling in a tangled mess.
Torn electrical cables sparked and crackled, sending arcs of electricity leaping through the air!
Gilgamesh stood at the edge of the fractured wall and looked down, his eyes burning with fury.
Because the Hydra Serpent was still not dead!
Despite the heavy blows, the Hydra Serpent continued to writhe on the ground.
Gilgamesh took a step forward and plummeted from the air, descending directly to the ground.
*Boom!*
Upon landing, the ground beneath him exploded, shattering into a deep crater.
Once stable, Gilgamesh continued forward with his sword, and a multitude of weapons materialized once more from the golden gate behind him.
"Die, vermin!"
Gilgamesh raised the Spiraling Sword high, intending to strike the Hydra Serpent again, but at that moment...
*Poof!*
A massive gash suddenly appeared on the Hydra Serpent's back.
The next instant...
"I was suffocating!"
Bai Ye crawled out of the rift and tumbled onto the ground.
Gilgamesh looked at Bai Ye with surprise. "You're not dead?"
"Nonsense," Bai Ye replied. "If I died, wouldn't you disappear?"
This time, it was Gilgamesh's turn to be speechless. His words were so logical that they were irrefutable.
Gilgamesh asked, "Humans die from touching the Hydra Serpent's venom. Why are you unharmed?"
"That's because I'm immune to poison," Bai Ye said, shaking off the slime from his body. "I suppose I can't go back to the hotel to take a shower now, can I?"
Gilgamesh replied, "What do you think?"
The hotel building continued to collapse, with debris constantly raining down.
Several floors were engulfed in flames, and thick black smoke billowed outwards.
Bai Ye sighed. "Looks like we'll have to find another place to shower and sleep."
"No!" Gilgamesh's expression suddenly turned solemn as he looked ahead. "Tonight, we may not be able to sleep."
"Huh?"
Bai Ye blinked and followed Gilgamesh's gaze forward.
The street was vast and empty, with no one around.
The collapsed hotel kept onlookers at bay.
Piles of rubble lined the sides, and flickering streetlights cast intermittent glows.
Gilgamesh was the most brilliant presence on this street.
Golden, incredibly dazzling.
And on the other side of the street, someone was hidden in the darkness.
An extremely powerful aura.
A figure slowly emerged.
It was a woman.
Tall and slender, with long, dark purplish-red hair and red eyes.
A gust of wind occasionally blew, lifting her long hair.
The woman wore a black, form-fitting outfit that accentuated her shapely and alluring figure.
But more dangerous than her figure...
Was her spear!
In her hand, she carried a blood-red, spiral-grooved spear, held loosely. The woman gripped the spear's butt, dragging its tip across the ground.
As the woman walked forward, the spear tip scraped against the ground, emitting golden sparks.
Gilgamesh tightened his grip on the Spiraling Sword.
The golden gate behind him flared even more intensely.
Few in this world could make the King of Heroes take them seriously.
The woman before him was likely one of them.
After a moment, Gilgamesh spoke. "Queen of the Netherworld of the dead and departed souls, a queen cursed for stepping into the divine realm in human form, do you intend to declare war on me?"
...