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IBHJ Chapter 311
🕑 Added 2023-06-11 23:33:05 +0000 UTCBecoming a Grand Caster required the possession of a unique skill called "Clairvoyance EX." Basically, if you wanted to qualify as a Grand Caster, you had to have this skill.
King Solomon was one such Grand Caster who possessed the "Clairvoyance EX." This skill allowed him to see through both the past and the future, giving him an unparalleled understanding of time.
Gilgamesh, known as the King of Heroes, also had the "Clairvoyance EX" skill. This remarkable ability enabled him to peer into the future, granting him a foresight that few could match.
On the other hand, Merlin, with his own "Clairvoyance EX," had a different application of this skill. His version allowed him to perceive the present with incredible clarity, almost as if he had a global eye that could see everything happening in real time.
Shirou managed to obtain the "Clairvoyance EX" from the records of Merlin, which granted him the same ability to observe the present as Merlin had. So, his version also lacked the power to see into the past or the future.
Therefore, he turned to Gilgamesh for help.
"Hmph. Normally, matters regarding the future should be left to those who inhabit that time. As a king, I have no desire to interfere. However, since it involves the gods, I decided to take a look."
After some time passed, Shirou couldn't contain his curiosity any longer and asked, "So, what did you find?"
Gilgamesh's response was rather disheartening. "I couldn't see anything,"
Shirou's confusion deepened, and he furrowed his brow, "I don't understand. What do you mean you couldn't see anything?"
Gilgamesh let out an annoyed click of his tongue. "Tsk! Must this king repeat himself? I already told you, I couldn't see anything!" His tone carried a mix of irritation and impatience. However, a sudden recollection sparked in Gilgamesh's mind, and he continued with a hint of realization. "But now that I think about it, there was one instance. While I was returning from the underworld and taking a bath by the river, I drifted into a deep slumber for a while. During that drowsy state, my consciousness was slightly influenced by the will of a young man involved in the Holy Grail War. In that moment, I caught a glimpse of the future. I saw a vision, albeit hazy, of the world's annihilation eleven years after the year 1993!"
Shirou's brow furrowed deeper as he processed the information. "So, starting from 1993, the world faces annihilation eleven years later, in 2004?" He paused for a moment, lost in thought, before voicing his next question. "But what could be the cause? Is it the revival of the Age of Gods or the complete incineration of humanity?"
Gilgamesh shook his head, his expression reflecting the uncertainty of the situation. "I don't know. The reasons behind it are unknown, and the ultimate outcome remains a mystery. However, my vision was completely incapable of extending beyond the year 2004. I suspect that even that magus is trapped in the same predicament as I am."
A tinge of annoyance laced his voice as he recalled a past encounter. "In fact, I had intended to inform that Caster about this matter back then. But that insolent Caster had the audacity to call me weak. Naturally, I couldn't let such disrespect go unaddressed, so I allowed my younger self to teach him a lesson!"
Merlin sneered and taunted, "Oh, so you're absolutely certain it wasn't you who received a lesson, King Gilgamesh? I vividly recall that moment. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Your arm was severed, and your heart was crushed. I can still hear the words you uttered back then. Let me think... Ah, yes! It went something like this—'You... you monster!' Oh, that trembling tone of yours, it's etched in my memory."
Feeling embarrassed, Gilgamesh fired back, "I allowed it! I permitted him to do so! With my abilities, is there anyone on this planet who can truly defeat me? Even if it was my after-death self, reduced to a mere Servant, that mongrel couldn't have defeated me!"
"Enough! Stop arguing! Those are old stories now! The question we should be considering is why the King of Heroes couldn't see beyond 2004," Shirou intervened.
Gilgamesh replied, "Isn't it obvious? It's because humanity is long gone, extinct. Once human records stopped, the Clairvoyance lost its ability to peer into the future."
"That may not necessarily be true. What if something interfered with the Clairvoyance?"
"Well, if that's the case, what could have the power to interfere with the Clairvoyance?"
"Considering your knowledge of Archer's actions during the Fourth Holy Grail War, you must be familiar with the monk who lived in Ryuudou Temple in Fuyuki City."
Gilgamesh pondered for a moment and said, "If it's that outsider, he could indeed accomplish such a thing. But he has no reason to do so."
"Exactly. I'm simply emphasizing that the limited vision of Clairvoyance doesn't automatically indicate humanity's extinction. There could be external factors or individuals interfering with its observations. Of course, this is purely speculation, and our immediate focus should be on the impending revival of the Age of Gods," Shirou clarified, his voice calm and composed. "Gilgamesh, is it possible for you to use your Sha Naqba Imuru to gain insight into this trouble?"
Gilgamesh scoffed, his tone filled with disdain. "Have you lost your wits, Eternal King? My Noble Phantasm is the embodiment of my essence after death. The one standing before you now is the genuine, living King Gilgamesh. How could such a thing even exist? Moreover, relying on something that merely provides answers holds no allure or challenge. Only children would find amusement in such trivialities."
Taking a brief pause, Gilgamesh broke into a mocking laughter. "You were so self-assured earlier, swearing that you would never stoop so low as to seek my assistance. And yet, here you stand, coming to me for help. Eternal King, you, this lowly mongrel, truly are an embarrassment!"
Shirou ignored Gilgamesh's remarks, focusing instead on his own thoughts. He lowered his head, gently stroking his chin, lost in contemplation regarding the impending revival of the Age of Gods.
His initial plan had been to use Gilgamesh and King Solomon as tools to gain a glimpse into the future, hoping to find a solution to the impending crisis.
However, his attempt to peer into the future had proven futile, yielding a result far more chilling and unsettling than he had anticipated.
Clairvoyance's limitations were clear—it couldn't provide insight beyond 2004. While the interference theory held some plausibility, the most probable explanation, as Gilgamesh pointed out, was the extinction of humanity.
Could this impending crisis be the result of the Age of Gods' revival?
However, with no current leads or clues, all he could do was patiently await news from Zelretch.
He let out a sigh.
Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow and said, "Hey, Eternal King, don't you have the power to see through all things? Why don't you just use it yourself?"
Shirou leaned back and replied, "Well, in order to activate that skill, I need to have a direct line of sight on the target. Once they're within my field of vision, I can discern even the most abstract concepts with ease. But if something is beyond the reach of my eyes, then there's nothing I can do about that."
"Oh? Are you just willingly exposing the weakness of your skill to us?" Gilgamesh asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Well, it's not that big of a deal. I don't heavily rely on this skill anyway. And it's not the time to keep secrets. We have more pressing matters at hand."
"Hmph. Mongrel, there's no need for you to be overly concerned right now. As the one slumbering in Avalon, let the people of this era manage their own affairs."
Comments
JeanMartin Freites
Nice to know that you really have a good balance between jokes and serious discussion in this chapter.
