Gilgamesh felt no fear at the sudden appearance of the giant serpent, but instead burst into laughter.
"Hydra Serpent," Gilgamesh stated. "It seems this Caster is quite an interesting fellow."
"Hydra Serpent?" Bai Ye pondered. "The terrifying beast from Hercules' twelve trials? The Hydra Serpent, rumored to possess venom so potent it kills upon mere touch, and which regrows heads even if severed?"
Gilgamesh nodded. "Indeed, the Hydra Serpent's venom is no trifle. Stand aside, and let this King..."
Before Gilgamesh could finish, he saw Bai Ye sprint forward with gusto.
Gilgamesh's expression turned utterly bewildered.
What was he doing?
Did he have some secret move against the Hydra Serpent?
Then...
Gilgamesh watched as the Hydra Serpent opened its massive maw and lunged forward, swallowing Bai Ye whole.
Gilgamesh: "..."
What happened to the secret move?
Gilgamesh's gaze immediately darkened. He gestured forward and commanded, "Spit him out!"
Instantly, the golden portal behind Gilgamesh erupted in blinding radiance. Countless weapons reappeared and surged towards the giant serpent's head.
Gilgamesh cared little for Bai Ye's fate.
However, if Bai Ye died, it would mean the end of his Holy Grail War journey.
This was something Gilgamesh could not accept!
He, the great King of Heroes, failing to claim the Grail? Failing?
This was absolutely unforgivable!
Boom!
Accompanying the impact of the weapons, a deafening explosion echoed.
Under Gilgamesh's barrage, the massive Hydra Serpent was forced to stagger, nearly falling from the hotel's outer wall.
Countless fragments of stone plummeted downwards, crashing onto the ground, kicking up billowing clouds of dust.
But soon, the Hydra Serpent regained its balance, its colossal maw once again turning towards Gilgamesh.
"Scum, are you provoking me?" Gilgamesh reached out to his side. "The Spiral Sword!"
From the golden expanse of the Gate of Babylon, a spiral-shaped knightly sword slowly materialized and landed in Gilgamesh's hand.
The Spiral Sword, a cursed blade from Celtic mythology, forged by the elves of the divine realm, imbued with the mighty power of the sky god's thunder!
The next moment, with the Spiral Sword in hand, Gilgamesh swung it forward.
*Zzzip!*
A sharp crackling sound of arcing electricity filled the air, followed by a cascade of azure currents shooting forward with Gilgamesh's swing, striking the Hydra Serpent's head with immense force.
Boom!
Upon impact, the electricity detonated, engulfing the Hydra Serpent's body in a web of crackling arcs.
The next instant, the Hydra Serpent reared its head, then plummeted downwards.
Its colossal body crashed from the hotel's outer wall and slammed onto the ground...
The ground caved in!
Almost instantaneously, the ground beneath the hotel erupted. Countless massive rocks surged upwards, and a vast area collapsed at a visible rate.
Nearby vehicles were crushed into scrap metal by the falling debris. Windows of surrounding buildings shattered continuously. Streetlights and utility poles toppled, creating a tangled mess.
Torn cables sparked and crackled with intermittent bursts of electricity!
Gilgamesh arrived at the edge of the fractured wall, looking down with intense fury.
Because the Hydra Serpent was still not dead!
Despite the heavy blow, the Hydra Serpent continued to writhe on the ground.
Gilgamesh took a step forward, then descended from the air, plummeting directly to the ground.
Boom!
Upon landing, the ground beneath him cracked and exploded, creating a deep crater.
After steadying himself, Gilgamesh continued forward, sword in hand. A multitude of weapons once again appeared in the golden expanse behind him.
"Die, crawler!"
Gilgamesh raised the Spiral Sword high, intending to strike the Hydra Serpent once more, when suddenly...
*Pfft!*
A massive gash appeared on the Hydra Serpent's back.
The next moment...
"I was suffocating in there!"
Bai Ye crawled out of the rift and rolled onto the ground.
Gilgamesh looked at Bai Ye with surprise. "You're not dead?"
"Of course not," Bai Ye replied. "If I died, wouldn't you disappear too?"
This time, Gilgamesh was speechless. The statement held such undeniable logic.
Gilgamesh asked, "Humans die from touching the Hydra Serpent due to its poison. Why are you unaffected?"
"That's because I'm immune to poison," Bai Ye said, shaking off the slime. "I suppose I can't go back to the hotel for a shower now, can I?"
Gilgamesh responded, "What do you think?"
The hotel building was still collapsing, with debris constantly falling.
Several floors were engulfed in flames, thick black smoke billowing outwards.
Bai Ye sighed. "Looks like we'll have to find another place to shower and sleep."
"No!" Gilgamesh's expression suddenly turned grave as he looked forward. "Tonight, we might not be able to sleep."
"Huh?"
Bai Ye blinked, then followed Gilgamesh's gaze forward.
The street was empty and long, with no one around.
The collapsed hotel deterred any approach.
Piles of rubble lined the sides of the street, and flickering streetlights blinked on and off.
Gilgamesh was the most radiant presence on this street.
Golden, blindingly brilliant.
And on the opposite 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 swept by, making her long hair fly.
The woman wore a black, form-fitting suit that accentuated her shapely, fiery figure.
But more dangerous than her physique...
Was her spear!
In the woman's hand was a blood-red, spiraled spear, held downwards. She gripped the butt of the spear, its tip dragging along the ground.
As the woman walked forward, her spear tip scraped against the ground, emitting golden sparks.
Gilgamesh tightened his grip on the Spiral Sword.
The golden expanse behind him became even more dazzling.
Few in this world could make the King of Heroes serious.
The woman before him was likely one of them.
After a moment, Gilgamesh spoke, "Queen of the netherworld of the dead and spirits, a queen cursed for stepping into the divine realm in mortal form, do you intend to declare war upon me?"