The events that had transpired in the Holy City were still unknown to those at the Ramesseum Tentyris .
Zuke had just retracted the "Black Bird Requiem," and almost immediately after, the large door before him swung open. Ritsuka Fujimaru and the others emerged, their expressions complex and unreadable.
"Finished talking?" Zuke raised an eyebrow, watching as Ritsuka Fujimaru and the others stepped out. He then stood up and walked towards the room.
"Now it's my turn to meet this Ozymandias. Let's see what reason he has for making me wait outside."
"Mr. Zuke, you should be careful. That Ramesses II... doesn't seem like the type to be easily reasoned with."
Seeing that Zuke seemed to have a somewhat dismissive attitude towards Ramesses II, Ritsuka Fujimaru quickly grabbed his arm and whispered a warning.
As the last Master of humanity, Ritsuka Fujimaru could sense that Ramesses II was incredibly powerful, but his personality was equally difficult. He was the type who looked down on everyone, quite literally.
In fact, in some of the FGO storylines, Ramesses II could even get along quite well with Gilgamesh, which gives you an idea of just how bad his personality was—no better than Gilgamesh's.
Although Ritsuka Fujimaru could also sense that Zuke was very powerful, she was, after all, just an ordinary person with no significant magical aptitude. Naturally, she couldn't tell who was stronger between Zuke and Ramesses II.
Out of a bit of personal bias, Ritsuka Fujimaru was more inclined to side with Zuke, who had already saved her twice. That's why she specifically pulled him aside and whispered this warning.
"...Don't worry. If that guy dares to speak to me disrespectfully, I'll teach him a lesson in manners."
Zuke found Ritsuka Fujimaru's warning somewhat amusing—he didn't think Ramesses II was that ignorant.
The fact that Ramesses II had chosen to meet him and Ritsuka Fujimaru separately likely meant that he had already sensed something special about Zuke. If, knowing that, he still dared to act arrogantly, then he was truly asking for trouble.
With that, Zuke entered the room, closing the heavy door behind him, leaving Ritsuka Fujimaru and the others to exchange puzzled glances.
"I don't think Mr. Zuke's idea of 'teaching manners' is what we'd normally consider teaching, right?"
Mash, standing beside Ritsuka Fujimaru, spoke up with a hint of exasperation. She had clearly picked up on Zuke's implication—if Ramesses II didn't behave, Zuke would beat him until he did.
Although Zuke had indeed saved Ritsuka Fujimaru twice, it was also clear that he wasn't the type to follow rules. He was the kind of person who might resort to violence at the slightest provocation.
If we were to classify him according to the usual alignment system, he'd probably fall into the Chaotic Neutral category.
"Hmm... the name Zuke only appears in some fictional works or obscure historical records, but it's obvious that those minor characters don't match his level of power."
Da Vinci, standing nearby, was also deeply puzzled. Since being summoned to Chaldea as a female Heroic Spirit, this was the first time she had encountered a Heroic Spirit whose name she knew but about whom she understood nothing.
"But he is indeed a genuine Heroic Spirit. It's strange... where did the Counter Force find such an odd character?"
Like the others, Da Vinci assumed that Zuke was a Heroic Spirit sent by the Counter Force.
In these Singularities, it wasn't uncommon for wild Heroic Spirits to assist Ritsuka Fujimaru and her team. These were usually Heroic Spirits who, upon sensing the abnormality of the Singularity, took action under the guidance of the Counter Force.
After all, the result of a Singularity was the destruction of human civilization, and the Counter Force included the human aspect of it. Naturally, it couldn't just stand by and let the Singularity continue.
Zuke had already helped Ritsuka Fujimaru twice, so it was only natural for them to assume he was an agent of the Counter Force.
"Besides, Mr. Zuke's help might not be as simple as it seems, right?"
Da Vinci added, glancing at Ritsuka Fujimaru. Although she looked no different from when she had left Chaldea, Da Vinci couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else about her.
"Your physical condition seems much better than before. Did Mr. Zuke do something to you?"
Ritsuka Fujimaru awkwardly smiled—typical of Da Vinci to notice something. Of course, she couldn't reveal that she was wearing the "maid outfit" Zuke had given her, which had boosted her defense and physical abilities.
...
As Zuke stepped into the central hall, he immediately spotted Ramesses II waiting for him.
In the room, there was a high throne, the seat of the Pharaoh. According to the original storyline, Ramesses II should have been sitting there, looking down on Ritsuka Fujimaru and the others.
But Ramesses II wasn't foolish. If he had dared to sit there while facing Zuke, Zuke would likely have dragged him down from it.
Ramesses II was also a Chaotic Neutral Heroic Spirit, so he understood that, to some extent, Zuke was similar to him—both were driven by their own desires and capable of doing anything.
"You've arrived, Zuke, the Heroic Spirit from another world."
Hearing the footsteps behind him, Ramesses II turned to face Zuke. His expression wasn't one of arrogance but rather one of seriousness.
Even someone as proud as Ramesses II knew that Zuke wasn't someone to be treated with disdain. One wrong word, and he might find himself dead on the spot.
Especially since his current condition wasn't great—though he appeared fine, his head and neck were actually separated.
After being summoned to this era, Ramesses II had implemented a series of defensive measures to counter the Holy City, which had disrupted the lives of the mountain people. This led to his assassination by the First Hassan.
As the progenitor of the Hassan assassins, the First Hassan possessed a Grand-level Spirit Origin. His assassination was something even Ramesses II couldn't withstand, and his head had been severed at the time.
However, being within his Ramesseum Tentyris , Ramesses II didn't die. His head would occasionally fall off his neck, and he had to hold it in place.
"You specifically separated me from the Chaldea group. Is there something you want to say to me alone?"
Zuke didn't mind, simply asking Ramesses II directly.
He had no particular interest in Ramesses II. The guy wasn't a beautiful girl, and his abilities didn't offer anything Zuke particularly desired.
When Zuke first obtained the "Black Bird," his power was still relatively modest, so he wasn't picky and would take whatever he could get.
But now, Zuke's power had significantly increased. Unless an ability was particularly useful or offered something like Gawain's "Numeral of the Saint," which multiplied his strength regardless of his current power level, Zuke couldn't be bothered.
Ramesses II's strength wasn't bad among Heroic Spirits, but he simply didn't make the cut for Zuke anymore.
To be continued…
Advance 100 Chapters are up on my Patreon!
pat reon.com/AlphaSenatus