"Leave the magical energy to me—!"
"Everyone, go all out!!"
Countless purple-gold suns, warping the atmosphere and capable of boiling seas and burning mountains, bloomed across the sky like an impenetrable barrier. Ritsuka Fujimaru held his breath, tightly gripping his right wrist as he roared toward the void. Instantly, the crimson Command Spells blazed with radiant red light.
Even the atmosphere changed under Ritsuka Fujimaru's desperate, hoarse shout.
Bzzzz—!
"Luminosité Eternelle!!"
"Saint War Order!"
"Lord Camelot!"
"Achilles Cosmos!"
"Kavacha and Kundala!"
...
"Never give up—toward the shore we shall one day reach, unfold—Avalon, the utopia beyond the world!"
"The solar monument, the pyramid that governs the cosmos—my infinite radiance! The sun god shall descend here! Fall—Ramesseum Tentyris!!"
...
BOOM BOOM BOOM RUMBLEEEEE—!!!
On this day, something descended upon the island chains of the western Pacific—something that could only be described as an 'existence.' Vast stretches of continental plates vanished forever.
From low Earth orbit, astronauts stationed in space stations were fortunate enough to witness the full extent of this terrifying scene.
It was the answer of God to the destruction of the world.
Piercing through the vast clouds, shimmering streams of light flowed like fine silver sand slipping through divine fingertips, weaving radiant prisons of brilliance. The sky shimmered with dazzling colors, like holy spirits unleashing their might, enveloping all things as heaven and earth dimmed.
There was no need for any meteorological warning. Visible to the naked eye, a dark crimson vortex appeared above the Pacific Ocean, imprinted upon the surface of the planet itself.
The gods had delivered 'salvation'—yet it could just as easily bring destruction. The boundless light descending into the world became a thunderous judgment that pierced every inch of land, composing a requiem in its wake. All living things were annihilated, returning to nothingness.
The raging tides of magical energy whipped up hurricanes beyond the limits of human forecasting, lightning that struck everywhere at once, and towering tsunamis churned up by undersea earthquakes...
Everything was catastrophic, like the apocalypse foretold in ancient prophecies.
Beeeeep—Beeeeep—Beeeeep—!!
"Hey, hey, hey!!"
Such violent magical fluctuations immediately interfered with Chaldea's detection systems. On the central display screen, the images of Ritsuka Fujimaru and the others, once clear, grew increasingly distorted.
Until—crack!bzzzt—
"Ritsuka? Mash!? Can you still hear me!?"
Staring at the suddenly glitching central screen, Romani's urgent voice rang out repeatedly.
"According to SHEBA, the entire Pacific region is undergoing intense tectonic activity! The scope of the disaster is still expanding!"
"CHALDEAS has simultaneously detected severe space-time fracture reactions within the Singularity!"
His hands flying across the console, a Chaldea operator stared at the red warning text flashing across the screen and spoke rapidly:
"Due to the severe space-time fragmentation within the Singularity, our communications have been temporarily cut off!"
Da Vinci's expression changed as she barked, "Report Ritsuka's vital signs to me in real time! Maintain magical energy supply to the Guardian Heroic Spirit Summoning System—FATE!"
The monitoring system tracking Ritsuka Fujimaru's physical condition was still functioning, meaning he was not dead—but the continuously worsening readings caused Da Vinci's heart to sink.
"Restore communications immediately!"
Commanding blindly like this was far too passive. Their understanding of the situation was too fragmentary—they had to reestablish contact with Ritsuka Fujimaru.
Romani said, "Report the casualties among the Servants."
"Compiling data... Archer Atalanta's Saint Graph response has disappeared."
"Saber Gilles de Rais' Saint Graph response has disappeared... Lancer Musashibou Benkei, Assassin Hassan of Serenity..."
"Archer Tawara Touta, Ruler Holmes, Caster Geronimo... Lancer Leonidas I, Archer Billy, Caster Helena... Archer Tesla, Saber Rama..."
"Except for a small number of Servants protected within the range of powerful Noble Phantasms from King Arthur, Ramesses II, King Gilgamesh, and others—"
"The Servants who once fought alongside us across various Singularities and came to support us have almost all been annihilated in an instant!"
"And furthermore, the enemy Servant Foreigner—Durandal—her Saint Graph response also appears to have vanished!"
As he spoke, a staff member rubbed his eyes in disbelief, his voice trembling.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes. The Saint Graph responses of the Foreigners battling Gilgamesh have all disappeared under Selene's bombardment."
Hearing this, the mysterious smile that usually adorned Da Vinci's delicate face faded, replaced by worry and contemplation. "An indiscriminate bombardment, regardless of friend or foe."
"Durandal's disappearance—was it because Selene simply did not care about those under her command who were holding back Gilgamesh and the others... or is there another reason?"
If it was the former... Da Vinci could only feel it was not worth it for Durandal.
Even as Servants serving different masters, the flashes of humanity and faint idealistic nobility shining within Durandal and Kiana were things Da Vinci, a renowned genius of human history, could not fail to notice.
Truly—heroes who should belong to humanity yet serve the gods. Though there was perhaps some sentimental bias and a tendency to meddle unnecessarily, Da Vinci could not help but feel it was a terrible waste.
"She's clearing the field. In her eyes, there are too many insects. This attack is a test—those who cannot cross it are insects, while those who survive the boundary between life and death are heroes, worthy of speaking with her."
"What a brutally violent god."
BAM!
Slamming his fist onto the desk, his orange bangs swaying over his eyes, Romani looked up—then quickly waved his hands with an awkward smile. "Sorry, sorry—I lost my composure."
"Da Vinci, I'll leave things here to you. I'm stepping out for a moment—I'll be back soon."
With that, Romani turned around. The gentle, warm smile on his face faded instantly as he walked past Da Vinci without looking back and left the control room.
"Romani..."
Watching his figure gradually disappear through the doorway, Da Vinci's tone grew complicated. "So... it's finally come to this moment..."
...
Bzzzt—
At that moment, the sky was a dim gray. Scorching volcanic ash fell ever more densely like rain. Fuyuki City... no, rather, the entire continental plate had undergone a drastic transformation in its terrain.
The volcanic ash in the heavens could no longer disperse on its own, slowly rotating like a massive vortex.
Before Selene's power, mountains and rivers were as fragile as paper, torn apart, devoured, and annihilated by blazing spheres of destruction.
The land was even more ruined—no distinction remained between earth and ocean, as everything had been flattened into the same level of devastation.
Gullies and craters stretched to the horizon, with torrents of lava forming their trenches. Even vision itself was distorted by the burning, churning atmosphere.
Within countless pits, under extreme heat and pressure, faint reflective halos shimmered—silver, red... multicolored crystalline ground reflecting upon Ritsuka Fujimaru's pale face.
"Senpai..."
Supported by Mash, Ritsuka Fujimaru turned back. At first glance, many familiar comrades had already vanished. The scorching wind brought a piercing, burning sensation that made his weakened body tremble, his face growing even paler.
'Bianka and Kiana, hide yourselves. Phase two of the mission.'
"This body is still somewhat lacking, but it will suffice."
Selene pressed her eyes slightly as she toyed with the Honkai Cube gathered in her hand. Then she looked at her own handiwork, her smile growing ever more radiant.
"Look, I truly find it rather astonishing."
"A magus who possesses such fortune tied to destiny, such decisiveness at the moment destiny descends, and the capacity to contract with multiple Heroic Spirits while supplying them with magical energy—yet Chaldea once judged him to be incompetent. How laughable."
"These so-called members of Chaldea's A-Team—what manner of beings are they?"
Tilting her head slightly, Selene asked with a hint of mockery.
"The A-Team? Just a group of insects with lofty ambitions but fragile fates. There's no need for Your Majesty to concern yourself with them. The past is but smoke. Still, that he could sustain so many Heroic Spirits—it truly surprises me."
"Solomon" observed Ritsuka Fujimaru in such a state, feeling both anger and pity.
As the King of Magecraft who commanded Demon Gods, aside from Clairvoyance, everything Lev knew, "Solomon" also knew.
Back then in Chaldea, this boy had been nothing more than an insignificant individual barely worth notice. Compared to the A-Team, his talent was pitiful. As a mere substitute, he had even been expelled from a meeting by Director Olga Marie for falling asleep.
Yet misfortune had turned to fortune—he avoided the explosion in the control room and barely survived. Thereafter came the Incineration of Humanity, and he became the sole active Master of Chaldea.
What a tragic human—burdened with responsibilities that were never his to bear. Only valued when needed. If the A-Team had still been around, perhaps to Chaldea, Ritsuka Fujimaru would have been entirely dispensable.
The hypocrisy of humanity...
"But isn't it precisely because humanity is so hopeless and ugly that it deserves to be destroyed? What do mere humans understand of life? All their so-called views have never been worth anything!"
The more he understood, the more he saw, the deeper his pity grew. Such was the state of "Solomon" as he burst into manic laughter, raising his hands high.
"Nega S... hm?"
As he watched the Imaginary Claw suddenly manifest and press down on his arms, "Solomon" turned toward Selene in confusion, seeking an explanation.
"Anti-summoning (Nega-Summon)—how dull. There's no need to weaken them. Leave Ritsuka Fujimaru and that shield-bearing girl beside him to you."
"My descent is not merely to watch your 'Incineration of Humanity' feast. A proper warm-up before the meal is essential."
"If you wish to prove your actions are correct, then defeat Chaldea in every possible way."
With those words, Selene vanished. In the next instant—BOOM—!
A shockwave erupted as thunder roared across the heavens. Ishtar's figure was sent flying backward repeatedly, her cries of pain echoing.
"Gugalanna!!"
Clang—!
It felt as though the surrounding atmosphere and land itself had been seized by the magical energy of the thundercloud. A portion of the storm cloud—over 800 kilometers in diameter—began to writhe, sprouting scythe-like protrusions. Two tornadoes spiraled out from their tips, piercing straight into the sky.
"ROOOAAAR—!!"
"..."
The raging winds parted automatically around him. After a long silence, "Solomon" lowered his hands, a vicious grin spreading across his sharp teeth. "What a battle-hungry goddess."
Aside from summoning, another innate skill possessed by Solomon:
Nega-Summon: EX
A power that negates and destroys attacks originating from Servants. It nullifies, renders invincible, absorbs, or reduces Noble Phantasms—the very symbols of Heroic Spirits.
A true Anti-Servant Noble Phantasm. It was precisely because of this that "Solomon" could confidently declare that Servants were no match for him.
Even if its rank had been greatly reduced due to a certain exception, with his second and third Noble Phantasms, he remained invincible!
"Very well. Last Master of humanity—since you have already arrived at this temple, beneath this band of light, then as per Her Majesty's suggestion, I shall grant you a reward."
"A chance—a chance to face me with everything you have!"
As he spoke, "Solomon" stepped down from the temple's staircase, his blood-red eyes glaring with undisguised malice at the frail, pitiful boy.
At the same time, Ritsuka Fujimaru noticed "Solomon" approaching step by step, along with the arrogance and disdain with which he looked down upon humanity.
"Foolish mortal—open your eyes and behold. This is the inevitable end of your hopeless ugliness!"
"Mortal? Yeah... I'm not some hero. I'm Ritsuka Fujimaru—a mortal who stands here thanks to countless people, in place of countless people... the Master of Chaldea!"
Clenching his fist, he forced himself to stand. The red glow of his Command Spells burned continuously on his hand. His face flushed an unhealthy crimson as he endured the searing pain of his overdriven magical circuits, bloodshot eyes blazing as he struck his chest.
"Solomon—your ambition ends with me!"
...
Fierce winds mixed with scorching flames, shockwaves driving the thunderstorm onward.
Whoosh—!
Selene appeared behind Ishtar out of thin air. Two rectangular prisms formed from Imaginary energy burst from space, solidifying instantly as they slammed the arrogant goddess standing atop the Bull of Heaven down to the earth.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Golden chains intertwined into a vast net, catching Ishtar. Their anti-divinity properties perfectly fulfilled their role in the rescue.
Crack—!
Each step forward was met with layers of resistance. And for every second Selene was delayed, Chaldea paid a heavy price.
Slash—!
War hawks were cut into pieces. Several Heroic Spirits—ones she neither recognized nor cared about—were crushed or beheaded casually. At last, Selene noticed a familiar figure.
Above, a certain playwright was about to launch into a grand tragic speech. "Ah, Your Majesty, I sincerely—aaahhh!"
Never mind. You can just die.
Burned to ashes.
"Astolfo's mount... lucky brat. And Shakespeare—relying on self-preservation to act recklessly."
In the next instant—
BOOM—!
From the constellation Scorpio in the starry sky, a golden beam descended, tearing across the heavens. The sight illuminated the firmament, as though the clouds had been instantly parted.
Unfortunately, it was all show and no substance—crack! Selene crushed the attack between her fingers. "You waited this long? Wasn't that too late?"
Whoosh! Whoosh!
"No matter who you are, defiler of Mother—ugh!"
"Maybe it would've worked a minute earlier." With several flashes, dodging a barrage of golden chains, Selene casually disemboweled Kingu.
"Wrong target. Foolish. Tiamat was killed by Gilgamesh. If anything, I could be considered avenging her... Kingu."
She weighed the Chains of Heaven binding her wrists. Indeed, Selene's divinity had greatly enhanced their suppression and durability—but the disparity in base physical strength was too vast.
You bind, I pull. You open a gate, I close it. If you don't bind or open—then I'll send you to your end.
"An Anti-Purge Noble Phantasm? Compared to Enkidu, Kingu—a mud puppet born from the child of Tiamat—is far too weak..."
"ROOOAR—!!"
Piercing through the clouds and covering the sky—those were the horns of a colossal beast. Even Selene's thousands-of-meters-long form as the Demonic Beast Goddess paled in comparison.
This was a true behemoth.
BOOOOM—!!!
A pure clash of strength forced Selene's Imaginary Barrier backward.
Under that overwhelming power, the atmosphere on both sides of the "wall" she pushed against burst outward in visible rings of light, as though space-time itself trembled.
"That strength... impressive."
Even for Selene, who bore the complete imprint recorded upon the Throne of Heroes, being overpowered like this was rare.
Through the heavy thunderclouds, Selene could clearly perceive the hidden form cloaked in mystery.
Beneath the twin tornadoes was a deep, vivid azure—like a massive block of lapis lazuli echoing the sea and sky, forged from an amount of mineral that could not be gathered even from all the Earth's resources.
From its nostrils, two catastrophic water-like cyclones erupted.
"One of Gilgamesh's greatest feats... so it's you—Gugalanna."