On the cliffs of Hecate Island, overlooking the naval battle below.
"It looks like the advantage is on our side, but… Demeter has also entered the battlefield. We still don't know whether other Divine Spirits are here to block Chaldea. Are you worried, my beloved disciple?"
Scáthach asked as she stood beside Shiomi.
"I've fought Demeter before. She's not an opponent Merlin could defeat, but with the Valkyries there, it won't be so easy for that goddess to bring them down either." He watched the battle for a moment, then turned and headed inland. "It was unexpected, but as long as they keep maneuvering and draw Demeter's attention, that alone is more than enough."
Once they entered the firing range of the leyline-blocking armaments, Shiomi led Scáthach off the ship. They skimmed across the sea's surface, slipped past the fleet's defensive perimeter, and made straight for Hecate Island.
The reason was simple. Shiomi had already set up ritual foundations in the temples on Hestia Island and Heracles Island. One more temple was still needed.
Among the nearby islands, Hecate Island was the only viable choice.
The temples on these islands had all been built in extremely special locations.
Although the land's leylines had been drained to the point where they could no longer support Heroic Spirit Summoning, due to Olympus forcibly summoning figures from Proper Human History and then exterminating them before Chaldea's arrival, they could still be used to complete a large-scale ritual.
The price was that identical ritual foundations had to be constructed on at least three islands and brought into resonance.
"Is this ritual you prepared meant to amplify the power of Gungnir?" Scáthach asked.
As they pushed through the island's untouched jungle, she swung her spear to sever thorny vines, opening up a rough path just wide enough to pass through.
"More accurately," Shiomi said, "it's to give Gungnir the power to reach where Artemis is. No matter how powerful a Noble Phantasm may be, it still has its limits. The spear Odin bestowed is no exception."
This was exactly the method Shiomi had mentioned for bringing down Artemis.
To offer prayers to Gungnir, allowing it to reach that unattainable orbital height.
Or rather, to throw the spear directly from the ground and strike Artemis without any preparation at all was something only Odin himself could accomplish.
At the very least, Shiomi, who had yet to become a complete god, could not perform such a miracle with his bare hands.
Originally, he had planned to slip away from the battlefield alone and head to Hecate Island to complete the placement of the final cornerstone amid the chaos of battle.
However, Morgan had opposed him acting on his own. After some discussion, it was decided that Scáthach would accompany him.
"Stop!"
Scáthach, who had been moving ahead with swift, precise steps to clear the way, suddenly shouted. The crimson spear in her hand thrust forward in a flash.
The air warped for an instant, then shattered.
Fragments of talisman paper fluttered to the ground, each marked with an eye-like pattern.
"This is… a talisman for summoning a spirit," Shiomi said, recognizing what his master had destroyed.
During the Antarctic retreat battle, one of the Servants who had pursued him had used this very kind of Onmyoji technique.
The Servant who called himself Caster·Linnbo, Ashiya Douman, who had once appeared in the Shimosa Subcategory Singularity.
Before the thought had even settled, numerous dog-like demons crawled out from the shadows of the forest, their bodies radiating a dangerous aura.
"Oh? Not monsters native to this Lostbelt, but familiars summoned through their master's blood sacrifice… or should I say shikigami?" Scáthach remarked lightly, though her crimson eyes gleamed with razor-sharp intent.
"A roadblock," Shiomi murmured.
"Indeed."
Unaware of what Shiomi had just said, Ashiya Douman materialized from the void, oblivious to the fact that his appearance perfectly answered those words.
"Even if it's unclear where the two from Chaldea are headed, slipping past the defenses set up on Hecate Island and pushing in alone can only mean they're hiding some ulterior motive."
Ashiya Douman wore a feral grin, eight talisman papers pinched between his fingers, ready to be thrown at any moment and transformed into combat shikigami.
"That's none of your concern. If you don't want to die, get out of the way," Shiomi warned coldly.
"That simply won't do. This monk is here precisely to prevent—"
Douman had no intention of backing down, clearly prepared to clash with the master and disciple. Before he could finish speaking, Shiomi's kick slammed squarely into his face. He was sent flying to the side, crashing into the towering oni behind him and bending trees as they went down together.
Struggling to sit up amid the fallen trunks, Douman wiped at his bruised face and boomed, "How utterly rude, interrupting someone while they're—"
Before he could ramble on a second time, Shiomi had already closed in again. He raised the crimson spear in his hand and drove it straight toward Douman's chest.
In a panic, Douman stacked layers of talisman paper to block the strike. True to their nature, they were pierced with ease, only barely stopping it at the final layer.
"Shut up. I don't have time to listen to your nonsense."
Shiomi pressed forward without emotion, but Douman, seizing the brief opening to catch his breath, hastily unfolded a defensive curse.
"They say three days apart is enough to warrant a second look. It seems you've grown far more dangerous than you were in Antarctica, Lord Shiomi." Cold sweat trickled down Douman's forehead as regret set in for stepping forward to intercept them.
Originally, he had only placed talismans on Hecate Island as a precaution, meant to counter the familiar ravens that had previously landed there and prevent Chaldea from dispatching a squad to the island.
Neither the Crypters nor the Alien Apostles could ever fully grasp Chaldea's plans. All they could do was respond as best they could.
Even so, as one of the Alien Apostles lying in wait, Douman realized his calculations had been disastrously wrong.
This was no longer a matter of simply reassessing his opponent. Over the past half year, Tenkei Shiomi had undergone a complete transformation. He was no longer just somewhat troublesome.
"That won't do. This man can't die here."
A familiar voice sounded from behind. Without even turning around, Shiomi reached back with his free left hand and caught the hand aimed at his back.
The attacker was none other than Kirei Kotomine.
At the same time, Scáthach was being held up by the sudden appearance of the twin Servant Dioscuri, giving Kirei an opening.
Only an opening.
"I never thought you still cared about your companions. That's quite the revelation, Kirei," Shiomi said.
Kirei's hand clenched into a fist, and at point-blank range he released a short burst of power, shaking free of Shiomi's grip. As he flipped backward to retreat, he tossed several grenades and drew a submachine gun from beneath his vestments.
On the other side, Ashiya Douman seized the chance to activate his curse, detonating the talisman papers.
A violent explosion tore through the forest. When the smoke finally cleared, there was no sign of Shiomi anywhere.