As the light rose from Hecate Island, two more beams of light surged skyward from the directions of Heracles Island and Hestia Island.
Each beam originated from the temple district on its respective island.
"So this is… the god-slaying ritual you mentioned?" Orion asked Shiomi.
"That's right," Shiomi replied, holding Gungnir in his hand.
After breaking through the obstruction set up by Kirei and Ashiya Douman with his master, they encountered no one else along the way aside from the occasional Olympus patrol.
By the time they reached the temple grounds, Orion was already there, surrounded by the bodies of fallen Olympus soldiers.
Standing beside him was a figure that bore an uncanny resemblance to Artemis of Proper Human History.
It was a divided spirit, or rather a sub-unit, of the Lostbelt Artemis. Acting independently, it had been searching the islands of Atlantis for Chaldea's autonomous units.
Normally, these sub-units remained synchronized with the will of the main body in satellite orbit. Only this one was an exception.
Because of Orion, this "individual" had broken free from the Machine God's overall control and followed him of its own volition, all the way to Hecate Island.
"You've really gone all out…" Orion said gravely. "Are you planning to kill Artemis?"
"If I don't act, then once we finish off the fleet around Hecate Island, it'll be that goddess's turn… or rather, the Machine God's new descent," Shiomi said, pointing toward the sky. "You know that feeling, right? When there's always something aiming at you. Even if it doesn't always hit, it's still unbearable."
Of course, this wasn't just a matter of discomfort. It was a matter of survival.
One single mistake would mean enormous casualties for Chaldea.
Unlike Olympus, which could afford to fail again and again, Chaldea had no room for error.
"I see." Orion glanced at the Artemis beside him. "What do you think? Is this really fine, Artemis?"
"As an individual who has gone against the will of my main body, I can't say whether this is correct," the exceptional Artemis sub-unit replied. "But compared to Artemis being defeated, or you continuing to suffer through the failures and disappearances of those from Proper Human History… I believe this is better. So this is fine."
"I see…"
In truth, Orion had already reached his answer. Otherwise, he wouldn't have arrived ahead of time after sensing Shiomi's preparations, clearing out the lesser enemies here for him.
"Then go do it," Orion said with a clean, open smile. "For those who have yet to be reborn—"
Before he could finish, his expression abruptly changed. He tightened his grip on his bow, every bit on guard.
Shiomi had already sensed the approaching presence. He turned first, standing beside his master as they looked up at the goddess descending from the sky.
"So you're the one Demeter mentioned?" Aphrodite hovered in midair, gazing down at Shiomi from above. "To have completed such a ritual… what is your relationship with Odin?"
"I didn't expect an Olympian god to take such an interest in a great god from elsewhere," Shiomi replied calmly.
Scáthach began to move slowly, searching for an opening to strike. "And you are?"
"Aphrodite," the goddess answered casually. "Queen of the realm of the dead. Watch your attitude. In my eyes, you are no different from ordinary humans."
"Heh." Scáthach let out a soft chuckle.
"So not just Demeter, but you as well," Shiomi said, attempting to provoke her. "Zeus must be rather lacking in confidence in the strength under his command. Compared to Odin, who is also called a great god, yours seems… quite a bit inferior."
"Enough of this tedious provocation," Aphrodite said with a smile, her gaze utterly cold. "A human daring to touch the domain of the gods. One who seeks divinity, yet stands on the side of humanity… unacceptable. I'll personally discipline you, and teach you what true divine aesthetics are."
As she spoke, she slowly raised her hand—only to catch sight of a crimson flash racing toward her.
Scáthach's crimson spear was stopped just short of impact, as though an invisible wall had risen to block its path.
"I'm truly sorry, Aphrodite. Teaching my disciple is my duty as his master. Even the goddess of beauty has no place interfering." Scáthach tightened her grip on the spear, another spear held in her other hand. "I'll handle things here. Go do what you need to do, my beloved disciple!"
"I won't let you—" Aphrodite's expression soured as she freed a hand to aim at Shiomi, only for a flying arrow to force her to break off.
"I'll support your master. Go." Orion grit his teeth, raised his bow, and took aim at Aphrodite.
Even if Artemis had defied her main body and broken free of its control, she still couldn't attack other Olympian gods.
That was why Orion said only "I" would provide support.
The three pillars of light rising from the temples marked the ritual's completion. A vast pattern that covered the three islands and the surrounding seas was slowly revealing its true form across the sky.
"Master, be careful."
As Shiomi spoke, he swept his hand outward. [Inflaming Divinity] lit up the area outside the temple, so bright that even Aphrodite had to shut her eyes against it.
By the time the goddess's vision returned, Shiomi was already gone. Scáthach pressed the attack with even sharper ferocity, forcing Aphrodite to stay and fight, leaving her no easy way to break free.
At the same time, the enormous design hanging in the heavens grew clearer and clearer. Villagers on each island thought they were witnessing a divine oracle, yet couldn't decipher its meaning.
Out on the sea, both Chaldea and Olympus were drawn to the sudden change as well.
But Chaldea's reaction could not have been more different from Olympus's.
Olga Marie immediately knew this had to be connected to Shiomi. She ordered the bridge to keep close watch on the phenomenon while pushing harder to keep Olympus pinned down.
In the region roughly at the center of the three islands, Shiomi stood upon the sea. He cradled Gungnir in both hands and offered up his prayer and blessing.
"I would speak of life through death. Wisdom of Odin, leylines of the World Tree, become the branches that sever the past and reach toward the future. For the next nine days, forbid all folly. Cross the twilight, and show us our true fate—"
He chanted in a low voice, the words flowing like song. Beneath the clear sky, the ocean roared as wind and waves surged up, forming a violent whirlpool around him as if it meant to swallow him whole.
"The gods of the sky are but a fleeting thing. Humanity, who crosses land and sea, is the true future! Proclaim the end of the gods, [Ragnarok Gungnir]!"
A sacred golden light rose slowly from the vortex, like a candle flame wavering in the wind. Only this flame grew brighter and brighter, more dazzling with each heartbeat.
It climbed without end, accelerating faster and faster. As it pierced through the ancient pattern etched across the sky, its speed increased yet again.
Artemis, watching the battle at sea and waiting for her moment to strike, could not decide on her own to drag the Crypters and other gods into the path of her arrows.
By the time she sensed the danger, it was already too late. Even if she gathered her Mana and loosed a divine arrow, she had no way to stop the meteor rising from the earth.
That was the Earth Mother's blessing.
That was the great god's wisdom.
That was… the unbroken will to fight for humanity, unyielding and undying.
A sure-kill, sure-hit.
A spear that transcended even the concept of curse itself, forged from the branches of the World Tree by the god of wisdom from the frigid northern world.
A Noble Phantasm perfectly suited to bring down a god.
Shiomi's own throw could never reach Artemis's altitude, which was why he had constructed the ritual called the "Great God Altar" using the temples on the three islands.
It was a method Grímr, acting as Odin's proxy, had inherited from Odin. Before he departed after fulfilling his mission in the Fairy Kingdom, he passed it on to Shiomi in a parting clap of hands.
Using the land of the three islands as its foundation, the ritual formed a sanctuary tailored to Shiomi, granting him the opening he needed to unleash this god-slaying strike.
In the instant Artemis's divine arrow finished charging with Mana, just before it could be released, Gungnir pierced her divine body with merciless precision, shattering Artemis's ability to regenerate.
The wound looked insignificant at first, yet like a tiny breach that brings down a dam, it spread—until it consumed her entire form.
Above Atlantis's blue sky, a star brighter than the moon bloomed in an instant.