"Angels, seek out the blasphemer. Take his life as an offering and pray for my grace."
A shimmering golden bounty manifested across the heavens.
In the Angel Academy, a girl clad in a black-and-white dress and trousers stared at the decree. She silently memorized Kawashima Toya's face.
Despite being an angel with beauty that surpassed any mortal, she seemed to carry a permanent shadow of misfortune.
Lord, Pekola shall bring you the life of this sinner and beg for your forgiveness.
.....
Beyond the veil of the world, Cthugha and Nyarlathotep remained in a long, stunned silence.
They were still processing how Toya had secured the backing of the world, the sun, and the Root itself to rewrite history so recklessly. Even for them, such a feat was madness.
No sane deity would dare violate the laws of the Root just to experience its power.
Do you remember that person?
The true madman?
.....
Toya dragged his exhausted body back to his room. He didn't have the energy to answer any questions before collapsing onto the tatami mats.
Traversing time countless times, even just to repeat a single Noble Phantasm, had taken a massive toll on his mind.
He didn't even know how many times he had unleashed that light. A million? Perhaps even more.
"Toya-kun looks completely spent." Kasumigaoka Utaha looked at Kasugano Sora and shook her head gently. "Let's not disturb him. We should head out quietly."
They knew he had pushed himself to the limit; otherwise, the inexplicable heatwave that had gripped the world wouldn't have vanished so suddenly.
[SystemNotice: World Commission Completed.]
[Congratulations, Host. You have earned 100,000 Origin Points.]
[MysteryReward: 30 days of training in Avalon.]
.....
A dreamlike ocean of flowers stretched as far as the eye could see. Soft, gentle sunlight bathed Toya's body, illuminating his tall, lean frame.
He looked like a sleeping prince waiting for a princess to wake him.
A whimsical figure appeared amidst the blossoms.
"Hee-hee. Wake up, little King Arthur."
"The sun's already high in the sky."
Toya, his mind still foggy from mental exhaustion, heard the soft, feminine voice calling out to him.
Who's calling me now?
I'm so tired... I just want to rest.
"Don't stay asleep, or I'll have to use an embarrassing method to wake you up," the girl said, her voice carrying a playful, almost flirtatious shyness.
That sounded like a threat.
His survival instincts flared, overriding his exhaustion. Toya snapped awake and stood up, his gaze cold and sharp as he scanned his surroundings.
Standing before him was a girl with soft, white hair and a slender, graceful figure. She wore a pristine white robe and stood with her hands behind her back.
Her voice was sweet and full of innocent mischief.
"Welcome to Avalon."
"As expected, I'll be your mentor for the next thirty days."
"I am the world's most beautiful and adorable Magus of Flowers, Mery!"
White hair, a delicately beautiful face, a white robe, and black tights.
Then there was that forced, sugary tone of voice.
Toya stared at her, his expression turning grim. "I remember you now. You're that internet scammer, aren't you?"
"You want to give me a social death? You white-haired catfish, Merlin!"
The moment he saw this "girl," an uneasy feeling had washed over him. As his memories cleared, the pieces clicked into place.
He remembered the story of a certain doctor who had lost himself to the sweet words of an online idol, only to discover his beloved was actually a male incubus with no human emotions.
"I don't know why you're here," Toya sneered, the Star-Holy Sword manifesting in his hand.
"But someone once told me that if I ever meet a white-haired catfish, I shouldn't hesitate to cut them down."
"You look exactly like a scammer I know. Die!"
When dealing with a creature like Merlin, the rule was simple: don't believe a word they say. If you listened even for a second, you'd end up sold out.
"As for thirty days of training, forget it," Toya said coldly. "I'll train on my own."
He lunged at the girl.
"Eh?! I'm not a scammer! I'm Mery, not that Merlin guy you're talking about!"
Mery protested loudly, yet she skillfully drew a holy sword of her own from her staff to parry the blow. Although her version of the sword shared the same name, it couldn't compare to Toya's weapon.
Toya's blade was a golden edge forged to slay threats to the planet. Against an "evil" or chaotic enemy, it was peerless.
While it was currently under restraint, it was still more than a match for her imitation.
"That's a very practiced draw." Toya might have believed she was a different entity for a moment, but that combat stance erased all doubt.
The serene, flower-scented island—a place that should have been a perfect dream—was shattered by the sound of clashing steel.
Petals were torn from their stems as the two blurred across the landscape.
Half an hour later, Toya took a deep breath, his sword hand trembling slightly.
Dammit. I still haven't fully recovered.
The battle against Cthugha had drained him too much, and he had jumped into another fight before his stamina could return. Even with his iron will, his body was reaching its limit.
"Oh? Out of breath already?" Mery asked lazily, resting her sword on her shoulder and tilting her head cutely. "Can you keep going?"
"A moment ago, you seemed quite determined to kill me."
Hearing that punchable, smug tone, Toya forced his breathing to steady.
"I might be exhausted, but killing a Merlin is the kind of satisfaction I can't pass up."
He charged again.
Mery looked like she wanted to cry. "I really walked into that one. Why did I have to open my mouth?"
"Why do you hate Merlin so much anyway?"
"Hate him if you want, but please, look at me! I'm the Magus of Flowers, Mery!"
Despite his heavy limbs and the feeling of a mountain pressing down on his shoulders, Toya's combat prowess remained staggering.
He fought with a ferocity that matched his peak condition.
"Keep talking!"
Every strike was heavy. Their blades met, kicking up dirt and shredded flowers. Toya ignored her protests entirely, focused solely on ending the white-haired girl.
"Stop struggling and let me cut you down," Toya growled.
Mery kept her distance, shouting back in frustration. "I'm Mery! Stop hitting me!"
"Can't you just stop for a second?"
"Your body is so tired you can barely stand, yet you're still pushing? Do you want me to use my flower magecraft to put you to sleep?"
"It won't work." Toya swung again, his voice flat. "Who cares if I'm tired?"
"Battle doesn't care about my condition."
"And as for your magecraft—try it. See if you can actually shake my mind."
His mental fortitude was beyond calculation, bolstered by his Noble Phantasm and his recent triumph over two Great Old Ones.