As seventy-one Demon Gods surged like a torrent into Lev's mental stronghold, Steve found himself left alone.
Beneath the crimson sky, he stared quietly at the theater-like screen, feeling like a cinema enthusiast awaiting the climax of a long-anticipated blockbuster.
He even began to speculate whether the climactic, primitive, and tragic symbolic boxing match between Fujimaru and King Solomon, as seen in the Final Singularities, would really unfold.
It was destined as a clash of wills — the ultimate showdown between two utterly different kinds of love.
And yet, the story veered unexpectedly, though wholly logically, into a new direction.
On the screen, a newly born Demon King Goetia was savoring his confrontation with his longtime nemesis, King Solomon.
He believed he'd cornered his opponent—after all, he had sealed away Solomon's most skilled and relied-upon magic, the authority over the seventy-two Demon Gods.
A fair duel, with destiny itself at stake.
But — he had underestimated the weight behind the title of King of Magecraft.
Indeed, even stripped of his greatest trump cards, this king, who mastered all summoning arts, wielded ten magical rings, and wielded all the magecraft of humanity, was never truly powerless.
Just because you spent all your life playing in a wheelchair, doesn't mean you cannot stand — the seventy-two Demon God Pillars were but convenient tools, not the true source of Solomon's power.
At Solomon's throne, for a fleeting instant, the king displayed a very human expression of surprise at Goetia's rebirth.
"...How are you, Solomon? Still able to fight?"
Marisbury's slightly nervous question echoed. Solomon's expression had already shifted back to his signature calm, merciful smile.
"Do not worry, Master."
"Everything is still within calculated parameters."
The instant he finished, Solomon moved.
He ignored Goetia, now in full battle stance, and instead cast his gaze upon the battle-ready Chaldeans as well.
Raising both hands gently, all ten magical rings radiated a brilliant, stellar glow.
A massive, intricate golden magic circle appeared in front of him; vastly superior to any traditional Holy Grail War summoning array.
But at its core was no geometric shape — instead, a vast flowing celestial map unfolded like a river of stars.
"...This... Is this a summoning spell!?"
Steve lifted an eyebrow as he smiled.
"I see. So this is the true power of the King of Magecraft."
"He wields the totality of mankind's magecraft."
"And to summon a Servant — that is surely among the highest peaks of human magecraft!"
Mystical energies within the Temple of Time began to converge furiously toward that golden arrangement of stars.
A pressure staggeringly greater than all prior attacks crashed down upon the battlefield.
In the next instant, a flash of divine light exploded!
When it faded, a brand new Servant was standing quietly at King Solomon's side.
She did not appear to rise out of the array, but rather as if she had always been there, descending upon the formation in a blaze of radiance.
She was a King of Knights clad in resplendent golden armor.
Upon her head sat a crown shining with the authority of kingship, her golden hair meticulously styled, her emerald eyes betraying no emotion — only a cold serenity and innate majesty like absolute zero.
She held no sword, but simply by standing there, the overwhelming aura of supreme martial might she exuded was enough to suffocate everyone present.
The moment this Servant appeared, Fujimaru Ritsuka, Mash, and Olga Marie went pale as blood drained from their faces.
Their pupils shrunk in absolute shock and terror — for this Servant's visage was seared into their memories.
Lord Logres!
This was the ultimate, ideal incarnation of King Arthur, the Grand Saber, who in Steve's once summoned during the Caster Grand Duel, and single-handedly demonstrated the very notion of absolute power.
They had faced this Lord countless times in mock battle simulations orchestrated by Lev Goetia, and had lost again and again to her perfect swordsmanship and overwhelming might.
The trauma of being effortlessly dominated was etched deep within their souls.
They had never imagined that this formidable foe — whom they should only have faced far in the future — would be summoned here, casually, by the true King Solomon as nothing more than a familiar!
"Servant Saber, has been summoned."
"Master, please issue your command."
The voice of the Lord Logres was pure and imposing, like jade of the finest quality colliding.
Solomon casually tilted his chin, pointing at the Chaldeans opposite him.
"Eliminate them."
"Understood."
Without the slightest hesitation, Logres vanished, reappearing instantly before Goetia.
In her hand, a holy sword — manifested from particles of pure light — stabbed mercilessly at Goetia's face, moving at speeds beyond the reach of the naked eye!
"Tch!"
Goetia clicked his tongue, visibly annoyed.
The burning spirit with which he intended to settle the score with his nemesis had been completely disrupted by this third party's intrusion.
Still, as the embodiment of the seventy-two Demon Gods, the primal instinct to struggle ran to his very core.
Without even time for a spell, he could only roar, punching at the blade with a fist charged by the magical might of seventy-two Demon Gods.
BOOM—!
Fist and blade collided, unleashing a shockwave visible even to the naked eye!
Goetia's godlike punch was parried steadily by the slender holy sword.
From its edge, he felt an unparalleled surge of pure kingly power — his entire arm went numb.
Though the Lord Logres's initial blow failed, with a mere flick of her wrist, her sword's momentum cascaded like mercury, instantly enveloping Goetia in a storm of shimmering sword shadows.
It was no longer normal swordplay — each strike intertwined with countless legends, embodying the existence revered by multitudes as the Ideal King.
Every swing was both elegant and exact, yet possessed the absolute decisiveness to sever cause and effect.
Goetia was utterly driven onto the defensive.
All he could do was desperately parry with his fists, feet, and energy blasts, relying on demonic magic and animalistic instincts.
In this singularity, his previously overwhelming, destructive power now seemed crude and clumsy compared to his opponent's flawless swordsmanship.
"Why are you just standing there!?"
Finding a moment's reprieve, Goetia finally lost his patience and bellowed at the now-stunned Chaldeans:
"Move! This is only the beginning!"
"If this drags on any further and that guy summons more of the other six Grand Servants, we're all doomed!"
His shout hit Ritsuka and co. like a bucket of ice water, snapping them out of their shock.
They instantly realized — now was not the time for fear.
"Mash! Director! Let's go!"
Ritsuka shouted as he reactivated his Shadow Servant.
The battle erupted once more — even more desperate and chaotic than before.
…