With the addition of the four former Group A members, this battle—which should have been extremely difficult—unexpectedly unfolded at a smooth offensive pace.
Ophelia's Mystic Eyes easily saw through Demeter's seemingly impossible regeneration ability. Combined with Kadoc's reverse-analysis of the magical-beast curse spell, the supposedly impregnable Harvest Fortress collapsed within just a few hours.
The most unexpected victory occurred on the battlefield of covert intelligence gathering.
In a remote underground passage, Peperoncino elegantly wiped the blood from his fingertips. Before him, Beryl—who always carried killing intent—was clutching his right arm, grotesquely twisted by supernatural power, and fleeing in a disheveled state after smashing through the wall.
"…Oh my. Already planning to run, Beryl?"
Pepe looked down at the panicked man with eyes as cold as ice. "I truly wanted to see you off properly, but I don't want to stain my new clothes, so I'll let you go today."
"In the end… the current you doesn't even possess the qualification to make me 'take you seriously.'"
This was not the tragic mutual destruction depicted in the original story, but a one-sided, catastrophic defeat.
Knowing Beryl's true nature, Pepe never gave him the chance to execute any scheme or stratagem.
Then the final battle against the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, began.
When a powerful mental wave capable of melting human reason and transforming love and joy into deadly poison swept across the entire area, even the Heroic Spirits felt dizzy.
However, just as Ritsuka was about to fall into hallucination, a sharp mechanical sound rang out across the battlefield.
"Don't worry, Master."
Steve had somehow switched to Archer's Saint Graph. Instead of drawing a bow, he reached into his trademark four-dimensional pocket and pulled out several headphone-like devices, accurately tossing one to everyone present.
[Improved Mental Isolation Headphones]!
"Wear these and you can sleep through Jigglypuff's concert without being mentally disturbed!"
"…I don't know who Jeanne is, but that example is terrifying!"
Mash muttered sarcastically as she put on the headphones.
In the next instant, the sweet whispers in everyone's hearts vanished, replaced by absolute clarity.
Without hesitation, she readied the weapon capable of killing gods—the Black Barrel.
"Ortenaus, full output! Target: Mecha God Aphrodite—Spirit Core confirmed!"
BOOM—!!!
Without mental interference, the giant body of Eros was as fragile as paper against the conceptual attack of the black gun.
With a scream of despair, the Goddess of Love and Beauty scattered into countless particles of light.
They advanced with unstoppable momentum.
At last, they stood before the gate leading to the final destination.
Zeus's Throne – Olympus Grand Temple.
When they pushed open the heavy doors, what greeted them was not the temple interior they had imagined, but a vast starry sky.
In the center of that starry sky towered a gigantic Mecha God of indescribable majesty. Thunder roared with his every breath; stars revolved beneath his gaze. He simply existed there, as though embodying the very concept of the world.
Zeus—the King of the Twelve Olympian Machines, the Almighty God.
"You have arrived."
The voice did not travel through air but resounded directly in everyone's hearts like rolling thunder. It carried none of the mocking arrogance from the original story—only the unwavering authority of a mountain and the solemnity of a judge.
"Visitors from human history… and those who abandoned the original path and disappeared."
Zeus's enormous photon eyes slowly turned, sweeping over Ritsuka, Mash, the four complex-faced members of Team A, and finally resting on Steve, who stood relaxed at the rear.
"And you… the variable from another world. The man who made the impossible possible."
A tsunami of overwhelming magical energy surged forward, yet Ritsuka did not flinch. She stepped ahead and met the God King's gaze directly.
"Great Zeus, King of the Gods."
She drew a deep breath and shouted, "We did not come to destroy! I know countless happy people live in this Lostbelt—they have the right to live!"
"So… listen carefully! Our path forward is not only fighting each other!"
The girl's voice echoed through the empty temple, carrying an almost innocent persistence.
"On our previous journey we already proved… even if the Fantasy Tree is severed, the life of a Lostbelt can continue!"
"My comrade Steve possesses the technology to transfer and preserve entire worlds!"
"Whether the Yaga of Russia, the giants of Northern Europe, or the subjects of the Qin Empire… they all now live in new worlds!"
"Therefore, we also wish to save Olympus! Please hand the Fantasy Tree over to us. That way we can—"
"Silence, last Master of humanity."
Zeus cut her off. Surprisingly, there was no anger in his voice.
The colossal Mecha God slowly lowered his head. In his photon pupils swirled extremely complex emotions: the pride of a ruler, the responsibility of a god, and a certain recognition toward the tiny humans before him.
After all, the battle unfolding had nothing to do with survival—it was merely a clash of ideologies.
"I know."
Zeus's voice was deep, thunderous. "My omniscient eye has long since seen that the Lostbelt which should have vanished did not disappear into nothingness."
"That man… Steve truly holds a miracle even the Age of Gods could never have imagined."
"But Fujimaru Ritsuka… do you understand the meaning of the salvation you advocate?"
Zeus slowly raised one giant arm and pointed at the artificial starry sky.
"You wish to shoulder the burdens of two worlds at once—to save both the past of Pan-Human History and the present of the Lostbelt simultaneously."
"This is not mere greed. It is also arrogance."
"Do you truly believe that technical feasibility alone can make me—the God King who has ruled this interstellar city for ten thousand years—discard my weapon and entrust my people to you?"
The God King's oppressive aura suddenly intensified; the magical particles in the air seemed to boil.
"No. This is not merely a question of the right to life. It is also a question of qualification."
"I am Zeus, the Arbiter."
"To ensure humanity's survival I have made countless ruthless decisions. I did not hesitate even to transform my own brethren into mechanical gods."
"My enlightenment already transcends ten thousand years."
"And you… wish to rule this world, to become the caretaker of these lives."
"If so, you must prove that your ability can endure this pressure!"
DOON—!!!
Countless lightning bolts exploded around the throne. The entire temple was dyed in dazzling pale white. A deafening roar erupted from Zeus's body, signaling that the gods' core had activated at full power.
"This is neither mockery nor contempt."
"I shall grant you… a fair trial."
"Come, Chaldea! Come, savior from another world!"
"If you desire my abdication, if you wish to seize Olympus's future… then surpass my corpse! Prove with your own power that your ability to protect humanity surpasses mine!"
"The Almighty God Zeus hereby accepts your challenge!"
Faced with this overwhelming divine might, Steve quietly sighed and pulled a red helmet from his pocket.
"What a stubborn yet handsome old man."
He turned to the girl before him. Her body trembled, but her eyes burned with even stronger resolve than before.
"Ritsuka, negotiations have collapsed… or rather, we have entered the physical persuasion phase."
"Are you ready? This is truly a battle of gods."
Ritsuka gripped her Command Spell tightly—her final trump card, proof of her determination.
"Yeah… I'm ready!"
"All hands, battle stations! Target: King of the Gods, Zeus!"
"We must… surpass mythology!"
…