Even though Wu Zetian had activated her Noble Phantasm, it was still not enough to reverse the defeat. After dealing with Wu Zetian, Alaric ventured alone into the area where the Rider-class Servant resided—a courtyard built from a plundered ship docked on the shore.
In that courtyard was someone who referred to herself as Dahut, but in Alaric's eyes, she was undoubtedly Francis Drake.
["Consistent with Chaldea's records, there's no doubt—this is Francis Drake."]
Not only Alaric, but even Da Vinci recognized the self-proclaimed Dahut as Francis Drake, who had disappeared after being summoned by Chaldea. However, her appearance and personality now seemed to have undergone some unusual changes.
"Ara~, I was wondering what all the commotion was about in the city. Turns out I have a guest."
The playful pirate lady gazed at Alaric who had arrived before her alone and said, "Also, I'm not Drake. My name is Dahut. I'm also known as the Pirate Princess or simply the Rider of Ys. Now, tell me—what is your name?"
"What is Ys?"
Ignoring Dahut's question, Alaric immediately turned to Da Vinci and Mash to ask about the name Dahut and Ys.
Soon, Mash explained: ["Ys is from French legend, an ancient tale from the Brittany region. It is said that there once was a coastal city named Ys in the distant past. However, because the city was full of sin and immorality, it was submerged by either gods or demons."]
["It's said that this luxurious and sinful city remains as it was, sunk beneath the sea—like a story similar to Atlantis."]
["And Dahut was the ruler of Ys."]
Da Vinci continued, ["As the ruler of the city, she led her people into endless plunder. In other words, she was the one who established the city's foundation of wickedness with her acts of piracy."]
"That's right—that's me."
With great pride, Dahut declared, "Welcome to my city. Here, this is the capital of freedom and decadence, where everything is permitted. Are you enjoying yourself?"
"I'm doing alright."
Alaric shrugged, not intending to delve deeper into the topic with Dahut. Instead, he asked directly, "Is the Demon Pillar here with you?"
Ys, piracy, the city, the legend—it had nothing to do with him.
Having observed the city of Ys along the way, Alaric decided to abandon any further investigation. This was a city that revered plunder. If you wanted something, you took it. Conversely, if you didn't want something, you discarded it. The streets were piled high with items the pirates didn't need.
Alaric had no intention of commenting on the culture or practices of this place. His only goal was clear—to locate the Demon Pillar and eliminate the singularity.
"Hah! If you want to find something, it depends on your ability."
With a snap of her fingers, Dahut's expression remained calm. As magical energy surged, pirates began to multiply out of thin air, surrounding Alaric in an instant.
As the Pirate Princess, Dahut's power lay in the continuous spawning of pirates, enabling her to carry out endless acts of plunder.
"Boring. You're so boring, Dahut."
Screech.
As dazzling light flickered, Alaric extended his hand toward Dahut with an emotionless expression.
The holy lance Rhongomyniad materialized in his hand. Without even revealing its true name, the stored magical energy within the spear was unleashed, transforming into a flood of light.
"Disappear, Dahut."
Boom—!!
At such a close range, the unleashed torrent of light met no resistance. Even in her domain, surrounded by her pirates, Dahut was unable to withstand the oncoming flood of light.
With the mystery and authority of the holy lance restored, Alaric's firepower was second to none. Only Heroic Spirits of the highest caliber or beings steeped in mystery could match him.
The person claiming to be Dahut did not possess such power. Perhaps she once did, but having lost her original name, she was now unable to unleash that strength.
The raging torrent of light vaporized everything in its path, piercing through Ys and diving into the sea, evaporating half of the water in an instant.
The terrifying steam rose into the air, refracting the light, and causing the ascending pillar of light to once again shimmer in the eerie land of Agartha.
"So, who's left?"
Seeing that Dahut's Spirit Origin had vanished but the Demon Pillar had yet to appear, Alaric frowned. Ignoring Da Vinci's advice to rest, he activated his astonishing sensory field.
Braving the unsettling aura of Agartha, Alaric quickly pinpointed three remaining Servant reactions—one in the City of Gold, one in the City that Never Sleeps, and one in an indistinguishable location.
Although the presence of active Servants in two separate locations surprised Alaric, he decided to leave it at that. After informing Mash and Da Vinci of his findings, he set out for the City that Never Sleeps.
With Fujimaru Ritsuka already heading toward the City of Gold, El Dorado, Alaric's task was to deal with the Servants in the City that Never Sleeps and the unidentified location before Ritsuka finished.
The suspects had now been narrowed down to four remaining Servants. The true nature of the subterranean Agartha would soon be revealed to Alaric.
...
Meanwhile, back at Chaldea's command center, Holmes arrived.
"Mr. Holmes!"
Mash exclaimed in surprise as Sherlock Holmes entered the command center. "Are you finally going to take action?!"
Until now, Holmes had refrained from direct involvement. Had he finally decided to step in?
"Oh, not at all. I just wanted to enjoy some quiet time smoking my pipe in my room."
Holmes replied with a smile, "But I figured the timing was about right, so I decided to come and take a look. After all, the story of the underground world is quite fascinating, isn't it?"
Hearing this, Da Vinci regarded Holmes with a playful expression but remained silent.
"Of course, the story hasn't reached its climax yet. Now is not the time to unveil the truth!"
Holmes added with a smile, addressing his loyal audience.
...
Unaware of what was happening at Chaldea, Alaric quickly moved toward the City that Never Sleeps after leaving the chaotic remains of Ys.
Faced with the rugged mountain paths, Alaric abandoned his Armored Cavalry Alter and instead soared through the skies on the Wings of Steel, reaching impressive speeds to arrive at the cluster of eastern-style buildings.
The term City that Never Sleeps in modern times often refers to a city illuminated even at night.
It referred to an actual city from the Han Dynasty, part of the Donglai Commandery.
Both Dahut and Penthesilea referred to it as the City that Never Sleeps, but Wu Zetian had no connection to the term in legend.
Could there be some hidden meaning behind this?
Unable to find an answer, Alaric quickly descended before the Servant residing in the City that Never Sleeps.
Rumble!
The aurora, descending from the heavens, shattered the buildings. The swirling dust was swept away by a fierce wind, revealing the figure of the newcomer.
Alaric looked toward a dark-skinned woman not far away. She possessed an exotic beauty and wore luxurious attire befitting a mature woman. He spoke:
"Scheherazade—"
This was a name Alaric was exceedingly familiar with—or rather, a name renowned across the world.
"One Thousand and One Nights"—Scheherazade, the character who stands at the forefront of the tale, serving as the narrator of the entire narrative.
The story records the existence of an ancient Arab king named Shahryar, who was violent and jealous by nature. After the queen's infidelity, he executed her.
Following this, he married a maiden each day, only to kill her the next morning as an act of vengeance.
Scheherazade, the daughter of the vizier, volunteered to marry the king to save the innocent girls.
Through her storytelling, she captivated the king, ending her stories each night at a suspenseful juncture just as dawn broke. This made the king, enchanted by her tales, unwilling to kill her so he could hear the continuation the next night.
Her storytelling lasted for one thousand and one nights, ultimately moving the king to marry her and live out their days together.
Faced with the incoming threat, Scheherazade, revealing her true name, said:
"I don't want to die. Can you spare me?"
"What do you think?"
Looking at the third suspect before him, Alaric smiled and drew the false Holy Sword.
As for what kind of power the narrator of the One Thousand and One Nights—Scheherazade—might possess, even Alaric was unclear.
With his intellect, he could vaguely sense a high possibility of the person before him being the suspect, yet he could not connect all the clues directly.
At this moment, a communication from Chaldea also came through.
The words of a certain great detective sounded in Alaric's ears:
["Hmm, looking at it now, we're already at the story's conclusion, aren't we? It's the conclusion, isn't it?
Then I can say it, can't I?"]
Sherlock Holmes, who had initially planned to leisurely observe the entire situation, immediately understood upon hearing about Alaric's actions from Mash that this story was approaching its climax the moment Alaric encountered Scheherazade.
Regardless of the truth, Alaric was intent on eliminating Scheherazade.
In that case, it was time for him to take the stage.
["No, to be precise, the evidence collection went so smoothly that I feel I haven't had a chance to interject,"] Holmes said with a smile.
"Holmes? Speak."
Finally, the moment arrived for this supreme intellect and Da Vinci to join forces. Alaric stared intently at Scheherazade before him, ready to strike her down at the first sign of anything unusual.
["Well, I was planning to give a little pre-battle explanation, so I'd better get to it quickly,"] Holmes said, noticing Da Vinci's gaze. Turning to Mash, he continued:
["Alright, Miss Kyrielight, who's breaking into a nervous sweat. Can you articulate the remaining mysteries in concrete terms? Everything will begin and end with your words."]
Though there were still quite a few unresolved mysteries, none of them were major obstacles.
The sole truth, representing the one and only logic, was already evident in Holmes' eyes.
Suppressing her excitement, Mash immediately said:
["Our purpose for coming here: the core of the Singularity Designation: Remnant Order—the Demon Pillar—has yet to be found.
However, its presence can still be detected in this underground world."]
Neither Penthesilea, Wu Zetian nor Dayu had any connection to the Demon Pillar.
Even Columbus, who had lost his memories, was initially a suspect, but upon confirmation, it seemed that Helena, stationed at the rebel base of Paradise, was the actual Servant there.
Upon hearing this, Holmes nodded and said:
["To be honest, I find it a bit anticlimactic. The evidence is too simple, too obvious.
But, since Miss Kyrielight is one of my fans, out of a sense of service, I'll say that famous line—"]
Is it that one?!
Is it about to happen?!
Mash, immediately realizing what Holmes was about to say, could not hide her excitement.
Under Mash's expectant gaze, Holmes smiled and said:
["Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth."]
The classic line from the great detective Holmes was one that left a deep impression on countless detective novel fans.
"The 'impossible' mentioned here refers to the Demon Pillar being among the characters who have exited the stage so far. Because we defeated them, and yet the Demon Pillar's presence persists, we can confirm that the previous suspects are innocent.
And as for those who arrived from Chaldea, they can also be ruled out, as the conditions required to achieve this would take far too long."]
Holmes, about to light his pipe, was stopped by Da Vinci, who naturally prevented him from doing so. He continued:
["Those who came from Chaldea and were encountered in this underground world should have been forcefully summoned here to fulfill a certain role.
Like props prepared to turn the pages of the story forward, they're nothing more than minor characters—not anyone important.
So, when I mentioned the 'remaining,' I was referring to the survivors of the underground world who have no connection to Chaldea. Who would that be?"]
The answer had already been revealed.
As Columbus lacked the power to create a Singularity. Therefore—
["It's you, Scheherazade."]
If it was Scheherazade, all the inconsistencies could be explained.
"It's simple and straightforward. To explain it in one sentence—"
Facing Alaric, Shahrazad said calmly:
"This underground world was created by my Noble Phantasm, named after stories, which eroded the real world.
In other words, you've been inside my One Thousand and One Nights all along."
If One Thousand and One Nights was her Noble Phantasm, then stories like El Dorado, Ys, and the City That Never Sleeps would naturally be included.
Instantly understanding the reason, Alaric said:
"The scope of your story is truly vast! You can add stories at will."
["Indeed,"] Da Vinci, with intelligence rivaling Holmes, immediately explained.
["In the One Thousand and One Nights stories that circulate today, there seem to be many additions from later generations. If I'm not mistaken, Scheherazade can effortlessly incorporate these stories. The so-called One Thousand and One Nights can entirely be decided by her."]
Scheherazade did not refute Da Vinci's explanation. Instead, she said:
"Yes, stories I've learned from books, stories I've improvised and narrated, and stories continually added by later generations—all of these become stories I can tell without issue.
It was never a rigid framework but rather a collection of ambiguous and blurry concepts. That is the true nature of what later generations call One Thousand and One Nights.
Moreover, wouldn't it be unreasonable if I didn't have the authority to edit the content?"
["Since you put it that way, I can now understand the connection between this underground world and your Noble Phantasm,"] Da Vinci said, taking over the conversation.
["Whether fictional or not, as long as it falls within the scope of a 'story,' if we had noticed this earlier, perhaps we could have discovered the truth sooner.
However, the reason we didn't notice it and the reason hearing the answer makes it hard to believe is purely because the scale and strength are too unbelievable.
It far exceeds the power a literary Servant should possess. In this case, this world's rules, this Singularity itself, can almost be said to be nothing more than a story."]
["The erosion of reality, or rather its replacement, is akin to a grand magecraft like a Reality Marble. If it's the power of the Demon Pillars, it's not impossible to achieve such a feat."]
Alaric's expression remained calm, showing no signs of panic.
["Whether fictional or realistic—always implies being 'not entirely real.'"]
Holmes nodded and said, ["When something is 'told as a story' by others, it's already determined that it is 'not an event of the current reality.'
And the evidence has been right in front of us from the start. The Servants here are all covered by distortions of 'not entirely real,' which signifies that this is a story."]
["The confusion between the story of this underground domain and reality may far surpass what happened back in Shinjuku. That's because Baal chose the method of Illusory Spirits, carrying the aspect of 'this is how things turned out.'
You can feel the deliberate will to create such an unnatural, enclosed underground domain and summon Heroic Spirits here that could cause immense spiritual influence.
Even if this leads to one or two unavoidable side effects, it's not surprising. And this, I fear, is the 'story' that cloaks the Servants."
Alaric, understanding Holmes' implications, finally realized the source of the sense of incongruity he had felt earlier.
"These are the simplest and most understandable characters, but there's no helping it—this is a measure of necessity."
Scheherazade explained, "Dahut, the pirate lady ruling over Ys, is merely a supporting character, not someone who could be summoned as a Servant in the first place."
Holmes said, ["I see, her manner of existence is somewhat akin to that of Phantom Spirits."]
"In that case, the connection between Wu Zetian and the Nightless City also makes sense. After all, the idea of Wu Zetian ruling the Nightless City is strange no matter how you think about it."
Finally resolving her confusion, Da Vinci said, "These two are fundamentally unrelated entities, separated by hundreds of years. Even if I tried to use the excuse of 'the same geographical region,' it would be hard to convince myself."
"And then there's Penthesilea and El Dorado." Alaric continued, "After all, 'Amazon' is a cultural term from South America. The El Dorado of the jungle and the all-female tribe guarding that country, the 'Amazons,' are not the same as the Amazons of Greek mythology."
"Exactly, because of the prior impression of mythology, the female tribes of the jungle were associated with this name and came to be called as such.
There's even a theory that this eventually led to the river and the surrounding regions being named the Amazon.
In other words, they are merely the prototype of the legend of El Dorado—the story of El Dorado.
Penthesilea being in El Dorado is itself 'not entirely real.'"
"The same goes for Fergus and Columbus, doesn't it?"
Thinking of those who were acting alongside Fujimaru Ritsuka, Alaric also realized the stories cloaking them. As for the true nature of these stories, Alaric no longer cared to delve into it.
With Holmes unraveling the mysteries, Scheherazade and the truth of this world were laid bare before Alaric.
The only thing left was to bring it all to an end.
But Alaric had one lingering question he wanted to ask Scheherazade.
"What is your goal?"
Alaric was curious—what was the root of Scheherazade's obsession that drove her to do all this?
"I don't want to die. I don't want to die."
Scheherazade answered honestly, and this answer caused Alaric to raise an eyebrow slightly.
"You want to survive?"
"No, no, it's not that I want to survive. I just don't want to die."
Scheherazade shook her head, denying Alaric's words.
"What's the difference?"
Alaric didn't quite understand Scheherazade's wordplay and immediately asked, "What's the distinction between the two?"
"They're completely different. As long as you're alive, you're bound to die."
As if recalling something, Scheherazade hugged her arms tightly and said, "As long as you exist, you must die. It's the same for everyone.
In the end, we Servants are merely familiars. When we lose our usefulness, we vanish from the Master's side; we cease to exist. That sense of emptiness, loneliness, misery, and fear intertwined with nothingness—I don't want it. After a thousand nights of prayer, pouring my entire heart into avoiding it, I cannot let that happen again!
And I, Heroic Spirit Scheherazade, to prevent my death, to avoid experiencing that again—must destroy the world.
Yes, the one who summoned me told me as much."
Scheherazade's expression began to shift as she continued, "By intertwining the stories of this underground world, the stories within it, and the stories of the summoned Servants, they will conflict with one another.
Through annihilation—gradually, they will bear fruit."
Indeed, in the current underground world of Agartha, multiple stories remained unresolved, but it was already enough.
The three greatest stories destroyed by Alaric—stories successfully woven together by his hands—
The foundational wishes already existed. The souls of dead Heroic Spirits were imprisoned, and the resources obtained from them flowed ceaselessly into this world, gradually allowing the stories to invade reality.
The preparations were complete.
"My Noble Phantasm grants physical reality to what is called a story. Its power allows it to become reality."
Scheherazade smiled and declared, "It's almost there. My story will truly manifest, taking on a form befitting it!"
With Scheherazade's proclamation, the ground—or rather, the entire underground world—began to rise rapidly.
A tremendous pressure descended upon everyone's bodies.
The ceiling above shattered with thunderous roars, revealing the boundless blue sky.
The underground world of Agartha, once overlooked by Alaric, had now transformed into a floating utopia high in the sky, resembling a newly launched battleship.
It sailed toward a brand-new horizon!
"This is the floating city, Laputa! It is not just a story offered to the Tyrant King to avoid death but everything else as well, including—my body.
For this reason, the conclusion must bear the name of a courtesan!
Ascend to the heavens, overlook the earth—and then fall, Laputa, the ultimate fantasy city destined to end the logic of destruction!"
Scheherazade's expression was one of excitement as if she were reveling in the impending end.
In this way, she would no longer die.
"Allow me to ask one question, Miss Scheherazade."
Unfazed, Holmes continued to ask, "You just mentioned 'falling,' correct? Where exactly do you plan to have this thing fall?"
"Anywhere densely populated."
With a smile, Scheherazade replied, "Anywhere will do."
"Hey, hey, wait a minute!"
As Laputa ascended, the control room instantly entered a state of emergency, prompting Da Vinci to voice her frustration, "We're currently over a relatively unpopulated area above Nepal, so it's not the worst-case scenario, but that doesn't mean no one has noticed!
In just the past few minutes, several key figures in the modern Mage's Association have had their lives disrupted and are scrambling to respond.
And now you want to make this thing fall? On a major city? That would be a catastrophe! If it happens, it will cause an unimaginably severe and irreversible disaster! Not just in terms of the death toll but also in the widespread impact beyond the physical level. After everything the world has been through with the Demon King, its structure is unstable in every conceivable way."
"I don't know how much metaphysical impact this will cause!"
"That's exactly why it must be done."
Scheherazade smiled and said: "Only when a utopian city destroys the real one does it have meaning. In other words, I want to use this method to shatter the concept of mystical secrecy.
Ah, ah, when the utopian city of Laputa falls upon the real city, it will bring destruction, kill humans, and erase existence, making people across the world realize its presence.
In this way, wouldn't it reshape the world?
In doing so, everyone would know of the existence of the mystical. Everyone would be able to reach out and explore it. And eventually, maybe everyone could come into contact with the mystical."
What kind of scenery would it be on the day the mysteries are fully unraveled?
"A mystery that anyone can touch ceases to be a mystery," Alaric said with a smile as he looked at Scheherazade. "Is this the future you desire?"
"That's right. This is the future I long for."
Scheherazade showed a trace of melancholy: "I desire for mysteries to become stale and withered. I wish for the disappearance of the very system of Servant summoning.
After all, if this doesn't happen, I'll have to keep dying, endlessly fearing death—
From the moment I'm summoned somewhere, inevitable death is already determined. There's no escaping from such irrationality."
"What about the Demon Pillars? Are they still not coming out?"
Alaric, arms crossed, continued to ask: "How much have you been influenced by the Demon Pillars? Isn't this wish of yours a little too grandiose?"
"Please don't misunderstand. If it were possible, I wouldn't want to involve the world at all."
Scheherazade explained: "I heard from him about a Heroic Spirit who disappeared from the Throne of Heroes all by themselves, with sheer willpower.
Ah, ah, it's enviable. If I could do that, things would be so much simpler."
"You sure talk a lot."
Still crossing his arms, Alaric gazed at the boundless blue sky.
As Laputa ascended, it was already a bit too late.
But that didn't matter.
"Da Vinci, Mash, have Ritsuka Fujimaru and Astolfo fly to safety. The rest of you, figure something out."
Alaric, still smiling, said: "I won't be able to look out for them anymore."
"Sir Alaric, are you planning to—?"
Mash's heart skipped a beat as her face filled with disbelief, shock, and unable to accept the suspicion that had surfaced in her mind.
Beside her, Holmes and Da Vinci immediately understood—or rather, they had already understood.
After all, this was something Alaric would do.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to destroy this place in one fell swoop!"
Alaric grinned and no longer concealed his terrifying aura. Staring intently at Scheherazade, he raised his hand and summoned the Holy Lance, Rhongomyniad.
"Pierce the heavens, rend the earth!"
In absolute dominance, there was an overflowing sense of unrestrained violence.
To destroy a Singularity, especially a utopian city like this—this was something most Heroic Spirits could not accomplish. Only those with immense firepower and overwhelming strength could do it.
And the one who made this declaration—
"He can do it."
This thought arose in everyone's minds. Even Scheherazade herself was utterly convinced.
Because he had said—
"Give me a moment. Don't act too quickly!"
While Scheherazade was explaining her plan, a frantic Da Vinci, who had been contacting Fujimaru Ritsuka, shouted, "Slow down, slow down!"
Ding!
With Alaric's declaration, not only did Chaldea spring into action, but even Scheherazade's body began to emit a Spirit Origin reaction that Alaric was all too familiar with.
Pure white light distorted the atmosphere, and a towering Demon Pillar appeared behind Scheherazade.
"I am the melody named Phenex, one of the seventy-two Demon Gods. My truth is the reunion of cause and effect."
Finally revealing its true form, the Demon Pillar declared its true name. Da Vinci, having broken away from her communication with Fujimaru Ritsuka, immediately explained: "Phenex—considered synonymous with the Western mythical bird, the phoenix. A Demon God governing death and rebirth! Ranked thirty-seventh in the hierarchy, with the title of Marquis. Legend has it that his words naturally take the form of poetry."
"I see. Your manner of speech is indeed unique, but forgive me for not commenting on your poetic talent," Holmes said with a sarcastic smile. "Frankly, I'd love to ask Watson what he thinks of this... No, he's not exactly a poet either. Though, he might consider switching from writing biographies to poetry, with the confidence of 'I can do this too.'"
Unlike the smiling and carefree Holmes, Mash, who was observing Phenex, wore a grave expression. She said, "Now I understand why we couldn't detect the Demon Pillar behind Scheherazade.
All the values have been inverted. Based on the observation results, Demon Pillar Phenex is already dead."
Chaldea had always attempted to observe living entities. If Phenex's existence registered as "dead," then Chaldea would naturally fail to detect him.
"My ally, my beast, crossing worlds—why return?"
The familiar question arose again, but it no longer affected Alaric's thoughts.
Upon seeing Phenex, Alaric felt his purpose for coming had been fulfilled.
He had only wanted to see the Demon Pillar. Nothing more.
Time passed. Alaric did not intend to strike, and Phenex and Scheherazade, who launched their attacks, focused only on ensuring Laputa's fall.
Phenex knew all too well that Alaric truly possessed the power to destroy this utopian city.
He had to stop Alaric!
Even though the gap in strength between Phenex and Alaric was immense, Scheherazade had no way to tip the scales.
But that wasn't a reason to give up. Even if it meant failure, they had to fight.
For their aspirations and their ally's wishes!
Meanwhile, Alaric needed time to ensure that Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others could evacuate the utopian city so he could act.
Facing the combined attacks of Phenex and Scheherazade, Alaric continued to resist. Occasionally, he countered, targeting Scheherazade and Phenex, though not frequently.
This balance held for a while until Chaldea's communication came through once more.
"It's done! With Helena's help, all remaining survivors have been successfully evacuated. Fujimaru Ritsuka is also riding Astolfo's phantom steed, leaving Laputa!"
Mash's voice echoed in his ears: "Sir Alaric, stay safe!"
Even though Fujimaru Ritsuka wanted to step in and help Alaric, she also understood that under this overwhelming firepower, she was powerless to provide any assistance.
Even the other Servants would only become a burden.
The group of Servants crowded on the phantom steed and watched from a safe distance after pulling away from the fictional city of Laputa.
They awaited the final end.
Boom!
Another building collapsed, with a crumbling Demon Pillar deeply embedded into the ruins. Not far away, Alaric, his expression brimming with excitement, landed a punch that sent Scheherazade flying.
"Are you ready? Let's have a contest of firepower!"
Soaring high into the sky, Alaric looked down upon the fictional city of Laputa and decisively activated a restraint that had been dormant for a long time.
[Seal Thirteen – Decision of the Round Table Begins!]
The words of the King flashed by, followed by the Round Table's acknowledgment of this battle.
[This battle is one of survival.] – Approved, Kay.
[This battle is one to fight against a greater foe.] – Denied, Bedivere.
[This battle does not stray from humanity.] – Approved, Gareth.
[This battle is one in pursuit of truth.] – Approved, Agravain.
[This battle is not one against spirits.] – Approved, Lancelot.
[This battle is not one born of selfish desire.] – Approved, Galahad.
[This battle is a fair one.] – Denied, Palamedes.
[This battle is one to vanquish evil.] – Approved, Mordred.
[This battle is one to save the world.] – Approved, Arthur.
[This battle is one of noble honor.] – Approved, Gawain.
The ancient restraints truly recognized the wielder's power and conviction at this moment, requiring no external force to influence them—it was a genuine liberation.
Light shimmered, bearing the name of the end.
It was a pillar of light that stood at the edge of the world, existing as the backbone that safeguarded humanity.
Its radiant beam symbolized both the surface and the depth.
It was an absolute mystery, akin to the breath of the stars.
The knight's proclamation echoed across the azure sky, calm yet filled with majesty:
"O Holy Spear, proclaim the end! Rhongomyniad!!"
This was firepower unleashed to its fullest, leaving no room for hesitation—an all-out Noble Phantasm release, infinitely close to maximum output.
If someone could observe from the ground, at this moment, aside from the fictional city of Laputa, the only sight would be the brilliant light piercing through heaven and earth.
Its radiance was vast, boundless.
To Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others, it was a light infinitely close to the holy radiance of judgment once released by the Lion King.
Such was the existence of heroes from their lifetimes.