A symbol of salvation, the last shining hope at the end of the world; a sacred treasure sent by the gods of fate to safeguard the world—this divine sword bore the duty of salvation itself.
Caliburnus, Escalibor, Excalibur—names by which it was known.
It drew power directly from the planet's life force, a platinum blade capable of cleaving apart stars.
This was the [Sword of Salvation].
Its wielder was the last hero upon the earth, the strongest steel, a natural nemesis of all Devil Kings and dragons.
The [Dragon Eater] Samael might have been the world's most vicious dragon-slaying weapon, yet he himself was still a dragon—and thus, squarely within the divine sword's strike range.
Yet, no matter what significance this sword might bear, that was only within the world of Campione! This world was not its birthplace; there was no Last King here, no gods of fate, nor Devil Kings for it to slay.
In Jeanne Alter's eyes, it was merely a very effective weapon. Even though it carried the title of "Salvation", it did not mean its wielder must shoulder that responsibility.
However, others seemed unlikely to see it that way.
"There's one thing I don't understand—why was Samael's poison ineffective against you?"
This was the only mystery Georg couldn't comprehend. He had personally seen Samael's tongue wrap around Jeanne Alter's arm, watched the venomous flames of corruption crawl up her flesh.
If someone had dragon attributes—even one as powerful as Ophis—they would be at death's door. Georg couldn't understand why Jeanne Alter could still move, let alone counterattack.
Unless…
"Because I never had dragon attributes to begin with."
Jeanne Alter's eye twitched slightly, recalling a running joke among FGO players—how the "Dragon Witch" ironically possessed no dragon trait.
Her skill, [Dragon Witch EX], was absurdly broken in reality, granting her significant influence over dragons. But in-game, it had only two effects: a moderate attack buff for allies, and an additional buff specifically for dragon-trait allies—both disappointingly weak.
And Jeanne Alter herself could only enjoy half its benefits since she lacked dragon attributes entirely, resulting in an infuriating "Ineffective" popping above her head each time it activated—as if mocking her.
"I never accepted Ophis's blessing, either," Jeanne Alter continued plainly. "She once offered me her 'snake,' but I refused. My mana reserves were already immense; Ophis's 'snake' wouldn't have made much difference."
"How is that possible?!" Pluto said incredulously. "That vast amount of mana—no mere human should be capable of it!"
"Don't underestimate humans too much… I'd love to say something cool like that, but this mana doesn't belong to me. I'm borrowing it from something else."
This revelation piqued everyone's curiosity even more.
In this world, Jeanne Alter had played the role of "Jeanne d'Arc resurrected from Hell, seeking vengeance against the God who abandoned her." Initially, she'd found this role amusing, but now she had actually encountered the real Jeanne's inheritor.
Though she could continue pretending—after all, Xenovia and the others trusted her implicitly—continuing the charade felt pointless now. It had lost its fun.
Initially, she'd intended to tarnish Jeanne d'Arc's saintly reputation, but meeting this "real" Jeanne made her realize that the Hero Faction's Jeanne was an even worse disgrace—an outright terrorist. In comparison, hadn't Jeanne Alter inadvertently improved Jeanne d'Arc's reputation?
What a joke… How am I supposed to annoy that gorilla saint like this?
She needed a believable backstory, carefully crafted. Most importantly, more than ninety percent of it would be true—though, like the [Sword of Salvation] itself, it would inevitably lead others to some harmless misconceptions.
Since people already assumed the [Sword of Salvation] and her Noble Phantasms were left behind by the Biblical God, Jeanne Alter didn't even need to waste her energy crafting another explanation. If things went smoothly, what she was about to say next would perfectly explain her origins and her extraordinary mana.
At that thought, Jeanne Alter smirked slightly.
"This inexhaustible mana isn't mine. It comes from the Holy Grail—I took it from there."
The Holy Grail… Naturally, Jeanne Alter meant the vessel from the Holy Grail War, storing sixty years of accumulated ley-line mana, capable of granting wishes, and materializing the intangible through the [Third Magic].
But when everyone else heard this, only one thing came to their minds—the [Longinus Sacred Gear] known as [Sephiroth Graal].
Everyone recognized the Holy Grail; even Hyoudou Issei knew its legend. According to scripture, the cup that held Christ's blood at the Last Supper could grant miraculous powers, rejuvenation, and even resurrection.
When Jeanne Alter had first claimed to be the resurrected Jeanne d'Arc, Sirzechs Lucifer had explained there were several means in this world to revive the dead—one of which was the [Longinus: Sephiroth Graal].
In this world, three sacred relics related to Jesus had become [Longinus] weapons: the spear that killed Jesus—[True Longinus]; the cross upon which he died—[Incinerate Anthem]; and the cup that held his blood—[Sephiroth Graal].
[Sephiroth Graal] had the power to subvert life itself, reversing and distorting it, granting immortality, healing, or resurrection—a power somewhat similar to Tiamat's authorities, [Mother's Womb] and [Sea of Life].
While everyone was lost in thought, Jeanne Alter turned suddenly to Jeanne of the Hero Faction.
"To think I'd meet Jeanne d'Arc's successor at a time like this... Heh, you're much more interesting than that sanctimonious Saint."
"Sorry, I lied. I'm certainly not Jeanne d'Arc—I'm not nearly that noble. Originally, I just thought it'd be amusing to play her role, hoping to cause trouble for that pompous Saint. But who could have expected things to turn out like this? Fate really is cruel. Playing a hated role all the time is pretty exhausting. Honestly, I must have been out of my mind…"
Everyone present stared in astonishment. Georg and his team were shocked by Jeanne Alter's blunt admission, while Rias's group was stunned to learn she was genuinely a fake.
But the hardest-hit were Xenovia and Asia. Despite being excommunicated by the Church, they had never abandoned their faith, and had wholeheartedly trusted Jeanne Alter.
"How can this be…?" Asia murmured in disbelief. "But…but Jeanne-san, you described so many experiences—your memories of Jeanne-san and Gilles de Rais…"
"That's right!" Xenovia added immediately. "If you weren't personally involved, how could you know those detailed events so precisely? Lady Jeanne, you must be mistaken—you can't be a fake!"
"What a bother…"
Jeanne Alter clicked her tongue, deliberately avoiding their eyes with apparent irritation.
"Those memories indeed belong to that saintly woman. It disgusts me—every time I recall them, I see her serene, self-sacrificing face. Yet, unfortunately, those memories are precisely where I come from. Fate is truly skilled at sick jokes, don't you think?"
A dark, mocking smile surfaced, concealing deeper emotions only those familiar with Jeanne Alter could detect.
"If only there was a mirror here—I wish you could see how amusing your expressions look right now. Confused? Can't figure it out? Fine. I'm feeling generous today, so I'll spell it out clearly."
She then began a carefully edited version of her origins.
"Where should I start? I suppose with Gilles—Gilles de Rais. He shouldn't need any introduction, right? If you don't recognize him, go read a history book yourself."
"My poor Gilles—seeing his beloved Saint betrayed and burned at the stake, he cried like a pathetic child. Honestly, I still don't understand how that gorilla saint charmed him to such obsession."
Jeanne Alter spat disdainfully, clearly showing contempt for Jeanne d'Arc, making Asia and Xenovia's expressions grow complicated.
"After Jeanne's execution, Gilles became deeply disillusioned. Hatred for the country that betrayed her took root in him, though he initially kept it under control. Then, he acquired the Holy Grail."
"The Marshal of France…was the wielder of [Sephiroth Graal]?" Georg gasped in shock.
"Using the Grail, Gilles wished Jeanne back to life," Jeanne Alter explained calmly. "But the Grail failed to resurrect Jeanne. Mad with grief, Gilles refused to accept it. So, instead, he created 'a Jeanne'—a Jeanne who bore the Saint's memories but inherited his hatred and wrath: the Witch Jeanne."
"Gilles was mistaken. The Saint never felt hatred or bitterness toward France, even in death. She accepted her fate calmly, smiling serenely as she returned to God. Gilles couldn't admit this."
"In his madness, he imagined that after resurrection, Jeanne would hate France, hate the God who abandoned her, and burn them all in righteous fury. That was the Jeanne Gilles wanted."
"This Jeanne Alter was born purely from Gilles's twisted delusions—an existence the real Jeanne could never become. Being the inverse of saints like Saint George or Martha, she commands dragons; reshaped by the Grail, she gained endless mana."
She paused deliberately, smiling wickedly.
"This is who I am: a twisted reflection of Jeanne d'Arc, the Dragon Witch born to replace her. Rather than 'Jeanne,' names like 'Jeanne Alter' or 'Jalter' suit me better, clearly distinguishing me from that idiot Saint."
"Explanation over."
Jeanne Alter gripped the [Sword of Salvation] tightly, platinum flames surging around her.
"It's time—to send you all to hell."
In the next instant, Pluto froze in terror. Under Jeanne Alter's overwhelming presence, he fled desperately, tearing through dimensions, abandoning dignity until he reached Hades' Underworld.
Yet even there, a platinum sun arose, utterly obliterating the darkness, and bathing Pluto's screams in its blazing judgment.