The name Vortigern was already familiar to the Chaldeans.
After Artoria began assisting the Chaldeans, everyone had, intentionally or not, learned about the Arthurian legend. Mash had even personally consulted the King of Knights on many details. For instance... how the usurper king Vortigern was defeated.
"You came to see me?" Shiomi sneered. "To bid farewell? Or perhaps to declare your victory? After all... you are no longer Arthur's adversary, but humanity's. Starting with the collapse of this Britannia, the entire planet will be devoured by the 'Insect of the Abyss,' won't it?"
Oberon finally showed a hint of surprise. "I'm genuinely astonished you know this much. I suppose I underestimated you after all. I thought you were just a boring romantic with nothing but love on your mind, merely living a bit longer and being slightly stronger than the fairies."
Surprise or not, Oberon didn't hold back his scorn for Shiomi. It had nothing to do with grand ambitions of destroying humanity or the planet; he was simply venting his frustration. Anyone forced to suppress their power for years, compelled to operate in a weakened state within this revolting Britannia, would harbor resentment.
"I happen to know quite a bit about the lowly King Vortigern," Shiomi said, staring at Oberon's fake smile. "In an era where the lowly king didn't recognize humanity, since mystery would be trampled by humans, he chose to destroy Britannia. Only to be defeated by King Arthur in the end."
"But that was just the Vortigern of Proper Human History. I'm not that shallow." Oberon's smile persisted, yet it held no warmth. "Truthfully, I'm quite grateful to you, God King."
"I don't believe you're grateful," Shiomi observed Oberon.
He couldn't decide whether to prioritize attacking the insect as vast as the Britannia Isles or eliminating the Oberon before him. Without correctly eliminating the enemy, he couldn't avert the planet's impending destruction.
"Well, let me give you a hint. Aurora, the Wind Clan chieftain who was supposed to die with the other chieftains at Camelot? I took care of her for you," Oberon said with a laugh. "The fool actually thought she could escape north. Too bad that place is pretty much finished too."
"Is that so?" Shiomi raised an eyebrow. "But knowing your style, you probably just killed her outright. Not even worth the effort of a proper execution."
Every fairy must die. Only a handful will survive.
"Tsk..." Oberon realized he'd underestimated Shiomi's cruelty toward fairies. He'd had the "pleasure" of witnessing that so-called 'Diving Competition' from afar. Fairies were made to execute other fairies, then the next batch of fairies would execute the executioners. Until every last one was slaughtered in the most despairing manner.
In terms of sheer loathing for the fairies, Shiomi was no less intense than Oberon. But while Oberon, born as a destruction device, harbored an innate hatred for them, Shiomi's revulsion stemmed from firsthand witnessing—a complete shattering of all illusions and expectations, leaving only utter disillusionment.
"Now, back to the matter at hand." Shiomi gripped Longinus, ready for battle at any moment. "It seems you intend to use the aftermath of all this to destroy the planet and Proper Human History along with it."
"Isn't that why I was born? Is that so strange? You must understand, as Vortigern, destroying Britannia alone would be simple. But as Oberon, to eradicate human history requires much more consideration." Oberon made no attempt to conceal his intentions.
"Then I have more bad news for you," Shiomi stated calmly. "Proper Human History has vanished from the planet's surface. Standing upon the Whitening of the World are only seven Lostbelt—including Britannia—that have revived from the Pruned Event."
"You don't seriously think such words would make me abandon my goal of erasing human history, do you?" Oberon raised his hand. "This has nothing to do with Proper Human History or Lostbelt."
Just as he was about to command the 'Insect of the Abyss' to accelerate its devouring, sucking the still-escapable Storm Border into the void through gravitational pull, he suddenly felt his body grow abnormally heavy.
"No, I was just talking nonsense to distract you." Shiomi stared at Oberon, advancing with his spear raised.
Oberon gazed into those eyes that had shifted their form. "...That's not right. Your eyes should have long since lost their ability to regenerate due to the curse of Cernunnos."
Yet not only had Shiomi's eyes returned—they now bore distinct patterns of crimson and azure stars.
"A god's curse must be lifted by a god's blessing."
These were not eyes possessed by humans or fairies, but a higher tier: planetary-grade Mystic Eyes. Eyes of Blue and Red Star.
"Mother could freely shift between 'Red' and 'Blue,' but I cannot. So Mother fixed the nature of each eye," Shiomi explained.
The reason he remained unconscious long after the Third Magic was completed was that the spirit connected to the Goddess Tiamat had returned to his mother. It was a choice Shiomi made, believing he would never awaken for millennia. The unsealing of his soul and Morgan's awakening compelled Shiomi to depart once more. Yet at their parting, Tiamat bestowed upon him the Primordial Mother's blessing. The result was this pair of eyes, truly inherited from her lineage.
"Mother?"
Oberon, slightly out of the loop, didn't grasp what Shiomi was referring to. Besides, the current situation left no room for pondering such tangential matters. For Shiomi's spear was already aimed at Oberon's head.
"I suppose I'll start here after all. Since you're the original form, eliminating you should be useful." Without hesitation, Shiomi thrust the spear downward.
Yet Longinus failed to pierce Oberon's skull. The spear tip was forcibly seized by Oberon, his strength clashing against Shiomi's. With a mocking smile, he warned:
"Don't rush, Saver. As beings both burdened with imposed destinies, it would be rather dull if our battle ended with just a pair of Mystic Eyes."
After all, Shiomi and his allies had fought consecutively against the Beast God and the Calamity, suffering immense exhaustion. Oberon, however, had rested while they fought. The Mystic Eyes could only catch him off guard now—they couldn't deliver the final blow.
"Knowing your mission was forced upon you, yet submitting to fate... that is indeed rather dull." Shiomi flicked his spear upward, the metallic scrape echoing as they pulled apart. He touched his eyelid and murmured, "I'm still not skilled enough with the Mystic Eyes. You actually broke free."
"One more thing to remind you—"
As Shiomi spoke, a figure flashed beside Oberon. A golden slash erupted—though it failed to strike him down, it forced him back once more.
"This place holds a genuine Holy Sword."
Artoria gripped her sword hilt with both hands, facing him down. Behind her, Shiomi finished his sentence.
...
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