For Oberon Vortigern, stepping onto the deck of the Storm Border was far from a reckless move. If anything, he had planned it down to the finest detail, lurking in the dark and waiting for Chaldea's group to wear themselves out.
First came the remains of a Beast God, reactivated by the Authority of Life. Then came the Beast Calamity and the Flame Calamity fused into one. Each was successfully exorcised under Shiomi's lead, but the drain on everyone was obvious.
So even now, despite being heavily outnumbered on the deck—and with two Fairy Knights present—Oberon showed not the slightest sign of unease.
Because of the Reality Marble, he hadn't witnessed how the Flame Beast Calamity was purified, and thus never expected Shiomi to possess Mystic Eyes called the "Star Eyes." That alone had surprised him a little. Naturally, he broke free of their influence almost immediately.
"The Holy Sword of the Stars, is it... A weapon that was never forged in this Britannian history, and one of the factors that turned this world into a Pruned Event." Oberon eyed Artoria's blade with thinly veiled annoyance. "And of course I know you still hold the Tower at the End, Arthur."
Shiomi raised his hand, the spearpoint aimed squarely between Oberon's brows.
"It isn't too late to leave. You and I have no quarrel. You don't need to throw your life away for the fate laid on you as the 'Destruction Device.'"
"My, how hopeless. You're barely standing, yet you still think the victory is yours." Oberon's smile twisted into something strange. "Has it occurred to you that the very reason I'm here is because your defeat is inevitable?"
As his voice faded, the Insect of the Abyss devouring Britannia suddenly lunged toward the Storm Border. Before that vast, bottomless maw, even a warship of the future looked like a tiny leaf tossed on the sea.
The beast that symbolized Britannia's collapse hurtled straight at them. Even with its engines at full throttle, the Storm Border couldn't escape the crushing pull of that enormous mouth.
In an instant, the ruin-colored twilight sky vanished, swallowed by endless darkness.
Almost immediately, the only thing left functioning was the Storm Border's engines, still straining upward to resist the sensation of being dragged down. The warship had been consumed by the abyss.
"Huh? You're still conscious? Not even harmed?" Oberon looked at the three still standing in genuine surprise.
Melusine and Barghest had already collapsed unconscious on the deck.
Inside the creature was pure abyss—a bottomless void that devoured the planet's surface like fabric flushed down a drain. Any living being entering this place would lose consciousness and die slowly in their sleep.
Yet Shiomi, Scáthach, and Artoria all remained upright.
"Think about it. A human surviving six thousand years is abnormal in itself, wouldn't you say?" Shiomi watched Oberon with sharp vigilance.
"For someone like me, who no longer distinguishes between life and death, even sleep is a distant luxury." Scáthach knelt to check on Barghest and Melusine.
"And you—" Oberon's gaze finally landed on Artoria.
The Usurper King and King Arthur—natural-born enemies if ever there were any.
It looked like the war of the Arthurian legend was about to play out once again here. So Oberon thought to himself.
"Corroded by the Holy Lance, my flesh has long since transformed into the goddess Rhongomyniad."
Artoria held her sword at the ready, waiting for Shiomi's signal so the two of them could flank Oberon.
"How unfortunate," Oberon muttered, already losing interest. "So you're an undead trio after all. Dying peacefully in your sleep would be far happier—just like the two fairies collapsed over there."
"Oh?" Shiomi gave his spear a slight twist.
"The body of the Insect of the Abyss is infinite. Anything it devours falls forever, without end—a descent with no bottom. Once swallowed, there is no entrance, no exit. This is where it all ends. No matter how resilient or exceptional you are, none of you can escape this void," Oberon said.
Shiomi lowered his stance. "You said it yourself: you and the Insect of the Abyss are each other's body and avatar… then all we have to do is kill you here."
"Heh… truly fitting for the God King who spent two thousand years butchering fairies—so decisively said." Oberon grinned, a tangible wave of killing intent rolling off him. "Or maybe I should just call you Demon King."
"Demon King? Sounds good. A witch's husband should be a Demon King, after all." As Shiomi finished speaking, his form blurred into a streak of shadow.
Oberon's pupils shrank. Instinct took over as he spun around, blocking Shiomi's sudden strike from behind with both hands. Cold sweat slipped down his cheek.
"You're right about one thing. My mana is running dangerously low. But my family and comrades are on this ship," Shiomi said coldly. "So I'll drain every last bit of power I have until the moment you die."
"Family? Friends?" Oberon retreated as fast as he could, narrowly avoiding the relentless thrusts of Shiomi's silver spear. Each strike grew faster and faster. With no real combat experience and relying purely on his innate abilities, Oberon's face was already marked with several fresh cuts.
The wounds closed instantly, only serving to enrage him further.
"Ugh, what a nuisance!"
He seized the moment, grabbing the spear shaft and swinging his jet-black left claw down. The violent, mana-charged strike collided with a second spear instead.
Gungnir.
"Losing your cool won't help you," Shiomi murmured.
A glint of light flashed at the edge of Oberon's vision. He whipped his head around just in time to see Artoria swinging her sword toward his back without hesitation, a strike forceful enough to bisect both him and Shiomi if needed.
But her blade struck something else—a gray worm longer than a grown man.
The worm curled into a sphere midair, spinning as it clashed with the sword, sparks scattering in rapid bursts.
Using the disruption, Oberon widened the distance once again.
"Why not just release your Noble Phantasm? Oh, I get it. Because of this ship. If your Noble Phantasm misses, you'll blow off the entire bow, won't you?" Oberon said.
Shiomi didn't answer.
This time, Scáthach charged in. After confirming that waking Barghest and Melusine would take time, she decisively joined the battle.
"Ganging up on someone? Then I won't hold back either," Oberon said. "Not that it matters—after all, you've been inside my Noble Phantasm from the very beginning."
Shiomi met those words with silent, unyielding forward momentum and charged.