Roaring winds and violent thunder raged across the vast battlefield.
The King wielding a thunderous lance, and the King holding a radiant holy sword—both began their ruthless assault the moment Guinevere and the others stepped into the colossal cavern.
"Is that Father? Father?! Why is Father here? As an enemy? And there are two of her?!"
Barely managing to parry a storm-infused thrust from the Black Lance Artoria, Mordred cried out in disbelief. But in the very next instant, a gleaming wand-sword flashed past like a comet, slamming hard into her chest and sending her flying straight into the rocky wall.
"Hey, you—!"
On the other side, Bavanzi, who was in combat with Caster, was enraged to see her opponent attacking Mordred while simultaneously fighting her. But before she could retaliate, Caster formed a hand seal, and a surge of violent energy erupted from beneath Bavanzi, blasting her into the air and leaving her utterly dazed.
—They stood no chance.
Watching the completely overpowered Mordred and Bavanzi, Guinevere could only shake his head.
At this very moment, the final mission had fully revealed itself before him:
[You have triggered a Special Subjugation Quest: Subjugate Nightmare Incarnation No. 8 – Týr, the King Who Slays Prophets]
[You have triggered a Special Subjugation Quest: Subjugate Nightmare Incarnation No. 9 – Kassilda, the King Who Succumbs to Despair]
[You have triggered a Special Subjugation Quest: Subjugate Demon Pillar – Makiri, "The Unmasked One"]
[After crossing Lake Hali, you've finally reached the heart of the nightmare: Carcosa, the resting place of the Undying King. At last, the origin of all evil—Makiri Zolgen—stands revealed. For unknown reasons, he has yet to become a Nightmare Incarnation or don a role to become part of the stage. Yet as his final trump card, he has left behind two powerful Nightmare Incarnations here.]
[Defeat them, then kill Makiri to end this nightmare.]
[Main Objective: Subjugate "Makiri – The Unmasked One"]
[Optional Objective: Subjugate "Týr – The King Who Slays Prophets"]
[Optional Objective: Subjugate "Kassilda – The King Who Succumbs to Despair"]
[Reward for Main Quest: "The King in Yellow" Manuscript · True Copy]
[Optional Rewards: +1 Simulation Settlement Bonus]
The missions had been laid out clearly... but judging by the way Mordred and Bavanzi were being suppressed, they weren't even close to matching any one of those enemies—let alone all three.
"As I expected, the secret trump cards left for the critical moment would prove to be decisive in the end."
Standing atop a high cliff face, Makiri spoke expressionlessly as he looked down at the battlefield.
"You've miscalculated the number of remaining cores and underestimated the strength I still retain—this will prove to be your fatal mistake."
"Huh?" Guinevere blinked at that.
"Am I wrong?" Makiri said coldly. "By now, you've either purified or destroyed seven Nightmare Incarnations… and you must've heard from Babbage that the Byakhee's 'Cores' total seven in number."
"But—Jack the Ripper was purified while still in her larval state. Shakespeare became a Nightmare through direct use of The King in Yellow manuscript. And I myself have yet to transform…"
"Thus, in truth, two Cores remain."
"In other words, you still face two Nightmare Incarnations."
Makiri continued:
"Originally, I did plan to abandon the dream and return to reality to restart the fog ritual… But once I received intelligence from Hohenheim about your alternate personality's strength—and the fact that he'd been locked down in the real world—I changed my strategy."
"Splitting forces any further was unwise. So I bet everything on continuing the summoning here."
"I don't know why there are two different Artorias present—but clearly, they are first-rate Servants."
Pointing to the two Artorias currently overwhelming Mordred and Bavanzi, Makiri went on:
"But apparently, you didn't know that Shakespeare lacked a Core. You misjudged my combat strength... Why the amused expression? Am I wrong?"
He frowned as he saw Guinevere's expression turning increasingly amused, as though barely holding back laughter.
"Pfft… haha, so it's true—villains always love to monologue at the end."
Shaking his head, Guinevere chuckled.
"Alright, I'll give it to you—you did try hard to estimate our combat power and maximize your advantage through information asymmetry… But you guessed the wrong thing entirely."
With a light wave of his hand, Guinevere said calmly:
"Sorry, but I didn't even think about Core counts. That kind of thing doesn't matter to us. From our perspective, the only real threat in your plan was the causal reversal ritual. As for our respective fighting strength…"
He shrugged.
"Sorry again—but from the start, we've been stronger."
"…What?" Makiri frowned, confused.
He didn't understand.
From every angle, he had the advantage—why was this man speaking with such confidence?
"Just what I said."
Taking a few steps forward, Guinevere spoke lightly.
"But I do agree with one thing you said."
As he spoke, he reached into his cloak—and opened his system inventory, slowly drawing something out.
"The trump card that lasts until the final moment… is the best card to play."
In his hand, a gleaming sword shimmered with an eerie brilliance beneath the cavern's gloom.
"That's… Hohenheim's magic sword?"
Makiri's eyes widened slightly—he recognized the short sword immediately.
"But it's more than that,"
Guinevere smiled.
"It's also a Philosopher's Stone."
"A veritable mini-Holy Grail."
As he spoke, he raised his left hand. With the other, he held the short sword against it.
[Mystic Code: Philosopher's Stone]
[Rarity: SR]
[Though called a Philosopher's Stone, it is actually a Noble Phantasm belonging to Paracelsus. The sword itself is entirely composed of ultra-refined, high-density Philosopher's Stone. Its true ability is as a particle computation engine, capable of performing spiritron calculations. Enhanced by Nightmare powers, it can use its massive mana and calculation abilities to grant wishes to a limited extent—functioning like a one-time-use Holy Grail. Even a non-magus can activate it by simply wishing.]
[When used to summon a Servant, it allows for a temporary summoning, but no relic may be used—the summoner's own body acts as the catalyst, summoning the one with the deepest bond.]
This was the reward Guinevere had obtained after defeating Hohenheim—and the greatest trump card he had held onto all this time.
Because he was absolutely certain about who would answer this summons—there was no need to worry about battle power.
"Stop him!"
Although he didn't know exactly what Guinevere was attempting, Makiri's instincts screamed danger. He shouted, ordering the two Artorias to strike.
But—
"You're too late!"
With a swift slash across his own palm, Guinevere flung the blood forward while raising the Philosopher's Stone blade, declaring loudly:
"I hereby proclaim—!"
"Your body shall be under me, and my fate shall rest with your blade!"
As he chanted, the blood he had flung onto the ground quickly outlined a summoning circle. Strangely, the formation drew inward, wrapping Guinevere himself in its center.
At the same time, the two Artorias, having received Makiri's command, charged toward him—only to be held off desperately by Mordred and Bavanzi.
"If you accept this will, this reason, and this command from the Grail—then I vow—!"
"I am the one who forever does good. I am the one who forever does evil. You, o trinity of words, protect me—the seven heavens' guardian from the Wheel of Restraint!"
"DON'T YOU DARE!"
Seeing the summoning approaching completion, Makiri panicked. A surge of chaotic mana burst from him, and his body rapidly mutated—black flesh and crimson eyes erupted, expanding into a towering form dozens of meters high.
In an instant, his human shell shattered—Makiri transformed completely into Demon Pillar Barbatos.
Even before the transformation fully finished, he had already gathered destructive energy in his many red eyes, launching a beam of crimson death straight at Guinevere—intent on killing him before the summon completed.
But—
Guinevere suddenly raised his sword and slashed upward.
A blazing trail of swordlight split the incoming red beam cleanly in two.
"What?!"
Makiri's shocked voice rumbled from within the towering demon, full of disbelief.
"Why so surprised? What, all those eyes and no vision?"
Guinevere calmly raised his sword and pointed it at Barbatos.
"Never seen a possessed Servant before?"
The short sword of Philosopher's Stone had vanished—and in its place was a radiant blade of searing light.
Forged in the inner layers of the planet—a sacred sword to save the world.
Excalibur, Sword of the Stars.
The one summoned here—who had possessed Guinevere—was none other than himself.
Savior of the Sacred Sword, Guinevere, stands now before you.
According to the system's description, the Philosopher's Stone would summon the person with whom the caster had the deepest bond.
And in this world, who could be more closely bound to him—than himself?
"Come, Makiri."
Guinevere strode forward, sacred blade raised.
"It's our turn now."
"Let this blazing holy sword awaken the soul that once yearned for justice—before it was twisted beyond recognition."
Then, searing brilliance burst forth, tearing apart the dark purple mists.
The Sword of Stars points straight at Demon Pillar Barbatos.