Mephistopheles was gone, vanishing right before Nero's eyes.
"Went down like a chump," Nero quipped, bending down to pick up what he'd left behind.
For a demon, Mephistopheles had dropped not one but two items, each tied to his dual identities. Only now did Nero learn the truth: this devil was also an angel—the archangel named Samael.
Spirit of the Void, Blind God, Angel of Trials, Liar—these were all titles for the being called Samael. One of his gigs? Collecting the souls of the dead, making him one of the original reapers.
Blindness—the pitch-black of nothingness. Death—the unchanging end. Both were facets of "the void." Samael's very existence tempted humanity to fall into that abyss, a place beyond good or evil.
Falling into the void by having your wishes granted? That's the original sin of Sloth. After absorbing Samael's mana, Nero felt the second of her Sin Stones starting to crystallize.
The two items left behind: a top hat named "Mephistopheles" and a cane named "Samael."
The hat was a phantom relic, powerless except for one trick—when worn, it conjured a matching tuxedo with a flick of mana. With her own clothes already trashed, Nero didn't hesitate to slap it on. The outfit had a mind of its own, tying her hair into a ponytail and leaving a diamond-shaped gap at the scarf—perfectly exposing the spot on her chest where she kept her mystic tools.
The cane, though? That was Mephistopheles' weapon, hiding a rapier inside. Useless for Nero's style, but in her hands, it transformed. Maybe because of Samael's reaper vibes, the unassuming black cane could extend into a long staff, its tip sprouting a mana-forged blade. Yup, it could morph into a massive scythe.
Nero unfurled the scythe, rocking the tux, hat, and mask. With a swing, she tore through the chaotic space, leaping out.
According to Mephistopheles' parting words, he was the core keeping this Singularity alive. With him gone, the clock was ticking. Nero had one last thing to do.
The "Sin Stone of Pride" needed one final push to fully form.
Nero could sense it—that last piece was just beyond this chaos.
"Holy Grail?!" Ritsuka's shocked voice hit Nero's ears.
Guess she didn't hit hard enough—Mephistopheles still had enough juice to leave Ritsuka a parting gift. Nero smirked, reflecting on her slip-up, and under the rising sun, she swung her scythe, clashing hard against the orange-haired Servant's longsword.
"Oedipus?" she asked.
"The one and only," he replied.
Small talk over, Nero shoved his sword back, her scythe arcing into a ghostly blue crescent that enveloped Oedipus.
"No introductions first?" Oedipus parried, kicking at the scythe's handle.
"Fulfilling someone's last wish, taking your power, and…" Nero hooked his sword with her scythe, dragging it toward her, eyes blazing with mana. "…avenging a certain girl!"
The Singularity's mastermind was dead, but the one who'd plunged the town into chaos, corrupted its people with demonic energy, and caused countless tragedies? Still standing. Sure, Oedipus wanted revenge on Apollo for destroying his family—fair enough. But dragging innocent people into it, ruining more lives?
How was that any different from Apollo's crap?
Even without the Sphinx's plea, Nero was itching to smack some sense into Oedipus and shatter his revenge-fueled fantasy!
Oedipus yanked his sword back, blocking a barrage of Nero's phantom blades, then froze as she spoke. "In the legends, didn't you own up to your sins? Accepted your punishment? So why're you still so damn stubborn?"
"Accept it?" Oedipus scoffed. "As if! When I first went to the temple for an oracle, what did Apollo say? I asked if I was my parents' real kid, and he told me I was doomed to kill my father and marry my mother!
There's no such thing as unchangeable fate! It's all just those arrogant gods pulling the strings!"
"Oh, really?" Nero sneered, spinning her scythe's handle to knock his sword aside, then lunging, hooking the blade toward his neck. "If Apollo had answered you straight, would any of this have happened?"
Oedipus ducked the hook, but Nero's words hit him like a gut punch. "You think you can change your fate—but it's always been human choices that decide destiny! No matter what Apollo told you, you'd have left Corinth to chase the truth. That was your fate!"
Prophecies aren't scary. Truth isn't scary. What's terrifying is knowing both, yet choosing to ignore them, to play deaf and dumb. Oedipus's pride was his own judge and jury.
If he was as strong as he thought, why'd he flee Corinth after Apollo's oracle? Why not trust himself to defy it, to face the prophecy head-on?
He was scared. And to hide that fear, he cloaked himself in pride.
Boasting that doesn't match reality—that's pride.
Finally, Nero and Oedipus crossed paths, her scythe piercing his chest, lifting a still-beating heart on its tip.
"Nice one, Nero!" Ritsuka cheered, clapping.
"Senpai, the Singularity's about to collapse—time to prep for return!" Mash called.
"Right… got it!"
Golden light surged from the earth, the gilded cityscape fading away. Nearby, Uesugi Kenshin and Izumo no Okuni rolled up in a chariot, waving for one last goodbye.
"…You're right," Oedipus said, his face slack, body starting to dissolve. "I really was… arrogant."
As he scattered into golden particles, Nero plucked the heart from her scythe.
And crushed it in her fist.
FGO arc done—new story's about to kick off!