Tohsaka household.
"I always feel a bit unsettled on nights like this…"
A graceful man in a red suit stood quietly in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, a glass of red wine in his hand, gazing out at the quiet night.
After a while, he furrowed his brow slightly. Although he was not a Heroic Spirit, he trusted his own "intuition"—it was rarely wrong. This wasn't a prophecy of the future, but rather an unease about something happening right now.
"Your intuition is surprisingly accurate at times."
Just then, from somewhere in the distance, an arrogant and lazy voice echoed over.
Heroic King Gilgamesh had appeared in the courtyard without anyone noticing, looking up into the distance. His crimson eyes gleamed with joy and excitement.
"That man, the Caster, his castle is lively tonight."
Caster… him again?
Tohsaka Tokiomi frowned.
"Could it be that a Servant is attacking the Einzbern Castle?"
"This feeling… seems like multiple Servants are confronting Caster tonight."
As Gilgamesh finished speaking, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.
"What a feast… How could you all manage without this king?"
Tohsaka Tokiomi was startled and unconsciously called out,
"Your Majesty, please—"
But before he could finish, Gilgamesh had already gone his own way, turning into golden particles of light and vanishing swiftly down the corridor of the villa.
Tohsaka Tokiomi's expression changed several times. He looked down at the command spells on the back of his hand, but in the end, he could only let out a long sigh.
…
No one knew when it started, but on this uneasy battlefield, an unparalleled, beautiful, and immense figure had appeared.
A few Servants, including Solomon, were already left in a daze. Even with EX-level clairvoyance, spying on other Beasts—especially one at Tiamat's level—was utterly unrealistic.
A woman with cherry-blossom pink hair looked up, her beautiful eyes filled with hesitation. She unconsciously glanced again at the youth, lost in astonishment.
Her first reaction was simple:
When did Izaya hide Tiamat inside his own Reality Marble?
The sky was overcast, and a cold wind stabbed at the scorched earth. Yet whether it was the wind's sound or the tense atmosphere of battle, it all seemed to vanish into silence at that moment.
This was not the incomplete childlike form, but the true, complete Tiamat. The Beast of Cherishment… And, from the very start, the Root Princess had been aiming at her as well.
—Is this… still really the Holy Grail War?
Marisbury watched the scene, barely able to believe his eyes. He was a Lord who observed the stars and prophesied the future. Before Servants and magi of Grand level, his power was unremarkable, but his ideals were lofty—he aimed to create an organization to safeguard humanity.
But even he had never seen such a grand spectacle.
What did the concepts of two Beasts mean? If this essential barrier broke, then Fuyuki… no, the whole world would "explode."
Even Lancelot, still roaring in madness just moments before, stopped his uncontrollable assault. The crimson eyes under his helmet flickered, staring at the matchless colossal being and the goddess-like beautiful Beast. His previously clouded gaze suddenly seemed to sharpen.
"Two natural disasters of the world have appeared before the King, with a will to 'protect'…"
The Prince of the Sun gazed up at the sky, a bit of interest appearing in his originally dignified golden eyes.
"As expected, so-called 'Human Evil' is also 'Human Love.'"
"Now, whether they're Beast of Cherishment or the 'Mother of Creation,' they recognize Caster's existence… Solomon, are you really going to continue this war?"
"Will you fight against the two Beasts who are determined to protect Caster until the end?"
Finally, he stared directly at the now expressionless Solomon.
Under the gloomy sky, dark clouds drifted with the wind. The shimmer of light reflected off Solomon's indifferent face, flickering and dimming.
"Even inside a Reality Marble, if this battle continues, it will inevitably affect Fuyuki outside."
The golden-haired King of Knights gripped her holy sword, her dignified voice resonating through this unique world.
"Solomon, it's too late… Stop."
After all, even the "Sword of Promised Victory" might not truly break through the defense of an entire Beast.
Even if she stood here and fought, she might not be able to breach the defense of this goddess, the Mother of Creation. She was not fully awake, but had appeared, lying before everyone to protect Caster.
She stared at the black-haired man in the field.
Irisviel unconsciously clenched the small hands she'd hidden in her cuffs. She suddenly realized why the Hero King had left "embarrassed" that day—perhaps it was because he'd seen Tiamat inside the Reality Marble.
A Servant at your side, two Beasts behind… This was essentially a walking disaster.
He had moved the hearts of the two Beasts. So—what if something happened to him in the future?
…The consequences were unimaginable.
Yet, for some reason, she didn't care about the city or the world's atmosphere, only about the man before her.
Beasts are beings that can affect human reason and hinder the world's development… If there's too much movement now, would the Counter Force try to erase Izaya's existence?
Manaka hadn't spoken from the start, but for the first time, excitement appeared in her deep blue eyes.
Yes… This is what she wanted to see.
Izaya was not recognized by the omniscient, and every unpredictable "event" happened frequently around him.
The previous Koyanskaya N.T.R was a coincidence, but now the Reality Marble he'd released appeared within the allure of the true Mother of Creation… That too was an accident.
For her, the world had long become a broken story, and only "accidents" in the story could give her a sense of freshness.
Brother… Only he could give her a "surprise."
On the other side, Solomon's face darkened as he felt the eerie silence filling this space.
He had come this time to kill Izaya. But now, with only this "fake" holster—did he really have a chance?
Did he… want to run?
Three thousand years of wishes and resolve—was he really going to retreat in the face of such adversity?
Solomon's elegant demeanor gradually faded, and behind him, an incomparable golden halo slowly appeared.
"Caster——!!!"
With a low roar, from the halo wheel behind Solomon, bands of light peeled away one after another, crashing fiercely toward the sand-covered ground!
The sky was gloomy, the sunlight slanted.
In an instant, the world was set ablaze by the sunlight behind Solomon, as if night had turned into noon.
"This guy…"
Koyanskaya raised her gaze, staring straight at the man who called himself "Solomon."
"He doesn't look like a Servant… Even if he controls Solomon's body, the aura left by using the halo wheel would be exposed on Solomon's form."
As a Beast, Koyanskaya instantly sensed the abnormality in the other's body.
Whoosh——!!!
The world fell silent, and as the bands of light from the King of Magecraft's back crashed down from the sky, the entire ground trembled.
The King of Magecraft, Solomon… or more precisely, the "First Beast," whose true name was "Goetia."
No matter what, Caster had to be completely killed here—no matter the price.
Ultimately, this was Caster's Reality Marble, and as long as it existed, the battle here wouldn't greatly affect the real world. In other words, the Counter Force wouldn't notice right away.
This was the only chance.
"Solomon" unleashed his remaining spells, and Saber, Berserker, and Rider all moved at once.
But this time was different from any previous battle.
This was the Tunguska region—hometown of Koyanskaya and Izaya. Here, even if Tiamat did not step forward, no one would attack him in front of her.
She had already seen him die once, so this time… no one would hurt him again.
The moment the bands of light touched the ground, an ear-splitting boom rang out, and the three Servants attacked Izaya simultaneously.
But—
Before they could get close to Izaya's death, a sadistic smile appeared on Koyanskaya's face.
"Seems I was really underestimated—!"
Above, countless high-tech weapons aimed at the King of Magecraft and those on the ground. Endless beams of heat instantly filled the space, swallowing the four Servants at once—
Boom!!
Unparalleled magical power crashed down from the sky!
To counter Koyanskaya's modern weaponry, the King of Magecraft had to divert his light bands to the sky.
But he knew this woman hadn't used all her power yet.
The complete Prize Beast had two kinds of power: "Weapons of Civilization" and the "Primal Beast."
An indescribable heaviness filled his heart.
The light bands could resist Koyanskaya, but offered no chance to attack Izaya.
Someone needed to break the ice.
Wrapped in pressure, Solomon suddenly looked up and roared at the sky.
"Archer, what are you waiting for?!"
"If you let him recklessly claim the Beasts, you'll be the next to be devoured!"
Just as he spoke—
In the boundless shadows, golden particles of light condensed quietly.
"Hmph… Solomon, are you threatening this king?"
An arrogant, irritated voice echoed within the essential barrier.
Golden armor shone dazzlingly in the dark night. Heroic King Gilgamesh pressed his hands to his chest, standing atop a mountain, overlooking the lively scene.
Yet—
Though his tone was full of disdain, Gilgamesh's eyes held a childish… and hidden curiosity.
From the first time he met Izaya, he'd been deeply interested in the man.
That's how it is…
He never expected the goddess, Mother of Creation, to sleep within Izaya's Reality Marble.
And now…
He had actually seen a second Beast. And it was a complete one.
As Solomon said, if Izaya was allowed to leave, there was no need for this Holy Grail War anymore.
…He might win outright.
Gilgamesh had no interest in the Holy Grail War, nor in Solomon's goals.
But—
The battle here, and even the still-sleeping Mother, greatly attracted the always "joyful human" Gilgamesh.
She seemed to recognize Gilgamesh's existence. Tiamat's eyelids moved slightly.
At last, the goddess Tiamat awakened from her long sleep.
Behind Gilgamesh, the space warped slightly, as if an invisible key had been inserted into the world's keyhole and began to turn slowly.
From the twisted space, he drew out the hilt of a sword.
—Sword of Rupture, Ea.
The three-segmented sword began to rotate slowly, red lines lighting up along its blade.
"Yes… That's it—"
Seeing this, a satisfied smile finally appeared on Solomon's face.
The anti-world Noble Phantasm, Ea… This was a "top-tier" weapon of the Holy Grail War, and few Servants could face it head-on.
He could only do his best to restrain Koyanskaya—
Solomon's mind suddenly froze.
The next moment, to his shock, he saw Gilgamesh raise Ea and point it at Tiamat.
Wrong.
The King of Magecraft seemed to realize something. His smile stiffened, and he suddenly looked up at Gilgamesh.
"Hero King, are you insane?!"
From the very start, Gilgamesh's target was not Caster.
For the "tyrant" Gilgamesh of this era, human reason or the Holy Grail War… none of that mattered.
He only wanted to enjoy himself.
He intended to use his greatest Noble Phantasm to welcome Tiamat's awakening.
But the result would likely be the complete shattering of the essential barrier by the aftermath of the battle.
Both Beasts would appear directly in the real world.
Koyanskaya could probably control herself—but Tiamat was different.
If the Mother of Creation appeared in reality, the "Principle of Regression" would activate for the first time, and the Sea of Life would swallow the city and the entire world.
By then…
And what of his "Incineration of Humanity" plan?
But the King of Magecraft's angry shouts could not stop Gilgamesh, who raised the "Sword of Rupture" high.
As if sensing the chaos unleashed by Ea, the sleeping Mother Goddess within the essence of magic finally awakened for real.
She slowly opened her eyes, and a song rang out.
"Aaaaah——!!!"
As the song fell, the Sea of Life surged into the sky.
The heroes present felt the pressure of this terrifying force.
But at this moment, the gods despaired—and Gilgamesh burst out laughing.
"Ha!!"
Golden hair danced in the torrent of magical power. Awe and terror mixed with unprecedented excitement in the crimson serpent eyes of the Hero King.
"As expected! How magnificent, how supreme! This is a feast worthy of drinking with this king!"
Holy Grail War? Human reason? None of that mattered.
Before him stood the "Mother Goddess of Creation"—an opponent worthy of his full strength.
"—Awaken, Ea! Show this king your greatest performance!"
A crimson torrent of magic, faster than light, ripped apart the Sea of Life before Tiamat.
Boom!!
The two different energies collided. The split Sea of Life paused for a moment, then regenerated at an even more exaggerated speed, surging toward Gilgamesh.
Tiamat's "power" was, by nature, infinite proliferation. As long as the principle of life on Earth continued, her strength would never be exhausted.
Ea's full-force attack was like a rock thrown into the sea: it created huge waves, but the sea itself was unharmed.
But this clash was undeniably catastrophic for the already fragile battlefield.
Crack.
The barrier sounded like glass shattering.
The cracks grew more and more.
Under Solomon's dull gaze, the original barrier known as the "Cradle of Distant Beast" completely shattered.
Tiamat's immense form quietly descended into the wintry forest.
"Ah—"
In the snowy winter woods, a compulsory song echoed in the lonely city.
A certain Avenger, sleeping in the Great Grail deep within Fuyuki's leyline, furrowed his brow involuntarily.
…
…
Faraway, in the Age of Uruk.
A magnificent tower soared into the sky. In the palace's bedchamber, the "Wise King" Gilgamesh, who had handled state affairs all day, reclined on his throne, eyes closed, recovering.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open.
Those eyes, which saw through past and future, twitched unconsciously at the corners of his mouth, as if he'd seen something.
After a moment, a voice filled with disgust and irritation escaped him.
"That idiot…"