Chapter 391: [391] Doctor Roman’s Breakdown, Confronting the Puppet Master Behind the Throne [2]
Back in the video.
The petite, adorable Ana suddenly transformed into the massive Gorgon, the Beast of Tiamat.
A single strike from her effortlessly annihilated one of the Demon God Pillars.
Quetzalcoatl grinned. "That’s the spirit! If you don’t earn some affection points here, Gorgon’s destined to die alone, you know~"
"Same goes for you, Kukulkan. Always complaining about being the wrestling goddess who can’t find a boyfriend, pestering Gudao nonstop."
The Jaguar Warrior blurted out without hesitation, "Back in the South America chat group, you were constantly making a fuss, insisting on..."
As fellow deities of the Americas, they naturally had private chat groups to exchange information.
This guy kept clamoring to meet Nameless, to the point where even she couldn’t stand it anymore.
Squelch~
Quetzalcoatl swiftly covered her mouth with one hand while wrapping the other arm around her neck, smiling warmly as she said, "Alright, let’s work together and help our adorable little Gudao!"
"Thank you all for your assistance," Nameless replied, feigning calmness.
For them to personally arrive and offer help against the terrifying Demon God King was no small feat.
Behind the gathered deities...
Amidst uproarious laughter, a golden, radiant figure made his entrance.
Wielding the Sword of Rupture, he unleashed a terrifying power capable of splitting the world asunder.
Even the mighty Demon God Pillars were effortlessly pierced by this primordial, supreme Noble Phantasm.
Gilgamesh smirked at him, "My dearest friend, the King has come to your aid. Are you moved?"
"Ahem, moved, deeply moved," Nameless replied, slightly awkward.
Having his help was indeed welcome.
Unfortunately...
After the resolution of the Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia Singularity, Nameless had staged a dramatic farewell.
He had gallantly pretended to sacrifice himself, leaving behind a grief-stricken Gilgamesh, who had lost him for the second time.
Meeting again in this Final Singularity was... undeniably awkward.
Hum~
Golden ripples shimmered around Gilgamesh as he retrieved a peculiar potion.
Grinning mischievously, he said, "You deceived me so cruelly before. How about I turn you into a girl?"
During their parting, he had genuinely believed Nameless had sacrificed himself under the overwhelming power of the Primordial Mother Goddess.
Twice!
Gilgamesh had watched his closest friend vanish before his eyes—twice!
The first time was during the battle against the gods, when Nameless and Enkidu had seemingly sacrificed themselves and disappeared.
The second time was against Tiamat, when Nameless and Kingu had departed.
Enduring it once was unbearable enough—but twice?
It was nothing short of the most heartless psychological torment.
But now.
He suddenly realized that this guy was just fooling him!
How outrageous!
"Ahem, well, I still need to protect humanity, so why don’t you drink it yourself?" Nameless replied, a bit awkwardly.
If he drank that, he would turn from Gudao into Gudako!
"Hmph, this king will let you off this time, so hurry up and move on! With this king here, those mere demon gods can’t stir up any trouble!"
Gilgamesh calmly put away the potion: "Don’t deceive this king again. I command you, do not die!"
The proud king, at this moment, showed a hint of tenderness.
The audience felt a complex mix of emotions as they watched――
[As expected of the wise king, even after being deceived by Nameless twice, he resolutely chose to forgive him.]
[After all, they are close friends, what else can he do? Of course he forgives him~]
["I command you, do not die!" How sweet! Ahem, what should I do if I suddenly want to ship this pair?]
[So, who exactly drinks this potion?]
[If Nameless turns into a girl, she would definitely look more like a fox spirit than Tamamo-no-Mae! Let the King of Heroes transform instead!]
[Indeed, I wholeheartedly agree. Do you understand how terrifying the beauty of the Grand Order can be?]
Amidst the audience’s excited discussions.
"Thank you!"
Nameless waved at the King of Heroes and continued walking without stopping.
The heroic spirits he had befriended at the seven singularities descended one after another, working together to block the sixty-three terrifying demon gods.
But then, the eighth group of demon gods arrived!
"Despair, last human master! You will never reach the throne and submit to us!"
The demon god Andumalius said coldly: "There is nothing here, we have nothing. Everything here is worthless, so no one will come to help you!"
"Because this is the most desperate, chaotic, and self-destructive dark place!"
In front, the seven groups of demon gods were blocked by the heroic spirits from the seven singularities.
But this eighth group was the closest to the throne, and there was no way those heroic spirits could assist.
Roman frowned: "It seems this time we can only rely on ourselves to suppress the nine pillars..."
"We haven’t conquered the throne yet, we can’t add more burden to our seniors."
Mash raised her shield in front of Nameless, saying, "Senior, I’ll hold them off, you go ahead!"
Right now.
Only she could stand against the nine demon gods, covering the way for him to reach the final destination.
Once there, the senior could summon other heroic spirits to assist in battling the Demon God King!
Nameless placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled: "Don’t worry, someone is coming."
"Who?" Mash asked in surprise.
In this place, known as the gathering ground of all chaos and evil, how could there possibly be heroic spirits?
However, before Nameless could inquire further, someone truly descended!
"Hahahaha! You bunch of demon gods who have forgotten despair in this abandoned land, do you really think this man will bow down and submit?"
The newcomer arrived in an extremely carefree manner, standing before Nameless.
With a smile, he said: "This place is indeed a hopeless exile, a realm forgotten and denied by humanity, but you called for me!"
"Then, I shall descend like a fierce tiger!"
"I am the Avenger, Edmond Dantès, the Count of Monte Cristo!"
"From the other side of vengeance and enmity, I come to mock my accomplices!"
The Count of Monte Cristo had arrived!
This was a renowned avenger.
He dragged countless people who had wronged him in Paris down to hell.
At the same time.
The Dark Saint Jeanne d’Arc also arrived, snorting coldly: "You’re too late, I, the Dragon Witch, arrived before you!"
"Oh dear, I’m here too! As the leader, I can’t let you two problem children run wild!" Amakusa Shirou smiled as well.
Three great heroic spirits, all avengers, formed a battle team.
It could be called――
[The Avengers Alliance!]
Beyond the three avengers.
Another frenzy-class heroic spirit made her entrance.
One of them, seemingly cold, was filled with warmth and compassion, a woman embodying maternal love.
She looked at Nameless and softly said: "Dear boy, I am Minamoto no Raikou, here to help you."
Beside her.
Shiki Tohsaka swung her Noble Phantasm: "Even if it’s a demon god, I’ll kill it for you!"
With a powerful strike.
Her eyes suddenly turned black and white.
[Mystic Eyes of Death Perception] activated, delivering a heavy blow to the demon god.
At the same time.
Sōji Okita coughed up blood lightly but charged toward the demon god without hesitation: "Master, I’m here too! Okita-san is victorious, yay~"
Behind her.
The Sixth Heaven Demon King Oda Nobunaga, Conqueror King Iskander, and other heroic spirits forcefully made their entrance.
What was once a forgotten corner of humanity now became incredibly lively in an instant.
In the next second.
A little girl with white hair and red eyes appeared, revealing herself to be the heroic spirit Illyasviel!
And beside her, the slightly darker-skinned Chloe descended alongside Miyu.
Gems surrounded them.
They were the magical girl forms of the three little girls!
Illyas frowned: "Ugh, the demon gods are so disgusting, so ugly!"
The demon gods waved their tentacles, looking particularly fierce and terrifying.
"Be careful, Illyas, those tentacles are especially deadly to magical girls; don’t let it turn into a doujin plot~" Chloe reminded with a smile.
Illyas pouted in dissatisfaction: "How dare they! Let them taste the power of a magical girl!"
She waved her magic wand, unleashing vitality freely.
Next to her.
Mrs. Alice Phil also arrived: "Illyas, let’s fight together~"
And another shadowy figure, a man cloaked in a hood, emerged.
"I’m not even worthy to protect humanity!"
The hooded man sighed, "I wanted to be a partner of justice, yet I ended up in slaughter."
He was just a fragment.
An incomplete existence.
A projection left behind by the "Magical Killer."
"Even though you’re not him, I still want to thank you. You made me see the path forward and strengthened my resolve to become a partner of justice," Nameless said earnestly, looking at him.
Without this person, he would have perished in the Great Fire of Fuyuki at the beginning.
And there would have been no future.
The audience felt a complex mix of emotions――
[This hooded man seems to be the one who adopted Shirou, right? I think his name is Kiritsugu Emiya?]
[Yes, that’s him! Kiritsugu Emiya, Mrs. Alice Phil, Illyas... Nameless, who was adopted, this whole family is made up of heroic spirits!]
[Sigh, the Emiya family is full of loyalty, truly sacrificing everything to protect humanity!]
[Now appearing are all avengers and dark heroic spirits, one by one descending to protect humanity!]
[This is the legacy of human civilization! Each one, without hesitation, comes to safeguard humanity in times of crisis!]
...
In the living room.
Roya looked at Illyas in astonishment: "Illyas, your whole family has appeared!"
Incredible.
This was simply unbelievable.
The entire family had become heroic spirits, continuing to fight for humanity even after death!
"I’m seeing this for the first time..."
Illyas stared blankly at the screen.
She saw clearly that besides her family.
Even the maid appeared in magical attire!
So, in some timeline, did little Black also live with her?
"How incredible, your family is so loyal, you could form a Holy Grail War."
Roya asked with slight confusion, "So, is that girl named Chloe your sister?"
"Sort of, I guess..."
Illyas answered weakly.
At first, she thought she was experiencing a split personality, as if she had split into two personas.
But as time passed, she increasingly realized that the other was just another version of her.
Both were Illyas, just with different life experiences.
At this moment.
In her mind, little Black complained a bit unhappily: "Hmph, it’s so unfair that you’re the only one getting the spotlight; I want to descend early too!"
Little Black had a clear premonition.
Once the video finished playing, she would have enough concept of [existence].
Thus, she would no longer exist as a spiritual entity.
But truly become an independent human!
"Uh, you don’t... never mind, if you want to come out, just come out." Illyas hesitated for a moment but did not stop her.
After all, she was another version of herself, and keeping her in her mind would eventually lead to a split!
However.
Given little Black’s previous actions.
If this dark-skinned little girl really descended, she would definitely make a move on Souma.
By then, he must stop them!
"A family of loyal martyrs..."
Souma’s mood was quite complex.
When he first crossed over into this world of magic and miracles, he had only wanted a peaceful life.
Unfortunately, such things were not so easily avoided.
The flames of the Fourth Holy Grail War had nearly burned him alive.
His tranquil daily life was shattered.
Forced onto a path of no return, he fought through the Holy Grail War to safeguard human order.
It was called glorious and honorable.
Yet it was also unbearably brutal, to the point where he could hardly bear to recall those battles.
Now, the man who had guided him onto the path of a righteous ally existed only as a fragmented projection.
And he—still bearing the weight of it all—had to keep fighting.
Don’t worry, Father Kiritsugu. I’ll take care of Illya and Lady Irisviel...
The video continued.
The scene shifted abruptly.
From the perspective of the heroic spirits, it suddenly cut to the Demon God King’s side.
The screen turned monochrome.
The voice that had once raged in accusation spoke again.
[Every drama woven by humanity is so vivid—irredeemably ugly and arrogant!]
[The King cannot close his eyes. We cannot close our eyes.]
[Having witnessed endless sorrow, even if the King feels nothing, we cannot endure it!]
[We asked: "O King, do you feel nothing? Will you not correct this tragedy?"]
["No. For gods are beings who admonish, while kings are beings who govern."]
[The King replied: "I cannot perceive joy or sorrow, nor can I comprehend them."]
[We are enraged. We cannot forgive. We resolve to sever all ugliness and remake the world!]
The voice seethed with overwhelming fury.
At this moment.
Every viewer could clearly recognize it—the voice belonged to the Seventy-Two Demon Gods!
The Demon Gods who served King Solomon were condemning their King’s inaction!
Yet.
The next second.
The scene abruptly shifted to a grand and imposing throne.
At the end of the long staircase, King Solomon sat in tranquil silence.
The earlier accusations and the present calm seemed to foreshadow an approaching storm.
The Demon God Baal knelt on the ground. "O King, the temple has been invaded! This was meant to be a battle against Chaldea’s Master—why have so many heroic spirits descended?"
He could not understand.
Heroic spirits from various Singularities had all manifested simultaneously.
Even more baffling—
Many were avengers who had once fought against Nameless, yet now they chose to aid him!
The sheer number of heroic spirits had completely halted the advance of the Demon Gods.
If this continued.
The throne would be left defenseless, jeopardizing the King’s plan to incinerate human order.
With utmost solemnity, he pleaded, "O King, grant me permission to unleash the Third Noble Phantasm!"
Once activated—
[The Time of Birth Hath Come, He Is the One Who Masters All (Ars Almadel Salomonis)]
With its vast and overwhelming power, it would burn every heroic spirit to ash!
"Upon entering the temple, they would learn that the light band is the reckoning of human order, leading to a more perfect future."
King Solomon’s voice was thick with anger. "Yet, knowing this, those heroic spirits still choose to fight. Have their minds rotted away? Have they all turned into fools?"
The once domineering and overbearing mastermind now appeared utterly irate and furious.
Demon God Baal pleaded once more: "O King, grant us permission to wield the Light Band and annihilate them all!"
"Why such haste? Is this how one of the Seventy-Two Demon Gods should behave?"
King Solomon, however, regarded him calmly. "As long as that person remains, slaying countless Heroic Spirits is meaningless."
"Therefore, we need only kill one individual!"
Servants, in the end, are merely familiars summoned by humans.
Once that Master is slain, no matter how many Heroic Spirits remain, they will vanish instantly.
They pose no threat to Him whatsoever!
Moreover.
As long as He lives, the Demon Gods can resurrect indefinitely.
Whether they die once, a hundred, or a thousand times, it makes no difference.
Mere Heroic Spirits, mere humanity’s last hope—how could they possibly defeat Him?
I, King Solomon, am truly invincible!
The audience watched with gritted teeth—
[Damn it, this bastard knows decapitation tactics—he wants to take out Nameless directly!]
[Tsk, a Grand Caster like you actually wants to destroy humanity? Are you even human?]
[Earlier, everyone speculated Dr. Roman was King Solomon. Now the question is, who is this King Solomon before us?]
[Bastard! You can only act tough for now. Just wait till Nameless comes for you!]
[Heaven’s to destroy whom it first makes mad! You’re finished, King Solomon!]
...
The mastermind’s appearance caused the barrage of comments to explode instantly.
This was the true puppet master behind the scenes, the one who nearly brought humanity to extinction!
Forcing Nameless and the Heroic Spirits to fight desperately, at any cost, to reclaim humanity’s hope and future.
The more videos [Alaya] revealed, the more the audience ached witnessing Nameless’s brutal, painful battles.
The scene shifted back to Nameless’s perspective.
Mash pointed into the distance: "Senpai, the path to the throne has opened!"
"Mm, let’s go!" Nameless took her hand as they advanced together.
Even facing the most brutal battle ahead, his resolve remained unshaken.
Dr. Roman spoke with utmost gravity: "The future of humanity rests in your hands now!"
"There are no Demon God Pillar reactions ahead. Once we pass through, we’ll reach the throne of the King of Mages!"
Da Vinci took a deep breath, turning to Mash. "So, Mash, are you certain you wish to participate in this battle?"
The little Shielder’s life was already nearing its end.
Engaging in this devastating conflict could very well mean her death!
"This is the final time I’ll ask—do you truly wish to press forward? To stand by his side, through life and death, before the King of Mages?"
Dr. Roman added solemnly: "No matter what suffering awaits, you’ll never leave him?"
The mastermind’s overwhelming power was evident to all.
Arguably the most terrifying enemy Chaldea had ever faced.
Ahead lay the throne of that most formidable and dreadful foe.
And a terrifying space-time rift that would sever Chaldea’s connection with Nameless completely.
Thus, anything to be said or asked had to be done now.
"Of course, I’m willing!"
Despite the impending horror of battle, Mash’s face blossomed into a smile.
Her gaze softened as she looked at Nameless: "The greatest joy in my life is fighting alongside you, Senpai!"
"Mm, I’ll protect you." Nameless squeezed her hand, responding with equal tenderness.
As long as he was here, no one would come to harm.
This time, he would protect everyone!
"Then, let Solomon witness your strength. May fortune favor your blades!"
Dr. Roman leaned against the command room, waving farewell to him. "The enemy is the King of Mages, Solomon. Crush him utterly and reclaim the future that belongs to humanity!"
Chaldea’s connection with them was completely severed.
Nameless and Mash stepped into the rift in time, facing the ultimate enemy.
Before them.
Countless stairs stretched straight upward, nearly reaching the heavens.
At the end of those stairs lay the throne where that terrifying enemy resided.
Just then.
A small white creature suddenly appeared.
Mash gasped in surprise as she picked it up. "Fou? How did you get here?"
Facing the most brutal battle ahead, she and her senior naturally couldn’t bring Fou along, having deliberately left him behind in Chaldea.
This little creature had no obligation to accompany them to their deaths.
Yes, before coming here, they had already prepared themselves for death!
Fou gently nuzzled against them:
"Fou... fou~ (I came all this way to help you, you know. Aren’t you going to thank me?)"
As a nascent Beast of Humanity, confronting the ultimate Beast of Humanity was nothing short of overwhelming.
And yet—
It had come without hesitation!
At that moment.
A grand and domineering voice echoed across the world:
"The Eastern Observation Post, the Armory, the Life Garden... one by one, all silenced. You are far more capable than I anticipated."
The speaker sat upon the throne.
Nameless and Mash instantly tensed, bracing for any sudden attack.
"Master of Chaldea, humanity’s last hope, welcome to my world!"
Rising from the throne, He spread His arms and declared with boundless arrogance, "Before me, you are powerless. Kneel and submit!"
A terrifying, overwhelming force descended like a mountain, crushing everything beneath its weight.
Both Nameless and Mash trembled slightly, struggling to withstand the overwhelming terror that surpassed even the divine.
Yet.
Without hesitation, Nameless drew his sword and pointed it at his foe: "No, I will defeat you and reclaim humanity’s future!"