Meanwhile, far away within the Einzbern Castle, the Masters gathered around a golden vessel shaped like a Holy Grail.
It was a Noble Phantasm from the [Gate of Babylon], capable of supplying an almost infinite amount of mana.
An artifact the King of Heroes would never, under normal circumstances, share with anyone.
Yet, as fate shifted, such a miraculous sight now unfolded in reality.
Irisviel, Waver, and Ritsuka Fujimaru each stood at the central nodes of a vast magic circle beneath their feet. Endless streams of mana flowed outward from the golden vessel, transmitted through their Command Seals, sending power continuously to the distant Servants engaged in battle.
Such a scale of magical transmission required circuits of the highest quality.
Although the mana supply originated from the golden treasure, it still had to pass through the Masters' circuits. And this volume of mana far exceeded what their bodies could safely handle.
Sweat poured down from their brows. The internal strain of raging mana caused searing pain and backlash that made the veins along their faces bulge.
Even so, not a single sound of pain escaped them—not even from Waver, usually the most timid among them.
The darkening vision before their eyes was a sign of rupturing capillaries within their retinas.
But that red haze—how closely it resembled the color of the majestic cloak of that towering figure.
That crimson hue, both fearful and awe-inspiring, drew Waver's mind back to a few hours earlier.
When he had looked upon that fierce, invincible Servant with a cold, uncertain gaze.
"Rider… we've finally reached the last stage."
"Indeed. The enemy's declaration has been made. As the King of Conquerors, I cannot disgrace the name of the Rider class."
Rider drew his Celtic longsword and raised it high toward the sky.
"Manifest—my chariot!"
With his call, lightning burst forth from the torn void, splitting through the air—a storm of dazzling light. It was a sight Waver knew all too well: the [Gordius Wheel: Wheel of Heaven's Authority].
This time, however, the King of Conquerors did not invite Waver to join him on the battlefield.
Even he understood the magnitude of the existence that awaited ahead.
And Waver understood as well. He lacked even the strength to take a single step toward the chariot.
Thus, the King and his two equals in might rode forth to the battlefield.
That peerless chariot—only a true hero could rightfully ride it. It was no place for a frail apprentice.
After all, this was the same young man who couldn't even properly cast basic hypnosis spells—
A jester whose foolishness would only hinder the King's glorious path of conquest.
The King of Conquerors, Iskandar, now rode forth upon the path of glory—one that could not be defiled by the unworthy.
Before encountering Saver, Waver Velvet had once believed himself capable of victory. He had even been proud of that belief.
But things were different now.
Weeks had passed. He had witnessed with his own eyes what a true hero was. He had come to understand his own weakness and insignificance.
And yet, he refused to accept it. Perhaps it was the pathetic defiance of a cornered dog—or perhaps, a flicker of jealousy toward that long-haired man from Chaldea, whose strange affection toward his Servant and faint hostility toward himself did not escape his notice.
At the very least, there remained something that only he could do.
"My Servant… I, Waver, swear upon my life—I will witness your path of conquest to its end, reaching the heavens themselves."
Teeth clenched, he endured the surging torrent of mana, raising his right hand to reveal the unused Command Seal.
It was the bond between him and his great hero—the one treasure of his life he would never abandon.
Gazing up at the noble figure of his King, he whispered a heartfelt prayer.
"Rider… you must seize the final victory."
This was not an order, but a statement of conviction.
Lowering his head, Waver poured every last ounce of his will into the transmission of mana. The ruptured vessels in his eyes left twin trails of blood down his cheeks, the sound of tearing flesh echoing faintly from within his body.
Compared to the homunculus Irisviel and the seasoned Ritsuka Fujimaru, Waver's body as a magus was far too fragile. No amount of determination could overturn such a cruel truth—that weakness remains weakness.
"So this… is my limit?"
Yet before he could sink further into despair, a slender but composed figure appeared behind him.
"Hmph, you idiot… at least you're proving somewhat useful at a critical time."
A calm, almost indifferent voice spoke.
Then came the steady flow of restorative magecraft—healing and stabilizing the surging currents within his strained circuits.
Waver could not move an inch. His vision was drenched in crimson, yet he knew without question who stood behind him.
"Y-you… you bastard! I told you not to get involved in this ritual on your own!"
"Hmph. I couldn't just watch you flounder like a fool. I'd rather not see our carefully laid strategy fall apart due to your incompetence."
Even without words, their synchronized mana conveyed their shared understanding.
Sitting cross-legged behind him, Lord El-Melloi II regarded this version of himself—so different from the path recorded in history. In his eyes flickered a trace of something—jealousy.
And yet, in the end, a faint smile curved his lips.
"I suppose I can appreciate that rare spark of resolve. If you can endure to the end, perhaps I'll start to see you differently."
"Rider is fighting on the front lines. I won't falter here."
"Hmph. Well said. Though that face of yours just now didn't quite match your words."
"That was just… what was it again…? Ah, a momentary surge of passion, that's all."
At that moment, El-Melloi felt something strike deep within him.
It was as if, once upon a time, someone else had said those very same words to him.
For the first time, in front of his former self, he remained silent.
...
Meanwhile, on the battlefield—
Even with Avalon's protection, the [Creation of Heaven and Earth: God-Slaying Army] and the Three Kings could still feel the earth-shaking, soul-crushing pressure of Satsuki's unleashed power.
"It's time!"
The King of Heroes controlled the [Omniscient and Omnipotent Star] shining in the heavens, its astral radiance illuminating the scorching world below.
Every Heroic Spirit and Servant bathed in that light suddenly found a chant echoing in their minds—
—The True Name Incantations of their Noble Phantasms.
The King of Conquerors was no less fierce. Mana far beyond his Saint Graph's normal capacity erupted from his body, anchoring the entire [Creation of Heaven and Earth: God-Slaying Army] to the present world.
"Hah! If that boy can push himself so far, then this King shall show what true effort looks like!"
He raised his longsword high, the chant of its true name thundering forth.
"My blade unified the lands of Greece and crushed the deserts of wrathful sands…
"I conquered all of Egypt without spilling a drop of blood and devoured Elam and Shahr…
"Even the Gordian Knot shall be severed beneath my sword…
"Even the ancient civilizations praised through eternity shall kneel beneath my iron will…
"—Roar! Distant Trampling Domination—Via Expugnatio!"
Thunder roared from the farthest reaches of the sky. In the next instant, the entire world was encircled by serpents of lightning that danced wildly across the heavens.
The King of Conquerors had never been known for individual strength; his true might lay within the tens of thousands of Heroic Spirits who fought in perfect unity beneath his command.
Yet now, with the full release of his Noble Phantasm—[Via Expugnatio: Distant Trampling Domination]—he was no longer merely a commander of armies.
Historically, Alexander the Great would often remain in the rear to oversee strategy during the early stages of battle. But when the moment of decisive advance arrived, he would charge forth himself, leading his soldiers from the front lines.
This daring, selfless tactic often left him wounded—but his men, inspired by his courage and refusal to demand of them any risk he himself would not take, found their morale soaring beyond compare.
Such legends directly empowered his Noble Phantasm. [Via Expugnatio] bestowed a secondary blessing upon his entire army.
Only when he resolved to launch a full-scale advance—only when his iron hooves thundered to trample the earth—did this army reveal its true, invincible might.
Because—
"Now is the time to ride forth! All forces—CHARGE!!"
"AAAALaLaLaLaie~!"
A single cry from the general, and a chorus of tens of thousands responded.
The King of Conquerors' body became lightning itself, his form crackling with a thousand chirping thunders. Empowered by the immense faith of his army and the overflowing mana from Waver's support, he transformed into a colossal storm giant towering between heaven and earth.
This titanic figure stood at the forefront of the world's boundary, facing Satsuki—now in her Aragami Form and having summoned the [Golden Body of the Demon Buddha]—without the slightest trace of panic.
The divine army of a hundred thousand Heroic Spirits shone with the radiance of their fully released Noble Phantasms. Under Avalon's protection, the void around them was filled with their collective ideal—a vision of conquered lands stretching endlessly to the horizon.
The world of the [Creation of Heaven and Earth: God-Slaying Army] surged with renewed vigor, even pressing back against the darkness of Satsuki's domain.
Though there was no definitive proof, countless legends spoke of the King of Conquerors—Iskandar—as a son of Zeus, the supreme god of Greece.
After conquering Egypt without shedding a single drop of blood, the young conqueror of twenty-four was revered as the son of Amun-Ra, the Sun God.
With direct ties to the divine lineages of two pantheons, Iskandar's divinity now fully awakened. Surpassing his former C-Rank limitation, his divine attribute reached a level nearly equal to that of Karna himself.
As a result, Satsuki's [Status Infusion] authority could no longer so easily impose the [Collapse] state upon him—not without invoking the true name of her own Noble Phantasm.
But this time, Satsuki had no intention of relying on such methods.
Her golden eyes of reincarnation opened once more. From above the blackened domain, the twin eyes of [Veil of Light and Shadow] gazed down upon heaven and earth.
Now, entering her long-forgotten Aragami Form, she stood suspended in the void, wings spread wide, her golden eyes merging with the dark expanse. Behind her, eighteen Vipralopa Orbs fused into an immense sword of deep violet hue.
The power radiating from her was so immense that even the black domain quivered. Bolts of annihilating black lightning streaked across the void, tearing through existence itself.
And yet—it was not over.
In the heavens above, the Candle Dragon's eyes transformed into pure destructive essence, merging into the violet blade, while crimson authority streamed from Satsuki's hands, flooding into the weapon.
Under the weight of this cosmic sword, even the stars themselves seemed small.
Its presence was so overwhelming that even the countless troops of the [God-Slaying Army], now empowered by Avalon, trembled in awe.
The thunder giant Iskandar, the radiant King of Knights, and the King of Heroes—charging Ea once more—all felt their expressions tighten in unison.
Then came Satsuki's calm, chilling declaration.
"Vipralopa: Earthly Wheel Reincarnation Annihilation."
As she swung downward, the Golden Body of the Demon Buddha behind her grasped the colossal sword in both hands and brought it down upon the [Creation of Heaven and Earth: God-Slaying Army].
In that instant, golden [Absolute Defense: Avalon] clashed with violet [Earthly Wheel Reincarnation Annihilation].
Time fractured. Space inverted.
A vast void swallowed all sound—but the blinding light of destruction, beyond mortal sight, still burned into the minds of all who witnessed it, searing through the limits of vision and comprehension.
In such pure destruction, reason and law no longer had meaning. History and legend lost the very foundation of their existence.
Even Avalon—the absolute defense untouchable by physical interference, parallel worlds, or even the Five Great Magics—could not withstand the annihilation once the faith of history that sustained it was stripped away.
Crack… crack…
"How is this possible? Avalon… can't hold?"
In the heavens, the King of Knights trembled at the sight before her. Since the dawn of her legend, never had any force breached her [Avalon: The Everdistant Utopia].
This was a phenomenon that defied all order—a rebellion against the very principles of the world. How could [Absolute Defense] ever be broken?
The answer was simple. Satsuki whispered softly in her heart: because nothing in this world is truly absolute.
"Saber, fall back!!"
Under the brilliance of the [Omniscient and Omnipotent Star], the King of Heroes darted past upon his radiant vessel, seizing the King of Knights from the path of the oncoming violet blade. In an instant, he pulled her clear of certain annihilation.
Moments later, Avalon's divine protection shattered completely.
With the barrier gone, [Earthly Wheel Reincarnation Annihilation] surged forward unhindered, the blade of pure destruction slicing through the world's midline, cleaving existence into two.
Indescribable, ineffable power left behind a luminous scar of violet across the desert world, connecting heaven and earth.
Then came the collapse.
No—not only the land.
The cracks spread from the horizon into the void itself, twisting space, warping air, and sending cyclones roaring toward the abyssal end of reality.
Even with the storm giant that was the King of Conquerors bracing against it—even with the [Creation of Heaven and Earth: God-Slaying Army] surpassing even the [Ionioi Hetairoi] of old—
The rift only widened, devouring sand, soldiers, and spirits alike.
The sky fell. The earth split. All returned to nothingness.
Rider's Reality Marble was sustained by the collective mana of his summoned army. But before Satsuki's single strike, even with the [Gate of Babylon]'s boundless support, the divine host could not resist such heavenly might.
In this light of annihilation, maintaining that world was impossible.
And once their Reality Marble collapsed, the Three Kings could no longer withstand the crushing suppression of Satsuki's [Judgment of the Ten Kings: Veil of Light and Shadow].
But just as the world began to crumble—
Ghostly blue flames erupted from the void.
A flood of deathly aura filled the realm, vast as an ocean, restoring what had been consumed by emptiness.
In an instant, the scorching desert was replaced by a somber land of the dead. The barren sands became towering dark ravines, and the shattered sky filled once more with the cries of crows and black clouds steeped in sorrow.
"The Old Man of the Mountain—Hassan-i-Sabbah."
Satsuki slowly raised her head toward the highest peak of the spectral valley.
"So… you've finally come."