As the Noble Phantasm chant of the traitorous former Caster of Black—Avicebron—echoed through the air—
Vrrrm—!
Gurgle, gurgle~!
Beyond the outer walls of the Fortress of Millennia, the moonlit lake nestled within the forest gardens began to boil violently, its once-serene surface shattering under the surge of mana.
The activation of Avicebron's Noble Phantasm, performed within the royal hall of the Red Assassin—Semiramis' Hanging Gardens—was synchronized perfectly with its counterpart below, as though distance itself meant nothing.
An almost tangible tide of condensed magical energy spread outward, sending waves crashing against the banks and submerging the quaint, Western-style pavilions along the lakeshore. The entire lake trembled, resonating with the awakening of the golem.
Watching his life's greatest creation come to life on the monitor, Avicebron could no longer maintain his usual calm.
Spreading his arms wide, his voice trembled with irrepressible excitement.
"—Golem Keter Malkuth: Royal Crown · the Light of Wisdom!"
Splash—!
The stone body of the golem erupted from the rippling lake, breaking through the surface with the force of an avalanche.
Its form was humanoid, composed of gray-black material. Every limb, joint, and feature was fully formed. A vast, emerald halo shone from its back like a divine sigil.
Though fashioned only from wood, stone, and earth—the most mundane materials of nature—its presence embodied the majesty of creation itself, awe-inspiring and sublime.
"ROAR—!!"
The golem's human-shaped abyss of a mouth opened wide, unleashing a roar that shook heaven and earth.
BOOM!
Illuminated by the radiant beams of light exchanged between Selene and Semiramis in their ongoing bombardment, the colossal figure—the imitation of the Primordial Human (Adam), the Royal Crown · the Light of Wisdom—finally revealed itself to all surviving Masters and Servants of both the Red and Black factions.
A single glance was enough to tell—it was unlike any golem ever created before.
Although its body was still far smaller than Selene's National Defense Machine God · Shikoutazer, which towered at five hundred meters, it was growing—constantly, visibly.
In just a few breaths after activation, the giant had already increased in size again. Its upper body alone dwarfed the lake's surface, shattering the embankments around it.
Then, as its form continued to swell, the giant began to move. Rising from the waters, its massive legs—sculpted from wood, stone, and soil yet unnaturally defined with muscular lines—stepped onto solid ground with divine grace.
THUD!
Strangely, though the sound of its footsteps thundered like rolling storms, the ground beneath it remained unharmed.
In fact, quite the opposite—the earth beneath its feet seemed to flourish.
With each slow, deliberate step of the golem, miracles unfolded.
The land itself appeared to sing in reverence of the divine construct. The barren soil bloomed with vibrant, spirit-infused flora. Trees touching its body blossomed instantly, bearing fruit that ripened and fell within moments—only for new growth to sprout again.
And that was not all.
Though wards had been placed to drive away wildlife, countless birds and beasts now appeared as if drawn from nowhere.
Drawn to the giant like moths to a flame, they flocked toward it, heedless of danger.
Upon contact, their very life essence was absorbed—flesh, blood, and soul transmuted into pure mana that fed into the golem's expanding body.
As it devoured the living energy around it, the Primordial Giant (Royal Crown · the Light of Wisdom) grew even larger at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Before long, its head had risen to match the height of the Fortress of Millennia itself.
"Ah... so this is Eden."
Lowering his hands, Caster Avicebron spoke with rapture.
On the screen, beneath the giant's feet, the surrounding landscape teemed with new life. Even watching remotely, Avicebron could almost smell the air—a fragrance so sweet it seemed to fill the lungs with bliss itself.
But soon, the blinding light flashing across the screens snapped Avicebron out of his reverie.
Watching the giant's form on the display, he shook his head gravely. "Only seventy meters... it's nowhere near enough. Her Majes—Rider of Black's machine god could obliterate it with a single shot."
Turning toward Amakusa Shirou Tokisada, who was still recovering from his injuries, Avicebron spoke in urgency. "Master, I need you to use your remaining two Command Spells to strengthen the Royal Crown · the Light of Wisdom. Time is short—Rider of Black won't give it a chance to grow."
"Heh..." Semiramis let out a soft, mocking laugh from where she stood, splitting her focus between conversation and maintaining the defensive barriers. "What's this? Has the former Caster of Black decided to betray someone again?"
"No," Avicebron replied calmly. "I simply wish for my creation to live longer—to ensure it is not destroyed while still in its cradle. The Yggdmillennia clan denied me the chance to complete my dream. That is why I turned against them."
With the unprecedented Servant, Selene, under their command, Darnic had paid little heed to Avicebron's Royal Crown · the Light of Wisdom, leaving the unfinished primordial giant sealed within the fortress as a last-resort trump card, forbidden from activation.
That had been a direct insult to Avicebron's ideals. He did not merely wish to complete the golem—he longed to see it awaken, to witness its divine form purify the world.
"Do not misunderstand," he continued, his tone steady and devoid of emotion. "I have not joined you because I believe you will win."
"You..." Semiramis began, frowning.
"For the sake of my wish, I will embrace any means—no matter how base or inhuman. Even my own life is a price I am willing to pay."
Ignoring Semiramis' scorn, Avicebron fixed his one exposed eye—the other still hidden behind his broken mask—on Amakusa. "Master. Your decision?"
Amakusa, his arm now reattached and bones set with healing magic, lifted his head with a serene smile. "...Very well. I agree."
"Much obliged. Then, Master, I shall fulfill my final purpose in this Holy Grail War." Avicebron bowed slightly in gratitude before vanishing from the hall.
"...Master, do you truly trust him?" Semiramis asked, her voice pale and strained.
"Ah, because at this point—we have no other choice."
Using the Hanging Gardens' amplifying field, Amakusa completed the final connection, his expression hardening. "By my Command Spells, I give you a double order—Caster Avicebron, strengthen your Noble Phantasm: Royal Crown · the Light of Wisdom!"
Once the ritual was complete, he flexed his newly restored arm. "Assassin, how long can you hold out?"
"I don't know! That Rider of Black—she's hunting me, playing with me like prey!"
And just as the words left her lips—
BOOM—!!
Zzzzzzz~!
The royal hall quaked violently. Half of the magic-formed tactical screens monitoring the battlefield blinked out.
Flames swirled into vortices; the sky turned a radiant crimson as torrents of light tore through the heavens.
VWOOM!
Several kilometers away, a massive beam erupted from Shikoutazer's head, overwhelming the six-mountain formation that composed the Hanging Gardens' Anti-City-class mana cannons. The roaring pressure of the atmosphere gave way as the red column of light swept across the floating fortress.
Crack—crack—crack—!
The five remaining monoliths that maintained the azure hexagonal defense barrier lasted barely two seconds before shattering completely.
RUMBLE—!!
The entire Hanging Gardens shook violently. The floating islands surrounding it burst into flame under the sheer heat and light; countless structures disintegrated instantly into dust.
Even the eleven great monoliths of the Tiamtum Ūmu · Eleven Black Coffins—three were annihilated outright.
"Hmm... abandoning the pawns to save the king?"
Within the core of the National Defense Machine God · Shikoutazer, Selene raised an eyebrow with faint amusement.
Since she still needed Semiramis alive—to extract her Spiritual Core—Selene had intentionally avoided firing at the central royal hall. Instead, she aimed her bombardment to destroy the eleven monoliths encircling the fortress.
Yet Semiramis' countermeasures were nothing if not decisive. She activated every defensive array within the Hanging Gardens, using the outer floating islands as shields to buy a few precious seconds.
Then, with ruthless precision, she abandoned two of the great monoliths—sacrificing them entirely to preserve the remaining nine and the fortress' central structure.
"But you only have nine left," Selene said coolly, her crimson eyes glinting. "Let's see how many more strikes you can withstand."
Before her, the once-beautiful Hanging Gardens had been reduced to a scorched ruin—a skeletal husk of its former grandeur, blanketed in flame and ash. The lavish greenery was gone, replaced by a blackened shell of molten stone.
The sight brought Selene a faint, fleeting sense of satisfaction. Destruction had its own art.
"Bombardment mode, engage."
As for why she didn't use Purge Mode—the answer was simple. It wasn't necessary... and more importantly, she was short on mana.
Never underestimate the value of mana.
Purge Mode—full artillery release—was devastating, but its mana consumption increased exponentially. Even a single volley could blast a crater several kilometers wide, not counting the collateral shockwaves. That was the true face of an Anti-Nation Noble Phantasm.
At such destructive levels, not even the Yggdmillennia clan's mana reserves could sustain her consumption.
And as for the Counter Force—of course it would intervene.
Clack—clack—clack!
Obeying Selene's command, the divine machine began to move.
Its massive right arm extended; the heavy metallic plates along the wrist slid open, revealing dozens of smaller cannon ports. Panels on its forearm and upper arm unfolded in synchronized motion, exposing rows upon rows of compact barrels arranged in perfect, geometric precision.
"Let's see you block this, then."
Vrrrm—!
Vrrrm—vrmmm—!!
Vrrrm—vrmmmmm—!!!
Regardless of size or caliber, there were over a thousand gunports embedded within just one of Shikoutazer's arms.
In an instant, the entire limb lit up with light. Streams of condensed mana erupted from the barrels, countless beams of varying thickness converging into a single storm of destruction that tore through the sky.
"Fall."
Like a divine rain of annihilation, thousands of crimson beams streaked upward, converging from every angle toward the ravaged Hanging Gardens.
BOOOOM—!!
At this scale, no fortress could withstand the assault. Even as Semiramis gathered the remaining nine monoliths to form an overcharged barrier, the oncoming barrage overwhelmed her defenses entirely.
Crack—!
Within mere seconds, dozens of concentrated beams pierced the defensive perimeter, detonating across the fortress' hull in cascades of crimson light.
"Your Divine Majesty—it's Caster Avicebron!" Darnic's panicked voice rang in Selene's mind before she could even savor her triumph. "He's sacrificed himself! The Royal Crown · the Light of Wisdom has gone berserk—it's trying to turn the entire world into its paradise!"
Selene frowned. "The primordial giant... its base form should've been only fifteen meters tall. Darnic, with Saber Siegfried, Archer Chiron, and Lancer Vlad III still at the fortress, their combined strength should be enough to—"
"...Very well. I understand."
Synchronizing with the divine machine's systems, Selene rotated Shikoutazer's massive frame. Even from kilometers away, she could see the problem clearly.
The giant's size was still increasing—rapidly.
The Royal Crown · the Light of Wisdom had already risen above the highest tower of the Fortress of Millennia, its upper body alone dwarfing the entire citadel. It was no longer something ordinary Servants could handle.
Especially not while they were forced to protect both the fortress and their Masters.
Abandoning the now-falling Hanging Gardens, Selene turned her cannons toward her new target.
Vrrrm—!
...
Moments earlier, within the Fortress of Millennia itself—
As the giant approached, the entire citadel trembled. The floor, ceiling, and walls—all artificial constructions—groaned under the mounting pressure.
Darnic's face twisted in disbelief as he watched the approaching behemoth, its body swelling larger by the second.
"When did Caster activate the Royal Crown · the Light of Wisdom? Its growth rate is unnatural!"
Fiore kicked aside her wheelchair and leapt up, activating her Bronze-Link Manipulator, the specialized magecraft armor fitted with four mechanical arms that lifted her into the air beside Darnic.
"Archer," she called softly to her Servant, "can you take the shot?"
"I can."
From atop the tower, Chiron raised his golden bow, his expression grim as he aimed squarely at the giant's shoulder—where Avicebron himself stood.
"Caster... I don't know your reasons for betraying us," he murmured. "But a traitor is still a traitor."