In the council chamber.
All the councilors had fallen into deep thought.
"So, what should we do next?"
Over a hundred years ago, the United States had discovered the remnants of certain deities near Mount Olympus in Greece.
Each relic possessed tremendous power.
In order to seize control of such divine machine-power, they had spared no cost, conducting countless experiments until they finally created the current form of the Machine Gods.
To prevent leaks, they had even gone so far as to silence all local discoverers.
But now, with Alaya's video "The Gods of Olympus" having been exposed to the world—
Could it be that those gods would descend from the Reverse Side of the World into the mortal realm?
"After the video of the Absolute Demonic Front was revealed, we detected traces of the Underworld Goddess, Ereshkigal, appearing in Fuyuki."
The Goddess of Wisdom councilor explained concisely.
"This implies that the Olympian gods may also descend!"
"This is our power. We will never allow anyone to take it from us!" declared the God of the Sea councilor bluntly.
In his eyes, and in the eyes of many councilors—
What's mine is mine.
What's yours is also mine.
Everything is mine.
Hand it over!
The divine power that had allowed the United States to dominate this planet for over a hundred years—how could they possibly permit anyone else to claim it?
The Moon Goddess councilor, however, gazed at the screen showing Nameless with faint unease.
In the video, Artemis adored Nameless to an extreme degree, yearning to merge with him completely.
At the very end, she even declared that she would claim him as prey, find him, and stay with him forever.
After watching the video, the Moon Goddess councilor found herself… inexplicably moved, instinctively unwilling to harm him.
In her eyes, Nameless exuded a most unusual aura.
On one hand, he possessed the fiery justice of youth. On the other, he carried the ruthless decisiveness of a monarch.
Two entirely different qualities, fused seamlessly within him—Forming a hero of mystery, radiating an endless charm.
This is bad… my heart is racing!
Why does he seem more and more like the perfect ideal of a man, fitting all of my criteria?
I had sworn never to marry, never to take a man, and to remain an eternally virgin goddess!
Why is this happening now!?
The Moon Goddess councilor's heart trembled. "What is this? Could it be that Artemis is eroding me?"
Meanwhile, the King of Gods, the council chairman, stared intently at the colossal giant on the screen, sinking into contemplation.
To truly suppress both the First Emperor and Nameless… their current strength was clearly insufficient.
If Cronus had been able to devour the other Titans and ascend to a state close to that of a "Humanity's Evil"—
Then, could he too fuse with the gathered councilors and evolve into an ultimate form?
Zeus's heart began to stir.
If even the three Gorgon sisters could fuse into the Mother/Goddess of Demonic Beasts—
Then what would be born from his own fusion with the other Machine Gods?
No, not a monster—
But an omnipotent god!
A being that could be named—
[Almighty One!]
The chairman's heart pounded at the thought. Turning to the assembled councilors, he spoke:
"To truly defeat the First Emperor and Nameless, there is only one path left: complete unification!"
"How do we unify?"
All eyes turned toward him.
"If we fully merge all of our Machine Gods together, we can create a super annihilation-class starship—comparable to the White Titan, Attila the Hun, the Umbral Star's Vanguard dispatched to Earth… or even to the other Vanguards sent across the stars!"
Zeus's voice rang with severity.
As long as the gods completed the fusion, they would wield strength surpassing even the King of Gods himself—enough to obliterate the First Emperor and Nameless, ruling the world forevermore.
"Fusion…???"
The councilors all stared blankly at him.
In that instant, each recalled the earlier footage of Cronus—their chairman's own father—consuming the Titans after being empowered by the Demon King Goetia's Holy Grail.
The Goddess of Wisdom stood without hesitation.
"I oppose it! Every Machine God is an absolute, independent existence. Once we fuse, it would be far too easy to lose ourselves!"
"I oppose it!" said the King of the Underworld councilor, also raising his hand.
"Opposed!"
"Opposed!"
…
Aside from the Queen of Gods, every councilor raised their hand in opposition.
The chairman's face turned cold, but he said nothing further.
Clearly, they had all thought of the scene where Cronus devoured the gods, and none of them would casually agree.
Then, perhaps a little… firmer persuasion was necessary.
After all, they had always upheld the spirit of democracy.
Since they were unwilling, he would simply help them "willingly agree."
…
At the same time—
Not far away, a group of Greek officials sat wide-eyed after watching the video.
Jason, Heroic Spirit and guardian of Greece, had completely fallen into existential doubt.
When the video first began—
As a great hero, of course he expected his glorious achievements to be displayed before all of Greece.
But instead of celebrating his exploits, why had it turned into an open hanging of my dirty laundry to all of people!?
Jason was convinced something had gone wrong.
In the video—
Yes, he had indeed built the Argo, gathering a band of heroes to seek the Golden Fleece.
But looking at it now…
Marching under the banner of "rescue," they were in truth plundering wealth and women wherever they went, not unlike common bandits.
Maybe in that primitive age, such conduct could be excused as "cultural norms."
But when the sea monster appeared, under Nameless's suggestion, Jason—great hero that he was—was actually picked up and hurled like a Noble Phantasm by Heracles!
After the video aired, countless netizens spammed memes of him.
Well, at least the sea monster's defeat could be called an achievement.
But then, upon reaching Colchis, he had to disgrace himself further by praying to Aphrodite for aid—
Begging her to help him win over the princess Medea.
The goddess did send Cupid, and Cupid did fire his arrow of love.
But why—why in the world was the target Nameless!?
I was the one who asked for help first!
And the worst part? Nameless didn't even need it—
He casually slashed the love arrow apart with a single strike, yet still effortlessly won over the proud princess Medea.
The two of them sat together in the audience stands, utterly ignoring Jason as he struggled against the brazen bulls and serpent-toothed warriors.
It was as if he himself had become nothing more than a clownish sideshow.
And when it came to the dragon—
It was Nameless who slew the terrifying beast with his own hand, receiving the blessing of Athena herself.
Thus began his road as a hero beloved of the gods—
An object of frenzied admiration across the world.
And Jason?
He was reduced to a supporting prop, his humiliations broadcast for all to see.
To think I'd wake up one day… only to be scorned by the entire world. The clown was me all along! This video should never have been aired!
Jason felt as though his heart was bleeding.
Once exposed, his grand, heroic image in the eyes of the people would collapse completely.
An official beside him hesitated, then leaned in to whisper:
"Lord Jason, your approval rating is already falling. Many supporters are abandoning you."
Of course.
Alaya's videos were absolute truth—already verified again and again by Heroic Spirits. To the audience, they had become an impartial scale by which any heroic life could be judged.
When Unlimited Blade Works had been broadcast, even the King of Heroes himself had lost legions of followers.
"..."
Jason sank deeper into despair.
How had it all come to this?
And just then—
Jason suddenly felt a mysterious, vast presence erupting from far away atop Mount Olympus.
It was as if a door to another world had opened—
A terrible aura beyond words surging forth.
"The gods of Greece… are they descending to the mortal realm?"
Jason froze in shock.
This was the Age of Heroes, an era where humanity reigned supreme.
The gods had long since been banished to the Reverse Side of the World, unable to manifest here.
If they truly descended now, with all their divine arrogance intact—
How overwhelming would they be?
Could humanity truly coexist with such beings?
At that moment—
A silver-haired, black-eyed girl appeared quietly at the doorway of the council hall, gazing at him coolly.
"Jason. You truly disappoint me."
"You… you are—Athena!?"
Jason stared in shock.
Though she appeared as a petite girl, with silver hair flowing long and dark eyes gleaming faintly, her aura brooked no doubt—
This was no mere child.
This was the Goddess of Wisdom herself, incarnated into a human vessel—Athena!
The girl's expression was utterly blank, her voice clear and calm:
"Disaster is coming. We, the gods, will descend one by one—to aid Nameless in overcoming it."
"Disaster? But aren't you gods confined to the Reverse Side, cut off from mankind?" Jason asked, more bewildered than ever.
Athena explained without hesitation:
"Long ago, we were defeated by the Vanguard of the Umbral Star, Attila. Our twelve discarded husks were seized by the Lighthouse, giving birth to those cold mechanical abominations. If they are ever allowed to complete their fusion—then for humanity, it will mean the rise of a Lostbelt!"
Just as Goetia once sought to burn away Human History—
So too had they, the Machine Gods, possessed the power to defy fate.
Had they chosen fusion back then, they might even have defeated the Vanguard outright.
But such victory would also have birthed a Lostbelt—
A world without disease, without war, without famine or death. A world where everyone could live forever, healthy and content.
Yet such eternity would sever the flow of history.
Humanity would become nothing more than livestock in a pen.
Change would vanish.
The world itself would wither.
Fortunately, that fate never came to pass.
They abandoned their mechanical shells, returning as gods to dwell within Greece, nourished by human faith.
Through that faith, they tasted joy no Machine God could ever feel.
Thus, they chose to protect humanity—
Not to remake the Earth as their homeworld.
Athena's eyes glimmered faintly as she concluded:
"Now, we must find Nameless. He must once more receive the Twelve Olympians' blessings, so that he may wield the strength to avert this crisis."
"…Nameless again!?"
Jason felt as though he had swallowed a whole lemon tree.
So sour! Too sour!
But what could he do? He was never one for head-on fights. No way he'd go up against those monstrous Machine Gods.
Better to stay small, stay safe, and let someone else fight in his stead.
Jason said quickly,
"Nameless should be in Fuyuki City. I don't know exactly where!"
"Oh? Fuyuki City, is it?"
Athena nodded lightly, already resolved to make the journey.
But before that—there was another matter to attend to.
Hum—
Her figure vanished in an instant.
When she reappeared, she was on a storm-shrouded island in the Mediterranean, hidden from every map and every eye.
The dwelling place of the Gorgon sisters.
Stheno and Euryale immediately stepped protectively in front of their youngest sibling, staring coldly at the newcomer.
"Athena. What business have you here?"
It was she, after all, who had cursed their sister into the hideous form of the snake-haired Medusa.
Athena raised her shield.
Long ago, Perseus had slain Medusa and embedded her severed head within this very shield, granting it the power of petrification.
Crack—
The shield shattered.
From within, Athena gathered fragments of the Gorgon's essence into her hand.
"As recompense for what was done, I return to Medusa a measure of divine essence—granting her immortality."
"Hmph. You gods truly act as you please."
The elder sisters scowled, but still reached to accept the gift.
Among the three, only the youngest, Medusa, lacked immortality—hence why a hero had been able to kill her.
Athena knew this well, and offered godhood as atonement.
From behind her sisters, the small Ana peeked out, voice soft with longing:
"So… where is Nameless?"
Since that distant farewell in the Age of Gods, she had never seen him again.
"I do not know the exact place. But he is in Fuyuki City." Athena did not conceal the truth.
If foes on the level of the Vanguard of the Umbral Star appeared again, the sisters' aid might be essential.
For though the Olympian gods were mighty, as outsiders they were heavily suppressed by the world—unable to unleash their full strength.
"Fuyuki City…"
Ana gazed toward the distant East, her heart swelling with faint joy.
Would Nameless be glad… to see her again?
—
Meanwhile, in the much-talked-about Fuyuki City—
Sanjiro was sprawled lazily on his sofa, idly browsing the web.
Ever since the release of "Gods of Olympus" two days ago, countless netizens had been tagging America, demanding they explain their true connection to the Greek pantheon.
Komei had openly mocked them at a press conference:
"Thieves—You must explain the massacres you caused in Greece, and return the stolen remnants of the Olympian gods!"
Since hostility between the two sides was inevitable, why bother with politeness?
Sanjiro smirked.
"I have to admit, that feels good to hear."
He too wanted to point at those thieves' noses and curse them out.
They were nothing but thieves in crowns—just like the European lords of old, who stole lands by force and then called their plunder a kingdom.
Sanjiro chuckled as he scrolled—only to blink in surprise.
On the pink app, a new song had just appeared.
Its title—
"Dalabengba."
It just so happened that a certain talented individual had taken inspiration from the giant dragon—the one who had been slain in that earlier video—and turned it into a strange song.
After working overnight, he finished the parody and uploaded it the very next day. Riding the lingering popularity of the previous [Alaya] video, it skyrocketed in less than half a day to several million views, instantly becoming a legendary hit.
"Let's hear it first."
Sanjiro casually clicked on the song titled "Dalabengba."
The sound of galloping hooves echoed, and then a virtual idol began to sing—
[Long, long ago, a dragon suddenly appeared]
[It brought disaster, kidnapped the princess, and then vanished]
[The kingdom was in peril, who in the world was most brave? A hero came forth]
…
[He said, 'Your Majesty, my name is Dalabengba Bandebedibdobiruwon']
…
"Wait, what? The dragon's name became the hero's name?"
Sanjiro froze for a moment—then realized it actually worked.
After all, a dragon-slaying hero always ends up becoming a demon-dragon in the end.
Those Greek heroes who plundered wealth and women were the perfect example.
Out of an entire ship full of them, only Heracles had the slightest bit of conscience—he at least didn't steal women.
Though to be fair, he didn't really need to.
With a body so overwhelmingly strong, just standing there was enough to attract countless women—and men, too.
Actually, more men than women!
It proves a fact: work out moderately, and you'll attract girls; work out excessively, and you'll attract men.
Just then, the phone rang.
Sanjiro answered casually,
"What's up, Illya?"
"Um… would it be okay if I brought someone along later?"
The little loli's voice was full of unease.
"Bring a friend? Of course you can," Sanjiro replied offhandedly.
After all, his over-the-top cooking skills had already reached a level where anyone who had eaten his food would never forget it again.
Even the Child of Light from Celtic myth, Cu Chulainn, would shamelessly come mooching off him time after time.
Not to mention the true glutton king Artoria—each of her meals could equal several of his own.
This had left Kirina extremely hostile, fearing she would one day literally eat him out of house and home.
After all, even a landlord's family has no surplus grain!
Sanjiro deliberately went to the market, buying another fish and some extra vegetables.
Since there'd be an additional guest, he might as well cook a bit more.
Cu Chulainn deftly gutted the fish and stuffed it into a bag. "Hey, mind if I come freeload dinner tonight too?"
"This time I've got other guests. Next time for sure!" Sanjiro replied irritably.
This guy's face was getting thicker by the day.
Back when he first started coming over, at least he'd help clean up afterwards, or bring fruit wine and such as gifts.
Now? Empty-handed every time!
Damn freeloading parasite!
"Tch. You always say 'next time for sure,' but really you just don't want me there." Cu Chulainn rolled his eyes.
It's not like I'm eating your rice—
…oh wait, I totally am.
So what if I eat just a little more? Is that really worth being so stingy about?
"The landlord's family has no surplus grain! I'm broke, okay!" Sanjiro shot back without hesitation, playing the poverty card.
His savings had nearly all been drained by now.
Every last one of these so-called great heroes of world civilization, and not a single one ever brought gifts!
The only exception had been Shikotei, who came with Tamamo's tail as a scarf.
Everyone just assumed he wasn't short on money!
====
Meanwhile, as Sanjiro busied himself preparing dinner—
On the other side.
Illya put down her phone, looking rather nervous.
"Was that… too presumptuous of me?"
Beside her stood a truly imposing giant.
He was nearly two meters tall.
A black suit stretched tightly across bulging muscles, radiating an aura of raw power.
Wearing sunglasses only made him look more intimidating.
Just standing there gave off an almost unbearable sense of pressure.
The very picture of a suited thug!
It was none other than Heracles himself, descended into the human world!
After that earlier video exposure, his contract with Illya as her Servant had allowed him to properly materialize in this world.
Heracles split into a wide grin.
"It's nothing. If he's really that 'Nameless,' then he's my brother. I'll give him a little surprise visit."
He knew full well that countless people were fond of Nameless, that he had stolen the hearts of uncountable girls.
And little Illya—whom Heracles had already come to see as his daughter—was no exception.
As her adoptive father, there was no way he would let anyone hurt her.
Since his daughter liked this man, then as her father, how could he not take it seriously?
Of course he had to visit in person—and give the boy a surprise of a lifetime!