That being — was vast beyond imagination.
It was as if it filled the entire moon, tearing through the lunar surface, emerging from underground, and now gazing directly at Sanjiro.
This was the true form of the Vanguard of the Umbral Star —
Atilla the Hun.
Also known as the White Titan Sefar!
"From birth, to development, to prosperity — every civilization will eventually summon the 'Harvester Star.'"
Abigail looked up at the figure behind the gate and explained:
"Just as humans eat food, the Harvester Star feeds on civilization! It releases its vanguards to reap the fruits of entire worlds. All knowledge, technology, and cultural achievements — all are its nourishment. It converts them into mana, endlessly expanding its own size."
It was the true enemy of civilization.
So powerful that it surpassed imagination — an existence capable of opposing the entire world alone.
Not only humanity — even the gods were within its harvest range.
The so-called mighty deities were, in its eyes, nothing more than slightly fatter "crops."
When they grew ripe — it came to harvest them.
"Truly terrifying," Sanjiro nodded slightly.
Back when the machine gods first descended to Earth, they were attacked by the Vanguard, forcing them to abandon their divine machine-bodies and merge into the native Greek pantheon.
That terrifying being was the nemesis of the gods — the divine-slayer itself — leaving the gods utterly powerless to resist.
Fourteen thousand years ago, the vanguard rampaged, devouring and destroying human and divine civilizations alike, seeking to burn the entire Earth to ash.
And once it had consumed all civilization — it too would self-destruct.
A perfect mutual annihilation — the ultimate enemy of creation.
However, something strange happened.
Over a thousand years ago, this very Vanguard had a dream.
It dreamed that it had become human — a king of the Huns — galloping freely across the steppes.
But beings like heroic spirits do not dream — and the Star Vanguard certainly cannot.
That meant it had actually transformed into a real human being, with that human's memories taking control of its true self.
That human — a descendant of the Huns — led her people, who had been defeated by the ancient China, westward through Central Asia and Europe.
He even defeated the Franks.
Feared by countless Europeans, he was called "The Scourge of God" — the destroyer of all things.
That human was the great king of the Huns —
Attila!
"In truth," Abigail continued, "not only the Olympian gods, but even the Outer Gods are restrained by it."
Sanjiro raised a brow in surprise.
By logic, fourteen thousand years ago, the Vanguard never reached east.
Was it then the Outer Gods' corruption that prevented its arrival?
"There are two things that can restrain the Outer Gods: one is the Tear Drop Photon Ray of the Vanguard Attila, and the other is the Holy Sword of the first Holy-Sword Wielder."
Abigail explained openly,
"The former is a planetary-destroying beam, the latter is Earth's self-defense and purification mechanism."
The Outer Gods were not truly invincible —Otherwise, the universe would long since have fallen to their corruption.
"Oh? So the Holy Sword restrains the Outer Gods," Sanjiro said in surprise.
Hey, wasn't she an envoy of the Outer Gods?
How could she just casually reveal her god's weakness?
Had a single dinner made her defect already?
The so-called Holy Sword referred, of course, to Excalibur, the Sword of Promised Victory — the golden blade of Artoria.
Even with Artoria's tremendous power, she could not unleash its true might.
Like Gilgamesh's Ea, only a being that surpassed the level of gods could wield it fully, to rend heaven and earth apart.
Excalibur was currently categorized as an A+ rank Noble Phantasm, but in truth, it was bound by its scabbard, Avalon, which imposed "Thirteen Restraints."
Only when Earth itself faced destruction could it be unsealed — and reveal its true apocalyptic brilliance.
Back when the Vanguard tried to devour humanity and the divine alike, and then fire its Tear Drop Photon Ray to destroy the planet —
Excalibur was unsealed completely — and became the Sacred Sword of the Stars.
Abigail, noticing his thoughts, smiled faintly:
"Of course, that restraint doesn't apply much to my Father."
Among the Outer Gods, there were also hierarchies of power.
Her Father was second only to the Magnum Innominandum.
"..."
Sanjiro fell silent.
From that alone, he was certain — that so-called "One Who Creates All Things and Returns All to One" was on the same level as God or the Awakened One —
A truly transcendent being — of absolute freedom and eternal existence.
"Fourteen thousand years ago, with the aid of Gaia — the planetary consciousness — the first Holy-Sword Wielder unleashed the Holy Sword of the Stars and defeated it," Abigail sighed, gazing at the massive figure awakening on the moon.
"But now, Gaia has merged with the Human Evil, and will no longer protect mankind."
That Human Evil sought to ignite humanity's history itself — to forge an eternal world of his own — beyond even Heaven.
There had once been two Counter Forces:
Alaya, the collective will of mankind — Sanjiro's "employer."
Gaia, the consciousness of the planet — the will of the Earth.
When the planet faced annihilation, Gaia and Alaya would cooperate — granting the Holy-Sword Wielder the might to surpass gods.
With both powers combined, that warrior could defeat even the Star Vanguard.
However—
Now that Gaia had fused with the Demon King of Humanity, it no longer cared if the planet was destroyed.
A planetary will with a human ego — even Abigail could not guess what it might do.
"So Gaia won't protect humanity anymore?" Sanjiro murmured.
It felt ironic — He had spent his supposed "retirement" years quietly taking care of that very terrifying being.
But the time had been too short.
Barely a few years — and already countless enemies had descended.
Alaya had been forced to expose his past, so he could regain his former power.
But that exposure also stirred Her awakening.
A fate — that transcended time and divinity itself.
Sanjiro didn't dwell on it further, instead asking curiously:
"So, your Father — why did He seek out Tiamat?"
Abigail's strongest Noble Phantasm allowed her to summon the power of her Father, Yog-Sothoth,and create a Gate of infinite might.
Through that Gate, both she and Tiamat had been pulled here.
"I'm not sure," she said softly, her cheeks turning pink. "Perhaps… to discuss my marriage with you?"
In her eyes, her Father was her true parent — one who decided her fate.
And the Human Evil, Tiamat, was addressed respectfully as "Tiamama."
So — this was their second meeting — and already she was "meeting the parents"?
"..."
Sanjiro was momentarily speechless.
This little girl's personality was way too unpredictable.
He began to doubt whether her "devotion" to him wasn't just a passing whim.
More importantly —
He already had Kirina, Illya, Miyu, and several other lolis around him! Was he really going to let the world confirm his title as a certified lolicon?!
Even though he clearly preferred mature, dignified women like Tiamat or the Lion King!
—Damn it all!
Meanwhile—
In the Imaginary Number Space — a realm beyond both the Inner and Outer Worlds, where no life existed—
Tiamat, half-human and half-dragon, stood before a mysterious being.
The figure resembled a human silhouette shrouded in a luminous veil — its true appearance hidden.
Tiamat gazed at it impassively:
"Aaaaa (Why have you sought me out?)"
This being possessed a strange, otherworldly power — one not of the Earth.
It made her fully activate her combat state.
Here, in the Imaginary Space, she had released all her seals, and could now unleash the true might of a Primordial Mother of Creation — dozens, even hundreds of times stronger than before.
"Greetings, Creator of Worlds," the figure replied gently. "I bear you no malice."
It spoke in the original language of the gods —
A tongue whose words alone carried divine power akin to true magic.
"I am the one who knows all, and grants all knowledge. The transcendent beings of Earth invited me to witness humanity's performance."
The silhouette's tone softened further:
"And the one you watch over — is the lead actor upon that stage."
"Aaaaa (Why come to me? What do you want from him?)"
Tiamat remained alert.
The power before her was too alien — something beyond even her comprehension.
Yet that shadow's interest lay in Sanjiro — so she could not let it pass.
"I possess all knowledge, yet I hunger for more. The one blessed by destiny has restarted the world itself — granting me the chance to witness anew."
The shadow seemed to smile.
"When characters, time, and story all change — new results are born. I merely wish to witness every possibility, every ending — to see the entire play."
The earlier world reset had only affected Earth.
To a being of such transcendence — it meant nothing.
Even if Gaia and Alaya combined forces, they could not touch it.
"A witness?" Tiamat echoed in faint confusion.
Such an existence was more enigmatic than the Human Evil itself — utterly beyond understanding.
Or perhaps—
To even try to comprehend it would be to descend into madness—
Just as the eastern gods once did.
And thus… to fall completely into madness, becoming a terrifying evil god!
"I possess all knowledge, and I am always glad to bestow it upon those who pray for it," the silhouetted being continued smiling gently under Tiamat's wary gaze.
"For instance, the Olympian goddess of wisdom who prayed for my knowledge—seeing what became of her after receiving it was, in itself, my harvest."
Possessing all knowledge, and freely granting it—such generosity, if one could withstand it, was the greatest of gifts.
In its eyes, there was no difference between worshiper and stranger.
If you prayed, it would grant.
After all, observing the transformation of those who received its knowledge was its greatest delight. To it, both mortals and gods, Earth and the stars, were merely raw materials and data archives.
"I do not need your gifts."
Tiamat refused without hesitation.
It reminded her of a poem Sanjiro once read to her—
"You gaze upon the bridge's view,
While someone higher gazes too.
The bright moon graces your window's gleam,
As you become another's dream."
The goddess who once sought to "watch the scenery," Athena, had become the scenery watched by others.
Free things, Tiamat knew, are always the most expensive in the world.
Sanjiro understood that better than anyone—he never desired something for nothing, believing only in equivalent exchange.
Even the power he borrowed from her, he insisted on repaying—with what she longed for most of all:
Love.
Love for humanity—the very love that led to her betrayal, her isolation, and her fear of hurting or being hurt.
Only that one boy—only he dared face her without fear of her "Humanity's Evil" title, and speak to her as an equal, with warmth and sincerity.
"You love humanity, and you believe they can reach an infinite future. You would stay alone in this Imaginary World for their sake," the silhouette said softly.
"Only the most absolute love could transfigure one into Humanity's Evil."
"My own chosen vessel has already joined hands with yours," it added, its tone mild and knowing. "So let me witness this dream of infinity. I wish to see the conclusion of your story."
It had appeared here not to act, but to observe, at the request of its "vessel," while the collective will of humanity—the Counter Force—watched from the shadows.
The grand play deciding humanity's fate had begun.
No one could say how it would end, or even what form humanity's survival would take.
"I believe in that child," Tiamat said firmly. "He will lead humanity toward its infinite future."
"Then… let us see what comes."
The silhouette's form slowly faded into nothing.
Meanwhile, in the world of men—
A new calamity had arrived.
====
France — National Space Agency
The control room erupted in chaos.
Technicians screamed as they stared at the live feed from the lunar radio telescope.
"Oh my God—what is that!?"
On the moon's barren surface, something impossible was rising—a titanic being, tearing through lunar bedrock as if it were paper, its colossal eyes gleaming toward Earth.
Its towering height measured several thousand meters, so vast that no human mind could comprehend it.
In the video call, Jeanne d'Arc frowned.
"So this is what Zeus spoke of—the enemy slumbering on the moon?"
The curse of Zeus had spoken of three lurking horrors—one on the Moon, one on Earth, and one upon the Sun.
And now, the lunar one had awakened.
The giant's very presence distorted the air, a wave of destruction radiating from its body.
Its gaze toward Earth was filled with hunger—as though it were staring at a meal.
The pink-haired knight Astolfo paled.
"Your Majesty—it's looking right at us! It's gonna eat us! That has to be what the Olympian gods warned about!"
That look… was far more terrifying than any human's lustful gaze. It didn't see them as people, only as food.
Jeanne's expression hardened.
"Yes… there is no mistake. That is the Star Vanguard—the Devourer of Civilizations."
Even gods were but ripe crops before it.
Had the First Holy-Sword Wielder not struck it down long ago, humanity would already be extinct—the Earth itself reduced to ashes.
Jeanne raised her voice:
"Activate maximum alert! Mobilize the Holy Knight Order—prepare for immediate engagement!"
After the fall of Zeus, a new disaster had descended.
But this time—without the First Sword Saint—could humanity truly prevail?
She hesitated, when suddenly, a familiar divine whisper echoed in her mind:
"Go find that man~"
That man… surely meant Nameless.
Jeanne sighed helplessly.
The last time, she had only protected Fuyuki thanks to the Lord's grace. But after Nameless slew Zeus, he had vanished without a trace.
And now, as another apocalypse arrived—was she to rely on him yet again?
She couldn't help but suspect— that the Almighty Lord Himself… was sitting back with someone else, watching this whole thing like a drama.
Blasphemy, blasphemy!
Surely the omnipotent Lord would never—
(Astolfo.jpg: confused and mildly terrified)
====
Epang Palace
At that same moment, the gathered Heroic Spirits stood before Shikotei.
Komei spoke gravely:
"Your Majesty—the enemy you foresaw has arrived."
In the Lostbelt, the Emperor had once spent three centuries forging a Great Wall of Space to repel this very foe.
Yet until now, the so-called Vanguard had never shown itself—not even when Nameless defeated Shikotei, nor when he felled the Human Evil Tamamo.
But now—it had truly come.
"The Star Vanguard, hm?"
Shikotei's eyes gleamed with interest.
From the orbital fortresses above, countless sensors focused on the moon.
There, the giant emerged—white hair flowing, red eyes blazing, clad in silver armor.
By human standards, it was almost beautiful—if not for its monstrous size. Thousands of meters tall,its very existence pressed down like a mountain upon the soul.
Shikotei recalled Nameless's records—
"White Titan Sefar—Enemy of Civilization. Possesses a body harder than any earthly mineral; not even the heat of the Sun can melt it…"
The archives were clear: this was no mere legend, but a true planetary scourge.
The Great Wall of Space, lined with tens of thousands of orbital cannons, was built precisely to destroy it.
After all, the Eternal Emperor would not allow anyone to annihilate his world.
Kou stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, shall we merge the Twelve Bronze Men and launch an assault?"
In the Lostbelt, their combined form had cleaved even the Fantasy Tree in two. Ryofu Hōsen roared eagerly, "Let me form the head!"
Zilong laughed thunderously,
"Then I'll be the right arm!"
One by one, the war-hungry Heroic Spirits volunteered. They had hardly enjoyed the last battle—Zeus and his gods had self-destructed too quickly.
Behind them, Chin Kyu's eyes sparkled.
"Excellent! I shall grant you power beyond your limits!"
Twelve mighty Heroic Spirits, twelve colossal constructs, and one mad strategist ready to light the sky on fire—just imagining it made him tremble with excitement.
Komei sighed deeply.
"…As expected, we'll have to let him blow something up again first."
Shikotei looked at the eager Heroic Spirits stepping forward to join the battle and sighed softly.
"The time given to Us is far too short."
If only they had more time, they could have completely analyzed the remnants of the Olympian gods.
Even the divine warship left behind by Zeus himself could have been fully understood—And with that, they could have built fleets of interstellar warships.
They could have established permanent colonies on the Moon, on Mars, on other worlds beyond Earth—
Even begun farming on other planets!
The humanity's slogan is "Our journey is to the stars and the sea," would no longer be just words, but a dream fully within reach.
Unfortunately, time was far, far too short.
Barely a day had passed since their battle, and already a new, terrifying enemy—one capable of annihilating entire civilizations—had appeared.
Clearly, Zeus's dying curse had not been mere bluster.
The being who stood on par with Human Evil truly believed that humanity was doomed to perish—Even in defeat, he had no doubt of it.
That alone proved that the power of these new enemies was far beyond comprehension.
Komei spoke in a low voice,
"Your Majesty… should we summon the Imperial Teacher?"
In a crisis threatening the very end of the world, there was only one answer—
"Quickly, summon the Nameless Heroic Spirit!"
Shikotei sighed deeply.
He had promised to protect that man, to let him rest in peace, to carry the burdens of the world himself.
Yet somehow, they kept running into enemies beyond reason.
Even the Evils of Humanity might not stand a chance this time.
After all—the Star Vanguards were beings that preyed upon both gods and mankind. To them, humans and deities alike were nothing but food—as natural as a cat devouring a mouse.
Over two days had passed since the fall of Zeus.
The Star Vanguard that had awakened on the Moon could no longer be hidden.
It now appeared blatantly before all eyes—anyone with a simple telescope could see it clearly in space.
A towering giant, several kilometers tall—there was no way such a being could conceal itself.
Or rather, it had no intention of hiding.
It descended upon Earth with the weight akin to an unstoppable disaster, an overwhelming, crushing presence.
====
Panic spread through the world like wildfire—
FifthTimeGooning-[What a cursed world… don't tell me that thing was awakened by Zeus?]
YoMamaBeenSlobbin-[If the Star Vanguard has awakened… what about Earth's? Could there be one in the Sun too?]
SirFucksAlot-[Can't we get Nameless to handle it?]
AlayaRiggedThisShit-[Nonsense! Human Evil loves humanity, that's why Nameless could 'save' them. But this thing—its entire purpose is to destroy humanity. How could he possibly save it!?]
The internet descended into chaos.
Ordinary people could only panic and pray.
Against a being of this scale, even Heroic Spirits could barely imagine victory.
Kirina's small face was full of worry.
"So… do you think Nameless can beat it this time?"
This enemy was far beyond anything they had seen—its colossal body stretched thousands of meters tall, radiating pure annihilation.
Even as it left the Moon's surface, humanity could already feel its approach—a palpable sense of extinction, stronger by far than Zeus's divine aura.
As it drew closer, that aura of destruction grew suffocating. Countless people went pale, unable to even raise their heads to the sky.
Yes—nowadays, even looking up at the sky required courage. For once you did, you would feel it— that primal, world-rending dread that made sleep impossible.
"We don't know," the visiting Shikotei muttered, his brow furrowed.
A being of this magnitude—who could possibly say they had a way to defeat it?
He had come here to ask Sanjiro exactly that:
Did he have a plan to win?
If not—then they would have to begin the Seed Plan: to preserve humanity and its legacy.
Every gene of humanity, every creature, every plant—would be sealed in data vaults and launched into space, to ensure that the flame of mankind would endure somewhere beyond Earth.
As for Shikotei himself—he would stay behind, to live and die beside the empire he created, and beside that man.
A king stands at the gates of his realm; A true sovereign dies with his land.
As the Emperor, fleeing was not an option.
Beside him, Gilgamesh's crimson eyes gleamed with amused confidence.
So, Nameless—are you still hiding some trump card?
He couldn't believe that the man who had protected humanity again and again had no aces left.
After all—
That bastard friend of mine always finds a way to make miracles happen.
Kirina's eyes suddenly sparkled.
"Wait! Could it be—the First Holy-Sword Wielder who defeated a Star Vanguard in ancient times… was actually Nameless himself!?"
The savior of Olympus, the protector of Earth—the Original Wielder of the Sacred Sword—had been human.
And 14,000 years ago, mankind hadn't yet formed true civilization.
That left only one explanation—
The First Holy-Sword Wielder was a savior summoned from the future!
Gilgamesh nodded slowly.
"That… is entirely possible."
After all, Nameless was Alaya's greatest enforcer—the most relentless worker in all of human history.
From modern times to ancient Uruk, his footsteps were carved throughout the ages.
A few thousand more years back—even 14,000 years into the past—didn't seem impossible at all.
"Maybe so,"
Sanjiro said, setting a tray of freshly washed fruit on the table. He sat down beside the little girl and casually ruffled her hair.
"Ugh! You wiped your hands on my head again!"
Kirina glared at him, indignant.
Her beautiful golden hair—so admired by her classmates as "angelic"—was treated with zero respect by this lazy shut-in.
Just as she was about to bite him in revenge, her phone chimed—
[Your favorited uploader has posted a new video! Tap to watch!]
She glanced at the title and gasped, eyes wide with joy.
"Oh wow! I knew it—Alaya really is watching us!"
She turned the screen around for the others to see.
The title read:
[Special Side Story: First Holy-Sword Wielder!]