'The Poem of Creation That Gives Birth to New Life'.
It was the mythic feat in which Marduk defeated the primordial Mother Goddess Tiamat and tore her body apart, using it as the foundation upon which heaven and earth were created.
This hand axe was the Noble Phantasm that materialized after that great deed was accomplished.
Unlike Ea, which reenacts the myth of splitting the world apart, what Marduk wielded was, in the most literal sense of the Noble Phantasm's name, the act of creating a world and writing its laws.
It repelled the erosion of the boundary layers that isolate the world, utterly crushing everything that lacked the ability to interfere with the world itself.
It was both an Anti-World Noble Phantasm and a creation myth given form.
The instant it collided with 'Laevatein', another Anti-World Noble Phantasm, the shockwaves from their impact swept across the entire Scandinavian world.
Even if Surtr's Noble Phantasm could withstand that blow, what awaited him afterward was a domain governed solely by Marduk.
To stand against the Sword of Flame that burned away all life and gods in the world, one needed a Noble Phantasm capable of creating a world.
Primordial hell, or the rebirth of the world.
That was the first impression Morgan and the others felt as they deployed their defenses at full strength.
Had it been anyone else in their place, they would likely have been erased by the aftermath alone.
Morgan did not want to blame Shiomi for his recklessness. Even he himself had probably been unable to fully estimate the scale and power of the clash between Marduk's Axe and the Sword of Flame.
Still, there was one thing she could be certain of.
Surtr's Noble Phantasm was being suppressed by Shiomi's. In another ten or so seconds, this Scandinavian world would be left with scars rivaling those of Ragnarök itself.
"I, who destroyed the gods, am being overpowered by a human like this—"
Surtr cried out in disbelief as he realized his strength was failing him.
Then, in the next instant, he understood that Shiomi was no ordinary human.
"—So that's it! So that's how it is! Odin! The one you chose is this kind of existence! Graaaaaaah—!!!"
Forcing out the last of his power, he pushed the Mana of the Sword of Flame upward, only for it to be driven back down almost immediately.
Heaven and earth roared.
As if carving a wound into the planet itself, the light of Marduk's Axe, seeming intent on cleaving both sky and land, split the Scandinavian earth in two, leaving behind a long, yawning chasm.
When the light and shockwaves finally faded, Surtr's towering body stood motionless, the Sword of Flame still raised in his hand. The arrogant, merciless voice from moments before had vanished without a trace.
Like a mountain cut apart yet slow to react, a cracking sound rang out. Surtr's massive body split open along the side of his neck. His form, further altered after devouring Fenrir's authority, a body where ice and fire were interwoven, was severed cleanly along a boundary line.
The upper half slid slowly to the right.
With his body split apart, Surtr toppled backward, triggering yet another thunderous crash.
Certain that the battle was over, Morgan lifted her gaze to the sky, only to see Shiomi falling helplessly. The immense Mana consumed by unleashing that Noble Phantasm had left him unable to maintain flight through Runes.
"My husband!"
Morgan rushed forward first, catching the falling Shiomi squarely in her arms, her own altitude dropping slightly as a result.
Scáthach and the others quickly gathered around, looking at Shiomi as he lay there, drained and utterly exhausted.
"That was close… I almost thought I was going to fall to my death. Though I guess I probably wouldn't actually die," he joked weakly about his condition.
"You become a bona fide god-king, and then almost drop straight out of the sky… Maybe you should change your title to the King Who Doesn't Break," Scáthach said helplessly, rubbing his head.
"Well, not quite… After all, Marduk's Noble Phantasm wasn't fully released," Shiomi replied, unable to dodge the comment and only managing a dry chuckle.
One by one, smiles appeared on their faces.
…
The collision of two major Anti-World Noble Phantasms swept across the entire battlefield, forcing the clash between the Alien Apostles, the Lostbelt Servants, and Chaldea to come to a halt. Both sides were driven back, left facing each other at a distance.
Sult's defeat itself had been within their expectations, but the manner in which it happened lay far beyond what they had anticipated.
"Well now, well now. To think he'd pull out a Noble Phantasm like that. One more strike of that level, and all of us would've been wiped out here, wouldn't we?"
Kotomine Kirei spoke with his usual unhurried composure.
"Lady Goyasukaya seems to have already withdrawn. We should retreat as well."
"Planning to run away, Father?"
Touko asked coldly, holding the glasses she had just taken off.
"Of course. I still need to report what happened here to Kirschtaria. After all, this operation was only arranged to test Chaldea's combat strength. I never imagined you'd reach this level. If things had continued as before, every Lostbelt would likely have met the same end."
Kotomine Kirei continued calmly.
"But now, even he no longer has any reason to stop the descent of 'God'."
At that moment, Caenis shouted toward the twin Sabers.
"Hey, Saber! Take Ophelia with you! If they bring her along, it'll be trouble!"
"I'd like to say that, but…" the younger of the twins replied with a troubled expression.
"Look at the situation before you talk," the older twin snapped back irritably at Caenis.
After Surtr lost control, Ophelia, who had been rendered unconscious by Morgan's Magecraft, was now being protected by Saber Sigurd, who should have disappeared, along with another female Servant.
"I thought that after risking everything to achieve resummoning, I could reclaim my honor on the battlefield. I never expected to be fortunate enough to witness a battle straight out of myth…"
Sigurd raised his azure longsword, facing the Alien Apostles as he blocked their path.
"So for now, I suppose I'll settle for guarding prisoners. My love, these people aren't easy to deal with. Be careful."
The female Servant he addressed as his love, Brynhild, stood beside him with her spear in hand.
She had only just been released from her seal by the three sisters.
"I understand. Perfectly. You be careful as well, Sigurd."
"Tch… surrounded, huh?"
Caenis clicked her tongue in annoyance, though there was no hint of panic.
"But unfortunately for you, this still won't stop us!"
As her words fell, countless paper shikigami poured down from the sky.
Sensing that something was wrong, both Chaldea's side and Sigurd's group launched their attacks at the same time, only for them all to be blocked by the shikigami.
"Well then, everyone. It's time to head back."
Caster・Limbo had been lurking near the battlefield all along, waiting as a safeguard for their retreat.
He had thought it unnecessary at first, but the situation had turned out to be far more unpredictable than expected. Koyanskaya, ever sharp, had already withdrawn the moment she saw things turning against them.
"Listen up, Chaldea!"
Caenis pointed her spear toward them.
"You can take Ophelia with you this time, but don't think things will keep going so smoothly! No matter which Lostbelt you head to next, we'll be waiting to give you a proper welcome!"
With that declaration of war, Caenis and her group vanished from the battlefield under the escort of the shikigami.
From Surtr's defeat to their complete withdrawal, less than three minutes had passed.
"They really did pull out fast…"
Touko muttered as she put her glasses back on.
Before her words could fully settle, a violent tremor suddenly surged from the direction of the Fantasy Tree.
...
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