After his fierce battle with Veeraj, Roy's magical power was nearly depleted. Yet now, his momentum was unstoppable—this was the moment to sever the final shackles of fate binding the world of Campione. Activating an arcane technique, he stepped forward, transitioning directly from the material world into the mental realm of the "Netherworld."
Fortunately, when he had activated the Human Order Incineration Protocol, he had relied on the Holy Grail's mana, expending only a great deal of mental energy to guide the ceremony. Though his mind was weary, it did not hinder his combat prowess.
The Netherworld had no concept of time or space—it was a world where phenomena manifested from the psyche. Striding through it, Roy flipped his wrist and produced a golden cup, running his fingers over its surface.
Compared to the half-human-height chalice he had used before, this one was far smaller, no taller than the length of a palm. Yet the mana contained within it was undiminished.
This was looted from Veeraj's corpse after his death. Veeraj had only needed the Holy Grail for the Earth Mother's essence within it to activate the Oath of the Great Covenant. After completing his task of annihilating the Demon Kings, he would return that portion of mana to the Grail before sinking into slumber—meaning the Holy Grail was a recyclable item, usable indefinitely.
Otherwise, if Veeraj had to slaughter Earth Mothers to replenish the Grail's mana every time he awoke, even the most abundant supply of Earth Mothers wouldn't have been enough for him to kill. Besides, Earth Mothers were already scarce as it was.
Roy had possessed the Holy Grail for over a year by now and had conducted in-depth research on it, yielding numerous results. For instance, by reverse-engineering the Grail's composition spell, he could now craft his own Holy Grail under the right conditions. Moreover, the Grail could now be shrunk to the size of an actual drinking cup, rather than remaining a massive trophy as it had been in the past.
This Holy Grail naturally held great importance for Roy. When needed, he could even use it to initiate another Human Order Incineration Protocol. Even if he didn't employ such grand magecraft, the sheer amount of magical energy stored within the Grail made it a treasure, whether he used it himself or gave it to others.
At the very least, the magical energy stored in this Holy Grail surpassed Roy's current reserves.
As Roy pondered this, he suddenly sensed something and looked ahead. Through the hazy mists of the Netherworld, he spotted a little girl who appeared to be just over ten years old. She had striking purple twin-tails, a slender figure, and wore a simple dress that revealed glimpses of her delicate skin. This loli was none other than Pandora!
At this moment, Pandora's cheeks were flushed pink, her crystal-clear eyes sparkling with childlike joy. She was even holding a small flag in her hand. Spotting Roy, her eyes lit up as she waved the flag excitedly and cheered, "...Little Roy did such a wonderful job! Mommy is so happy right now~~ Keep it up, keep it up~~"
She bounced up and down, waving the flag with unrestrained excitement.
Seeing this, Roy couldn't help but chuckle. He slid his right hand into his pocket and glanced around before asking curiously, "...This doesn't seem to be your divine realm, does it? Have you managed to leave that place?"
"I can leave temporarily now. When little Roy temporarily destroyed the Last Steel, the fate binding me briefly vanished."
Pandora clenched her small fists, her beautiful eyes filled with relief and longing for freedom.
Roy nodded in understanding at her words.
Pandora's fate was inherently tied to the Last King. One was the hero who annihilated Demon Kings, while the other was the mother of Campiones. It was their simultaneous existence that formed the current system of fate.
When either of them encountered an issue, this system would falter, causing the ring of fate to temporarily collapse. Freed from the guidance of fate, Pandora could naturally leave her divine realm and gain her freedom—at least until the Human Order was restored.
"Is little Roy heading to the 'Loom of Fate'?"
"Indeed. Do you have any advice for me, Mother?"
Roy laughed heartily, the term "Mother" rolling off his tongue with surprising ease—especially when engaging in certain activities with Pandora, which admittedly added an extra thrill.
Noticing Roy's penetrating gaze, which seemed to pierce through her clothes and body, Pandora seemed to recall something as well. Her cheeks flushed even deeper, and she fidgeted slightly before saying, "...Mommy doesn't have much advice for you. Even the Last Steel has been broken by you—what's a mere thread of fate compared to that? Little Roy will surely burn it all away!"
The God of Fate, having woven the destinies of demon kings and heroes, could summon the Last King at any time. This was why Roy had avoided confronting the deity earlier—if the Last King were summoned during their battle, Roy would stand no chance.
But now that the Last King had been defeated, the God of Fate, left without support, had grown unprecedentedly weak. So Roy didn't even bother resting before setting out to slay this deity.
"By the way, little Roy, do you know where the Divine Realm of Fate is?"
Realizing something, Pandora quickly asked, "To go anywhere in the Netherworld, you must have specific coordinates."
"I've already explored the Netherworld with magic before and have a thorough understanding of most locations. Of course, I know where the Domain of Fate is," Roy nodded in response.
"Of course. With little Roy's caution and wisdom, how could he not prepare in advance?" Pandora mused silently. In just a few years, Roy, who was once just an ordinary Campione, had grown to such heights—not only in power but also in knowledge and temperament. Back then, Roy could barely even enter the Netherworld, but now he treats it like his own backyard, coming and going as he pleases. Even the Domain of Fate can't hinder his steps.
This was his obvious progress.
"Mommy has nothing more to say, so I'll just cheer for little Roy here~~" Pandora's eyes shimmered with moisture as she gazed at Roy with a seductive, alluring look. Despite her petite and flat figure, her mature charm was irresistibly tantalizing.
"If little Roy can truly defeat the God of Fate and free me, Mommy will do anything for you then~~ Anything at all!" Pandora bit her lip with pearly teeth, her smile enchanting and her eyes sparkling, her voice a bewitching blend of sweetness and allure.
"Then I'll be looking forward to it," Roy replied with an ambiguous smile. Soon after, he ignored Pandora, his expression gradually turning serious. Multiple spells activated as he began traversing the mental world, the surroundings shifting rapidly until they settled upon a divine domain.
This was a space woven from spindle threads—the origin of all causality in the world of Campione. Whether it was the Campiones or the Last King, their fates were intertwined because of this place!
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