『 "Therefore, I imitated you. I imitated the battle between the First Beast and Chaldea."
"In this World of Proof, it has been carried out countless times—your Chaldea's Holy Grail War—"
"The original author of this grand theater is undoubtedly you and your Chaldea. You have every right to feel proud," Beast Nero cradled the Holy Grail, praising softly.
"Though at the very, very end, I was struck by a grand reversal, resulting in such an embarrassing state."
Did Fujimaru Ritsuka want to reclaim the Holy Grail to destroy this Singularity?
But unfortunately, the thing in Nero's hand could no longer be called a wish-granting machine; at most, it was just an empty container.
This place was no longer a theater, nor was it Beast Nero's dining table. This Singularity was now a collapsing, distorted ruin of the World of Proof, completely out of Nero's control!
It was the garden of the Heroic Spirits hunting the Beast!
Feeling the gaze coming from those crimson eyes, Fujimaru Ritsuka felt a chill run deep within her heart.
Connecting it with what Beast Nero had said, she finally understood where that sense of familiarity came from.
Wasn't this exactly the scene of the army of Heroic Spirits besieging Goetia back then?
Only… this time, it was the Heroic Spirits besieging them, and they were far weaker than Goetia had been back then…
But Fujimaru Ritsuka knew very well that this time, they were the challengers! 』
『 .....』
〜Myriad Worlds livestream Chat〜
[ Satoru Gojo (Jujutsu Kaisen): "My goodness, what a 'challenger'." ]
[ Ryomen Sukuna (Jujutsu Kaisen): "Heh, a reversal of roles? The ones fighting you this time are not your allies, but your enemy, the Beast. The banner of justice no longer suits you, human." ]
[ Gudako (Type-Moon): "Justice? What kind of nonsense are you spewing? We have never once claimed to stand for justice from the very beginning. What we have done, from start to finish, has never changed—and that is to survive!" ]
[ Conan Edogawa (Detective Conan): "Wait, since Beast Nero could imitate it, that means she also knows what happened in the Grand Temple of Time back then, right? Just how many people actually know about this?!" ]
[ Demiurge (Overlord): "To this day, we still do not know how many people witnessed the great battle of the Grand Temple of Time that day." ]
[ Merlin (Type-Moon): "Theoretically speaking, the entire Throne of Heroes, all the Beasts, and even any existence related to Human Order would know about it." ]
[ Fujimaru Ritsuka (Type-Moon): "So you're saying everyone else was just watching the show back then?" ]
[ .....]
『 Viewers of Myriad Worlds 』
Everyone did a quick tally. Leaving aside the Heroic Spirits, just looking at the Beasts:
Koyanskaya had explicitly mocked Goetia before, so she undoubtedly knew about the Grand Temple of Time. Tiamat had appeared in Chaldea in her human persona, so she likely knew as well.
Fou was the Beast who had saved Mash during the great battle. And the Alien God had already known about the occurrence of this great battle back when Lev, the grand bomber, made his move.
So, except for the mages and ordinary people of that world, literally everyone else knew?
Seeing either mockery or imitation, everyone couldn't help but pity Goetia once again. Even after his demise, Goetia was still being repeatedly dragged out and beaten!
.....
『 Fujimaru Ritsuka took a deep breath and stared at Beast Nero. Nero didn't mind; in fact, she was quite pleased with Ritsuka's gaze.
"What is really going on with the Holy Grail?" Fujimaru Ritsuka asked in a heavy voice.
"The Holy Grail?" Beast Nero looked upward, pondering. "The Holy Grail is the proof of a damaged world. As long as it can maintain its form, it means there are still magical energy resources, whether it's a Singularity or a World of Proof."
"It's the same logic."
"It is indeed reasonable for you to think that someone is holding the Holy Grail on my behalf. That is likely one of the Heroic Spirits gathered here to eliminate me."
"So, the conclusion remains unchanged. I must sacrifice the Heroic Spirits, one by one, together with you, and reclaim the Holy Grail. Hehe, I'm counting on you."
…What unfamiliar and glaring words. Fujimaru Ritsuka's breathing was heavy, her chest heaving violently. She understood every single word, but put together, they felt so utterly foreign…
Seeing Fujimaru Ritsuka still struggling so intensely, Beast Nero's smile grew even more brilliant. She flatly declared that she would protect Fujimaru Ritsuka, no matter what ferocious existence they encountered!
"Before the very moment I regain my status as a Beast of Humanity—let us march forward together, my Master." Beast Nero took a step forward, walking upward.
They couldn't hide here forever. Hiding here would only lead to death.
What they needed to do now was to have their brave Master of the Beast lead her Servant to tear through this army of Heroic Spirits~ 』
『 .....』
〜Naruto World, Boruto Timeline〜
"This kind of thing… is too agonizing."
Naruto's eyes trembled as he looked at the screen, watching the deeply conflicted Fujimaru Ritsuka.
She only had one choice now, and that was…
This kind of situation was like finding the culprit who killed his parents, but being forced to forgive them due to various reasons.
A dilemma… how agonizing must it be for that girl?
Naruto understood why Fujimaru Ritsuka's mental world was piled with so many disasters.
Because she was agonizing every single moment. Allies, family, friends, the world, the truth, and so on. In a world fraught with danger, unimaginable things would happen every second.
That girl was just an ordinary person. It wasn't because she was extraordinary that she saved the world; it was because she saved the world that she became extraordinary.
…That world was far too cruel for her.
—
〜Type-Moon World, Throne of Heroes〜
Countless Heroic Spirits were silent and depressed.
What… kind of mess was this?
Heroic Spirits, the traces of history's existence, the brilliant proof of humanity, they were the protectors of humanity, and likewise, the guardians of Human Order.
But now, because of this reason, they had to kill the spokesperson of Human Order? The girl who had been recognized by them countless times?
What was even more frustrating was that if they were their true selves, it would be fine. After seeing Fujimaru Ritsuka's situation, they could just kill the Beast and rescue Ritsuka.
But now, they were just shadows? Tools incapable of thought?
As long as there was a trace of a Beast, they would just mindlessly slaughter?
Who should they support this time? Support themselves, and Fujimaru Ritsuka dies; support Fujimaru Ritsuka, and the Beast wins?
They were completely numb!
—
『 The world was dyed blood-red by the band of light in the sky, and black silhouettes stood tall on the barren earth.
Some pointed spears directly, others pointed the tips of their swords, but without exception, their gazes were all directed at the pair—one human, one Beast—who had walked out of the darkness!
"Indeed, no matter what, the end will always come. That proud, glorious royal city collapsed, and the armored knights all perished as well."
"The world will end one day, but it won't be by your hand! The end of the world does not look like a third-rate piece of trash like you, who doesn't even have a single person to send you off!"
Mordred barked angrily, "Rather, the one who should end is you! You've already eaten to your heart's content, haven't you?!"
"So just be good, and let me send you to the underworld!"
Beast Nero did not get angry; instead, she laughed happily. "Precisely because I feed on the end of civilization and the brilliant, prosperous cities, I can witness the end of the world~"
Blades clashed with the blood-red light. Fujimaru Ritsuka could clearly see that Mordred was simply no match for Beast Nero!
But right at this moment, a pitch-black stream of light flashed across the blood-red sky!
"Rhongomyniad, Sacred Lance—Anchor, slide!" a cold, solemn voice echoed. Then, the black stream of light began to shine, plunging straight to the earth in an instant!
And the target was none other than Fujimaru Ritsuka, WHO WAS STANDING BEHIND BEAST NERO!!!
The pitch-black holy light descended from the heavens, tearing through the heavy dark clouds and piercing the blood-red light, charging straight for Fujimaru Ritsuka!
Dodge…?
SHE COULDN'T DODGE IT AT ALL!!! 』
『 .....』
〜Myriad Worlds livestream Chat〜
[ Rick Sanchez (Rick And Morty): "Good, good, good! Unleashing a Noble Phantasm on the Master?! Absolutely perfect! Hahahahaha! How interesting! I'm liking this world more and more. It's so crazy!" ]
[ Chulan Zhang (The Outcast): "Damn it! Fujimaru Ritsuka, hurry up and use the Beast's Noble Phantasm to strike back fiercely!" ]
[ Mordred (Type-Moon): "Ritsuka, Father has a reason for doing this! You must not…" ]
[ Artoria Pendragon⦍Saber⦎ (Type-Moon): "The reason is simple. She is the Beast." ]
[ Duanmu Yan (Armor Hero): "Once a Master of the Beast, always a Master of the Beast! Fujimaru Ritsuka, there's no going back for you!" ]
[ .....]
『 "Kisama!(You bastard) I am still here!" A furious shout rang out, and the girl's petite body blocked right in front of Fujimaru Ritsuka!
The sky was covered in blood-red light, and then a thick blood-red barrier appeared out of thin air in front of Fujimaru Ritsuka, blocking the Sacred Lance!
But it wasn't over. On the barren earth shrouded in blood-red light, pitch-black figures walked out from the darkness one after another.
Nightingale, Cu Chulainn, Scathach, Arjuna, Karna… a crowd of black silhouettes emitted terrifying auras, and the weapons in their hands glowed with daunting light.
The black silhouettes did not seem like Heroic Spirits; instead, they were like madmen who only knew slaughter. They treated Beast Nero as their prey and charged forward excitedly!
Endless, absolutely endless. Just as Beast Nero knocked one back, new black silhouettes would emerge from the darkness!
Every single one of them was a hero who shook the past and present, illustrious figures throughout history!
Gathering here at this moment was solely to besiege this Beast!
Fujimaru Ritsuka's magical energy began to deplete rapidly, and Beast Nero did not dare to start a true war with the Heroic Spirits. If she did, Fujimaru Ritsuka would be drained into a dry corpse in just a moment.
The treatment they were receiving now was exactly the same as Goetia's back then. Goetia had the magical energy of 3,000 years of human history burned to support him.
What did they have? A third-rate mage? A heavily injured Beast?
After unleashing a strike, Beast Nero fled madly with Fujimaru Ritsuka. Their urgent priority now was to escape this space!
After running for an unknown amount of time, with no Heroic Spirits in sight, Beast Nero set Fujimaru Ritsuka down. Looking at the pale-faced girl, she couldn't help but tease, "How is it? Have you experienced Goetia's feelings now?"
Fujimaru Ritsuka said nothing, only looking a bit more desolate. 』
『 .....』
〜Myriad Worlds livestream Chat〜
[ Lady Avalon (Type-Moon): "How was Goetia?" ]
[ Goetia (Type-Moon): "Let her experience it a bit longer." ]
[ Lev Lainur Flauros (Type-Moon): "…Heh… Hehehe! Fujimaru Ritsuka! You've finally experienced the pain we suffered back then!" ]
[ Chaotic Evil Gudako (Type-Moon): "Suddenly I'm a bit disappointed with the Grand Temple of Time back then. If only a few more Grand classes had shown up, like King Hassan, Romulus, or whoever, that would have been great." ]
[ Beast Nero (Type-Moon): "For a moment, I can't tell if you want to kill Fujimaru Ritsuka or me." ]
[ .....]
『 Viewers of Myriad Worlds 』
Countless viewers both felt sorry for Fujimaru Ritsuka and couldn't stop laughing at this scene…
This was too amusing. This Singularity was like a dungeon. Beast Nero had recreated the scene from back then, but the Beast wasn't Goetia; it was herself.
After consuming an unknown number of wishes for salvation, she had finally messed up. On the verge of death, she made one last gamble and brought Fujimaru Ritsuka to this space-time.
And then… then came Fujimaru Ritsuka's time to be utterly bewildered~
Looking at the pale, completely bewildered, and helpless Fujimaru Ritsuka, everyone couldn't help but feel even more amused. Had she finally understood Goetia's helplessness?
However, a question that caught everyone's attention even more was whether Fujimaru Ritsuka would, like Touma in the Index world, become the other party's understander through continuous battles!
After all, isn't the essence of a Beast the love for humanity?
No matter how Beast Nero trampled on humanity, her essence had never changed—she loved humanity!
.....
『 While recovering her magical energy, Beast Nero talked eloquently. But right at this moment, a brightly colored figure suddenly descended in front of the two!
Blue hair, red eyes, and a young, handsome boyish face. This was… young Cu Chulainn, or rather, Setanta?!
Although she had never seen him in this form, for Fujimaru Ritsuka, who had interacted with Cu Chulainn several times, it was no big deal.
But what puzzled her was that this wasn't a shadow, but the real person?
Beast Nero was also puzzled. This damaged World of Proof was already connected to Chaldea, so how could he still come here?
Before the young dog could explain, another brightly colored figure appeared in the blood-red world.
The moment she saw that figure, Fujimaru Ritsuka almost cried out.
"Even if you can escape the children's eyes, you cannot escape Mother's eyes! The Second Beast has come to teach the Sixth Beast a lesson! Don't even think about struggling, behave yourself!"
Tiamat looked at Beast Nero with a fierce gaze, but when she turned to look at Fujimaru Ritsuka, her expression instantly became warm and gentle.
"Ritsuka, thank goodness you're alright. Just hold on a bit longer; Mother will defeat the bad Beast right away and save you," Tiamat comforted.
"…I was forcibly brought here by this guy," The young dog said helplessly.
"Setanta is excited. To think he would tremble with excitement in front of a Beast. As expected of my child, you have grown into an outstanding warrior. Mother is so happy."
"I am angry at you! And I don't recall you ever raising me!" the young dog retorted.
"Hmm, a rebellious phase? But children are just like that. Mother is an understanding and considerate mother, so I won't get angry," Tiamat said with deadpan eyes.
"…Even though you are the Primordial Beast, you really act quite willfully," Beast Nero said helplessly.
"Eh? Where do you get the nerve to say that?!" Fujimaru Ritsuka, standing aside, chimed in with a bewildered look.
"Right from this face," Beast Nero said calmly. 』
『 .....』
『 Viewers of Myriad Worlds 』
Pfft…
Suddenly, these people felt strangely comical!
Was Tiamat actually this cute? And Beast Nero's deadpan retorts made them seem less like Beasts and completely like a mischievous mother and a rebellious sister!
But… a meeting between Beasts?
Everyone felt a bit excited. After all, although there had been scenes of Goetia meeting the Alien God, and Koyanskaya meeting Fou before, when had they ever actually fought?
It was said that Beasts would tear each other apart, but they had never seen it!
This time… they were actually going to fight over Fujimaru Ritsuka?!
Everyone understood more and more why Human Order had shut Fujimaru Ritsuka out.
.....
『 And at this moment, Tiamat had also reached a conclusion. Without the Holy Grail, even if they defeated Beast Nero now, this world would not end.
As long as the contractor was still alive, the Beast could reappear.
"Hmm… It's okay, Mother will protect you!" Tiamat said with a serious face.
But this angered Beast Nero. She flashed and appeared in front of Fujimaru Ritsuka, her blood-red claws pressing against Ritsuka's neck.
"What a joke! I said I would make you accompany me to the grave!" A blood-red light flashed in Nero's eyes as she growled!
"…Beast VI, are you trying to anger me?" The smile on Tiamat's face vanished, and killing intent seeped from her eyes. A terrifying, furious aura erupted from her entire body!
Fujimaru Ritsuka was her reverse scale; no one was allowed to touch her!
But Beast Nero showed no fear at all. She stared straight back at Tiamat. "When I return to my true form, I shall certainly accompany you to the very end, Beast of the Beginning." 』
『 .....』