They bought the time to save every citizen scattered across Egypt—the protection was completed without issue.
My people were saved without a single injury! By those who called themselves "Club Members"!
What a debt of gratitude.
What a blessing from the heavens!
Not to repay this would be the shame of a Pharaoh... No! A shame to all who lived in my era!
I rose from my throne! I swore that not one of them should be erased, not one should be harmed! Upon the glory of the Pharaoh!
The Lion King granted blessings and protection to the Knights to kick away the Club Members, intending to overrun them.
The protection was such that even the foot soldiers reached the strength to slay Sphinxes. I countered with my own prestige!
I shaved down my own body, ninety percent of my Spirit Origin, and granted protection to every single Club Member! Annihilation? Hah! Logic does not apply to a Pharaoh!
Eventually, the Knights were pushed back. They ceased their invasion of my territory and were forced away.
The Knights of the Round Table were given a few wounds... Trivial! Too trivial!
And then—the battle became a clash of Royal Authority between myself and the Lion King!
"Lance, speak of the end."
The 'Judgment' handed down by the Lion King was released to crush my temple.
"Pharaoh!! The Lion King's Judgment is heading this way!"
"Impudent!! And boorish!! If I am Pharaoh, and the Pharaoh is me!! Then this Royal Authority cannot be crumbled!! Activate!! The Great Light Bulb of Dendera!!"
I, too, intercepted this with an ultra-long-range Great Divine Punishment.
The earth cracked.
The heavens screamed.
The world truly took on the aspect of the End Times!
The Judgment of the Goddess-turned-God was too mighty. It slammed into my pyramid, into the entirety of my temple, barely achieving a stalemate.
Prepared for annihilation, I diverted my power to the temple! As a senior God, as a King who is God—
Absolutely! Because I was convinced that defeat was absolutely unforgivable!
"Pharaoh! Any more than this! Your body is already! Already—!!"
I lent no ear to Nitocris's screams. My body thinned like a mirage on the sand, fading, imminent annihilation was at hand!
"Do not cry, Nitocris! Raise your head! To let harm come to the heroes who brought protection to my people! To the reinforcements who look toward the future of Human Order—would be the shame of the Pharaoh!!"
But—I roused myself regardless! If I fell, the people, the future, and their struggle would all return to foam on the water!
For a Pharaoh to collapse is synonymous with the sun falling! I, the greatest and strongest Pharaoh, must not rot away for any reason!
Even if this body shatters! For me to let the expectations, hopes, and wishes of the masses turn to ash is unforgivable!
Because that is nothing other than what it means to be Pharaoh!
A Pharaoh is the Sun, a God! Collapse is not permitted!
How could one who shoulders the whole world abandon their duty and reach the Eternal Kingdom!
—How could I leave this world without responding to the debt of the heroes!
"On the earth, there is nothing impossible for a Pharaoh!! All creation is in my hands!! Behold—the valor of the Pharaoh dedicated to the heroes! The Love of Amun Opens All Doors (Ramesseum Tentyris)!!"
—Thus, the Judgment was overturned.
The Lion King's authority was repelled, morale was crushed, and the wounded Knights retreated, returning to the defense of the Holy City.
I, too, was exhausted and drained; showing proper Divine Authority was no longer possible. I was consumed to the point where simply remaining alive inside the temple was all I could manage.
Neither side had the will to continue the war.
The battle ended in a draw, and a truce was concluded—
...And the Club Members challenged the next battle.
In this land, they guarded, protected, and sheltered those with nowhere to go.
Not a single one desired a reward from me, nor a return favor.
Everyone reached out to the weak as if it were only natural.
Race, position, distinction—without discrimination, they shared that brilliance.
—I saw a matchless brilliance there.
The Holy Land was destroyed. The foundation of faith had certainly rotted away.
But there, undeniably—brilliance and faith. The warmth of humanity had taken root.
Laughing together, encouraging each other. Huddling together, they sustained this ruined Singularity.
What a miracle.
What noble beings.
They devoted their all to a battle with no reward, a battle that would not even be recorded or remembered.
I asked them. 'What drives you to such lengths?'
It was not wealth.
It was not fame.
Then what, I asked. They said:
'The Star-Seeing Hero will arrive soon. We are but minor roles, but we are participants in our King's journey. Therefore, until that King arrives, we simply protect so that nothing more is lost.'
...I remembered that nobility, that integrity, that beauty.
In the distant past, the only man who stood shoulder to shoulder with me...
A man who desired nothing, who simply martyred himself for his own feelings.
My... peerless friend—
—I swore.
I swore I would never forget.
Those who threw themselves into an unrewarded battle for the sake of their King.
And, I promised to rise.
I care not for the King of Mages, nor for the Incineration of Humanity.
I shall illuminate these people.
I can never let these shadow-like beings, who should not exist, return to nothingness.
I will absolutely—repay the battle of these people.
—My ennui, my resignation. By them.
By the 'Impossible Heroes'—it was struck down.
Chapter V: The Complete Flawless Happy End
"This is the battle of the 'Impossible Heroes' as I know it! The refugees they sheltered are also protected within the pyramid! And I have entrusted their management to the Smoke-Drunk Hassan and Cleopatra! The preparations for battle and protection are already complete, and the preparations to repay them are perfect! The poison of ennui is no longer in this body, and I have no hesitation in fulfilling my aid to you! They struck down the temptation of the Holy Grail to 'save only one's own people'! Then the destination of my salvation is none other than the 'World'!!"
(—Hmph. To rate their foolish ruckus so highly.)
—Yes! Their battle was never in vain...!
(Far from it, it's a massive advantage for us! Amazing! As expected of my bad friends! I'm so proud!)
Filled with pride, armor attached itself to Fou, making him look slightly tougher.
—Fou became cool!?
(It is pride, Air!)
('I see...! The Judgment, the Blessings! The reason such detailed information was sent to us was because they fought...!')
Romani raised a voice of admiration.
('Amazing! To summon reinforcements from another world when the world is destroyed... we achieved something that everyone thinks of but no one can do! Magic unknown even to me...! No, I won't say anything boorish! We did it!')
('Yes—Yes!')
"...—The way of the knight, the lives of people, have long left my hands and live on in everyone's hearts... That is why. Even if this is not the Farthest End, this world is beautiful—"
Artoria spoke her thoughts, filled with deep emotion.
Yes, they saved it.
The Pharaoh's unconscious despair.
The resignation of 'If nothing can be done, I will protect only my own people.'
By that way of being.
By that battle.
Simply—by the act of 'reaching out a hand,' so natural for a human.
That state of heart, the result they guided, is exactly what is called 'Supreme,' the very beauty of the world—
—Ah, I... truly... was able to know something precious.
A myriad of emotions filled her chest.
This is humanity.
This is brilliance.
They demonstrated it.
'All difficulties exist to be overcome.'
"...Senpai... I..."
"Yeah. —Someday, I want to thank everyone! Someday, everyone!"
Ritsuka held and supported Mash, who was overcome with emotion.
"Fuhaha! Then let us conclude our alliance here! However—what we desire is a Complete Flawless Ending! For that, you understand that we and you alone are insufficient?"
Even with this unity, the King harbored no conceit.
The King accepts only results. Though he acknowledges the value born in the process, he is never satisfied. Gilgamesh seeks further stability.
"Of course! You have the obligation to gather all the elements of this world! Therefore, I shall present it! Your directive!"
This was exactly what the Pharaoh desired. He presented it.
"First, head to the Holy City! Grasp the nature of their 'Holy Selection'! And secure the cooperation of the Mountain People! They are small forces, but their assassination arts are not to be underestimated! And in the 'Ruins' buried in the sand! Learn the Lion King's true objective!"
"The Lion King's... true objective—"
The Knight King muttered sharply.
"When the elements of this world are bundled together! The true battle shall open its curtains! In that battle, we shall carve it open! The path to this 'Complete Flawless Happy End'!! Hahahaha!! Fuhahahahaha!!! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!"
Pharaoh Ozymandias continued to laugh loudly.
The Sun snuggled close to the Star-Seeing Observatory, illuminating the Star of Beginning even now.
All of it. For the ending that everyone desires—
Epilogue: The Wandering Knights
"Oh, Sun King. You are here as well?"
"You are... Sir Knight of the Round Table?"
"Ah, you are—!? B-Beautiful—!? Like a great flower blooming in the desert! My name is Lancelot! By all means, may I ask your na—!? T-The crest on your back—!!"
"Hmph. Reprimanded for your lust? How unsightly!"
"I-I apologize, my Lady, for showing you such a disgraceful sight..."
"No, you are a wonderful Knight. Do you have business with Ramesses?"
"—Yes. Sun King... It is time."
"—The 'Holy Selection,' is it?"
"Yes. Please, prepare to protect the refugees—"
~
"That trajectory was truly—"
"—No, no. I am but a wanderer... I have no face to show that King... With what honor could I speak?"
'Please lend me your strength to kill the King'... —I must do this alone, no matter what..."
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