How many times had spear clashed against staff?
"Hah, hah… Damn, you're as strong as ever, Great Victorious Fighting Buddha."
"Well, I am a Buddha, after all."
Naturally, it was Cao Cao who was out of breath. This was an unexpected turn for the Three Factions, a scenario that would've made Indra laugh heartily. The Great Victorious Fighting Buddha, Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, was being held at bay by a mere human with a single spear. What could be more abnormal?
"By the way, what's this presence?"
Even for this Monkey King, it wasn't a moment of ease. Bringing up something other than the opponent during combat was unrefined for a warrior, but he couldn't help it.
Renowned for mastering senjutsu and yojutsu, the Great Victorious Fighting Buddha couldn't ignore this vile presence. It was as if all the world's grudges had been gathered in one place—an evil that should never have been born, his battle-hardened instincts warned.
"No idea. At least, it's not part of our strategy."
"If you don't know, maybe the King of Magecraft did something?"
"…That makes sense."
Cao Cao, considering his next move, found the idea plausible. Sun Wukong pressed further.
"You're not denying it."
"Hm?"
"You're not denying that you and the King of Magecraft aren't in the same group."
"Of course. There's no Solomon in the Khaos Brigade."
Griselda, watching their duel, was stunned by Cao Cao's casual admission. It upended the foundation of their battle.
"What does that—"
Before she could finish, a crimson lightning bolt erupted.
"This is the cursed blade that felled my father!"
"I sensed it coming."
"Here it comes!"
Thanks to Sun Wukong's senjutsu detecting the presence and Cao Cao's familiarity with the crimson lightning, they reacted swiftly.
"My rebellion against my radiant father—Clarent Blood Arthur!"
A blade wreathed in raging hatred unleashed crimson lightning in a straight line from its tip, ravaging the surroundings. The attacker was a blonde knight, appearing as a girl not yet twenty, with a rough edge to her demeanor.
From beside the blonde knight, a chestnut-haired knight stepped forward.
"Well done, Mordred-sama!"
"…Irina, ever heard of a flag?"
The blonde knight—Mordred—tapped the chestnut-haired girl's head, gauntlet and all.
"Not bad. Doesn't seem like the Hero Faction. Who are you, kid?"
"Dangerous, dangerous. As expected of a Knight of the Round Table."
Mordred's expression soured at being called "kid" by Sun Wukong and seeing both he and Cao Cao unscathed.
"…Tch. A beast and a warrior wannabe didn't die from my Noble Phantasm? I'll definitely kill you!"
"Please don't be so down, Mordred-sama. Everyone fails sometimes!"
"I'll start with you, self-proclaimed knight!"
Seeing the girl—Irina Shidou—called a self-proclaimed knight by Mordred, Xenovia muttered her name.
"…Irina."
"Been a while, Xenovia."
Xenovia's expression was complex, while Irina's smile was unwavering, without a trace of doubt.
"Protestant Excalibur wielder, Irina Shidou… Why are you here?"
"Griselda-nee! Why not join us under the Lion King? She'll guide us rightly—unlike Michael, who hid God's absence, or those heretical monsters pretending to be gods, or the King of Men, a tentacle overlord. She's worthy of being our god!"
Griselda was baffled, not only by Irina's refusal to answer but by her nonsensical claims. Still, it was clear their understanding of the Demon God Pillars, King of Magecraft, and Lion King was far from the truth.
"That's not something to let slide, Irina. Calling him a tentacle overlord? Well, it's true, but—"
"Xenovia, you know about the Lion King, don't you? Why stay there? It's not too late. Join me on the path of true faith!"
Xenovia brushed off her former partner's outstretched hand.
"Sorry, if I'm picking a king, I'd choose Goetia."
"What's good about that tentacle overlord?"
"Don't talk about him like you've met him! He's incredibly strong!"
"Laughable. The Lion King isn't just strong—she's beautiful."
"Goetia's not just strong—he's wise! And the Demon God Pillars are pretty entertaining. I'm never bored with them!"
"You think you can beat the Round Table in fun? Especially Lord Tristan—he's too amusing!"
"What, you self-proclaimed knight?"
"What, you self-proclaimed swordswoman? Muscle-brained!"
The two heated up, arguing earnestly, but given their age, it looked like a club member boasting about their advisor or senior.
"Fine, the winner's claim is right, got it?"
"Deal! Don't think you'll beat me just because you have Durandal. I've got Hauteclere, looted from Papa before coming here!"
"…Fine, I accept!"
Xenovia ignored the looting comment, while Irina planned a (physical) lecture. Cao Cao, Griselda, and Mordred didn't know how to react. A monkey smoking a pipe stood aloof.
Naberius' command echoed across the battlefield.
"To all comrades here—retreat. The strategy has failed."
Another intruder appeared.
"Good, I made it. The Fallen Angel's head is still here."
"A pact is a pact. Let's fulfill it."
A Satan slayer and God slayer appeared, dragging the former Dragon King's head.
In conclusion, Sona Sitri's peerage clung to life, though all were critically injured. Only Saji was somewhat intact, hardly "safe." Most Devils on the battlefield were dead, even the Satans' peerages.
Azazel, escaping the abruptly canceled summit, sent Serafall to the emergency treatment room.
Sona learned of otherworldly concepts. She knew of other worlds from Clan Calatin's reveal, but this was her first encounter with Heroic Spirits and Servants. Her savior wasn't a Hero Faction descendant or reincarnation but a Heroic Spirit's divided spirit.
"So, you're a Servant?"
"Yup, let me introduce myself again. Astolfo, one of Charlemagne's Twelve Paladins! A Rider-class Servant summoned by Solomon from that world. Nice to meet you!"
Azazel eyed Astolfo's cheerful demeanor skeptically.
"Can't trust you. Your Master's that Solomon, right? Why help us? Even that scary skeleton geezer followed him. Why betray him?"
"To stop Solomon."
Astolfo's lighthearted air darkened.
"What Solomon's doing is wrong. I don't like it. He's a bad king now. He was a good king, but something sad inverted him—I realized that talking to him. So, for someone who cherished him, I have to stop him."
"…You—"
"Anyway, I'm here to mess up his plans. For someone I met somewhere else, too. So, I'll help you guys! Nice to work with you!"
His innocence made doubting him feel foolish. Azazel, deciding to trust him as an ally, asked what anyone in the King of Magecraft's camp would know.
"Do you know where Solomon's rings are?"
"Nope!"
"Do you know if he sealed his soul in them?"
"Not at all!"
"…Got anything useful right now?"
"Nothing!"
"Why the hell did you betray that bastard?!"
"Well…"
Astolfo groaned but clapped as if struck by an idea.
"Ask Archer. He's from this world, right?"
I, Yuuto Kiba, was overwhelmed, my mind blank from one shock after another.
Demon God Pillars appeared around the World Mythology Summit. The Three Factions deployed to repel them, while other mythologies stayed uninvolved.
Present were a red-haired boy, a blonde youth, and a bandaged man called the Cleaner. Tannin-sama, a former Dragon King and top-class Devil, handled the first two.
The bandaged man was the problem. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't confident. I've reached a rare Balance Breaker. Our team—President Rias, a top young Devil; Akeno-san, Baraqiel's daughter; Issei-kun and Gasper-kun with powerful Sacred Gears; and Koneko-chan, training through her trauma—was strong. But we were swept aside. The opponent wielded multiple Longinus, an anomaly.
Then, the unthinkable betrayal of Emperor Diehauser Belial. As a result, Solomon hijacked Issei-kun's body.
Everything left us behind, the situation spiraling.
"Give Issei-senpai back!"
"Get out of his body!"
Gasper-kun and Vice-President's words were met with a scornful laugh from Solomon, not Issei.
"No way. From now on, the final Red Dragon Emperor is not Hyoudou Issei but Solomon!"
Utterly vile. Utterly horrific.
"My three thousand years are finally rewarded! Belial, Asmodeus, Asmodai! Your ideals are crushed here, but I'll create a more radiant reality!"
A cancer of the star, born from humanity, stood before us.
"Let's forge a hell! The ultimate, worst trial for humanity to advance to the next era! This star will be reborn! All ugliness will be past!"
A sickening madness radiated.
"Praise me! I am Solomon! The Truth Construction Formula, King of Magecraft Solomon!"
But a voice rejected him.
"No one will praise you. This tasteless farce ends here."
A man in a moss-green tuxedo and silk hat appeared, likely via teleportation magic. His hair was long and disheveled. A human, perhaps a mage?
"Well, well, Lev Lainur… or should I say Flauros?"
Lev Lainur? That name… right! The mysterious figure Issei-kun encountered in April, a key suspect in the attack on the Fallen Angels' abandoned church.
Flauros… a Demon God Pillar disguised like Freed?
The Cleaner was shocked by the man's appearance.
"Why are you…?"
"Our failure awakened this Beast. Isn't it natural to step in?"
"…Right, that's the kind of man you are. That's why…"
Solomon called out with overflowing joy.
"No, first time meeting a Demon God Pillar? Or, with this body, long time no see!"
Lev Lainur frowned, not hiding his displeasure.
"No need for familiarity. In three thousand years, we've never felt this disgusted. To be used so thoroughly…"
"Oh, I must thank you. Without you, I wouldn't have reached this board! Thanks to you, this star's humanity will be reborn! Truly, thank you!"
"We don't need your thanks. We'll deny your ideals."
"Pity. I thought you, of all people, would share my vision."
"Sorry, we don't have time for delusions stitched from our ideals' stains. But we'll thank you for giving us a second chance. And if you're grateful, answer one question."
"Sure. A reward. Ask anything."
Lev Lainur asked solemnly.
"You who call yourself Solomon. Do you know her… the Queen of Sheba?"
"The Queen… of Sheba…?"
Hearing that name, Solomon, in Issei's body, tilted his head. I felt the same. Likely, everyone here—President Rias included, despite her hazy consciousness—shared that sentiment.
"Who's that?"
***
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