When the god Arjuna—who ruled over all things and established the cycle of samsara—fell amid Karna's earth-shaking cry of "O sun, submit to death," the endless cycle of reincarnation that had covered this ancient land finally came to an end.
The vortex of the Fantasy Tree had begun to wither, and the magical foundation supporting this Lostbelt's existence was rapidly collapsing.
Normally, this would have been a tragic farewell accompanied by the world's destruction, yet at this moment, there was almost no trace of sorrow.
Because that man had arrived.
"…Alright, alright, everyone, good work. I'll take care of the rest of the moving."
With a familiar spatial distortion, Steve's figure suddenly appeared before everyone.
The remote in his hand looked perfectly ordinary, almost like a toy. .
"Steve!"
Ritsuka, covered in dust and injuries, waved excitedly, her eyes shining brighter than ever.
"Ritsuka, Mash—you did well."
Steve stepped forward, lightly patted both their heads as usual, then turned his gaze toward the person quietly trying to slip away in the distance.
"Well, well, Pepe… why are you in such a hurry to leave? How about some tea?"
Peperoncino stopped.
He turned around. His trademark flashy smile was still there, but a faint look of helplessness lingered in his eyes.
"Steve, you're a bit insensitive… Right now, I'm like a defeated dog. I was planning to sneak back to the Captain and complain."
"Looking for the Captain?" Steve raised an eyebrow. "Greece? That place full of machine gods and muscleheads?"
"Yeah, because I have nowhere else to go."
Pepe shrugged. "I do want to keep playing with you guys, but as one of the hidden ones, I should at least maintain some professional ethics, right?"
"Professional ethics? How much value does something like that have?"
Steve chuckled and immediately switched to master of sophistry mode.
"Pepe, you're a smart guy. You understand the situation has changed. Russia, Scandinavia, the Qin Dynasty, and now India… All four Lostbelts have been successfully corrected. Do you think that Greek guy Wodime can still stir up some big waves?"
"Ah, you shouldn't say that. The Captain is really strong."
Pepe tried to deny it.
"Strong? Of course he's strong. I acknowledge he's an important figure."
Steve nodded and changed the subject. "But do you think I'll lose to him?"
"This…"
Pepe was at a loss for words.
Previously, he might have supported Wodime without hesitation. But after witnessing Steve's outrageous way of handling Lostbelts like building blocks, his confidence had long since wavered.
"So, Pepe…"
Steve stepped forward and casually draped an arm around Pepe's shoulder like an old friend. "Think about it. Even if you run to Greece now, what happens? You'll just wait for us to attack and defeat Wodime. Then everyone can return to Chaldea and celebrate victory together. You're going back to Chaldea sooner or later anyway, so why bother with this pointless trip? Why not come back with us now? You'll save on travel expenses and secure a good seat in the Chaldea cafeteria."
"This…" Pepe was bewildered by the logic. "It somehow… sounds reasonable?"
"It's not just reasonable—it's the undeniable truth!"
Steve snapped his fingers.
The next moment, a holographic video appeared before Pepe.
In the video, Kadoc was shown carrying a mountain of documents, looking exhausted. When he noticed the camera, he sighed and said, "Pepe, come back… There's a lot of overtime here, but at least you won't be abandoned."
Next was Ophelia, holding a teacup, looking a bit shy but sincere. "Peperoncino-san… um, Steve-san can be a bit reckless sometimes, but this place is really… very warm. Please come."
Finally, the furious Hinako appeared, shaking her fist at the camera. "Hey! You damn crossdressing bastard! Get back here right now! Or next time I see you, I'll burn you to death! Also, the desserts here are pretty good, but I can barely eat any!"
As he looked at his three former comrades, Pepe's gaze gradually softened.
"Seriously… you guys all betrayed us?"
He shook his head with a wry smile, but at the edge of his vision, he saw a small girl, Asha, bidding farewell to Ritsuka a short distance away.
"There, there, be a good girl."
Ritsuka knelt down and gently wiped the dust from Asha's face. "From now on… you don't have to worry about reincarnation anymore. By growing up slowly, you'll learn what the world is really like."
"Yes! Thank you, big sister!"
Asha nodded vigorously. She didn't fully understand what had happened, but she knew the terrifying god was gone and her father would no longer be forgotten.
Behind them, Steve pressed the button in his hand.
There was no catastrophic destruction, no despair of everything decaying.
A soft white light flashed, and the once-barren Indian land seemed to be gently lifted by an invisible hand. It transformed into countless dazzling streams of data and slowly rose into the sky.
From that perspective, Pepe saw the villagers who should have disappeared and the lives that should have been severed.
They were still alive, laughing as they headed toward the new world on the other side together with the world itself.
"So this… is Steve's way?"
Pepe muttered to himself. "Denying no possibilities and sacrificing no lives… It's like a fairy tale."
"What's wrong with a fairy tale?"
Steve's voice reached his ears. "If you have the power to make it happen, a fairy tale becomes reality."
"…Sigh. I've completely lost to you."
Pepe let out a deep breath, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
He turned around and looked at Steve with his familiar radiant smile.
"Fine, fine… If you're all inviting me so enthusiastically, I'll reluctantly accept."
He stretched and spoke in a bright tone again. "But it's a promise, Steve. If the food at Chaldea isn't satisfying, I'm ready to switch sides anytime, okay?"
"Don't worry, you'll definitely gain 10 pounds."
Steve gave a thumbs-up in approval.
...
Bleached Earth – India Region
With the Lostbelt fully relocated, the surrounding scenery returned to the familiar, endlessly stretching white wasteland.
The Shadow Border's engines started, and everyone boarded one after another.
"Goodbye, everyone!"
Ritsuka stood at the car door, waving vigorously toward the now-empty sky.
There was nothing there, but she knew the people of that world could hear her voice.
"Let's go, Ritsuka."
Steve gently patted her shoulder. "Let's head home too. After all… Sion the worrywart is waiting for us at home."
"Mmm!"
Ritsuka nodded firmly, then turned and ran back into the vehicle.
Peperoncino took one last look at the land where he had spent several months, smiled with relief, and followed with light steps.
"Well, the next destination is Greece."
Steve gazed at the distant horizon, a faint hint of anticipation in his eyes.
"Wodime… just wait. Our promise will be fulfilled soon."
As the Shadow Border's exhaust tore through the sky, this war chariot—carrying humanity's last hope—set off on its journey once more.
Destination: Atlantic Ocean, Mount Olympus, Interstellar City.
…
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