"Shirou! Are you all right?"
Shirou had barely found his footing after entering the Underworld when Ereshkigal rushed over and threw her arms around him.
"I'm fine... I finally made it in time. You've worked hard, Ere."
"Hehehe~"
The blonde goddess gave him a bashful smile.
"That's a pretty obvious difference in treatment, Goddess-sama..."
At Ritsuka's comment from the side, Ereshkigal hurriedly released the boy, her cheeks flushing as she cleared her throat twice.
"Ritsuka, Mash, neither of you are hurt, right?"
Mash replied, "I'm fine, thanks to Ereshkigal-san granting us the right to float in the Underworld... More importantly, what happened to the Goddess Tiamat?"
"That's right! Where is the Goddess Tiamat?"
"Look over there! Mother fell even farther down!"
Ritsuka and Mash followed the direction of the goddess's finger, and their pupils abruptly contracted.
The Goddess Tiamat's enormous body lay in the depths of the abyss, completely engulfed in ghostly blue flames.
The Goddess of Creation appeared unable to move, letting out bitter, unwilling cries.
"The plan worked... But what exactly are those flames?"
From the raging fire, everyone could sense heat on the level of a Divine Spirit-class Noble Phantasm.
"That's the Underworld's autonomous defense mechanism, isn't it?"
"Yes, just as Shirou said. In the Underworld, any living being who enters without permission is attacked by its defense mechanism. Not even Mother is exempt."
"A privilege that belongs only to Ere."
"Hmph~"
Ereshkigal narrowed her eyes proudly and puffed out her chest.
"I do feel a little sorry for Gilgamesh, but as Queen of the Underworld, I'll be the one to bring this to an end."
At Ereshkigal's command, dozens of enormous crimson lightning spears wreathed in the aura of death appeared above the Goddess Tiamat.
"O Gallû Spirits of the Underworld, O indestructible Spears of Corruption... Bring down upon this one the iron hammer of our Underworld's judgment!"
The Spears of the Underworld rained down, plunging into the ground of the abyss and transforming into a cage of lightning large enough to contain even the Goddess Tiamat's colossal body.
"AAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaa—!!"
Even the Goddess Tiamat, once dragged into the Underworld, was little more than an ordinary deity endowed with Monstrous Strength. She could not endure Ereshkigal's judgment.
Ereshkigal landed back on the rocks, planted her hands on her hips, and flashed a triumphant smile.
"Well? She wasn't such a big deal after all. Even Mother can't stand up to the combined assault of me and the Gallû Spirits. She doesn't stand a cha..."
Before she could finish, a terrifying surge of Mana erupted from below.
Ereshkigal's smile froze.
Slowly, she turned her head toward the abyss beneath them.
Black mud surged from beneath Tiamat's feet, swallowing everything like a tsunami.
The voids that should have contained nothing were filled with black mud, and the ground of the Underworld began to corrode and melt away.
"W-what...?"
Ereshkigal's eyes widened, her voice trembling with fear.
"The Chaos Tide is beginning to erode the Underworld!"
Dr. Roman's voice came through the comm, filled with despair.
"This is bad! At this rate, the Underworld itself will be overrun!"
He stared at the screen, his face turning deathly pale.
"And that's not all... What is this reading!? Beast II's Spirit Origin reaction is expanding even further! Its Spirit Origin's return to the Age of Gods has already reached the Jurassic Period! This is no longer a Divine Spirit-class Servant. This is unquestionably the Goddess of Creation herself!"
Amid the churning black mud, Tiamat's figure began to stir.
"Eh? Eh? Eeeh!?"
Ereshkigal clutched her head, completely panicked.
"Wh-wh-what? What's happening!? Did I mess something up!?"
"Spirit Origin Inflation has stopped. Confirmed repeated restarts of the Magical Energy Reactor...!"
Dr. Roman's fingers flew across the keyboard.
"The damage she took from falling into the Underworld is being repaired too! She's coming out...! That is... that is Beast II's true form!"
The black mud churned like boiling magma.
A gigantic claw emerged from it and, quite literally, crushed the abyss beneath its foot.
Then came a second, and a third...
The black mud receded, revealing Tiamat's primordial form.
Her human features and contours gradually disappeared, replaced by the form of a Great Dragon crawling along the ground, with a pair of wings rising from its back.
"Aaaaaaa, AAAAAAAAAA—LaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Tiamat threw back her head and roared.
The cry, filled with rage and sorrow, shook the entire Underworld. Wherever it passed, laws shattered and space twisted.
In the end, both Chaldea and Ereshkigal had underestimated the Goddess Tiamat's power.
Even the Tiamat who had destroyed Mesopotamia had not been in her complete form.
Even in the Age of Myths, the Tiamat slain by the Axe of Marduk had not been at the height of her power.
Only now did the Goddess of Creation reveal her true appearance for the first time.
Dr. Roman asked urgently, "Isn't there any way to stop the Goddess Tiamat from eroding the Underworld? If this continues..."
The Goddess of the Underworld shook her head desperately.
"N-no... It's impossible... Something like this is just impossible... Even if I used all the power of the Underworld, we still couldn't win..."
"But this is the only place where we can defeat her! At the very least, the Goddess Tiamat is at her weakest right now! If we let her escape the Underworld, the entire surface of the planet will be covered in black mud within a few hours!"
Mash's face went pale.
"How could this..."
Ereshkigal stared at the black mud spreading relentlessly through the Underworld, cold sweat running down her cheeks.
"What are we supposed to do? Shirou... Huh?"
The blonde goddess turned to her beloved boy for help, only to find him staring up at the Underworld's sky for some reason.
"...It should be here any moment now."
"What should be here...? No, forget that! The Chaos Tide is coming! At this rate, we're going to be swallowed up!!!!"
A vast wave of black sludge bore down on the group from above.
That idiot Merlin. What the hell is he doing...?
Shirou pulled his gaze away from the Great Hollow overhead.
Just as he was about to act, Ritsuka stepped in front of him.
"...We can't always rely on Shirou-san to protect us."
The girl gave him a playful smile before turning to her junior.
"Mash! Your Noble Phantasm is authorized for use!"
"Right, I'm going in...! Master, please lend me your strength...!"
Ritsuka Fujimaru placed a hand on Mash's shoulder and transferred the last traces of Mana remaining within her to the Shield Maiden.
"Watch us, Shirou-san! Now is the moment... This is the moment to prove that the foundations of the Human Order are secure...!!!!"
This was the first time Mash had unleashed her Noble Phantasm since learning the True Name of the Spirit Origin within her.
"True name unleashed. I will stand on the seat of catastrophe..."
The great shield in the girl's hands, the Round Table, trembled as it released Mana.
The towering wave of black mud, dozens of meters high, was actually forced back by that pure Mana and brought to a halt in midair, unable to advance another inch.
Simply learning a True Name was nowhere near enough to unleash a Noble Phantasm. This was the growth Mash had achieved by overcoming seven Singularities.
"That which heals all wounds and grudges, our glorious homeland.
Manifest yourself,
Lord Camelot!!!!"
Within the pitch-black Underworld, chalk-white castle walls rose from the ground.
It was the ultimate defense against all evil. The Chaos Tide produced by the Goddess of Creation evaporated the instant it touched those walls.
Mash pulled the Round Table from the ground and swung it forward with all her strength.
"BOOM————————!!!"
With a sweep of the girl's slender arms, the chalk-white wall blasted the Chaos Tide away.
And that was not all.
Camelot, a mass weapon weighing as much as an entire city, slammed heavily into the Goddess Tiamat's gigantic horn.
"AAAAAaaaaaa—!!!"
"Mash, when did you...?"
"T-that was incredible... You actually sent the Goddess Tiamat flying with brute force! Great job, Ritsuka! Mash!"
In the control room, Romani Archaman and Da Vinci could only stare in stunned disbelief.
Shirou hurried forward and caught the two girls before they could collapse.
Tiamat had been driven back, but the black mud's erosion had not stopped.
"Careful! The second wave is coming... Huh?"
The enormous wave raised by the black mire suddenly transformed into a riot of brilliantly colored flowers.
"Flowers are blooming..."
Leaning against Shirou's shoulder, Ritsuka murmured, "These flowers... Could they be...?"
The powers of the Chaos Tide began shutting down one after another. No, their functions were being exhausted, leaving them as nothing more than ordinary mud.
As unbelievable as it seemed, those flowers were draining the Goddess Tiamat's power.
"Phew! Made it just in time~!"
A carefree voice came from above.
"Merlin!"
The girls cried out in delight.
The Magus in white robes stood among the clusters of flowers he had created.
"If this is an ocean that nurtures life, then all you have to do is make it spend that power on harmless little lives instead!"
History's greatest swindler, Grand Caster, waved his staff, and more of the black mud was replaced by blooming flowers.
"And that's where I come in! I'm the Magus of Flowers, after all. I can't disgrace the nickname!"
Dr. Roman's voice nearly became a scream.
"Uh, eh, eh, eh, Merlin!? But why are you here!? Were you summoned again!? N-no, no, no!"
"Hahaha, of course not. Being summoned again would be impossible. This is much simpler. I'm the genuine article, the one and only Merlin himself... and I came rushing here from Avalon!"
"Fou!"
Normally, even Merlin, who possessed the ability Independent Manifestation, could not simply walk from the 21st century to the Seventh Singularity.
However, the unique phenomenon of the Incineration of Humanity allowed him to take a shortcut through the Fairy Realm and reach them.
"I hate sad, final farewells more than anything, so I made a special exception this time... I went against my own principles and hurried over~"
"Does that mean Shirou-san knew from the beginning?" Mash asked in surprise.
"Of course he did. He's my finest disciple, after all... Isn't that right, Shirou?"
"You really should just die."
Shirou thought, Made it just in time~! My ass!
If Mash hadn't pushed herself that hard just now...
Merlin stroked his chin as he studied the boy's face.
"Hmm? Shirou, who's always so gentle with me, has suddenly become as vicious as Cath Parug? I see, I see. The erosion from the Age of Gods' Recurrence must be quite severe. Well, we'll put that aside for now..."
A thunderous dragon roar shattered the joy of their reunion.
The Goddess Tiamat had finished regenerating all the damage she had suffered since falling into the abyss, and the horned wings on her back spread wide.
"See! It's because Merlin provoked her. Now the Goddess Tiamat is getting serious!"
Dr. Roman said, "Even if we can stop her from eroding the Underworld, we still can't stop Beast II herself! She's preparing to fly toward Uruk, toward the surface! If she gets back aboveground, she'll become invincible and immortal again!"
Ritsuka gritted her teeth.
"Her wings regenerated...! Merlin, isn't there anything else we can do!?"
Merlin's smile disappeared.
He gazed at Tiamat's enormous body and spoke in a grave voice.
"...Hmm. We had two Goddesses hold back her true body, used Uruk as bait to lure her into the Underworld, bound her with the Chains of Heaven, subjected her to the Underworld's judgment, and even used those flowers of mine that are little more than pretty decorations."
Merlin looked toward the Goddess Tiamat as she crawled toward them. Every step taken by the Beast of Calamity sent the Underworld shuddering and breaking apart.
"...But it still isn't enough. She still knows no fear. She knows no natural enemy. She does not know the one who will bring about her end."
Mash asked in confusion, "The one...? Is there someone else who can still come to help us?!"
"Of course there is."
Merlin nodded, a mysterious smile curling at the corner of his lips.
"And he's one of the very best. But who summoned him, exactly? It wasn't King Gilgamesh, and it wasn't the Holy Grail of the King of Magecraft."
Ritsuka blinked and pointed at herself.
"Could it be... me?"
"Actually, it was me~~~!"
Merlin proudly folded his arms, then walked over to Shirou and patted him on the shoulder.
"Mm-hmm. As expected of me. The title of the finest Caster isn't just for show."
"Wait, Merlin. That helper you were talking about... Don't tell me it's Shirou-san..."
The Magus of Flowers smiled.
"Our enemy is the Evil of Humanity, a Beast. The conditions for his manifestation have already been met. A world-class weapon capable of opposing a Counter Force Beast, in other words, a Grand-Rank Servant. Every battle you've fought until now has had meaning."
"All right, all right, off you go! Shirou, don't be shy! Show the Beast of Calamity what you can do!"
The Magus of Flowers pushed Shirou toward the Goddess Tiamat.
"No. It still isn't my turn."
"What? If you're not going to act now, then when are you planning to? Don't embarrass your Professor!"
At that moment, the Goddess Tiamat abruptly stopped advancing and raised her head toward the highest point of the Underworld.
Shirou spoke quietly.
"Mother, look to the sky... Sea of Origins, your Grim Reaper is there."
Everyone looked up.
On the distant cliff above, a figure slowly emerged from the void.
An old man dressed in black robes stood there, his face concealed beneath the shadow of his hood.
"...Without death, there can be no life. Only through death may life be attained."
The old man's voice was deep and solemn, as though the dark valley itself were speaking.
"That man is...!"
Ritsuka and Mash's eyes widened.
They had once encountered and helped this old man on the streets of Uruk.
"Beast of Calamity, evil born of mankind. The eternity of which thou speakest is no journey, but slumber. That Compassion which yearns for return is itself the foundation that rejects thee. Though thou art a god fallen into the form of a beast, as the Primordial Mother, thou compellest me to give my name."
Beneath the hood, twin blue flames ignited within the eye sockets of his skull mask.
"From the depths of the dark valley, through the gloom of death, I have come. I am the First Hassan of the Mountains... Hassan-i-Sabbah!"
"All right. It's about time this was returned to its rightful owner."
As Shirou spoke, a large, archaic-looking sword materialized beside him before shooting upward.
The old man who called himself Hassan-i-Sabbah caught the greatsword Shirou had thrown. At that instant, blazing fire erupted along its blade.
Within that light lay the true meaning of death, the end of all things and the final destination of life.
"I have no need for the title of Grand Rank. The proof that I am strongest need only be entrusted to this single stroke."
Tiamat sensed the danger and roared, firing a continuous barrage of Anti-Fortress energy beams from her Star Eyes.
The blasts destroyed the old man's foothold, but a black silhouette leaped from the smoke and debris.
"The evening bell has tolled thy name. By the Mandate of Heaven, I shall strip thee of thy wings!!"
The founder of the Order of Assassins, Hassan-i-Sabbah, descended from above and swung his beloved sword.
At the cost of relinquishing his Grand title as the Head of the Assassins, he unleashed the ultimate single stroke against the Beast of Calamity.
"————————!"
With the tolling of an ancient, distant bell, Tiamat's horned wings were severed cleanly at the base, sending torrents of crimson blood spraying forth.
At last.
They had reached this point.
Within Shirou's Rainbow Demon Mystic Eyes, lines symbolizing death and the end began to emerge across the Goddess Tiamat's draconic body.
"Beast II's Spirit Origin Mode has changed! How is this possible...? Not only did he sever the Goddess Tiamat's horned wings, he also imposed the Concept of Death on her!"
Dr. Roman continued delivering one piece of good news after another.
"Although the Goddess Tiamat is still enormous in scale, her Spirit Origin is now operating in the normal mode of a Servant! She can be defeated! We can finally destroy Beast II completely!"
"...?"
Even though this should have been a moment for celebration, Mash suddenly felt an inexplicable chill run down her spine.
Frowning, she turned around and saw Shirou Amamiya holding a sword.
What... was that?
The girl held her breath.
It was completely unlike any of the weapons from various eras that Shirou-san had projected until now.
The jet-black blade looked as though it would swallow every trace of light.
Its near-futuristic, science-fiction design carried little sense of Mystery or Heritage.
Even so, the girl could feel an indescribably dangerous aura emanating from the sword.
Later, Mash would hear the name and story of that black sword from Shirou himself.
It was the ultimate weapon Shirou had created, forged for the sole purpose of defeating colossal existences beyond the reach of human understanding.
A Cancer created for that purpose.
Its name was Demonic Sword: Tenju (Allotted Lifespan).
***
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