To Become a King and a Magician 556-560

Title: Destroying the Phoenix Myth

[Dirge of the Cursed Blood Rain]

This was a brutal technique—rebuilding the body by releasing mana beyond its limits, letting it run wild, then using a curse to trigger an abnormal phenomenon after discarding one’s physical form. It was a suicide attack usable only by fairies who shared a spiritual core with the environment.

A curtain made of blood rain nearly covered the entire cave. The ground beneath this rain of blood was continuously corroded, burned, and riddled with holes. The entire cave floor resembled ice heated at extreme temperatures, rapidly melting away.

Hiding behind Mash, Ritsuka peeked through a gap at the bloody scene outside. Though she wasn’t directly hit, her skin still felt a burning sensation. The abnormal phenomena caused by the curse weren’t limited to the blood rain alone—the surrounding air was also affected. Essentially, Ritsuka was now in an environment where the very air was poisonous.

If not for Mash protecting her, she would’ve already passed out from inhaling the corrupted air. But even so, she couldn’t hold on much longer—it was only a matter of time.

“Ugh… uhuk uhuk uhuk…”

Her legs gave out and she collapsed. Ritsuka covered her mouth and coughed violently.

“Senpai! Are you alright?”

“I… my head’s so hot… it feels like fire is burning inside my body…”

“How is this possible? Senpai shouldn’t have been hit by Akuta-Senpai’s attack.”

Panic suddenly surged in Mash’s heart. In a sense, both she and Ritsuka were newcomers in their respective fields. In this situation, she had no idea what to do.

Should she carry her senior away from here now? But the exit was at least a hundred meters away. They might get caught in the blast while moving—

*DUAR!*

Just as Mash thought that, amidst the blood rain continuously drenching the ground, a beam of black light suddenly pierced through. Then, a cold, furious scream echoed in their ears.

“Excalibur Morgan!”

It was the release of a Noble Phantasm’s true name.

Black aurora light exploded from the Holy Sword in Black Saber’s hand. With a single swing, he shattered the red-blood light in the air that had been continuously summoning the blood rain!

The rain of blood, which had been relentlessly melting the ground, instantly stopped. The impression of rain ceasing and the sky clearing immediately came to Mash’s mind.

Leaning on his Holy Sword, Black Saber, whose armor and dress were severely damaged, took a heavy breath. “That was truly an astonishing method. Such a decisive suicide. If this weren’t the Holy Grail War, but an actual battlefield, it would’ve been a defeat for our side.”

“But unfortunately, that’s all it amounts to.”

He turned toward Mash and Ritsuka. The black Saber raised his sword and began walking toward them. He could see it—while the shield girl might still be strong, the black-haired man could no longer endure. Now was the perfect chance to eliminate both at once.

(So this is the replacement you chose, Sir Galahad… Perhaps there is potential worth trusting, but now is not the time for potential.)

(I’m sorry.)

With regret in his heart for his subordinate knight, Black Saber raised his Holy Sword high—

“Tch, not dead. You really have incredible luck.”

An unexpected voice suddenly rang out.

The sword swing halted mid-motion. Black Saber stared in shock at the cave, which should’ve been empty aside from the three of them. “An illusion?”

“No. Why would you think it’s an illusion? Did you really believe I was dead?”

“This voice… Akuta-Senpai?!”

Upon recognizing the voice’s owner, Mash gasped. “Y-You’re still alive? But earlier you…”

“There’s no rule saying suicide has to end in death! Besides, I can’t die even if I want to!”

*WHOOSH!*

Along with Hinako’s voice, a cluster of light particles suddenly appeared before Black Saber without warning. In an instant, they reformed into Hinako’s figure.

Hinako, who had just committed suicide mere seconds ago, had risen again on the spot!

Looking at Black Saber, whose armor was now mostly gone, Hinako sneered. “Your life is truly tenacious. Though I didn’t really intend to finish you off in one strike—good. Then, let’s do it again!”

Once more, the terrifying, uncontrollable mana reaction erupted from Hinako!

Both Black Saber and Mash remembered—this was the phenomenon that occurred when Hinako committed suicide earlier.

“Akuta-Senpai! Stop! You can’t use that technique again!” Mash shouted. “Because of the curse phenomenon caused by runaway mana, your body can barely withstand it anymore! If you continue—”

“Hah?”

Hinako turned toward Ritsuka behind Mash—sure enough, as Mash said, Ritsuka’s condition, leaning against the wall, looked terrible. She appeared gravely ill and could pass out at any moment.

(Such a small impact and she can’t even endure it… Humans really are fragile—)

*SRAK!*

The sound of a sword swing suddenly came. Without hesitation, Hinako blocked the blade aimed at her with her arm. Then, she leapt back and returned to Mash’s side.

“Akuta-Senpai, your arm—”

“Just a surface wound.”

As Hinako said that, her severed arm rapidly regenerated and healed completely. Mash didn’t know what to say—just like Ritsuka, in these few short hours, she had experienced far too many things she couldn’t accept.

Witnessing this scene, Black Saber slightly frowned. “Immortality, huh? Then I’ll have to decapitate you or pierce your heart… No, given that you can resurrect after suicide, your immortality might be real. To kill you, I’d need a Noble Phantasm capable of destroying immortality.”

For example, the Holy Sword Perseus used to kill Medusa in mythology—but unfortunately, Black Saber didn’t possess such a Noble Phantasm. The only Noble Phantasm he had was the Holy Sword in his hand.

“Yeah. A weapon like that might be able to kill me. But you don’t have it, so you can’t kill me. On the contrary, you definitely can’t defeat me. Whereas I can kill you.”

Hinako said as she raised her hand. Limitless mana continuously gathered from nature into her palm. In just one breath, she formed an enormous mana sphere.

Aiming it at Black Saber, Hinako hurled the mana ball in her hand with all her strength!

(This— a sphere made of pure mana. Its prototype should be Gandr, but its power rivals the earlier blood rain… I see, so there’s a way to use it like this.)

Facing the incoming light, Black Saber’s Holy Sword immediately emitted black aurora light, and he slashed at it!

*BRAKKK!*

A soul-shaking roar echoed once more!

-

Title: Show a Swift Execution

Outside the cave, on the cliff facing the entrance directly.

Naoki listened to the sounds coming from within: “The battle is truly intense. Senior Hinako is really getting into it. At this rate, defeating Black Saber is only a matter of time.”

No matter the situation, the most troublesome opponent was undoubtedly one with immortality. If there was a vast difference in strength, it wouldn’t matter. But if both sides were nearly equal in power, the immortal side would almost certainly win in the end.

Artoria Alter wasn’t weak. Although the level of each of her skills had decreased, in one-on-one combat, she hadn’t weakened significantly. Combined with mana supply from the Greater Grail, she could consecutively unleash Noble Phantasms.

Even if Artoria from Naoki’s household came, victory wouldn’t be easy.

But Hinako was different. Though her offensive upper limit was capped at Heroic Spirit level, she possessed infinite mana and could perform suicide attacks anytime, anywhere. If one failed, she could simply do it again. She wouldn’t need many—perhaps around ten suicide attacks—and Artoria Alter definitely wouldn’t be able to endure.

“However, Miss Hinako cannot use such suicide attacks now. Based on my real-time environmental monitoring, Ritsuka’s physical condition is extremely dangerous.”

Rei, standing beside Naoki, said with a frown.

“Should I go assist them, Master?”

“Yes, go ahead. I’ll stay here. There’s a small matter I need to resolve. I’ll follow shortly.”

Hearing Naoki’s words, Rei didn’t ask further. She immediately leapt from the cliff and rushed into the cave—her master didn’t need her worry, no matter what he intended to do.

After watching Rei enter the cave, Naoki turned to face the forest behind him: “Alright, you can come out now. I didn’t know you had a hobby of spying like this, Professor Lev.”

“No, perhaps I should call you Pillar Demon God Flauros now, right?”

Stepping out from behind a tree in the forest, Professor Lev tipped his hat and clapped his hands a few times: “You truly surprised me. I never expected you could sense my presence. My concealment technique should’ve been perfect… No, how are you still alive and standing here, Naoki? You were the closest person to me. You should’ve died in that explosion, just like Marie.”

Why was he still standing here?

“Heh, if I could die from an attack of that level, I’d have died hundreds of times over the years, Flauros. Besides, Marie isn’t dead either. Though her soul and body are separated, both are unharmed. Chaldea has already recovered eighty percent of its functions after my repairs and will be fully restored in two or three days.”

“Unfortunately, the impact of your suicide attack might not have been as great as you imagined. Everything’s still under my control.”

As he spoke, Naoki raised his hand: “So now, only you remain. I know killing you here won’t have any real effect. Unless all seventy-two Pillar Demon Gods are destroyed, the death of one individual means nothing.”

“But… I’m not the type to just sit still after being attacked. Consider this retaliation for the explosion you gave me.”

*BUZZ!*

Blazing fire began to ignite around Naoki, instantly surrounding Professor Lev in a roaring sea of flames.

Seeing the sea of fire, as if he had already confirmed something, Professor Lev covered his face: “As I expected… Just as my King said, you truly are a great threat to our plan, Star Holy Sword Bearer.”

“That’s why I must eliminate you here.”

“Eliminate me? With just you?”

Flauros’ words were so absurd that Naoki couldn’t help but frown. One Pillar Demon God couldn’t possibly be his match. Why would Flauros say something like that?

The answer appeared in the next second.

*SHUA!*

Inside the nearby cave, a new mana reaction suddenly emerged without warning. And when Naoki sensed that mana reaction—

“Hey! Natsukawa! This mana reaction is dangerous!”

Roman’s panicked voice came through the communication bracelet on his wrist.

“This mana reaction is undoubtedly from a Servant, but its scale… It’s at the level of a Divine Spirit—or even beyond! Natsukawa! Mash and the others are in danger!”

“I know!”

Without hesitation, Naoki waved his hand, shrinking the ring of fire and consuming Flauros’ figure, then rushed toward the cave without delay!

He knew why Roman was so panicked. In truth, the panic in his own heart was no less than Roman’s, because both he and Roman were very familiar with the mana reaction that had just appeared!

Because it was mana he had faced directly before—and mana Roman himself had once possessed!

But why? Why had it appeared here? Why now? It should have first appeared in the Fourth Singularity, in London. Why had it come so early?

(Could it be because of me? Flauros said I’m a threat to them. To eliminate me, did they decide to act from the very beginning?)

If that was the reason, Naoki felt slightly flattered. He never expected they’d consider him so important.

But now wasn’t the time to reflect. Even though Rei was there, Naoki didn’t want to be even a second late! After all, against that person, it was impossible to imagine what they could do in just half a second!

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

And at the same time, inside the cave—

Mana density had reached an extraordinary level. The heavy pressure caused by the excessively dense mana forced Mash to brace her shield with all her strength just to avoid collapsing. Beside her, Hinako’s face was also extremely pale. Only Rei, shielding Ritsuka, remained calm, but from her expression, she wasn’t at ease either.

Struggling to lift her head under the immense mana pressure, Mash looked ahead. On the platform, essentially equivalent to the core of a massive mana reactor, a figure had appeared—she didn’t know when.

A presence that, just by standing there, made it hard to breathe.

“You are…”

-

Title: Physical Curses Can Be Destroyed, Right?

Time rewinds to about two minutes ago.

Inside the cave, when Rei arrived, the first thing she saw was Black Saber being thrown with tremendous force by Hinako, his entire body slammed against the wall.

It was a fatal wound.

Rei could tell. She suspected that Saber had been defeated by Hinako’s suicide attack. After all, there were now several large holes in Hinako’s body—Rei could even see through to the other side.

“Your fighting style is truly reckless, Miss Hinako.”

Picking up clothing that, for some reason, remained intact on the ground, Rei handed it to Hinako. “Even if you can’t die, won’t this method leave hidden problems in your body?”

“Then I’ll just blow up this body and rebuild a new one.”

Hinako said casually. After taking her clothes and putting them back on, she glanced at the thrown Black Saber. “Now this Singularity should be over. I’ve destroyed his entire heart, chest, and spiritual core. What should we do next?”

“That depends on what the Master desires. I came early only to handle Fujimaru’s condition.”

Rei knelt beside Fujimaru, who lay unconscious on the ground. “The level of curse on her is already very deep… Miss Hinako, the Master must have told you not to use that technique in front of others, right?”

“I only thought to finish it in one strike. And with Mash here, who would’ve thought she’d still be affected?”

“I’m very sorry, I couldn’t protect Senpai…” Mash lowered her head in guilt. Being useless in the previous battle and failing to protect Fujimaru, who she was supposed to guard, it was natural for her to feel guilty now.

“Mash, you don’t need to feel guilty.” Rei gently stroked her head. “If anyone’s to blame, it’s Miss Hinako. Using a suicide technique without regard for others—what will you do later if you get married, a woman so reckless?”

“Ugh—! O-of course it’s fine! The Master would… ugh…”

The Master would surely accept her as she was—Hinako wanted to say that, but as soon as she thought that her recklessness might drag the Master into unnecessary trouble, she felt deeply uncomfortable.

“I… I understand! I’ll change and be more restrained from now on! I’ll also sincerely apologize to the newcomer when she wakes up!”

“You must apologize sincerely—also, Mash, step aside a bit. I’ll remove Fujimaru’s curse now.”

“Yes!”

Mash quickly moved to the side, afraid her presence might interfere with Rei’s healing.

Placing both hands over Ritsuka’s head, Rei’s palms glowed with a soft blue light. Specks of light, like raindrops, fell onto Ritsuka. As the light rain descended, the red mist of blood surrounding Ritsuka rapidly faded, and the expression of pain on her face greatly diminished.

“Is this thanks to a water spirit?” Hinako watched the scene. “With this, not only is she healed, she probably won’t ever get sick or cursed again in the future? Is this also the Master’s wish?”

“No, I just thought it would be better. After all, Fujimaru is one of our two Masters. If something happened to her, we might face unforeseen problems and difficulties in the future—this could be considered a preventive measure.”

“A very wasteful use of help.”

Hinako scoffed.

The healing didn’t last long—only about ten seconds. Rei withdrew her hands, and immediately, Ritsuka, who had been unconscious, slowly opened her eyes as if waking from a dream.

“Ugh… I’m…”

“Senpai!”

Seeing Ritsuka awake, Mash immediately rushed forward and hugged her tightly. “Thank goodness, Senpai, you’re awake!”

“Eh eh eh? Mash? Why did you suddenly hug me?” Ritsuka was slightly confused. “Akuta-Senpai, Sajyou-san, what happened to me earlier? I just felt my head burning hot, and after that…”

“Nothing serious. You were just slightly affected by Miss Akuta’s attack. I’ve already healed you.”

Affected?

Ritsuka recalled the earlier situation, then quickly looked at Hinako. “Ah, right! Akuta-Senpai, are you alright?! I remember you immediately committed suicide! Wait… why is Akuta-Senpai still here? If Akuta-Senpai committed suicide, does that mean Akuta-Senpai is now a ghost?!”

“You’re the ghost! I’m not dead! Just suicide—how could that possibly kill me?” Hinako glared angrily at her. “I won’t explain the details now. Just know that I’m immortal.”

“Besides, the newcomer is fine now—Rei, when will your Master arrive?”

“I think he’ll be here soon—”

*BZZTTTT!*

A sudden vibration interrupted Rei’s words. Accompanying the tremor, an even more terrifying wave of mana pressure—far heavier than when Black Saber appeared—suddenly descended into the cave!

Hinako and Mash’s faces instantly froze. Ritsuka was even worse. The pressure from Black Saber had only slowed their movements, but this new, crushing pressure completely froze all three in place.

Like being bound by thousand-pound chains, even Hinako—having lived long and seen countless strange things—now trembled under the immense pressure.

Rei was the only one unaffected, but even so, her heart was filled with shock.

[Be careful, my other self. This mana level… it’s the same as Him we once tried to resurrect.]

Manaka warned in her mind. But even without saying it, Rei already knew this truth.

She looked up toward the massive platform. At some point, where it had been empty before, a figure now stood.

“You are…”

Struggling with all her strength to lift her head under the crushing mana pressure, Mash strained to look at the figure.

“Who… who are you?”

“Our enemy.”

The one who answered wasn’t the figure itself, but Rei standing beside her.

“Although this is too soon… Mash, Fujimaru, and Miss Akuta, remember this. The one appearing before us now is the enemy we must defeat in the future—the mastermind behind this incident.”

Staring at the figure, Rei spoke his name—

“King of Magecraft, Solomon.”

-

Title: Chaldea’s Golden Light

King of Magecraft, Solomon.

The third king of ancient Israel, the Wise King who was granted ten decrees of omniscience and omnipotence by Heaven.

Ten years ago, during the Holy Grail War, he was summoned by Marisbury as a Caster-class Servant and participated in the war.

At that time, at the end of the Holy Grail War, Rei had fought him directly alongside Naoki.

Seeing Solomon atop the platform—unchanged from ten years ago, though his expression was now far more terrifying—Rei stepped forward and positioned herself in front of the three of them. “This is truly an unexpected reunion, King Solomon. I never expected you’d appear here.”

“As the final Demon God Pillar, you’ve come far too soon.”

Hearing Rei’s words, Solomon looked down at the four people below. After briefly glancing at Hinako and the others, his focus settled on Rei.

He recognized this person. Professor Lev—Demon God Pillar Flauros—had mentioned her when reporting to him.

Rei, a staff member at Chaldea, referred to herself as Naoki’s personal maid and lover.

“You know my identity. Although I came to this Singularity after repeated requests from Flauros, I thought it was an overreaction, but…”

Personal maid?

Lover?

Solomon wanted to burst into laughter. His subordinate Demon God Pillar was so blind he couldn’t see this woman, whose existence Solomon hadn’t even tried to hide. How utterly foolish!

*“[There’s a great threat in this Singularity that might destroy us. Please come and eliminate it!]*”—Flauros had reported to him like that. Though their goals differed, if it was *you*, then yes, I *must* come here personally. This could be called coincidence.”

“A magus connected to the Root.”

“I never expected to encounter an anomaly among anomalies like you here—one who hasn’t appeared for years.”

Solomon’s words sent shockwaves through Hinako and Mash’s hearts.

Rei connected to the Root?

If not for the crushing mana pressure making it nearly impossible to speak, both of them would have instantly asked questions. What did it mean to be connected to the Root? Was it even true?

“Worthy of the title King of Magecraft. You saw through it immediately.” Rei said with a smile. “But now that you know, are you still certain you can eliminate me here? You might end up being destroyed by me instead.”

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

Solomon suddenly burst into uproarious laughter!

“Destroyed?! A joke! Ridiculous! Foolish! Is bluffing the only thing you can do now? Do you truly think I can’t see it? What you call ‘connected to the Root’ was severed once!”

“No, more accurately, forcibly severed. Though it has recovered significantly, it can never be fully reconnected again. If you were your complete self, I might have hesitated. But you’re merely a broken, defective piece…”

“Four Pillars should be enough, right?”

Solomon suddenly uttered strange words at the end. And immediately, in the next second, Mash and the others understood their meaning.

*BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*

Behind Solomon, accompanied by four loud impacts, four pillars suddenly burst through the ground and rose from below. Like wild trees growing uncontrollably, they stretched straight up to the cave’s ceiling and easily pierced and shattered it!

They were four pillars of deep black. At a glance, they resembled the tails of some monstrous fantasy beast. Their surfaces were covered with large, circular red eyes that emitted a heart-pounding crimson light.

Demon God Pillars.

Not the demons Naoki and Rei had seen ten years ago, who appeared in their legendary forms, but their most basic forms: pure masses of flesh, individuals entirely filled with evil.

The four Demon God Pillars completely destroyed the cave’s ceiling, allowing the burning sky outside to become visible to the four once more.

Unbeatable.

Invincible.

Just seeing the four Demon God Pillars towering like pillars of heaven before them, Mash had no desire whatsoever to raise her shield. Their presence was so overwhelming, making one feel powerless like a dragonfly trying to shake a tree.

“Is this… the King of Magecraft, the enemy we must face…?”

How could such an enemy ever be defeated?

Seeing Mash so shaken, Rei placed a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t be afraid, Mash. I’m here.”

“Miss Rei… No, even Miss Rei can’t possibly stand against King Solomon. His mana level is too—”

“Is that so? But ten years ago, I and my Master defeated him once.”

Mash, cut off mid-sentence, was slightly shocked by Rei’s words.

Defeated him?

Defeated Solomon once, ten years ago?

Rei and her older brother together?

“But even though we defeated him together, I was only assisting from the side. The main battle was my Master’s responsibility. In truth, he defeated him alone. So you don’t need to be too afraid. Whatever happens, there’s me and my Master.”

“But—”

“Besides, Solomon, I know why you’ve come here—because you’re afraid, aren’t you?”

Rei smiled at Solomon. “Perhaps you yourself aren’t afraid, but your Demon God Pillars are. Flauros, who has worked under my Master for years, deeply understands his power. So he conveyed his fear to you.”

“To eliminate my Master, who is a threat to you, right from the start, you’ve come to this Singularity. That’s truly cautious of you. Are you really that afraid?”

“Afraid of losing to my Master a second time.”

An insult.

A provocation.

While others feared Solomon, Rei was provoking him.

A dirty tactic—Solomon could clearly assess that. But if he didn’t respond to such mockery and provocation, it would mean he admitted fear of the existence named Natsukawa Naoki.

“Utterly ridiculous… you say I’m afraid?”

Solomon raised both hands.

“I came here personally only because of my subordinate’s loyal request. In your eyes, that’s called fear? Very well, then witness with your own eyes how the ‘Master’ you speak of will be reduced to dust by me.”

“But you may not live to see it—vanish, you weaklings.”

The eyes on the four Demon God Pillars suddenly exploded into blinding, cross-shaped flashes! An intensely hot, white light of destruction instantly filled everyone’s vision!

—We’re going to die!

This thought arose simultaneously in Mash and Ritsuka’s minds. Though they didn’t know the core of this white light, there was no doubt—it was light that would erase them completely from this world!

(No, I can’t withstand it either!)

Hinako instinctively wanted to use her suicide attack to resist, but she immediately realized it was futile. The power generated by her self-destruction would be erased before it could even block this light.

“Hey! Rei! Do something! If this continues, we’ll all be annihilated!” Hinako shouted at Rei. “Since you’re an all-knowing, all-powerful magus connected to the Root, there must be a way to handle this!”

“There isn’t.”

Rei said with a smile. “Fighting is possible, but because you talked too much, it’s already too late.”

“You—what did you—”

“It’s fine.”

Interrupting Hinako’s shout, Rei looked behind her. “I don’t need to act. Someone more reliable than me has already arrived.”

*WHOOSH!*

Almost the instant Rei’s voice ended, a golden flash suddenly shot out from the cave entrance behind them and arrived directly in front of them.

Under Rei’s affectionate gaze and the shocked stares of Hinako and the others—

Facing the overwhelming light of destruction, Naoki swung the shining Star Holy Sword in his hand!

Two powerful mana forces collided with full force in an instant, and in the next second, without hesitation or resistance, the outcome was decisively determined!

“HAAAAAAARRRRRGHHHHH—!”

Accompanied by Naoki’s furious roar, the white light engulfing them was instantly split and shattered into pieces by the towering sacred light!

Golden rain fell inside the cave.

Turning to face the four people behind him, Naoki showed a gentle smile that made all four feel safe.

“It seems I arrived just in time.”

“From here on, leave it to me.”

-

Title: I’ll Be Right Behind You

Natsukawa Naoki.

Regarding the existence repeatedly mentioned by Flauros, Solomon didn’t know much. His knowledge was limited to reports.

It was said he had defeated Solomon directly ten years ago.

It was said he could pull the moon from the sky.

It was said he was the Star Holy Sword Bearer chosen by the planet.

...

There were many things Flauros had mentioned, all emphasizing the strength and threat he might pose. But Solomon had never taken it seriously. Even if Naoki was truly as described, once the Burning of the Human Order began, his goal was already 90% complete. The rest was merely cleanup work.

Nothing could stop his plan. The Burning of the Human Order would succeed. Humanity was finished.

Therefore, Solomon had initially not planned to come personally to this Singularity F. But perhaps due to the repeated emphasis, Flauros’s concerns gradually influenced all seventy-two Demon God Pillars. More than half of the Pillars believed that even though victory was near, they must remain vigilant and eliminate the last flicker of hope.

In this situation, Solomon finally came here.

And now, he considered it the right choice. Besides the three weak ants over there, the two people standing before him now—Rei and Naoki—were truly worthy of his attention.

One was a magus connected to the Root, and the other was...

“The Star Holy Sword—the weapon that once banished the giant white god who fell from the sky in ancient times.”

As he stared at the Holy Sword in Naoki’s hand, Solomon discarded his casual expression and for the first time showed a serious one. “It seems Flauros was right. Judging by the count, this is the third generation? And your composition of existence… not human? But a true Fairy?”

A Star Holy Sword Bearer, a true Fairy species.

Either one alone would be enough to make Solomon take notice, but combined...

“Tragic. Truly tragic, this existence named Natsukawa Naoki.”

As if witnessing a deeply sorrowful tragedy, Solomon cried out in a tone full of sadness and regret: “Star Holy Sword Bearer, the true ‘hero’ whose very existence means saving the world—I never expected this generation to be a Fairy! Tragic! So very tragic!”

“Remember well, Natsukawa Naoki, and lament your helplessness—this time, you will not be able to save the world. Your sword will not even touch my ambition. Your defeat was decided from the very beginning!”

Solomon’s declaration left Hinako and the others stunned in confusion.

What did he mean? Why did he say Naoki couldn’t defeat him at all? Why did he claim Naoki was already defeated from the start?

Wasn’t the Star Holy Sword Bearer the ultimate savior capable of defeating all evil?

“I know.”

Naoki’s words broke the silence.

“But in some ways, theory doesn’t equal reality. How can we know unless we try? I don’t understand this idea of ‘no chance of winning at all.’”

“Besides… you might not know, but there’s an unfinished battle between you and me. It’s been delayed from ten years ago until now. My patience has run out. They feel the same way, so let’s settle the winner quickly and cleanly this time.”

Mana surged from Naoki’s body. Out of habit formed over years, even though he had become a true Fairy, Naoki still prioritized using mana from within his body. And this Lesser Source, normally weak compared to the Greater Source, now equaled the power of Hinako’s suicide attack!

And it kept rising!

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

“This mana output is…”

Inside Chaldea, the staff monitoring Naoki’s mana output now wore expressions of disbelief—or rather, shock as if seeing a ghost!

From the level of an average Servant at first, then to Phantasmal Species, Dragon Species… in just a few blinks, Naoki’s mana power skyrocketed to Divine Spirit level!

(Natsukawa, you… do you already possess strength this great now?)

Fairies have infinite mana, but output has an upper limit. For example, Hinako’s upper limit is restricted to the domain of human Heroic Spirits. But for Naoki, the upper limit was exactly as it appeared now—

In terms of pure mana strength, he was unquestionably in the Divine Spirit domain.

(But this state can’t be maintained for long. If he keeps sustaining this overflowing condition, Natsukawa’s ‘vessel’—his body—will be in danger!)

Thinking this, Roman immediately shouted through the communication bracelet: “Natsukawa! This isn’t the time for a final battle! And the Singularity you’re in will soon collapse and vanish—Saber Black has been defeated, the Holy Grail War has ended, and the Holy Grail itself has disappeared—it should be considered gone! If you stay there, all of you will vanish into an unknown place!”

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Hearing Roman’s series of warnings, Naoki responded with slight resignation: “Yes, I know. Anyway, Roman, prepare quantum transfer now. Prioritize Fujimaru and the two of them returning to Chaldea. Rei and I will find a way back later.”

“Find a way back ourselves… AAAAAARRRRRGHHHH! You’re being reckless again! You’re always reckless! Think of me too! If you don’t come back later, Chaldea will collapse! I’ll die!”

“Don’t stress too much, Roman. You won’t die. Even if I die, you won’t die. Trust me just once—then again, let’s do this.”

Cutting off communication unilaterally, Naoki turned his back to the people behind him: “So, Fujimaru, Mash, Senior Hinako, and Rei, you all leave here and return to Chaldea first. Once I finish handling this, I’ll be right behind you.”

“If you say that, I feel reassured.”

Hinako nodded firmly, then without looking back, immediately ran toward the exit. Mash, seeing this, panicked: “Akuta-Senpai—Brother, you have to come with us…”

“Let’s go, Mash.”

Unlike usual, this time Fujimaru herself grabbed Mash’s shoulder. Now, she was filled with questions. The situation had developed too quickly. Just moments ago, they were basking in the joy of victory. The next second, a super demon king, suspected to be the final boss, suddenly appeared.

She was useless staying here. She could only pass the baton to the most reliable senior.

Looking at Naoki’s back standing not far away, Ritsuka took a deep breath: “Department Head, we’ll be waiting for you back at Chaldea!”

Now, she could only believe in the department head.

Ritsuka’s eyes conveyed this meaning. After reading it, Mash bit her lip hard, then, like Hinako, she and Ritsuka quickly left the cave through the exit.

Rei left with them too.

She knew she didn’t need to say anything, because Naoki would definitely return afterward—he didn’t dare not return, unless he wanted to turn into a mummy.

Soon, only Naoki and Solomon remained inside the cave.

“Sorry to keep you waiting so long. Well then, let’s begin.”

“No problem. After all, these will be your last words in this world. Vanish here together with this Singularity, Star Holy Sword Bearer.”

Four—somehow, the number had multiplied into sixteen—all the eyes on the total sixteen Demon God Pillars now stared at Naoki!

And at the same time, just as before, dazzling starlight instantly greeted them!