Thou Art the Ardor that Corrupts the Stars (IV)

A revelation is upon us. A revelation is upon us.

Now is the time of revelation.

He is the supreme god that rules all from on high. He is the lightning that flashes across the heavens.

He is the one who shall emerge triumphant over all myths. He is the one destined to conquer the entire universe.

He is the one who shall command the sacred bird and find the site of the sacred tree. None less than the Authorities of Hades and Poseidon bow to his will.

He is the great demiurge. He is the one who shall forever serve as the core of the Zeus Olympia!

Now, behold the words of the almighty Zeus!

...There is work to be done.

I command you by my name, Aphrodite.

You are to eradicate the Chaldeans who dare to disturb my interstellar mountainous city.

I permit you to use your Aletheia in every district of Olympus. May your gleeful laughter shatter the bones of the enemies that threaten our world.

It would be my pleasure, Father!

Demeter was my friend, and I shall avenger her and make amends for the sins she unwittingly committed in the name of love, which is my divine domain.

Indeed, it was love that proved her fatal weakness, for it was love that warped her Divine Core.

But I have no such weakness. As love and beauty are mine to command, I would never fall prey to love's madness.

I shall use all the power and Authority I command to eradicate our enemies.

...I swear on my husband, Hephaestus.

Mmm... Mmm, mmmmmmmmm? Oh my, oh my my.

I never dreamed the all-powerful machine gods who crossed the sea of stars would think to avenge a fallen comrade!

What a truly bizarre thing to say!

You must have thought your comrade pitifully pathetic for letting herself succumb to the humans you all thought beneath your notice.

How utterly comical!

...

Yes?

...The gods have agreed to help us. You shouldn't rile them up just for laughs.

...Ahh, yes, you're right! You're absolutely right! This won't do at all!

Perhaps I'm letting my impatience get the better of me now that those loathsome Chaldeans are so close at hand!

This is no joking matter.

Oh no, absolutely not! Believe me, I am quite serious when I say that we ignore Chaldea at our per

Which is why I have, of course, already taken measures to deal with them. That's part of our job, after all.

I was speaking to you with nothing but the most genuine convictions...but very well then.

In that case, I suppose I can remain here and see how matters play out from on high!

O ancient gods of GreeceOr rather, former gods of an ancient continent!

...I suggest you take this time to enjoy yourselves however you like, for the advent of our Foreign God is close at hand.

Yes, it is.

All we ask from you is that you continue to support the Tree of Emptiness.

Whatever you do with the rest of your Lostbelt is strictly your concern, not ours.

At least, that is the contract we have struck for this Lostbelt.

Haha

What are you doing, Aphrodite? Why are you still allowing that imitation human there to remain alive?

There is no need to restrain yourself merely because he happens to be a god-eating Alter Ego.

He deserves a thousand deaths for his insolent behavior in Zeus's presence.

With your Authority, you could surely destroy any Servant with a Spirit Core connected to a brain and heart.

Big Brother, Aphrodite is

Sorry, Dioscuri, but you'll just have to grin and bear it.

Yesterday, I may not have stood by, but today, I am far more concerned with destroying the Chaldeans.

Hm?

Eradicate Chaldea. That is your task.

This divine order is your highest priority.

Hear me now, Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, and my daughter.

Kill the Chaldeans. Leave no trace of them behind.

It will be done, Father.

First Demeter, now Aphrodite, huh.

Sending in your forces one at a time seems like piss-poor strategy to me, but these gods obviously still think there's no way they could lose.

I swear, why would these great deities possibly think this is a good idea?

It does seem shortsighted, but I can think of one reason.

My guess is, they feel it would be beneath them to muster all their forces against mere humans.

I suppose that's one of the few ways their higher existence holds them back.

Well, the joke'll be on them if they end up losing this fight.

Speaking of which, what do you make of Chaldea's chances? Think they can win?

Zeus said they've got one of Atlas's Seven Taboos, right? The Black Barrel, was it?

They're trying to fight superweapons with an even stronger superweapon, huh. That's humanity for you, all right.

Still, while I do admire the hustle, I can't help but wonder if maybe they're going too far?

Forget the bleaching, it sounds like if they mess up when using that thing, it could end the whole damn world.

Well, this is all based off information Zeus overheard, so I can't say anything more right now...

...but since he thinks it won't be a problem, I'm inclined to think it isn't all that dangerous of a weapon.

Of course, that assumes

That it's not technology beyond the Olympian gods' understanding?

Hey, I didn't give up on my own Lostbelt for nothing. I know full well how scary each one is.

And while I'll admit that the Atlantic Lostbelt's technology surpasses Proper Human History's...

...Proper Human History's also got some real nasty bombs just waiting to be woken up.

And the Atlas Institute's one of the nastiest. I'm worried, Peperoncino.

I'm worried the Olympian gods might be setting themselves up for one of those classic "pride goeth before a fall" scenarios, and that I'll have to kiss this sweet life I've got here goodbye!

...I understand. But don't worry. There's no way Aphrodite is going to lose.

After all, she's not the kind of opponent you can overwhelm with sheer firepower.

So it doesn't matter how many Heroic Spirits they throw at her. They'll still never be able to touch her.

That so? Well, coming from you, that makes me feel a whole lot better. Sounds like Aphrodite's one hell of a goddess.

Oh yes. Not a very attractive woman, though.

...And she's plenty sad in her own way.

You don't say. By the way, Pepe, any idea where little Kadoc might've gone?

I haven't seen him once since Chaldea showed up here, and I can't help wondering what he's up to.

He's always had something of a rebellious streak to him, after all. If Kirschtaria...

Or worse, the Foreign God were to start suspecting he was up to something, the Alter Egos'd be all over him like white on rice, right?

Being the older brother figure for him that I am, I can't help but worry about the little guy, y'know?

I've told him "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" a bunch of times, but it never seems to stick.

So, got any ideas, Scandinavia Peperoncino?

No, can't say I do. Now that you mention it, I haven't seen Kadoc around anywhere, either.

But near as I can tell, he's been hanging out in the city a lot recently.

You know how serious he is, right? He might just be caught up in learning all about Olympus technology.

Ah...

Ah... Aah... Aaaaaah...! Sen...pai...!

This attack... It feels like...it's ringing right inside my head...!

And, again... They're attacking...their own city...

Their own...people...just to get to us!

The Ortinax's output...is falling... Magical energy...declining... Master...!

？！

Nnngh... This is...argh!

Now I wish...I'd attained enlightenment...as well as... the void...! Khh! Oh man...this is...really bad...!

...Dammit, dammit, dammit! I can't even see straight anymore!

This is Aphrodite's true form! A massive, intelligent life-form guidance terminal...and Spiritron info-warfare fighter!

Her true body... Her machine god unit...

...can carry out mental attacks...across a massive area... Ghh... Aaah...!

She can instantly induce mental breakdowns... in any intelligent life-form... Even a Servant!

This is why...Kintoki's team...started attacking each other...

But this time...we've got...a plan! Caligula!

...Not yet. It is still too soon. This is nothing more than a sign of things yet to come.

All of you! I urge you to hold out as best you can!

(...!)

(All this power...and she's still not even trying!?)

(So then, when she does begin her attack in earnest...is that when Caligula is going to activate his countermeasure!?)

Try to complete our primary objective as quickly as you can! From there, we'll put as much distance between her and us as weKhh!

It feels as though she's directly mucking about in my mind... She must be using massive magical energy projections to interfere with our brains!

Is she attempting to destroy our brains? ...No! She's manipulating our perceptions, awareness, and sensations!

This isn't a physical attack! It's a mental one!

Now I see... Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty! For what is beauty if not the manipulation of the mind...!

...No, this isn't mere manipulation. She's outright redefining our values, minds, and sense of self!

...(Huff, huff)... Hrah!

Musashi!? Why did you attack me!?

Damn, it didn't work, huh. Really would've liked to finish the job with that strike.

Regrowing your head right after it's been cut off is no fair! All right, come at me, you undead coward! If one strike won't finish you off, I'll just have to keep hacking away until you're done!

Huh!?

Wh-what are you...seeing right now, Musashi...?

Are you sure...you're perceiving reality correctly?

...!

So...she's conflating past memories...with the present...

？！

I think...she must be seeing past enemies... when she looks at us!

It's Aphrodite's mental attack! She mixes up memories...and incites anger...

Looks like we've got one...two...three... four monsters in broad daylight.

That's a lot...but it's not too many for me to handle.

All right, you lot, let's start with those of you who aren't afraid of Niten Ichiryu. Don't worry, I'll cut you all down to size eventually.

...This is gonna be rough.

She just punches through my Saber Spirit Origin Magic Resistance like it's nothing!

This shit is why I hate Authority!

Master... (Huff, huff)... Please, get behind my shield...!

... ...

...I expected you were a master marksman, Colonel Moran, but I didn't think you would use such an outdated weapon.

In that case, you'll be the next to go over the Reichenbach after I've plied you with a bit of baritsu!

Holmes! Not you too...!

They have both lost their minds. Hurry. In the meantime, we must whittle away at their will to fight without damaging their Spirit Cores.

Is that all right with you, Master of Chaldea?

？！

Very well! Come, shield-maiden! On your feet!

If you would face the difficulties that lie before you not with a sword, but a shield, then you cannot fall to your knees!

You must overcome your very selfthe self that would eat away at your own heart if given the chance!

!

Engaging Ortinax's combat mode! Activating forced output increase maneuver!

...Initiating...battle!

Musashi! Holmes...!

...!

(What's going on!? My body's moving on its own...)

(No, that's not it! Not even cutting my consciousness off from my corrupted mind is enough to retake control of my body! I can't stop fighting!)

(My urge to kill keeps growing all on its own!)

(This is...some kind of mental attack that makes allies kill each other!)

(You'd think a god of all beings wouldn't resort to such cruel and underhanded measures!)

(Mash! Fujimaru! You've got to get out of here! If this urge to kill ends up consuming my entire consciousness, too...)

(I won't be able to stop myself from killing you!)

Aaaaaaaaah!

Stop...singing...inside my...head!!!

Musashi just disappeared!? Where did she go!?

？！

(No!)

(Her neck is wide open! I can't hold myself back anymore)

Tch!

Nice. Very nice! So that's your real fighting style, huh, samurai!?

It's greedy, and dirty...and the way you kill, even more so! Hahaha!

'Course, I'd expect nothing less from a woman carryin' around a whole bunch of swords!

Don't be stupid! I just couldn't have your own ally taking you punks out!

Nobody kills you but me. Don't you forget it!

？！

...

...Aphrodite's Authority's a royal pain in the ass, but this ain't so bad.

I can't let my guard down for a second with an opponent like this, and that keeps her damn song at bay!

...!

Magnificent, Miyamoto Musashi. You have done a tremendous job fending off Venus's fearsome onslaught.

I can see you are holding yourself back considerably.

Caligula! Did you just catch Musashi's blade... with your bare hands!?

The hell you think you're doing, Caligula!? Stay outta our way!

If Musashi had truly been serious, that strike would have sent both your arm and the shield-maiden's head flying.

Surely you of all warriors can understand that.

...Tch.

I shall take it from here. Hrn!

My palm may now be slashed to ribbons...but that is a fair price to pay for depriving her of one of her swords.

Though I am unsure how effective taking one of her swords from her will be when she has four.

Thank you...Caligula!

Neither Miyamoto Musashi nor Sherlock Holmes are able to use their full power.

Thus, we have opportunities to counter them.

Take Miyamoto Musashi. In her peak condition, I would never be able to keep pace with her swordplay...

...but with her body and her mind opposed like this, I need but observe her to find any number of openings.

A-are you sure...?

In my case, I... I'm not sure I can even stand much longer...

Do not fall to your knees!

!

Remember what I said! You, of all people, must never let your knees touch the ground.

You are an inspiration to me, shield-maiden!

As one dedicated solely to the shield, you must be the descendant of a great hero who stood firm even against vast armies.

You are just the sort of soldier Mars, our guardian, and those he bestowed his protection upon, would be proud of!

...Right!

...There. At last, the time is right.

I have continually resisted the goddess's song, so my power will surely reach her.

Mash Kyrielight, Fujimaru, I ask only that you buy me a small amount of time...

...with which to prepare my Noble Phantasm!

R-right!

？！

？！

Senpai?

？！

Hm? Hey. What's wrong with

Master!?

Caligula, wait!!! Senpai is

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Senpai!