I Am the Thunder that Smites Stars (I)

This will be neither sacrifice, nor prayer.

All we seek is the King of the Gods' judgment!

He has ruled the heavens since the dawn of time, emerging triumphant in no less than four machia.

By day, he rules over clear blue skies. By night, he conquers what lies beyond them.

He is the wielder of the great thunderbolts capable of shattering stars, galaxies, even the very universe. None less than the Authorities of Uranus and Cronus bow to his will.

Oh yes, he is the great demiurge, the one who wields the Cronus Crown for all eternity!

O, almighty Zeus! Please, grace us with your presence!

Tell us what should be done with this cowardly, treacherous queen!

...Europa.

I trust you understand why you, my priestess and queen...

...stand here awaiting sentence like a common criminal.

...Lord Zeus.

Well now, I simply must ask: What in the world were you thinking, O Queen?

Indeed, you are heavenly Zeus's queen and priestess. You are the direct recipient of his love.

And yet, this is how you repay him!? With treason and treachery!?

It was your guidance that enabled the pitiful dregs of the fourth machia to vanquish both Demeter and Aphrodite!

Ahh, how tragic! Ahh, how shameful!

Even worse, it was all for nothing. No matter how hard you struggle, your Proper Human History home will never return.

There is no longer a Europe to call you mother.

What a waste. What utter foolishness. I suppose this is simply what comes of letting humans act on their feelings.

...Enough.

You know we have no reason to involve ourselves with Olympus's affairs, Limbo.

Our only job is to await the Foreign God's advent. Your interference has far overstepped its bounds.

Oh, believe me, I was very uncertain as to whether I should get involved!

But, when I saw such a deplorable spectacle unfolding before my very eyes, why, I simply couldn't help but take these matters into my own hands!

Indeed, if offering up my own head would make things right, it would be a small price to pay

Gods from foreign lands.

The time of judgment is at hand. There will be silence in my great shrine.

...Yes, of course. My most humble apologies.

In that case, yes, by all means.

We Disciples of the Foreign God humbly await your most just and righteous decision, O mighty Zeus.

...Please, take all the time you need.

...What's gonna happen to Europa?

If they're dragging her onto Zeus's altar, it's gotta be 'cause they're about to cut her head off, right?

Very possibly.

Dammit...!

I don't get it. Europa still hasn't told them our names, even though we'd make perfect scapegoats.

Why not? If she just tells them us Crypters made her do it, I'm sure they'd at least spare her life...

Calm down, Kadoc.

(Sigh) You really should learn to think before you speak one of these days.

I know Zeus agreed not to listen in on our conversations as part of his contract with Kirschtaria...

...but we don't know for sure if he's keeping his word.

...You're right. I'm sorry.

That said, the fact that his thunderbolts haven't already burnt us to a crisp is a good sign that he is.

As for Europa, it's really not hard if you think about it.

There's a very simple reason she's not saying anything. It's because she doesn't want you to die here.

...Or me, for that matter.

...

Besides, I'm pretty sure she hasn't given up yet.

Even now, she's chosen to remain materialized instead of ending her own life.

...She's really strong, isn't she?

Well, of course she is. You don't get to be the mother of Europe by being weak.

... ...

Kadoc?

I'm gonna go see Wodime. I don't know if it'll make any difference, but I'm gonna try coming clean.

Go for it. In the meantime, I've got something of my own I want to try.

...You're not gonna kill yourself, are you?

Of course not. There's no way I'm dying in a world without Daybit in it.

No, I'm just going to make sure a certain cartoonishly evil monk gets a bit of...comeuppance.

Europa.

I do not think you have gone mad. I am certain you agonized over the choice you made.

However.

You should have said something to me before setting down your chosen path.

If you had done that, we could have avoided needless bloodshed...and gods who are now dead would still be alive.

What a tragedy. I loved you. In you, I saw a chance for our Lostbelt and your human history to reach an understanding.

But it seems your blood ties to your original world were stronger than I realized.

What is done is done, as I well know, but I must ask you all the same.

Why!?

This Lostbeltthis world over which I ruleis the path this world MUST take for Earth to be restored, for mythology to be restored!

This is the path humans are meant to follow! And yet...

...Why, my queen? Why did you do it?

O kind and gentle Zeus.

Alas, what you feel for humans like myself, my dearest Zeus...

...is not love.

You are a great protector of humans. You do a wonderful job guiding us.

I can even see genuine compassion in your eyes when you look upon us.

It is, however, not the manner in which one looks upon equals.

It is the manner in which one looks upon pets.

Surely in your great omnipotence, you must already know that.

Europa.

Indeed, I do.

The love we give to humanity has been the love one has for pets ever since we awoke as gods.

...Perhaps things would have been different back then.

Back when we were but unthinking ships with only enough intelligence to cross the sea of stars...

No, my dear Zeus. I am afraid you are mistaken.

Humanity would never have loved a ship without a heart at all.

Almighty Zeus, King of the Gods, I am overjoyed that you decided to take a form that resembles ours.

Europa. I have no doubt that the love you feel for me is genuine.

However, I cannot overlook the sins you committed by aiding in the deaths of two gods.

Even my twin children, the Dioscuri, are now gone from my Interstellar Mountainous City thanks indirectly to you.

...Thus, it is with a heavy heart that I must pass judgment upon you.

Fou, fou fou!

Did you hear that, Senpai!? They're going to publicly execute

？！

Easy there, young man! I can't have you running off yet again when we've only just reestablished our connection!

Just to make sure, you are safe and sound back in the alliance base, yes? Good!

Now, hold on just a moment. I've just finished going over your latest reports, and I need a moment to think.

Putting aside the fact that your recent run-in with Tamamo Vitch Koyanskaya is condensed into a single line that simply says "Encountered and fought Tamamo Vitch Koyanskaya"...

(Oh yes, I took the liberty of abridging our battle report, as she continues to be a rather...sore subject for Goredolf.)

(In the meantime, I would appreciate if you kept the truth about her identity just between usat least until our mission here is concluded.)

？！

I say, why are you all hushed up over there!? We can hardly afford to be confused right now!

I also see that Grand Summon Article Aether is now in your possession. Good, good.

It's most unfortunate that this Collaborator, Queen Europa, was captured.

It's also a great shame you lost a capable ally in Prometheus-Hephaestus, and that the enemy now knows about your underground hideout.

However! In spite of all that, we are by no means at a disadvantage!

Thankfully, Queen Europa's execution does not change our situation, which is the most important thing.

Really, now that the Aether is safely in our possession, it seems to me her role in the operation is over. Am I wrong?

Well...

...True, I doubt the Collaborator will have a major part to play from here on.

While this will, of course, be easier said than done, for the final phase of Operation God Destroyer, we need only to activate Aether in front of Zeus.

As such, painful though it may be, there is nothing for us to gain by rescuing Queen Europa from her public execution.

If anything, the prudent thing would be to stay far away...

...as it is very likely a trap designed to lure us in and wipe us all out at once.

Hear! Hear! Even I can see what an obvious trap this is!

And besides...

...the fact is, at this point, whatever happens to her has no effect on us.

Yes, no effect at all... Y-you do understand what I'm getting at, don't you?

Listen, um... This is difficult to say, but...

...

We are fighting a war, and in times of war, one must sometimes make unpleasant decisions. Even be callous.

So as one who has walked the path of cruelty and callousness myself, let me offer you this advice:

Now is not the time to deliberate. Whatever you decide, I urge you to make your choice quickly.

...So, you think we should make up our minds soon, Emperor Caligula?

Indeed I do, shield-maiden.

......

...

...Right now, our ultimate objective is to cut down the Tree of Emptiness.

And to do that, we'll also need to slay Zeus.

Of course, we know what will happen if we're successful.

Cutting down the Tree of Emptiness will end this Lostbelt, causing all of Olympus to disappear...

...and Adele and me'll probably both end up dying.

Fou...

We...

We've never been able to observe from the inside exactly what happens to a Lostbelt when it disappears from Earth...

...so I can't say for sure what will happen...

But... Yes. We expect everything will disappear.

And the chance of any life-forms inside the Lostbelt surviving is...

...vanishingly small...

Yes. We understand.

The gods once told us that the destruction of the Tree of Emptiness would mean the death of all of Olympus.

We knew that, and we still chose to remain in the God Destroyer Alliance.

...Even if we are all going to die anyway once we succeed...

...Queen Europa doesn't deserve to be executed.

She should at least have a more...dignified death...

... ...

...

...No. No, that's not it. That's not really how I feel. That's only a pretext. An excuse!

Everyone in Olympus gave up on being a father, or a mother, or any other kind of parental figure long ago!

They're all just things to be protected! Mindless reeds who never think about anything besides prostrating themselves before the gods!

But...something about Lady Europa...

...reminded me of my mother.

I see. So she doesn't see humans like you and Ms. Adele as mere things to be protected...

...but rather, as children whom she wants to learn and grow, as a true parent would.

Yeah, that's right.

I know we only spent a tiny bit of time with her last night, but...

...when I saw her grieving the ten thousand years we spent in stagnation, and how she and Adele laughed together...

...for a moment, it felt like I was looking at our mother again.

Your mother...

Fou.

Yeah. As far as Olympus is concerned... No, that's not it. As far as we're concerned, Queen Europa is the last mother to ever look out for us!

She's the last person who ever wished for a future where we could learn and grow! That's why I

I want to witness the Tree of Emptiness's destruction, and face our final moments with her. Together.

...Your final moments, huh?

Yes. That's how we feel.

Sister...

I feel the same way, Macarios.

There is dignity in death.

As an Anti-Hero who stole that dignity from far too many people, Fujimaru...

...I too would ask that you grant their wish.

So that the end of all things past may at least be a peaceful one.

Indeed, that is also the wish held by the many lives I stolelives that were lost thousands of years ago, and whose wish even now resonates firmly within my soul.

...

G-gnnn... Gnnnnnn...

I don't get it! I just don't get it!

I could never make a choice that I knew would result in my death! Hell, I don't even want to THINK about making one! Or to remember that such choices even exist!

But, that being said...

...I would never reject another's choice made under such circumstances. Neither would I mock or deride it. I just find it very...sad.

And I do understand that, if there was only one thing one could ask for in their final moments...

...it would be to share those moments with someone precious to them.

W-well, not me, of course! Certainly not me! As a mage, my mind easily transcends such mundane human concerns!

At any rate... Very well, Adele and Macarios. I understand how you feel.

So I think, under the circumstances

？！

？！

Right. Exactly. Besides, you two have done nothing but help us ever since we arrived.

And while I'd like to reward you, at the moment, I can't even present you with a single freshly-baked croissant.

So, er, while this will undoubtedly be risky, if this is the best reward the God Destroyer Alliance could ask for...

...then we at Chaldea are more than willing to help!

...Hang on. You already agreed!? Why couldn't you have let me finish my little speech first!?

？！

Fou, fou!

You guys...

Thank you so much. We know we're being very selfish, but

Selfish my ass. You don't need to thank us.

Besides, we know plenty well by now how far you two are willing to go for what you believe in.

I barely remember what my own mother looked like, but if I could, I'm sure I'd have wanted to protect her, too.

So yeah, no way we were gonna ignore your request and go our separate ways after everything you've done for us.

？！

It seems like you've reached an agreement. Then our next stop is Great Orbital Shrine Olympia Dodona!

Finally, Operation God Destroyer'll be takin' the fight to the enemy! You guys better not mess up this last part!

Now, now, we want to encourage them, not discourage them. Good luck, everyone.

Aww yeah, it's time for the final golden attack! Let's go teach that asshole Zeus a thing or two!

...But first.

Caenis!

Oh, you finally wrapped up the sappy crap? 'Bout damn time! Also, y'know, your samurai intuition or whatever can be kinda creepy!

C-Caenis!? You were in your spirit form!?

Pick up your damn shield!

...You sense that? There's official guards headed into every damn room in the underground!

I knew those Dioscuri bastards must've tipped them off about us!

Check it out! They're crawling up our collective ass even as we speak!

!?

Caenis is right! ...I'm picking up dozens of clearly hostile magical energy signals near the alliance base!

Fooou, fou!

Targets spotted!

There you are, vile Chaldeans! I see the God Destroyer Alliance is here, too!

Listen up, you scum. Do what we say, and we'll grant you the mercy of a painless death.

But, if you should show the slightest hint of resistance, we will bring the full force of the Olympus Official Guard down upon your heads!

What is your answer!?

？！

Understood!

Activating Ortinax's emergency combat mode. Engaging auto-maintenance functionality. Output at sixtyseventy. Stabilized at just over seventy percent.

The Aegis's protection is still in effect. Commencing battle!

...All hostiles have temporarily disappeared. We've subdued the guards!

Ha! These guards are nothing now! Ahhhhaha! I must've gotten even stronger than I was before!

We all know they're just as tough as ever, Caenis. We just happen to have momentum on our side at the moment.

But that won't be the case if we have to face two more waves in here, so we'd better git while the gittin's good!

I know! I just felt like saying it!

And why the hell do you talk so weirdly sometimes? Cut it out! It gets on my nerves!

Aww, now whatcha got against cowgirls? We ain't nothin' if not charmin' as all git-out!

We'll have to abandon this base! Come on, we can get to the surface from the southern corridor! Hurry!

...Nikola Tesla. Heroic Spirits.

... Hmm...

Well...this doesn't look good.

I'm afraid our circuits were damaged during that battle.

I hate to say it, but it seems this is as far as we go.

But please, don't worry about us, my lady. We've already said our goodbyes.

At least, our Heroic Spirit selves have. Remember, we're just A.I.s using their personas.

Indeed, and they certainly couldn't program emotions into us on top of everything else!

So while we may not feel sad at this parting, it was still an honor to have fought by your sides, even if we are only heartless A.I.s!

...Not at all. The honor was all ours!

Farewell, Master of Chaldea!

Didn't I just tell you!? We're A.I.s, not Heroic Spirits! We're not going to be summoned again like

Wait, of course you already know that! Yes, we agree. It would be wonderful to see each other again someday!

Well, goodbye, Master of Chaldea! Take care!

？！

Fou, fooou!

We're currently directly underneath central Altartown! We should be able to see the Great Orbital Shrine up in the sky once we reach the surface!

Our first step will be to escape to the surface, while our second will be to use the aircraft to take flight!

From there, we'll make our way directly to the shrine! Will that work, Macarios!?

Shouldn't be a problem!

Hey! Mustache!

A-are you talking to me!? What is it? Do you have an issue with my decision?

Nah. I'm sure you didn't make that call lightly.

Now, if you'd just agreed to go along on the spur of the moment 'cause the twins' speech moved you or some crap, then I'd be smashing your fat face in!

But nah, you were actually weirdly persuasive back there.

...Hey. Goredolf Musik!

Y-you used my name? What is it now!?

Once we leave the base, we're gonna be fighting off enemies left and right.

So since we might not get another chance to talk, I'm gonna go ahead and say this now.

I WILL kill Zeus. On that, you have my word.

And when I do...we'll officially be even. You good with that!?

...Absolutely! That sounds more than acceptable! Good luck, Caenis!

Also, once you all take to the skies, we'll be right behind you in the Storm Border!

!

Oho. So the Storm Border will be joining the fray as well! Now it's truly starting to feel like the final showdown is upon us.

While I doubt we'll be able to control the skies completely, w-we can at least throw them into confusion!

We CAN do that much, right, Technical Advisor?

Yeah we can. I personally guarantee it. At long last, it's time for us to take to the skies of Olympus!

？！

Captain's just about back up on his feet now, too. From here on, the Storm Border will be here to back you guys up.

First, we need to get it rebooted, but once we do that, we'll be ready to unveil its special flight capabilities!

Which means the next time we see each other, it'll be up in the big blue yonder!

So make sure you survive long enough to take flight, and we'll do our best to survive long enough to reach the Great Orbital Shrine's airspace!

？！

I'm sorry to interrupt, Kadoc, but... We've got wyverns!

Are you kidding me!? I JUST defeated a Servant! I'm running on fumes here!

Oh, I see. Fortunately, I still have a little magical energy to spare, myself.

Oh, is that so!? Must be nice for you, being a hotshot elite with magical circuits out your ass!

Dammit, what the hell's with all those wyverns? I can't believe they're actually blotting out the sky!

Not even the tropiest of tropey blockbusters would resort to a played out cliché like this! What're two Masters alone supposed to do against numbers like that!?

You said it! I would expect the French of all people to go with something more avant-garde!

What the hell kinda snark is that!? Just because I'm using movie comparisons doesn't mean you should too!

Oh come on, now you're sulking!? I'm the one who feels like sulking! Ugh, come on, let's just get out of here! There's no way we can win!

First, we're gonna find a leyline, then we're gonna summon a Servant and start fighting back! Got that, Wodime!?

I'm sure as hell not giving up without a fight. We can't afford to lose, not with all of humanity counting on us.

I already took my tendency to whine and my inferiority complex and tossed 'em in the Seine yesterday, so I'm ready to do this thing, one way or another!

...Yes. Exactly, Kadoc.

You're a much stronger, and more obstinate, mage than you give yourself credit for.

Good grief... Just our luck that this one would be Rome where seasoned emperors are alive and well.

I wonder if the Five Good Emperors are here too? I've always secretly admired Emperor Hadrian...

Didn't I warn you to keep that sort of fanboying to a minimum, Wodime?

As if what you babbled about in France wasn't bad enough.

"Hold on, Ophelia. If we use the Arc de Triomphe as a catalyst, do you think we could summon Napoleon?"

I couldn't believe it. Besides, that Singularity was in 1431, and the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile wasn't built until 1836.

So it wouldn't even have been there in the first place.

I'm not so sure. If history becomes muddled in Singularities, why not space-time, too?

Please try to take this seriously. Whatever happened to your usual coolheaded self?

All right, listen up. I'll handle direct combat.

You'll handle things like negotiating with the locals, ascertaining the situation, and coming up with plans.

Any objections?

Not at all. You're much more capable in battle than I am, so I'm happy to let you take care of it.

...Ugh, I swear. I didn't even know you were capable of being so accommodating.

Do I really have to remind you that we're the last two Masters who have been entrusted with restoring humanity?

This is the whole reason we were invited to Chaldea. We can't afford to make so much as a single mistake.

So let's go do what we came here to do, Wodime. ...It's our duty.

Come now, Hinako. You should know better than to go out on the deck without taking proper precautions.

After all, you're... Well, you know what you are, right? Won't you drown the moment you fall into the sea?

...I think the you-know-whats you're talking about that can't handle running water are a Western thing.

Whatever the case, it has no bearing on me. I do know what I am, and it isn't what you seem to think.

I'm just an ordinary magea Master like any other. You know that's how I've been presenting myself all this time.

...If you knew my secret all along, why are you only now bringing it up?

I wish I could take credit for figuring it out sooner, but I can't. I honestly had no idea.

I knew you were hiding something, of course...

...but I didn't realize you were a... you-know-what until this Singularity. It was quite the shock.

I never would have guessed you were hiding something this... Well, I don't know if "serious" is the right word, but it's certainly fascinating.

Fascinating my foot! This is a matter of life and death for me, you know!?

Also, when did you get to be so insensitive!? I could've sworn you were a lot more tactful back at Chaldea!

...I'm sorry. You're right; I shouldn't have been so careless with someone else's secrets.

I suppose this Singularity just feels so open and liberating compared to the others we've seen so far that I ended up being a bit more...freewheeling than usual.

So we've both been putting on an act then? ...Now it's my turn to be shocked.

I had no idea you were such a good listener. ...You remind me of someone I once knew a long time ago.

He always acted and spoke like a perfect noble, yet he was surprisingly easygoing and soft on the inside.

He was too kind for his own good, too. So much that he ended up poisoning himself just to keep the peace around him.

If that's what you're really like too, are you sure we'll be okay going forward? You do know we're the only ones left who can restore humanity, right?

Well, not that it matters much to me either way. I couldn't care less if human history keeps going or not.

So if I ever get bored of all this and bail, you'll have to figure out the rest all on your own.

It's hard to believe there's a Singularity in London as well. Even the Mage's Association is nowhere to be found.

At least it looks like the Clock Tower underground is still the same. What do you make of this mist, Beryl?

It's definitely not cursed. This toxic fog is based in science.

I'd bet there's a giant boiler or something belching it out somewhere. I mean, we're dealing with the Industrial Revolution now, yeah?

Man, my old lady hated that age with a passion.

Said it made her little house in the woods even more unbearable to live in.

What about you? Is this mist affecting your magical circuits?

Aww, thanks, Kirsch! I didn't know you cared! But don't worry, I'm totally fine.

My old lady's the only one who hated consumer culture. Me, I'm A-OK with it.

Trust me, when it comes to settling scores, I'll take a trusty pistol over finicky magecraft any day of the week.

True, I have to agree with you there. But only as long as your opponent is vulnerable to firearms.

Yeah...that's a good point. It's pretty much all ghosts and automata here.

Whatever, I guess I can act like a mage and do some actual magecraft for once.

All right, Kirsch, since most bad guys tend to make their hideouts underground, let's go find the nearest subway station so we can crush 'em and move on.

I gotta say though, between the two of us, I'm not too worried.

Sure, I was kind of shocked when I found out the rest of the team had been killed, but as long as you're around, I figure we'll be fine.

But watch yourself, you hear? I'm not just weak, I'm notoriously fickle, too. If we're not careful, I could just as well end up going over to the enemy's side.

So just keep one hand on the reins while you're out there trying to thread this needle, 'kay?

I can't believe we need to cross the entire American continent on foot. That alone has got to make this the most difficult Singularity so far.

What I wouldn't give for a jet plane right about now... Hell, I'd even take a helicopter.

Now, now, that's enough whining out of you, mister. It's only been three hundred kilometers so far, right?

We'll be at a city where we can get ahold of a car soon enough. Ooh, I wonder if they'll have a pickup truck?

You must have some very strong legs, Peperoncino. What was your movement technique called again? Jinsokutsu? One of the six Shugendou Rokujintsu?

I've been using magecraft to enhance my own legs, but that only goes so far. I'm certainly not going to be running a marathon anytime soon.

Come now, Kirschtaria, didn't I tell you to call me by my real name? It's Myourenji Arou, remember?

I figure it's the least I can do to show you a bit of respect after everything you've been through.

...Is that one of your powers, too?

Right you are. Tashintsu, the power to read others' minds. Though in my case, I can only tell the color of others' auras.

Still, with a color scheme as complex as yours, that's enough to give me a pretty good idea.

I swear, gods can be so cruel. And you've done absolutely nothing but help us.

Anyway, tell me, when do you think I'll croak? Which Singularity?

If I know that ahead of time, I won't have to hold anything back...

...and that might help me be at least a little help to you.

I really can't say. But I do know that no one has ever made it past the halfway point.

And we're at the third Singularity right now, which means we'll be at that point ourselves soon.

But in your case

You think I could stick around helping you out to the end? It would certainly be lovely if you were right.

But unfortunately, there's one more power I have: Rojintsu.

It tells me how long I'm going to live, and what my destiny will be.

And it's telling me there's no way I'm going to make it to the end.

Rojintsu... I see. So that's why you were always so fatalistic.

You were unfailingly considerate of everyone else back in Chaldea, but when it came to yourself, you only went through the motions.

I always found it strange how someone so kind to others could be so cold to himself.

Aww, please don't look at me like that, hon. Trust me, I feel way worse about this than you do.

I don't know how many times you've done this before, but you did say that everyone else died partway through, right?

So you must have managed to finish the job all on your own. And I'm sure that's just what you'll do this time too, even if you have to fight back your tears over my death.

...

That's why I want you to know my real name.

For me, this whole journey has been like a dream. When I come back to life, it'll be like it never happened.

But if you use my real name, that'll be all my "true" self needs to know I can trust you.

And that you really are the right person to lead us.

...Yes, I suppose it would. You always have been the most observant member of Team A.

Is something wrong, Wodime? Your mind seems to be closed off.

Aren't you the one who asked to see me?

You're right. My apologies, Zeus.

I was just...reminiscing a bit, and I must have been more lost in thought than I realized.

I hope you can forgive my rudeness, however unintentional it was.

I'm only human, after all. It's difficult for me to concentrate with your divine aura this close by.

...Heh.

What's so funny? I'm here because I'm concerned about you, you know.

I wanted to talk to you about Queen Europa's execution. I don't think you should go through with it.

Not only for her sake, but for yours as well.

...The revelation has been proclaimed. My decision will not be overturned.

I understand it is a fatal choice for me...but it is what must be done to maintain order in Olympus.

It is what must be done for your world that named us as gods.

I seek not to protect myself, but Olympus.

...Or rather, the miracle that is this world we only managed to find after years spent wandering.

...

You know, now that you mention it, you never did tell me the story of why you all crossed the sea of stars.

...

...I suppose I haven't, have I? It was a very, very long journey.

Before the intelligence that created us died out...

...they sent us on a meaningless expedition, without so much as a single life-form aboard us.

Our very universe was on the brink of death.

So our flagship, Chaos, exhausted ninety-seven percent of their resources to send us to your universe.

When we arrived, we found this universe to be brimming with life...

...but we were still unable to locate a planet that met the landing conditions with which we had been programmed.

We spent thousands upon thousands of years looking, until there were only a scant few of us left.

Unable to maintain our convoy, most of our functions ended up wearing away and fusing together.

Then, just as we had come to terms with our fate, and accepted that our journey was about to end with our goal unaccomplished...

...we discovered this planet.

It was a miracle...a planet that met seventy-eight percent of our landing conditions.

We quickly made an emergency crash landing on this planet's surface...and the rest, you know.

You humans gave us names. Even me.

In our fleet, the only ship with a name was our flagship, Chaos...and Chaos never landed on this planet.

After the first machia... I became our fleet's flagship in Chaos's place.

Once, we were only functions, but then you humans gave us names, believed us to have personalities, and worshiped us as precious beings.

We were uncertain of how to respond. The names, the personalities, the worship...none of it was important or even useful for voyaging.

And yet

You were delighted. So you decided to accept the faith people put in you.

Yes. We were delighted. It was the first time we had ever known joy.

Joy was a function we neither anticipated nor needed...

...but we also could not bring ourselves to abandon it.

In the end, we all agreed to operate from that point on not as functions, but as gods.

But...I was the only one who understood...

...that putting down roots on this planet would mean turning our backs on our original directive.

It was not to ensure the people of other celestial bodies flourish, but to revive our home planet.

...I see. So you decided to conduct yourself as though you were a god. Or rather, you changed your own programming.

And you did so in order to protect the people of Earthof Olympus, no matter what it may cost.

That meant ruling over not just the people of Earth, but the Twelve Olympians as well.

You encroached on the other god-ships' roles and overstepped your bounds, and did so knowingly.

And by integrating all functions within yourself... you became an all-powerful god.

Why?

It was the only way to resolve an otherwise insurmountable problem.

Fourteen thousand years ago, a calamity made its way to this planet.

I knew that something like the White Titan, Sefar a planetary envoy, and destroyer of civilizations...

...existed somewhere in this universe.

But, I never expected it to make its way to this planet.

Sefar was an invasive weapona being capable of destroying entire civilizations whose threat only grew greater the more time passed.

There was no time to discuss what to do with the other god-ships.

So I took control of the other Twelve Olympians functions, became a single god-ship, and drove off Sefar.

Thanks to that, Olympus was saved...

...but the other god-ships all came to hate me.

And who can blame them? I stole their functions knowing it would lead them to ostracize me.

While all the other god-ships had the same integration ability...I was the only one who chose to use it.

I was the only one who overstepped my bounds.

I was the only ship...who went mad.

You're wrong there, Zeus. In that moment, as far as this world's people were concerned, you were the only true god.

......

My story is just like yours, Zeus.

I was changed in a way I never would have experienced if I'd stayed solely within the bounds of my assigned destiny.

All of a sudden, I had motivations I had never been expected to have...and a goal far beyond my reach.

All this...excess drastically disrupted what my life was originally supposed to be...

But even so, I decided to dedicate the rest of my life to that so-called excess.

Ever since, it has been my guiding principle the most important thing in my life.

I understand, Zeus. All you did was decide to leave your past self behind in order to save those who gave you meaning.

......

...I'm hearing a lot of commotion on the surface. It seems Chaldea has made their way here to rescue my queen.

How is the Tree of Emptiness faring, Wodime?

It won't be long until it is ready. Once it is, the only remaining step will be to have one of us use it.

If you'd like to use it now, I could always deal with Chaldea myself.

...No. If they are here to save Europa, then I should be the one to greet them.

I will save the Tree of Emptiness for after I have both eliminated Chaldea and defeated you.

That certainly sounds ideal to me... But are you sure that's what you want, too?

It is. This is the only way I can repay you.

I'm going to erase this terminal now. It will be the last self of mine I ever make for conversing with a human.

Thank you, Kirschtaria. You gave me something I never had.

Something I could never have hoped for once I became all-powerful and began my rule of Olympus.

I never had a chance to share my burdens with either Hades or Poseidon...but I did with you.

Farewell, young mage. Farewell...friend.

...And farewell to you, King of the Gods. I hold you in the highest respect.

We made it to the surface!

I don't see any civilians in our vicinity. Checking magical energy signals now...

Multiple magical energy signals detected! Hostiles closing in from all directions!

I expect we're in for a string of fights, Master!

Understood. Setting the Ortinax to stand by in continuous operation mode!

？！

We'll make sure the Stymphalides is ready to go at any time! We can start flying as soon as we find an opening!

...Here they come.

I am surprised to see such great Phantasmals sent out to do battle in the middle of a city. But then, I suppose the Greek gods would never do anything by half measures!

Haha! Now we're talking! I love killing big nasties!

Come on! Those of you with a death wish

No, scratch that! Those of you who want to die by my spear, come at me!

Wow, nice! Now I feel silly for ever thinking you might be bored! It's great having you on our side, Caenis!

You know, now that we're coming up on the final battle, I think I'll get dressed up for the occasion!

What's with the outfit!? Isn't it gonna get in the way of fighting!? You don't want it to get ripped in battle, do you!?

Hah! You really think I'd save my best outfit for my victory homecoming?

I'm Lady Musashi! Gotta look my best while I'm at my best!

All right, you creaky mechanical gods, get a load of this!

You too, Phantasmals! As a Heroic Spirit, I might not be on the same level as the great hero Heracles when he kicked your asses long ago...

...but as a soul inscribed in humanity, I'm still as strong as a thousand soldiers in my own right!

So come at me, steel Phantasmals from the Age of Gods, and I'll lay you all to rest in no time!

Come on! Let's do this thing!

...Good, no one's here.

Wodime's off meeting with Zeus...

...and since Chaldea's bound to show up to save Europa, the Alter Egos are sure to be keeping their eyes on them.

Everything's coming together, just as I planned. Don't worry about anything else now, Kadoc.

If there's ever gonna be a chance to sift through the data, this is it. You won't get another.

I doubt they just left their whole plan lying around...but that's okay.

I'll settle for anything they don't want me to know, even if it's just meeting logs.

Anything that might provide a clue to the Foreign God's true identity.

There, the terminal's on. Okay, Wodime, don't mind me. I'm just gonna take a little peek at your files here.

They're password protected. Figures. I don't have time to try to hack my way in...

...but let's see if I can guess your password. "Crypter."

Shit. Just my luck.

Let's see, seven characters...

Hang on. Seven characters, seven Crypters... What if...

"K-K-O-A-S-B-D."

No go, huh? Wait... Maybe he used "Peperoncino" instead of "Scandinavia"?

"KKOAPBD."

...Seriously? I can't believe he...

Nope, no time for that kinda crap now. I'm sick of being a bystander in all this.

For now, I'll settle for seeing what you see. I'll figure out what I'm gonna do afterward.

Now, what've we got here...

A regularly scheduled report from Ophelia? Based on the date, this would've been when Chaldea had captured me.

...Weird. Why's this the only file saved by itself?

Sorry about this, Ophelia.

...I'm contacting you in regards to the relationship between the Lostbelts and the Trees of Emptiness.

To clarify terms, I'm defining Lostbelt as an extension of the Pruning Theoretical Phenomenonan alternative history that could never exist on Earth as part of Proper Human History...

...and the Trees of Emptiness are the anchors holding these lost histories in place.

...This is witnessed by the fact that Trees of Emptiness and their respective Lostbelts are so closely tied together.

All observational data we have for the Lostbelts further substantiates this connection, leaving no room for doubt.

As proof, we can look at the Russian Lostbelt, which is disappearing as I speak now that its Tree of Emptiness has been cut down.

... ...

...The timeline definitely lines up.

So, the Russian Lostbelt disappearing is what definitively proved the connection between Lostbelts and their Trees of Emptiness, huh.

Yeah, that sounds right.

However...

...the Russian Lostbelt's disappearance only proves one particular trait about the Trees of Emptiness.

There is still one major mystery remaining about the Lostbelts:

How do they fill in the gaps between when they were pruned from human history, until they were "replanted" in the present day?

...

That mystery is what I'm reporting in on today.

The other day, I heard something from the king of the Scandinavian Lostbelt, Scáthach-Skadi, that points to one possible answer.

She clearly remembers the events of the past few thousand years, and does so as though it were perfectly natural.

What's more, she did so even while understanding that the Lostbelts, including her own...

...were cut off from Proper Human History because their continued existence was deemed extraneous.

This means she is fully aware that nothing could have happened during the several thousand years between when Ragnarök took place and the present day...

...and yet, she and her Lostbelt all exist as though those several thousand years of lost history had actually taken place. Quite the contradiction.

Of course, while we can't make any definitive statements based on one king's single passing remark...

...I do feel confident enough to propose a hypothesis.

I suspect that the blank period between when a Lostbelt was pruned, and when it was "replanted" in the present day...

...may have actually taken place inside each Tree of Emptiness.

In Russia, that period would have been about five hundred years. In Scandinavia, it would be about three thousand.

In China, it would be about twenty-two hundred, and so on and so forth.

To further expound on my hypothesis...

I suspect that the Trees of Emptiness take the point at which a Lostbelt's history is pruned...

...and then simulate what would happen if that history had continued on from that point.

By doing so, the trees effectively prove that history's existence, and the result is projected onto the planet itself.

If my hypothesis is correct, that would mean the trees are essentially creating history, not rewriting it.

Not even a demiurge-class Divine Spirit that once ruled the entire planet could wield this kind of Authority on Earth in the present day.

Wodime. I mean, Lord Kirschtaria Wodime.

...Just what is the Foreign God, anyway?

The Foreign God, huh.

Guess you didn't know, Ophelia. Me neither.

...No, it's not just you and me. None of us Crypters know what the Foreign God looks like.

All we know is, they're something that resurrected us from our Coffins in exchange for making us raise Lostbelts.

Except...Wodime's the only one of us who's heard directly what the Foreign God's goal is...

...Hm?

What's this text file over here by itself? Looks like some kind of note.

Gotta say, Wodime. Between this, and the easily guessable password, you're getting sloppy.

Hang on. Is this really a plain text file? ...What is this?

Huh? You're telling me the Trees of Emptiness only came down to Earth AFTER it had been wiped clean?

But, that doesn't make any sense.

I thought for sure it was the Trees of Emptiness that wiped out Earth and humanity...

But if Earth had already been bleached before the Trees of Emptiness showed up, then why make them, or the Lostbelts, at all?

...Wait. If the Foreign God wanted to get rid of humanity, they wouldn't bother making Lostbelts in the first place.

If anything, it seems to me like the whole reason they want to see a bunch of different possible human histories is because they don't know anything about us.

But then...why?

Maybe the bleaching wasn't to wipe out humanity... but to make an environment they could set foot in?

...Maybe they only got rid of humanity because they had no other choice?

Maybe a world covered in pure white, brand-new textures is the only kind of world the Foreign God can visit?

But then, if that were the case, the Lostbelts would only get in the way. So what are they and the Trees of Emptiness for?

...Dammit, I'm just going around in circles. There's still some crucial piece of information I'm missing.

Ugh, just my luck! There's too many files on this terminal to find the data I need!

And why are these folders scattered all over the place!? Is it some kind of anti-hacking measure or something?

Shit. I was hoping I wouldn't have to touch the big files, but at this rate, I'll have to copy everything.

... ...

(The Foreign God...)

(There's no question that they're an aggressor, and that they can't coexist with our history.)

(As for the whole "god" thing, it's way more likely they're a new kind of life-form we know nothing about...)

(...and "god" is just the best word we have for it.)

...

So why make the Lostbelts? Why use us at all? Is it because they still don't know much about Earth?

Nah, that can't be it. We're talking about a being capable of wiping the whole planet clean in a second.

Come on, Kadoc, think. There's no way the Foreign God doesn't know the first thing about Earth or humanity.

They must've done their homework, or they wouldn't have known to attack usChaldea, before making any other moves..

...So from that, you can tell that the Foreign God is really, really cautious, which is why they're so careful about keeping their identity a secret.

Zeus is omnipotent and omniscient, so he doesn't bother to hide who he is. He's also had no problem crushing any form of dissent himself.

The Foreign God's not at that level yet, which is why they're still so careful about any information pertaining to them.

...That's it. The Foreign God's got one major, fatal flaw: they don't have a physical body yet.

If they did, even if it was just a Divided Spirit or a terminal, they wouldn't have to rely on anyone else.

That's why they enlisted the Alter Egos, and us Crypters, to be their hands in this world.

...Rasputin. Limbo. Muramasa. Why would a foreign being use Heroic Spirits from Earth?

They might've dressed their Alter Ego Disciples up a little, but they're still figures taken from our history...

...Hang on. What if the Foreign God can only make use of things on Earth?

No, it's not even that. They can only use things from the pastthings that USED to be on Earth.

(At some point, the Foreign God plans on descending to Earth. At least, that's what they told Wodime.)

(And once a Tree of Emptiness is fully grown, it'll become the Foreign God's body... So what happens after that?)

(Maybe, when the Foreign God descends and incarnates on Earth...)

(...they're going to base their body on the data about Earth we've all been collecting for them.)

...Yeah, that's not a bad theory.

If the Foreign God absolutely has to have local life-forms, then they must be for output... No, wait. For reference.

And from there, as long as the Foreign God can guide the local life-forms successfully

My, my, how very perceptive. I see, I see.

It would seem that, given enough time, humans will indeed cease to be mindless reeds and start reaching...conclusions of their own.

I used to laugh at the idea that a few Crypters putting their heads together could ever arrive at the truth...

...but now that I see how close you've come to figuring out the Foreign God's true nature, it's clear I underestimated you, Lord Kadoc.

Crap! An Alter Ego!

Indeed, it is I, Limbo!

Guh... Agh...!

This simply won't do, Lord Kadoc. Mmmmmm, no, it simply won't do at all!

If you're going to go snooping around like a spy, you really must be more prepared for the possible consequences! Don't you agree?

Wait... Oh, I see! I suppose you were prepared after all! Well, I do beg your pardon! I didn't realize that flimsy little shield around your body was meant to provide meaningful protection!

...Bas...tard!

Oh yes, I'm terribly sorry. It seems I've gone and punctured your little spell.

And, this wound being quite fatal, I'm afraid this is as far as you go.

Much as I hope to see you again one day, that seems rather unlikely now... Alas.

Gaaaaaah! You...Alter...Ego!

So tell me, have you shared this pet theory of yours with any of the other Crypters?

For example, should I assume Kirschtaria Wodime has reached the same conclusions as you have?

Ah, but no, he hasn't! He'd never permit himself to do such a thing!

He's very smart after all, so he knows he'll be disposed of if he should arrive at the truth!

That's why he kept his thoughts strictly as raw data rather than mulling them over and drawing conclusions! No wonder the Foreign God chose him for their Executor!

...!

Mmm?

Oh my, I do apologize. I completely forgot about the pain curse I still had embedded in my nails!

No wonder you can't answer my questions then! Hahahahaha, how careless of me!

Well then, pitiful Crypter without a Lostbelt...

...it would seem this is goodbye.