I Am the Thunder that Smites Stars (II)

...Rather a lot of noise down below. It seems Chaldea et al. have come to save the queen after all.

Even so, I doubt this is a matter of mercy or affection. They are still set on cutting down the Tree of Emptiness.

I'm sure this is just something of a pit stop along their way to the tree. Don't you agree...

...Kadoc Zemlupus?

... ...

...Guh! Urk... (Huff... Gasp...)

...Y-yeah. You're probably right.

I wouldn't try to talk if I were you. With a wound that deep, anything you say may end up being your last words.

Well, I suppose it was I who asked the question, wasn't it? I do apologize.

Ghh... (Gasp)... It's fine... Don't worry about it...

At least, I managed...to close the wound...

Good. I'm glad to hear it. Then from here on, I suppose it all just comes down to how lucky you are.

... ...Hah. Good one.

Aren't you going...to kill me...?

No, I'm not.

As one of the Servants summoned by the Foreign God, I have indeed been ordered to supervise the Crypters...

...but my orders really only apply to one, singular Crypter: Kirschtaria.

So, regardless of what ideas you consider, or what sort of antics you get up to, you'll never be eligible for purging.

Ha... Now you tell me. If I'd known that sooner... I wouldn't have snuck around so much.

... ...

...Hey. That thing you said earlier...

Hm?

About Chaldea...

You said...they're working with a samurai woman now...right?

Ah, you mean Miyamoto Musashi? I'm told she's highly abnormal, even for a Heroic Spirit.

Haha...

She was probably pretty abnormal as a human, too.

The only kinds of people who'd save someone from being executed just to let 'em die another way'd have to be either crazy, or samurai.

Maybe she's rubbing off on them...

Hmm.

...You know, Rasputin...

They say that samurai... don't fight, or die, for gods...

Instead...they risk their lives for duty... and loyalty...and stuff like that...

It might be...derived from Confucianism or something...but still...

A samurai, huh. That doesn't quite sound right.

From everything I've heard about her, Miyamoto Musashi is about the furthest thing from a samurai.

In fact, if anyone is rubbing off on anyone... I would guess it's Chaldea rubbing off on Musashi.

...That so...?

Honestly...I don't really know... what you're talking about...

All I know is...the way things are going... this place is gonna see...some serious action...

So what're you...gonna do...Rasputin?

Me...I'm...

So, your strength finally gave out, Kadoc Zemlupus. I'm not surprised, given how much blood you lost.

I'm impressed you were able to walk this far after Limbo tore that hole in you. It seems I misjudged your mental fortitude.

The pain alone from the wounds he inflicts is enough to drive lesser people to madness and then death.

How tragically touching.

Perhaps this is your Crypter pride at work? Your determination to not let Kirschtaria Wodime alone bear the world's burdens?

How very boyish of youalmost rebellious in your self-deprecation.

Now then...

While I do have to be present for an upcoming birth, I should have some time to spare before then.

...So I suppose now is as good a time as any to fulfill the promise I made to the Grand Duchess.

Hey, hey, there you are, Koyanskaya! I've been looking everywhere forWhup.

Is this a bad time? I've never seen you in such a foul mood before.

What's wrong? The mouse you were chasing end up biting your prize tail or something?

...Well now. I'm amazed you can be so droll to such an obviously grief-stricken woman.

You should reconsider your handsome playboy act, Lord Beryl. I'm really not in the mood for jokes right now.

Good, that works out nicely. I enjoy a nice round of banter as much as the next guy, but there's a time and a place for that kind of thing.

See, I don't know if you heard the fireworks outside, but now that they've started, it's pretty clear this Lostbelt isn't gonna last much longer.

Whether Lord Zeus crushes Chaldea, or Chaldea ends up crushing Lord Zeus, the winners are inevitably gonna end up fighting over the Tree of Emptiness.

In which case, it's only right I start getting serious myself, don't you think?

After all, you can't survive in this world if you don't stay on your toes, and I'm sure as shit not getting myself killed like Kadoc did.

...Kadoc's dead? Who killed him?

Aw come on, you've gotta ask? Limbo, obviously!

Guess he just couldn't shake his urge to rebel against Kirschtaria. Too bad he got taken out like a chump.

'Course, if he'd resigned himself to actually being a chump, I'd just've killed him myself.

Either way, Kadoc was on his way out the moment he came back from Russia with his tail between his legs. Poor little guy. You hate to see it.

...Yes, I suppose you're right. Beryl Gutwolven impurity.

You might have the others fooled, but not me. You're a natural born killer.

You don't have enemies or allies. You're just a mad dog, always hungry for his next kill.

Ouch. Judgmental much? What do you even know about me, anyway?

You kill people you find boring. You kill people who deserve to die...

...and you kill people whose deaths would be tragic. That's what gets you off.

...

And I have no interest in dealing with a brute like that. They make for terrible clientele.

I'm not going to bother asking what sort of prey you're looking for, so I suggest you relax and enjoy your time in this palace until it all falls to pieces.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to say my final goodbyes to Father Rasputin before

Aww, don't be like that, Koyanskaya. Besides, I really think you're gonna wanna hear what I have to say.

You're looking for monsters that were never part of Proper Human History, right? Well, I can lead you to one that's reeeally something.

Like, say, a creature that managed to fend off the Earth's bleaching, and still lives on today in the void path that stretches on to the inner sea of the planet.

One that goes by the name "Dragon of Albion"?

...What did you just say?

Now we're talking! I thought that might get your attention, Vitch! I knew you were just as much of a sicko as I am!

Honestly, all this talk about establishing a perfect Age of Gods is a little too big for my britches...

...so I thought I'd cut you in on something a little more...life-sized.

Don't worry, I'm not gonna call you a cowardly fox or anything. I know what you really are, after all.

So here's my proposal, Koyanskaya. I'll find you something you'll really like...

...if, in exchange...

...you get me out of this Lostbelt.

Olympian guards have joined the fray! And there are more hostile entities incoming!

Still...they're not the only force to be reckoned with!

That ought to take care of all the ones from the north! Adele! Macarios!

Connecting to remains of Prometheus-Hephaestus transmission network now! Linking spaces and transmitting matter! Prepare for instantaneous expansion!

All right! There's that spatial distortion!

Come forth, Stymphalides!

？！

Preparing Stymphalides for flight! Unfurling beam sail!

Releasing safeties! All artificial gravity systems are green.

Igniting reactor. Firing up the engine. All flight preparations complete! Macarios!

Let's go, Stymphalides Blackwing!

At this speed, we ought to reach the Great Orbital Shrine in well under a minute!

And we still have over an hour until noon! We're going to make it, Master!

Wait! Something's coming at us from the ground...

No, scratch that! It's more like ten...twenty somethings! Dammit, they just keep multiplying!

Shit! It's a bunch of autonomous weapons and Olympian soldiers using flight spells to catch up to us!

Ha! So they're lining themselves up nice and neat for us, huh? That works out perfectly!

I'm gonna blow 'em all away at once to get them back for all those times they slowed us down.

Hey, twins, heads up! I'm takin' over the aircraft!

Huh!?

I can tell from this thing's scent that it's chock-full of Athena's and Hephaestus's Klironomia!

So now, I'm gonna use 'em all the way up!

That's fine! If it'll let us shake off these pursuers, then please, be our guest!

Hell yeah!

All right, here goes! Poseidon Maelstrom!

...!?

Th-the enemies are gone! All pursuers have vanished!

Wha... The hell...!?

Why do YOU sound so shocked!?

I-I thought it was gonna take at least two or three shots... Well damn, I guess when I set out to do something, I don't screw around!

Hah! I knew I was in great condition! Come on, let's keep this up all the way to Zeus's domain!

While I do appreciate the sea-god's fury saving us, it seems it has done so at a significant cost.

Indeed. The aircraft appears to be out of control

...Dammit, I can't steer anymore! We're not gonna be able to make it to the altar!

Still...if nothing else, I'm gonna make damn sure we at least get to the orbital shrine! Rrraaaaaaaaah!

Well, it was nice being aloft while it lasted.

Oh no... We're about to crash-land in the Great Orbital Shrine's perimeter gardens!

Stay with me, Senpai! You too, Fou!

Foooooouuu!?