I Am the Thunder that Smites Stars (III)

Emergency landing in three...two...one...

Master! I'm going to release a simplified version of my Noble Phantasm!

...Are you all right, Senpai!?

Thank goodness... S-still, there's no need to thank me. All I did was use my Noble Phantasm!

No, I'm all right too. All my vitals check out fine.

？！

Oh great, you two are both okay! I'm so glad you weren't underneath any of this rubble!

Then again, you two have made it through a ton of battles I don't even know about...

...so yeah, no way a little fall would kill you. You know what they say! Any landing you walk away from is a good one!

Fou!

Oh, you're okay too, Fou! How wonderful!

Wonderful, my ass!

Shit, that was too close for comfort. Not that the great Caenis is gonna go out like some punk in a goddamn FALL.

Hey, twins! Sage! Emperor! You lot're all alive too, right!?

No problems here. As far as I am concerned, this may as well have been a walk in the park. Well, a garden, in this case.

I daresay I managed all right myself. Oh, do watch your footing there, Adele.

Thank you, Holmes. There we go...

...So nobody else dislocated their shoulder or anything like I did, huh? Well that's a relief.

!

Let me see that, Macarios. I've had some training in treating dislocated limbs.

Don't worry, it's already healed. We haven't been drinking ambrosia for the last ten thousand years for nothing.

Remember? We can't die, not even from falling or illness. Only the gods can kill us.

I'm just glad you guys are all okay, since you don't automatically heal yourselves.

I do.

...I wasn't talking to you.

Hah! That's funny! Didn't think you even had a sense or humor, always sulking every goddamn second. Moody shit.

Who asked you?

...Okay, so we're all here. Good.

The Stymphalides isn't gonna be much help anymore, so we're gonna leave it behind.

All that's left now is to keep moving forward. We should assume Zeus is hearing everything we say, so try not to talk too much.

Macarios and I will operate Aether. We'll make sure it goes off without a hitch. I promise.

So...in the meantime...

...can we ask you to ensure it's not destroyed before we can activate it?

That's right, Master.

The Aegis that Queen Europa and Prometheus-Hephaestus gave me...

...is still inside my shield.

I don't know how well it'll be able to withstand Zeus's thunderbolts...

...but regardless, we'll make sure to keep you two, and Aether, safe.

...Thank you.

？！

Worry not. The Grand Summon WILL take place.

I swear it upon my name, Caligula, third emperor of Rome, and upon that empire's timeless glory!

Rest assured...the light of your prayers will even reach the ends of Olympus.

...Thank you, Caligula.

...?

Hm?

Fou, fou fou!

Oh no you don't. Adele's too busy to play right now.

Just keep that fur ball stored away, all right? From here on out

Exactly.

？！

No human's ever seen the inside of the orbital shrine before, but we have a good idea of its layout thanks to a few myths we've heard about it.

This is probably the hanging garden that surrounds the shrine, which means the Machina Corridor shouldn't be far from here.

Fooou...

Machina Corridor?

It's just as its name suggests. It's a corridor of the gods big enough for even their massive mechanical bodies to traverse it.

And according to myth...the corridor ends at the great shrine where almighty Zeus resides.

？！

？！

...Right, Senpai!

Please hold on tight to me, Master!

I'm going to try to get there as quickly as possible!

If we're going to reach the great altar soon

Then a Heroic Spirit's legs are the fastest way to get there!

I'm sure Fujimaru's used to this sort of thing by now, but I hope you two are handling it okay, too!

Relax, I ain't gonna drop him! Just make sure you don't touch the spear, you damn brat!

Brat!? I'm over ten thousand years old! I'm way older than you are!

Yeah, yeah, whatever you say.

I, um, I'm sorry about this, Holmes... Are you sure I'm not too heavy?

Hardly. A gentleman is honor bound to serve as a lady's escort. Besides, I assure you, you're light as a feather.

I-I see...

Hahaha! If you wish to be cradled in my arms, merely say the word, and I will let you experience an emperor's embrace all the way to the great altar!

Ooh, an emperor's embrace! That sounds like quite the treat!

Fooou...?

Now, now, settle down, Fou! Mash literally has her hands full with Fujimaru right now.

Fooou!

!

Wait! Stop! I'm picking up a large amount of magical energy nearby!

I was hoping we could get to our goal without any more interruptions...

...but I guess it's no surprise they weren't gonna make it easy for us.

Besides, I recognize this feeling, even if it isn't quite like any other kind of magical energy or Heroic Spirit aura.

Show yourself, scumbag!

I'd recognize that ominous stench of death and unrepentant evil anywhere!

Hahahahahahahahahaha. My, my, well done. Well done indeed.

No wonder you were able to reach the void, Swordswoman!

Believe it or not, I was casting a few stealth spells to stay out of sight, but apparently, you found me by my...stench, anyway. Hmm.

How strange. I didn't think I had done anything THAT evil.

Well...not in front of you, anyway. Mmmmmm, how very unusual!

？！

...Well now.

Someone's certainly learned how to be brave! I see, I see. So you're here to rescue the queen!

How very noble of you! Especially since you're still planning to squash her and this entire Lostbelt like bugs! Mmmmmm, what a most delightful joke!

Master of Chaldea! Heroic Spirits of humanity!

Please, enlighten me, if you would be so kind!

Why... Or rather, how long are you going to continue filling back in these holes you keep digging?

...!

？！

What you're doing now is no different from toppling a pile of stones you've just stacked yourselves.

While I have been doing my best to be a good jester for my god...

...I could never hope to compete with the sheer comedy of destroying lives that you yourselves saved!

I'm picking up a powerful magical energy signal! Be careful, Master!

Something's about to show itself up ahead!

It's...Cerberus, the Divine Beast! It's probably a lot like the ones we encountered in Atlantis!

...Here it comes!

Hraaaaaahhh!

Now to finish this! Baritsu!

Hm?

Well now. Well, well, well, well. How strange.

I'm quite sure I heard these things worked very well against you in Atlan

Oh, my...

？！

...No. It felt like I was cutting through paper.

I destroyed his body, but I didn't hit his Spirit Core. He must've been using a substitute body or something.

M-mm...

Mmm, mmmmmm, how unfortunate! It seems a shikigami is no longer a match for you!

But, be that is it may, I'm afraid this is as far as this little jest of mine goes today. Indeed.

...?

Oh, believe me, while I would love nothing more than to toy with you endlessly...

...the king of this Lostbelt is far more cautious and temperamental than the innocent one we saw last time!

Of course, I did try to kill him myself, but, as you can imagine, I'm afraid he was just too divine for me.

...I wonder how all of you will fare?

Needless to say, Zeus is the king of this Atlantic Lostbelta genuine omnipotent god!

I wonder, what will you do when faced with his overwhelmingly powerful thunderbolts!? Mmmmmm, I look forward to seeing you, as they say, do your worst!

Oh yes, I'll be enjoying the show from

Shut up already!

Guh!

...Ha, haha, hahahahaha! Yes, by all means, go ahead and do whatever you like to this shikigami body!

You can't truly hurt me! My life extension method is invincible!

Oh? Life extension, huh?

That's a very bold claim, Limbo.

!

But when you see the same trick over and overlike, say, a seemingly immortal Spirit Origin that keeps coming back to life no matter how many times you kill it...

...it's just human nature to want to finally trip it up, don't you think?

I'll admit, you did a good job piling concealer upon concealer. I doubt most people would ever be able to see through them all.

But thanks to my Tashintsu, as far as I'm concerned, they might as well not be there at all.

Pepe!?

？！

Hey, Chaldeans. Hope you don't mind my taking advantage of this little opportunity you gave me.

Now then, Mr. Alter Ego Limbo. It's about time I paid you back...

...for all the ways you screwed with my Indian Lostbelt!

Wha...!? What...is this!? Onmyoudou? ...No! This is...

Shugendou!?

That's right. It's a little technique I whipped up just for you: a combination of Tashintsu and Rojintsu.

I hope you enjoyed your trick of prolonging your life by spreading it out over countless shikigami, "hon," because you're never going to get to use it again.

Namushinpen Great Boddhisatva: Rojin-Tashintsu!

!?

You're going to die feeling every bit of the hatred and regret you've incurred.

What are you...!? Oh no. No, no, no!

Now I see... You figured out that my secret life extension method is a form of false reincarnation!

Why yes, I did. Usually, Rojintsu is only used to end your own reincarnation...

...but in this case, I decided to use Tashintsu to let you have it instead.

Now, you won't be substituting shikigami to save your own skin anymore. That little trick is gone for good.

Your next life will be your very last. Enjoy it while you can.

Curse yooouuu!

Toodles.

That's me.

Aww, you don't have to do that, hon.

？！

Don't get the wrong idea here. I just did what I had to.

The rest of you should do the same. Don't worry, I'm not gonna stop you.

Even if I wanted to, I spent all my magical energy on that spell, so I'm just going to kick back and watch the rest from the sidelines.

Oh, and just so you know, I can't root for you when you go up against Kirschtaria, okay?

That said, you might be interested to hear what Kirschtaria once told me:

"Fujimaru and I are actually quite closely matched in terms of combat ability."

"His various exploits to date have proven that beyond a shadow of a doubt."

"He is fully capable of defeating me all on his own."

It seems positively silly if you ask me, but that's what he told me. Hehe.

？！

Um... Does that mean Kirschtaria wants us to

And for my part, I'll say that I finally realized you and Kirschtaria are a lot alike.

You're both very hard workers. You're both exceedingly earnest. You both stand up to adversity like it was the most natural thing in the world.

...And you've both had more than your share of painful goodbyes.

Neither Daybit nor I could ever hope to defeat Kirschtaria.

But you... You just might be able to. In fact... I think you might be the only one who should.

...

Well? Now do you feel like paying him back for what he put you through in Atlantis?

？！

Master...

Now that's the kind of heart I like to see. No holding back, putting your whole body and soul into it...

Does this mean you're ready to show him how badass the Master who restored humanity all by himself really is then?

!

I'm seeing multiple hostile entities headed our way from up ahead! They look to be Phantasmals!

Ooh, right. This really wasn't the best time for pleasantries, was it?

...So, it seems there are beasts that must be slain.

Looks like we're gonna be doing more walking than running from here on out. Well, more like walking and fighting at the same time!

Heh! They can throw as many of these pissants as they want for all the good it'll do them!

I can't say this isn't starting to wear on me physically, but if ever there were a time for a stiff upper lip, this would be it. I'll continue to support you as best I can.

As for you, Scandinavia Peperoncino, I appreciate your assistance, however unintentional it may have been.

You're very welcome, hon. All right, go on now.

Kirschtaria never asked me for help because he's absolutely convinced he's in the right.

So I'm going to sit back and see for myself just how right he really is. And I'll do it from far enough that I don't get in your way.

Whoa, you have Tengentsu? There can't be many Masters with this many of the six knowledges out there, right!?

Well, never mind that now.

？！

...Understood, Master. Initiating combat!

Done and done!

Confirmed: all hostiles have been eliminated!

There are no longer any enemies between us and the great altar! It's just ahead!

Although...I don't see Pepe here anymore, either.

？！

...Yes, that's true. I'll have to make sure I thank him properly for all the help he's given us then.

Come then, let us be on our way. Twins, prepare the Article.

Right now, we have no way of knowing what has become of Queen Europa.

Perhaps we will be able to rescue her first...

...or perhaps we will need to do battle with Zeus first! At this point, we simply cannot say!

We know. Right, Sister?

Leave it to us. We'll do whatever we have to in order to activate Aether.

If we're luckyor is it unlucky? Regardless, our showdown with Zeus is surely close at hand.

I trust you're all ready, ladies and gentlemen?

You don't gotta ask me! Just try and stop me from bein' the first one to that overgrown rain cloud's altar!

？！

Right, Master!

Haha! At last, I finally get to take down the big god!

There! I'm pulling out all the stops for this one!

Get ready, Zeus, 'cause almighty, omnipotent, or whatever the hell you wanna call yourself, I'm COMIN' FOR YOUR ASS!

So this is Zeus's great altar...

I can see the sky from here, along with the Tree of EmptinessI mean, Atlas, the World Tree.

And I'm guessing that circular structure in front of the sky must be the Cronus Crown...

Was that a bell...?

...Deity activating.

Deity manifesting.

Cronus Crown synchronization complete. Executing deity projection from Aletheia.

Deity will manifest in altar zone automatically. Deity Pseudo-Form Designation: Zeus.

Manifesting. Manifesting. Manifesting.

For their own well-being, all intelligences in the vicinity are encouraged to use mental protection.

The very air is shaking...

Magical energy is concentrating up ahead... I can't get a read on it!

This sheer magical energy density is overwhelming! E-e-even as a Heroic Spirit, it's enough to bowl me over!

I wish I could say I was shaking from excitement at the prospect of facing a tough opponent...

But this pressure! This ferocity! It feels like the second coming of Vairocana!

It's a cut above any demonic sword, demon, or demon king. So this is the most advanced being in this entire world...

The other mechanical gods were a hell of a fight, but this sheer swirling power makes them look like nothing!

This is the power of a Divine Spirit. No...

He is of course, an ACTUAL, all-powerful god!

...Here he comes.

...You have been granted an audience with the King of the Gods.

This is neither a blessing, nor cause for joy.

Now, kneel.

Kneel.

...!

This...pressure...!

High gravity...!

So the god of the heavens is even capable of controlling gravity itself!?

？！

Ghh... Aaah! I-I can't...hold on... This pressure...is insane...!

I can't...even...stand! Dammit...

Macarios!

Heh. Don't worry, I'm not gonna bust your balls over failing to stand up to him. That's proper hero shit anyway.

Aphrodite was a real piece of work in her own right, but I guess this proves all Twelve Olympians are nothing but a bunch of cowards!

If you want people to kneel before you, you're supposed to earn it with your own goddamn charisma!

...All right! How do you like that!?

Way to go, Caenis! If nothing else, you've definitely got spirit going for you! Guess I'd better get my act together if I don't want you showing me up, huh!

Me too...! I can't afford to lose... to a single utterance!

Hehe! You lot are real cheeky bastards, aren't you!? But then, I guess you'd have to be to try and slay a god!

...I see.

Athena, goddess of wisdom.

Ares, god of war.

Poseidon, god of the seas.

They may not fully reside within you...but I can still see my compatriots' power infusing you.

I see. So the same compatriots I once killed with my own hands have returned... I sense destiny at work in those gathered here.

Very well then. Emissaries of Proper Human History who accompany my compatriots, I shall refrain from crushing you all at once.

Now, answer me this.

...Why have you come here?

We came...to stop you from executing...Europa!

Dammit, my legs...

Macarios

No, human children of Olympus. Rest for now.

The graviton baptism Authority granted to me by the divine Cronus Crown is far too much for humans to bear.

Come, catch your breath. Do not speak for the time being.

My question is directed at you, Chaldeans.

And you, Heroic Spirits of Proper Human History that accompany them.

Why?

Why have you come to my Lostbelt?

？！

The Trees of Emptiness, and your world.

Yes. IWe

We were the last to survive, and we're here to take back our bleached-white Earth.

Earth.

I see.

Heh...

Hehe, haha.

Haha, haha, hahahahahahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

？！

...!

...Ah, forgive me. My laugh is now the Authority of laughter itself, you see.

Indeed, you have answered my questions both directly and unwaveringly.

...Macarios. Adele. Children of Nikos and Artemisia.

...?

I will grant you a reward.

This reward is my grace, a symbol of commendation for your friends' bravery.

...You will be the ones to carry out the execution.

Execution...?

You don't mean...

... ...

...The revelation has already been decreed.

Europa!

A revelation has been imparted. Judgment has been passed.

Life-forms. Humans. All those gathered here. Give up your lives to the Almighty One.

Zeus. Zeus. Our almighty ruler. The heavens incarnate.

All is as you wish. Please, speak to us.

...Kill them.

!!!

The queen's mind is being controlled by the King of the Gods! She cannot hear us now!

Be careful! She is no longer the kind mother figure we met before!

Accept...your fate...and die.

Stay right where you are. Do not bother to resist.

Mere humans...are no match...for the giant soldier... Lord Zeus has bestowed upon me...

Lord...Zeus...

Yes. Kill them.

Else...they will kill you. Your fate is now in their hands, Queen Europa.

Macarios. Adele. I will grant you exactly what it is you have wished for.

I will not execute my queen. You will.

There can be no refusal. This is your god's grace. Accept it and be grateful.

How can you possibly call that grace!?

This is my grace.

？！

Everything I provide for humans is grace. Love; destiny. A fate all should accept.

Come forth, Talos.

Talos...!

(Oh, right! We never defeated that thing with the Black whatsit, so of course it'd fix itself and show up again!)

Talos, the bronze gianta monster Zeus himself bestowed upon Queen Europa.

I must say, Zeus, your Proper Human History counterpart would never have had such repulsive ulterior motives in giving a gift as you have here!

In fact, I'll go one step further, vaunted leader of Olympus!

You are a far smaller-minded and more petty god than the one we know!

Haha! Not bad! That was pretty cutting, for you!

Screw cutting! It's the truth, plain and simple! This god is pretty spiteful for a "magnanimous" deity!

That said, I can't deny this is a worthy opponent. And hey, now we'll get a chance to make up for our piss-poor showing from last time!

Fujimaru! Mash!

Let's show this overgrown marionette what we've learned since the last time we saw him!

？！

Understood! Raising Ortinax output and switching to combat mode!

Preparing to engage enemy!