Tree of Emptiness Decisive Battle

All right! We're holding steady at seven hundred meters behind ORT!

This may not be much better than it was in Britain, but it should still be within range to command Servants, so get to summoning!

Just keep in mind that right now we're only trying to gauge ORT's power, so make sure the Servants you summon won't take too much out of you!

It's much too early to play your trump card! Got that!?

...They didn't vanish! I can't believe it! How is this even possible!?

ORT just stole the entirety of those Servants' Spirit Origin data and broke their links to the Throne of Heroes!

Heroic Spirits are Ghost Liners...

The recorded phenomena of the span of time in our universe during which those heroes were active.

And ORT just gobbled them up like they were candy! This is really, really bad! I can't believe we're in yet another Temple of Time situation!

ORT is actually eating human history itself!

Then...does that mean the crystallized Servants are unable to return to the Throne of Heroes?

The Throne of Heroes is basically a library in a higher dimension. Beings from this dimension don't typically even have a way of attacking it.

But you're saying it's using those...threads to reach out to that higher dimension through the Servants acting as its terminals...

...and damaging the data recorded in the Throne of Heroes itself!?

Exactly! Which means we won't be able to resummon any Servants it defeats!

We're going to run out of fighters way faster than we thought! Sion, we need you to analyze that combat data ASAP!

Understood. ORT may be an extraterrestrial monster with an impenetrable shell, merged with a Tree of Emptiness, and capable of storing Servant resources...

...but if it has moving parts, it must also have a weakness somewhere.

We will muster every resource in the computer room to analyze ORT as quickly as we can. In the meantime, please keep attacking it.

Are you certain about this? What's going to happen to the Servants that get eaten?

It's not possible to digest data, so it's likely storing them inside itself, as valuable sources of information.

Think of it like a bank account. The more money you deposit, the more valuable you are to that bank. But in this case, the bank is our universe.

ORT must be capable of using that energy for its own purposes. So if we can destroy the "account"ORT, that is...

...its stored resources should be released and the Servant data should be able to return to the Throne of Heroes.

Yup. As long as we can defeat ORT, we'll wipe out our debt! So we keep fighting until one of us goes bankrupt!

Fujimaru, we'll need more sample data if we're going to analyze ORT, so keep fighting it!

Your experience as a Master is the key to winning this battle!

Damn, not again! Fujimaru, I'm putting the battle on hold for now! Get some rest!

Kyrielight, go to the Shadow Border's roof and get rid of any seeds that try to jump on!

Understood!

There are Tree of Emptiness seeds all the way up here? But, we're almost to the fourth underworld. Once we leave the ninth stratum, we shouldn't

Crap! Mictlān's practically overrun by Trees of Emptiness now! That means

Yup. We've got seeds scattered across the whole Lostbelt.

It doesn't matter where ORT is now. Nowhere in Mictlān is safe anymore.

Forget the ocelomeh and deinos.

By now, those seeds have probably killed all the flora and fauna in Mictlān.

？！

...

Shadow Border, this is the Storm Border! We've got a critical emergency update for you!

Tree of Emptiness seeds are showing up everywhere from the eighth stratum to the first, and they're probably going to keep coming after you!

Make sure you keep enough defensive resources on hand to stop them from destroying the Shadow Border!

Oh forYou think we don't know that!? We've been fending these things off for a while now!

Don't you have anything else to report!? Give me some good news for once, dammit!

Nemo here. The seeds are coming after the Storm Border as well.

Luckily, not many have been able to fly up to our position, so we can handle them on our own.

We've also calculated ORT's route. I'm sending you the data now.

？！

Yeah, it doesn't make sense. México City's a major detour from heading to the surface.

I didn't think much about it back when Tezcatlipoca showed us that future, but why WOULD it go there?

That's not all. I hate to tell you this, but you need to know.

Our analysis of the combat data provided has revealed that ORT is still incomplete.

Its various partsits appendages are operating independently.

The energy it's using to move its limbs is coming from the limbs themselves.

If we were to compare it to an animal, it's as if it is entirely lacking a heart to supply its body with blood. At least, for the moment.

Essentially, it's lacking its primary engine...and it is still as incredibly powerful as we've seen.

What!? Are you saying THAT is what it looks like when it's conserving energy!?

That all we're seeing is it spinning its wheeler, flailing its limbs!?

I guess it can compensate for a missing heart or brain with other parts... Still, this may be good news.

If ORT had had its main power source when it rebooted, it might have erased all of Mictlān in an instant.

Good thing Camazotz destroyed its heart six million years ago. He might've been our enemy, but he really helped us out there.

Ah, now I see. That explains the mystery of ORT's route.

Correct. I see you've figured it out as well, Fujimaru.

？！

ORT isn't heading for México City. It's heading for the sun.

Well, yeah. That's where they moved it after the attack on Chichén Itzá... But why would it be doing that?

The sun is ORT's heart.

I've been wondering how a new sun was created after the old one went out six million years ago.

The Malla used up all their strength creating the first one. They lost their extraterrestrial status, and became completely naturalized to this planet.

Which means they must have found some other power source.

The people of Ka'an flourished in darkness for one hundred thousand years before sacrificing everything to defeat ORT.

Afterward, the Malla took ORT's heart and repurposed it, creating the new sun.

It's just like what happened with U-Olga Marie and Daybit.

ORT doesn't have its heart right now, but it knows it's somewhere, still functioning.

That's why the command to regenerate its destroyed heart was never issued...

Its original heart was still intact and functioning, serving as Mictlān's second sun.

The energy source giving all deinos life was ORT's heart this whole time.

That's one hell of an organ transplant! So then, ORT is heading for México City because

Indeed. I believe it's trying to retrieve its heart to complete itself, as any living thing would do, instinctively.

Grrr! After all the damage it's done, I can't believe it has the nerve to act like it's still a living creature!

All right, I'm changing the operation's objective! Forget the surface! We have to defeat ORT before it reaches the sixth stratum!

That doesn't mean we can let it escape to the surface either, of course, but we're all dead if we let it reach México City!

You must defeat it before it reclaims its heart, no matter what it takes!

...I see. I don't know why there were so many kinds of creatures here in the first place, but...

...I guess this means Mictlān is done for. It's as if it was destined to end like this from the beginning.

...

...What an idiot. Why did I even bother? It's not like it makes any difference where we die.

Everything's over now. Nothing we do will change anything.

...Isn't that right, Izcalli, copy of the king who once destroyed me?

Foolish king. Neither incompetent nor evil. Merely...unsuited for the job.

I don't need to know who I am. I will never ask, either.

I am the king of the ocelomeh and I will only exist for one year. I was made to be king, chosen to become a god.

Thank you, great Tezcatlipoca. Thank you for choosing me for this role.

Thank you for giving me this chance to denounce Proper Human History.

You don't look very happy, Izcalli.

Are you still upset about letting the sacrificial mages and Chaldea get away?

No. I know where they are. At some point, I'll be able to make up for my failure in letting them escape.

More importantly...

Tezcatlipoca's visions showed me the fate of México City.

Just remembering it troubles me. It shocked me.

...That IS a surprise. You don't care about the ocelomeh or México City at all.

I didn't think any number of them dying would bother you.

...That's right. I have no attachment to this city whatsoever.

I'm not like them. I'm a foreigner who doesn't even speak their language. I feel out of place no matter where I go.

Right? So then, why?

It's the same reason you always fight so reluctantly, Tlāloc.

I don't hate the ocelomeh. I just know I'm not like them.

They're doing a great job. They're earnest, hardworking, and they mean what they say.

...I don't hate this city either, even if it is hard for me to be here.

Tezcatlipoca may have built it, but they're the ones who made México City flourish through their love for it. The ocelomeh are genuinely proud of their home.

In any case, this city could not possibly have been an ugly place. Not when it worships you.

I'll never throw my lot in with Proper Human History, but I'm not so stupid as to deny quality when I see it.

One day, I expect I will be banished from this city, since I'm not an ocelotl.

When that happens, I'll build my own city, and it will be beautiful enough to rival this one. I know it will.

Izcalli... But, you're

I know. When my time as a one-year Tezcatlipoca is up, I'll probably be sacrificed.

But when I think about protecting our culture, fulfilling my duty, or watching over the ocelomeh's fate as their king...

...the pain from my scar goes away. I think it's because I enjoy thinking about those things.

But, that's only a dream, and my wildest one at that. As much as I'd like to make it come true, I know it never will.

The purpose of this bodythe whole reason it was madewas to destroy Proper Human History.

That's the reason I've made it this far. Any other sentiments pale in comparison.

So please, bear witness to my determination, Tlāloc. I promise that, no matter what else I must give up...

...I can and will prioritize the anger in my soul above all else.

Please reconsider, Tezcatlipoca. I have no problem with destroying Proper Human History.

But surely there's no need to destroy Mictlānto destroy this very planet!

So then, once Proper Human History is gone, and the ocelomeh's time truly begins, won't that qualify as destruction and rebuilding!?

...I swear, you really were a child to the end. You didn't prioritize the anger in your soul at all.

You were genuinely furious. You said it was your duty as king. Yet you still ultimately chose the option you personally preferred.

Seeing you fight so reluctantly reminded me of myself, back before I lost my brothers.

So, while I know this is very self-serving, I want to make you a request I wish someone had made of me back then.

Once you know who your true enemy is, and when you should fight them...don't lie to yourself.

You're the incarnation of a beautiful city and you said you would gladly spill blood for your people's sake.

Are you certain you don't still have regrets in your heart?

...Ugh. ...Ughhh.

Rrrgh! Why do humans have to be so damn irritating!?

Oh, you came back, too? I thought I'd be the only one, since there wasn't any sense coming back here.

Yeah, that's true. But for some reason, I just wanted to be here.

Hey, there's a deinos at that shop, too. How come you're watching the shop when there's no one else around?

Well, I tried going back to the plains I used to live on, but I just didn't feel comfortable there.

I know we can live anywhere we like, but there's nowhere I'd rather be than here.

I understand. Deinos can just cry out to each other to confirm we're all still here whenever we like...

...but I just find conversation to be so much more interesting. I'm glad I found other deinos to talk to here.

Would anyone like to discuss Proper Human History? I feel like there are still things we haven't explored about the Chinese Lostbelt.

Really? That sounds great! I love long talks!

I'm hearing a bunch of footsteps gathering here, too! Now this is how Chichén Itzá ought to be!

Haha, well what do you know. You all came back, too. I can't say I understand it, but it does make me happy.

We all know we don't need this place, but we still care deeply about it. We all know what's gone is gone, but we still want to get it back anyway.

I guess that means deinos have fixations of our own.

So much for our talk. All the trees in the jungle just died.

Yeah. A whole bunch of creatures I've never seen before appeared and started killing animals all over Mictlān.

Yeah... I suppose this means our extinction has come. I wonder what the next dominant life-forms will be like.

I'm sure they'll be way better than us.

Personally, I'm more worried about Chaldea. I hope they don't get caught up in our extinction.

Don't be sorry. Take a seat. Lean it back a bit if you want.

Take fifteen or so to clear your head and relax. And try not to rely on the ampoules; they'll catch up to you in a big way later.

How are things looking outside, Commander Goredolf?

I don't see any seeds! Now's our chance!

I'm going to slow down a bit so we can get out of here and into a safe place.

Kyrielight, are you reading me? Get back inside! You need to rest too! Or at least get something to eat!

Understood! Moving to rear hatch now!

Da Vinci, would you mind tuning up the Ortinax?

Oh for... That's not even close to relaxing! Hang on, I'll be right there!

(...They've been fighting for almost four hours straight now. I'm sure they're both pacing themselves, but still...)

(How much longer can they keep this up? Can we really stop ORT before it reaches México City...?)

...

Hm? Is something wrong, Tepeu? You keep looking out the window. Are there more seeds headed our way?

No, I was just observing the Trees of Emptiness. They're different from the one we saw on the ninth stratum.

？！

According to what you told me, the Trees of Emptiness are what maintain their respective Lostbelts, yes?

I do sense a great deal of energy inside them. Though not as much as there is in Mictlān's sun.

Compared to the one in Russia, these are more like the tips of branches. A real Tree of Emptiness is a lot bigger.

Well, technically, I guess there isn't any such thing as a real or fake Tree of Emptiness...

No such thing as real or fake... As long as it's the right shape, its size doesn't matter...

The galaxies inside these trees cannot possibly be real, and yet, we can't help but perceive them as such...

I can accept a galaxy existing within a tree. But I don't see how that serves as the foundation of a Lostbelt.

Even when ORT had shut down after becoming our Tree of Emptiness, Mictlān continued to exist.

Perhaps these trees aren't using their galaxies' energy at all? No, never mind that now.

The real question is, are the galaxies necessary? Is there some deeper meaning behind them being galaxies...?

？！

ORT has reached the seventh stratum. It's not deviating from its route. If it keeps holding to that route, our final showdown will be on the sixth stratum.

Tepeu, I'm afraid we simply can't afford to rescue any other deinos.

I'm afraid I have to make the tough call now: there is no way for us to get to Metztitlán ahead of ORT.

Ah.

？！

I know. Thank you for your consideration, Goredolf.

But even if we could get there in time, Xquic still wouldn't be able to leave that dome.

She simply cannot leave the observatory.

We both came to terms with that long ago.

So I assure you, none of you have anything to feel guilty about. That guilt falls entirely to me.

This is what I get for wishing to free her, yet failing for hundreds of years to find a way to do so.

My, I can't believe it's headed directly for me. I guess it's going to obliterate this entire plateau.

Hehe, this is kind of exciting. I've never seen a spectacle like this in person before.

I see you're prepared to meet your death with grace. You made the right decision.

Even if I helped you escape, you wouldn't be able to live outside of this dome.

Xquic, the deinos born an Archetype, who has observed this fifth age of Mictlān from beginning to end.

As the arbiter bound to oversee Mictlān's fate, I will bear witness to your final moments.

Back when you were talking with the Chaldeans...

...the Malla decided they would leave ORT be now that it had become the Tree of Emptiness...

...and that if Chaldea were to try and shut ORT down for good, I will erase them myself.

Really? It's just the two of us here and you're still insisting on playing arbiter?

Don't you think you might be too earnest for your own good, Kukulcan? You heard about Quetzalcoatl from Proper Human History, right?

You know the Malla based you off her, and that she was far more free-spirited than you've ever been.

I guess it just goes to show that both you and I are mere "what-ifs" who were never able to become the real thing.

The gods of Proper Human History are from their own world, not ours.

I am this Lostbelt's god of creation. That comes with obligations I must fulfill.

Then as your friend, and as a daughter of this underground world, let me say goodbye.

Malla, all of you decided together to help us survive by creating an escape beneath the ground.

You've been regretting that decision ever since, and have spent tens of millions of years trying to make up for it.

You feel there must have been a better way, that maybe you should have followed Proper Human History's example.

Thank you. I appreciate what you've done. But it's okay. We were so happy here.

You may be different from us, you may be aliens, but you're still our mother.

It's okay to grieve your children's deaths, and dream of how things could have been more like Proper Human History.

...

Oh my, it won't be much longer now. You should leave before you get caught up in this.

But I'm glad I had a chance to thank you before the end. Goodbye, Kukulcan.

You who were the sun watching over me, and Brother Tepeu were my only friends...

...but my life was more eventful and filled with love than any other member of humanity.

I knew we made the right choice not to follow ORT! Taking a more direct route has let us arrive just before it!

This will be our final line of defense! Right, Technical Advisor!?

Definitely. We should be able to summon Servants more freely here. Go on and call for her, Fujimaru!

Not bad. You really put your heart and soul into calling for me. Of course, I'd expect as much from a Master who fights alongside his Servants.

Oh for... You're laying it on pretty thick. Well, I guess I can let it go since it's how you really feel.

？！

It won't be long now before ORT enters this underworld! Do you know what's going on?

Of course I do. Don't worry, everything's all set to go. You made the right choice getting here ahead of it.

It looks like you've done some damage to it so far, but I'm putting an end to this thing here and now. ...Dumuzid!

Since we don't have a camera crew with us right now, I decided to try my hand at a triple cut entrance.

I am the golden shooting star that transforms the galactic seas into pools of night. That's right, it's mine, and yours, truly: Dumuzid.

Everything is in place, Ereshkigal. It seems the time has come for me to return the magical energy I embezzAhem. Allow me to rephrase.

It seems the time has come for me to return the magical energy you entrusted to me.

Oh, right. You two haven't met Dumuzid before, have you?

Dumuzid here is the Sumerian god of shepherds.

So...I take it he's responsible for some kind of problem here?

You can say that again. You know how I turned this underworld into a flower field, then dried all the flowers up?

Well, Dumuzid here only pretended to dry them up. In fact, he turned them into magical energy, which he was storing for this battle.

I confiscated it all not long ago. (Sigh) He can be a cheeky thing sometimes.

I was originally planning to fly the coop with this nest egg once things went south, but now that I've been caught, that's obviously out of the question.

So instead I'm betting it all on you and scary Ereshkigal here.

I'm not usually a fan of sewing, since the thread comes from wool and all, but I take your point.

But I'd advice you not count your chickens before they hatch when it comes to managing your assets, either.

？！

Anyway, the bottom line is, we have a ton of magical energy stored up, AND an Anti-ORT wall all ready to go.

Behold the glory that is my newly summoned thousand Gugalanna legs!

This...this looks perfect! They're lined up so tightly, not even an ant could squeeze past them!

I never would've thought of summoning a ton of Divine Beast legs to form a barrier, but it does look like it should work!

Also they really remind me of being in a packed train car at rush hour...

So this is how sardines must feel. Ah, Ereshkigal! Bless you, Ereshkigal!

My impression of you from the report on the Seventh Singularity was that you were much too softhearted for your own good. After seeing this plan though, I daresay you might be a genius.

？！

Did you get some rest, Fujimaru? Then let's get the summoning spell ready. It's all up to you now.

What's that supposed to mean!?

What!? It just broke through my Wall-galanna legs like they were bowling pins!

Oh dear. They were packed so tightly they could barely move. How embarrassing.

Let's just give up and go back to Uruk, Ereshkigal. Don't worry, I'll take your place in the pickup summon.

Shut up, wool-for-brains! My Gugalanna legs aren't down for the count yet! I'm still just getting started!

Okay, fine. This thing surprised me. I'll give it that. But this is where the real battle begins!

I-I appreciate the compliments, but it's a little embarrassing to have you put THAT much faith in me.

I guess so. Okay, Master of Chaldea, I'm counting on you.

？！

...Ahem! All right, heed my command, for I am Ereshkigal, goddess of the underworld!

There shall no longer be limits on summoning! Whatever magical energy you need, the Storm Border and I will provide!

I'll start by positioning the remaining nine hundred and ninety-six Gugalanna legs all around this underworld, then I'll expand and compress the entire sixth stratum to increase its spatial density!

If ORT thinks it can cross my domain that easily, it's got another thing coming!

In the meantime, I'll use my red lightning to slow it down, and give your Servants the underworld's protection!

Let's finish this here and now, Fujimaru! I'll show you that I can also be a goddess of victory!

Triton Engine No. Two's internal temperature is redlining!

The seeds' attacks are wearing the electromagnetic barrier down, fast! If this keeps up, it could overheat!

Slow down No. Two and begin cooldown! Divert power from No. Three to the barrier!

We can get by with just No. One for now, since Ereshkigal is helping out with the summonings!

Meunière, how's our perimeter looking? Have you finished eradicating the Tree of Emptiness seeds?

Almost! We've eliminated ninety-two percent of the seeds gathered around the Border and Chichén Itzá!

We've run out of spare Spiritron torpedoes, but we should be able to finish the job with the rounds we're generating right now!

(This isn't good... We weren't expecting there to be this many Tree of Emptiness seeds.)

(The way things are going now, we won't be able to use our primary cannon, which means we won't be able to lend any firepower to the battle in the third underworld.)

Incoming message from Sion and Professor! They say they'll start charging the primary cannon once the seeds' attack dies down...

...but it'll take four hours to prepare if we can only use Engine No. Four, so they want you to find a way to divert at least one more engine to the cannon!

I know. ...Meunière, contact the Shadow Border.

Tell them the Storm Border won't be able to provide magical energy for the next four hours.

In the meantime, we're counting on Ereshkigal to provide all the magical energy necessary to maintain the Servants' Spirit Origins.

Easy for you to say, Nemo! I hit my limit a while ago!

Indeed. You've been using so many Mana Bursts that your Spirit Origin is starting to come undone at your fingertips.

Any further strain would risk violating the International Divine Spirit Treaty. Maybe we should just return to the Sumerian underworld?

...Oh no, I'm not done yet! I'm not the only one feeling the strain of all these summons!

I can't in good conscience abandon this battlefield as long as the summoner still has the will to fight!

And look! ORT's definitely starting to feel the effects of all that damage!

Give me more of the magical energy you squirreled away, Dumuzid! I'll turn myself into a generator if I have to!

Don't forget, I'm the hero who subdued Tiamat herself!

We AREN'T losing a contest of wills!!!

ORT is...falling apart...

Yeah... Nothing we did ever got a reaction from it, so I wasn't sure we were even hurting it, but

Yup. There's no mistaking this. We won!

？！

Woohooooo! Well done, everyone! If this had been a race, I'd be cracking open a bottle of champagne on the podium right now!

Our greatest crisis is over! Now we can finally return to the Storm Border!

Wait, we shouldn't get too carried away just yet. We haven't thanked the one who helped most.

Fujimaru, go outside and call Ereshkigal over here. She was originally summoned on the Storm Border, after all.

She deserves to come back with us and celebrate our victory.

...Phew. That's a relief. Honestly, it was pretty touch and go for a while, but we pulled it off.

Good thing, too. If I'd failed, I'd never have been able to face Nitocris after I read her the riot act the way I did.

You should rest now, Ereshkigal. But before you close your eyes, I'm happy to take any message you want to pass on to Chaldea.

I'll convey what you want to tell them, exactly how you want it told, right down to your facial expressions!

That's okay. I still have the strength for that. I already disappeared without saying goodbye once. I'm not doing that again.

The only question left is how Kukulcan will respond. But, hey, compared to ORT, she should be no problem at all.

By this point, Chaldea should be more than capable of talking things out with her and finding a compromise they can both

...Wait. You knew, Dumuzid?

Yes, Ereshkigal. That's why I asked you to give me the message you wish to pass on.

That you did a fantastic job. As the representative of the Sumerian gods here, you have nothing to be ashamed of.

It's no exaggeration to say you synchronized with the entire underworldno, that you became one with the underworld itself.

If our opponent had only been the vanguard of another planet's forces bent on decimating our civilization, you would have been successful in fighting it off.

But, our opponent this time is a genuine planet-eater.

No being born on this planet could ever hope to defeat it.

Fujimaru, go outside and call Ereshkigal over here. She was originally summoned on the Storm Border, after all.

She deserves to come back with us and celebrate our victory.

？！

Gaah! What's going on!? It feels like my brain is breaking! I can't see a thing!

Fujimaru! Kyrielight! Da Vinci! Kadoc!

Let me know if you're all right! And if you can see, tell me what's going on out

Don't worry, sir. Everyone inside the vehicle is safe. But you should get the Shadow Border out of here as soon as possible.

At this distance, you have no chance of surviving. Please hurry. I won't last much longer, either.

？！

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Check the monitor.

...I can't believe it. The internal temperature is skyrocketing.

It's using nuclear fusion to generate energy, which is also producing a ton of cosmic rays and supergravitational fields.

It's currently at ten thousand degrees, but it looks like it could go up to a millionNo, once the inflation begins, it'll blow way past that.

We're looking at real, honest-to-gods outer space thundercloudsa galactic supercell.

The hell? I'm sorry, but I can't even parse what you're telling us!

Do you mean that thing on its back!? Are you saying ORT can still move even while its body is falling apart!?

No, I'm afraid ORT's body is very much intact. We were only seeing what we wanted to see, not the truth.

The fact is, every part we've been fighting up till now is the human equivalent of dead skinthe waste left behind on any active body.

But ORT is a shooting star that fell here from the void of spacea true unidentified flying object.

What I'm saying is, that giant saucer which appears to be on its back is ORT's actual body.

？！

She was vaporized after taking a direct attack from the supercell. Which is why she left this flower for you, Fujimaru.

I know it is only a single flower, but I hope you'll accept it anyway.

It is the final memento of the goddess who sacrificed her own dreams in hopes of finishing this fight here in the third underworld.

As long as you have that flower, you will also have the underworld's protection.

I also have a message for you. This is the real reason I've stuck around this long. She said to tell you:

"I'm sorry I couldn't keep fighting to the end. But hey, I was pretty awesome out there, right?"

She didn't so much as flinch in the face of that storm.

Even as her Spirit Origin began to fall apart from burning so much magical energy for Heroic Spirit summons, she still stood tall.

Her last smile was as radiant, as beautiful as that red flower. I'm just sorry I was only able to record the audio for a moment.

？！

...Anyway, my wooly aura barrier is starting to dissolve.

The real hellI mean, the real battle begins now. Good luck. You're going to need it.

You shouldn't feel the effects of that storm too badly on the ground. But I still advise you to stay at least two kilometers away during your next attack.

Also, I should warn you that, as the summoner, your job will now be vastly more difficult than it has been. But hey, you're always up for a challenge, right? I knew there was a reason I liked you.

...Anyway, that's all I have to say. I'm afraid this is where I take my leave, too.

But I'm not worried. You made it all the way to the abyss, still shining with all the colors of the rainbow.

The goddess of the underworld herself decided you were a hero worthy of her risking her own life.

I'm truly confident you'll be paying the underworld more visits in the future.