Section 1: Snow Falls in the Underworld

Fou...

Fooou...

Fooou...

Fooou...

？！

How can you be so calm about this!? It is winter, and you are lounging around as if nothing important is happening! Must be nice!

Yeah, no fair, Reindeer! How are you the only one who's okay with this?

It's almost forty-two degrees Celsius! What self-respecting Santa could work in conditions like this!?

Fou, fooou... Fo(Thunk)

Even Fou has collapsed from the heat too... Not that I can blame him.

Hard as it is to believe, Chaldea's being scorched with summer heat...in December...

And with the heat has come some kind of plague.

We're still in the middle of preparing to move our entire operation, but most of Chaldea's staff has called in sick with high fevers...

Da Vinci just collapsed into bed before she could even begin the monumental task of transferring control over Chaldea to the new team coming...

Mr. Holmes, however, adamantly refused to remove his coat for anything, and ended up collapsing from heat stroke while working in the hangar.

And every other Servant in Chaldea is out of commission with some kind of strange fever...

The way we're going now, Chaldea would be lucky to last another day...

But...what about this year's Christmas...?

If only my mentor...Santa Island Mask...were here now...

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Super...Amakusa... (Thunk)

There is nothing to be done now. If Santa can't go to work, there will be no Christmas this year.

And if this world falls to ruin without Christmas, that is just the way this gingerbread cookie crumbles.

I do wish I could have delivered a present to Gilgamesh in Uruk, but...

No, that hardly matters. I shall just put him out of my mind for good.

It all falls to you, Reindeer. Remember my chocolate mints and dozen turkeys when you are treating me.

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...I'm afraid so, Senpai. I guess it was hard for you to see how serious this has gotten since you're the only one this heat isn't affecting, somehow...

But I'm afraid I'm at my limit, too... I'm feeling incredibly sluggish...

Fou... Sorry, but I'm going to have to lie down next to you. ...Senpai, if I could make a request, I'd like to have some of the Queen Witch's special porridge...

？！

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Fwahahahahaha! (Cough, hack) Bahahahaha!

Foolish mongrel! Only now do you see your peril! But too late. Chaldea's Heroic Spirits are finished!

ImaginE! HerOic SpIRits dyInG of a siMpLE COLD! LoOK Upon me ANd leARn from mY ExamPLe! NeVEr mINd that one time I wORkeD mysELF to DEath!

？！

Fwahaha. Now, now, no need to bring that up. Yes, it is I, King Gilgamesh, the healthiest of all.

It seems that you have not yet succumbed to the fever, Fujimaru. In which case...

You must have acquired some resistance to it during your escapade in the underworld. And then there is this heat...

...Hmph. I see what is happening here. Those idiots in the underworld have made another mess of things.

？！

Heh. No matter how capable a sage I may be, you cannot simply expect me to solve all your problems for you!

However, in recognition of your piety, I will be generous enough to summarize what is happening.

Listen well, mongrel! If something is not done, Chaldea is doomed!

Ridiculous, you say? Right you are! This is absolutely ridiculous!

A cold is a nightmare even for a Servant! And this...this is no ordinary cold!

This is the terrible illness that even the gods themselves fear: Sumerian Summer Fever!

？！

Indeed. It is Mesopotamia's leading cause of death, and an invitation to the underworld that always comes in the heat of summer.

Some modern countries have times when the souls of the dead mingle with the living... The Bon festival in Japan, for example, yes?

In the Age of Gods, summer was our season of death.

Its merciless heat sapped the lives of the frail and aged alike.

Unlike any other mere virus, the Sumerian Fever has a sort of will to it. It is an invitation to die, a plague sent by the gods of the underworld.

？！

Indeed. Believe me, I know what I am talking about. The underworld is attacking Chaldea!

Only one person can resolve this great crisis. The task of figuring this out falls to you, mongrel.

Surely you have some idea? You owe a great debt to the underworld. Now the time has come to repay it.

That is all I have to tell you! Remember, there will be no Christmas until this has been resolved!

Do not look at me like that. I am just as unhappy about this as you are!

I was so sure this was the year that Dark Santa would pay me a visit!

？！

I shall take that as a sign of your consent! Heh... Seems you are prepared to descend into the underworld.

That is how a true traveler of Uruk should conduct himself. Now go, reclaim Christmas for Chaldea, and more importantly, for me!

I shall use every resource available to assist you in achieving this goal! And so, I shall make my most tyrannical move to date...

I shall commandeer Chaldea's systems and use the last of my power to Rayshift you!

But be warned! At this time of year, the underworld is transformed into a cavernous pit!

Don't think you'll just waltz right to your goal the way you did on your last visit. Fwahahahaha!

？！

The underworld's seven gates are protected by foul souls indeed! Do not let them stop you!

And be warned, that is not all you will need to do there.

Gather the Sands of the Underworld! Its weight shall lead to your salvation!

May the Sheep God keep you safe! When your goal has been accomplished, a glorious Holy Night will be upon you and I once

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Oooooohhh... WoOoooohhh!

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GalluUuuuu! ...?

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Ho ho ho. I see you're in quite the predicament.

Would you like some help from Santa Claus, young man?

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Ah, excellent. It warms my heart to hear that. I could ask for nothing better.

That's the Fujimaru I know and respect.

To be honest, I still don't know what I'm doing, but I'll do the best I can for you, Master.

Don't worry. I may be new to this Santa thing, but I am an expert at battle on horseback!

...Ahem. Now then, let me introduce myself properly.

Hear me, ghost that wanders the Holy Night! My name is Attila the San(ta)! You may call me Altera Santa!

I have taken up the role of Chaldea's Santa to replace my honorable predecessors.

San...? San...ta...? Santa... Sweeeeeet!

...So, you want this holy outfit for yourselves, hm? I understand. I'm fond of it too.

But I had this outfit custom-made. If you want it, you'll have to defeat me, or order one yourselves.

...Have at you then. I ride the skies tonight, bearing the cane of the god of war! This rainbow shall be your present...!

Woooooo Hraaaaaaaaa!

GwaaAAaa! SAnTAaaaaaaaa!

Farewell, strange ghosts with silk hats. If you haven't had your fill yet, come back and see me again.

Are you all right, Fujimaru? Good. That's the most important thing.

Hmm... Yes, I can see you're still in free fall. Hurry, grab onto my sheep and

Oh. Never mind. It seems that's not necessary. You are falling slowly, as if through a pile of sheep's wool.

So you will not need my help to reach the ground safely. See? So soft...

Indeed. No wonder you are the great sage who led not one but two Santas to success. A Christmas miracle.

It IS Christmas, you know. Even ghosts dress for the occasion. Of course, as Santa, my own dedication goes far beyond mere accessories.

？！

At any rate, now that the danger has passed, allow me to introduce myself again. I doubt you recognize me in this outfit, after all.

I am Altera, the great warrior-king of the Huns.

...And, as you can see, I am also Santa Claus. THE Santa Claus.

？！

Hmm, I see. This outfit is not quite complete, so it only makes sense you'd have your doubts.

Wait right there. I'll be right back as a perfect Santa.

Ho ho ho. It's me, Santa.

Ho ho ho. It's me, San

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That's...kind of a long story... And I'm not sure I can tell it properly...

To tell you the truth, I thought everything would just fall into place once I met up with you...

No, I must not become dejected. I am Santa Claus, and I am here to judge the value of Christmas.

I must see for myself whether this civilization is naughty or nice.

If you understand my circumstances now, then I would ask you to be my guide.

Fujimaru, you have led many Santas to success. You are clearly the master of the ways of Santa.

Now...I would like to debut as a great Santa Claus in my own right.

I want to show everyone that even we Hun warriors can throw a good party.

But to do that, I will need your help. Fortunately, there is still some distance between us and the first gate of the underworld.

So let's share what we both know while we're still falling. Is that all right with you, Master?

I'm glad to hear that. This will be a great help for me too.

N-not at all. I should be thanking you. This was my very first battle, so I was more than a bit nervous.

？！

All right then, let's head for the first gate. I'll explain more once we are on solid ground.

You'll descend into the depths of the underworld, and I'll go deliver presents. The sheep from before said our goals are in perfect alignment.

So you could even say we're of one mind and body.

Okay, our goal is to reach the very bottom of the underworld, the pure water abyss. You can employ my cane of the god of war as you see fit!