Section 2: Splendid Sacrifices

We are sinking through the underworld's night sky... Strange and even contradictory as that might seem, I find it rather beautiful. Almost poetic.

And there's this dark gold dust. I doubt it serves as currency here, but it IS tinged with magical energy.

I bet I could make a lot of presents if I collected it. It's like this world was made for Christma

What's wrong, Fujimaru? I thought you would be happier now that we've finally reached the first gate.

？！

I see from your expression that you are wondering why this place is so "rocking."

Let's see, what did he say to do in these situations... Oh, right. I need to read this letter.

Ahem-hem. Ho ho ho! Listen well, young Fujimaru.

"Christmas has never been bigger here!"

"Why, you ask? Because our underworld is merging with Chaldea's accumulated knowledge."

"And why is THAT happening? I'm afraid that is a secret, so no specifics!"

"But I cannot hide anything from Santa Claus, so I will tell you what I can."

"I took the liberty of paring things down to the basics to save time."

"Now that the oath of the goddess is broken, the underworld has gone crazy! Even the very concepts of time and place are all wonky!"

"This is all Chaldea's fault, so it should be fixed if we blow Chaldea up."

"But that would be so much trouble, so a plague is a nice compromise. It's also a more reasonable and, dare I say, economical use of godly power."

"I basically want to get rid of everyone who knows about Kur. Does that sound okay to you?"

"Please forward all your thoughts, concerns, or complaints to the underworld temple. I will happily respond to each with a present."

"Re-sheep-fully Yours"

...

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What a wonderfully comprehensible letter. I knew I could count on the spirit of Christmas.

...There you have it, Fujimaru. Now you know our great secret.

？！

Let me see... Yes, it DOES say something else. Here it is.

"PS - At this time of year, the underworld is narrow and deep, not wide and shallow."

"This means that its seven gates are now seven layers, and at the very bottom, beyond even the seventh layer, lies something truly special..."

"...the ocean of pure water that serves as the root of Sumerian myth. Originally called 'the Abzu.' Today people often refer to it as 'the abyss.'"

"In the dark reaches of its depths lies the underworld's temple..."

"Anyway, that's where the Queen of Kur is, and Chaldea won't cool down until she's defeated."

"So if you want to save Chaldea, you should head for the abyss."

...There you have it. It sounds like this Queen of Kur person is the problem.

You really wanted to say that, hm? I understand.

There's a proviso included here.

"It'll help to think of it as the underworld existing right in the center of the abyss."

So, I suppose that would mean there's a shallow abyss, and a deep abyss...?

I must say, navigating the weird spaces of the Age of Gods is a bit beyond me...

Getting around is so much simpler on the surface. Up there, it's easy to tell how close or far you are from something when you're just walking about.

？！

At any rate, now we know exactly where we need to go. Any other questions? Ask, and I shall answer.

？！

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I am here for the dream collaboration of the Mesopotamian underworld and Christmas. Together, we have crossed mythological lines all at once!

Santa was never connected to the underworld at all. Actually, neither were the Huns, now that I think about it...

No matter! Wherever there are people crying out for presents, there must be a Santa to deliver them. Or, that's what I was told...

At any rate, I have presents I need to deliver to the abyss, so I will go with you.

...I would like to tell you more, but I can already see the first gate.

Be on your guard, Fujimaru. There's a gatekeeper here, just like I heard there would be.

I'm amazed to see intruders so brazen as to attack from the sky. Are you idiots, or just braindead?

Whichever it is, this is where your journey ends. Kur is full of souls, and the living are unwelcome.

If you wish to continue on, you will have to die.

...So, to enter here you must be nothing more than a soul. I didn't know that... No wonder it's so cold.

Still, a Heroic Spirit essentially IS a soul, so I should be fine. As for Fujimaru here...

His soul is so courageous he may as well have actually died at least once, so he should be fine, too.

Halt, intruders. I'm not here to judge your souls. All I care about is whether you're alive or dead.

He's a living human, and you're a Servant who hasn't been defeated.

You have no right to pass, nor have you met the conditions to open this gate.

？！

...I see you do know your way around here. That's certainly good.

Unfortunately, that premise is no longer the one on which these gates operate.

It is no longer a question of fairness, which is a trial that anyone could potentially succeed in.

Now there is a single condition that must be satisfied to open this gate: something must be sacrificed.

Do you understand? If you wish to proceed from here, you must either suffer defeat at my hands, or...

？！

Or give me a present. Do that, and I would be willing to make an exception and open the gate.

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I said, give me a present.

Christmas is all the rage in the underworld right now. I even hear that Santa Claus is coming to town.

And surely Santa must have butter cake, the most amazing of all treats in Uruk.

If you don't, then go home and stop wasting my time.

？！

Ho ho ho. Then this is your lucky day, for I am Santa.

...I see. I thought that might be true, but I didn't want to believe it...

I'm ashamed of you, Fujimaru.

I expected Chaldea to have a much better Santa than...this...

Still, as long as the presents are good, I suppose it doesn't matter if Santa's an oddball.

Yes. The quality of the presents is far more important to Christmas than the quality of the Santa.

Yeah. Santa has feelings too, you know.

Hmm. I suppose this means even Santa has a dark side.

？！

All right, I see how it is. I didn't expect to meet someone awaiting a present so soon, but no matter.

Very well. Ready your weapon, Little Black Riding Hood. Santa Claus is fair to all!

I shall see for myself whether you are worthy to receive a present from Santa!

...Excuse me. I realize it's a bit silly to ask this now, but...

Why did we have to fight just so you could give me a present?

I... I was just doing what the manual I was given said I should do...

"Those who aspire to be Santa Claus must do battle before giving presents."

It's stamped with the official seals of the first and second Chaldean Santas. That masked man with a kind voice said as much, too.

Ho ho ho. And I am Santa.

？！

So, now that victory is ours, you will accept this present with no further resistance.

Santa Claus knows when you've been bad or good. And you, Little Black Riding Hood of the underworld...

You are very lonely. I understand. I am too.

(Does this mean...she can read minds? Then, she must know what I really want...)

And so, I have the only present you could ever need. For you, I have...a friend!

No. Please leave.

Wha... You mean, that wasn't it...? But, if it wasn't that, then... Hmmm...

Baaa. (Lady Altera, that's my stomach.) Ba-baaa. (That's not it either, Lady Altera.)

？！

There we go. This one's still a prototype, but never mind that. This one must be right for you!

...

...Well, I guess you are still new to Santadom. Okay, I'll take it. I can think of one thing to do with it.

Since my soul seems to be ascending, you can go on through if you want.

But know that the other gatekeepers won't be as kind as I was...

That strange, sheep-riding Santa still has no idea what it truly means to be Santa Claus.

Fujimaru, I hope you'll help her to be the best Santa that she can be.

...And that is the end of my role. Maybe someday, we'll meet again on the surface.

That's supposed to be a secret. Let's just say I felt like going out, since it's Christmas and all.

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...The gate's open... I wonder how it actually works...

I'd heard the gates of the underworld were gates of judgment, and didn't open except for the dead...

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...I see. So "sacrifice" doesn't necessarily mean death...

Her soul ascended to heaven when she got a present. So that is a Christmas miracle...

I knew I was right to seek you out, Master. I'm guessing you have the right idea.

The underworld is supposed to be freezing cold, but my heart couldn't be warmer right now.

That makes our objective all the clearer.

We will descend deeper from here, find the next gate, and give a present to its gatekeeper.

As long as we keep that up, we're sure to reach the abyss. This is a difficult assignment for my first time, but I won't give up!

Well, Master, now our journey truly begins. It's time to descend into the depths of the underworld.

Why is Chaldea being attacked? Why did the underworld change so dramatically?

And why am I the new Santa Claus? I believe our trip to the abyss will answer all of these questions!

Ho ho ho. Here comes Santa Claus!