Part Four, Section Three: The Demon's Thunderous Descent

Waaaaaah! Mommyyy!

Oh, gods! Oh Buddha! Please, I beg of you! Take me if you must, but let my son live!

RRRAAAAAAHHH!

That was a close one. Go on, child, take your mother and get out of here.

Who are you, m-miss?

RRRAAAAAAHHH!

So, these things keep coming. It seems we'll need to take this a bit more seriously than I thought, Rengoku.

Did the Buddha send you!?

Oh, thank you! Thank you!

Thanks, miss! You're awesome!

Never mind that. Just hurry and get out of here. Be sure to cherish your mother. And don't skimp on the shoulder rubs.

I won't! I promise!

P-please, could you at least tell us your name?

My name? Hmm... All right. I...

...am the mysterious Majin Okita Souji!

Those giants are popping up all throughout our territory! We're doing our best to fight them off, but things aren't looking good!

I knew there was no way we could take these things! They just keep coming no matter how many we kill!

Quit whining! You can handle a bunch of glorified mud dolls!

Are you nuts, you scary-looking jerk!? If Chacha knew things would come to this, Chacha would have stayed in Chacha's castle!

I'm worried about Master! We need to go make sure he's all right!

RRRAAAAAAHHH!

Dammit, it's getting closer! Come on, Okita! We'll take it down together!

RRRAAAAAAHHH!

I would, Mr. Hijikata, but there's another one over here!

Ha!!!

RAAAH!?

Sorry for taking so long to get here. It seems things could be going better, to say the least.

No worries, Mr. Shuwen! I'm just glad you're here now! We could use all the help we can get!

RRRAAAAAAHHH!

Rrrah, rrrah, rrrah! Is that all you things can say!?

Heehahahahaha! It's a good thing Okada Izo, genius swordsman, is here to help too!

Oh, hey, Okada. Didn't see you there.

Uh, thanks for chipping in, I guess.

The hell!? The old man gets a hero's welcome, and you can't even muster a smile for me!?

Damn. At the rate we're chipping away at them, I don't see how we'll be able to go help the others.

Don't worry, you guys did great hanging in there. I think we can figure something out now.

Where the hell have you been, Nobbu!? We could've really used your help a while ago!

Sorry about that. It took me a little time to round up reinforcements.

All right, you're up, Gonroku!

Wahahaha! If there isn't a way forward when Shibata starts, there will be by the time he's done!

I don't know who first said that wherever Oda goes, so goes Shibata the Demon, but damn if they weren't spot-on!

Charge! Advaaaaaance!

F-Father!? But Chacha thought you'd vanished!

He did. Lord Shibata did indeed disappear after falling to your blades.

But as a Servant, who's to say he cannot simply be summoned again?

You actually resummoned him?

Indeed. Normally, that would be quite a difficult feat.

But though I may not look it, I am still a Caster, and such rituals are my specialty.

So, while it wasn't easy by any means, I was able to employ my arts to resummon him.

Besides, this battle is most meaningful for those of us who swear loyalty to the Oda clan.

No self-respecting Oda retainer could refuse a summons from a Demon King Nobunaga who carries the essence of all other Nobunagas.

Hehe... I only wish I could see the look on Monkey's face as he watches us from the Throne of Heroes!

Bahahahaha! You hear that, you big bald rat!? You're sitting this one out, and there's not a damn thing you can do about it!

Don't worry, Lady Nobunaga! Your faithful Gonroku will handle everything!

CHAAAAAARGE!!!

There we go. First, Gonroku will clear a path, and the rest of us will follow behind him to the Makuzu's headquarters!

This may be a little strange for me to say, but I'm going to say it anyway.

"The enemy awaits at Honnoji!"

Sorry I took so long to get here, everyone.

？！

'Bout time you got here, Boss!

D-Demon King Nobunaga!? But you're supposed to be dead! What's the meaning of this, Caster!?

It's very simple, sir. Demon King Nobunaga did die. At least, the one from Azuchi did.

I'm sorry, I should have introduced you sooner. This Demon King Nobunaga is the one from Echigo.

I don't blame you for being confused. Even I can't tell them apart.

You... You set me up!

Fine then! I'll just have to dispose of you all at once!

Return to me, Lord Makuzu! Use the power of the Holy Grail to return to glorious life!

It's still regenerating!?

RRRAAAAAAHHH!!!

Now I see. That thing really is a monster on par with the gods. No... It's pretty much a god in its own right by now.

So this is why so many of me were summoned here: to bring this thing down.

You have no place here, Demon King Nobunaga, enemy of all living creatures! Now fall before the might of Lord Makuzu!

Enemy of all living creatures? Why yes, that's exactly what I am. For I am the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven.

...No, even the Sixth Heaven fails to fully capture what I've become.

I am the embodiment of every possible permutation of myself across the boundless realms of possibility.

I am Oda Nobunaga, Demon King of the Myriad Heavens!

Mwahahahaha! I never thought the day would come when I'd be the one setting Honnoji on fire!

I-impossible! You're the embodiment of all Nobunagas!? But, the only way you could do such a thing is with limitless magical ener

...! Caster! Is this your doing!?

Indeed, I'm supplying them with all the magical energy necessary. Don't worry, I'm paying the cost for it myself.

？！

It's all thanks to Kagetora that I was able to regain some measure of control.

It may be a little damaged, but it still works perfectly well.

Besides, I couldn't stand the thought of that flawed reactor core continuing to operate.

My only desire is a true perpetual motion machine the heart of infinity that mankind has always dreamed of.

So on that note, knock yourself out, Nobunaga. There's enough magical energy here to do whatever you like.

Mwahahaha! I like the way you think, Caster. As for you, Makuzu, or whatever your name is...

I've never been one to suffer fools, and I have even less patience for blowhard gods!

Khh...! Curse you! Curse you! Curse yooouuu!

Let's go, Fujimaru! This all ends here and now!

RRRAAAAAAHHH... RRRAAAAAAHHH!

Mwahahaha! This thing just won't stay down, huh? I'm impressed!

I guess all that bragging about it being a god wasn't just talk!

I can't believe it still won't vanish! This is getting absurd, even for me!

The Holy Grail in its chest must be keeping it anchored to this space.

I doubt we'll be able to kill that thing for good without doing something about the Grail...

So, things being what they are, I'm willing to admit that my Noble Phantasm can be a royal pain in the ass.

I've been hacking away at that thing over and over, but it just won't come off! The hell're we supposed to do!?

If it won't come off, why don't we just destroy it?

Okita! ...Yeah, that might just work!

Prepare to face the power of my secret technique!

Mumyou Sandanzuki!!!

My secret technique is the mumyou's light, one that can sever delusions. Nothing can defend against it.

She...she gouged a hole in the reactor core!

Well now, so she destroyed the entity's reactor core altogether, did she? Or saturated it, rather. Can't say I saw that coming. I wonder if she's aware that's tantamount to challenging the laws of physics themselves?

This...this can't be happening... My Holy Grail... Lord Makuzu... All of it, disappearing...

It's just like what happened before... I suppose this means there are no gods and no Buddha in this world...

Oh no, the gods do exist.

You can find them right inside Fujimaru here.

What? You're telling me this...this...child is a god?

No. I'm telling you the gods most cherish those who help themselves.

Each individual person's potential may be limited, but the potential that lies in all people? That is the true face of the gods.

I don't believe it... You're supposed to be the enemy of all living things! The destructor of the gods!

But instead, you sound like...like a guardian of mankind...

So, it's finally over...

Given how obsessed that priest was with the gods and all living things, he must have once been a fervent believer.

Yes...he truly was. My Master devoted his life to saving all manner of living thingsto saving the whole world in lieu of the Buddha's salvation.

But along the way, he lost sight of what he set out to do, and his methods only got more twisted from there.

Anyway... It looks like this is goodbye. Thank you, everyone. You've been a tremendous help.

Unfortunately, there's no way for me to exist in human history, so I won't be able to return the favor...

...but if mankind ever manages to harness truly unlimited energy, then, perhaps, we may meet again.

...Now then, I'd best be on my way.

May mankind's future be ever better, and ever brighter...

...It seems this is where I must say goodbye, too. My time as your retainer may have been short, but it was very fulfilling.

I guess this role suited me better than I thought. Plus, I didn't have to make too many hard choices this way.

？！

Ahahahahahaha!

If you should ever find yourself in trouble, I encourage you to pray to Bishamonten with all your heart.

Do that, and I shall cross all three thousand worlds to rush to your aid!

But for now, this is goodbye. Farewell, my first and final Master!

May Bishamonten's protection be with you!

I'm so glad we got to meet her. She really lived up to her name as Echigo's god of war.

Hey! Not to rain on your heartfelt goodbyes or anything, but I'm pretty sure this simulation's about to fall apart!

Oh, hey, Okada. Didn't know you were still alive.

I'm glad to see you're doing well, Izo.

The hell I am! Do you have any idea what I've been through thanks to you!? AGAIN!?

Yeah, yeah, Oryou's sure it was rough. Anyway, Oryou and Ryouma are gonna head back now.

Oryou'll also be nice and bring Izo to get him out of your hair.

Huh!? Hey! Put me down, Oryou!

All right, Lady Nobunaga, I'm leaving the rest to you.

Hmph, so you know even more than I thought you did, huh? I knew I couldn't let my guard down around you.

Not at all, Lady Nobunaga. I could never hope to match up to you. Anyway...see you all later.

There, we're finally back online! Hey, Fujimaru! You okay in there?

Da Vinci! It's so good to hear from you again!

I wish I could say the same, but I'm afraid I'm calling with seriously bad news. The Singularity in that simulation is going berserk.

The way things are going, the virtual pseudo-Spiritrons in that box could end up growing so large that they clash with the real world, causing a massive explosion.

And that'd be it for us.

A blast of the scale I'm projecting would annihilate all of Chaldea with room to spare.

B-but, how is that possible!?

I thought Maxwell's Demon and the Holy Grail that were causing this Singularity were gone!

I'm afraid it's not quite that simple. It looks like those weren't the only things that created and sustained this Singularity.

From what I've been able to piece together, it's because a major abnormality took place in 1582.

There, we're finally back online! Hey, Fujimaru! You okay in there?

Da Vinci! It's so good to hear from you again!

I am afraid this is not the good news it may seem to be. The Singularity in that simulation is going berserk.

The way things are going, the virtual pseudo-Spiritrons in that box could end up growing so large that they clash with the real world, causing a massive explosion.

And that would be the end for us.

The Wandering Sea may survive, but the blast would annihilate the entire Chaldea Base.

B-but, how is that possible!?

I thought Maxwell's Demon and the Holy Grail that were causing this Singularity were gone!

I'm afraid it's not quite that simple. It looks like those weren't the only things that created and sustained this Singularity.

From what I've been able to piece together, it's because a major abnormality took place in 1582.

？！

...Is that so?

So you're saying that for this Singularity to go away, I have to disappear with it, huh?

That...that can't be right...

Now I see. This puts what I heard somewhere before in a different light.

So, if this Demon King Nobbu doesn't disappear, the whole Singularity's going to start destroying everything...

Guess that means this is goodbye then. But hey, don't worry about it.

Seeing as I'm an amalgamation of many possible Nobunagas, all linked to this Singularity...

...I already figured there was no way I was gonna last much longer.

？！

Aw, come on. I already died at Honnoji once. Historically speaking, I'm pretty much required to disappear here.

Besides, if I stayed alive, this place would just evolve into a new Singularity...

...with a name like Singularity NOBU, Burning Demon Realm Honnoji or something like that.

Actually that does sound kind of awesome! Wahahaha!

What's so funny!? Don't you get it!? If you disappear now, you'll never get to see Master again!

For that matter, where do you get off acting like a big shot who doesn't care if she dies all of a sudden!?

Where's the dumb Nobbu who'd be flailing around screaming about not wanting to die at a time like this?

I swear, what's wrong with you!?

If I stayed alive, this place would just turn into one of those... What were they called again?

Oh, right. Lostbelts. This place would totally turn into a Lostbelt.

No, wait, I've got it. In this case, it'd probably be a Nobbelt! Hahahahaha!

What's so funny!? Don't you get it!? If you disappear now, you'll never get to see Master again!

For that matter, where do you get off acting like a big shot who doesn't care if she dies all of a sudden!?

Where's the dumb Nobbu who'd be flailing around screaming about not wanting to die at a time like this?

I swear, what's wrong with you!?

...I don't get it!

...

...Hahahahahahaha!

Sorry, sorry. I just never expected to hear anything like that from you of all people, Okita.

I guess the Chaldea version of me must have really felt at home there.

Then why would you

Because I'm not my Chaldean self any more.

...Now go on. Get out of here.

...

All right. See you around, Demon King of the Sixth Heaven. I hope you keep that new look. It's a good one.

...Don't be silly, Mr. Hijikata. This is still Nobbu we're talking about.

Though I guess I have to admit, this is a pretty cool look, too.

...Okay, Oda Nobunaga. If nothing else, I'm sure we'll get to kill each other in another Holy Grail War someday.

Looks like this is goodbye for us too then, Master, since I'm staying here and all.

？！

Well, you know, in your time, you can't just go around killing people for looking at you funny, right?

I don't think I'd fit in. I'm too used to pulling out my spear soon as something pisses me off.

Hell, even my allies were practically dancing in the streets when I finally kicked the bucket.

So just go back home where you belong and don't worry about me.

Mori... No, Lord Mori Nagayoshi, First Spear of the Chaldea Clan...thank you for your service.

Hahahahaha! You really got the hang of this Chief Retainer thing, huh, Mash!

Take good care of my Master, all right!?

Okay then, let's get you two home!

Oh, and don't worry about Chacha and the other Servants. I already brought them back.

All right, I think it is time you two came back to Chaldea Base!

Oh, and do not worry about Chacha and the other Servants. I have brought them home, safe and sound.

？！

Oh yeah, don't think you're rid of me that easily! Prepare yourselves! The next time we meet, I'll be coming for your world!

...

Hey, Katsuzou. Are you sure you wouldn't rather have gone with them?

You know, Boss, I've been thinking. Master was great and all, but he was also way too soft, right?

So I can't help but wonder what kinda world he comes from that let him survive this long.

...Good question.

I guess you could say the fact that a weakling like him has survived and thrived this long...

...just proves that mankind succeeded at creating a world that has room for all kinds of people, not just the strong.

Hahahaha! I don't know what that's all about, but whatever it is, I can tell it means I'm behind the times!

No wonder I couldn't hold a candle to him!

On second thought, Katsuzou, you should go with him after all.

Keep him safe in my absence.

Hey, c'mon, Boss. I just told you, a guy like me tagging along'd only make trouble for him.

Hahahahaha! And what about the trouble you'd make for me if you stayed!?

Ranmaru wouldn't so much as give me the time of day if I took you down to the underworld with me!

...

Hah, all right, you win. If you're gonna bring Naritoshi into this, I guess I got no choice but to take you up on it.

Still, you sure he's not gonna mind if I crash at his place? I mean, even Regent Lord Toyotomi had a tough time figuring out what to do with me, right?

Hahahahaha! If Fujimaru can figure out how to put you to good use when even Monkey came up short, it'll just go to show what a rare hero he really is.

And that would be a lord more than worthy of Mori Nagayoshi to serve!

Hahahahaha! You got that right!

...Well, see you later, Boss. Give Naritoshi my regards, all right?

Man oh man, these guys sure like to take their sweet time saying goodbye, don't they?

I think I'd have preferred you offing me when my guard was down after all.

Don't be silly, my lady. Even I could never hope to kill you twice.

Then again, if that is your wish, I suppose it would pose a most interesting challenge.

Gahahahaha! When did you manage to get yourself a sense of humor, Lord Akechi?

Gonroku... I guess I made you work extra hard this time, didn't I?

Not at all, my lady! Besides, I got to see my daughter again for the first time in ages, and I had a chance to truly cut loose with my spear!

Monkey may have stolen all my thunder back when we were still alive...

...but after today, I'm sure the name "Shibata the Demon" won't soon be forgotten!

Agreed! I always thought you and I were the best sort of retainers for Lady Nobunaga, Lord Shibata, and I'm pleased to see you prove me right!

That bald rat on the other hand, well, he should have been honored merely to be in Lady Nobunaga's presence!

Man, you guys really do hate Monkey, don't you?

Anyway, what do you say we get going?

Mitsuhide! Gonroku! Like it or not, you're both coming with me!

Of course, my lady! I would gladly follow you to the gates of hell itself.

As would I! Just you wait! It won't be long before even the demons of hell come to tremble at the name Shibata the Demon!

A human life spans but fifty years...

Set against life in the heavens, it is but a dream...an illusion.

Hahahahahahaha!

Well, it can't be helped!