Primitive Red Rose (Bad End)

...I never thought I would have to resort to this altar.

How unfortunate that only the trivial matters went smoothly, while my true desires remain frustratingly out of reach.

...Nn...

I...can't move... Munenori, what...is this place?

Ah, so you have awoken, my goddess.

This is the altar where the Primordial Goddess fell into a deep slumberthe holy ground of the Ancient Shrine Bel Maanna.

On this altar, your body will serve as a catalyst with which to awaken the Primordial Goddess.

That is to say...you will be sacrificed.

...I see. So instead of making me into the perfect goddess, you're going to offer me up to her...

Before I go, just let me ask you this. Why did you raise me?

You said yourself that Ishtar was a better match for the Primordial Goddess.

So if you knew that all along, why didn't you take her instead of me?

Given how matters have unfolded, yes, perhaps that would have been the more prudent course of action.

She would even have been a better evil commander than you, as you took it much more seriously than you should have.

But none of that matters now.

We discovered you in Tokiomi's house when you were still just an infant. An infant that had been sealed away to ensure you would never awaken.

There was something stern and ill-tempered about your expression that told me you had the potential to be a fine swordfighter.

I have grown sentimental in my old age, and it was that sentimentality that led to my choosing you.

Now that your skills have exceeded mine, I know that I chose right. Compared to the joy of seeing you surpass me, nothing else matters.

...I see. Thank you, Munenori.

I am the half of the goddess that humans rejected.

The half that reincarnated as a human to try to reach an understanding with them, only to be told I had no place in their world.

But you, Munenori, have served me well, so you are now free to do with me as you wish.

I... I'm just sorry that... I couldn't live up to your hopes for me.

...Now then.

It would seem the end is close at hand. Wouldn't you agree, Master-slash-catalyst?

...Now then.

It would seem the end is close at hand. Wouldn't you agree, Master-slash-catalyst?

？！

The other Ishtarin's been laid out on the altar!

Does that mean you're going to sacrifice her!? I thought that was Fujimaru's job!

It was, on Dark Maanna. But here in this ancient shrine, Lady Ashtart is a better fit.

I was hoping she could obtain the Primordial Goddess's power for herself...

But now that a Master and the goddess's good and evil halves are all gathered at this shrine, there is no stopping what comes next.

Two thousand years ago, the Primordial Goddess, Ashtart Origin, was resurrected and defeated on this very spot.

Now, she will be resurrected once again, using Lady Ashtart as her Spirit Core.

Next, Ashtart Origin will absorb Ishtar, her remaining half, and the Master will become the keystone keeping her materialized.

...Heh. I could hope for no better subordinate than a Primordial Goddess with our evil commander at her core.

There is no stopping her resurrection now. Your only choice is to run to the far corners of the galaxy, or

Or we kick your ass and drag Ashtart off that altar before that can happen. Right?

Very well. I was getting tired of my usual "or your blood will serve to whet my blade" spiel anyway.

Come then, have at you. I will use my Space Shinkageryu to reunite you with your father.

Bring it on, you old bastard! What a delight to see that you're an irredeemable scumbag to the end!

...So, this is where I meet my end.

However, I cannot allow the goddess's blood to slick this altar, no matter how much you may despise me.

So I will offer up my own life for my Primordial Goddess's awakening. Heh. I daresay that is quite "rocking" in its own right.

...I did it. I finally avenged Father. But...

...I don't get it. I thought I'd be thrilled about this, but I'm just sad...

Come on, Ishtarin! I know how you feel right now, but you've gotta snap out of it! Look! The altar!

!

...

？！

Ugh, dammit! I can't believe I have to save her ass now!

Fujimaru, can you go up there and pull her off the altar!?

I'd do it myself, but every bone in my body is screaming at me not to get any closer!

I can't do it either! It's like something's beaming the words "Do not interfere" right into my brain!

？！

？！

...Nn... ......Ah...

？！

You carried her here in your arms!? Oh right, you're stronger than you look, aren't you!

All right, putting that aside: Come on, evil me, what do you think you're doing!?

Wake up already, dammit! You're not just gonna roll over and become the Primordial Goddess, are you!?

Hmm, she's not opening her eyes. Maybe we should try something a little more direct? A bomb, maybe?

That's a good idea if we're trying to finish her off, but no, not now! We'll save it for a last resort!

Right now, let's just get away from this shrine!

There's no way the Primordial Goddess can be resurrected if neither of us is here to

Don't bother. It's too late.

？！

...Let go of me. I can stand by myself.

Well good, I'm glad to see you're back to your old self! But what do you mean it's too late!?

Bel Maanna is on its way. Which means the Primordial Goddess has already been resurrected.

Bel Maanna's on its way? Now what are you talking about? Aren't we standing in Bel Maanna?

Besides, the two of us together make up the Primordial Goddess, right?

So if we both just put some distance between us and this shrine

It doesn't work that way. You and I, we are separate beings from the Primordial Goddess.

While I was sleeping on that altar, I realized the true connection between her body and soul.

The only part of the goddess that's sleeping here in the Origin Universe is her bodythe one Servants defeated long ago.

You and I are the goddess's hearther soul, essentiallythat she removed from her body before her defeat.

With her soul gone, and her Spirit Origin dispersed, it may have seemed like the Primordial Goddess had disappeared...

...but gods aren't bound by our rules.

The Primordial Goddess didn't need her heart to survive. In other words, this Origin Universe is

Whoa, look! The stars are coming together!

？！

...The two of us together make up the Primordial Goddess's Spirit Core.

And this Origin Universe...is the body that remained after she removed her own heart.

So THAT'S why she didn't disappear even though her Spirit Core was gone!

Wait, back up. Does that mean this entire galaxy is actually you, Ishtarin!?

How can there be this much left over!? If we're the heart, shouldn't we be way more important!?

No. In human terms, it is no different than the inability of individual cells to think for themselves.

A god's heart is but one part of their full self. I'm disappointed to see my alter egos managed to grow up without ever understanding that.

？！

However, the beating of that heart has awoken my body, so I will forgive your ignorance. Indeed, I have always been quite forgiving of myself.

Oh yeah, that's definitely you, Ishtarin! A much, much scarier you, but still you!

And just what is that supposed to mea There, your guard's down! Diiie!

A surprise attack, hmm. You do not understand the futility of something so very small as you attempting to harm a being of my power. Pathetic.

Then again, you are merely a version of me that was brought to life here, and so know nothing of the past.

Very well then, I will cleanse your mind of the Shining Blue Galaxy poison it has accumulated.

Just this once, I will let you gaze upon my true form, so that you may see the truth of the Primordial Goddess for yourself.

？！

Wh-what the...!? What's going on!? Why is there a giant, expanding version of me!?

She's not expanding. She IS the shrine.

This shrine in the Origin Universe IS the god's true form. It creates life, provides that life with culture, and protects the areas where life may grow.

This is the Goddess Shrine, Bel Maanna. The true mark of the Primordial Goddess.

I don't remember anything like that being here before! No fair pulling a giant robot on us out of nowhere!

It is a shrine, not a robot. So, you are that Archer.

You have done well to survive so long without losing your minds. As a reward for bringing my heart to me, I will do you the kindness of lifting your curse.

Rejoice, for your long penance is over. You are free to wither away into dust once again.

Now then... Return to me, my heart.

My body may have remained in operation far longer, but the two of you are my true self.

Now, let us come together and spread this perfect Origin Universe far and wide.

A beautiful paradise called Edin, red plains populated only by those who sing my praises.

... Are you good to go, Fujimaru?

We have to stop her here and now. We have to.

She's actually trying to destroy the entire universe, and she doesn't even feel bad about it!

She's an existential threat to all of Servantkind. I don't know how I know that, but I do.

Exactly. Nobody knows you better than you know yourse Hey! This is serious!

？！

...I see. So you would side with humans.

Hell yeah I would. Do you even know why I came all this way in the first place!?

So that I can get this big pushover here back to his own universe!

The last thing we need is a fairy tale like the Primordial Goddess coming to life! You just sink right back into obscurity and leave us alone!

You...myself...would choose to forget me...?

Nobody orders me into obscurity. Not even myself.

Forgetting me is evil. Changing one's beliefs is evil. Moving to a new land is the gravest insult one can give a goddess.

Begone, new me. I can always make myself another heart later.

Begone, new, disgraceful version of me, along with the rest of your repugnant Shining Blue Galaxy.

？！

Seriously! I can't even tell if our attacks are landing or not!

They are, I promise!

Then why does it feel like I'm cutting through air!? What is going on!?

What did you expect? You're attacking the universe itself.

Huh!? What the hell does that mean!?

...I can't believe it. You didn't read ANY of the Goddess Scriptures, did you?

The Primordial Goddess isn't a goddess with enough magical energy for a galaxy; she IS a galaxyone that's taken the form of a goddess.

She may appear to be human, but that's all it is. An appearance.

Don't you remember how I told you this Origin Universe was her remains? What else could that mean but the fact that she IS the Origin Universe?

You're kidding... Then there's no way we can possibly defeat her! ...Right, Fujimaru!?

...It may look as though the nebulae have gathered together, but they haven't... Not yet, anyway.

Nope. If they'd all collected in one place, we'd already have been sucked into the enormous black hole they'd create.

What we're seeing before us now is a shadow. Her true body is far bigger than it looks, and it has a hell of a lot of empty space.

To defeat her, we would need to use projectiles large enough to actually hit her and do some damage. They'd have to be as big as a planet...or even another galaxy.

Ohh, now I gotcha! So her Spirit Origin's conceptual, like the constellations made up of stars that are thousands of light-years away!

Nope, still not getting it!

？！

But right now the upshot is she can attack us all she wants, and we can't do a damn thing to her!?

How is that even fair!? The only positive here is that she's attacking pretty recklessly, so she's not hitting us dead-on.

It's only a matter of time until that changes. Once this altar falls apart, we'll have nowhere left to run.

That Bel Maanna looming over us is the mark of the true goddess.

Weor at least, I, as an evil goddessnever had any reason to exist to begin with.

I was always fated to disappear here.

Neither ordinary people, nor even the goddess herself, ever needed me.

So...

So I'm going to hold her off. It doesn't matter if I die here, since my existence was always pointless.

Ishtar, use the time I buy you to take Master and get out of here.

We of the Servantverse brought the destruction of the Shining Blue Galaxy on ourselves. It isn't... It shouldn't be your problem, Master.

You're only here because I brought you here from your own world. There is no need for you to share our fate.

Ashtart...

？！

Now go on! Hurry! Before I change my mind!

...How irritating. Now even this other piece of me has apparently decided to side with humans.

I see no further need to hold back. I will reduce you and the ground you stand upon to your component atoms.

Releasing Spirit Origin Galaxy. Opening Bel Maanna's gates. Return every life-form in this zone to nothingness.

？！

This is the place beyond the event horizon. You might call it the land of the dead.

Hello there, Master. Hm? You don't know who I am? Good, that will make this easier.

It seems you've been caught up in something quite terrible.

I've had to deal with my own share of that kind of thing, so I know how terrible it can be.

The threat of a whole universe dying out just can't compete with the thrill of a new kind of sweet being announced.

Still, if you want sweets, you need a universe, so I'm here to help you out with my mysterious powers.

I'm going to throw you back in time a little bit. Then it'll be up to you to choose a better path.

You already have everything you need to win. All that's left now is for those two to reckon with their feelings.

I know one of them is all set to throw her life away, but that's just a bit of teenage angst.

Once she learns the truth about her circumstances, I'm sure she'll be ready to step up to the challenges ahead.

All right then, I'll see you again, somewhere, someday...

...Good luck, Black Knight.