Section Five: To the Heavens? (2/2)

So, did you find Evil Ushiwaka?

I'm afraid not. How about you two?

Nope.

Ugh, what's with this place? I swear, we've found everybody except the one we're looking for.

I certainly am a slippery one, aren't I?

I'm not so sure about leaving yet. We still don't know that Evil Ushiwaka hasn't done anything bad up here.

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Hold on, Senpai!

I'm picking up some magical energy signals. I think they're probably Chaldean Serv

!

Who are you two!?

Well, whoever you are, it's nice to see someone so eager to fight! I'm glad Chaldea has at least a couple of go-getters like yourselves!

Maybe it's because they were in their Master's presence, but nearly all the other Heroic Spirits I've met so far have been unfailingly polite.

I was starting to think that's just what you were all like, but I'm glad to be wrong!

This is where your journey ends!

As you can see, Brother is feeling very, um, motivated. I'm sorry, Master.

What are you apologizing for, Pollux!?

But Brother

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Who said you could say our name!?

Yes, Master, it's us.

Pollux!

We've hit out silly shit quota for the day. Get lost.

Ooh, you're such a hard-ass, Cú! I love it!

Hey! What do you two think you're doing!?

...That is no way for a mere Heroic Spirit to speak to gods.

Now, now, Brother, don't be like that. They ARE from a different time and place, after all.

Could you guys do me a favor for old time's sake and just...get out of our way?

I don't know what it is Evil Ushiwaka's up to, but there can't be anything in it for you two, right?

Jason.

Jason, while I would normally be willing to listen to what you have to say, at least up to a point...

This time I will not. Give up now and save yourselves the hardship.

Huh!?

I'm sorry, Jason. Brother's already made up his mind.

I can't believe this! Were you offered something worth turning on old friends!?

Yup, that's exactly what happened! And the boy twin over there completely bought it!

Some lady who kinda looked like Ushiwakamaru or Overseer Yoshitsune, I couldn't tell which...

...said she'd use the Mallet of Fortune to grant a wish as long as we held you up here!

Who goes there!?

Me!

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Oh, yes, it's me, Nobukatsu! Wherever Sister goes, I go, too!

Oho, so your brother is here as well, Lady Nobunaga. Does this mean both of you sibling teams will be trying to stop us then?

Huh, so we're under attack by a squad of close siblings?

What is going on here?

The Dioscuri are a pair of twin stars, right? Plus a pair of Japanese-looking Heroic Spirit...siblings?

I'm Oda Nobunaga, Demon King of the Sixth Heaven!

And I'm her brother, Nobukatsu.

Hm? Oda?

I'm a lot older than I look, and I've seen a lot of humans over the years...

But I don't remember Oda Nobunaga being like...well, that.

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Huh? Gouda gouda?

???

All right, well, putting Maybe-Oda Nobunaga aside for now, we're still up in the clouds, right?

... ...

...I don't get it. How did we get into this situation again?

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Really? You don't get it? Some legendary onmyouji or whatever you turned out to be.

Nnn.

It's simple. The Dioscuri there used to be star gods, right?

And the sky is near the stars, right?

I suppose that's true.

Isn't it obvious?

Heh heh heh!

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Think about it! I'm the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven!

And where are the heavens? That's right, up in the sky! So this is my territory! See? Makes perfect sense!

I...uh, see...?

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In Buddhism, heavens refer to the worlds inhabited by devas, and are said to be the most beautiful places in all of creation.

The Sixth Heaven is the realm of desire, and is said to be in a constant state of flux.

I...suppose that could apply to a world above the clouds?

There, you see!?

I've never gotten to know the heavens well, since I've always had closer ties to mountains.

You know, since I'm in such a good mood, I'll go ahead and let you in on a secret.

There is a reason I had to side with Ushiwakamaru, or Yoshitsune, or whoever that was.

Oh?

What is it?

I'm technically part of the Taira clan!

Aah! Sister, you really shouldn't go around saying things like that.

Wh-why not!? It's true! I'm descended from them and everything!

???

Why are you bringing up the Taira clan? Yes, I may belong to the Genji, and the Taira clan were our sworn enemies...

But we're all Heroic Spirits serving the same Master now! So, why

There is nothing more to discuss. I'm going to kill you all and have my wish granted. End of story.

Let's go, Pollux!

Yes, Brother! Again, I'm sorry about this, Master!

I hope you don't mind playing along for a while!

Wahahahaha! Come on, Nobukatsu! And come forth, my crow tengu army!

A crow tengu army! Was it the bond between Lord Yoshitsune and the Mallet of Fortune that summoned them here!?

Hope you're ready to die, Chaldeans!

'Cause it's Honnoji time!

Sister! That's the one where you lost, remember!?

...Brother.

Tch, not bad!

But this is as far as you go. For you see, my wish has already been granted!

Hmm. That doesn't sound like sour grapes to me. What are you talking about?

My wish was granted to us by the Mallet of Fortune, a wish granter from the East.

While its effects may appear instantly on other Heroic Spirits...

Our Spirit Origins are a special case!

So you're saying the mallet's effects are only just now working on you?

Well, what did you want? To be stronger? That doesn't seem like something gods would need to wish for...

Well, um... Hmm, how can I put this...?

Wrong!

My wish was for us to be returned to our past selves!

When a human's clock is turned back, they return to being a child! When ours are turned back, we will be gods once more!

Their magical energy just grew tenfold! They're too powerful to be considered Heroic Spirits anymore... They're Divine Spirits!

Hahahahahaha! Get ready, you rabble, because we're about to utterly obliterate you!

Again, I'm so sorry, but my brother absolutely insisted...

I have to admit, even I feel a little out of place standing next to genuine Mystics, but never mind that now!

Come on, Nobukatsu! Let's show them what we can do, too!

Yes, Sister! Let's show those gods that our bond as siblings is just as strong as theirs!

Not what I meant.

Let's go, Pollux!

Y-yes, Brother!

Well, they're definitely stronger now than they were before! Get ready, everyone!

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Got it.

Don't worry, Master! I'll bob and weave so fast they'll never see me coming!

Hahahahahaha!

Yikes, they're tough!

Heh, these Western gods put up a good fight! They really are getting stronger every time they revert further into their past!

How many reversions have they gone through by now? The way they're going

Hey, is it just me, or are we in serious trouble here!? How're we even gonna touch them if they get back to their true forms!?

Well

Hahahahaha! Behold! Behold our ultimate reversion!

Prepare to feast your eyes on the true form of gods!

We! Are! Gemini!

Farewell, Earthlings! We now look down upon you as a constellation in the starry sky!

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Uh...

...

...

...

...

...So they're stars now.

Wha...? Huh?

I don't see their magical energy signals anymore... What's going on?

Did you see that, Nobukatsu?

Now that...was a way to ascend to the heavens.

I'm honestly touched.

I never really got what people meant when they said someone hung the stars, but now...now it makes sense!

This must have been what things were like during the age of Greek mythology.

I know what you mean, Sister. I'm touched, too.

Those siblings' love for each other was something special... But I know we can still beat them!

I told you that's not what I'm talking about. Knock it off.

Now then.

Well, Chaldeans, I only have one more thing left to say.

We surrender!

After seeing fireworks like that, I'm plenty satisfied with this outcome!

Me too, Sister!

...O-oh. Okay. Wasn't expecting that.

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W-well, that's just what happens when you make a wish without thinking it through!

But don't worry. Once we get the Mallet of Fortune back, I'll put them, and this whole minute Singularity thing, back to normal.

Trust me, everything's going to work out fine! Kanra kara kara!

That said... I was definitely not expecting them to turn into stars.

Farewell, Earthlings! We now look down upon you as a constellation in the starry sky!

The whole thing...?

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Y-yes, Senpai, everything's fine. Something Kiichi Hogen said just got me thinking.

Even if the Mallet of Fortune's massive magical energy is the source of this minute Singularity...

...I don't see how it would be possible to use it to repair every anomaly here at once...

Oh, don't worry about that. Everything's going to work out!

What, just like that?

If I may, Lady Kiichi, that is quite the bold claim.

Yes, just like that. All I have to do is use the mallet.

But in order to do that, we still have to track down Evil Ushiwaka and get it back from her!

So, Nobbu Siblings. Any idea where the Heroic Spirit who kind of looks like Ushiwaka went?

Nope!

Let's see... Um, she went off in that direction.

West, huh?

Oh, yes, just a moment please. Hrn!

Yep, that fits with what the needle's telling me. Okay, west we go!

Then let's go! Hmm, what would be west from here... Spain, maybe?

Or perhaps the Americas?

This is turning out to be one hell of a trip around the world... Wait. I just had a thought!

Does this mean we're covering more distance than I traveled in the Argo? Seriously?

Seriously! All right, everyone, let's get going!