Section 17: The Battle for the Final Area

...This is it.

Let's go over the situation to make sure we're all on the same page.

Our next battlefield is the first place the monsters stole from the Con, and their final stronghold.

There's a lot more water out here. Most of this place is little islands surrounded by ocean.

The enemy here is merfolk, and they outnumber us in a big way.

Keh heh heh, it seems they understand this is their last bastion. Not that it will do them much good.

Even so, we're not going easy on them. It'll be an all-out battle.

Actually, maintenance on my equipment finally finished.

I'd hoped that meant I could go and support you directly...but I'm afraid it was just a little too late. What a shame.

No need to feel bad. That's the whole reason we're here.

From what we've learned by observing them, we know that the merfolk can't remain constantly submerged.

So obviously, the fact that we won't be fighting primarily underwater is a good thing for us.

That said, we still expect to encounter a multitude of situations.

Close-range battles on narrow land.

Our allies on land will be attacking aquatic positions, and our allies on water will be attacking positions on land.

We may also encounter situations where two water-based opponents end up whittling each other down.

So we'll need to be ready to adapt to the situation as it changes.

Right. However, we can also expect each situation to be an evolution of what we've been doing so far.

Controlling our own actions... Giving the Con instructions on when to deal the final blows...

This will be the culmination of all our work thus far. As long as we do our jobs correctly, we should be just fine.

You don't have to tell me twice.

I've always run my underworld by ensuring everyone does what they need to do with quiet, faithful diligence.

So that's exactly what I'll do here, too. Come to me, my spirits!

Gyah.

T-Torturers, assemble! Form a wall! Now!

Um, this is how I will deal with any enemy who tries to make it onto land by rounding them all up!

J-just leave it to me! I fear nothing and no one!

？！

I'm sure there will also be battles that need to be fought completely underwater.

Don't worry. I'll handle those. I'm the only one here who can, anyway.

？！

How's it looking? Pretty as a brand-new figure box after peeling the tape off PERFECTLY!

I have no idea what Blackbeard is on about, but the ship's great.

We can raise the Jolly Roger whenever you give the word!

Both the mast and the sails are in great shape. The only thing this ship's missing is a mekakure first mate.

Of course it's looking awesome, Master! We can blast off whenever you want!

Just make sure you don't driuh sail too crazily, Mordred!

I still ain't got a damn clue how this contraption works...

...but she's cruisin' along nice 'n' steady!

I might not be a celestial maiden or a foreign princess, but you'd better believe we're gonna get our money's worth when I paint this baby!

How's it looking? Pretty as a brand-new figure box after peeling the tape off PERFECTLY!

I have no idea what Blackbeard is on about, but the ship's great.

We can raise the Jolly Roger whenever you give the word!

Both the mast and the sails are in great shape. The only thing this ship's missing is a mekakure first mate.

All right, then let's get go

The enemy's making a move! Here they come!

？！

Right.

...This is our final battle, everyone. Let's make sure we win it!

Yaaah!

It's over!

Now!

Here we go, go, go!

Let's do this!

Chaaarge!

You did it! That was the last of

No, it's not over yet! Be careful!

Haaa!

That one is definitely not like any of the others we have seen! Is that the boss!?

If he is, then he must not be able to stay behind the scenes anymore. Now's our chance!

Yeah. It doesn't matter what comes at us now. We'll take it down all the same.

This time, we're going to win!

Enemy signal has disappeared! Initiating perimeter scan!

...No sign of any hostiles.

Phew.

Okay, I think it's safe to say we're in the clear.

You did it, everyone! You won! Congratulations!

Waha!

We did it!

We... We won...?

Phew.

...

That's right, Sister! We won! We really won!

Eee. Come on, Nhị, not in front of everyone. It's embarrassing. Still... Yeah. Yeah!

We did win, didn't we!? Hooray!

？！

Oh Fujimaru, this is incredible. I don't know what to say...

？！

Keh heh heh. Especially me.

Phew...

I'm just glad the mission didn't end in failure the one time I helped out...

Of course we won. How could we not when beautiful women like us all did our best, beautifully?

Well, I suppose you fans did a pretty good job, too. Well done.

Waha! She praised us!

We worked hard!

Juuust a second.

Yes, you did wipe out all the merfolk. I expect there are barely any water monsters left on these islands now.

But we still haven't found this Singularity's core.

What are you talking about?

？！

I see. So you're talking about what's actually caused all the strange things happening here.

We generally call those "Holy Grails."

I thought for sure we would find this Singularity's Holy Grail once we defeated that extra large merman...

...but it looks like I was wrong.

(Does that mean he wasn't their king, but just a superior subspecies? Something isn't adding up, though...)

Sometimes, the Grails have been kept at specific locations, rather than in someone's possession...

...and occasionally they have even spontaneously manifested on their own.

Well, with the enemies gone, can't we just take our sweet time searching for it?

...Yeah, I guess you're right.

(As long as there are no surprises, we shouldn't have any issue finding it...)

(...but something tells me it won't be that simple. There's still way too much we don't know about this world.)

(I suppose that means it's time to hope for the best and prepare for the worst.)

All right, now that we have won, let us return to the village in triumph and enjoy our victory banquet!

How dare you let an empress's glass run dry? If I were still in charge, this would be grounds for torture. Now hurry up and bring me another round!

(Glug, glug, glug...)

Mmm, there really is nothing like a glass of fine wine after a victory! Or coconut juice, as the case may be!

...

？！

Oh, no, it's nothing. Don't get me wrong; I'm just as happy about our victory as anyone.

It's just... (Sigh) I suppose there's no sense lying to you.

I can't put my finger on why, but I have a bad feeling about this.

It's like...something doesn't smell right.

Almost as if I'm sensing something that shouldn't be here, but somehow...is?

？！

What the...!?

This is...

That's the same mist we saw with the vodyanoy! Except, it's even thicker now...

Does this mean new water monsters are coming again?

Then we'll have to go fight them off!

I'll start searching for them right away! Please stay alert, everyone!

Oh no... Oh no!

I feel it. This is bad... Very bad...

This isn't a monster. This is something else.

It's coming from across the sea and beyond the mist...and there's no escaping it...

It's a flood! A massive flood, practically as big as the ocean!

？！

Say whaaaaaat!?

There's nothing I can do... It's going to swallow us whole!

The water's rising so fast! Come on, Elder! Can't you make yourself float above it!?

No, I can't. I already told you. My connection to my real body is all but gone...

But if you don't, everyone will be dragged under!

We finally won! We managed to save the Con! And now you're telling me their island's just...!

Hyaaa!

What're we gonna do!?

Ah! The water washed some of the Con away!

Everyone, please! Try to stay calm!

Everyone, hurry to anything that floats! Like the ship! Then hold on tight!

Wh-what ARE we going to do!?

There's nothing we CAN do.

The village is built on water, so we might survive this if we evacuate onto something that can float...

...but there's nothing we can do to stop this massive flood!

It's only a matter of time now until the water swallows up this villageno, this whole island!

That would endanger not just the Con, but Master and the Servants, too!

For the record, the Rayshift is ready to bring you home.

You could leave there right now if you wanted to.

I had a feeling something like this might happen, so I got it ready just in case.

？！

I figured you'd say that. It's okay. I just wanted to make sure you knew the option was there.

But even if we stay here, there's nothing we can do...

...

Yes, there is.

？！

You do know what I am, right?

I'm not just the most beautiful waterborne star you'll ever see.

I'm also a High Servant with Leviathan for my main essence.

And my Leviathan Melt Purge is a summer fantasy that makes the sea swallow up both the land and the sky.

I should be able to use it to control the ocean itself.

So if seawater is threatening to drown this whole island, I'll just take control of that water myself.

Once I've collected and stabilized all this excess water, I can just let it back out into the sea once things have calmed down.

Good. Then do it already! You have my permission!

Settle down. I can't just do it as easy as flipping my hood back.

There's a reason I don't usually use this Noble Phantasm.

It takes an absolutely absurd amount of pure magical energy.

Master, can you use your Command Spells on me? All of them.

？！

Not a moment's hesitation, huh? Of course not.

Thank you, Lambda. I'm sorry we can't do anything to help.

Good luck. We're all counting on you!

Leave it to me.

Believe me, I'm not about to have my perfect program ruined at the end.

Okay, I'm going to head down to the shore. It'd be dangerous to use this too close to the village.

As for you, you're going to use your Command Spells on me from a distance, at just the right time.

You can do that, right? You are my Master, after all.

... ...

Here goes nothing...

(Let's hope this works...)

？！

Mmm, exquisite. I knew getting three Command Spells at once would be nice.

Not that I wouldn't have found out what this felt like anyway, since I would've just taken them if he'd refused.

...Anyway, now I just have to make his special treat count.

Get ready for the best jump you're ever going to see.

Here I go! This is the song of the sea steeped in jealousy and envy... Leviathan Melt Purge!

She's doing it!

...Incredible.

She's drawing all that seawater up into the air and...turning it into a giant orb of water!

(No... This isn't enough!)

(I need to absorb all the water, gather it, and compress it before it can cover the whole island...!)

(More... More! If I don't come onto the stage giving it my all, I'll never make it in time!)

(Grr... Aaah!)

It's not working! She doesn't have the magical energy to keep up with the sheer scale of her Noble Phantasm!

Her entire Spirit Origin will fall apart if this keeps up!

What's more, the flood is still slowly rising even with Lambda's efforts!

A bunch of Con have already been swept away!

Ugh!

I can't believe it... Does this mean I can't become the great sea at a moment's notice after al

Helldyste.

Huh!? What are you doing here, Island Fan No. 1!? Get back! It's not safe!

I can't talk now!

I came to help you, Lam-Lam.

Help me? Hehe, I appreciate the thought, but

You don't have enough power, right? I can help, no problem.

You can eat us!

...Huh?

That's what we are.

We didn't really like being dug up and eaten without being asked.

But this is different.

This is a thank-you for helping us so much.

We're still fighting together, just like before!

Wait. Hold on. What are you

Huh!? My Melt Envy just activated on its own!

What is this absorption rate? I can't stop it. It's like energy is melting straight into my body...!

Stop! Get away from me!

Don't be like that. You have to try new foods to find out if you like them!

It's okay. There are lots of me around.

But...there's only one of you, Island Fan No. 1!

I'm still like everyone else. I just have a ribbon.

So I'll be okay. We can still see each other again.

I can't wait to see your beautiful dancing again, Lam-Lam!

Wait!

...You want to see me dance? ...You got it.

I'm the star of the sea! There's no way I'd ever let my audience down!

(What is this unbelievable power flowing through me? How is this possible? ...I'll worry about it later.)

Right now, I bet I could dry up this whole ocean if I wanted to!

Leviathan Melt Purge!!!

？！

Oh wow... Not only did Lambda's Noble Phantasm gather up all the floodwater...

...she even gathered up all the seawater around the island into one enormous, compressed sphere!

All the water on the island has been drained upwards, even water from the nearby sea!

S-so I see. This reminds me of that Moh-ses person I once read about. I wonder why it suddenly started working so well?

I can see from the data that one of the Con went up to Lambda...

...and shortly afterwards, she received a major boost to her Noble Phantasm's output. But that's all I can tell...

...

I... I can't believe this...

We're...alive? Damn, way to go!

Phew.

A lot of the Con were still swept away, though. I hope we can save them. Um, if you don't mind

...I'm sorry, everyone. But we have another emergency on our hands.

Huh?

Lambdaryllis did an amazing job getting us out of this crisis.

But it looks like an unexpected power infusion meant she couldn't hold back.

Now that she's sucked up all the water around the island, we can see the island's foundation.

It's become a bit of a situation.

We understood this island to be made of dirt piled atop a giant turtle's back.

Now we can see the truth for ourselves.

Do you all remember those observation drone kits I had Fujimaru put together for me?

I'm still flying them as we speak.

Here. Take a look at this image I just got back.

This is the current state of the island you're all standing on right now.

？！

That sure doesn't look like a turtle to me.

I will say that it seems like it's kind of been shaped to resemble one.

But, it's obvious there's no shell. I don't see a turtle's head anywhere, either.

And the flippers are completely nonfunctional.

What we have here...is just a huge mass of flesh.

...No, wait. Take a closer look. This is not just a mass of flesh.

It also has eyes.

Yeah, it does. I guess "just" wasn't the right word for it.

I think you know what it is too, Empress of China. You learned about it in your Taoist studies.

Why yes, I do! I do know what this is!

It is called...

...shiròu, or "seen as flesh." It is also known as Taisui!

？！

Yes. It is a kind of living mass of flesh buried in the ground that is said to curse anyone who digs it up.

But, it is also rumored to confer long life and perpetual youth if eaten.

I think it is also known as Ròulíngzhī, or "flesh mushroom."

In Taoism, it is Jupiter's... No, I do not need to get into that now.

My point is, does this mean this island's base was actually an enormous Taisui this whole time!?

What is going on!?

Good question. This is a pretty wild situation we find ourselves in.

We were told this island was built on a giant turtle shell, but it turned out to be a giant Taisui.

Then... You don't mean...!?

Why did you lie to us?

I'm guessing it's because you're not actually the turtle this island is supposedly made from, are you?

Who are you really, Elder!?

H-huh? What do you mean?

Oh, never mind. It seems the jig is up.

I was hoping to wash you all away and be done with it, but you just had to keep struggling.

Elder...? You're kidding, right?

Not at all, foolish girl. This would have been so much easier if you hadn't interfered.

Hmph. I see you have dropped the senile act.

So you're the one who tried to sink this entire island.

Indeed I am. I embedded a Holy Grail in the conceptual root of this watery world and linked it to my own existence.

？！

This also means I am the very water surrounding this area.

That makes it something akin to my entrails, which gives me some degree of control over it.

It also allows me to stir up the surrounding waters to drown all you irritating pests in one fell swoop...

...revitalize the Taisui through the water...

...and grow beings akin to Taisui sprites that are even more nutrient-rich...

So that's what the Con are!?

Huh?

They are merely bait. Powerful bait filled with wonderful nutrients that are essential to my goal.

I was going to feed them to my kin and other water monsters to shape them into what I wanted, but

？！

Oh no. Thanks to you killing all the water monsters, the Taisui that makes up this ground absorbed the nutrients in their bodies...

...which in turn produced far more Taisui sprites than I had anticipated. A pleasant surprise.

Now, a new path is open to me.

I can devour all the sprites myself...

...and possibly return to my previous form!

What's that smell...!?

Ngh! We are about to see his true colors!

What are you, really!? Tell us your name!

My name? That name's distortion is the very thing that fuels my indignation.

But if it will help me soak that name into this Mystic land and rid it of this accursed filth, then tell you I shall!

Behold my grotesque, distorted form:

I am Dagon...the god of distortion!