Prologue: Intro

Kadoc Zemlupus, reporting in. What's going on?

Senpai! Kadoc!

Senpai!

Fou fou!

We have not a moment to spare, so I will come right to the point.

Chaldea is under attack.

D-did you say attack!? Dammit! Who's behind this!?

No, never mind that now! How are our defenses!? Is our magical energy barrier still intact!?

It's not like that. This attack isn't coming from the outside.

Huh? What do you mean?

A high-density magical energy signal just appeared inside Chaldea out of nowhere! Magical energy contamination is spreading like crazy!

And... Oh, crap. Sion, take a look at this Spirit Origin pattern!

I just received Trismegistus II and Sheba's analysis.

I will be direct: this could not possibly be worse!

The intruder currently eroding Chaldea itself is

？！

You got it. I've tried everything I can think of, but nothing is stopping the way it's eroding at Chaldea.

I won't lie. This might be really, really bad.

Engineer here! What the hell's going on!? Contamination's spread even to the engine room!

Do you get how bad that is!? If this room goes down, the whole ship's going with it!

Aaah, it's no use! It's sucking everything in!

Retreat! Retreeeat!

Oh man, we're so screwed! What do we do!?

What else? We fight back.

Come on, Fujimaru. Let's go kick its ass.

？！

Great. That's exactly where I was going with this. I just have one more piece of bad news to share with you first.

It looks like all this has also resulted in some pretty heavy magical energy contamination inside the Coffins.

What!? Then, that would mean...the Beast has control of the Rayshift system!

Dammit! You weren't kidding when you said things couldn't be worse!

Indeed, that is our only option. Unfortunately, the circumstances are decidedly not in our favor.

Da Vinci, would you check our facilities' current contamination status? If my assumptions are correct

So you already figured it out, huh? Yup, it's exactly as you feared, Holmes.

It looks like all this has also resulted in some pretty heavy magical energy contamination inside the Coffins.

What!? Then, that would mean...the Beast has control of the Rayshift system!

As I suspected. Does this mean the enemy is already familiar with Rayshifting?

I have pinpointed the Beast's location based on the extent of the contamination.

...Needless to say, Rayshifting is the most crucial tool in Chaldea's arsenal.

So please, do whatever it takes to drive this Beast away. We are counting on you!

？！

...Fooou!

Aaah! What!? What is it!?

Don't tell me this has even a dangerous little bacon-devourer like you afraid!?

Oh for... Settle down, dammit! Here! I'll give you some of my best bacon if it'll keep you calm!

I'm so sorry, Senpai! It's going to take me some time to change into the Ortinax!

Please try to hold out until I get there!

？！

Great! Senpai, Kadoc, we're all counting on you!

It's just up ahead... Remember, we're about to face a Beast! Any hesitation could get you killed!

...Whiiich I guess is something you know better than anyone by now.

I can't be sure of it, but I'd bet no mage has ever fought more Beasts than you!

？！

Well, you shouldn't. I don't know if I'm up to this. Guess I'll just have to do my best anyway!

What the...!? Already!?

Is that it!?

Great! Okay, Senpai, we're all counting on you!

It's just up ahead! Be on your guard!

Remember, we're dealing with a Beast. There's no telling what it might throw at us.

What the...!? Already!?

...

？！

We've got a match for her Spirit Origin!

...Fujimaru! She might look very different than you remember, but that Beast is actually...

...!

...Tiamat! The Divine Spirit who manifested as a Beast in the Seventh Singularity!

？！

But you already defeated this Beast! So why's she here!?

No, wait! She is not the Beast!

I have just determined this Tiamat's class. She is an Alter Ego!

The real Beast is still at large!

Wha...!?

Huh!? What do you mean!?

Look out, children! You need to be more careful!

？！

Come on, get ready! The Sixth BeastSodom's Beast is nearly upon us!

Huh? Is that

Come on, get ready! The Sixth BeastSodom's Beast is nearly upon us!

Huh? Is that

？！

I've only ever seen images of these things in Chaldea's database...but you're right. Something still seems different.

What is this thing? Are we sure it's a Demon God Pillar?

No, its Spirit Origin pattern is nothing like them! This is something else that's just pretending to be a Demon God Pillar!

No, its Spirit Origin pattern is nothing like a Demon God Pillar! This is something else that's just pretending to be one!

Oh no, you don't!

？！

Listen closely. I'm a clone of the Beast you once defeated.

I refuse to let another Beast destroy you now.

Mother will never stand for people saying Beast II is lowlier than the other Beasts.

Your other self was able to beat Beast VI. It'll all be wasted if you lose now! Hmph!

I don't know what you're talking about...but does that mean you're on our side?

No, never mind that now! This is our chance, Fujimaru!

I don't know what she's talking about, but at least it looks like this Tiamat isn't our enemy.

Mash is headed your way now, Fujimaru! Try to hold out as long as you can!

？！

That's what you get for messing with Mother.

That thing definitely wasn't as strong as the Demon God Pillars I've seen in the database.

It must have been a fake then. Unless...it was just weakened?

That didn't seem as strong as a real Demon God Pillar... Does this mean it was a fake?

Or perhaps...it's merely grown weak.

...oT...et...

Hey! Look out!

This is noT over yet! I refuse to let things end like THis!

I can't die here! Not like this!

Not without anyone here to be with me! Not in the depths of this empty land!

Khh! What the hell's happening!?

Be careful! Its magical energy readings are spiking rapidly!

？！

Yeah. They don't look like Demon God Pillars so much as...dragon heads?

Those are Incarnadine Demonic Beasts! Sodom's Beast's kin!

They've crossed the Proof World to come to this Chaldea!

They just don't know when to give up!

Fujimaru! If it wasn't for you... If I could just contain you...!

？！

Senpai!

？！

Sorry I took so long, Master! But I'm here now, and I'm ready to fight!

I just cast an enhancement spell on you. It's not much, but it's better than nothing!

Thank you, Kadoc! And you are...

You are...

Mother.

Huh?

Mother.

Um...

It's been quite a while, Mash. Don't you worry. Mother's here to help in Chaldea's time of need.

A former enemy becoming an ally is a riveting twist. Inspiring, isn't it?

？！

(Cut the banter. Do you really think Tiamat of all beings is gonna help Chaldea in its hour of need?)

(Based on everything I've read about the Seventh Singularity, she'd be the first to take revenge on us...)

I... Um...

Hmph. This is the whole problem with Chaldea. Have you no integrity at all? How disappointing.

Um... Are you really the same Tiamat we fought back in the Seventh Singularity?

Look out, Mash.

I know we have a lot of catching up to do, but right now, we need to do something about the Incarnadine Demonic Beasts.

O-oh, I'm sorry! I'll concentrate on the battle!

There's no escape, Fujimaru! You're going to

I won't let you!

You're going to come with us!

Oh no!

？！

Senpaaai!