This day became a disastrous one for countless netizens around the world, and the reason was simple—total internet outage!!
It wasn't just a single household, a single street, a single county or city, nor a single state or nation. It was a global-scale collapse, indiscriminate and universal, regardless of wealth or status.
If ordinary civilians were merely furious, cursing the telecom companies for their inexplicable failure.
Then political leaders across nations were terrified, because even their internal government networks had collapsed and fallen out of control—including systems responsible for managing large numbers of nuclear weapons on standby.
No matter how hard their technicians tried, the network systems could not be restored.
Worse still, as time passed, the isolation between regions grew increasingly severe. Even old, reliable wired communication systems—and even power grids—began to be eroded and destroyed.
People soon discovered, in horror, that a strange purplish-red crystalline substance had abruptly appeared throughout the world, parasitically attaching itself to all human-made communication devices.
As if selectively targeting its victims, these crystals ignored ordinary people. They did not touch plants, animals, or even civilian machinery. But for the unfortunate personnel within military bases, these crystalline growths were nothing less than Satan itself—a deadly plague cast upon the human world.
Some refused to believe it and attempted to touch weapon facilities, only to be parasitized by the crystals. As jagged crystal spikes proliferated and expanded, their bodies were torn apart, causing massive bleeding and death.
Across the globe, in every region designated for military purposes, forests of bizarrely shaped and magnificently ornate crystals erupted from the ground.
Under sunlight, they displayed a slightly translucent, glass-like brilliance.
If one ignored the gruesome corpses of the unlucky victims, this 'crystal glass forest' could almost be considered a breathtaking spectacle.
Overnight, the world seemed to regress to a pre-industrial era. Cities, states, and continents fell into an unknown darkness.
In near-Earth orbit, astronauts aboard space stations had no idea what had happened.
All at once, communication with mission control was severed. Looking down at the planet, they could only watch helplessly and in fear as purplish-red patterns began to glow above the western Pacific island chains, gradually spreading across the entire surface of the Earth.
Boom boom boom—!
At this moment, most of Fuyuki City had already vanished from the map. The fleeing citizens had barely managed to catch their breath before the terrifying tremors caused by the roaring explosions once again sent large groups of people tumbling to the ground.
Thunderous crashes like mountains collapsing and earth splitting rang out one after another. Violent tremors tore apart both land and peaks.
From afar, people watched in shock as the colossal figure of the Demonic Beast Goddess stood like a mountain itself. With a mere gesture, she could level cities, tear apart the sky, and exude an overwhelmingly terrifying presence.
"W-What... is that thing? A mutated giant snake from nuclear radiation?"
"Why are you asking that now?! That's the Self-Defense Forces' problem—and the allied troops stationed in Japan! If you don't run now, you're dead!"
Hum—!
In midair, dazzling flames roared like a blazing dragon, rampaging across the sky. They arced brilliantly before descending in a sweeping blaze, crashing heavily onto the terrifying phantom of the demonic god.
Rumble—!
Countless beams of light rained down, obstructing the advance of the Servants.
Behind the Demonic Beast Goddess, her countless strands of purple hair suddenly swelled and extended, letting out a thunderous roar.
Dozens of explosive magical cannons erupted from the mouths of the serpent-like hair, shaking the air as they shot in crisscrossing trajectories toward the Servants weaving across the ground.
"AAAAAH—! (Blasted Tree!)"
The pure-white bridal girl cried out as she raised a spherical warhammer wrapped in branching electric currents. Hum—! She slammed it fiercely into the oncoming giant serpent.
Crackle crackle—!
Brilliant emerald lightning burst forth, transforming into countless small electric serpents that surged outward. From the split head of the hammer, tree-like bolts of lightning poured down in a torrent, instantly clearing the surrounding swarm of snakes.
"Ahahaha—! The aura of an oppressor! Another oppressor—hahaha! An unprecedented oppressor, I can feel it...!"
With pale-blue muscles covered in countless scars, Berserker Spartacus laughed madly as he charged toward Selene's location.
Since being summoned again into the present world, Spartacus' laughter had never ceased. The presence of kings, generals, demigods, and gods alike confused his senses—any being that enslaved others was his enemy.
Originally, his presence might have caused internal conflict within Chaldea. But with Selene standing there as an enormous target, Spartacus merely glanced once before rushing forward without hesitation.
The overwhelming scent of blood and domination emanating from Selene was built upon countless corpses. Compared to her, even a king like Gilgamesh no longer felt like an oppressor—more like a village chief.
"Hissss..."
Before the crazed giant could finish speaking, shadows descended. Instantly, countless serpents woven from strands of hair stretched down from the sky, opening their gaping maws as they lunged toward Berserker Spartacus.
"Oh—this pain... it is truly exquisite."
A look of blissful agony appeared on his face. Even the dozens of incoming magical blasts were neutralized by his steel-like body. Flesh torn away was immediately replaced by fresh, pale new muscle.
On his pale-blue body, new pink flesh intertwined with the old, swelling grotesquely.
"O oppressor, come! Ravage me! I, Spartacus, will raise a rebellion of freedom against you—and destroy you with my love!!"
Relishing the pain, his movements were surprisingly agile. His bear-like frame rampaged like a wild boar, crudely yet effectively hacking apart the snake heads lunging toward him.
"Good opportunity."
Taking advantage of the towering pillar of fire that temporarily blocked the terrifying gaze and incinerated the net ahead, Rider Achilles laughed as he dashed across the intersecting serpent bodies formed from Selene's hair.
Pulling his spear back, Achilles instantly focused, every muscle in his body coiling together as he lowered his stance—'Dromeus Komētēs.'
In an instant, he vanished.
Boom!
Only then did the sharp sonic boom echo belatedly, his explosive starting force nearly snapping the 'serpent body' in half at the waist.
In the next instant, Achilles' figure became like a war chariot riding the raging waves. In the blink of an eye, he surpassed the speed of sound, crossing several hundred meters within a single breath, bursting from the serpent body formed by the gathered hair at Selene's waist and reaching a height level with her shoulders.
"Hisssss—"
That waterfall-like cascade of silky hair transformed in an instant into mottled masses of serpents. The ends became gaping maws, within which vast magical power gathered into a purplish-red glow.
"Don't worry about it—run wild, Rider!"
"I offer my blood-soaked life here—Kazıklı Bey!!"
Swinging his uniquely shaped silver spear, cutting down the snake heads rushing back to encircle Rider Achilles, Lancer Vlad III roared as he spread his arms. Pitch-black bloodlight erupted instantly from beneath his feet.
With Vlad III at the center, countless bloodstained spikes burst forth.
Pierce! Pierce! Pierce!
Under his control, the blood-soaked black thorns shot skyward like a grotesque and razor-sharp storm, colliding with the overwhelming barrage of light projectiles descending toward Achilles—boom boom boom!
"My thanks, Lancer of 'Black.'"
Continuously building momentum with extraordinary speed, Rider Achilles grinned. "Now this is the kind of battle I've been waiting for!"
"Go—my spear, my conviction!"
"Run once more—Diatrekhōn Astēr Lonkhē!!"
A flash of golden light flickered—the flourish of a cross-shaped spear thrust. Roaring, Achilles drove toward the unscaled junction between Selene's throat and collarbone.
Interesting tactic... almost like three-dimensional maneuver warfare. Trying to cut the back of my neck?
Everything happened in an instant. The fireball created by Karna had yet to fully expand. Though her peripheral vision was blocked by the flames, Selene still clearly sensed the storm of speed rushing from her blind spot toward her throat.
"Winged Gale."
With a light snort, the demonic god within the flames spread her sky-covering wings. With a single sweep, a massive tornado was unleashed, directly tearing apart the ring of fire surrounding her and sweeping it away in an instant.
"What?!"
Momentarily slowed by the hurricane, Achilles' figure faltered. Danger! Danger! Danger! At this distance—I absolutely must not meet her gaze!
Under that cold stare, a fear that seemed to surge from the deepest part of his soul seized both his mind and body, making him tremble inwardly.
Achilles knew—he must not look up!
With his divinity and the 'Andreias Amarantos,' he still had a chance to retreat safely if he avoided direct eye contact with those Mystic Eyes. But if he met them—death was certain.
"Achilles, protect your heel!" At that moment, his teacher Chiron's urgent voice rang out in his mind.
In the next instant, as Achilles lowered his head, his vision darkened abruptly. The crushing hurricane descended like a collapsing mountain.
Move!!
Hum—
Magic power surged. Rider Achilles pushed his body to the limit. At the very last moment, he curled himself tightly, abandoning the thrust, and with great difficulty moved his fingers, summoning a Greek-style great shield to envelop himself.
Then—Rumbleeeee—!
The moment the descending "Five-Finger Mountain" collided with that emerald point of light, a deafening explosion erupted in all directions, expelling the air within several kilometers.
Selene struck down like swatting a fly, while Achilles fell like a meteor crashing to the earth.
Within the range of that terrifying impact, the ground collapsed into a vast, far-reaching crater. The surging air currents shredded soil and rock like a typhoon—air itself became a deadly weapon, as dust and debris filled the sky.
This was the perfect embodiment of Strength EX—pure physical violence without any magical reinforcement or Noble Phantasm enhancement.
"You didn't really think I was just a stationary target, did you?"
Her left claw continued releasing a torrent of Imaginary energy, maintaining the towering beam that tore open the fabric of reality, while her right claw slowly lowered. As if in disdain, she brushed off her shoulder before speaking arrogantly:
"Even while bearing the barrier of heaven and maintaining the Imaginary rift with one hand, dealing with insects like you requires only a single limb."
Feeling the intense pressure on the scales of her face dissipate, Selene's gaze toward Lancer Karna gradually turned ice-cold.
So that's it... you pests assigned to restrain me are all aiming for my face, huh.
Although she understood their intention—to obscure her petrifying gaze—she was still displeased.
Her crimson diamond-shaped pupils narrowed slightly, a trace of seriousness flashing within.
"Still lacking. Son of Surya—if you were wielding that profane spear, perhaps I would need to take you more seriously."
Seeing his attack blocked, Lancer Karna—already experienced in fighting Selene—had long since retreated.
Better to get out of the range of her arms first. Achilles' miserable fate of being smashed into the ground was a perfect warning.
"My apologies. Rider's expectations—I will certainly give it my all," Karna said solemnly.
During the Romanian Holy Grail War, Karna had never even had the chance to unleash his final trump card before the "Red" faction lost. With insufficient magical energy, he had been forced to challenge Selene with a broken body—an extremely stifling defeat.
Of course, that didn't mean he would unleash everything at the start now. The 'Sword of Damocles' that had yet to fall was precisely what kept Selene's attention on him. And this golden armor was the foundation of his ability to contend with her.
Karna did not possess Jeanne's high magic resistance, nor did he have the durability of someone like Berserker Spartacus. Without the golden armor, a fragile damage dealer like him would be playing at the absolute limit against a high-attack, high-defense, high-endurance opponent like Selene—one mistake, and he would be gone.
He had reason to suspect that Selene's caution toward him was precisely because of that spear. To recklessly abandon defense and go all out now would be exactly what she wanted.
"Hmph. Just don't take it with you when you leave again!"
As she spoke, Selene's pupils contracted sharply. Behind her, countless strands of purple-white gradient hair suddenly expanded and extended, transforming into dozens of snake heads that raised themselves and let out piercing cries.
Roar of Dread, Rank: A++
"ROOOOAR—!!"
It materialized as a tangible shockwave, erupting from her body in overwhelming waves, layering upon one another.
Boom!
The raging atmosphere was crushed and driven outward. Centered on Selene, the compressed air expanded like a white wall, carrying overwhelming force as it tore apart the surrounding land, unleashing a terrifying shockwave that made one's heart tremble.