The sword light tore through the cosmic battleship.
The Omnipotent Zeus's divine core, containing unfathomable power, was utterly shattered beneath that single strike.
All the divine cores it had devoured before—the Sun God's, the Moon Goddess's, and countless others—began to collapse and disintegrate into fragments.
It had lost!
The mighty Omnipotent Zeus had lost!
Empowered by the blessings of all gods and Chin Kyu's Noble Phantasm [Two-Pronged Formation], which had pushed him into his ultimate metamorphosis, Sanjiro used the Sword of Rupture to annihilate the god completely.
Defeated—utterly, completely defeated—without a single excuse left to grasp.
With Tiamat's strength coursing through him, Sanjiro could unleash power far beyond mortal limits, drawing ever closer to his ultimate form.
This transcendent force became his greatest guarantee—the ultimate power to protect mankind, the one capable of truly slaying a Beast.
As the last Master of humanity, as its strongest protector, he was the convergence of countless timelines, blessed by innumerable Heroic Spirits—the one who had broken through the limiter that bound mankind's potential, allowing him to grow infinitely stronger.
That limiter—the one the Root had placed upon all living and non-living things—was designed to preserve the rational boundaries of each species' survival instinct, a cage that capped their maximum potential.
Even the gods had limits.
To break through those limits, one had to abandon their very nature—to cast away one's species, and become something greater.
By obtaining a higher limit, they transcended their former constraints.
For example: the members of the Council of Gods—each one a human who had ascended through mechanical apotheosis, transforming into Machine Gods.
That was how they surpassed humanity, becoming deities of immense might.
Zeus, too, sought to transcend the divine limit.
He devoured the authorities of other gods without restraint, transforming into the Omnipotent Zeus.
Yet even that was not a true release from the limiter.
To go further—to completely transcend—one must surpass Human Evil itself, and reach the realm of the Two Only—the God and the Awakener(I don't know who that is).
Only then could one claim true omniscience and omnipotence.
But for Zeus, the so-called Omnipotent God, that chance was gone.
Sanjiro's sword had shattered his divine core and crushed him utterly.
The human's blade still pointed at him:
"Omnipotent Zeus—your next words will be: 'I was meant to become God. How could I possibly lose to you?'"
"I was meant to become God. How could I possibly lose to you?!"
Zeus's voice trembled, disbelief clouding his eyes.
He had orchestrated the deaths of rebellious council members, devoured their divinities, and merged their powers into his own, believing the double harvest would elevate him into true godhood—the ruler of all.
And yet, why had it ended like this?
====
Mordred stared blankly.
"...That's it? He actually won?"
That Omnipotent Zeus's power had been beyond comprehension.
Even her father, transformed into the Lion King, couldn't compare.
That was a being on par with a Beast itself.
It took a Grand Servant's sacrifice of their Grand-class Saint Graph just to pierce its defense and make it bleed.
"Just what the hell does Nameless eat to get this strong? Did Tiamat feed him when he was a kid?" Gawain muttered, half in awe, half in disbelief.
Terrifying.
Even a god who had devoured countless divine authorities, reaching near-omniscience and omnipotence—had been slain in a head-on clash.
At this point, any hope of reclaiming his title as Sun Knight was gone.
No—perhaps being personally defeated by Nameless was, in its own way, an honor.
Mordred smirked at him. "Nameless beat you and the Omnipotent Zeus. Doesn't that make you his equal?"
"..."
Bathed in the warm sunlight, Gawain remained silent.
Equal? Really?
How could he feel anything but cold beneath that sun?
At that moment—
Chin Kyu arrived, grinning ear to ear.
"See that? It was me who made him a god-slaying hero! Want to try next?"
He was ecstatic.
From the first time he'd seen Nameless burning his very essence himself away to fight, he knew they were made for each other.
Nameless loved to sacrifice himself in battle; he could grant him power beyond his limits.
Compared to that, the crude self-detonations of Yu Mei-ren were far too simple-minded.
Only the Imperial Teacher, Nameless, could truly wield the power beyond limits—to unleash a divine-slaying strike.
He was thrilled beyond words.
Even if His Majesty punished him later—this was worth it.
Mordred instinctively stepped back.
"Don't come near me!"
This lunatic strategist was terrifying.
"Combining the blessings of all gods and using power beyond the limit… good thing Tiamat was there," Artoria sighed softly.
A mortal wielding power beyond their limit was doomed to self-destruction.
Fortunately, Tiamat, the Human Evil beside him, held the power of the Sea of Life, enough to heal him effortlessly.
Artoria could only sigh helplessly.
She'd wanted to help him—to atone for her sins from the previous Singularity—but there was nothing left she could do.
Just then—
Shikotei's cold voice rang out:
"Chin Kyu, for daring to set your left foot upon this bridge before me, I shall reward you with a slumber of ten thousand years in the Hero Repository."
That bastard!
So eager to turn his teacher into fireworks, without a thought for his life or death!
If not for knowing that Tiamat would protect him, he would've ground this bastard's bones to dust already.
"Your Majesty! I've been fighting for you and the Empire—please have mercy!" Chin Kyu's eyes widened in panic.
A ten-thousand-year slumber in the Hero Repository? By then, would Earth even still exist?
That was basically a life sentence!
Komei waved his feather fan lightly and smiled.
"Your Majesty, I must say… I find this punishment somewhat excessive."
"Prime Minister Komei!"
Chin Kyu's eyes instantly filled with tears.
He hadn't expected that man — the one he constantly butted heads with — to stand up for him in such a dire moment!
How… touching!
"Oh? And what is it you wish to say?" Shikotei's vermilion eyes turned to the strategist, cold and sharp.
"I believe," Komei began calmly, fanning himself lightly, "that Vice Chancellor Chin Kyu's Noble Phantasm — [Two-Pronged Formation] — is extraordinarily powerful, and could prove invaluable when used properly."
"Exactly! Exactly!" Chin Kyu nodded rapidly, eyes bright with hope.
As expected, this Minister was a good man after all — truly someone who spoke on his behalf!
But then Komei continued, smiling pleasantly,
"Therefore, I propose that Vice Chancellor Chin Kyu personally conduct multiple live demonstrations of his Noble Phantasm — thorough experimentation, repeated trials — so that we may determine its exact limits."
"...???"
Chen Gong nearly coughed up blood.
You damn village bumpkin strategist! How could you trap me like this?!
Once wasn't enough — now he wanted to turn him into a test subject?! Over and over again?!
Too ruthless!
Before he could even protest, the Shikotei's voice came down like an imperial decree:
"Approved."
A death sentence avoided — but a living punishment remained.
Since you enjoy making others explode like fireworks so much… then you can be the fireworks this time.
Mordred burst out laughing.
"Ha! Well done, First Emperor!"
She hadn't forgotten — this scheming tactician had almost tricked her into blowing herself up before, too!
At that moment—
Sanjiro, who had just unleashed that earth-splitting sword strike, suddenly spat out blood. Countless lacerations bloomed across his body.
The backlash from exceeding his limits had come crashing down.
Thankfully—
Tiamat's Sea of Life embraced him, its oceanic vitality surging to heal his ravaged body.
But such recovery could only mend flesh and blood.
The cracks within his spirit origin, born from surpassing mortal limits, still required Tiamat's deeper power to restore.
High above, the defeated Omnipotent Zeus glared down.
"This… is my shame. My weakness… I refuse to accept it!"
Sanjiro looked up at him with pity.
"You're truly pitiful — nothing more than a weapon under someone else's control. A dog kept on a leash."
Even now, the so-called king of gods hadn't realized that he'd long since become nothing but a puppet — a toy corrupted by the whispers of the Primordial Father, Chaos.
And even if he did realize it now… it was far too late.
The moment he'd chosen, centuries ago, to fuse the remains of the Olympian gods —the leash had already been fastened around his neck.
Pitiful indeed.
"No… I haven't lost yet!"
Zeus roared in fury.
He couldn't accept it.
He couldn't accept defeat.
He couldn't accept the death of his dream to become God Himself.
Because it wasn't just a dream — it had been within reach!
Even if his body had been shattered, even if the divine authorities he'd devoured were now splintered beyond repair—he still had one final trump card.
It was the Doomsday Ark Project, a plan the Council of Gods had developed over decades.
Its purpose: to construct a Noah's Ark, a vessel capable of escaping into space should Earth ever face total annihilation.
From the start, the Council had known that Earth's destruction was a likely outcome.
When the time came, they would not hesitate to flee — taking only their chosen elites.
The other nations, however, would likely choose to die with the planet—or perhaps even carry the planet with them into the stars.
After ascending to Omnipotent Godhood, Zeus had scorned the project, believing his all-encompassing power made him untouchable — able to transform Earth into his divine kingdom.
But now—defeated and desperate—he unleashed that final card.
"Nameless! You're not the only one who can summon Grand Servants! I can too!"
"...Huh???"
Sanjiro blinked in disbelief.
The hell?
Grand Servants are summoned to destroy threats like you, beings who endanger human history itself!
What right did this bastard have to summon one?!
Under everyone's stunned gaze, the sky rippled—endless storms churned, and tsunamis rose to swallow the heavens.
And amid that apocalyptic scene, a massive ship emerged, sailing through the tempest.
"He who shepherds the Beasts of Calamity—He who bears upon his back the Ark of Salvation! The covenant that defied extinction, the helmsman of rebirth!"
Zeus poured the last of his divine power into the colossal ship.
"Come forth! The bearer of the gods' blessings—Grand Rider, Noah!"
The Council of Gods had never truly known who the Grand Rider was—But across human history, few names fit the title better than Noah himself.
Just as the Lostbelt's First Emperor had forged a Grand-class Saint Graph, they too had sought to do the same—creating their own Noah's Ark, imbued with divine authorities of Salvation, Protection, and Paradise—to craft their own artificial Grand Servant.
A Grand Servant—the ultimate guarantee against apocalyptic threats like Human Evils.
Zeus had intended, once he fully controlled human history, to use this power to forge his own set of Seven Grand Servants—seven obedient weapons of absolute might.
Hum~
As his power poured into the thousand-meter-long ark, a vast, terrifying energy began to surge within it.
At its bow, a silver-haired figure slowly took form.
The summoned Servant—
Noah.
In legend, when the omniscient and omnipotent God resolved to purge the sins of mankind with a great flood, He could not bear to destroy all His creation.
Thus He chose one man—pure of heart and good of spirit—
Noah.
He instructed him to build the Ark, to gather every creature — seven males and seven females of each kind — and preserve them from the coming deluge.
After decades of toil, when Noah finally finished the Ark—
The sky split open.
A storm beyond imagination descended.
Rain fell for forty days and forty nights, and the flood drowned all lands beneath once clear sky.
Only those upon the Ark survived—and from them, life began anew.
That was his legend.
Zeus threw back his head and laughed madly.
"See now, Nameless? We gods too can forge Grand Servants! Your apocalypse has come!"
====
"Isn't God supposed to bless me?"
Jeanne d'Arc, who was maintaining her Noble Phantasm to protect all of Fuyuki City, was momentarily stunned.
How could he summon Noah—someone also blessed by God?
Or… had they long prepared this Ark, ready to abandon Earth?
Was there some greater calamity coming—so dire that even those arrogant false gods were preparing to flee?
Worry tightened Jeanne's chest.
A Grand Servant possessed power so overwhelming it bordered on divine.
Even Human Evils could be slain by them.
Tiamat had been struck down by Grand Assassin King Hassan's death-concept blade.
Tamamo-no-Mae had lost her sun authority to Grand Archer Nameless's divine arrow.
Even Zeus himself had fallen from omnipotence under Grand Lancer's spear.
If Zeus truly succeeded in creating a loyal Grand Servant, it would pose a fatal threat to Nameless!
To face such an enemy, Jeanne would have to invoke her Noble Phantasm [La Pucelle] herself—only divine grace could counter divine grace.
After all, both she and Noah bore the same heavenly blessing.
But she also needed to maintain the protection over Fuyuki City—any stray blow from these battles could kill thousands.
As Jeanne hesitated, torn between duty and faith—
She saw a familiar figure rushing ahead.
A girl with short lavender hair, raising her massive shield.
"Senpai, I'm here!"
Mash Kyrielight stood before Nameless, unflinching.
"...Thank you," Sanjiro said softly.
And somewhere in the heaven—
A faint sigh.
Jeanne heard it, gentle and sorrowful.
Was it God's lament—for seeing the Noah He once blessed, now twisted and used by the false god Zeus?
Sanjiro glanced at his adorable underclassman, then over at poor Chin Kyu, who was still being punished by Shikotei.
Both of them had rushed forward without hesitation.
But the difference was clear—his underclassman came to protect him with all she had, while that damned tactician just wanted to blow him up like a firework!
That was the difference between heaven and hell.
And then—
A flash of white landed on his shoulder.
Sanjiro blinked.
"Fou…? You came too?"
So all those years of cleaning up after this little furball hadn't been in vain.
Even now, facing the Omnipotent Zeus and a Grand Servant, the little beast still came to help.
Its soft, fluffy tail brushed gently against his cheek—
"Fou… fou!" (I'm here to protect you!)
Fou stole a cautious glance at the blue-haired woman nearby.
Even though it was still an infant form of the Beast of Humanity, standing beside the Beast II—Tiamat—was a bit much for it.
Fortunately, she didn't seem hostile at all. Maybe… she could even be an ally?
Mash stared in wonder.
"Eh? Fou! It's been so long!"
That tiny creature had always been her companion back in Chaldea, and it only ever trusted her.
Now that she'd found both her Senpai and Fou again, there was nothing left to fear.
"Fou… fou!" (Long time no see, Mash~)
Fou leapt into her arms, landing softly atop the great heart-shaped shield on her chest.
If need be, it could burn its own stored mana to reinforce her defenses.
All eyes were fixed on the battlefield.
Zeus roared,
"Noah! Kill him—no matter the cost!"
It was his final trump card.
Even if he were to fall, he'd drag Nameless down with him!
Up in the sky, a colossal ark—hundreds of meters long—sailed through the storm clouds, like the mythical vessel that once carried all life to salvation.
At its bow stood a man in white, silent and resolute. He looked down upon Zeus and spoke calmly—
"I refuse."
"....."
"What!?" Zeus' voice thundered with rage. "You dare defy my command!? You exist only because I created you!"
That ark was forged with divine hands—crafted through the combined might of the Council of Gods, a vessel infused with the essence of all gods.
Noah was its living soul, its perfect captain, meant to rival Nameless's god-slaying power.
And yet—this creation dared to defy its creator.
"You are nothing but a false god," Noah said coldly.
How laughable—a fake deity pretending to be God Himself. He was already showing mercy by not erasing him on the spot.
Then he looked down at the massive ark beneath his feet, his tone hardening.
"This title of Grand… I have no need of it."
BOOM!
The Ark of Salvation shuddered violently. Cracks split across its hull like divine lightning.
Before the stunned eyes of the world, the ark—crafted by the hands of numerous gods—was destroyed by its own captain.
Zeus' divine aura flared, his face twisted with fury. "You DARE reject my grace!?"
His final gambit—rendered useless.
"No," Noah said, a faint smile crossing his lips, "I'll make you even angrier."
His gaze shifted downward—to the small girl holding her shield, and the white beast beside her.
"You… you too have the potential to become Grand."
When he descended into this world, he'd received a whisper from the Lord above—a divine nudge to make things more interesting.
"Eh—me??" Mash froze, eyes wide.
She was just an ordinary demi-servant—a half-human, half-heroic spirit.
How could she ever become a Grand Servant?
Sanjiro blinked, realization dawning on him.
The qualifications for Grand Rider were—
"One who commands the Beast of Disaster and carries the Ark of Salvation."
The Ark… that was Noah.
The Beast of Disaster… was Fou.
The little creature in her arms—the embodiment of humanity's sin.
Then—
The world stopped.
Everything—wind, light, sound—froze in place.
Ding.
A soft chime.
On his phone screen, a little girl in white stockings dangled her legs and smiled sweetly at him.
"Sanjiro, what do you think?"
He didn't need to ask—this mischievous little girl was none other than—Alaya, the collective will of humanity itself.
"What do you mean?" Sanjiro frowned.
Don't tell him this had all been orchestrated by her too?
Even the so-called "Council of Gods" could never truly summon a Grand Servant.
That was beyond any mortal or divine reach.
Which meant—there was only one possibility.
Everything… had been part of Alaya's plan.
"Oh, come on," she said, grinning impishly, reaching a pale little hand out of the screen to point at the frozen Mash.
"Let her and Fou ascend together. Make her your next Grand ally."
"My… ally?"
Sanjiro's brows furrowed deeper.
She'd told him long ago—terrifying forces beyond comprehension were coming. And only Beasts and Grands could stand beside him.
That was why she'd allowed Tiamat to descend—the ultimate healer, the mother of all, able to restore life from a single drop of blood.
And now she wanted to give him another ally—his own underclassman, turned Grand.
Sanjiro sighed quietly. "I fought so hard just so that Mash, the doctor, Illya—everyone—could live peaceful lives."
He had crossed the human history's blood-soaked path to build a world where others could smile,even if that meant being forgotten himself.
"I am the will of humanity," Alaya said softly, blinking her bright eyes. "My only purpose is to protect mankind. And now, a new storm is rising. Do you think I can just stand still?"
Then, her tone turned playful again:
"The song of humanity… is the song of courage. The only way to banish fear is to face it—and strike it down."
Sanjiro rolled his eyes. "Don't try that cute act on me. You're just a manipulative capitalist in disguise."
Alaya only giggled. "Hehe~"
Yep. She was definitely getting cheekier.
One day, when he finally surpassed gods and awakeners alike—he'd spank this little gremlin one hundred times.
Just then—
Tiamat, who should've been frozen in time, stepped forward and wrapped him in her arms.
"Aaaaa…" (Don't worry… I'm here.)
"Yeah… thanks, Tiamat."
Guilt pricked his chest again.
She had always loved humanity—selflessly.
Always supported him.
And yet, he could give her nothing in return but more battles.
Tiamat gently smiled, her divine voice echoing softly—
"Aaaaa…" (I chose this myself. I will fight for you—and for all my children.)
"...Mm."
She was comforting him again.
Such kindness…
Such endless compassion.
Even after being betrayed by her children again and again—she still loved them all.
He turned to the mischievous girl on the phone.
"Fine," he said. "Let's ask Mash first."
"Of course," Alaya replied sweetly. "As you wish."
"…Then can I choose not to work overtime this time?" Sanjiro muttered, half-hopeful.
Maybe—just maybe—she'd finally give him a break.
Her smile widened.
"Of course you can~, if you don't mind watching humanity go extinct."
"..."
Sanjiro rolled his eyes, utterly speechless.
Humanity had perished. All his friends and loved ones were gone. What meaning was there left in living alone?
This wasn't moral blackmail—just a plain statement of fact.
After all, Alaya was nothing more than the collective will of mankind, an existence that couldn't even crush an ant.
The only thing it could do was issue missions—to summon Heroic Spirits to fight on its behalf.
And among all of those, the strongest guardian it could call upon… was him.
Time resumed its flow.
Everything that had been frozen began to move once more.
Sanjiro looked toward the girl before him.
"...Mash, you truly have the potential to become a Grand-class Servant of the Shield. But I don't want you to—"
Before he could finish, she pressed a finger gently to his lips.
Her beautiful face was filled with unwavering resolve.
"Senpai… I'm willing!"
To Mash, survival meant nothing compared to protecting the one she wanted to protect.
How could she possibly sit back and live a peaceful life while her senpai fought and bled for her sake?
She refused to be a useless ornament. She wanted to become his strongest shield—to protect him, no matter the cost!
Even if she were to face the monstrous embodiment of Human Evil itself, she would never retreat!
"...Alright."
Sanjiro nodded.
At that moment—looking at her firm, determined expression—he was reminded of that time long ago, when someone else had once sacrificed everything to protect him.
Such a lovely kouhai, he thought.
But this time… with him here, no one will die.
He would end every disaster with his own hands—and forge a future for mankind!
Turning his gaze toward the small white creature beside them, Sanjiro asked softly:
"Then… Fou. Are you willing?"
Though the creature appeared young, it was still a fragment of Humanity's Evil.
To join forces with Mash and ascend to Grand rank meant that Fou, too, would have to fight for mankind.
Upon hearing the question, the little creature answered without hesitation—
"Fou! Fou! (I am!)"
Having come this far, it had already resolved itself.
There was no need to think twice.
"Thank you," Sanjiro said quietly, his hand brushing over its small head. "Even the Evil of Man carries a noble soul."
That… was the true beauty of humanity.
Even the so-called "Beast of Humanity," Fou, wanted to protect mankind.
A brilliant hum filled the air.
A mysterious and boundless wave of energy gathered from the void, flowing into Mash and Fou.
The power surpassed even that of gods—a force suffused with the breath of the Root itself.
In the unseen distance, countless illusory silhouettes looked on—the presences of Heroic Spirits from the Throne.
In that moment—
a new Grand Servant was born.
As mentioned before, aside from the Grand Assassin, the other six Grand Classes had countless candidates waiting for the call.
Every Heroic Spirit felt it.
Every eye on the Throne turned toward this moment.
Noah smiled gently.
"Congratulations."
As one of the highest-ranked spirits, he didn't care much for titles or ranks. He answered Alaya's call simply because he was summoned to protect humanity.
The play had reached its final act.
He wondered quietly—would the Lord be pleased with this ending?
Yet as he offered his congratulations, Zeus completely lost his mind.
"No! This cannot be!"
This being—created through the collective effort of all the gods, his final trump card against Nameless—was now being used to strengthen his enemy instead!
He could hardly die in peace!
"Rest easy," Sanjiro said softly, looking at him almost pitifully. "Humanity will now have an infinite and radiant future."
This so-called Almighty God—looked pitiful now, like a dog.
"No! I refuse! I will not accept this!"
Zeus's divine core began to collapse, his roar echoing across the cosmos.
"On the Moon! On the Earth! On the Sun itself! Do you hear me? From their hollow thrones the old horrors will crawl forth—one by one they will rise! All that you cherish will rot and burn!"
He spat the words as if they tasted of bile. "Nameless—mark me, wretch! I curse you: watch as the world you claim to love withers. Watch helplessly as humanity bleeds and dies, while you stand impotent and damned!"
The vast divine warship that was his body finally crumbled and perished—leaving behind only his vengeful curse, reverberating to all the eras of the people.
Without hesitation, Mash raised her shield, stepping before Sanjiro.
"Such delusions end here! I am Grand-class Shielder Mash Kyrielight—and I will aid my senpai, no matter the cost, to win humanity even a single chance at survival!"