The 2001 expedition to the Kumano Hot Springs Singularity was supposed to be nothing more than an unremarkable repair mission, along with a rare chance to rest and recover.
Yet Shiomi came away with something far more significant.
From his past self—the version of himself that had once run rampant as a god—he reclaimed authorities that had exceeded his ability to control at the time. Because they were the same existence across different points in time, there was no need for any adjustment. He was able to wield them immediately.
From that point on, Shiomi gradually came to command many entirely new powers.
[Inflaming Divinity] was one of them.
"This is—" Scáthach murmured, looking down at her own hand.
This blessing was different from a Rune's reinforcement. It was protection born directly from authority itself.
"Our power has temporarily shaken off the world's restraints and returned to what it should have been," Artoria said, sounding faintly surprised.
Shiomi had once said he intended to "become a god." The fact that he could accomplish something like this meant he truly was moving forward without hesitation.
"It won't last forever," Shiomi said with a smile, "but it'll do for now."
At that moment, a violent explosion tore across the sea, sending towering waves more than ten meters high crashing upward.
Shiomi raised a hand and caught the crimson spear as it flew back to him. Caenis glared at Shiomi, breathing heavily, looking as though she was ready to prioritize attacking him.
"Touko, prepare to deploy the reserve puppet army immediately. Skadi, I'll need you to maintain StormBorder's defenses. Have the Valkyrie come up to the deck as well and get ready to deal with enemies approaching the ship."
Shiomi continued issuing orders as he walked toward the front of the deck.
"Morgan, judge the situation on your end. Artoria, stay on deck and handle any enemies that board."
"My husband, are you planning to—" Morgan froze, already guessing what he was about to do.
"Didn't that Odysseus say he was going to wipe us out?" Shiomi replied.
By then, Scáthach had already dashed forward. She collided head-on with Caenis, who was charging toward StormBorder, and forced her back into the sea.
Only after confirming that his teacher was unharmed did Shiomi finish the rest of his sentence.
"…Then let's find out. Whether we're the first to give out, or his fleet is the one that gets completely wiped out."
Before his words had even settled, a three-headed hound landed on the deck. Its heads were connected by metallic mechanisms, its body incomplete, and it roared as it lunged at Shiomi with gaping jaws.
The roar cut off abruptly.
Shiomi didn't even look at it. He swung his spear once, knocking the three-headed hound straight off the deck. Its roar collapsed into a pitiful wail that quickly faded away.
And yet, when his spear struck it, Shiomi felt something was off.
It was unnaturally hard.
What should have been cleaved apart with a single strike had only been sent flying. Even the edge of the crimson spear couldn't easily cut through its outer shell. Its metal-covered form didn't seem to be made of any substance that belonged to this world.
Shiomi frowned slightly. Could it be orichalcum, one of the three great magic ores spoken of in Greek myth?
"My husband, look," Morgan said.
Following her gaze, Shiomi saw an eerie figure standing on the core ship of the Olympus fleet. Even from this distance, he could clearly sense both divinity and monstrosity radiating from the half-human, half-serpent creature.
The three-headed hound had been born from that very body.
Now, more monsters were emerging from it—Chimeras and snake women, their bodies likewise reinforced with that strange metal. They surged forward as the next wave of attackers, following after the hound in their assault on StormBorder.
"Could it be…"
Watching those metal-reinforced Chimeras and snake women, Shiomi reached his conclusion almost instantly.
"…the half-human, half-serpent monster of Greek mythology. Echidna, the Mother of Magical Beasts, and the wife of Typhon, the Father of All Monsters." Artoria spoke from behind him.
"Tenkei, go. You don't need to worry about Storm Border."
Touko's dolls had already been released from the hatches on both sides of Storm Border. Led by the Valkyrie, they moved to intercept the monsters born of Echidna.
"Melusine, Barghest!"
Shiomi understood immediately and called out the two names once more.
"Here!"
Melusine appeared behind Shiomi with barely concealed excitement, a sharp contrast to Barghest's steady, serious presence.
"Follow me. We're striking the enemy warships' core. Kill anything that stands in our way," Shiomi said without turning back.
"Can you do it?"
"Of course." The blade extended from the back of Melusine's hand.
"Then move. And don't get separated."
With that, Shiomi leapt from the deck. When he landed again, it was like a massive cannonball slamming into the deck of the foremost warship.
Screams erupted instantly from the Olympian soldiers.
Melusine and Barghest followed close behind, swinging their weapons with resolute force, cutting down the Olympian soldiers who rushed to meet them.
"You bastard—!"
Caenis noticed Shiomi's piercing assault and tried to break away from the front line to intercept him, only to be stopped short by Scáthach's Lance.
The blade skimmed past her throat by a hair's breadth, making it painfully clear that she could not choose her battlefield at will.
"Don't rush it," Scáthach said coolly.
"Last time, you weren't strong enough. That's why Skadi had time to intervene and spare your life."
She advanced across the raging sea as if walking on solid ground, moving through the waves with effortless grace.
"Let me see how much strength the Greek gods really have."
"Stop spewing nonsense, woman!"
Enraged by Scáthach's cold, condescending tone, the hot-tempered Caenis charged forward again, initiating a second clash.
Automata flying in from both sides immediately became a nuisance.
"Out of my way!"
The dolls couldn't withstand a single blow. Their bodies shattered, broken remains falling into the sea below.
What irritated Caenis even more was that Scáthach's spear was hidden among the gaps between those automatons, striking from unpredictable angles at any moment.
"Hiding behind puppets is all you're good for?" Caenis sneered.
"Didn't you hear what your commander said?" Scáthach replied calmly.
"This isn't some reckless duel for bravado. This is war."
The Lance came down with the force of a mountain splitting the sea, crashing into Caenis's shield and erupting in sparks of lightning and flame.
Strike after strike followed. Contrary to her slender, elegant appearance, Scáthach's attacks were sharp, brutal, and unrelenting.
Spear and shield alike faltered under the repeated impacts, their balance steadily breaking apart.
"Damn it…!"
Even though Scáthach was fighting with only one hand, Caenis found that her monstrous strength gave her no advantage at all.
Scáthach noticed it as well.
Shiomi's [Inflaming Divinity] was not merely a release of the power she had once been forced to restrain while leaving the Land of Shadows. It went far beyond that.
Catching Caenis's counter-thrusting spear, Scáthach drove a kick straight into her abdomen.
Caenis tumbled several times across the surface of the sea before regaining her balance. She dropped to one knee.
Scáthach was nowhere to be seen.
Before Caenis could fully process it, a bone-deep chill surged up her spine from behind.
Relying on her extraordinary battle instincts, she twisted away from the spear aimed at her neck, spun to counterattack, and forced distance between them once more.
Having proven through action that her words were no empty boast, Scáthach lifted her chin coldly.
Those crimson eyes locked firmly onto the Divine Spirit Servant before her.