The last magecraft from the King of Mages?
At these words, all viewers instantly perked up.
Holding their breaths, they stared unblinkingly at the screen.
Solomon was hailed as the King of Mages.
He could master any magecraft without study.
He also possessed Clairvoyance that saw through past and future.
His might surpassed the other two Grand Caster candidates—Merlin and Gilgamesh.
The ring on Romani Archaman's hand.
Was left by King Solomon upon his death, after witnessing the future end of humanity—a seed of hope for 3,000 years later.
A hope spanning three millennia!
It moved all who saw it—
[Here it comes! The trump card King Solomon left 3,000 years ago is about to be revealed!]
[Incredible! He foresaw humanity's peril 3,000 years later and left behind his ultimate move!]
[Truly the progenitor of magecraft! How powerful must this final spell be? If only I could learn it.]
[The cost must be dire—likely sacrificing himself like the great hero Arash.]
[Indeed, to defeat the invincible Demon God King, how could there be no price?]
...
Within the Epang Palace.
Zhuge Liang and Chen Gong both stared intently at the screen.
Both had manifested as [Casters], so they naturally understood the immense power of the King of Mages.
Far more terrifying than the world could ever know!
Three thousand years ago, the ancient King of Israel, David, fathered a child.
That child was Solomon.
Legend has it that he once beheld [God] in a dream and was blessed with these words—
[You are worthy. Speak your wish, and it shall be granted.]
This was a blessing from the omnipotent [Lord].
He had long transcended the constraints of the Counter Force, becoming an existence on par with Alaya and Gaia.
One of the two mightiest beings beneath the Root, second to none.
Zhuge Liang sighed in admiration. "Solomon did not seek wealth or power but instead yearned for wisdom."
As a peerless strategist through the ages, this choice resonated deeply with him.
Power, wealth, beauty—all could be attained through wisdom.
Conversely, wisdom itself was as elusive as grasping the heavens.
When Solomon expressed his desire for wisdom, the [Lord] was immensely pleased.
Because.
This was the proof of one worthy of reaching the [Origin of Truth].
The hope of transcending mortality to attain eternal liberation.
Upon awakening, Solomon found ten rings adorning his hands—a mark of the [Lord]'s approval.
Yet!
Despite never using magecraft, the title of King of Mages spread across the world.
Zhuge Liang knew the truth.
In fact, Solomon had used magecraft once—to establish the foundation of Western magecraft.
This was the origin of his title as the [Ancestor of Magecraft]!
One of the founders of the three great magecraft organizations, the [Clock Tower], was a disciple of King Solomon!
"Solomon could have chosen eternal life, yet he calmly embraced death,"
Zhuge Liang remarked with deep admiration. "Having received the [Lord]'s blessing, his choice to die marked the end of the Age of Gods, granting humanity independence and strength."
Immortality.
This was the lifelong pursuit of countless emperors and generals in China and across the world.
Once they attained supreme power, they would spare no effort in their quest for eternal life.
But three thousand years ago.
He relinquished it without hesitation, severing ties with the divine.
Now, having finally become human, he stood to aid Nameless in the battle against the Demon God King.
"Do the ten rings represent ten fireworks displays?" Chen Gong mused.
As the human Doctor Roman, he had lost all combat prowess.
Only by channeling the energy within the rings could he unleash a single, all-out strike.
Chen Gong clicked his tongue. "A shame I wasn't there. Otherwise, I could've given him a proper boost."
"...Get lost!"
Zhuge Liang shot him an exasperated look.
This guy was growing more and more shameless, always scheming to turn others into fireworks—no different from that scoundrel Merlin.
To have you as an ally is the worst luck in eighteen lifetimes!
Frowning at the screen, Zhuge Liang couldn't shake the suspicion.
This was undoubtedly a trump card requiring a devastating price.
Could he really be planning to turn himself into fireworks?
...
Under the gaze of all.
Even knowing full well that his fate was to perish by his own Noble Phantasm.
Solomon smiled gently. "Goetia, let me teach you one final magecraft."
His voice was tender, as though he truly intended to impart a lesson.
"Though you know 'King Solomon possesses another Noble Phantasm,' you have failed to uncover its true name."
Solomon smiled. "No, you could never have known its true name."
The mighty King of Mages possessed three great Noble Phantasms.
Among them.
Goetia had obtained two, using them to incite the Incineration of Humanity.
Seeking to return to 4.6 billion years ago, to become the planetary consciousness Gaia and forge a new world.
The Demon God King referred to the ultimate outcome of his Incineration of Humanity as the First Noble Phantasm.
Yet, this was false.
He had no knowledge of the true First Noble Phantasm!
"The nine rings you took, combined with the one in my hand, are now all gathered. We can recreate that moment."
Solomon pointed at his adversary. "Now, let me teach you the true First Noble Phantasm of King Solomon—the only legend where I ever felt the heroism of 'humanity'!"
The single ring on his hand began to glow with a brilliant golden light.
As if one could hear angels singing, it radiated sacred and dazzling splendor.
This was the ring bestowed by the [Lord].
Witnessing this, the Demon God King was suddenly struck with shock. "Could it be...? No! You cannot do this! How could a coward make such a choice?"
Upon closer inspection, one could even see that he was—
Afraid!
Indeed, the invincible Demon God King Goetia was now trembling before a mere ring.
"Stop! Stop!! Stop!!! That ring—that Throne of Omnipotence—does not belong to you alone!"
Goetia descended into utter frenzy.
With a massive, grotesque fist, he furiously pounded against Solomon's defensive barrier.
"Useless king! Die! Just stop already!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Goetia moved at blinding speed, his overwhelming power shaking the entire throne room.
Yet, the barrier remained unbroken.
He retreated dozens of meters, spreading his arms, upon which countless eyes resembling those of the Demon Pillars emerged.
From the eyes covering his arms and body, violet-red beams erupted, converging into a meteor shower aimed at Solomon.
But—
It was useless!
Solomon had clearly resolved to die, paying no heed to the attacks.
He continued softly, "I possess three Noble Phantasms. Among them, the Third Noble Phantasm—"
[The Time of Birth Hath Come, He Is the One Who Masters All (Ars Almadel Salomonis)!]
This was the band of light formed by Goetia after the Incineration of Humanity, enveloping the entire Earth and its singularities.
As it was energy condensed from the incineration of human history,
it could accelerate or reverse time.
Thus, it could traverse the vast 4.6 billion years, reaching the origin of Earth's birth!
This was called—
[The Reversed Canal, or the Light-Year of Genesis!]
"The Second Noble Phantasm is named—"
[The Time of Crowning Hath Come, He Is the One Who Begins All (Ars Paulina)!]
This Noble Phantasm, also known as the Reality Marble, was the Crowned Time Temple, Solomon.
Existing outside of time, standing within the void of imaginary numbers.
Here, the Demon God King or King Solomon could live eternally,
watching from the throne as each era met its end.
Truly the most formidable Reality Marble, bordering on True Magic!
Solomon paused briefly before continuing, "And now—O Lord, I shall return the gifts You have bestowed upon me!"
"Omnipotence is too distant for humans. My work is confined to the realm of humanity alone!"
As he spoke.
Ten rings simultaneously burst into radiant light.
The Demon King Goetia grew increasingly terrified, attempting to block them yet utterly powerless to do so.
At this moment.
Nameless, who had been sent far away by Solomon, also gazed solemnly at him: "Doctor, are you certain?"
Though he held a trump card, the uncertainty still gnawed at him, compelling him to ask once more.
"Of course. This is my mission, determined three thousand years ago."
Solomon smiled faintly.
This was his duty, his act of atonement, his final assistance as a doctor to Nameless.
From this moment onward.
All burdens would fall upon Nameless's shoulders, and he could no longer walk by his side.
How truly unfortunate!
Without further hesitation, Solomon raised his hands with utmost devotion and declared: "First Noble Phantasm, Reenactment!"
The rings on his hands had already taken flight, blazing with dazzling brilliance.
Simultaneously.
Nine of the ten rings on Demon King Goetia's hands also soared into the air.
The ten rings once bestowed by the [Lord] now converged together once more.
His entire body radiated a golden brilliance, brimming with sanctity and transcendence.
The first Noble Phantasm from the heroic legend of King Solomon, unknown even to the Demon King—
[The Time of Parting Hath Come, He Is the One Who Lets Go of the World (Ars Nova)!]
At this very moment, its power finally erupted in full.
Not to attack anyone, nor to pray for divine blessings or aid.
Simply,
Returning everything received from the gods, back to the gods!
A brilliant golden light erupted, illuminating the entire throne.
"Dr. Roman..."
Nameless gazed at him with a complicated expression.
They had already parted ways once in a past life, and now he was witnessing a second farewell.
At this moment, he suddenly understood a fraction of Gilgamesh's feelings.
The only difference was—
He still had one final trump card...
Under this radiant golden light,
Mash, severely wounded and collapsed on the ground, suddenly clutched her chest tightly.
Tears streamed from her eyes as she cried out in a trembling voice, "Doctor..."
Even without knowing what was happening, she felt an overwhelming dread from the depths of her soul.
As if—
Something was about to leave her forever!
Never to return!
Under the gaze of everyone present,
Dr. Roman transformed completely into light, flooding the throne room with brilliance.
Watching the furious, even fearful Demon God King,
Countless spectators felt immense satisfaction—
[This is truly the ultimate trump card—so powerful even the Demon God King trembles before it!]
[Demon God King, how does it feel to be on the receiving end? Still feeling smug now?]
[Sigh... Just like the great hero Arash, it seems this requires self-sacrifice.]
[Don't be sad, this is just a temporary farewell. Once this battle is over, we can summon the doctor as a Servant!]
[Exactly! Thankfully, the doctor can still become a Servant—after all, he's a Grand Caster!]
[Doctor: "Take this—my last bit of magical energy, Nameless!" Nameless: "Doctoooor—!!"]
In the living room,
Roya couldn't help but exclaim in shock, "This shut-in doctor is amazing! He actually made the Demon God King so terrified!"
It was unbelievable.
How could an ordinary person achieve something like this?
"To see through past and future, omniscient and omnipotent... How terrifying!"
Illya's small face was filled with awe.
This first Noble Phantasm was a trump card left behind by Solomon three thousand years ago, specifically to counter the Demon God King.
Even the Demon God King had no knowledge of it!
A single ring, traversing three thousand years of time.
What an unimaginable miracle.
Truly, this was something only King Solomon could accomplish—a final contingency prepared over three millennia!
"But it seems the doctor is sacrificing himself to help my brother..."
Miyu noticed the tears in Mash's eyes in the video and the complicated expression on Nameless' face.
How could the ultimate trump card, feared even by the Demon God King, come without a price?
It was obvious.
Dr. Roman had fully prepared himself for sacrifice!
Neither Nameless nor Mash showed any signs of celebration—only sorrow.
"Indeed, it must be a suicide attack like Arash's," Roya nodded.
In the previous Sixth Singularity, The Sacred Round Table Realm,
The great hero Arash fired an arrow that burned his life force, single-handedly blocking the divine judgment of the Lion King.
Now, Dr. Roman was likely about to outshine even that, sacrificing his life to deal a devastating blow to Goetia.
All to ensure Nameless could defeat him.
Roya forced a lighthearted tone. "Don't worry—with the doctor's status as the King of Mages, he'll probably show up in Chaldea by Christmas to eat cake."
As a Grand Caster, he was one of the most qualified individuals to become a Servant.
Even if he sacrificed himself, Nameless could summon him to Chaldea in his Servant form.
After all...
Nameless was actually cheating with hacks from [Alaya], not drawing from the gacha pool at all.
He could summon whoever he wanted!
That was the true meaning of the Grand Order!
As long as the gacha pool had the Doctor, Nameless could casually summon him to Chaldea without needing to whale like crazy!
With that, Chaldea would gain a Grand Servant, skyrocketing their combat strength.
In comparison,
she was more curious about something else: "Tch, Nameless tricked the King of Heroes twice into thinking he sacrificed himself. Now that he's seen the Doctor do the same, he should finally understand the King of Heroes' pain, right?"
At the end of the King of the Oldest video,
Nameless and Enkidu severed the connection between gods and humans in Mesopotamia, both sacrificing themselves and vanishing.
At the end of the Singularity Absolute Demonic Front, Nameless borrowed the power of the Primordial Mother Goddess Tiamat and once again faked his own sacrifice.
Both times, he left the King of Heroes alone in the pouring rain, cradling his corpse in grief.
That was why, in the Final Singularity, the King of Heroes wanted to drown Nameless in the Holy Grail and turn him into a girl!
As the saying goes,
what goes around comes around—the heavens spare no one!
Now even Nameless had to watch his dear friend, the Doctor, sacrifice himself and disappear.
Ittadakimasu! (Feel the pain!)
"..."
Beside him, Souma remained silent.
This brat really deserved a beating!
Always poking at sore spots and reopening old wounds.
In truth,
what the brat didn't know was that he, like Gilgamesh, had also bid farewell to his closest friends—twice!
Souma looked at the Doctor turning into light on the screen, feeling deep sympathy for him.
When he was alive, despite being a king, he had no freedom—just a puppet on strings.
So numb that when the first Director ordered him to commit suicide, he wouldn't have hesitated.
After the Holy Grail War ended, he wasn't even registered—just appeared out of nowhere as an ordinary person.
Having abandoned everything from his past, just as he finally became a normal man, he witnessed the end of humanity.
From then on, this pitiful Doctor devoted everything to his work, studying desperately every single day.
Medicine couldn't save humanity.
So, he began frantically learning all kinds of knowledge.
That was how, at just 22 years old, he became the head of a department in Chaldea.
And eventually, the Acting Director.
After becoming Acting Director, he cared deeply about Souma and Mash's physical and mental well-being every day.
Like a doting father, he gave Souma moments of warmth amidst the chaos of saving the world.
But his identity as King Solomon made the Servants instinctively despise him from start to finish.
They'd curse him the moment they saw him.
Friendship was impossible.
After all,
his corpse had become the Demon King Goetia, the natural enemy of Heroic Spirits.
That was why the Doctor cherished Souma so much—he was his only true friend.
During gatherings, the Doctor never attended, afraid his presence would kill the mood.
The most heartbreaking part?
Even his emotional support, the virtual idol [Magical☆Merlin],
was secretly controlled by the very person he despised—Merlin the Troll.
That bastard incubus just wanted to laugh at his misery!
And his father, King David, kept running his mouth and making things worse for him.
From the very beginning, the Doctor had no idea what the apocalyptic disaster even was—he just struggled alone, working himself to the bone.
It wasn't until the Final Singularity that he finally learned the truth.
The usually timid doctor had now stepped forward to play the hero.
Really now,
Why couldn't he just stay in Chaldea lazing around and eating cake like usual?
The only consolation was that Souma still had one final trump card left.
As a champion of justice, how could he sacrifice others to save himself?
As these thoughts ran through his mind,
Roya clenched her small fists and cheered: "Doctor, hurry up and use your first Noble Phantasm to kill Goetia! Chop chop!"
"..."
Souma looked at the enthusiastic child cheering him on and found himself momentarily at a loss for words.
All he could say was—
Well done! Goetia absolutely deserves to die!
Under the intense, expectant gazes of everyone present,
The ten rings fused together, erupting in a dazzling golden radiance.
"AAAAH! You who embody all the world's weariness and compromise—why would you do this?!"
The Demon God King Goetia cried out in terror: "Why make such a decisive move? Why?!"
Yes, you read that right!
The Demon God King was actually trembling with fear!
For the first time ever, He was afraid!
The invincible Demon God King now spoke with undisguised panic in His voice, as if facing His natural predator.
Countless viewers exclaimed in exhilaration, thrilled beyond measure.
After all, the opponent had previously seemed utterly invincible.
They had wantonly mocked Nameless, freely wielded the Authority of [Anti-Summoning] to banish all heroic spirits.
Their overwhelming power had driven others to despair.
But now—He was actually afraid!
The golden radiance gradually dimmed.
The form of King Solomon once again reverted to the familiar Dr. Roman.
"It's truly unbelievable. We shared the same perspective, sat upon the same throne, and experienced the same events."
Dr. Roman spoke with amazement, "Yet, Solomon arrived at a conclusion entirely opposite to yours."
"That's purely because I never had the freedom to feel anger!"
Indeed, though he had once possessed inexhaustible divine and royal authority, he lacked freedom above all else.
From beginning to end, he had been a mere puppet, devoid of joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness!
To live was no different from death.
Or rather, the very concepts of life and death did not exist for him!
How pitiful!
The Demon God King Goetia roared in fury, "Do you have any idea what you've done?"
"I merely discarded everything I possessed. This domain is the corpse of King Solomon—it should crumble as well."
Dr. Roman spoke with utter ease, yet no one present could share his calm.
Even the adorable Fou cried out:
"Fou... Fou (You coward, you actually did it!)"
Its large, watery eyes were filled with disbelief, unable to comprehend what it was seeing.
Nameless gently stroked its tiny head. "Indeed. Despite being a coward for so long, he still stepped up to be a hero this once."
Compared to the reflections of man and beast, the Demon God King Goetia's reaction was far more intense.
Beneath that golden radiance, His colossal and invincible form trembled violently.
Cracks spread across His body like grotesque fissures, threatening to tear Him apart completely.
The once-invincible Demon God King was, for the first time, gripped by panic.
"You fool! What you discarded wasn't just your body and soul—you abandoned your very existence as a heroic spirit!"
His right hand trembled as He pointed at the other. "This isn't the rejection of life—it's the rejection of your own existence in its entirety!"
Unthinkable!
Unimaginable!
Unacceptable!
Why would this coward suddenly stand up and become the bravest of heroes?
This incompetent king!
This heartless king!
This puppet-like king!
Why would he go so far—for Nameless, for humanity?
"From now on, everything of Solomon will lose its value. Even this Temple of Time will lose its infinite time!"
The Demon God King Goetia's fury grew with every word. "Solomon's form, Solomon's achievements, Solomon's very existence—all will vanish."
"You will disappear completely from the Throne of Heroes!"
"Even the band of light I created pales in comparison—for you have reached [Nothingness]!"
"The end no human could attain—you have erased your own existence with your own hands!"
This was no mere self-sacrifice leading to disappearance.
This was the ultimate [Nothingness]—the annihilation of one's own [existence].
He would vanish from the memories of all!
"You're right. After unleashing the First Noble Phantasm, my [existence] as a heroic spirit will disappear."
Dr. Roman smiled calmly, "Not death, but from this moment onward, Solomon will disappear from the Throne of Heroes."
"The existence of God's proxy will be completely erased from human history."
"And the Mage King Solomon, through his own complete disappearance, will truly bid farewell to the Age of Gods!"
Having stepped forward, he fully understood what he was doing.
Earlier, while chatting with [Magical☆Merlin], he had asked: "Merlin, when the world faces its end, and only I can stand up to save it—but the cost is certain death—what should I do?"
In response, Merlin had answered:
[Do you want to be a coward your whole life, or a hero? Even if only for a few minutes!]
Thus, Dr. Roman chose to step forward.
He had been a coward for ten years—it was time to be a hero for a few minutes. No more slacking off.
Mash couldn't help but ask, "Are you... going to die?"
Under the terrifying [Human Order Cannon] of the Demon God King earlier, she had already been grievously wounded, teetering on the brink of death.
New injuries aggravated old ones.
As an artificially created homunculus Demi-Servant, her Spirit Origin had been irreparably damaged from the start.
Even if she hadn't accompanied her Senpai to the final battle, she wouldn't have lived more than half a year!
But now, more than her own injuries, Mash was worried about the doctor's well-being.
This doctor had taught her since childhood, cared for her meticulously, and loved her like his own daughter!
"Yes, though it's a bit scary and sad, this is something only I can do."
Dr. Roman smiled at the two of them. "This is good, actually. In truth, it was you and Nameless who taught me this."
Originally, cowardly as he was, he hadn't even dared to be a hero for a few minutes.
But.
Along the way, watching Nameless and Mash fight desperately time and again, he could no longer bear to hide behind them.
This time, let him protect them!
"You're really... cunning. Why did you have to step forward and be a hero?" Nameless sighed softly.
"Indeed, I am a bit cunning. Sorry for stealing your spotlight and being the hero this time."
Dr. Roman's smile grew even gentler. "From now on, it's up to you. I won't be able to stay by your side..."
When the audience realized what he had done, they erupted—
[What does this mean? Dr. Roman can't become a Heroic Spirit?]
[Holy shit! Erasing his own existence entirely? Does that mean he'll disappear from all our memories too?]
[Damn it, this price is too heavy! I thought the worst possible cost was just becoming a Heroic Spirit!]
[Erasing himself completely—damn it, Doctor, why are you so cruel to yourself!]
[I'm such a fool! Really, I only thought the doctor would use his trump card—I never imagined the cost would be complete disappearance!]
[Nooo, come back! You can't just vanish like this! You still promised to eat strawberry cake with Nameless!]