Mash shouted loudly, "Why are you doing this, Makiri Zolgen? Why do you want to destroy the era you're in?!"
Makiri's face was cold and indifferent. "Of course I've tried to resist, but it was all in vain. Even if I wished to save the masses, the world where humanity should have survived has already been burned away. Whether past, present, or future, my king has long decided to allow no existence at all... everything must be eradicated before it's complete."
At this moment, he seemed to have lost his sense of self, or perhaps he was a hysterical fanatic.
"The decree has already been issued. The king has grown weary of this ugliness, weary of all survival. And now... no, there's no need to say more. We will borrow my king's power to eliminate you.
"You won't live to see the final Heroic Spirit before meeting your death. Descend from the void of destruction, our Demon God... "
A powerful surge of magical energy erupted from Makiri's body, then overflowed wildly. In an instant, he transformed into a bizarre monster. Seeing this familiar form, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash both cried out at once.
"A Demon God Pillar!"
They remembered it well... Lev had turned into a monster just like this, and now Makiri had become one too!
"One of the seventy-two Demon God Pillars, Demon God Barbatos... this is the form of my evil! My king has seen through my wickedness, the ugly evil within my heart that sought to save humanity. With my utmost ugliness, vanish... just like those who once wore the guise of goodness, as I did!"
"When you speak those words from your king, have you ever asked Jesus for his opinion? Or the Lord's?" Jeanne Alter stepped forward, powerful magical energy beginning to gather on her flag. "This is what Morpheus told me to say, but I think he makes a good point."
Jeanne Alter raised her flag, the magical energy swirling around it and transforming into a torrent that dispersed all the surrounding demonic mist!
In that moment, a clean area appeared around them!
At the same time, a tremendous power began to concentrate in Jeanne Alter's hand, forming a flashing cross!
"How is her power suddenly increasing? This terrifying magical energy density?! How is that possible?!" Mordred looked at Jeanne Alter in shock. She realized that this Servant, who had been roughly on her level, had suddenly become incredibly strong, her power surging wildly as if without limit.
Finally, this immense magical energy converged into a pitch-black beam!
The beam struck the Demon God Pillar, which had only just appeared, without any hindrance. The violent magical energy pierced through the Pillar's body, the immense force burrowing into the breached area and drilling inward, wreaking secondary destruction on the parts that hadn't been fully demolished yet!
"T-This... how is this possible?!" The Demon God Pillar Makiri let out a low, rumbling voice. He could feel his flesh rapidly disintegrating. It wouldn't be long before he returned to his king's side, but even now, he couldn't understand why he had been defeated so suddenly.
He had been absolutely confident in handling these foes. Even if he couldn't win outright, he shouldn't have been instantly crushed... he'd even thought he could drag a few of them down with him.
But why had he been defeated in a single exchange?
And that enormous magical energy from before... what was it? Was this really something a Servant could possess?!
From his knowledge of Servants, even a top-tier one would need to release their Noble Phantasm and boost their output several times over to unleash such a terrifying attack!
This was even more frustrating than being defeated by something that specifically countered him... it was pure, overwhelming power that had crushed him!
But there was nothing he could do now, as his consciousness began to fade, his body starting to dissolve, and he was finally about to leave this world.
With a final glance at the raging lightning that was beginning to appear, he let out a soft chuckle.
"Even if I die, you're finished... because the next Heroic Spirit to arrive will erase you completely!"
Watching them charge toward the steam engine, intent on destroying it, he burst into laughter. Before dissipating, he shouted loudly.
"Thou art the blade imprisoned in the cage of madness, I am the master who holds its chains. Thou art bound by the three great words for seven days! Come from the wheel of restraint, O guardian of the scales!!"
The violent magical energy, the terrifying reaction... it prompted Romani to issue a warning: "This is a reaction on the level of a great hero!"
"Hahaha, this is the Servant summoned at the cost of my life! Hahaha, hahahahaha! Angra Mainyu has amplified the Holy Grail's magical energy, concentrating the demonic mist's power onto him... This has reached the domain of the Age of Gods. You can't win!"
Amid the raging lightning, a figure emerged!
"I... have been summoned. Who is it that calls upon me, the one akin to lightning? Who summons me, the genius? Is it a cry, or a prayer? Is it good, or evil? Ah, I see... So it's all of this that summons me now? Summons me, the genius and embodiment of lightning... I, Nikola Tesla!
"How amusing. Have scholars gathered to summon me? Summoned the one who brings a new mythology to humanity! Summoned me, who surpasses Indra and rivals even Zeus! Hahaha... hahahahahaha!! How amusing! It makes me laugh, scholars! Though I am a genius, I am also a superhuman who loves the bizarre!
"Very well! As you wish! I, the genius and embodiment of lightning, shall descend upon this world! Hahaha! Hahahaha, hahahahahaha!!"
In that moment, the summoned Servant erupted with extraordinarily powerful energy, suppressing the other Servants present and beginning to advance toward the ground!
...
In the sea of books, Morpheus projected the scene Jeanne Alter was witnessing while commenting, "Why does Tesla hold such a high status?"
Andersen asked curiously, "What's the matter?"
"One common way to spot a pseudoscientist is if they think Tesla is the greatest in the field of electricity... that person's usually a pseudoscientist." Morpheus said this without the slightest concern for the group being overwhelmed on the other side.
Andersen replied in surprise, "You see it that way?"
"Isn't it true? Tesla was indeed brilliant, but calling him the embodiment of lightning or whatever is a stretch. If we're ranking by physics contributions, Faraday and Maxwell are stronger, right? The former discovered electromagnetic induction, the latter established classical electromagnetism, predicted electromagnetic waves, and proposed the electromagnetic theory of light.
"Others like Ampère and Gauss rank ahead too. Tesla still has to wait in line."
Seeing Morpheus list a bunch of physicists and mathematicians, Andersen shut his mouth, feeling this wasn't a field he could join.
So, he shifted the topic elsewhere.
"They're in real danger now. Aren't you going to help?"
"No need. It's not truly dangerous yet... they're just stunned by the sudden attack." Morpheus said, pointing at the screen. "Look, they're starting to fight back."
As Morpheus spoke, Andersen indeed saw the scene change.
The human named Fujimaru Ritsuka drew her weapon and charged at Tesla with incredible speed. Even though Tesla was now in a frenzied state and showed no mercy, the girl showed no fear.
Her longsword gleamed with a faint light, its chilling edge seeming ready to slice through anything!
Yes, that sword cut through everything... even the lightning surrounding Tesla was cleaved apart in an instant!
"What Noble Phantasm is that?"
Powerful Mystic Codes can also be called Noble Phantasms; it's not just what Heroic Spirits wield.
"The sword from Japanese mythology... Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, the one Susanoo dug out from the Yamata no Orochi's body after slaying it." Morpheus explained, pointing at Fujimaru Ritsuka. "It suits her perfectly, letting her fight Servants head-on."
At that moment, the battle shifted again.
With Fujimaru Ritsuka slicing through the lightning around Tesla and exposing his body, a roaring torrent of magical energy burst from Mordred's sword, slamming into him!
Even with the Holy Grail supplying magical energy, Tesla was still a Servant with his own limits. Under this assault, his body sustained damage!
This injury slowed his movements, at least compared to the start.
In that instant, Jeanne Alter charged forward, her surrounding magical energy condensing more and more, forming a sword that shimmered with light!
Andersen quickly looked at Morpheus and saw that he had drawn a sword at some point, holding it in his hand!
"What's this?!"
"Durandal. Hmm... not the one you know... closer to the mythical version. But channeling magical energy through the link with a Servant is really convenient." Morpheus said as Durandal's power flowed into Jeanne Alter via their connection.
It was the power of a holy relic, the power belonging to the Son of God. Even though this was just a portion of the power carried by the Holy Lance Longinus, it still granted a sacred attribute!
Now, that power flowed into Jeanne Alter's body. The girl who should have wielded terrifying black attacks was now faintly radiating golden light!
The sword in her hand also gleamed with golden, holy radiance!
Sensing the holy power emanating from her weapon, Jeanne Alter felt a sudden clarity in her heart.
"In the name of the Lord!" She cried out, raising the light sword and swinging it down fiercely!
"Boom!"
The light extended, sweeping forward!
That light cut through everything... including the air, including space!
Just like the indestructible Durandal, the lightning that had just gathered was sliced apart again, severed, and dispersed!
The light continued onward, slashing through Tesla's body, cutting his vessels, his organs!
Nothing could block Durandal's attack... not even Tesla, with power from the domain of the Age of Gods!
His body split in two, upper and lower halves dissolving into scattering spiritrons, signaling the death of this arrogant embodiment of lightning!
Seeing Tesla die so easily, Andersen opened his mouth in shock. "This is the power of Durandal from the poems... nothing can withstand its blade!"
"That's right." Morpheus nodded, standing up and heading outside.
"Where are you going?" Andersen asked quickly.
"I have a feeling that troublesome guy is about to show up."
"Troublesome guy?" Andersen puzzled for a moment, then realized. "You mean the mastermind?!"
"Yeah, the mastermind should come out and make their presence known. After all, this is the fourth Singularity about to be destroyed."
"You mean that impostor King Solomon?" Andersen thought for a moment and stood up too. "I'll go with you."
"Aren't you afraid of dying? You don't have any combat ability."
"Anyway, you'll complete the mission soon, and then I can return to the Throne of Heroes. Getting a close look at that guy pretending to be King Solomon is a nice opportunity." Andersen smiled. "I can't miss something like that."
"Fine, if that's what you want, let's hurry over."
...
With Tesla's death, another Servant blocked their path. When the black knight rode out from the darkness on horseback, everyone froze.
It was the Arthurian king wielding a lance, merciless toward enemies... an existence that had lost all reason!
But for this obstacle in their way, someone reacted faster than Mordred, who should have been the one to respond!
"Attack her! Don't hold back!"
As Morpheus's voice echoed in her mind, Jeanne Alter swung her light sword without hesitation... the illusory Durandal.
The extending light directly sliced through the black lance in the king's hand, cutting along the armor, severing the body, and sending this newly emerged knight straight back to the Throne of Heroes.
Just as they prepared to continue the assault and destroy the steam engine outright, a door appeared.
A figure slowly stepped out from within, their face bearing arrogance and disdain for humanity!
The person glanced at the group and sneered.
"Chaldea has detached itself from the timeline, becoming a stronghold no one can find... even my eyes, which see through all futures and perceive everything, struggle to observe Chaldea. That's why you've survived... ugly, pitiful, meaningless lingering. Refusing to accept the history already fated for destruction, a pathetic little boat adrift on the sea of nothingness.
"Whether it's Chaldea or the individual Fujimaru Ritsuka, it's all the same. Even Morpheus is just a pitiful existence.
"The stains left from the burned-out history of humanity, the only blemish in my endeavor... the fools who dare defy me!"
This arrogant, nauseating figure addressed the group.
At that moment, another voice rang out: "Fools? Everything begins with the Fool. What are you, then? The impostor pretending to be King Solomon."
Morpheus appeared beside the group, smiling!
***
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