At this moment, the scene on the light screen continued to unfold.
[After Fujimaru Ritsuka's decisive strike, the body of Goetia, the Evil of Humanity, completely crumbled, and the other Demon God Pillars disintegrated as well.]
[It seemed everything had peacefully concluded...]
[Yet, just as Fujimaru Ritsuka was about to evacuate the Temple of Time, a figure suddenly blocked his path.]
[That appearance... bore a striking resemblance to both Romani Archiman and the former Goetia.]
["The Human King, Goetia!"]
The audience fell into silence upon seeing this. They hadn't expected Goetia, the Evil of Humanity and Beast of Pity, to have such a form.
In the world of Avalon, Merlin frowned at this scene.
"The Human King Goetia, who lost his omnipotence but gained human emotions..."
"Truly surprising that such a thing exists."
He was astonished that this Beast could still manifest in such a way, "But if it still stands before Fujimaru Ritsuka now, the situation becomes rather dire!"
At the Clock Tower, Lord El-Melloi II looked at the Human King Goetia appearing in the light screen, his face revealing unconcealed worry.
"Although he has lost his omnipotence, Fujimaru Ritsuka holds no advantage in a one-on-one duel..."
El-Melloi II muttered.
Though his voice was low, Gray, standing beside him, still heard it, filling her face—which closely resembled Artoria's—with concern.
Indeed, while the Goetia in the light screen had lost much of his combat capability, Fujimaru Ritsuka was now in a severely weakened state. Moreover, the Heroic Spirits were dissipating and could no longer provide him support.
This sudden turn of events sent new ripples through the battle that had seemed settled.
In the world of the Fifth Holy Grail War.
Upon seeing this, Emiya Shirou instantly reacted, his brow furrowing.
"Can the severely injured Ritsuka Fujimaru truly defeat that guy?"
"Ritsuka Fujimaru has very little combat strength left now. Why encounter an obstacle at this moment... Having enemies isn't the main issue; the problem is the entire throne is continuously collapsing... Ritsuka Fujimaru not only has to defeat the Human King Goetia but must do so within a time limit... How is that possible?!"
Emiya Shirou's words betrayed his concern for Ritsuka Fujimaru.
That Human King Goetia was clearly prepared to fight Ritsuka Fujimaru to the death.
At this moment, Heroic Spirits and Mages across the worlds felt a sense of gloom.
No one believed that Ritsuka Fujimaru, exhausted and battered after his long ordeal, could accomplish such a feat.
However, all the viewers also understood that the upcoming battle had nothing to do with the Human Order or the world.
Because Goetia's plan to incinerate the Human Order had been completely thwarted, the next battle was not about the Human Order, but a personal grudge between two individuals.
The light screen continued to play.
[The Human King Goetia and Fujimaru Ritsuka faced each other, the atmosphere intensely tense.]
["I will not let you return alive. You shall vanish here with this temple."]
[The Human King Goetia's voice was cold and resolute, his eyes fixed on Fujimaru Ritsuka, his face filled with determination.]
["My dream is shattered. The vast expanse of time spent in this temple has lost its meaning."]
[He continued, a trace of sorrow in his voice.]
["Yes, I have lost. The bands of light have vanished; the incineration of the Human Order has been rendered ineffective. When King Solomon was destroyed, my grand undertaking vanished in an instant."]
[The Human King Goetia's words revealed helplessness and despair over his defeat, yet Fujimaru Ritsuka's gaze grew even more determined.]
[He knew this battle was not just for himself, but for all those who believed in and supported him.]
[The Human King Goetia's voice echoed through the empty temple, carrying a hint of helplessness and resignation.]
["Now, I am no longer one of the Seventy-Two Demon God Pillars. I am but its remnant, the final remaining ember. No matter what I do here, I cannot change the fate of defeat. Even if I kill you, the outcome will not change."]
[His words were calm and profound, as if he had lost all hope.]
[Yet, Fujimaru Ritsuka's voice sounded then, interrupting his contemplation: "...You have a reason to fight, don't you?"]
[The Human King Goetia was silent for a long moment before finally nodding in agreement: "...That's right. I too have a purpose. No, I had a purpose. Now, I understand the spirit of you humans. Now that I possess a finite lifespan, I finally comprehend it."]
[There was a touch of emotion in his voice, as if he had finally found the meaning of his existence during these long 3,000 years.]
["Long. It has been a truly long journey. After all, I have remained here for 100 years."]
[He continued, "I will stop you for the sake of my own irreconcilable existence, and you must stop me as swiftly as possible for your own survival. This is the respect I can express in words."]
[With that, the Human King Goetia assumed a combat stance, as if prepared to exert his full strength in this final moment.]
["The Grand Order launched to incinerate the Human Order. Seven Singularities, the Master who traversed seven worlds. My name is Goetia, an existence that destroys the Human Order with human principles and advances forward."]
[His voice echoed through the temple, filled with determination and resolve.]
["An existence that marches ever onward to the extreme point where none remain, to the hollow hope none desire. My enemy, my hatred, my destiny."]
["I hope you can bear witness to this. This brief time is the story granted to me. So fleeting, yet so precious. The time bestowed upon this being who calls himself Goetia is true life!"]
[As these words fell, the two figures clashed in an instant.]
[Fujimaru Ritsuka and the Human King Goetia, both utterly exhausted, now fought in the most primal way—with their fists.]
[In such a battle, Goetia finally felt the beating of a heart and the boiling of blood within.]
[He understood this was the meaning of life. In these brief 30 minutes, he experienced a sensation he had never known in 3,000 years.]
["Ahh—a person's life is so short," he sighed, his body beginning to emit a faint light.]
[He had indeed survived for only these short 30 minutes, but in them, he found the answer to why he had failed.]
[He realized that despite his immense power, he had overlooked the most fundamental aspects of life—emotion and experience.]
["O Lord, please grant this life joy..." he prayed softly, his form beginning to gradually dissipate into brilliant golden particles.]
[The existence known as Goetia vanished completely at this moment!]
Seeing this, all viewers couldn't help but show a touch of joy on their faces.
They thought Fujimaru Ritsuka had finally emerged victorious, and the Human King Goetia had been utterly erased.
However, before their joy could settle, the scene on the light screen suddenly shifted once more... (To read the most exciting chapters, go to Faloo Novels!)
The Temple of Time within the light screen began to collapse rapidly, the ground shattering, immense chasms seeming to swallow everything.
The audience watched this scene, despair dawning on their faces. Just a little more... Fujimaru Ritsuka was about to fall into the endless void, and they couldn't reach through the light screen to save him.
[Fujimaru Ritsuka also felt a pang of despair, though he found solace in having come this far.]
[He closed his eyes, ready to accept his fate.]
[Yet, at that moment, a dazzling, brilliant light suddenly erupted from the light screen!]
[A purple-haired figure, deeply familiar to Fujimaru Ritsuka, appeared within the light screen and reached out her arms towards him.]
["It's not over yet, reach out your hand—Senpai, grab my hand!" That familiar voice was filled with determination and strength.]
At this moment, witnessing such a scene, all the viewers were stunned, their minds flooded with questions.
"Mash!? But Mash already..." People asked one after another. Who had resurrected Mash?
For a moment, bullet comments surged across the light screen like a tide.
[Bullet Comments]
[Illya (Magical Girl): What's going on? How can Mash still be alive? Shouldn't she have been vaporized by that terrible heat?]
[Illya: Although I don't know why Mash was able to return to life, and although I don't know who saved Mash, this is the best outcome.]
[Romani Archiman: Wonderful, Mash is safe... and it seems Fujimaru Ritsuka is safe too now! This is truly wonderful!]
[Artoria: More than that, I'm still curious about who saved Mash? To resurrect a being who had died? It's incredible...]
[Jeanne: The only ones present who could have helped Mash were the Heroic Spirits, right? But is there any Heroic Spirit with the power to resurrect people? I can't recall any.]
[Mordred: There shouldn't be, right? If there were such a supernatural power to resurrect people, his fame would surely surpass everyone present!]
[Zhuge Kongming (Lord El-Melloi II): In my recollection, there shouldn't be. Could it be that Mash has become a Heroic Spirit? But that doesn't seem to be the case, does it?]
The audience buzzed with discussion. In the world of Avalon, Merlin watched this scene, a slight smile playing on his lips, as if he had realized something...
"Fou, fu, it seems you've made your own choice..." he murmured softly, a profound light in his eyes.
Then, Merlin couldn't help but sigh. While pleased with Fou's choice, his heart was also filled with sorrow.
"Fou, you've truly grown so much. But such a choice... means I am the only one left now."
In the world of the Fourth Holy Grail War, Emiya Kiritsugu was slightly startled upon seeing this.
The power to resurrect people... The familiar faces, those engraved in his memory, seemed to appear before him now.
He felt a stir of emotion, but soon shook his head slightly.
"What am I thinking..."
"Never mind whether this is true resurrection or not. Even if it is, it's likely not something an ordinary Heroic Spirit or magecraft could achieve."
Meanwhile, in the world of Chaldea, when Mash's figure reappeared, all the staff broke into joyful smiles.
They were the ones who most wanted to see this outcome.
Da Vinci exclaimed in surprised delight: "Mash!" Her face was alight with unconcealed joy, "Though I don't know who saved her, this result is truly wonderful."
At that moment, Romani Archiman stared at the light screen, deep in thought.
A notion suddenly flashed through his mind. Could it be... He widened his eyes, as if considering a possibility.
The scene on the light screen continued to flow, shifting to a dark space.
[Mash lay there quietly, as if asleep. The audience immediately understood this was Mash's experience before her resurrection.]
[Suddenly, a shadow slowly appeared before Mash, speaking in a relieved voice: "Wonderful, you're still here, Mash." Seeing Mash safe and sound, the shadow finally relaxed.]
["Although you vanished, your will still persists in the void. You still have unfinished business, so I won't say 'thank you for your hard work,' but 'goodbye.'"]
[The familiar voice gradually stirred Mash to awareness.]
[The shadow continued: "Time is short, so I'll be brief. I have brought you back to life; don't be surprised. I possess the Principle of Comparison, feeding on human competition and growth, jealousy and regret. I am a Beast with traits stronger than the other party—the Calamity Beast, Cath Palug, also known as the Primate Murder in another world."]
[The mysterious voice echoed, as if recounting the past.]
["As long as I remain outside human society, I am harmless. Thus, I once lived in seclusion on an uninhabited island. However, the one who looked after me went too far, driving me out of my comfortable prison tower and casting me into the outside world. But it was also because of this that I could come to Chaldea and meet you and Fujimaru Ritsuka."]
[Hearing this, Mash seemed to understand something.]
But the audience was astounded. It was Fou who had resurrected Mash! They simply couldn't believe their ears and eyes.
At this moment, the curiosity of all viewers was utterly ignited. They yearned to know the true identity of this Beast and why it had done such a thing.
The scene on the light screen continued to flow, the mysterious voice echoing through the air, as if transcending the boundaries of time and space.
["The user has accumulated magical energy for a hundred years and has now created a miracle even magecraft has never touched—[Complete Resurrection of the Dead]. However, those who died in this Temple of Time are not bound by reality."]
[The mysterious being's words carried a hint of depth and distance.]
["What I will do next is transfer the power of destiny to repair your fading life... But unfortunately, since I have not yet fully matured, I can only extend your lifespan to that of an ordinary person."]
[At this point, the voice seemed to carry a note of apology and helplessness.]
["And I will also revert to an ordinary beast form, losing all intellect and traits... Thus far, my conversations with you have been full of meaning, but henceforth, they will all turn into the roars and cries of a beast."]
[As the voice faded, the phantom behind the scenes appeared!]
[This Fourth Beast, who had been hiding in the shadows, was actually the little pet that had been following Chaldea all along—Fou, the seemingly harmless and utterly adorable creature!]
At this moment, in the world of Chaldea, everyone was stunned by this sudden revelation.
They all turned their eyes to the little creature who usually only rolled around cutely, their hearts filled with disbelief.
This little thing, who looked just a bit mysterious and extremely cute, actually had such an astonishing identity!?
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