Time passed swiftly.
Uruk now stood alone—the last surviving city-state in the region, and the most prosperous city in all Mesopotamia.
Its army had undergone the most exacting training, outfitted entirely with mass-produced weapons from Ophis's own treasury. Though none reached the rank of Noble Phantasms, they were extravagant beyond measure for mere standard issue.
The city's layout was flawless, every district organized with precision. Bountiful harvests and booming trade had brought comfort to every home.
Even those who had once been dragged here by force now lived contentedly within Uruk's walls—many, in fact, could no longer imagine life anywhere else.
But peace, inevitably, was fleeting.
"My king! Scouts from the north report countless unidentified beasts—demonic in nature—appearing out of nowhere! They've already destroyed several city-states. No survivors confirmed!"
At the top of the Grand Temple, Ophis studied the clay tablet in her hand. She didn't even look up.
"The south?"
"No abnormalities reported."
"Remain vigilant. Continue observation."
"Yes, my king!"
Once the messenger left, Ophis pressed her fingers lightly to her temples, exhaling.
[Oh? Even our little Ophis finds ruling a kingdom exhausting now, huh?]
"Mhm… The beasts' direction isn't fully confirmed yet, but… it's highly likely they'll come from the north."
In the future Inori had once shown her, the attack had indeed begun from the north. But if Ophis stationed all her forces there too early, wouldn't that just provoke a change in tactics?
There had once been a nation—France—that learned that lesson painfully well.
Since Inori could no longer update her foresight, any deviation from that recorded future would go unnoticed until it was too late.
In the end, Ophis had fortified both north and south, leaving the rest to unfold.
With the enemy unseen and herself exposed, that was all she could do.
Still, she had concentrated most of her logistics in the south. The goddess behind this calamity was proud and predictable—such an adjustment was unlikely to change her plan. And if it did, Ophis could still adapt quickly enough to minimize the damage.
Now that demonic beasts had indeed appeared to the north, it wasn't confirmed that this was the main force—but knowing the goddess's temperament, the odds exceeded eighty percent.
Focusing a bit of energy at her fingertip, Ophis carved a new order into the clay before her:
[Begin construction of northern fortifications immediately]
Then she turned her attention back to another tablet—the one containing the knowledge of ancient summoning rites.
[You should have gathered enough information by now. It's time. If you wait any longer, you might lose the window.]
"Mhm. This is our only option left."
Raising her head, Ophis looked toward the horizon, where a radiant halo of light had hung in the sky for several days now. Setting the tablet aside, she brushed her fingers across the golden chain at her chest before returning it to the treasury and rising to her feet.
"Let's begin preparations."
Since that strange ring had appeared, the world's stabilizing force—once slowly returning to normal—had collapsed again. The anomaly was close.
[You still can't consciously control your ability to glimpse the future, can you?]
Inori's voice sounded quietly in her mind.
Ophis shook her head. She still didn't understand what that ability truly was, let alone how to wield it.
[I thought as much… incomplete, after all. Ophis—do you trust me?]
"Yes. If it's Inori, I trust you."
After so long together, Ophis might not have fully understood Inori, but she never doubted her intent.
[Good. Then let's hurry. We don't have much time left.]
That's right… If she didn't act now, there might never be another chance.
Since Ishtar's departure, Ophis had relocated entirely to Uruk's grand, pyramid-shaped temple. All royal administration now took place within those sacred walls.
At this moment, dozens of priests knelt in the temple's central hall, their heads bowed before her.
"My king, all ritual materials have been prepared. What are your next commands?"
"This will suffice. Leave. Seal the temple. No one enters until I emerge."
"As you command."
When the priests had gone, Ophis knelt upon the floor and began arranging the relics of the Age of Gods they had brought—carefully sketching an intricate circle in Phantasmal blood.
Even with the Holy Grail's aid, the circle was indispensable. Inori had warned her: ignoring it could lead to… less than ideal results. A certain mage once learned that lesson firsthand when his summoned Servant turned out rather deficient in intellect.
As Ophis worked, Inori's calm voice guided her step by step.
[In a moment, I'll synchronize with you—using that unique power in your body to influence the ritual. That way, the being summoned will be "maximally beneficial to both the present and future," rather than something useless or unstable.]
Ophis gave a silent nod.
This was no ordinary summoning. It connected to the Throne of Heroes, drawing forth fragments of ancient—and future—heroes, materializing them as Servants.
The gap between a full Heroic Spirit and its Servant incarnation was vast. A Heroic Spirit's casual strike could rival or surpass a lower-grade Noble Phantasm—but this was the nature of the system.
Under Inori's guidance, Ophis's circle was optimized for power alone. The usual command seals and restraints were omitted. The Servant's memories would retain only essential knowledge and experiences—nothing that dulled their strength.
Combined with Ophis's nearly limitless energy, Inori promised the result would far exceed a standard summoning.
Of course, it also meant risk. If the one summoned were too independent—or outright hostile—it could spell disaster. That was why Inori would borrow Ophis's essence to steer the summoning toward an ally.
Still, allowing someone else to touch her power would unsettle anyone. Yet Ophis didn't hesitate. She trusted Inori completely.
[Haa… such a trusting child. But that's fine. Soon enough, even that weakness will disappear.]
Not grasping the weight behind those words, Ophis said nothing—she only placed the Holy Grail carefully at the circle's center.
"Let's begin, Inori."
[Alright. You may feel… different. Don't resist.]
Closing her eyes, Ophis nodded once.
[Then… let's begin.]
When she opened them again, her right eye blazed a luminous silver.
Magic surged violently through the sealed temple, the sigils beneath the Grail flaring to life.
The air trembled—divine light flooding every corner of the chamber.
[Summoning—commence!]