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« I shall use everything...all that is within my power to ensure that the Greek Lostbelt is this world's future.
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| (Kirschtaria Wodime) |
The Atlantic Lostbelt (大西洋の異聞帯, Taiseiyō no Ibuntai?), designated Order Lostbelt No. 5 (ロストベルト No. 5?), Sub-Order Those Who Cross the Sea of Stars (星の海を渡るもの, Hoshi no umi o wataru-mono?), is one of the seven Lostbelts appearing on the blankened Earth during the Human Order Revision incident. Originating in the 12000 BC Atlantic region, its Lost Depth is A+, its King is Zeus, and its associated Crypter is Kirschtaria Wodime.[1][2] It is the fifth of the Lostbelts visited by Chaldea Security Organization in the undertaking of the Grand Order to restore Earth and the Human Order. It is also called the Greek Lostbelt (ギリシャ異聞帯, Girisha Ibuntai?) by Tamamo Vitch Koyanskaya.
The events of Chaldea's visit to this Lostbelt are covered in fifth chapter of Cosmos in the Lostbelt, split into two parts; Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods: Atlantis (神代巨神海洋 アトランティス, Shindai kyoshin kaiyō Atorantisu?) and Interstellar Mountainous City: Olympus (星間都市山脈 オリュンポス, Seikan toshi sanmyaku Oryunposu?), alternatively The Day to Bring Down Gods (神を撃ち落とす日, Kami o uchiotosu hi?).[1][3][4]
Setting[]
In another universe which was on the verge of collapse, a technologically advanced alien civilization constructed a Dyson SphereWP known as Chaos, intended as an ark to carry the species to another planet. However, under unknown circumstances the alien species perished and Chaos sailed on uninhabited. It eventually encountered a boundary referred to by Aphrodite as the "Tannhauser Boundary", beyond which lay the universe in which Earth existed. Unable to pass through itself, Chaos consumed about 97% of its own functionality, and was able to pass a relatively small fleet of ships through the boundary.[4][5]
Titanomachia
The fleet originating from Chaos, sent to find a suitable world to terraform and rebuild the alien civilization, was led by the flagship Chronos, with the series of ships that Chronos was a part of being known as the Titans. Under unknown circumstances, several ships rebelled against Chronos, in a conflict referred to as the Titanomachia (ティタノマキア, Titanomakia?). It ended with the defeat of the Titan fleet and the rebels continuing their journey under the leadership of flagship Zeus.[4][5]
Eventually, the fleet came across planet Earth, which was a 78% match for the landing conditions marking a planet viable for colonization in their directives. As the fleets' functionalities had degraded over the course of their long voyage and continuing onward was unrealistic, the fleet descended onto planet Earth, towards what is presently the center of the Atlantic Ocean. After landing, the ships encountered the prehistoric human race and came to be worshiped as gods (the Twelve Machine Gods or the Twelve Pillars), in time manifesting humanoid terminals to interact with the natives. The humans granted them names and faith, and in return, the Machine Gods gave them the fruits of civilization.[4][5]
Leukosmachia
The Lostbelt's history diverged in 12000 BC during the invasion of the Earth by Sefar in the Leukosmachia (レウコスマキア, Reukosumakia?).[3][6] Unlike what occurred in the primary history, where the gods abided by the boundaries of their respective domains and subsequently had their true bodies (Aletheia) destroyed, Zeus fused with the other Olympians against their consent, gaining their authorities and power which allowed him to stalemate and repel Sefar,[7] at the cost of being ostracized by the other gods for his unilateral violation of their domains, even as he secured his position as their absolute leader.[4]
Gigantomachia
As their Aletheia were not destroyed, the gods were able to easily defeat the Gigas, spiritual remnants of Sefar that have split off from the original entity, on their own in the Gigantomachia (ギガントマキア, Gigantomakia?).[8] The gods continued their rule, with their powers and technology eventually advancing to the point where they redefined the concept of Gods, with the use of powerful divine nanomachines known as Klironomia as their Authorities.[3]
Olympiamachia[]
However, several thousands years before the present, a civil war known as the Olympiamachia (オリュンピアマキア, Oryunpiamakia?) was triggered over a disagreement whether to continue the Age of Gods with their absolute rule over the humans or to co-exist along side them on a closer level.[3][4] According to historical records, Zeus, Artemis, Poseidon, Demeter, Aphrodite, and Hera made up the Administration Faction, while Hephaestus, Hades, Athena, Apollo, Hestia, and Ares opposed them as the Co-existence Faction.[3][4] In actuality, Zeus was originally alone, but used his power to subjugate Demeter, Aphrodite, Hera, and Artemis to his will.[9][10]
Both the gods and the humans following them fought in the ensuing conflict, which ended in the victory of Zeus' Administration Faction.[3][4] Hades resisted Zeus' will and self-detonated, causing areas of Olympus to be denied to Zeus' reach and sight without considerable power expenditure.[11] Athena, Apollo, Hestia, Ares and Hephaestus were destroyed, and the wreckage which Zeus didn't appropriate to extend his own functionalities was scattered across the seas of Atlantis. In some cases, their minds survived in a reduced form in the form of Terminal Shrines, scattered across the islands formed by the wreckage.[9] Hephaestus was one of those who survived in a limited capacity, though half of the unit containing his mind was eventually taken and merged with the mind of Prometheus (also eliminated for associating with the Co-Existence Faction) housed on a server in the underpinnings of Olympus, meant to automate the city's maintenance.[10] Poseidon fought on the co-existence side at some point and survived the war with his Aletheia, but he was punished by Zeus, who reprogrammed him to serve as a defense mechanism guarding the Big Hole leading from Atlantis to Olympus.[9] The surviving humans who had fought alongside the Co-Existence Faction were exiled from Olympus to the islands of Atlantis.[3][12]
Hera was critically wounded in the war but Zeus kept her remains, eventually fusing them with Europa with their permission, thus allowing him to be with them both.[5][13] Zeus had also altered the minds of the gods who had fought under his command, including Aphrodite, who was rendered unable to feel love, and Demeter, who had been forced to kill her beloved daughter Persephone in the war.[14][15]
Atlantis[]
Map of Atlantis.
The main region of the Atlantic Lostbelt is a vast ocean, brimming with mana and full of Phantasmal Beasts, a sea of the Age of Gods.[3] Various islands are scattered across the seas of Atlantis (アトランティス, Atorantisu?), many of which have developed from the wreckage of the gods destroyed during the Olympiamachia.[3][4] Most of them are named after minor deities found in Greek mythology.[3]
Atlantis is mainly comprised of isolated island communities,[3] made up of humans who have been exiled from Olympus and descendants of the humans who had followed the defeated gods of the Olympiamachia,[3][4] many of whom have largely lost their original culture.[3] Despite this, they still have enhanced strength and longevity from the Klironomia.[3] They are loyal towards the gods despite being forsaken by them and wish to receive their attention, to the extent that they would willingly be destroyed by a shot from Artemis on their island rather than flee.[3]
There are various temples throughout the islands, with a few Terminal Shrines containing remnants of the destroyed gods. There are machines which dispense Klironomia, though they require the presence of an Olympian to authorize a dispense.[3]
In the centre of the ocean is an abyss known as the Big Hole, which leads to Olympus. There are three main defenses meant to prevent intruders from traversing the Big Hole and reaching Olympus; the forces of the Atlantean navy (consisting of conscripted soldiers and monsters produced by Echidna), Artemis and Poseidon.[3]
Locations visited by Chaldea in Atlantis include:
| Name | Notes |
|---|---|
| Sailing Point (セーリングポイント, Sēringupointo?) | An area of sea to the east of Hestia Island where the Shadow Border/Nautilus emerged into the Atlantic Lostbelt and were ambushed by the Atlantean forces.[3] |
| Hestia Island (ヘスティア島, Hesutia-tō?) | An island to the east of the Big Hole.[3] |
| Heracles Island (ヘラクレス島, Herakuresu-tō?) | An island to the east of the Big Hole and north of Hestia Island.[3] Destroyed by Artemis.[3] |
| Hecate Island (ヘカテ島, Hekate-tō?) | An island to the north-east of the Big Hole.[3] |
| Deimos Island (デイモス島, Deimosu-tō?) | An island to the north-west of the Big Hole, north-east of Astraea Island.[3] |
| Stardust Ocean Sector (星屑の海域, Hoshikuzu no Kaiiki?) | An area of sea between Deimos Island and Astraea Island.[3] |
| Astraea Island (アストライア島, Asutoraia-tō?) | An island to the north-west of the Big Hole, south-west of Deimos Island and east of Tethys Island.[3] Astraea resided on the island after being summoned, declining to be among the gods in Olympus and choosing neutrality in the conflict.[3] |
| Thanatos Island (タナトス島, Tanatosu-tō?) | An island to the west of the Big Hole and south of Astraea Island.[3] |
| Tethys Island (テティス島, Tetisu-tō?) | An island to the north-west of the Big Hole and west of Astraea Island.[3] |
| Sun Ocean Sector (太陽の海域, Taiyō no Kaiiki?) | An area of sea between Tethys Island and Perse Island.[3] |
| Perse Island (ペルセイス島, Peruseisu-tō?) | An island to the south-west of the Big Hole.[3] Home to a labyrinth and a temple housing the damaged Hephaestus's core unit and primary shaft. Destroyed by Artemis.[3] |
| Meteor Ocean Sector (流星の海域, Ryūsei no Kaiiki?) | An area of sea between Perse Island and Eris Island.[3] |
| Eris Island (エリス島, Erisu-tō?) | An island to the south-west of the Big Hole, south-east of Perse Island and south-west of Nemesis Island.[3] |
| Crescent Moon Ocean Sector (三日月の海域, Mikazuki no Kaiiki?) | An area of sea between Eris Island and Nemesis Island.[3] |
| Dark Ocean Sector (暗黒の海域, Ankoku no Kaiiki?) | An area of sea between Eris Island and Nemesis Island.[3] |
| Nemesis Island (ネメシス島, Nemeshisu-tō?) | An island just to the south of the Big Hole.[3] |
| Great Pit (ビッグホール, Bigguhōru?) | An abyss in the middle of the ocean,[3] which leads to the isolated underground space housing Olympus and is guarded by Poseidon. An image of the Fantasy Tree is projected above it.[3] |
Olympus[]
Olympus
Olympus (オリュンポス, Oryunposu?) is the capital and core of the Atlantic Lostbelt, a massive high-tech city constructed around a mountain, a colony evolved from the original civilization of Atlantis, and floating in a vast underground space, isolated from the ocean making up the rest of the Lostbelt and accessible from there only through the Big Hole.[3][4]
The high-tech metropolis located at the base of the overall structure houses at least ten million humans, with the eastern districts being a 'city of art' and the downtown city center occupied by a Temple District with a large number of shrines (which are referred to as Subordinate Temples). All areas above ground are covered by Zeus' surveillance network.[4][5]
Beneath the city is a region known as Tartarus (タルタロス, Tarutarosu?), the former domain of Hades, originally designed to facilitate maintenance of the city's systems. The structure of Tartarus is comprised of the fallen of the Titanomachia, Gigantomachia and Olympiamachia, and as such, it is referred to as a 'country of the dead'. Due to the lingering influence of Hades's Authority, Zeus cannot conduct surveillance in the majority of the undercity besides areas of shallow depth (downtown areas) without expending a considerable amount of his resources.[4][5]
Above the city is the Great Temple, Olympus-Dodona, where the living gods tasked with the management of Olympus reside. It is surrounded by a structure known as the Chronos Crown which assists in the management of the various functionalities and authorities which comprise Zeus' omnipotence. A large crystalline mountain range besides the temple provides energy which sustains the gods remotely using a wireless network known as Divine-make leylines (神造霊脈, Kansō reimyaku?), with Fantasy Tree Magellan/Atlas rooted nearby. The mountain crystal range is said to contain an limitless source of accumulated magical energy, even denser than the mana and True Ether of the Lostbelt-advanced Age of Gods, accumulated by the leylines over thousands of years.[9]
The city is largely sustained by the powers and functions of the gods, with a large portion of Zeus' available resources focused on its operation and maintenance, such that if Zeus fell, the city would likely soon end up following.[4][5]
The human residents of Olympus are forbidden from leaving the city, but have their needs provided and are granted pseudo-immortality through Demeter's Authority, not aging and unable to die unless through damage from one of the higher deities, regenerating from even normally-fatal wounds over time. Not needing to work and with no disputes over resources, children play while adults indulge in the pleasures of study, art and culture.[4][5] The majority of the populace are loyal to the gods, whom they depend on.[4] Although there is no internal conflict, many human residents of Olympus are strengthened to an extent where they can fight on par with Servants.[4] However they would not be able to survive if Zeus carried out his secret plan of converting Olympus into a space colony and departing Earth.[4][5]
Locations visited by Chaldea in Olympus included:
| Name | Notes |
|---|---|
| Gliding Point (グライディングポイント, Guraidingupointo?) | The point where the Storm Border landed after being attacked by Zeus shortly after traversing the Big Hole and reaching Olympus.[4] It is within an area to the west of the city, apparently a nature reserve.[4][5] |
| Interstellar City (West) (星間都市西部, Seikan Toshi Seibu?) | |
| Interstellar City (South) (星間都市南部, Seikan Toshi Nanbu?) | |
| Interstellar City (East) (星間都市東部, Seikan Toshi Tōbu?) | |
| Godbreaker Alliance Base (破神同盟基地, Yabukami-Dōmei Kichi?) | A safehouse of the Godbreaker Alliance, located in the undercity region of Tartarus and originally something similar to a large-scale maintenance elevator.[4][5] |
| Grand Workshop (大工房, Dai Kōbō?) | A workshop containing the server holding Prometheus-Hephaestus, intended to automate the maintenance of the metropolis.[4][5] |
| Altar District (祭壇街, Saidandai?) | |
| Aerial Garden (空中庭園, Kūchū Teien?) | |
| Machine God's Cloister (機神回廊, Kishin Kairō?) | |
| Grand Altar (大祭壇, Dai Saidan?) | |
| Palace (離宮, Rikyū?) | A palace where Kirschtaria Wodime resides, near where Fantasy Tree Magellan is rooted and connected to the Great Temple via a pathway.[4][5] |
History[]
Months before Chaldea's arrival, the Counter Force summoned Servants to aid them when they arrive, but they were very quickly defeated by the gods' power.[3][4]
Around the time of Chaldea's re-emergence in the Russian Lostbelt, Kirschtaria Wodime, the leader of the Crypters and the Crypter assigned to the Atlantic Lostbelt, was on good terms with Zeus, and the Lostbelt's Fantasy Tree Magellan (named Atlas by Zeus) had covered 80% of the world's surface with its roots.[16] He had three Divine Spirit Servants (including Caenis), some of the most powerful summoned by the Crypters.
Atlantis: Ocean in the Age of Titans[]
Intro 5.1[]
Mash enters Ritsuka’s room to check if their formal dress is ready to go. She knows it’s only been two weeks since they returned from the Indian Lostbelt, but today is when the modifications to the Shadow Border will be finished along with the construction of the new Nautilus with the Border at its core. She is eager to see it when the docks reopen at 9am. Leonardo da Vinci on the intercom then calls for staff members to come to the docks for the launch ceremony of the new Nautilus.[17]
Upon entering the docks, Ritsuka is met by a group of people who all look similar to Captain Nemo and congratulates them on tomorrow’s voyage. Nemo reprimands the Nemos—calling them Marines—for leaving their posts and calls for a roll call. The Marines do roll call, stating their individual duties. Irritated and confused, Goredolf Musik demands Nemo explain all the look-a-likes.[17]
Nemo explains the Marines are all clones of him who specialize in different operations. A large crew is necessary for any voyage, so he made the Marines solely for that purpose. He tries to keep explaining when Sion Eltnam Sokaris interrupts and takes over, finding explaining things to not be one of his talents.[17]
Sion explains Nemo is using Memory Partition—a technique used by Atlas mages to partition their brains to allow for multiple selves processing different things simultaneously. She granted it to him when she formed a contract with him. With it, Nemo gained the ability to create multiple physical selves that are all autonomous.[17]
Nemo reveals there is more to the Nemo series beyond the Marines. He will introduce them all later, but for now he introduces Professor, Baker, and Engineer. Jingle Abel Meuniere is impressed the Nautilus is looking more and more like a submarine and asks Nemo when he’ll take it out on a test-drive.[17]
Nemo answers he’d like to test-drive it tomorrow to ensure it’s ready to cross the Atlantic Lostbelt’s ocean that is from the Age of Gods. But to Meuniere’s disappointment, only Ritsuka and Mash will accompany him while the remaining staff will stay behind to prepare everything for the infiltration of the Atlantic Lostbelt. Da Vinci suspects it will take about a week to get everything ready, so she tells everyone to get plenty of rest for when it’s time. Ritsuka tells her to do the same.[17]
Intro 5.2[]
David Bluebook is nearing his destination in Southern Nevada. He thinks about how his hyperthymesia may be why he’s always felt something bigger has changed beyond the Earth being bleached white. Throughout his journey, he noticed the skies above Russia, Scandinavia, China, and India were all different. He wonders if it means there have been changes in places he isn’t privy to or other humans are doing their best to retake their world. Unfortunately, those places are too far for him to make a detour, especially since he ran out of food yesterday and his bike is on its last legs. He thinks it’d be nice if the one who’s making these changes would stop by the States, but he doubts anyone has any good luck left.[17]
He soon arrives at the Area 51—the only place on Earth to avoid the bleaching. In the abandoned base, he finds documentation on the alien lifeform Specimen E.[17]
In 2017, Specimen E crash-landed in New Mexico, leaving it in critical condition. By flash-freezing it, the Air Force persevered its life functions. They then brought it into the base where scientists performed all manner of tests, experiments, and surgeries to keep the alien alive. However, it all devolved into brutal exploitative experiments.[17]
Specimen E’s cells were found to contain elements not found on Earth. The top brass thus ordered further research into it with the best of intentions of using it for the betterment of all mankind.[17]
But the researchers realized after many experiments that Specimen E was emitting a distress signal, and so they intensified the pain they inflicted on it to accelerate the arrival of their next test subject.[17]
David questions if what happened to Specimen E was the true reason for the invasion and if they were truly at Area 51. Wishing to confirm it was himself before he dies of malnutrition, he searches the base for several days until he finds the door to the “E Reference Room”—a secret area built even further beneath the base’s underground structure.[17]
Passing through a tunnel, he enters the room to see on an exam table a bizarre thing that resembled a dead tree. But another person in the room was expecting him and immediately shoots him dead.[17]
Intro 5.3[]
At the Crypters meeting, Scandinavia Peperoncino finishes his report. Beryl Gut figures the Chaldeans’ next destination will be their last with how things are going. Peperoncino concurs, telling Beryl they will not be going to his Lostbelt. The Chaldeans have a ship now, so it’s all but certain they will be coming here, even though it practically guarantees their demise.[17]
Kadoc Zemlupus says they can’t be sure the Chaldeans will come to the Atlantic Lostbelt. He warns Beryl that they could easily come after him next. Beryl realizes Kirschtaria Wodime never told Kadoc and asks Kirschtaria if he can tell Kadoc since the Alter Egos aren’t present. Kirschtaria decides to tell Kadoc himself since it concerns the next phase of the plan.
Kirschtaria informs Kadoc and Peperoncino that Seyfert, the British Lostbelt’s Fantasy Tree, has already been felled. He had secretly asked Beryl to see to it that the Lostbelt would disappear of its own. Beryl describes the Lostbelt as a hellish wonderland where Phantasmal Species easily outnumber humans, so it wasn’t easy for him to trick the denizens into cutting down the Tree.[17]
Peperoncino questions if it’s true that Seyfert is gone, given that the wall of light still remains. But Kirschtaria reiterates Seyfert is gone, revealing the Trees form a “network” through the interference of each other's branches once they grow high enough to reach the stratosphere. There hasn’t been a signal from Seyfert for a few days now, so Kirschtaria suspects it will not be long before the wall of light, the World’s End, follows suit and disappears as well.[17]
Kadoc asks Kirschtaria why he eliminated the British Lostbelt the way he did, as he thought their Lostbelts were only supposed to fight each other once their territories made contact. Kirschtaria tells him the British Lostbelt is the only one that cannot be allowed to remain. Nothing good could ever come of it, neither for them nor the Alien God. The Alien God knows nothing of this planet’s history, but the Crypters have no way to explain it, nor could they tell the Priestess of the Alien God whose role is purely observational.[17]
Kirschtaria apologizes to Kadoc and Peperoncino for not informing them, but both find it’s pointless to apologize now. Peperoncino also already suspected Beryl was up to something.[17]
He takes this all to mean Kirschtaria’s Tree is the only one still functioning, what with South America being seemingly without a Tree, and that all the branches connected to the canopy covering the sky all belong to it. Beryl smirks at this.[17]
Kirschtaria confirms his Tree is the only one receiving the blessings of the Alien God’s canopy. His Tree has also grown to full maturity, so once they confirm the British Lostbelt is gone, their plan will enter its final stage. The canopy has not just been absorbing the Earth’s mana, but also all manner of cosmic rays. All that energy will be focused into a single point, allowing the Alien God to descend. Once that happens, the old world will perish, a new order will be established on the planet, and Kirschtaria will be the only human left.[17]
Well aware that Chaldea takes advantage of their opponents’ negligence and pride to turn the tide in their favor. Kirschtaria informs Kadoc that he already deployed the strongest forces at this command to the Atlantic. It is why Caenis isn’t present.[17]
Peperoncino decides to stay and watch Kirschtaria. He starts to recommend Beryl do the same, seeing that his Lostbelt’s denizens will kill him for his deception if he stays there when Beryl suddenly physically appears in his chair. He feared for his life, so he jumped off a cliff into the ocean and had Caenis bring back to the Atlantic Lostbelt.
Recounting his time in the Lostbelt, Beryl describes how he got close to a sheltered princess from there for his own nefarious purposes. But she became far too attached to him to the point she didn’t care he was a human spy and told him things like “I would follow into the depths of Hell itself!” Beryl, therefore, warns Kadoc against getting involved with royalty.[17]
Kadoc affirms he doesn’t intend to get involved with royalty again. Peperoncino and Beryl are surprised and joke about selling scandalous stories to Koyanskaya about it. Kadoc angrily leaves the room at this notion. Beryl and Pepperoncio soon follow.[17]
Now alone, Kirschtaria suggests the Priestess share her own opinion before he makes his final move. He tells her this could be her last chance, seeing as none of the Apostles have yet to realize he has his own goals in all of this. He suspects she is well aware of the adjustments he made to his Tree, along with the way his and Zeus’s interests align even if their conclusions differ. Yet despite all that, the Priestess continues to do nothing. Kirschtaria decides to not waste more time pondering it.[17]
He asserts nobody, not even the Apostles, knows if the Alien God truly exists. The Apostles do not even have the means of determining its true intentions. Kirschtaria calls the Alien God truly a god of emptiness and he refuses to leave humanity’s fate to such a being.[17]
He declares he will eliminate Chaldea, watch over Zeus until passes, and establish the Tree as reality. He tells the Priestess to continue to stay back and observing, declaring he alone shall realize the future she failed to create.[17]
Intro 5.4[]
Five days after the Nautilus test-drive, Goredolf announces Chaldea will assume battle stations, signifying that the operation is starting two days ahead of schedule. Nemo has already reported that the test-drive in Imaginary Number Space concluded safely, so Goredolf expects Ritsuka and Mash are all ready for the real thing. Ritsuka and Mash have no clear recollection of how the test-drive went, though.[17]
Sherlock Holmes explains there was a change in the branches of the Fantasy Tree they believe now covers the Earth. The branches were previously circulating magical energy between them, but now they are funneling that energy towards the center of the Atlantic. The significance of this phenomenon is unknown, only that energy is being stockpiled for use in a large-scale magecraft and currently the amount is equal to that used for Goetia’s Incineration of Humanity. While the Lostbelt’s interior cannot be observed, Trismegistus already declared it a global disaster. As such, Sion highly recommends the Tree be dealt with as swiftly as possible.[17]
Mash and Da Vinci both concur a magecraft ritual of this scale means the Alien God is descending to Earth. However, there is still no evidence of what the Alien God is or if it actually exists or not, for which Da Vinci apologizes for being useless. Goredolf tells her not to blame herself, as he expects Kirschtaria is the only Crypter who knows the truth about the Alien God. Holmes suspects the truth will be revealed over the course of the operation.[17]
He then details the preparations that have been made for the operation. The Nautilus has been outfitted with an ultra long-range lens capable of observing space and a record-breaking magecraft barrier. The Border has been outfitted with the same functionalities in case either it or the Nautilus are scuttled. Mash’s shield has also been infused with enough magical energy to summon a number of Servants on-site. Holmes’s only regret is that they couldn’t finish Ortenaus replacement unit before circumstances forced their hand.[17]
Sion assures she will continue on the Ortenaus replacement unit’s design. The Border should have enough materials for her to reconstruct said unit as long as the others can procure a concept powerful enough to fill in for one of its bullets. Mash says both her ultra long-range sniping training and the Ortenaus’ transformation sequence cleared for action, so she promises to wield it to the best of her ability if it needs to be deployed to give an edge during a decisive battle. All this confuses RItsuka, but Sion tells them to pretend to not have heard anything since it may not become relevant here.[17]
Speaking as command room officer, Sion tells the Chaldean this will be their longest battle yet both in terms of enemy count and the path they will need to take to reach their destination. Even a Zero Sail will only take them to the Lostbelt’s edge, meaning there will be even greater distance between them and the Tree.[17]
Sion thus urges the Chaldeans to act cautiously and calmly. She also warns learning about this Lostbelt’s nature may work against them and encourages them to immediately return to base should they feel they cannot complete the operation. But she realizes that is her pessimist third process who's been insisting the operation will fail since yesterday talking. She then orders everyone to get ready to initiate Order: Lostbelt 5, Sub-Order: Those Who Cross the Sea of Stars.[17]
Prologue[]
In Atlantis, Charles-Henri Sanson and Chevalier d'Eon, both Servants of Proper Human History, are killed by the caped commander of the Atlantic Border Guard. Afterward, his men report they found the leyline—the last one. The commander says they will destroy it once they make it go dormant by using it to summon a Servant.[17]
He summons a Servant with a summoning ritual dedicated to the gods of Olympus. After getting the Servant to swear their fealty to him, the commander declares he will not let Chaldea reach Olympus and he will see to it they will die in Atlantis.[17]
Meanwhile, a hooded man and Miyamoto Musashi watch as the Nautilus makes its way across the ocean. Though she is concerned the Chaldeans may let their victories get to their head, she is nonetheless thrilled they made it to the Lostbelt.[17]
The man calls this the worst-case scenario for the Chaldeans, happy that he will finally get to see them lose. He knows they will try to solve the Lostbelt’s “problem”, but it is already perfected and moving to the stage beyond Proper Human History. He believes the Chaldeans coming to the Lostbelt for any reason beyond destroying it is a mistake. His only hope is that they realize the error of their ways before they’re wiped out. But it doesn’t matter to him for he has his own work to do.[17]
Musashi rejects the man’s offer to take her to the Nautilus, deciding to wait for the Chaldeans at the enemy’s main base. She disagrees with him that the Chaldeans will die, believing they will doggedly reach their goal no mater how they lose. The man accepts her decision to go ahead to Olympus, with both agreeing the Chaldeans will serve to distract the gods. On that note, Musashi tells the man—the Chaldean—goodbye, expecting they will meet again.[17]
But the Chaldean tells her they will not meet again, for his eyes see no further trace of her once they go their separate ways. Musashi is sad for a brief moment, but finds that will keep things simple. She asks the Chaldean to tell the Chaldeans she will be waiting for them up head and leaves for Olympus via consecutive rayshifting.[17]
The Chaldean says even if Chaldea makes it pass Olympus’ fleet, they will still need to contend with the nihlistic god of the sea. He wonders if Ritsuka understands their position here, declaring the moment they try to understand the Lostbelt or the Crypter is when their journey will come to an end. He warps away, saying Ritsuka cannot count on their incorrigibility to help them prevail forever.[17]
In the Border, crossing the ocean, the Chaldeans discuss how Kirschtaria was regarded as a peerless genius of magecraft to the point that the three factions of the Clock Tower had high hopes he would be the one to restore magecraft. Daybit Sem Void is considered a genius as well, but of a different sort. He is the type who makes the impossible possible, while Kirschtaria is the type who could master anything possible. Mash warns against hoping either will underestimate them and lower their guard, remembering Kirschtaria is a perfectionist in everything he does.[17]
The Chaldeans eventually reach the Storm Wall. There Nemo activates Imaginary Aronnax Phantasm and initiates Zero Sail. On an Atlantean Ship, a soldier reports lookout reported a ripple at East Four――the white wall (storm wall). The Commander is certain it’s Chaldea and orders his men to train their sights on Chaldea’s most likely emergence point. He orders everyone to battle position and to hurry with the lamia deployment. He also warns his men not to treat the Chaldeans like typical Stray Servants, since Servants with a Master are far stronger. His men comply, so the Commander leaves everything to ■■■■■■. ■■■■■■ replies the Echidna production is going well.[17]
The Commander asks if it’s possible to deploy those things, but to his annoyance, the engineers have yet to complete them so only the prototypes can be deployed. ■■■■■■ orders Echidna to be activated. The Commander comments on how Echidna births monsters despite the tremendous pain caused, thinking it should have all manner of applications.[17]
Now setting sail, a soldier reports the Third Fleet has arrived at the target coordinates and the lamias have been deployed. The Commanders his men to take them out.[17]
Crisis After Crisis[]
After they arrive in the Lostbelt, Sion informs the Chaldeans that Atlantis is currently thriving more than any other Lostbelt. That its Tree has grown so large the storm wall cannot conceal it from the outside world is proof of it.[18]
Nemo gets ready to surface the Nautilus but aborts it when hostiles are detected. He surmises the enemy anticipated their arrival, having continuously watched the storm wall without rest for the faintest of ripples the Nautilus made when it entered the Lostbelt. Goredolf orders a retreat, but Nemo says not to yet and to look at the surface via the monitor.[18]
To everyone’s shock, there is an approaching fleet of highly technologically advanced ships. Sion starts to prattle on about them when she is suddenly cut off. Nemo thinks the Marine did it, but they say some sort of atmospheric interference cut off their connection to Novum Chaldea. Also, besides the enemy ships, they’re detecting a Servant out on the water——Caenis.[18]
The enemy commander contacts the Chaldea and introduces himself as Odysseus, commander of the Olympus Defensive Forces. He informs them they will kill every one of them and ends communications.[18]
Nemo, knowing it’s impossible to defeat Caenis at sea, decides their only recourse is to escape and orders Engineer to crank the engine as high as possible. Though upset about it, Engineer removes the Triton Wheel’s safety valve so the engine can go as high as possible. Nemo tells Meuniere and Holmes they’re going to dive back once the engine hit critical. Holmes fully aware readies for a Zero Sail.[18]
Odysseus orders to sic the prototype at the Chaldeans. While it distracts them, the fleet will move to cut them off. A soldier releases and sends the prototype after the Chaldea after injecting it with Theos Klironomia. Odysseus orders Caenis to go as well. Caenis complies, eager to kill the Chaldeans, especially that brat. Odysseus senses Triton from the Nautilus and comments on how it’s said the sins of the parent pass on to the child.[18]
Marine reports a hostile is fast approaching, warning it will intercept them before they can Zero Sail. If the Nautilus gets hit now, its outer layer will completely shatter.[18]
Nemo orders to abort the Zero Sail and to change the spells to physical defense. He then asks Da Vinci to give him an escape. As for Ritsuka and Mash, he tells them to head out and hold back Caenis because if she gets into the ship they’re all dead. He’ll solidify the water around the Nautilus to be used as a foothold. Ritsuka and Mash head out after a Marine surfaces the Nautilus and opens the hatch.[18]
Immediately, Ritsuka and Mash are met by a ferocious three-headed dog creature. As they struggle against it, Marine concludes it is a Divine Beast, since it appears to be immeasurable. Nemo uses his Noble Phantasm, Great Ram Nautilus, to strike the creature dead-on. It’s still alive, but it has been slowed down, so Ritsuka and Mash hurry back inside the Nautilus.[18]
Holmes recommends they retreat as far away as possible when he and everyone see a grotesque creature birthing fully grown lamias and chimeras at great speed. The creatures head for the Nautilus immediately upon birth. Ritsuka and Mash head out to intercept them.
The pair create a lull in the waves of creatures, only to be attacked by Caenis. She reminds them they met in Scandinavia and is impressed they survived the previous Lostbelts to reach this one. Holmes and Da Vinci arrive to help fight her.[18]
Unfortunately, none of the heroes’ attacks are affecting her. Holmes realizes Nemo was correct that Caenis is invincible at sea, or rather the Greek gods’ own ocean. Caenis confirms she is immortal while out on this sea, something granted to her by Poseidon.[18]
She gets ready to pull back as per Odysseus’ plan. While she would like to kill Ritsuka and Nemo with her bare hands, she isn’t willing to risk her life over it. She then retreats, telling the Chaldeans she’ll at least give them painless death. Holmes has a bad feeling about all this and the heroes return to the Nautilus.[18]
Once everyone is back in the cockpit, Nemo submerges the Nautilus. Unfortunately, between that Divine Beast’s attack and Caenis’ lightning, it is too risky to initiate Zero Sail until the damage is repaired.[18]
Suddenly, the Nautilus is struck by lamia depth-charges, puncturing it. The Chaldeans try to escape, but they become surrounded. The enemy had anticipated their every move.[18]
Per Odysseus’ orders, the lamia on the seabed are activated and tangle up the Nautilus’ engines, dragging it to the depths. The Chaldeans are thus left with Zero Sail are their only means of escape. To ensure that doesn’t happen, Odysseus says to give them the “salve of the heavens”.[18]
The Chaldeans detect a high-energy signature coming from orbital space. Using the ultra long-range lens, they see a presumed spaceship far more advanced than anything from Proper Human History. Ritsuka states they’re all going to die. As if on cue, the ship starts readying its cannon.[18]
The ship fires Shooting Star Ortygia
Nemo, recognizing they’ll never be able to evade it through conventional means, orders Professor to allocate all resources towards maximizing defenses. Professor complies, authorizing Code L: New Moon to activate all the Nautilus’ Bounded Fields and increase its spatial distortion spell to maximum depth. Nemo says to continue with Zero Sail preparations when the ship fires its interstellar cannon, its Anti-Planet Noble Phantasm, Shooting Star Ortygia, at the Nautilus.[18]
All of the Nautilus’ Bounded Fields are destroyed and its spatial distortion spell has been eroded to 2%. Nemo shouts to initiate Zero Sail upon hearing the spell will not hold out. Holmes tries to warn him about how risky that is when the Nautilus takes a direct hit from the Anti-Planet Noble Phantasm.[18]
A soldier reports the Nautilus has been completely vaporized, along with the men who had to keep the Chaldeans surrounded. Odysseus calls it a necessary sacrifice and orders his men to search the target area for any remains. His men comply and begin their search.[18]
Odysseus wonders if “he” paid that fox woman an exorbitant fee for her Border analysis because “he” foresaw this turn of events, remarking on the light he saw at the end.[18]
Impossibly Miraculous[]
At a beach, someone had glimpsed the Goddess’ Hammer of Justice, which before they only heard rumors about. They came to the beach for their own reasons, but they were also curious to see if they could somehow help if anything washed ashore. They didn’t expect to encounter any survivors since the whole point of the gods’ punishment was to wipe its targets out of existence. But they did find someone, and tragically, they were the only one with any hope of saving them.[19]
Ritsuka is found washed ashore with Fou and resuscitated by a knife-wielding woman with a strange little angel companion, with both confused as to why she is crying. She inquires if Ritsuka is a Master, which they confirm, and she confirms she is a Servant. Her name is Charlotte Corday.[19]
After hearing about Ritsuka’s predicament, Charlotte promises to help them, certain that is why she was summoned. She was summoned to the Lostbelt a month ago, but it soon became clear to her she was useless in battle. Now, though, she is certain she can finally be helpful.[19]
Trekking through a forest, Charlotte explains to Ritsuka they are on the island of Hestia, named one of the gods of Olympus. There is a human village and another Servant who calls himself “The Courier”. He is the one who brought her to the island on a ship.[19]
Charlotte then apologetically confesses to Ritsuka she doesn’t know where the village is. Losing her way was, in fact, how she ended up at that beach earlier. Ritsuka asks her why that happened, but before she can answer, he heroes hear a monstrous growl.[19]
Hiding, the heroes see it is a Demonic Beast. Charlotte confesses she got lost because she was running from it. Someone then steps on a branch, alerting the beast to the heroes' position and forcing them to run.[19]
Charlotte soon decides to hold off the beast while Ritsuka runs on ahead, saying she promised herself she’d be useful this time.[19]
The battle exhausts her, and they are now surrounded by Demonic Beasts. Even so, Charlotte refuses to give up.[19]
Suddenly, it starts “raining” on the beasts. Nearby, someone complains why they have to do “this” when they’re a Servant. They figure it must be because their name originally meant “one who discharges water”. The heroes realize to their disgust that the “rain” is urine. The urinator notices there are people below where they are, and decides to come down to apologize.[19]
A large muscular man jumps down and inquires who he got it on. He quickly surmises it was the beasts and easily kills them when they lunge at him, ironically disgusted that they’re covered in urine. Afterward, at Charlotte’s insistence, he washes his hands.[19]
He introduces himself as Orion. Shocked, Ritsuka recalls the teddy bear Orion they knew and tells Orion they technically met before, confusing Orion by what that means.[19]
Charlotte introduces herself to Orion but isn’t offended when he doesn’t react to her name, since she is a very minor Heroic Spirit. She then apologizes to Ritsuka for not being useful, suggesting they’d all be dead if Orion hadn’t shown up. Ritsuka, however, tells her she saved their lives, even though she didn’t kill a single beast. Orion even tells her he wouldn’t have been able to save them if she hadn’t held on as long as she did. Charlotte is very thankful to hear tha[19]t.
Ritsuka explains who they are after Orion inquires about the situation upon recognizing Ristuka isn’t Atlantean and Charlotte is a Servant. Orion assures Ritsuka he is a Servant from Proper Human History, but he refuses to help them resolve the Lostbelt. He doesn’t expand upon on why, only saying he has his reasons.[19]
Charlotte, disappointed in Orion, decides she and Ritsuka will find the village by themselves. She then starts to go off on her own….in the opposite of the village. She comes back, having remembered she was not, and asks Orion to take them to the village. Orion agrees and reveals the village is over a day’s walk, to Charlotte’s surprise.[19]
Partway through their journey, the heroes camp out for the night. Orion and Charlotte defend the camp from Demonic Beasts later that night while Ritsuka is sound asleep.[19]
Orion confesses to Fou and Charlotte that he wants to help Ritsuka but the reason he can’t now is complicated. He praises Atlantis for being peaceful beyond its Demonic Beasts, but there is one aspect of it he cannot tolerate.[19]
A mysterious woman appears. Orion assures Charlotte that she isn’t an enemy and tells the woman to leave, as he isn’t in the mood to talk right now. After the woman leaves, Charlotte inquires about who she was. Orion answers she was technically his ex-girlfriend. He asks Charlotte to keep it between them.[19]
Continuing on their way the next morning, Ritsuka notices large metal structures scattered about. Orion reveals that is the village, shocking Ritsuka. He further says the island has plenty of remains of the gods who fell during the war approximately 10,000 years ago, reassuring Ritsuka it will make sense soon. The heroes then proceed to the village——Hestia Village——after killing some more Demonic Beasts.[19]
Ritsuka is reunited with their allies at the village tavern. Mash immediately hugs them, relieved to see that they’re all right. She knew they were still alive since the Border still had a reading on their vitals, but she was still beset with worry that might have been imprisoned somewhere. The others shared her concerns, so they are relieved to see Ritsuka as well.[19]
Mash reveals the only reason they’re all still alive is thanks to Nemo forcefully initiating a Zero Sail. But the Nautilus was nearly destroyed, causing Nemo to go into a coma since he was connected to it. Without him and the Nautilus, the Chaldeans lost their means to continue their mission.[19]
As for Sion, they’ve only been able to transmit a bit of data to her——enough to let her know they’re still alive. But it takes forever to send, with Da Vinci comparing it to sending signals from Earth to Mars.[19]
When everything seemed hopeless, though, Bartholomew Roberts appeared and offered his assistance. Holmes says it was thanks to Bartholomew that they made it to the village and asks Ritsuka how they made it. Ritsuka answers it was Orion——a human version to the surprise of Mash.[19]
Mash then notices Charlotte behind RItsuka. After introductions, Mash thanks Charlotte for keeping Ritsuka safe, but Charlotte insists all credit should go to Orion. She also apologizes to Bartholomew——the Courier——for getting lost.[19]
Bartholomew notices Orion is absent and contemplates looking for him. But at Goredolf and Da Vinci’s insistence, he instead tells Ritsuka what he told the others about the Lostbelt: the gods of Olympus are alive and hold the reins of power.[19]
Enduring Light of the Gods[]
Via hologram Kirschtaria asks Caenis if the operation to eradicate the Chaldeans was a success. Caenis answers it seems like it, recalling how they first bombarded the Chaldeans with the Odysseus’ fleet, then finished them off with one of Artemis’ arrows. She jokes if they somehow survived she’d be impressed enough to join them. Kirschtaria advises her to watch her words as they have meaning and tells her she might have been too generous with her praise. Caenis is at first confused by what he means when she recognizes that smirk on his face. Immediately, she demands Odysseus to explain what happened quickly.[20]
Though the search of their remains still ongoing, Odysseus suspects the Chaldeans may be alive. He intends to continue the search under the assumption the Chaldeans somehow escape, most likely to a nearby island. Hestia is the most likely candidate.[20]
Caenis now questions the necessity of the operation since she could have killed the Chaldeans herself, not understanding why Artemis had to get involved. She asks Odysseus how he intends to redeem herself, wondering if he’ll offer his head as an apology like his otherself did.[20]
Odysseus coldly answers Caenis that he doesn’t answer to her and that only Zeus and his close ally Kirschtaria can punish him. Kirschtaria reassures Odysseus that he has no intention of blaming him and praises him for the operation and his direction. Odysseus thanks Kirschtaraia for his even-handed decision and returns to his search.[20]
Via hologram, a man and woman remind Odysseus he was dispatched to Atlantis to ensure the invaders would never sully Olympus.[20]
As for Caenis, the man tells her she should be ashamed of herself for failing to kill the Chaldeans. The woman tells her she is to return to Olympus at once and thoroughly cleanse herself before she is granted an audience. The man is certain Zeus will punish her for her failure.[20]
Kirschtaria tells the two to stop, saying he’ll deal with Caenis himself. He also reminds them to conduct themselves in a manner befitting the Olympic gods.[20]
The woman considers Kirschtaria too soft on Caenis. But since Kirschtaria insisted, she and the man agree to keep quiet. The man, however, tells Caenis she is nothing more than a useless attack dog if she cannot do her duty and to never forget her debt of gratitude to Kirschtaria. He and the woman then leave.[20]
Caenis is furious and swears to herself that she will kill those two, not caring what Zeus will do to her. Kirschtaria calls her name twice, causing Caenis to snap back and threaten to kill him.[20]
Kirschtaria asks her what it is she wants. Calming herself, Caenis answers she wants to reject Proper Human History completely. It is why she joined Kirschtaria in his scheme in the first place.[20]
Pleased, Kirschtaria tells Caenis there is no need for her to return to Olympus. He will tell Zeus himself that she is biding her time for a chance to clear her name. So for the time being, he wants her to remain on standby with Odysseus until the latter locates Chaldea. Caenis begrudgingly agrees to go along with her Master’s plan.[20]
Kirschtaria asks Odysseus if there is any news of the Athena Klironomia. Odysseus answers they’re still searching, but he’s prioritizing the search for Chaldea for the time being. Kirschtaria tells Odysseus to let him know when he finds them and leaves.
Odysseus is incredulous by how rude Caenis behaves toward her own Master. Caenis insists, though, that she is holding back as she knows it’s pointless to get truly angry at Kirschtaria since nothing said ever seems to faze him.[20]
Odysseus asks her if she is afraid Kirschtaria might terminate his contract with her should he tire of her rebellious nature, given she isn’t his only Servant. Oddly, Caenis wishes that would happen because then she’d be able to have a proper fight with Kirschtaria and make him pay dearly for “slapping a collar” on her. She then leaves. Odysseus comments on what a strange relationship it is.
A soldier reports to Odysseus that Echidna has successfully produced the dog, suspecting it should finish growing in half a day. Odysseus orders his men to find something that can be used to track the Chaldeans.[20]
Bartholomew explains the Lostbelt’s amazing growth and prosperity is thanks to the gods remaining. Most of the gods live on Olympus beyond the Great Pit, in the middle of the sea. That is Chaldea’s ultimate destination.[20]
Da Vinci says their first priority is to heal Nemo because without him they can’t use the Border. Bartholomew responds he has an idea on how to go about that.[20]
Holmes asks him what the light that came down from the sky and destroyed the Nautilus was, wondering if it is a secret weapon of Odysseus’. Bartholomew answers the way to Olympus is blockaded by a three-layered defense: The Olympus Defensive Forces commanded by Odysseus, Poseidon, who guards the Great Pit, and Artemis.[20]
Meanwhile, Orion wonders if he should have said something to the others before he left. But he is certain with Bartholomew there they’ll figure something out. He is unsure what to do or where to go. He asks Artemis if this is what she truly wants.[20]
Bartholomew explains the sea of Atlantis was relatively peaceful, with fewer soldiers being stationed on the islands and Artemis only attacking ships that tried to head for Olympus. But the situation intensified when a group of Proper Human History Servants infiltrated Olympus. The Counter Force had summoned a large number of Servants in response to the Lostbelt’ size to help Chaldea reach Olympus when they arrive.[20]
Mash asks who these Servants were. Bartholomew doesn’t remember and agrees with Holmes that it must be due to magecraft. He had helped those Servants get to their destination, which meant he had to stay behind to avoid the possibility he might become compelled to betray them to the enemy should he remember their True Names. He remembers, though, that they made it past Artemis and Poseidon and reached Olympus. Unfortunately, a number of Servants were also killed in battle on the way there.[20]
Currently, getting to Olympus is impossible, so Bartholomew suggests the Chaldeans find the Servants who stayed behind as a start. That will require them to visit the neighboring islands. Fortunately for them, his ship, the Royal Fortune, can cross between islands instantly, though it’s still risky to move about with Artemis still on high alert. The heroes’ only hope is that she now more relaxed because she thinks the Chaldeans are dead.[20]
Da Vinci asks Bartholomew about the idea he had to heal Nemo. Bartholomew explains in brief that it involves taking Nemo to the temple.[20]
A resident enters the tavern with a job for Bartholomew to deliver something for her to the next island over. Bartholomew sees he will not be back until nightfall, so he requests the resident—-Hairetikos-—to give the Chaldeans a tour of the village. He thinks they’ll be particularly interested in how the clothes are made. Hairetikos agrees to Bartholomew’s request.[20]
During the tour, the Chaldeans learn the villagers’ clothes are embedded with something called Theos Klironomia and they are impervious blades. They also learn the villagers are strong enough to hunt Demonic Beasts by their own strength and have each lived for centuries. Holmes concludes during a feast that evening that all of this is standard in Atlantis. Bartholomew returns and promises to explain everything tomorrow.[20]
The next day, the heroes set out for the temple to heal Nemo with Goredolf carrying him. Charlotte decides to go with them.[20]
Meanwhile, a self-critical Rider recalls he had agreed to a Servant’s (who he can’t remember) request for him to “stay here and wait for them.” He complains he can’t do anything beyond hunt Demonic Beasts and donate them to the villages like he’s been doing every day. He wonders what they will think of him when they meet him, but he pessimistically believes they think lowly of him.[20]
Heading for the temple, Bartholomew explains they’re going to use a relic there to heal Nemo. In Proper Human History, they would be called nanomachines. There they are only theoretical, but in this Lostbelt they have been a commonplace for over 10,000 years.[20]
Goredolf runs ahead of the others when he is nearly killed from behind by a Demonic Beast. Fortunately, a warrior wielding a wooden sword kills the beast before that can happen. He then asks Goredolf if he is his Master. Goredolf answers no, so the warrior starts to leave because he flubbed the classic introductory line for Servants. But he stops when Mash informs him, to his surprise, that Ritsuka is actually the Master.[20]
After killing another Demonic Beast, the warrior introduces himself as Mandricardo, best known for fighting the Twelve Paladins of Charlemagne. But the blood of the beasts he killed has attracted more, so Mandricardo helps slay those as well. The others catch up by the time the battle is done. Mandricardo agrees to guide the heroes to the temple, having used it several times himself.[20]
Minute Assembly of Authorities[]
On their way to the temple, Holmes asks Da Vinci if she has had any luck finding a leyline. Da Vinci answers she hasn’t yet and doubts they ever will, thanks in part to the unusual way the island came about. Fortunately, temporary battle summons still works, presumably because of all the magical energy in the atmosphere.[21]
The heroes reach the temple, which on the outside looks like a typical ancient Greek temple. But inside it is a chamber that is far more advanced than anything from Proper Human History to the shock of everyone expect Mandricardo.[21]
Mandricardo tries to use the temple’s system to heal Nemo, but it isn’t able to provide Theos Klironomia since no Olympians are detected, so Mandricardo tricks it into accepting Nemo as an Olympian. While Nemo is being assimilated with Klrionomia, Mandricardo confesses he went through the same treatment back when he’d been fatally wounded.[21]
The system finishes and Nemo wakes up. Holmes assures him that the crew survived the attack, but the Nautilus was destroyed and the Border is too damaged to move. Goredolf asks Nemo if he can restore the Nautilus now that he’s up.[21]
Nemo answers he cannot because he needs Sion’s help to solidify the Nautilus into a ship that exists in reality. But even if Sion was present, Nemo’s Spirit Origin is still too damaged to perfectly recreate the Nautilus.[21]
Goredolf checks the system to find there is still Klironomia left. He therefore orders Mandricardo to give the rest to Nemo so he may be fully restored. Unfortunately, Mandricardo cannot do that because Nemo is already over capacity, which means the system will not give any more Klironomia. Also, the trick he used only works once. He finds odd, though, that Nemo wasn’t fully healed as the system should be more than capable of healing a Servant. Nemo suspects it may be because his Spirit Origin is connected to the Nautilus so it’s bigger than it seems.[21]
Mandricardo reveals there are more temples on other islands. The temples are all independent from one another, so he is sure they will provide more Klironomia. He then mentions some of the stronger Demonic Beasts have nanomachines as well for self-enhancement and confirms, like Holmes deduced, that it’s the same for the Servants. The Servants had done so after they learned why some beasts were stronger than others. Holmes surmises they did it to even the odds, given that they sought to challenge the gods of Olympus without a Master. Nemo, now having experienced it for himself, calls the nanomachines a source of magical energy and compares it to Frankenstein’s Galvanism.[21]
Goredolf concludes they will need to rendezvous with the Servants as soon as possible. But much to his frustration, that requires the Nautilus to be fully restored, which in turn requires exploring the neighboring islands. Also, they will need to bypass the three-layered defense to reach Olympus.[21]
Frustrated, Goredolf decides to return to the Border. Da Vinci concurs as they cannot leave the Border undefended forever, not to mention she is worried about the staff. So she decides she, Goredolf, Holmes, and Nemo will return to the Border while Ritsuka and Mash continue with the mission.[21]
Exiting the temple, the heroes are met with the Atlantis Border Guard. They are soldiers who patrol Atlantis on Odysseus' orders and they, too, are enhanced with nanomachines. The heroes defeat the soldiers, and despite the severe thrashing given to them, they are still alive thanks to their nanomachines. They will remain unconcsious, however, until their nanomachines heal them.[21]
Agreeing to leave the soldiers be, Bartholomew warns the others it will not be long before Odysseus realizes they’re all still alive and on Hestia Island. He was building a fleet in secret, but thanks to Odysessus’ tight security, his soldiers found and destroyed most of it. The only ship left is Bartholomew’s own: the Royal Fortune.[21]
Holmes regrets he can’t spend more time examining the temple, but he supposes he can make do with analyzing the nanomachines they collected on the Border.[21]
Mandricardo decides he will continue accompanying the heroes.[21]
Leaving the temple grounds, the heroes head back for the Border, with Goredolf carrying Nemo again since he isn’t strong enough to walk on his own.[21]
Mandricardo confesses he was part of the team who infiltrated Olympus. Their True Names were sealed, so he doesn’t remember who they were. But he does remember one Servant was good at building hideouts and built a number of them around the different islands. He recommends checking them for helpful clues. He also doesn’t know who told him to stay behind, only recalling they said it was important.[21]
He regrets he materialized as a Rider instead of a Saber because if he did, he might have had Durandal with him. But even then he doubts he’d be able to use it since he only picked it up after Roland left it behind, not mention he has no memory of wielding it after becoming a Servant.[21]
Sailing Anew[]
Returned to the Border, Nemo concludes the Nautlius/Border cannot dive in its current state. The best it can do now is sail, meaning Bartholomew will have to tow it with his ship. So while he is setting that up. Ritsuka, Mash, and Goredolf get some rest, and Da Vinci and Holmes analyze the nanomachines.[22]
Two hours later, the heroes set sail. Holmes tells Ritsuka, Mash, and Mandricardo move to Bartholomew’s ship to ensure to its safe passage. Charlotte asks what she should do. Ritsuka tells her to come with them, so she happily accompanies them. After she and the others leave, Holmes remarks on how Charlotte has taken a great liking to Ritsuka.[22]
On the Royal Fortune, Ritsuka’s party defends the ship from Demonic Beasts that board it to ensure Bartholomew can sail unimpeded.[22]
Mandricardo tells the others they’ll be coming up on Heracles Island. Charlotte remembers she was summoned on Heracles Island. She was only on Hestia Island because she had Bartholomew take her there. She had gone there to get Jason medicinal herbs for his hangover, shocking Ritsuka at the mention of Jason’s name. Unfortunately, Charlotte forgot about the herbs in all the commotion..[22]
Landing on Heracles Island, Ritsuka’s party (with Nemo) head for the village to learn where the temple is. On their way, Mash notices the ground feels oddly rigid in places. Mandricardo explains that it’s buried metal from the remains of all the fallen gods.[22]
The heroes then come across the villagers hunting Demonic Beasts. The villagers recognize Charlotte and ask the heroes to help with their hunt.[22]
Following the hunt, the villagers talk about how Filia’s son is competing with other youngsters to see who will be chosen by Olympus——to be chosen as a soldier sworn to defend Olympus. Ritsuka and Mash realize something but keep quiet. The villagers continue that becoming an Olympian soldier essentially means becoming a sacrificial pawn, but Filia’s son doesn’t seem to mind, as it is the only way for outcasts like them to serve the gods.[22]
Ritsuka, Mash, and Charlotte learn the Theos Klironomia has expanded the lifespan of the villagers by centuries.[22]
Later that night, at the village tavern, Jason is drinking his troubles away, no longer caring about what happens anymore. He wonders where Charlotte is. The barkeep recalls Charlotte left for another island to look for medicinal herbs about three days ago. Jason assumes she is dead by now, but he is quickly proven wrong when she arrives with the Chaldeans and Mandricardo.[22]
Ritsuka and Mash are surprised to see the tavern’s owner is Francis Drake. She doesn’t recognize them, but she has an inexplicable good feeling about them. Jason, however, is not happy to see them. He still retains his memories from Okeanos.[22]
While waiting for Charlotte to cook their food, Ritsuka and Mash go over what they know with Jason. He confirms half of the Servants summoned disappeared, while the other half reached Olympus. But he refuses to help the Chaldeans reach Olympus, considering it a fool’s errand. Drake would like to help, but according to Jason, Poseidon cursed her to die if she ever goes out to sea.[22]
After supper, Jason confesses Heracles died protecting him and other Servants from Artemis’ arrows. Mandricardo remembers that was when Jason completely gave up. Jason assumes Medea or one of the other Casters altered Mandricardo’s memories.[22]
Mandricardo is frustrated that Jason refuses to fight, even though he still has the strength to do so and demands to know when he is going to use it. Jason responds by challenging Mandricardo and the Chaldeans to a fight, and tells Charlotte to fight with him. Drake tells them to keep it inside so she can watch. With no option to resolve things peacefully, Mandricardo and the Chaldeans fight Jason and Charlotte.[22]
Though defeated, Jason still refuses to help as he never said he would.[22]
Drake quietly tells Ritsuka they can convince Jason to join them if they take some Theos Klironomia (enough for one Servant) from the temple up north currently occupied by border guards. She gives them release codes for the Theos Klironomia and a storage container.[22]
Outside, Ritsuka tells the others what Drake told them. Though they don’t understand how that will change Jason’s mind, the heroes all agree to go to the temple tomorrow morning.[22]
The Stars Scattered across the Land[]
A self-described invincible hero waits for someone precious to him. He describes a goddess of justice who is neutral to the point she does nothing at all.[23]
Camping out in a forest for the night, Orion meets Artemis. She asks him if he remembers when they first met. Orion answers he does.[23]
Orion met Artemis on Hestia Island a week into his materialization. She immediately admonished everything about him and told him to die. Orion thought she was picking a fight, but she refused to fight him, no matter what. She let him live, but she couldn’t let him assist Proper Human History. So she made him swear an oath with the threat of the destroying Hestia Island should he refuse. Orion agreed on the condition that she doesn’t kill anyone in front of him. Artemis replies she is a terminal, one of many observational units without any combat capabilities. She then left, saying she’ll continue observing Orion, interested in what attitude a demigod like him will have towards the Lostbelt.[23]
In the present, Artemis complains about how Orion was only been eating meat and flirting with women. She also criticizes him for using his power to lively, considering it a waste. She questions what her Proper Human History counterpart saw in him.[23]
The conversation then turns to Chaldea. Artemis Orion tells she knows he rescued the Chaldeans when they came to Hestia Island, but she didn’t report it. Now, however, the Chaldeans have been tracked to Heracles Island. Artemis is therefore certain the main unit will destroy the island.[23]
Orion decides to go and rescue the Chaldeans, but Artemis warns he won’t make it in time. So, instead, she offers to use part of her Authority to teleport him there. Orion questions why she’s helping him since he’s going to help her enemies. She replies it’s because she felt like it, unable to help herself from smiling with Orion. She then teleports both him and herself away.[23]
The next day, the heroes take out the border guard at the temple. They then enter and inject Nemo with more Theos Klironomia, nearly restoring him to full strength.[23]
Nemo confesses the Nautilus he and Sion built in the Wandering Sea was merely a stand-in as they lacked the resources for what Sion truly wanted. But with the Klironomia, Nemo believes he can create a new Nautilus——a new Border. He asks Ritsuka to help him make that dream come true. The heroes then fill the storage container with a Servant’s worth of Klironomia.[23]
Delight in Your Extinction, Native Life-forms[]
Odysseus reports to Kirschtaria that the Chaldeans have been tracked to Heracles Island, as the soldiers stationed there failed to check in for their regular report. Kirschtaria surmises the Chaldeans are after the Theos Klironomia. He is impressed by their resilience and thinks Koyanskaya would be amused by this news if she were in Atlantis. Caenis asks where Koyanskaya is, having not seen her around for a while, and wonders if the Alien God punished her for her failure in India.[24]
Kirschtaria denies Koyanskaya was punished and says he is having her monitor the polis for the time being. The Alien God also wouldn’t interfere with Koyanskya’s affairs, as a hierarchy doesn’t exist between them. Koyanskaya is neither friend nor foe to the Crypters, a vermin Kirschtaria says they will need to exterminate when all is said and done. Caenis thinks they should kill Koyanskya before it’s too late to do anything about her.[24]
Caenis asks Kirschtaria if she can go kill the Chaldeans now. She gets impatient, though, when Kirschtaria remains silent. Twins mock Caenis for her bloodlust, to which she insults them back. Both look to be raring to kill each other when Kirschtaria suddenly utters “enough”.[24]
He tells them, his Servants, to behave and to postpone their fighting until after they accomplished their common goal should they insist on it. He reminds Caenis when she complains about the twins not doing anything, that they are his aides and it is their job to facilitate communications between him and Zeus.[24]
Caenis asks Kirschtaria who he is going to send if not her, getting angry at the thought of him sending the twins in her place.[24]
Kirschtaria responds none of them are going and informs Odysseus that Zeus has authorized the usage of Artemis. He orders his Servants to be on standby on one of the islands neighboring Heracles Island. Caenis leaves complaining about not getting to fight while the twins leave in silence. Kirschtaria leaves, trusting Odysseus will complete his task.[24]
Odysseus informs his men that they will fire the primary cannon as soon as they confirm Chaldea is on the island, meaning they’re going to destroy the island. A soldier is certain that will make them happy.[24]
The heroes return to Drake’s bar and learn what they did was a ploy by Drake to spur Jason back into action out of fear of retaliation. Everyone then hears some commotion going on outside.[24]
They see it is Orion trying to get the villagers to evacuate before Artemis destroys the island. He informs the heroes it is for the sake of killing them. Artemis (terminal) confirms Orion is telling the truth and that the main unit has already begun preparations.[24]
The villagers prostrate themselves before her. Artemis reiterates they need to evacuate before the main unit destroys the island. But the villagers are disturbingly happy about it because it means one of the gods is finally paying attention to them, they who were banished from Olympus.[24]
Jason urges the others that they need to escape, considering the villagers a lost cause. Mash wants to at least save Drake, but the latter reiterates that it’s impossible and accepts her impending death. Ritsuka respects her decision and gets ready to escape after contracting with Orion.[24]
But before they leave, Drake gives Jason the key to the chains locking her ship’s, the Golden Hind, helm in place, telling him it’s his ship now. She tells him it will not disappear once she does if he reinforces its existence with some Theos Klironomia. Once that is done, it will no longer be the Golden Hind, it will be the Argo.[24]
Drake then gives the Chaldeans Poseidon’s Divine Core she obtained from defeating him. She was, of course, cursed in retaliation. The Chaldeans thank her for the gift and leave with the others.[24]
The heroes run into Demonic Beasts, and after slaying them, they are contacted by Holmes and Bartholomew. Bartholomew informs them that the Golden Hind is close to their location. The heroes head for it once they receive its coordinates from Holmes.[24]
Argonauts, Head Out[]
Reaching the Golden Hind, Jason unlocks the chains to its helm and applies the Theos Klironomia to the ship.[25]
Orion pleads with Artemis to come with them, but she refuses. She is forced to stay in synch with the main unit, so if she boards the ship, they will be tracked; She knows for certain that she is going to shoot her. It is her fault things got to this point, and she doesn’t want to cause Orion any more trouble.[25]
She reminds Orion that she isn’t Artemis, but an observational unit of hers. Even so, she is glad that Orion respects her individuality. She tells him goodbye and to take care. Jason shouts they’re about to set sail and asks Orion if he’s coming or not. Orion regretfully leaves Artemis, who tells him he is better when he smiles.[25]
Jason rechristens the Golden Hind into the Argo in accordance with Drake’s wish, and the heroes set sail.[25]
Arriving at Heracles Island, Artemis remarks how the reports of the terminal she dispatched were so incoherent and emotional to be unusable. She considered scrapping the terminal, but she gave her a stay of dissolution. If the terminal refused to comply, though, she will perish with everything else.[25]
Proclaiming humans have no value beyond serving the gods, Artemis gets ready to destroy Heracles Island. Her terminal on the island implores her not to fire, but Artemis dismisses her. She declares these human who were banished from the beginning should have never been allowed to build civilization and destroys the island. With it gone, she thinks she can finally get rid of that unidentified noised.[25]
Rendezvousing with the others, Nemo returns to the Border. Jason has Mandricardo and Orion stay with him on the Argo, while Ritsuka, Mash, and Charlotte transfer to the Royal Fortune. Nemo creates Marines (able to do so now that he is nearly fully restored) for both ships and they set sail for Hecate Island.[25]
A soldier reports to Odysseus that two ships were seen departing from Heracles Island before Artemis destroyed it. Odysseus surmises they are heading for Hecate Island and orders a squadron of border guard to be sent in. He also thinks it’s time they’ve decided where to send the dog.[25]
Landing on Hecate Island, the heroes take refuse in a cave after clearing it of Demonic Beasts. They conclude they will need to destroy Artemis before they can even attempt to cut down the Tree, and that Orion is their only hope.[25]
Orion has resolved to kill Artemis himself for what he calls a very compelling reason, but it would never be for revenge. However, he doesn’t think his Noble Phantasm is yet capable of destroying Artemis. There is also the problem of reaching her. Jason suggests getting more nanomachines to empower Orion.[25]
Jason takes command of the heroes, given he is the only one among them who is both familiar with Greece and has leadership experience. Holmes supports his decision since they need someone reliable present to give instructions whenever necessary with their connection getting interrupted occasionally. In turn, the Border crew will provide information and advice when they see fit. Goredolf accepts this temporary arrangement.[25]
Jason orders Bartholomew to look for the village, while the rest get the nanomachines from the temple. He also wants them to look for clues for their next destination, Servants that can be potential allies, and to keep communications to minimum.[25]
Later, joined by Nemo Professor, the heroes (except for Orion who Jason ordered to watch the ship) head for the temple.[25]
Peacefully Reminisce around a Fire[]
As the heroes head for the temple, Professor marvels at how the Lostbelt is overflowing with magical energy. They dig into the ground and remarks that even the soil is seeped with so much magical energy that a Servant could hibernate if they were to bury themselves.[26]
They dig further and shows the god remains are the basis for the islands. Moderately sized remains were repurposed as weapons, armor, and prosthetics, while large remains became village centers. Professor even suspects the temples were something installed in these remains.[26]
Ritsuka realizes the remains are spaceships. Professor agrees, though they aren't yet sure how it relates to the Olympian gods. Triton even tells them he doesn’t remember his father being mechanical.[26]
The heroes camp out in later that night. Ritsuka goes off on their own after eating to grieve for Drake by themselves. Mandricardo finds them and tries his best to comfort them. As a distraction, he tells them about his legend.[26]
He was once the king of a country whose name he cannot remember ever since he became Servant. But he gave up his claim to the throne and became an adventurer so he could avenge his father. Then, In one of his adventures, he found Hector’s armor and made a vow with a fairy to never wield another sword until he found Hector’s sword———Durandal. He found the sword, but Mandricardo leaves the story on a cliffhanger when Charlotte finds them and tells Ritsuka to get some sleep for tomorrow.[26]
The next morning, continuing onward to the temple, Jason admits he has been getting chills for some reason. He wonders if it’s a sign that Medea is nearby. The heroes then come across a group of Demonic Beasts trying to get into a cave. Suspecting there is something in the cave they’ll need to see for themselves, the heroes proceed to slay the beasts.[26]
Entering the cave, Mash remarks at how it looks like the interior of the temples. Professor, however, states that the “temples” were never actually places of the worship and were more akin to Theos Klironomia dispensers. They and Mash wonder, though, why they were able to get in when the Demonic Beasts weren’t, only feeling a momentary flash of magical energy.[26]
Jason reveals Medea had put up a Bounded Field to keep out unwanted visitors while ensuring it automatically disengaged if a Chaldean or he showed up. He then has everyone leave so he may read a letter from Medea in private.[26]
A hologram of Medea Lily appears, startling Jason. Medea explains the letter has a lock that ensures that only Jason can read it. She wrote it after he abandoned them on the presumption that either the Servants infiltrated Olympus or she has perished by the time he reads it. She enclosed in the letter a Mystic Code she made for Jason (the effects of which he finds less than pleasing) and data on the other islands.[26]
Jason rejoins the others and informs them that thanks to the data Meda left him, he now knows where they can go recruit someone.[26]
Hephaestus, God of Blacksmiths[]
A soldier reports to Odysseus that they’ve getting an anonymous message saying “This is Aeaea Island” repeatedly, and he inquires if there is such an island in Atlantis. Odysseus has the soldier send it to him and dismisses the soldier.[27]
The message turns out to be a measure by Kirschtaria to contact Odysseus without Olympus knowing, using facts that never happened in the Lostbelt’s history. Odysseus doesn’t understand why Kirschtaria needs to be cautious, though, because from his understanding Kirschtaria and Zeus are allies and there is no one on Olympus who is a remote threat to Kirschtaria. Kirschtaria doesn’t dispute this, but he is still taking precautions in case someone tries to usurp Odysseus’s command.[27]
With a smirk Kirschtaria confirms he is coming to Atlantis and asks Odysseus for the island Chaldea will be at so he’ll need only to teleport once. Odysseus considers it a waste of time, but Kirschtaria considers it essential for him as leader of the Crypters to settle matters with Chaldea personally.[27]
Though he considers it foolish, Odysseus agrees to divulge Chaldea’s location to Kirschtaria as soon as he knows it. He will also keep it a secret from Kirschtaria’s Servants. Kirschtaria wants to keep Caenis out of it in particular, though he will be bringing the Dioscuri with him for protection. He leaves, remarking on how the twins know how to serve Olympus properly while Caenis does not.[27]
However, presumably unbeknownst to Kirschtaria, Caenis was on Odysseus’ ship and heard the whole conversation. Furious, she tells Odysseus that when they formed their contract, Kirschtaria told her he expects to fight only two more times. It enrages that one of those times will be against the Chaldeans whom she considers weaklings. She leaves to find and kill them before Kirschtaria can. Odysseus considers Chaldea’s days numbered regardless of who finds them first and he almost pities them for it.[27]
The heroes arrive on Deimos Island where Jason says there is an Assassin according to Medea’s intel. Holmes warns them that there are a staggering number of hostiles close to their location, so Jason makes the snap decision to leave the island. He considers it pointless for them to add another Servant to their ranks if they all die before then, surmising said Servant is toward the hostiles. Goredolf seconds Jason’s decision.[27]
However, Holmes then detects that the hostiles are quickly leaving the area. Jason thus decides they should continue with their current path, though he is worried something feels off.[27]
The heroes inexplicably keep slipping as they head for the Assassin’s location, which made a fight with Demonic Beasts more difficult than it would be. Regardless, they eventually make their way to the temple, but they find it has been wrecked. They take particular notice of what they assume is destroyed defensive weaponry and presume Demonic Beasts were responsible. Jason then stays outside to keep a lookout, while the others head inside to get the nanomachines.[27]
Mandricardo does his usual trick to bypass the system, but unfortunately, this time it triggers an alarm and the heroes are forced to fight defensive weapons like the ones they saw outside.[27]
After the defensive weapons are destroyed, Ritsuka notices a passageway. They, Mash, and Mandricardo follow it to a rather spacious cavern. They find nothing peculiar about it beyond its size, so they take a rest.[27]
Mochizuki Chiyome emerging from hibernation.
Ritsuka takes a seat when a hand suddenly bursts from the ground. The person to whom the hand belongs to uses Kouga Ninja Art: Earth Evasion to get out of the ground, revealing themselves to be Assassin Mochizuki Chiyome. She had been hibernating with the aid of Theos Klironomia, waiting for Chaldea per her instructions from the Olympus infiltration team.[27]
Returning to the main chamber, Chiyome reveals the temple belongs to Hephaestus, stealing Professor's thunder. But she gets confused when Mash calls Hephaestus one of the Twelve Olympians, as she thought Jason already explained the situation. She immediately realizes though adjustments were made so the information would only release once Jason is in the temple. At her behest, Charlotte goes and gets Jason.[27]
Jason gets a sudden and intense headache upon entering the temple and recognizes Chiyome, and that temple is Hephaestus’. He agrees to explain the situation at Chiyome’s request, but first he has Professor connect a line to the Border. He assures the temple is protected, which Da Vinci sees is with an anti-wiretapping Bounded Field.[27]
With the information his brain was forced to download upon entering the temple, Jason now knows how to check the logs of all the Servants who came to the temple, even if he’s never been to it. He then uses the Hephaestus console to request a playback. Ritsuka is required to be scanned and give their name so the system can confirm they’re a human Master from the Proper Human History before the messages can be played.[27]
The message starts with an Archer welcoming Chaldea and expressing with a Caster how they need to remain anonymous so to avoid greater danger at Olympus in case of data leakage. But understanding they cannot remain anonymous while asking for Chaldea’s trust, Caster reveals herself to be Medea Lily. Sakata Kintoki introduces himself as well.[27]
Archer reveals the Lostbelt diverged from Proper Human History 14,000 years ago. In Proper Human History 14, 000 years ago, the gods who lived in Atlantis were killed by a White Titan. The remnants of Atlantis’ civilization eventually made their way to Greece, eventually becoming the mythology of the Twelve Olympians. But in the Lostbelt, the gods survived, allowing them to flourish and eventually build an Olympus. However, it wasn’t always peaceful.[27]
After the threat of the White Titan was removed, however, a civil war broke out between the gods. The winners would go on to rule Atlantis, but according to Archer, the losers survived. Archer then ends the message by revealing that Hephaestus is in the temple. At that moment, Hephaestus Automatic Response System activates.[27]
Chiyome demands Hephaestus answer her, but Hephaestus has lost access to his database thanks to his head unit being severed in battle. Olympus has stolen 56.4% of his data, so he connects to Prometheus for assistance.[27]
Hephaestus reveals it was Zeus’ decision to continue the Age of Gods that triggered the war. Some gods supported him while others opposed him. Hephaestus, Athena, Apollo, Hades, Hestia and Ares were destroyed while Zeus, Artemis, Hera, Demeter, Poseidon, and Aphrodite became the rulers of Olympus. But fortunately, the Hephaestus forge unit remains partially intact.[27]
Holmes deduces Hephaestus is still capable of some forging despite his destruction in the war and the majority of his brain and forging abilities now in Olympus’ hands. Hephaestus, however, corrects Holmes in that what happened with his brain occurred within the last year. The culprit was a Servant siding with Olympus. Holmes is shocked a Servant could cut through a god of Hephaestus’ size with a single strike. Hephaestus cannot remember anything about the Servant as a consequence of damage done to his memory storage.[27]
Ritsuka asks Hephaestus how to destroy Artemis. Hephaestus replies there is no weapon on Earth capable of destroying Artemis, and possessing more Theos Klironomia will not help either. He therefore requests the heroes bring him a Divine Construct. Achilles is the only Servant in the Lostbelt who possesses any Divine Construct. Hephaestus can reforge his shield and armor into a Noble Phantasm capable of destroying Artemis. He then provides Chaldea with Achilles’ location along with some other data.[27]
Afterward, he grants access to his Theos Klironomia, which increases durability. However, there is only enough for two Servants. Professor takes a portion of it for the purpose of reinforcing the Nautilus while Mandricardo takes the rest.[27]
Hephaestus explains the Klironomia for the Twelve Olympians impart abilities similar to their Authorities and gives examples of their functionalities. However, except for Athena, the Klironomia belonging to the losing faction of gods no longer exists.[27]
Holmes inquires why the nanomachines were named Klironomia, which is “legacy” in Greek, when the gods are very much alive. Hephaestus replies he chose that name to signify that the Lostbelt’s civilization has stagnated. He finds it a fitting name because in his mind, the gods outlived their usefulness when they failed to create a replacement for the nanomachines even after 10,000 years.[27]
Ritsuka asks Hephaestus why he is helping them. Hephaestus answers it is because the civilization perpetrated by the current Olympus is insufficient and so it should disappear.[27]
Moving on, Hephaestus agrees to Holmes’s request to provide information on Odysseus’s army and Poseidon, starting with Odysseus’s army.[27]
Odysseus’s army drafts Atlanteans and enhances their capabilities. Hephaestus, however, refuses to provide data on Odysseus out of fear that accessing said data would make him vulnerable to hacking. Instead, he provides information on Odysseus’ army’s primary weapon, Echidna.[27]
The heroes are shown an image of Echidna; Ritsuka and Mash are reminded of Tiamat. Hephaestus suspects based on the data that this Echidna may have been based on its Proper Human History counterpart. It has given Theos Klironomia to let it mass-produce Demonic Beasts, and that is why the islands are so populated with them. It was made for the express purposed of eliminating Chaldea. Hephaestus estimates destroying Echidna will lead to Odyssey’s army’s destruction.[27]
For Poseidon, Hephaestus reveals he is no longer capable of logical thought with the damage done to his head unit. He is now nothing more than a defensive system that attacks all who invade his territory. His memories and emotions have all been erased. Hephaestus’ only advice for the heroes is to hit Poseidon with everything they got. He also recommends downloading data on the sea god’s three Divine Cores.[27]
Hephaestus reveals his forge unit is in a separate and safer location. He sends the heroes its coordinates, which they’ll be able to extract once they encounter Achilles. With nothing left to say, Hephaestus shuts down.[27]
Returning to the ships, Professor reveals the Hephaestus Klironomia also enhances function related to smithing. They think it can be used to improve the Nautilus’ cloaking ability, allowing them to avoid Artemis’ surveillance and let them traverse Atlantis in greater safety.[27]
The heroes then head for Thetis Island where Achilles is.[27]
Glimmers Like a Meteor[]
They’re ambushed, however, by Caenis. They try to fighting her but she is completely impervious to their attacks. Jason is confounded by how strong she is because she was never so strong when she was with the Argonauts. But he realizes something and has Ritsuka toss him Poseidon’s Divine Core.[28]
With the Divine Core in hand, Jason bypasses Caenis’ invincibility and inflicts a minor wound on her. He figured out her invincibility was thanks to her Noble Phantasm, a blessing from Poseidon. But Caenis’ absolute hatred for Poseidon is her fatal weakness, so the presence of one of his Divine Core is enough to nullify her invincibility. Jason then tosses the Divine Core to Orion, who is able to use it to greater effect because he is Poseidon’s son.[28]
Kirschtaria Wodime's Bounded Field
Caenis is defeated and starts disappearing. She implores someone to help her, as she still has debts she needs to repay. Orion, not wanting to take any chances, moves to destroy her Spirit Core when Kirschtaria arrives, saying Caenis is still useful to him, and traps the heroes in his Bounded Field.[28]
Kirschtaria greets Ritsuka and Mash, the former of which he is meeting for the first time. He has nothing but the highest respect for how hard Ritsuka worked to make it this far, which is why he decided to face them himself.[28]
Dioscuri, the twin heroes of the Gemini, accompanies him. Jason is so shocked to see them he assumes they followed Caenis’ lead when she supposedly turned traitor and went over to the Lostbelt side. Caenis refutes Jason’s words by saying she’d rather die than go over to their side.[28]
Kirschtaria orders Dioscuri to take Caenis away, stating he has no need for protection. Because they hate Caenis, Castor and Pollux are at first baffled by their Master’s command until they realize what he is implying and take her away.[28]
Kirschtaria gets ready to eliminate the heroes when Ritsuka says they have a question for him. Kirschtaria agrees to hear it, but before Ritsuka can think of a question to ask, Mash asks him why Team A betrayed humanity.[28]
Disappointed that Mash would ask the obvious, Kirschtaria reiterates his declaration from December 31, 2017: he will correct humanity’s mistakes. The Alien God wants the same thing, for it is a deity who only desires what is right.[28]
With a rain of meteors, Kirschtaria defeats the heroes. It was the ultimate magecraft of astrology———a spell passed down through the generations since the first Chaldeans began to read the stars. It unites the boundless magical energy of the Earth, the sky, and the universe into a single source of power.[28]
Kirschtaria, intending to kill Ritsuka since they are the lynchpin of Chaldea’s operations, prepares to use the spell again. Ritsuka, looking at their fallen comrades, realizes they have nothing to save them. The Priestess appears and then speaks to Ritsuka. Though they cannot tell what she is feeling or hear her words, Ritsuka somehow understands all the same that the Priestess is mocking them.[28]
Fortunately for the heroes, Kirschtaria is interrupted by the appearance of a man wearing ragged clothes and a cloak. Kirschtaria identifies him as the anonymous mage who has been helping the people of the Lostbelts———the one from Chaldea. He asks him why he saved the Chaldeans, because it was his understanding that his goal was to investigate and assess the people of each Lostbelt.[28]
Letting down his hood, the Chaldean asserts he has no reason to help Chaldea. Kirschtaria, unable to argue, asks him if he is right in presuming this a onetime mistake, calling him Doctor. The Chaldean confirms it is, considering only fair that the Chaldeans be similarly saved as when the Alien God saved Kirschtaria from the brink of death. Kirschtaria does not dispute and retreats to avoid a fight with the Chaldean, telling him his impression isn’t particularly convincing.[28]
Ritsuka, thinking he is Romani Archaman, runs toward the Chaldean but stops when the Chaldean tells them to stay away and proves he only superficially resembles the doctor.[28]
The Chaldean tells the heroes to forget what happened nor tell anyone else from Chaldea about it, warning there is someone on the Border who cannot be trusted. He leaves it to them to figure out who it is. He then warps out of the Lostbelt, asserting their struggles will not make a difference since there is no way to save this planet.[28]
Ritsuka reports in with the Border crew and at Da Vinci’s urging the heroes leave the area.[28]
Meanwhile, Dioscuri finishes off Caenis, supposedly on Kirschtaria’s orders. As she sinks down into the ocean, Caenis protests she hasn’t finished what she wanted to do. She hasn’t yet avenged the miracle of her being summoned as a Heroic Spirit, nor has she gotten the chance to kill the gods. But most of all, she needs to pay Kirschtaria back for putting a “collar” on her, crying out his name in a rage.[28]
The heroes return to the Border on Goredolf’s command after Ritsuka explained what happened. There, Da Vinci explains the magecraft Kirschtaria used was the primal form of astromancy———one that temporarily assumes control planets, the heavens, and the universe. Goredolf is confused, as he knows astromancy only deals with predicting the stars and observing the stars, so there is nothing in it that would cause the cataclysm they witnessed. Da Vinci, however, asserts that it is the truth.[28]
She explains what Kirschtaria did was ideal magecraft, a type older than the Age of Gods from a time when the planets, the heavens, and the universe were all overflowing with magical energy. With the decline of Mystery, astromancy degraded like any other magecraft, but Kirschtaria’s magecraft is astrology’s original form. It utilizes the magical energy that rotates the planet, that fills the sky, and that rains down from the heavens..[28]
In ancient Greece. the world, the sky, and the heavens were all separate layers, each with varying levels of magical energy. Kirschtaria used the heavens, the laws that govern outer space. The spell he cast manually aligns the planets to form an enormous magical circuit. Da Vinci therefore concludes Kirschtaria reached the zenith of human possibility and surpasses even the Lostbelt King..[28]
As for why Kirschtaria never used it before, Holmes surmised it was because the modern-day planet was simply incapable of recreating such ancient astromancy. He suspects Kirschtaria grew the Atlantic Lostbelt because the Greek view of space and the Animusphere’s theories of magecraft have excellent compatibility. Kirschtaria’s magecraft approaches the domain of the gods the closer the Greek world gets to the Age of Gods. It is a Mystery surpassing the gods and perhaps makes Kirschtaria unrivaled in the Lostbelt.[28]
Goredolf accuses Kirschtaria of being the one who bleached the Earth. Holmes considers the Alien God to be a more fitting candidate and speculates the Alien God dismissed all humans but Kirschtaria as unnecessary because of his magecraft. If true, the other Crypters were nothing more than a bonus.[28]
At the Da Vinci and Goredolf’s behest, Ritsuka goes to their room to rest. Mash visits them and together they discuss their doubts about the Chaldean being Romani. They both wish it was him because then they would be able to thank him for all he did for them.[28]
Meanwhile, outside the room, Mandricardo finds Charlotte looking glum. Charlotte tells him she wanted to speak with Ritsuka but they’re currently occupied. She then walks away upon realizing how special Mash is to Ritsuka. Mandricardo takes notice of Charlotte's feelings and decides it's best for him to keep out of it.[28]
Three Battles on Astraea Island[]
The heroes get ready to continue sailing for Thetis Island. Jason notices there is an island on their way to their destination, but he decides to ignore it. The goddess who rules the island takes offense this and forces the Argo to stop at her island. She refuses to give her name until they come face-to-face, but she accidentally gives it when she welcomes the heroes to Astraea Island. With no other choice, the heroes land on the island.[29]
Upon setting foot on the island, the heroes see a giant statue of the goddess. Jason defaces it by drawing a beard on it. A woman suddenly appears, shouting she senses wrongdoing. In a panic, Jason uses Ritsuka as a scapegoat.[29]
The woman confirms she is Astraea, like Holmes presumed. She then challenges Jason to battle as punishment for defacing her statue. With no choice, the heroes fight Astraea.[29]
Astraea soon stops the fight, impressed with the heroes. Chiyome is glad to see her again, though Astraea is more surprised to see Chiyome is still alive. She then asks why the heroes are traveling from island to island. Ritsuka answers they’re trying to get past Atlantis’ three-layered defense. Astraea considers what they said to be insolent, but she forgoes punishment and has the heroes follow her.[29]
She takes them to the temple, where they see even more statues of her. She explains the statues were all sculpted by a Servant who stayed at the temple.[29]
At first, she refuses to help the heroes to remain impartial, which is why she stays on the island. But seeing Ritsuka is more concerned that they don’t have to be enemies, she agrees to provide the heroes with information for each trail of hers they pass. To make things more interesting, she limits the number of Servants who can challenge a given trial. RItsuka will, of course, be a free participant.[29]
Orion and Charlotte pair up for the first trial. It is against a spriggan, though, so Orion is the only one who can fight. He kills it and asks Astraea if a Divine Construct is still required to destroy Artemis even if he empowers himself with Theos Klironomia. Astraea confirms it is.[29]
Mash and Chiyome pair up for the second trial, which is against Klironomia-enhanced Lamia. They pass and Jason asks Astraea if she knows any Proper Human History Servants who would be willing to join them. He also demands she can explain why she refuses to join them.[29]
Astraea answers Achilles will most assuredly be willing to join the heroes if he still lives. There is also an Archer, but that is all Astraea has to say about that. Goredolf dismisses this bit of information as a bust, but Jason knows how truly terrifying it was.[29]
As for Jason’s other question, Astraea confesses that while she is a Servant from Proper Human History, she is also the greek goddess of the scales. The Lostbelt’s Twelve Olympians offered her the choice of becoming a god in the Lostbelt, but she rejected their offer and agreed not to involve herself in the conflict so as to remain impartial. Regardless of the Lostbelt’s fate, she will disappear when it is time.[29]
Jason surmises from what Astraea said earlier that Achilles and the Archer are the only friendly Servants left in the Lostbelt. This worries Mandricardo because he is certain there were many Servants beside him and Chiyome who stayed behind in Atlantis. Astraea agrees to explain if the heroes pass the next trail. Jason and Mandricardo pair up.[29]
Though they pass, Astraea does not explain what happened with the other Servants. She does, however. answer Nemo’s question where the Klironomia named after the Twelve Olympians can be found.[29]
The Zeus and Poseidon Klironomia are only on Olympus, while the Athena Klironomia can be found in Atlantis. The Theos Klironomia were originally a fluid metal designed to reinforce and augment the gods’ bodies until the Twelve Olympians enhanced their individual Klironomia for their own purposes. But Astraea warns only Servants who are Divine Spirits or close to one can hope to withstand these Klironomia. Holmes contemplates whether they should secure these Klironomia before Odysseus does.[29]
Ritsuka asks Astraea about the Servant who sculpted all her statues. In answer, Astraea reveals two Alter Egos came from Olympus and massacred the Servants from Proper Human History under the guise of protecting the Tree. They were Grigori Rasputin and, to everyone’s shock, Senji Muramasa.[29]
Holmes realizes this information clarifies something, but he keeps it to himself for now. Astraea agrees to his request to tell them more about the two Alter Egos.[29]
Recollection: Apostles of the Foreign Star[]
Astraea recounts how Rasputin and Muramasa killed at least twenty Servants from Proper Human History. They have since gone back to Olympus since there was no need for them to stay in Atlantis once Odysseus arrived.[30]
Jason asks Astraea to tell them about Odysseus, recalling Hephaestus refused to tell them out of fear. Astraea answers she only met Odysseus when he visited her island and remembers he had far more knowledge of Proper Human History than expected. It was almost as if he had drained out of someone until nothing was left.[30]
Afterward, the heroes return to the Argo and set sail for Thetis Island.[30]
Meanwhile, elsewhere, a young boy, Paris, accompanied by a small talking sheep, Apollo, tries fighting the Atlantis Border Guard, but his attacks are useless thanks to their Theos Klironomia. He is saved, though, by Achilles, who doesn’t to recognize him. But then Achilles (literally) kicks him out of the area and fights the soldiers by himself despite his injury.[30]
Paris comes backs by the time Achilles has defeated the soldier, telling him he never wanted to be rescued, especially by him. Achilles finally realizes who Paris is. Both are incredulous that he materialized the way he did, but Apollo claims it’s his prime form.[30]
But upon realizing the sheep on Paris’ head is Apollo, Achilles accuses Paris of being on Olympus. Paris points out the same can be applied to Achilles because of his mother Thetis, a goddess. He and Achilles then fight, with Apollo believing Paris has a chance because he empowered with Theos Klironomia and Achilles is already injured.[30]
Arriving on Thetis Island, the heroes break up a fight between Achilles and Paris. Apollo is from the Proper Human History, but he obtained data from his Lostbelt counterpart. Achilles and Paris agree to help, even though the former lost his immortality with his heel destroyed. Achilles then gives his armor so Hephaestus can reforge it into a bow and arrows. The Servants then recall the smithing unit is located in a labyrinth deep within Perse Island.[30]
Arriving on Thetis Island, the heroes break up a fight between Achilles and Paris. Ritsuka introduces themselves as a Master from Proper Human History, indicating to Achilles and Paris that the heroes are not enemies. Achilles additionally surprised when Paris introduces himself as a Proper Human History hero, irritated he never said that. He’s so upset that his wound opens up.[30]
After Ritsuka heals him, Achilles confesses he was shot through his heel, the fatal weak point of his otherwise immortal body. But he assures Holmes that he’ll be fine, though he is now 70% slower and is no longer invulnerable to all attacks besides those of divine origin.[30]
Apollo introduces himself, revealing he is the one from Proper Human History. He also downloaded data from the Lostbelt, so he can answer any question regarding the Lostbelt’s gods.[30]
Ritsuka notices the bad blood between Achilles and Paris. Mash informs Rtisuka that during the Trojan War, Paris killed Achilles by shooting through his heel to avenge his brother Hector.[30]
Paris asks Achilles why he isn’t upset that he killed him in life. Achilles tells him it’s because he knew was prophesied to die young and he expected to die in the war since he chose to live out his life as a hero.[30]
After he and Paris agree to help the heroes, Achilles learns they were looking for him for his shield and armor. He informs them he only has his armor, but he refuses to use the Divine Construct it will be reforged into. His reasoning is that he is weaker than ever with his immortality gone and he doubts he could survive riding his chariot up to orbit at hypersonic speed. His warrior’s intuition also tells him he wouldn’t have any chance against Artemis unless he was in peak condition.[30]
Orion suggests having Hephaestus reforge Achilles’ armor into a bow and arrow. Achilles asks who will fire it. Paris volunteers, but Apollo tells him he wouldn’t be able to use a Divine Construct even with his help. Orion is therefore their only hope. Achilles agrees to give his armor after Orion says he will destroy Artemis out of responsibility.[30]
With all that sorted, the heroes get ready to leave. Jason, however, questions how reliable Paris will be when the latter requests to come with. Atlantis border guards then appear, which Achilles sees as the perfect chance for Paris to prove his value.[30]
After the heroes defeated the soldiers, Mandricardo has Paris tell him about Hector.[30]
Mash, meanwhile, asks Achilles how he could remain unafraid of death when he knew his death was imminent. She wonders if it was because he was a hero.[30]
Achilles answers he was the type who became a hero because he took others’ lives, so he was never afforded a peaceful death. But he doesn’t regret the way he died and in fact found it satisfying. Plus, thanks to him being such a famous hero, he can be summoned as a Servant.[30]
He tells Ritsuka and Mash that it’s a fact they’re going to die one day, but it doesn’t have to happen anytime soon. His life being so short is why he died without regrets and he can fight again now to ensure Ritsuka and Mash live good long lives. He is even willing to die in the Lostbelt to make that happen, his intuition telling him he won’t make it to the end.[30]
Now that they have acquired the material needed to make a Divine Construct, Jason, Chiyome, Charlotte, and Orion have the location of Hephaestus’ forge unit downloaded directly into their brains. It is in the heart of the great labyrinth on Perse Island.[30]
Jason notices Perse Island is two days away, so the heroes will rest up at a smaller island along the way. Nemo also would three Servants’ worth of Hephaestus Klironomia so he may remake the Border into an entirely new vessel. The heroes now joined by Achilles and Paris then return to the Argo.[30]
Suffering and Pleasure are Life's Medicine for Relief[]
In the middle of the night, a group of Klironomia-enhanced lamia attack the Border. Jason has Achilles fight them to prove he can still fight.[31]
After the battle, Ritsuka heals Achilles, which baffles the latter since he wasn’t all that injured and would have healed on his own. But using a Mystic Code again immediately after battle exhausts Ritsuka. They nearly faint upon reentering the Border, so Mash brings them to their room.[31]
Mandricardo later comes to Ritsuka’s room to finish his story. But first he confronts them about how they have been pushing themselves too hard. He first noticed when they healed Achilles and, according to Da Vinci, they rarely heal Servants immediately after battle, suggesting they usually know how to reverse their strength. So he wants to know what they’re feeling, believing he will understand as a fellow weakling.[31]
Ritsuka thinks Kirschtaria is amazing , but Mandricardo doesn’t find him to be anything special. In fact, he thinks Ritsuka is more amazing for keeping their wits about them following Kirschtaria’s attack and survived. As for himself, he knows he’ll never measure up to Achilles, nor does he think he can defeat Ruggerio, no matter how times he fights him.[31]
He confesses he took Durandal after Roland had thrown it away, but he accused of essentially stealing it. Once he defeated Zerbino and won the sword from him, he went around bragging about how he was the hero who had it all. But even with Durandal and Hector’s armor, he still couldn’t beat Bradamante’s lover, Ruggerio. He has no doubt his sword was superior to Ruggerio’s demonic sword, but he thinks it doesn’t have it now as a Servant because he traded something invaluable for it.[31]
Returning to his main point, he tells Ritsuka that they have already proven they have it takes. Even if they think everything they do is third-rate at best, he has nothing but respect for it. Ritsuka thanks Mandricardo and at the latter’s suggestion, the two officially become friends. They then have a good night’s sleep.[31]
The next morning, Bartholomew asks the heroes what personal goals they want to accomplish in the Lostbelt. Mandricardo answers he wants to become a great knight. Charlotte, however, doesn’t think she should be free to do what she wants because thinking freely is why she became a Servant. Mash seems to know what she is talking about, so Charlotte confesses her only so-called accomplishment was a murder she committed on her own. She did it to try to help save her country, only for it to be completely meaningless in the end. So now she believes she doesn’t deserve to decide for herself and thinks her life was meaningless.[31]
Mash disagrees. Nemo cuts in, having overheard the conversation, and tells Charlotte that if having no worthwhile accomplishment were all it took to make life meaningless, there’d be no point in him or Bartholomew being alive.[31]
Bartholomew admits he made no contributions to human history and his notoriety as a pirate is overshadowed by the likes of Blackbeard and other pirates like Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Thus, his existence was meaningless as well, insisting it’s the same thing when Charlotte says it isn’t. Nemo agrees, finding ultimately most people’s lives are meaningless.[31]
Ritsuka says it was pure coincidence they became a Master at all, and Mash is very grateful they did.[31]
Asked for his thoughts, Jason finds it ridiculous to say one’s life is only worthwhile if there is a greater meaning to it and those without meaning should just die. If that were the case, all of humanity would have gone extinct long ago.[31]
Charlotte questions what is the point in them being here then. Ritsuka and Bartholomew both ask her if it isn’t enough to say they’re all having fun. Charlotte only replies “maybe” with a small smile.[31]
Seeing the others enjoying themselves, Charlotte realizes she is having fun as well, though she wishes she could enjoy perilous adventurers like the others seem to.[31]
She recalls with Ritsuka about when they first met, confessing she cried because saving them was the first time she was useful and it made her wondered if she deserved to be part of something so wonderful. She then spaces out, recalling someone told her, “It is through this servitude that your life will have meaning.” Apologizing for it, she thanks Ritsuka and tells them she loves them. Ritsuka and especially Mash are shocked, but Charlotte lies she meant as a Master.[31]
Bartholomew confronts her about it in private. Charlotte asks him if she'll regret it if she doesn't say anything. Bartholomew tells her regrets and partings are part of life, especially for Servants. Charlotte laments life is never goes the way you want, not even when you have a second chance at it. She admits to Bartholomew that his suspicions were on the mark.[31]
An Absent Monster and Great Labyrinth in the Ruins[]
Arriving on Perse Island, after taking out Atlantis border guard patrol, Jason asks Chiyome and Mandricardo if they can sense Hephaestus’ temple since they’re infused with his Klironomia. They both answer they only have a vague feeling of where it is, so the heroes will to search for it on their own.[32]
Charlotte worries, however, about going to the labyrinth, fearing the Minotaur will attack them if they go unprepared. Ritsuka and Mash remember the Minotaur died in the Russian Lostbelt. They say nothing about it, only sorrowfully saying they don’t think they’ll need to worry about it.[32]
The heroes soon meet a hunter and ask him about the labyrinth under the pretense that it’s their job to investigate such ruins. He answers an old man in the village may know and proceeds to guide the heroes there.[32]
He is surprised to hear the labyrinth’s monster is dead when Chiyome brings it up, only referring to it as a nameless monster. Ritsuka and Mash are sad to learn everyone in the Lostbelt had forgotten the Minotaur’s name because none dared to go near his labyrinth.[32]
Chiyome asks the hunter if none of them never thought to kill the monsters and make a name for themselves as heroes. But the hunter considers it preposterous that a bunch of exiles could ever become heroes. He confirms they were all exiled from Olympus, supposedly because they had bugs. It would, therefore, be wrong for them to become heroes. They had also resigned themselves to whatever danger the Minotaur posed to them since a god made him.[32]
The heroes soon reach the village. While Chiyome goes on ahead with the hunter, the others discuss how the atlanteans seem completely resigned to their lot in life. Jason finds many, if not the majority of, people in Proper Human History are like that. Holmes and Goredolf both concur that these people have become emotionally stagnated in their contentment of the simple life afforded to them by the Theos Klironomia. They do not even see the need to develop their civilization any further. Those who live on Olympus may feel different from the atlanteans though.[32]
In the village, the heroes are directed to the elderly Kynigos as someone who’s been to the labyrinth before. Kynigos agrees to give them map data for the labyrinth, though he warns it may be out of date.[32]
He reflects on how he hasn’t sent data like this in forever since there is usually no need to do so. Chiyome asks him if they could use the same functionality for long-range communication. Kyngios, however, doesn’t see the point in that since everyone he wishes to speak with is in the village. He thinks it would be wonderful if it could be used to communicate with the gods, but he sees no value in ordinary humans networking.[32]
Now heading for the labyrinth, Chiyome remarks on how the atlanteans are lacking in ambition. Jason says it’s common for those who live their whole lives without a technological revolution. He also thinks life in the Lostbelt is only peaceful of the people’s dependency on the gods.[32]
On the subject of the gods, he finds it makes sense for the Twelve Olympians to have been robots, since that would explain their inhuman way of thinking. He explains to the confused Mandricardo that the gods were indeed human in both appearance and motivation, but their conduct and solutions were assuredly inhuman. Some scholars believe the gods caused the Trojan War to thin out the human population.[32]
Mash and Goredolf question why then Divine Spirit Servants like Euryale and lesser gods appear human when the Twelve Olympians are robots. Holmes posits that is because they were born from concepts and nature across various lands integrated into Greek mythology. As for why the myths didn’t twist these gods to resemble the Olympians, Holmess suspects that is because the Olympians avoided appearing alien to their worshippers.[32]
The heroes arrive at the temple, but they find it suspicious that it’s unguarded. Regardless, they enter the labyrinth. Da Vinci suspects they will lose comms based on the records from Okeanos. Ritsuka and Mash remember they met Asterios and Euryale in the labyrinth during Okeanos.[32]
Delving deeper into the labyrinth, the heroes become surrounded by monsters. After slaying them, they take some time to rest.[32]
Charlotte, listening to the others’ experiences, realizes how black and white her worldview was. She thought defending her home was good while those trying to destroy it were evil. But she was sentenced to death and people thought her evil in the end.[32]
Jason rebukes her for thinking she is evil, telling her that victims become victimizers and vice versa all the time. He tells her she can’t let herself concern herself with such things if she wants to be a hero. He uses himself as an example, seeming to regret how he acted in Okeanos. Charlotte concludes she still has much to learn. The heroes get going again.[32]
Three-Headed Dog[]
The heroes reach the heart of the labyrinth, exhausted from all the defensive armaments they had to fight through. Calling out to Hephaestus, Ritsuka's voice activates the god’s forge unit.[33]
Detecting Achilles was seriously injured, Hephaestus decides to abort the plan. Achilles presents him Orion as a suitable replacement, but Hephaestus rejects Orion is the greatest hunter in Greece when he claims to be invincible. But unable to find the “true” greatest hunter in Greece, he decides to test Orion.[33]
The first test is a simulated battle against the Servant Artemis. Orion is shocked, though, when Ritsuka tells him the teddy bear on Artemis’ head is him. Nevertheless, he defeats the simulated Artemis.[33]
Next, Hephaestus assesses Orion psychologically by asking him if he could kill his beloved.[33]
Orion confesses he asked himself the same question. At first, he thought he couldn’t do it, which is why he stopped protecting the Proper Human History for a while. But now he realizes he cannot save Artemis that way. He understands the one floating in orbit isn’t the Artemis he knows, but so long as she calls herself Artemis, he will destroy her out of pity.[33]
Hephaestus asks Ritsuka if believe Orion is mentally prepared to kill Artemis. Ritsuka answers they think he is.[33]
After a moment of silent contemplation, Hephaestus requests the Divine Construct. Achilles gives him his armor, which his mother begged Hephaestus of Proper Human History to forge. Hephaestus analyzes it and confirms he can reforge it into a Proper Human History Divine Construct, the process of which will take approximately two hours.[33]
Mash asks Hephaestus for Klironomia, to which he inquires about the intended usage for them. Nemo answers he wants to embed them into the Border and upgrade it into a ship capable of going up against Odysseus’ fleet and even Poseidon. Hephaestus grants all of his Klironomia, which Mash collects in the extra-large container Nemo provided.[33]
Hepheastus warns the heroes that Orion’s shot will reach Artemis from this island, revealing an offensive launched on her from another island failed. Every projectile disappeared before reaching her. Hephaestus does not know the reason, but he plays a past record from the Proper Human History Servants involved in that incident.[33]
The record starts with Archer recounting the losses they incurred thanks to Rasputin and Muramasa, along with their first encounter with Artemis’ cannon. They were able to escape from the blast with minimal losses thanks to Heracles’s protection, the fact they were already spread out, the warnings of the Servant ■■■■■■, and their improved cloaking functionality.[33]
Hephaestus suddenly interrupts the recording to warn that Artemis has begun scanning the island and proceeds to temporarily cut off communications between the heroes and the Border. But it is quickly revealed to be a ruse between Hephaestus and Archer (who seems to be more than a recording), so the latter could speak with the heroes alone.[33]
Archer asks the heroes if they feel something is off with their current situation and advises them to be wary of everyone, even their closet allies. They, of course, tell them to keep it between them. But knowing that will not assuage their doubts about cutting off communications, Archer provides the heroes with the route to Olympus and the coordinates of the island directly beneath Artemis. It may be the only place where she can be reached[33]
Hephaestus restores communication the moment the record ends. Jason lies to the concerned Border crew that they mostly had pointless chitchat beyond learning some valuable information. He leaves the rest to Ritsuka and Mash, as it seems to be a Chaldea problem.[33]
Moving on to the topic of they learned, Jason shows on the map that thanks to Poseidon’s control of the ocean currents there is only one route to the Great Pit and said route requires cast off Nemesis Island. However, this also means Odysseus will only need to wait for the heroes on said island. Worse is that there is still Artemis to contend with.[33]
Hephaestus suddenly warns off an intruder and tries to stop it with the temple’s defenses. But the intruder breaks through all of them and bursts into the room, showing itself to be the three-headed dog creature that attacked Chaldean when they first arrived. Orion immediately recognizes it as Cerberus, guard dog of hell, and Echidna’s offspring. Cerberus’ target is Hephaestus, so the heroes fight it to protect the forge god.[33]
As the heroes struggle against Cerberus, Hephaestus reveals it can regenerate thanks to being augmented with Demeter Klironomia. Unfortunately, he cannot help since forging the Divine Construct requires his full concentration.[33]
Five minutes later, Cerberus’ Demeter Klironomia starts to overload per Odysseus’ orders, intending to destroy the island with a massive Mana Burst. However, the heroes cannot leave just yet as there are still thirty minutes left before Hephaestus finishes forging Orion’s new bow and arrow.[33]
Charlotte’s demeanor suddenly changes to be far more serious and she asks everyone to step aside, declaring she can handle Cerberus. Then, activating her Zeus Klironomia at full power, she kills Cerberus with Le Rêve Ensoleillé. She remembers she is a Heroic Spirit from Proper Human History summoned as a Lostbelt Servant.[33]
To the Sunset Red as Blood[]
Odysseus summoned her, inadvertently using the deaths of Sanson and D’Eon as a catalyst. But he only summoned her to exhaust the last leyline in Atlantis of its magical energy and dismissed her as worthless. However, as he couldn’t risk her wandering around aimlessly, he ordered her to forget about him and his army, saying the Zeus Klironomia will guide her.[34]
She was to act as a Rogue Servant and oppose him like the other Servants. However, if the Chief God inside her encounters an enemy god, she will serve as a beacon. That was the only way she could be useful to Odysseus.[34]
Her actions wouldn’t be directed by her forgotten memories, but by the Zeus Klironomia embedded in her id. Once the Zeus Klironomia inside her is fully activated, that would be the end. Charlotte was then made to forget everything.[34]
In the present, the Zeus Klironomia inside Charlotte forces her to turn against the others, causing her incredible pain as her Spirit Origin is strained to the point of collapse.[34]
The heroes stop her, and Achilles gets ready to end her suffering. But Orion, refusing to give up on Charlotte (a sentiment Ritsuka shares), asks Hephaestus if his Klironomia can disable the Zeus Klironomia. Hephaestus answer they can, though only Athena Klironomia can remove the Zeus Klironomia. He then readies to freeze Charlotte’s Spirit Origin with his Klironomia.[34]
He is interrupted, however, by Apollo and Goredolf, who both considered it allocating resources meant for the Border to Charlotte to be a fool’s errand. To that, Hephaestus suggests acquiring the Athena Klironomia, inject her with them, and then extract the Hephaestus Klironomia for reuse. He even provides the location of the Athena Klironomia———Eris Island off the coast of Nemesis Island. Jason leaves the decision of whether to save Charlotte or not to Ritsuka, for only the living can decide the fate of the dead.[34]
For a brief moment, the Priestess appears. Ritsuka chooses to save Charlotte, but Charlotte thinks she isn’t worth it and decries herself as useless. However, the others still choose to save her; Jason even calls her an Argonaut.[34]
Charlotte is then injected with Hephaestus Klironomia, freezing her Spirit Origin and putting her to sleep. Chiyome takes it upon herself to carry Charlotte.[34]
Aegis Eclipse
Hephaestus shows he has finished forging the Divine Construct, a longbow designed solely for use against interstellar fighters———Aegis Eclipse. Orion sees it only has two arrows. This worries Jason as Hephaestus was told to make at least five arrows in case Orion misses. Orion’s claims he will not miss do not help to alleviate Jason’s concerns.[34]
Two arrow was the best Hephaestus could do with the materials provide; Achilles regrets he didn’t have his shield. Hephaestus says one arrow must destroy Artemis’ defenses while the other must destroy her. He then requests Orion perform a final test.[34]
Using different arrows, Orion tests the Aegis Eclipse, struggling to pull its bowstring. He realizes that firing the Aegis Eclipse’s arrows with the bow will take a heavy toll on his Spirit Origin.[34]
Hephaestus warns Artemis is readying her cannon and repeatedly recommends taking immediate shelter. But determining his defenses cannot withstand Artemis’ cannon, he tells the heroes to take the civilian emergency escape pod. It has already been set to their ship’s coordinates.[34]
Apollo realizes that since Hephaestus forged the Divine Construct on this island, it means most of his primary unit is there as well. Once the island is destroyed, Hephaestus will disappear. There are, however, more of Hephaestus’ units on Olympus along with Prometheus. The heroes then get into the escape pod.[34]
Hephaestus launches the escape pod and calculates the heroes have an extremely low chance of reaching Olympus. Artemis contacts him and asks why. Hephaestus answers it’s because he saw potential in Proper Human History. Artemis calls him a traitor, but Hephaestus asserts their role is to offer a brighter future.[34]
Artemis asks him if he’s saying Zeus is wrong, to which Hephaestus replies that is why the heroes of Proper Human History rejected the gods. That the heroes of the Proper Human History didn’t side with the gods is proof enough the Lostbelt has been denied. Artemis rejects this, saying humans only fear their own destruction.[34]
Hephaestus partially agrees but counters some humans fight fearing something more than their own destruction. They are heroes, something that hasn’t existed in the Lostbelt for a long time.[34]
Artenis rejects this, declaring she will destroy the island. Hephaestus accepts this, saying they were one to begin with and will be again. Artemis cuts communications and destroys the island.[34]
Soldier-Sage's Trap[]
On the Border, the heroes get ready to sail for Eris Island. They learn from Da Vinci that Charlotte’s comatose state is because the Zeus and Hephaestus Klironomia are fighting over control. But Charlotte’s Spirit Origin is wasting away, so getting the Athena Klironomia is a race against time. Ritsuka and Mash go check on Charlotte.[35]
The heroes soon arrive at Eris Island. Jason sends Ritsuka, Mash, Mandricardo, Achilles, Chiyome, and Paris out to get the Athena Klironomia while he stays and mends the ship.[35]
Upon setting foot on the island, Chiyome smells blood and leads the others to its source: the headless corpse of a Demonic Beast. All signs indicate that a person killed with a single strike, signifying that the Atlantis border guard are already on the island. The heroes hurry to the temple.[35]
As suspected, there are soldiers guarding the temple. The heroes defeat the soldiers, who were stronger than usual, and enter the temple.[35]
Upon entering the temple, they receive one final message from the Olympus infiltration team. As of this recording, they have set off for Olympus with Odysseus on their heels. Sanson and D’Eon stayed behind to buy them time. The message ends with the Servants saying they’ll see Ritsuka in Olympus. With that, the heroes collect the Atherna Klironomia and leave the temple.[35]
However, upon exiting the temple, Achilels moves at hypersonic speeds to save Ritsuka from an arrow fired by Chiron. Jason tells everyone to rush him all at once, as it’s the only way they can win. Chiron responds to Jason’s plan by showing he brought soldiers with him, proving that, unlike his Proper Human History counterpart, he is very familiar with the battlefield. The heroes then fight him and his soldiers while Achilles does his best to keep Ritsuka safe.[35]
During the battle, Chiron admits he was the one who destroyed Achilles’ heel. He knew everything Achilles was going to do before he did, all thanks to absorbing his counterpart’s data when he killed him. Ritsuka orders an immediate retreat.[35]
On Jason’s orders, Mandricardo and Chiyome try to bring up the rear, but their Hephaestus Klironomia are no match for Chiron’s Zeus Klironomia. To make matters worse, he demonstrates he also absorbed his counterpart’s Noble Phantasm———Antares Snipe.[35]
Fortunately, they avoid fatal injuries thanks to Mandricardo diverting the shot with his own Noble Phantasm———Serment de Durandal . His “sword” is broken, but he launches his Noble Phantasm again to clear a path for him and Chiyome to escape through. Chiyome, however, being too injured, has Mandricardo escape without her. Mandricardo reluctantly does so.[35]
Instead of killing her, Chiron captures Chiyome to be fed to Echidna. He then reports to Odysseus that he failed to stop the Chaldeans from escaping with the Athena Klironomia. But Odysseus says there is nothing to worry about, as the Chaldeans plan to use the Klironomia to save Charlotte based on salvaged footage of Hephaestus and Artemis’ final conversation.[35]
He is certain Chaldea will come fully prepared, but he tells Chiron they will crush them, swiftly and thoroughly. He is also pleased Chiron will return with Chiyome, believing a Servant’s worth of magical energy will be enough for Echidna to produce another Cerberus.[35]
Mandricardo catches up to the others and tells them what happened with Chiyome. Jason, Goredolf, and Holmes ponder if she has some sort of plan. Regardless, the heroes head to the Border’s medical bay to inject Charlotte with the Athena Klironomia.[35]
In the medical bay, Mash and Nurse help Da Vinci inject Charlotte with the Athena Klironomia. Charlotte painfully convulses, her body tearing itself from the three-way conflict between the Klironomia inside her while being strengthened to the point she can hurt Orion. It takes Achilles, Orion, and Mandricardo to hold her down. RItsuka holds her at Orion’s behest.[35]
Only able to think about the pain, Charlotte believes she isn’t worth it and asks why she is even here. She hears someone say the Hephaestus Klironomia and now they’ll have to see if the Athena Klironomia can win. She calls herself a worthless Servant, unable to do anything to help, and feels she should just die. But she doesn’t understand why her body still wants to live when she has already chosen to die.[35]
A voice inside Charlotte tells her that isn’t her choice to make anymore. It continues to tell her she needs to live and fight, for she is the only who can reach where she needs to go. That is why Charlotte has already chosen one of the Skills Athena offered, so no matter what end she’ll face, she can’t die.[35]
Hearing that, Charlotte understands there is something she needs to do. She squeezes Ritsuka’a hand, choosing to endure the pain and live. Killing is the only way she can fulfill her role, so she needs to fight until the end.[35]
Mandricardo watches as Ritsuka holding Charlotte’s hand to their head, praying for her to pull through. He knows Ritsuka feels guilty for hesitating for even a moment to save Charlotte, but he tells them to stop admonishing themselves over it since no one could’ve known what to do back then.[35]
Mash agrees with him that no one will blame Ritsuka if Charlotte doesn’t pull through, certain they made the right choice. Orion believes he deserves the blame, since it was his idea to begin with. Achilles thinks he should share in the blame for failing to realize what was happening. But Charlotte insists she should be blamed, now free of the Zeus Klironomia.[35]
Ritsuka is relieved to see that she is okay. Charlotte apologizes for the trouble she caused and tells Ritsuka that she really does love them. Mash is shocked to hear this but is relieved when Charlotte adds everyone else in the mix, including herself.[35]
Charlotte confesses she used to hate herself not too long ago. She is certain if she died just now she would return to the Throne still hating. She thus thanks Ritsuka for helping her learn to love herself.[35]
One Who Overcomes the Stormy Sea[]
Using the Hephaestus Klironomia, Nemo reconstructs the Nautilus into a ship with the power of Triton, one that can easily sail through the Lostbelt’s supercell storm walls———the Storm Border. In addition, now that Nemo’s Spirit Origin has settled, the Shadow Border can be detached to serve as a landing vehicle or an emergency lifeboat. Now with the Storm Border, the heroes are now ready to settle things with Odysseus.[36]
Speaking from the Argo, Jason starts the strategy meeting by saying that thanks to the Storm Border, they have shot against Odysseus’ forces, even though they’re severely outmatched otherwise. Unfortunately, both the Argo and the Royal Fortune are too old to help, so they’ll need to rely on Servants and the Storm Border to overcome the number disadvantage. Jason, therefore, declares their next step is to charge right into Odysseus’ forces, since Odysseus likely already knows what they’re thinking.[36]
Speaking from the Argo, Jason starts the strategy meeting by saying that thanks to the Storm Border, they have shot against Odysseus’ forces, even though they’re severely outmatched otherwise. Unfortunately, both the Argo and the Royal Fortune are too old to help, so they’ll need to rely on Servants and the Storm Border to overcome the number disadvantage. Jason, therefore, declares their next step is to charge right into Odysseus’ forces, since Odysseus likely already knows what they’re thinking.[36]
Jason tells Achilles he is sending him after Chiron, though there are plenty of other enemies he wants him to defeat first. Furthermore, he wants Achilles to let Paris ride in his chariot while he runs from ship to ship, destroying sails and engines.[36]
Ritsuka, Mash, and Mandricardo will be on the Argo, fulfilling the same objective as Achilles. They are to jump an enemy ship, destroy it, and return to the Argo, repeat until all enemy ships are gone.[36]
The Storm Border, as the heroes’ most powerful asset, will corner and neutralize Odysseus’ forces, but not completely. It is quite possible Odysseus will call on Artemis to destroy them all, even if it means putting himself in the line of fire. So before that happens, Bartholomew needs to get Orion to Nemesis Island and that will be his one and only job. And when the time comes, Jason wants Orion to use the power he inherited from Poseidon.[36]
As for Charlotte, Jason leaves the most important task to her.[36]
Later in Ritsuka’s room, Charlotte confesses to Ritsuka that the Athena Klironomia places too much strain on her Spirit Origin. If the Klironomia are removed, she will die, but even if they aren’t, it will not be long before she disappears. Charlotte therefore decides to go out on her own and fulfill the task Jason gave her, uncertain if she will even accomplish that. Even if she does succeed, she may still end up dead and that may be the best ending she could hope for.[36]
Internally, she begs Ritsuka not to look at her with that hurt in their eyes as it only makes her wish things were different. She knows Ritsuka’s hurt is proof they care about her, but that is why she doesn’t to say goodbye to them looking like that. Even so, she has to the right choice and tells Ritsuka good luck and goodbye.[36]
She then meets up with Jason on the Argo, where they hint at her part in the plan. Afterward, she jumps ship and lands into the water instead of the beach like she was meant to. Jason and Bartholomew joke about how she was a klutz to the last.[36]
Charlotte swims to the beach, embarrassed she made a fool of herself right to the end. She wonders if Jason told her to say goodbye to Ritsuka in their room because he knew what would happen and thinks that was very nice of him. She then gets started by first looking for a boat.[36]
A soldier reports they spotted one of the enemy ships and confirms Jason is its helmsman. Odysseus order to keep scanning the depths, certain the Nautilus is close behind. He wonders what Jason is thinking and if the memories of his Proper Human History counterpart are accurate.[36]
Jason, meanwhile, internally says they’ll deal with things as they come. He knows Odysseus will not leave himself unguarded, but he can remove any guarantee of defeat. He has already set a few traps in motion, though he fears Odysseus has figured out his entire plan. But one thing Jason has over Odysseus is that he knows what failure is like.[36]
Mandricardo checks on Ritsuka in their room, showing he made a new “sword” from the Argo’s spare lumber. He is uncertain if they can defeat Kirschtaria and cut down the Tree. Even so, because he and Ritsuka are friends, he believes they will ultimately win.[36]
Mad Passion and Disturbing Delusions[]
Orion thinks about how gods and humans are different, remarking on how he still had a human heart despite his divine blood while Artemis is a goddess.[37]
He remembers the first time he met Artemis when she took form she thought suited him and confessed she fell in love with him at first sight. He calls his memories of her from Proper Human History a series of silly, meaningless, uplifting comedies, even considering his death ridiculous.[37]
He is grateful to the god who stopped Artemis from making immortal. He reiterates that god and humans are different, thinking it was just as true for his and Artemis’ relationship. If he became a god, he is uncertain if his human feelings would change once he abandoned his humanity and that didn’t feel right to him. He then looks up into sky and concludes Artemis doesn’t belong there.[37]
Mash enters Ritsuka’s room and passes on Jason’s message that Charlotte made it safely off the ship to Ritsuka. She admires Charlotte for her inner strength despite all the self-deprecating she did. She and Ritsuka both wish they could have spoken with her more. They both know that life is a series of greetings and goodbyes, but they remember every one of them.[37]
The upcoming battle will be harder than usual, but seeing Jason’s hopeless expression makes Mash want to win even more. It is not out of a sense of duty to save the world, though. She is determined to win despite her fear of fighting and her belief that she can't do anything without someone's protection She knows they can never go back to how things were, but that is why she wants to focus on reaching a new destination with Ritsuka. Ritsuka feels the same.[37]
The alarm goes off, indicating the ships are now heading for Nemesis Island, so Ritsuka and Mash get on the Argo. There, Mandricardo tries to boost their morale by having the three of them huddle together and say they’re going to win and survive.[37]
Jason reminds everyone that the goal is to ensure Orion gets to Nemesis Island, which also means beating Odysseus. He then tells Ritsuka to say something inspiring. Ritsuka tells everyone that they’re going to win together. With that, Jason orders everyone to battle stations and move out.[37]
Challenge: Breaking Through the Distant Seas[]
Per Jason’s plan, the heroes disable Odysseus’ fleet ships one after the other. Achilles encounters Chiron on one of the enemy ships and they do battle.[38]
Those Who Drive Through the Storm[]
The Storm Border battles Odysseus’ fleet. The Atlantis border guard send out lamia, so Nemo orders to cut the engine and launch the special torpedoes. Lamia are serpentine creatures, meaning they’re drawn to heat, and that is why they went after the engines when Chaldea upon their arrival in the Lostbelt. So now the lamia are instead going after the torpedoes. Nemo orders to restart the engine once there is enough distance between them and the lamia. He recalls Jason said the Atlanteans lack submarine technology because they see going beneath the ocean’s surface as blasphemy toward Poseidon.[39]
The Argo is boarded, but Ritsuka, Mash, and Mandricardo return in time to save Jason and the Marines. However, now Odysseus’ fleet is sending two ships. In addition, lamia are included in the lineup, indicating that Echidna is near. The heroes fend off their attackers.[39]
Paris, meanwhile, is still attacking enemy ships from Achilles’ chariot. He is too fast for the soldiers to hit with their arrows, so they decide to utilize large-scale annihilators to cover a wider area.[39]
Back at the Argo, the heroes encounter a new enemy. Jason figures Odysseus has been saving them for this occasion. But knowing they can’t falter now, he helps fight this new enemy.[39]
Holmes ponders about how Scandinavia’s Tree attacked with its seeds at various points. China and India’s Trees never attacked, but Holmes attributes that to possibly poor growth or their Lostbelts failing to meet some condition. He finds it extremely odd, though, that the Atlantic Lostbelt’s Tree hasn’t sent out its seeds yet, even though it’s certainly in the best shape out of all the Trees encountered thus far.[39]
The Lamia suddenly change direction, no longer going after heat sources. Per Odysseus’ orders, the lamia were reprogrammed to target Hephaestus Klironomia.[39]
Disappointed that Echidna lacks the magical energy to produce two Cereberi, Odysseus orders the captured Chiyome to be fed to the monster producer.[39]
A soldier reports the Argo has destroyed a fourth ship. Odysseus is unconcerned as the Argo will be soon too busy destroying ships to perform evasive maneveurs. He also doubts the Storm Border will be able to resurface any time soon, thanks to lamia naval mines. His only concern is Orion, whom he assumes is on the Royal Fortune, waiting for his chance to reach Nemesis Island and destroy Artemsis.[39]
Seeing that the Argo has slowed down, Bartholomew decides now is the time to head out. Orion reminds they were supposed to wait until the others destroyed ships, which haven’t done half of. However, he decides to trust Bartholomew’s pirate instincts and the two go to support the Argo.[39]
Ritsuka steers the Argo while the others fend off the enemies boarding the ship. The heroes soon rid their ship of all enemies and proceed to sail out the vicinity.[39]
Achilles meanwhile keeps Chiron occupied per Jason’s plan to prevent him from using his Noble Phantasm to kill Ritsuka. He also remembers Jason told him something else, which annoys him that everything so far regarding him and Chiron is going as Jason predicted.[39]
A soldier reports Orion is on the Royal Fortune, which is currently heading straight for them. Odysseus orders to sic the new Cereberus on Orion to eliminate him before he can reach Nemesis Island.[39]
With the final unknown variable taken care of, Odysseus thinks victory is now assured. However, he starts to question himself and wonders if he overlooked anything. Thinking about Jason’s next step, he suspects Jason would want Ritsuka and Bartholomew to rendezvous. His suspicions are confirmed by a soldier’s report, so he orders to set course to cut them off immediately.[39]
Ritsuka, Mash, and Mandricardo try to transfer to the Royal Fortune when Odysseus’ ships wedge themselves between the two ships. The heroes disable the ships and try to fight the Cerberus that was sent earlier. However, infused with Poseidon Klironomia, Cerberus turns attention toward the Royal Fortune after sensing the potential threat to Artemis that is Orion, intending to destroy the ship.[39]
Orion, walking on water, knocks Cerberus into the water before it can reach the ship. However, it was a trap as another Cerberus emerges from the water and bits Orion’s arm. Odysseus thinks two Cerberi will be enough to tear Orion into pieces.[39]
Suddenly, though, the Storm Border fires special echo torpedoes at the Cerberi at Jason’s command. Orion then starts running toward Nemesis Island at Jason’s behest, while the Storm Border clears a path for him.[39]
Odysseus’ men try to go after Orion, only to be ambushed by the Royal Fortune’s cannon fire. Bartholomew was hiding the wreckage of a still sinking ship. Ritsuka, Mash, and Mandricardo use this chance to transfer to the Royal Fortune. Paris tries to provide them with cover fire when a swarm of wyverns approaches.[39]
On Odysseus’ order, Echidna switched from producing Lamia to wyvern to keep Paris occupied. A soldier is amazed by Echidna’s production speed, reporting that she is producing three wyverns every 30 seconds. Odysseus considers that too fast and decides to go to Echidna’s ship to check on her. He tries to order Chiron to take over from him while he’s gone, when he is interrupted by a loud shriek. A soldier reports Echidna has gone berserk and is producing monsters that even attack the Border Guard. Odysseus concludes it was Chiyome’s doing.[39]
Maiden of Monsters, the Tactician of Steel, and the Angel of Assassination[]
Earlier, Chiyome used her Noble Phantasm on herself per Jason’s plan and fused with Echidna to make her go berserk with feral instinct.[40]
Odysseus recalls his counterpart only imparted with information when he absorbed him. He thought knowing his enemies’ origins and stories was all he needed. But now he understands by only giving him information, his counterpart tried to ensure he wouldn’t account emotions or principles in his calculations. His counterpart prevented him from seeing Proper Human History’s true strength lies not in its thoughts, but its emotions.[40]
He orders the remaining Demonic Beasts to be sicced on the berserk creatures Echidna is birthing. He also orders increased security at Nemesis Island’s landing points.[40]
He wonders if he should have deployed the Olympian soldiers after all, but he already decided his military assets would suffice. He will therefore go out to fight the heroes himself and orders his men to bring him the last Cerberus, declaring he will bring the berserk creature to heel.[40]
As the Royal Fortune sails for Nemesis Island, Bartholomew tells Ritsuka it is his job to get them to said island. Nemo calls in to inform the heroes that the new lamia are devouring the old, chalking up to Chiyome’s doing. He encourages the heroes to keep sailing forward, declaring the Storm Border will cover them with its torpedoes.[40]
Bartholomew senses an incoming storm, so the heroes use its tailwind as a speed boost. Enemy ships approach. The heroes fend off the attack, but Bartholomew worries if they can do it twice more. Ritsuka calls on Paris, who descends onto the ship to help protect it from the second enemy formation.[40]
The heroes defeat the enemy, but the Royal Fortune is captured with an enemy ship's anchor and boarded by soldiers and a Cerberus. Cerberus grievously wounds Paris, so he can no longer fight. Paris is confused, as he thought Chiyome made Echidna go berserk. Odysseus reveals that is because this Cerberus is under his direct control.[40]
Removing his helmet, Odysseus introduces himself to the heroes as the Lostbelt Servant entrusted with defending Atlantis. He finds the differences between their two sides do not matter now, for all he needs to achieve victory for his side is to kill Ritsuka.[40]
Mandricardo says that will not happen, with Paris adding they will defeat Odysseus. Odysseus dismisses Paris since he can no longer fight. But Paris’ determination to defeat Odysseus inspires Apollo to lend Paris his power so he may fight again.[40]
Odysseus is impressed the heroes made it this far despite how weak they all are. He declares however that they will never reach Olympus so long as he breathes and sends out his men and Cerberus.[40]
Unfortunately, Cerberus seems invincible. Bartholomew and Paris even collapse from exhausation. Odysseus orders to overload Cerberus’ Poseidon Klironomia to explode it to ensure his victory, even if it means the death of him and his men. The soldiers do not mind, seeing death a small price to pay to fulfill their sworn duty of defending Olympus. Odysseus says each one dreamt of one day ascending to Olympus, so for them death is a form of salvation. He doesn’t care what the heroes think for he only needs to fulfill his duty so he will do all he must to ensure his victory.[40]
Someone declares to Odysseus that is why he lost. They rebuke him for only knowing how to use people and not love them, especially since his beloved Penelope never existed in the Lostbelt. This someone turns to be Charlotte when she tries ambushes Odysseus with her Noble Phantasm,[40]
Unfortunately for her, Odysseus deflects it at the last moment. He reminds her they were still connected as Master and Servant and seemingly kills her. But to his surprise, Charlotte fatally wounds him with her Noble Phantasm. Charlotte reveals she gave herself a new Skill she received the Athena Klironomia: Battle Continuation. Odysseus realizes he misjudged Charlotte’s tenacity, but he warns not misjudge his. He releases Artemis from his control and sends the signal to fire her cannon. He then disappears, wondering what Penelope was like.[40]
Charlotte reveals the Battle Continuation she acquired from the Athena Klironomia differs from usual in that only allowed her to act until she killed Odysseus at the cost of losing her memories of everyone. She can’t even remember why she wanted to kill Odysseus so much. But regardless of missing memories, she is glad to have helped the others. She does remember however wanting to be useful to someone. Though she remembers absolutely nothing about them, she remembers she loved them so much she didn’t hesitate to sacrifice herself or her memories to help them.[40]
Charlotte Corday crying as she looks at Ritsuka Fujimaru, whom she can no longer remember.
She looks at Ritsuka and starts to cry, not understanding why she is. She hopes they will never forgot her, not as idealized version of herself, but as plain regular old Charlotte. She then confesses her love to Ritsuka, even though she can no longer remember who they are, and disappears.[40]
Despite Odysseus’ death, the soldiers are still duty bound to kill the heroes. Artemis is also poised to fire her cannon, so the heroes need to get to Nemesis Island before that. The situtation becomes more dire when the atlateans have prepped their ship (the one anchored to the Royal Fortune) to explode. Fortunately, Jason rams the enemy ship with the Argo, freeing the Royal Fortune. The heroes immediately sail onward.[40]
The enemy ship explodes, taking the Argo with it. The heroes mourn the loss of Jason, only for him to surprisingly arrive on the Royal Fortune. He had apparently very narrowly escaped the explosion.[40]
The Hunter Who Pierces the Goddess (Part 1)[]
Chiron and his men see that Echidna has gone berserk. With that, Achilles is done stalling for time and leaves. Chiron surmises Odysseus is now dead and the heroes have broken through the blockade. He and his men immediately set course for the Nemesis Island.[41]
Bartholomew disappears, having fulfilled his role of getting Chaldea to Nemesis Island.[41]
The heroes rendezvous with Orion at the island’s temple. Mash sets up the interstellar trajectory firing support camp, so Da Vinci get Orion the perfect firing angle. She will track Artemis while she is at it as well.[41]
Orion assures Holmes he will be able to fire the Aegis Eclipse despite the conditon of his arms. He is also well aware that his Spirit Origin will only be able to handle firing with the Divine Construct twice when Da Vinci brings it up.[41]
Achilles arrives but only to say his goodbyes as he needs to ensure Chiron cannot interrupt the shooting down Artemis. He tells Paris he feels remorse for what he did to his brother then leaves after wishing Ritsuka good luck.[41]
With Da Vinci declaring the support spells are ready, Orion activates the Aegis Eclipse and readies the first arrow as he feels his body come apart the seams. He then fires the arrow with his Noble Phantasm, Orion Hórkos, successfully destroying Artemis’ armor and exposing her core.[41]
Despite the damage to his body, Orion fires the second shot after Mash reestablishes the support spells. It pierces through Artemis’ beam but is neutralized by immediate second beam.[41]
With two shots fired from the Aegis Eclipse, Orion’s Spirit Origin begins to collapse. Artemis readies another shot when Hector is summoned presumably in response. He already knows the situation thanks to Achilles. He tells the heroes he will use his Noble Phantasm, Durindana Pilum, to protect them from Artemis’ incoming blast, having answered the summons because Achilles asked him to.[41]
The Hunter Who Pierces the Goddess (Part 2)[]
Achilles kept fighting Chiron’s men even after Chiron pierced his heart with his Noble Phantasm. He used his own existence to countersummon Hector. Chiron then fought and killed Achilles confessing he loves his world despite knowing it’s a dead-end.[42]
Hector tells Paris he is proud of him for fighting bravely and calls Mandricardo his successor. He then throws his spear at Artemis’ incoming blast, successfully counteracting it and destroying his arm in the process. He begins to disappear as he fulfilled his duty to buy the heroes some time. As he does, he encourages the heroes to now think about how to get out of this situation.[42]
Paris implores Apollo to turn him into an arrow, knowing he has Authority over arrows from when he guided his arrow to Achilles’ heel. Apollo agrees to do it after hearing Paris’ resolve, but he needs someone to buy him another ten seconds. He asks Mandricardo to do it, which Mandricardo agrees to.[42]
Mandricardo tells Hector that he made an oath when he went searching for his sword. Hector, understanding what Mandricardo wants, encourages him to go for it, but he advises him to give a proper goodbye first. He then collapses and disappears.[42]
Though reluctant, Mandricardo tells Ritsuka this is where they part ways. He knows the Servants were summoned to save the world, but right now he wants to save his friend and buying Apollo more time is the only way he can think of to do that. He can also now fulfill the oath he made to heavens and the fairies to never wield another sword until he found Durandal. But heroically sacrificing himself to fulfill his duty as a Servant doesn’t make it easier to say goodbye to his friend. So he considers what he is going to do as him saving his friend.[42]
Mandricardo wielding Durandal.
Mandricardo declares he will now forego his Noble Phantasm, Serment de Durandal, in accordance with his oath. Then, taking up the now ownerless Durandal, he yells at the top of his lungs that he now holds the very weapon he always he would and will release its power to protect his friend. He then uses his second Noble Phantasm, Rêve de Durandal, to protect his companions from Artemis’ beam at the cost of his life. He disappears, proud that he gave his life to protect his friend.[42]
Apollo gets ready to use everything he has to turn Paris into an arrow for Orion, meaning he will disappear. Paris thanks Ritsuka for letting him see his brother again. He tells them not to be upset, saying there is a difference between giving one’s life for a cause and simply throwing it away. If there was another way, he wouldn’t be doing this, but right now it is something only he can do. He wishes Orion good luck.[42]
Da Vinci doesn’t understand how Orion can do it when he can barely move now. But Goredolf orders Ritsuka to empower Orion with his Command Spells, telling them that a hero must sometimes stand up for what they fight for no matter what. He is certain they have witnessed that by now over the course of these five Lostbelts.[42]
With Mash’s encouragement, Ritsuka uses all of their Command Spells to empower Orion. Apollo then finishes turning Paris into an arrow and disappears. Orion, in preparation to destroy Artemis, relinquinsihes his title as Grand Archer and nocks the Paris-turned arrow into his bow.[42]
As he looks at Artemis’ incoming blast with an iindomitable smile, Orion recalls when Artemis Terminal asked him why Proper Human History Artemis looked so happy in his memories. He told her it is because she is in love with him. Artemis Terminal replies she found that memory unpleasant yet also fascinating.[42]
Orion concludes Artemis broke long ago unable to conceive asking for help because a she is goddess. He calls himself for refusing to destroy her because he didn’t want to hurt and her a fool because she didn’t want to hurt anyone. He believes she should have come to Earth like her counterpart, even if it meant she would end up hurting others or getting hurt herself. Then, out of love and compassion for Artemis, he fires the arrow with Ortygia Amore Mio.[42]
Artemis concludes she can do nothing about the arrow flying toward her, but she fires her primary cannon anyway. She doesn’t understand why reached this conclusion, nor why Orion broke his oath to destroy her.[42]
Orion tells her she wasn’t acting rationally when she destroyed her terminal along with Hestia Island. She acted out of emotion, out of anger and jealously. Orion therefore concludes these past 10,000 years must have been unbearable for her and he couldn’t bear seeing her in constant distress.[42]
Orion’s Noble Phanstasm pierces through Artemis’ beam. It is an arrow created solely for Artemis, fired out of Orion’s love for her. It ignores all of Artemis’ defenses, evades every obstacle in its path, and soon strikes Artemis herself.[42]
The moment it struck her Artemis realized the arrow was Orion’s very essence, a Noble Phantasm activated at the coast of his life to destroy her. It held no animosity toward her, instead it was kind, merciful, compassionate, merciful, sorrowful, and loving. Artemis realizes Orion loved his Artemis as an equal and she was jealous of that. She knows she isn’t his Artemis but she is nonetheless happy Orion cared enough to aim his arrow, his love, at her.[42]
She sees the memory of when Orion rejected her counterpart’s offer to make him a god so they could be together always. Orion accepted the limitations of being a mortal human, feeling that one day him being part of humanity will become very important. Though she didn’t quite understand it, Artemis nonetheless accepted Orion’s decision. She then asked him if he would save her as a human if she ever needed help as a god.[42]
Artemis concludes Orion would save her as a human. She calls him an arrogant, foolish human filled with foolish sentiment, but that is why it’s beautiful to her. She then shuts down completely, finally able to sleep at long last, and her crumbling body explodes.[42]
Orion starts to disappear. He knows it will be hard for RItsuka to go on without him, but he is glad Ritsuka understands they have to keep moving forward. He confesses a part of him will miss Artemis, but he accepts this how it should be. He thanks Ritsuka because he couldn’t have saved her without them.[42]
He then reminds Ritsuka Grand Servants are summoned for a very specific reason, so he warns them to be careful.[42]
At Orion’s request, Ritsuka gives him one last handshake, their vision blurring from the tears. Orion tells them it’s fine to cry but warns not to get too caught up in the past as that is how history’s cycles repeat. He tells them that they will pass the baton one day and when they do they’ll find they’re the proudest they’ve ever been. He is proud of both them and the history that created them.[42]
Ritsuka tells Orion goodbye, which he does in turn. As for the rest of Chaldea, Orion tells them to give it their all supporting Ritsuka and Mash and thanks Goredolf for giving RItsuka the push they needed. He then disappears, remembering all their allies.[42]
Joined by Jason, Ritsuka and Mash rejoins the rest of Chaldea in the Storm Border and set sail for the Great Pit.[42]
As the heroes sail closer to the Great Pit, Ritsuka looks at the Tree through the periscope at Nemo’s request and notices there is something off about it. Nemo puts the periscope’s feed on the monitor so the others can see. Everyone realizes the Tree is an illusion.[42]
Holmes deduces Olympus actually exists underground through the Tree’s power to alter reality. The Storm Border is then pulled toward the Great Pit by a powerful gravitational force.[42]
Final Showdown: The Hollow Sea God[]
The Storm Border submerges to slow down the rate of descent, but Poseidon rams the ship. On Nemo’s command, torpedoes are launched at the sea god, only for them to hit his magical energy barrier. Four Divine Cores originally powered it, but with one missing thanks to Drake, there is now a considerable hole in the barrier. Said hole is located toward Poseidon’s aft quarter.[43]
Goredolf suggests firing a payload of torpedoes, but Nemo says that wouldn’t be enough to destroy Poseidon’s back. As it was with Artemis, Poseidon will not stop unless all his Divine Cores are destroyed. Unfortunately, the cores are themselves protected by the barrier.[43]
Holmes recommends entering the barrier through the gap and attacking the cores directly. He understands it is incredibly risky, but they have no other option at this point. Nemo agrees to the plan and sails the Storm Border through the barrier. Once he does, he ejects the Shadow Border, with the others already in it, onto Poseidon’s back.[43]
With Goredolf driving the Shadow Border, the heroes head for Poseidon’s cores. They quickly learn Poseidon has a defensive system in place in the event his barrier is breached when a beam attack narrowly misses them. But It seems to have been hastily as seen by the defensive armaments’ inconsistent aim. Holmes surmises Poseidon created it after Drake stole one of his cores.[43]
Ritsuka and Mash exit the Shadow Border and proceed to destroy a core. They then return to the Shadow Border at Jason’s urging.[43]
Goredolf is annoyed Jason isn’t helping RItsuka and Mash with destroying the cores. Jason says he’s recuperating, adding that not every injury is visible when Goredolf calls him the picture of health. Goredolf realizes the truth about Jason, but Holmes tells him to focus on driving to the next core.[43]
Mash decides to head out onto the deck and keep Ortenaus active, with Ritsuka deciding to come with her. Holmes believes that is for the best as Ritsuka and Mash seem to be the primary locus of attack. He agrees to explain why that is on the way.[43]
As the Border heads for the next core, Mash defends against Poseidon’s attacks when he suddenly becomes more aggressive. The sea god now seems to think the heroes are Drake, for whom he expresses absolute murderous rage toward, wanting nothing left of her corpse to remain. Regardless, the second core is reached and Ritsuka and Mash destroy it.[43]
Joined by Jason, Ritsuka and Mash soon arrive at the final core, which, according to Da Vinci, is stronger than the others, when they are ambushed by Chiron. He explains Poseidon is a terraforming ship in charge of the modification and control of the oceanic environments, but now he is nothing more than the Great Pit’s guard. Even then, Poseidon still had some semblance of sanity, at least until Drake stole one of his cores.[43]
Chiron is surprised to see Jason, but that doesn’t matter, as he declares himself the last defender of Atlantis. He killed Achilles while the heroes killed Odysseus, so any chance of peaceful resolution is long gone. He then challenges the heroes, having sworn to Odysseus to defend Atlantis with his life. Jason accepts, but he doesn’t join Ritsuka and Mash in fighting Chiron.[43]
With the final core’s destruction, Poseidon is damaged by repair. Shutting down, he curses humans and Proper Human History.[43]
Poseidon destroyed.
Starting to disappear, Chiron questions how he lost when he outmatched the heroes in every way. Jason answers there is no clear answer to that question. The heroes only had their will to succeed no matter and swore to keep going, even when things seemed hopeless. The Atlantis Border Guard, meanwhile, had everything going for them and peace of mind knowing they were on the side of the gods. From Jason’s perspective, that was their biggest failing. Chiron doesn’t buy it but accepts it as one way of thinking about the issue.[43]
With Poseidon’s body now falling apart, Ritsuka and Mash get ready to return to the Storm Border before it’s too late. Jason refuses to go with them, however, and asks Ritsuka to summon him in less hectic circumstances. Ritsuka hugs and thanks him. Jason is a bit annoyed and urges the two to hurry. Ritsuka leaves with Mash, telling Jason they’ll see him again someday.[43]
After Ritsuka and Mash are gone, Jason becomes all bloodied up and collapses. It turns out he didn’t escape the explosion and that his unscathed appearance was an illusion maintained by the Mystic Code Medea gifted him. Jason had used it to make it appear to the others he was an accomplished tactician when he was extremely anxious the entire time.[43]
Chiron is amazed to know there are heroes who refuse to rely on the gods would require such desperate measures to maintain their reputation. He has trouble, though, imagining a world without the gods and asks if humans can truly survive in such a world.[43]
Jason insists they can, saying the Proper Human History Chiron taught humans many things about living without the gods. Chiron accepts their ways of life are just too different, which Jason agrees with. The two then disappear, agreeing neither of them will die with any regrets.[43]
The Shadow Border rejoins with the Storm Border. However, with Poseidon dead, the magical energy barrier holding back the seawater is gone as well, so now a massive surge of water is heading toward the Storm Border’s dorsal section.[43]
Nemo destroys Poseidon’s hull with the Storm Border’s anti-ship missiles and then descends the Great Pit.[43]
It was a turbulent descent, but no one is worse for wear. Nevertheless, the Chaldeans have reached their destination: Olympus.[43]
Meanwhile, Musashi spots the Storm Border in the night sky. She was worried, but she always trusted they would pull through. However, while she wishes she could go and join them, Olympus has proven to be far more brutal than Atlantis. Regardless, she has no other choice now and heads for the next hideout since this one looks to be deserted as well.[43]
Elsewhere, Muramasa speaks with Hephaestus, who insists a true blacksmith transcend good and evil and only seeks to create. Muramasa isn’t sure about that, only knowing he has to forge what his employer wants now that he has been summoned, even if it ends being used to destroy his world. It doesn’t matter if he is unhappy with him because he still has to do his job as a Servant. However, he didn’t expect that his cutting down of Hephaestus would become the catalyst to restore the forge god to working order.[43]
Hephaestus responds to Muramasa that he protected him when he was originally going to be destroyed. His Atlantis self’s logic led him to side with Proper Human History, but now he is choosing to side with Olympus. Even so, he would still like Muramasa’s help. Murasama agrees to help so long as it is something he can do.[43]
Olympus: Interstellar City Mountains[]
Interstellar Mountainous City, Olympus[]
The Chaldeans see a floating city on top of which sits an enormous structure. Above that are mountains of translucent crystal, beyond which lies the Tree.[6]
Mash is surprised by the size of the hollow space and that it doesn’t look subterranean. Holmes deduces, however, it is the true face of the Lostbelt while Atlantis was an illusion. He questions how the Lostbelt was able to control this space to such degree and how was able to advance this far, though. He also contrasts the Lostbelt with the Chinese Lostbelt in that its Tree is allowed to openly flourish instead of being completely hidden.[6]
Nemo estimates there are at minimum at least ten million people living in the city. Holmes reminds everyone of what Da Vinci said before, that they cannot once blind themselves to the consequences of their actions, the effects of which depend on the individual. He is delighted by how they all held onto their humanity in the face of such adversity.[6]
Da Vinci reports the atmosphere’s magical energy is denser than the Seventh Singularity. Goredolf is incredulous the Lostbelt would have greater magical energy density than the Age of Gods.[6]
A signal from the enormous structure then infiltrates Chaldea’s comms line. A booming voice demands the Chaldeans prostrate themselves before him. The pressure of his voice is so intense that it is as powerful as a spell designed to attack the mind. Da Vinci raises the Storm Border’s Bounded Field output at Holmes’s requests to protect Ritsuka and Meuniere. The voice then gives his name: Zeus, the King of God and the Lostbelt King.[6]
Holmes states Zeus isn’t a Divine Spirit, but a genuine god whose power would make him a ruler of the planet. Mash asks if that means Zeus is like Scáthach-Skadi in the Scandinavian Lostbelt or God Arjuna. Holmes replies no.[6]
Da Vinci explains they were only able to weaken God Arjuna’s Divinity by attacking the faith he engendered. However, with the Olympians, that is impossible to do because their existences are fundamentally different. Their godly function is a core part of their being and nothing can be done to alter that. Zeus is very much the most powerful foe Chaldea has faced to date, an omnipotent king of gods said to have the Authority to destroy the universe.[6]
Shocked, Meuniere asks Nemo, since he is a demi-god on Poseidon’s side, if the Olympic gods are as the myth describe or if they are something entirely different.[6]
Nemo answers he doesn’t know, but if the Lostbelt developed along an entirely different timeline, it wouldn’t surprise if the gods all turned out to be Machine Gods. Thinking back on Poseidon and Artemis, he furth supposes that if these gods possess the same qualities as described in myth and possess powerful mechanical bodies, then their true bodies were always machines, even in Proper Human History. He realizes something about the Lostbelt and becomes lost in thought.[6]
Meuniere snaps him out of it, but Nemo only advises against going up against Zeus. Da Vinci concurs as there is no way to reduce his power, as was the case with Skadi and God Arjuna.[6]
Zeus attacking the Storm Border.
Fou suddenly starts barking when the Storm Border hit with something akin to turbulence. Zeus attacks the ship with his great thunderbolts, each one as strong as Artemis’ cannon. Fortunately, his attack is dispersed by the Spirit Origin chaff grenade-like defensive system Nemo and Da Vinci immediately deployed. Da Vinci had just finished it before the Chaldeans went down the Great Pit, originally intending to use it to defend against Artemis’ cannon. Nemo activated it as soon as he heard the “Z” in Zeus.[6]
However, the Storm Border is still technically falling since it wasn’t designed to fly. Meuniere is trying his best to slow down their fall. Goredolf orders Ritsuka and Mash to go and stay in their seats and keep an eye on the monitors for any body of water they could use for an emergency landing.[6]
Holmes quickly realizes staying up in the air any longer isn’t safe and shouts for the engine to be opened up full throttle. They need to land while the chaff is still working.[6]
Nero finds a spot 4000 meters below where they can use the tree to cushion their descent. Da Vinci follows his instruction on how to control their descent toward the spot while continuing to disperse chaff.[6]
The Storm Border is soon struck by one of Zeus’ thunderbolt. Fortunately, though, the Chaldeans succeed in their emergency landing on the western perimeter. They quickly camouflage their ship both optically and magically to avoid enemy detection.[6]
Ritsuka confirms with Goredolf that they replenished their Command Spells. Goredolf reminds RItsuka they were only able to scrap the back-up Command Spells in time thanks to running the Wandering Sea’s Magical Reactors at full blast, Holmes and Da Vinci’s expertise, and Sion pulling a few all-nighters. Only time and luck will tell if they can make more, so they are very fortunate they can use them now. Chaldea will use every resource at their disposable to ensure the Tree falls.[6]
Da Vinci finds where they landed, the outskirts of Olympus, to be most fortunate as scans show there is nothing and no one around. However, as Holmes points out, they are all essentially stuck until they can restart the Magical Reactors (shut down to camouflage the Storm Border’s magic energy signature) and that will take some time.[6]
Nemo suddenly collapses. The great thunderbolt that struck the Storm Border didn’t damage the ship too badly, but it did damage Nemo’s Spirit Core. Mash fears this means the great thunderbolts are Anti-Servant attacks. Goredolf orders Nurse to be called in immediately. Da Vinci collapses as well since she was acting as the ship’s CPU at the time. Nurse arrives and learns why they were called.[6]
Later, Meuniere and Holmes inform the others that Nemo and Da Vinci are currently asleep recuperating in the recovery pods. Externally, they seem fine, but their Spirit Cores have suffered considerable damage. But they are expected to make a full recovery in a few days.[6]
Goredolf orders Ritsuka and Mash to head out and investigate, along with finding and recruiting the Servants who came from Atlantis. Holmes warns, however, that further Heroic Spirit summoning will be impossible in Olympus as the leyline are under constant observation and are too god-made to be of any use to them.[6]
Meuniere hands Ritsuka and Mash disguise Mystic Codes Da Vinci made earlier in Atlantis based on Holmes’s Noble Phantasm.[6]
Holmes makes two suggestions to Goredolf. The first is to send the combat and environmental data they’ve gathered to the Wandering Sea. The second he whispers in Goredolf’s ear, and though shocked, the director agrees to his proposal.[6]
Ritsuka and Mash then leave the Storm Border and head for the city of Olympus after Goredolf reiterates his orders.[6]
Great Orbital Shrine Olympia Dodona
In the Great Orbital Shrine, Olympia Dodona, the center of Olympus’ operations, Europa gives a lengthy introductory speech for Zeus. Zeus appears in a flash of lighting and trusts all gathered, which Europa assures. Those also gathered are Aphrodite, Demeter, Dioscuri, Limbo, Rasputin. [6]
Zeus announces that the Fantasy Tree Magellan, correcting himself to Atlas the World Tree, is about to bloom. He declares they must restore mythology to its rightful place, intending to spread the Lostbel’s divine power across the bleached Earth. He will use all his power to save the world in place of the gods who left in Proper Human History, declaring it soon to lose humanity.[6]
Limbo is delighted to know Atlas has grown so quickly. He is certain this Lostbelt will be where the Alien God shall descend. He is disappointed that not all three Alter Egos could be gathered for this occasion, but he nevertheless pledges to help grow Atlas to maturity and ensure the Alien God’s descent goes undeterred.[6]
Aphrodite threatens Limbo for speaking of the Alien God when Zeus already said he would save the world. Demeter implores Aphrodite to remain calm and advises her not to underestimate gods from foreign lands, especially Limbo. She had heard Limbo single-handedly plunged India into a hellish cycle of reincarnation, so she advises Aphrodite not to be careful lest Limbo turn all of Olympus into Tartarus.[6]
Not taking Demeter seriously, Aphrodite reprimands Limbo for speaking of a god from another planet, knowing full well they are descendants of Chaos who migrated here from across the galaxy. She further admonishes for not knowing how 14,000 years ago, the point of the Lostbelt’s divergence, Zeus destroyed the foreign invader that came to destroy all life on the planet.[6]
Her anger at Limbo’s insolent behavior quickly reaches a boiling point. Dioscuri calm her down, however, by reminding her they are all equally invested in growing Atlas to maturity and how Kirschtaria said cooperating is in their best mutual interest despite their different long-term goals. Mockingly, Limbo expresses surprise that Aphrodite would take advice from a mere human.[6]
Rasputin tells Limbo to stop with his jokes, reminding him it was his tendency to misjudge the audience that led to his failure in India. Limbo claims his failure in India affected him more than he thought. He then cuts his own head off as an apology, only for his head to reattach.[6]
Zeus tells everyone to be silent. He understands their anger and impatience, but they all must accept the fact none of them would exist without Atlas. They all must come to terms with this if they are to overcome the Tree’s hold over them.[6]
Rasputin infers this to mean Zeus intends to cut down the Tree. Limbo says they have no objections to what is done to the Tree after it is gone to maturity. However, he laughs at the very idea of overcoming the Tree’s hold and questions if even Zeus is capable of that.[6]
Zeus knows it is a task beyond even him, which was why he allied with his sworn friend Kirschtaria. Aphrodite and Demeter are shocked Zeus would still consider a human a friend. Zeus tells them to be silent, saying Kirschtaria is no ordinary human and no ordinary human could be that strong.[6]
Meanwhile, Kadoc walks down the Machina Corridor, surprised Kirschtaria is alllowing him to roam unsupervised. He feels stupid for be constantly wary of assassination attempts, having thought a Crypter without a Lostbelt has no reason to be kept alive. He had thought Kirschtaria would take his Sirius Light and be done with him.[6]
He remembers Marisbury told them the Sirius Light is the power to overturn the world and possessing is what makes them Crypters. Team A had studied for every possible abnormality that could occur in the Seven Singularities and trained for every possible scenario in the simulator. The Sirius Light was meant to be Team A’s trump card in their mission to save the world.[6]
But Kadoc finds it strange they were never told the true nature of the Sirius Light, only that they’re that even more powerful Command Spells and produce more magical energy than the user could naturally generate. Kirschtaria was entrusted with the timing of their usage, so he should be the only one who knows how the Sirius Light is really to be meant to be used. Kadoc therefore finds it odd Kirschtaria didn’t take his Sirius Light away.[6]
He wonders if Kirschtaria truly believes the Crypters are all equal in the eyes of the Alien God, like he’s been saying ever since they were resurrected. But since Kirschtaria is a noble, he thinks he has an ulterior motive. He also suspects Kirschtaria know something about the Sirius Lights, the Alien God, the Fantasy Tree, and why the Lostbelts exist in the present day. He then decides to uncover whatever it is Kirschtaria and Zeus are planning, and for that, he’ll need a big distraction.[6]
In the Crypters meeting room, Peperoncino insists Kirschtaria take his Sirius Light for his failure in the Indian Lostbelt. Kirschtaria, however, tells him to keep it, as the Sirius Light hasn’t been his responsibility since Team A ceased to be relevant.[6]
Peperoncino realizes Ophelia died because she used her Sirius Light and presumes that is what Marisbury had in mind when he assembled Team A. Kirschtaria only remains silent, but from that, Peperoncino is able to make connections he couldn’t before. He laughs that this truly means they are enemies of humanity.[6]
He then tells Kirschtaria he is certain the Apostles aren’t planning on any of the Lostbelts surviving despite constantly claiming the strongest one will become the new Foundation of Humanity. Limbo’s rantings practically confirmed this for him.[6]
Since Peperonicino learned all this on his own, Kirschtaria concludes he isn’t in violation of his contract with the Alien God. Yet despite what Peperoncino told him, he is still determined to use everything at his disposal to make the Lostbelt the new Proper Human History. Peperoncino leaves the room after offering his assistance. Kirschtaria is grateful to him and considers him the most humane and honorable of all the Crypters.[6]
The Priestess appears, unhappy about what Kirschtaria and Peperoncino discussed. Kirschtaria tells her Peperoncino came to his own conclusions based on what Limbo said, so there is no need to eliminate him. He also didn’t tell the other Crypters any of the Alien God’s secrets. He has therefore not breached the contract.[6]
He tells the Priestess that the Tree is now a fully grown catalyst, ready to bring her true form down to this world. But he has no intention of stopping Zeus from using the Tree’s magical energy for his own ideal, having already promised he wouldn’t. He is well aware if Zeus’ plan comes to fruition, the Tree’s magical energy will be depleted and the Alien God’s descent will be delayed. If that happens, he will be in breach of contract and his life will be forfeit.[6]
However, he assures the Priestess that will not happen as Zeus’ ideals are doomed to fail. It would be trivial for him to see Zeus’ ideals realized or ensure the Alien God’s descent, but Chaldea and whatever course of action Ritsuka will take may pose an obstacle to either outcome. He can hope only Ritsuka’s spirit hasn’t broken yet, wishing to fight them again and conclusively demonstrate their efforts are for naught.[6]
Olympus's Reception (First Half)[]
Two hours have passed since Ritsuka and Mash departed from the Storm Border and their comms still aren’t working. Mash figures this is because of the magical energy in the atmosphere. She figures further that they need to return to the Border to report their findings. The pair then head for the city after activating their disguise Mystic Codes.[12]
Arriving in the city, the pair find it comparable to a modern-day city in Proper Human History and that the people seem happy. Talking to a citizen, they learn the enormous structure above the city is the Holy Vessel Cronos Crown and inside that is the castle of the gods, Great Orbital Shrine Olympia Dodona. The crystal mountains provide unlimited magical energy. The people also seem well aware they wouldn’t exist without the Tree.[12]
Speaking with another citizen, Ritsuka and Mash learn they were four wars――machia――in the Lostbelt’ past. The first was the war between the gods and the titans, the second between the gods and the White Death, the third between the gods and the gigantes, and the fourth was the civil war. The followers of the gods who lost were exiled to Atlantis. Humans have never waged war with each other and never will.[12]
From another citizen, Ritsuka and Mash learn Zeus’ wife is Europa, a demi-god assimilated with Hera. They also learn Kirschtaria is known and respected through all of Olympus.[12]
Europa makes a public broadcast from Olympia Dodona, warning the citizens that two intruders have infiltrated Olympus. They are from Chaldea――from Proper Human History――and they have already destroyed four other Lostbelts. Because peaceful co-existence is impossible with such beings, Europa permits the citizens to use violence against them, who can be identified by the red marks on their right hand. She ends the broadcast telling the citizens that is Zeus’ command they kill the Chaldeans should they find them.[12]
Ritsuka and Mash make a run for it, with everyone now terrified of them thanks to Europa’s broadcast. They’re soon stopped by an Olympian Soldier. They try fighting him, but he proves to be stronger than the Atlantis border guards and possesses magical energy on par with a Heroic Spirit.[12]
Holmes suddenly ambushes the soldier, annoyed that his prediction that everyone in Olympus would possess magical energy on par with a Heroic Spirit has proven correct. He confesses to Ritsuka and Mash he has been following them in spirit form. He hoped his suspicions would prove groundless and he could return to the Border and continue protecting the crew. But as that is not the case, he joins Ritsuka and Mash in fighting the soldier.[12]
But when it looks like Mash will be killed, Holmes blocks the soldier’s blade with his baritsu at the cost of injuring himself. He tells RItsuka and Mash to escape while he holds off the soldier somehow. The soldier swings his sword to kill Holmes, but Musashi suddenly arrives and blocks him.[12]
With Musashi’s help, the heroes defeat the soldier, who is surprised he lost against regular human Heroic Spirits. Musashi kills him and tells Ritsuka they will have to get used to killing now that they’re in the heart of enemy territory. She apologizes under her breathe. The heroes then escape through the back alley when more soldiers arrive, cutting down any soldiers in their way.[12]
The back alley seems safe enough, so the heroes take this time to rest after Holmes establishes a concealment Bounded Field with a talisman.[12]
They talk about how strong the soldiers were, both physically and mentally. Holmes finds it obvious that the soldiers would fight their hardest to protect their world. Fighting a Lostbelt’s local populace was always a possibility, but it has become reality. Everyone in the Lostbelt should now be considered an enemy and the city will be on the lookout for the heroes. They are both innocents who rely on the Tree for their survival and vicious enemies who seek to kill the heroes.[12]
Ritsuka says that is why they need to hold their heads high. Musashi is delighted by Ritsuka’s resolve, figuring the Chaldeans have experienced other worlds following Russia.[12]
She gets worried though the soldiers may be able to hear through the Bounded Field. Holmes assures that will not happen as the soldiers are still limited by their human perception. The city’s defensive systems may detect magical energy, but given the amount in the atmosphere, a Servant will not be noticed, unless they’re a Divine Spirit. However, a god or something similar could detect the Bound Field.[12]
The Bounded Field is shattered, having been found by one such being. From the other side of the alley, a bronze giant looks down on the heroes and targets them for elimination.[12]
Olympus's Reception (Second Half)[]
The heroes fight the giant, ending with Musashi severing its right arm. However, Musashi’s intuition tells her it isn’t over yet. She is proven right when the giant’s arm reattaches itself and its previously declining magical energy levels are completely restored. The heroes fight the giant again, intending to make a hasty retreat after defeating it.[44]
They defeat the giant and get ready to escape. Musashi offers to help Holmes, but he declines, claiming he can run on his own. But Musashi gets mad at him for trying to act tough when his Spirit Core is damaged. Ritsuka and Mash realize Holmes hadn’t completely recovered from his injury he received in the Scandinavian Lostbelt. Mash scolds Holmes for not telling them his Spirit Core hasn't fully recovered from then and for fighting in his condition.[44]
Holmes confesses he didn’t want Ritsuka and Mash to be the only one risking their lives. He apologizes to Musashi and accepts her offer to assist. The heroes then make their escape.[44]
They make it to the main road, which is empty now thanks to Europa’s broadcast, and run along it. Musashi stops, though, having sensed something heading their way. To her frustration, it is the bronze giant. Seeing its instantaneous regeneration, Ritsuka and Mash realize it has Demeter Klironomia.[44]
Europa and Dioscuri confront the heroes. Castor tries to kill Mash for speaking his name, but Musashi blocks it. Musashi is shocked at how fast it was and is thankful for the support spell Holmes casted on her earlier. Castor reluctantly heeds Europa’s command to stay his blade and returns to Pollux’s side.[44]
Aphrodite and Demeter arrive, the former of who uses her Authority to subdue the heroes mentally despite their protective talismans. The sky then suddenly darkens for a moment as Zeus declares the heroes are to be executed. Europa orders Dioscuri to give the heroes a quick and painless death. The heroes get up and fight the twin gods and the bronze giant Talos.[44]
From their homes, the people of Olympus cheer for the death of Chaldea. Europa, Aphrodite, and Demeter merely watch the battle unfold.[44]
Holmes is struck by one of Zeus’ lighting bolts when he all but confirms to Musashi he knows a way out of the situation. He still lives fortunately because according to Dioscuri all of Zeus’ thunderbolts so far have him being just flexing.[44]
Dioscuri and Talos get ready to finish off the heroes when a sudden dissonance sounds, disrupting with their god-made leyline network. The twin gods are then bombarded with magical energy blasts from behind. A boy and girl, concealed by the dust, urges the heroes to escape while they distract the gods.[44]
A hooded man appears and urges the heroes to follow him if they wish to live. They agree, so he calls upon Minerva, a mechanical owl, to disrupt Dioscuri’s leyline network again as they escape. Castor swears bloody revenge on the Chaldeans.[44]
Godbreaker Alliance base
The heroes are brought to Olympus’ underground, which was once the domain of Hades. The hooded man assures the heroes Zeus will not find them here. He denies it is some sort of resistance base like Holmes surmised. He then plays a message from the Servants who infiltrated Olympus.[44]
The message starts with Nikola Tesla saying by the time the Chaldeans hear this message, all Servants who made to Olympus will have been annihilated. But convinced to restart the recording on a more postive note (this time with audio and video), he, Helena Blavatsky, Thomas Edison, Mordred, and Kintoki introduce themselves as the Godbreaker Alliance, a group dedicated to fall of the Machine Gods.[44]
Thou Art the Harvest that Reaps the Stars (I)[]
In the Hanging Perimeter Gardens, Europa sees the birds are chirping merrily again today, as if to sing Olympus’ praises, yet her heart is ill at ease.[13]
Peperoncino feels bad for Europa. He then asks how she feels being fused with Hera, who is essentially her mother-in-law. He guesses Zeus must be really attached to her, considering she also acts as his priestess.[13]
Europa tells Peperoncino that during the Olympiamachia Hera’s original mechanical body. But Zeus was reluctant to lose his queen forever, fused her remnants with Europa, a Heroic Spirit from Proper Human History, thereby prolonging both of their lives. Europa sees this as proof of Zeus’ love for both of them.[13]
She thanks Peperoncino for his concern. Peperoncino agrees to tell her about the Chaldeans when Demeter enters.[13]
Demeter correctly presumes Europa seeks information on Chaldea and Proper Human History because she feels responsible for letting the Chaldeans escape yesterday. She tells her not to worry about such things and to leave it to her and the other gods. She reminds her she is still only a demigod and Zeus wouldn’t want her to push herself beyond her limits. All she needs to sit and smile by the flowers like any young maiden her age.[13]
She asks Europa if she has met her daughter Persephone, wanting them to be good friends. Europa tries to tell Demeter what happened to Peresphone. Demeter interrupts her and expresses dread with the procedure by which Heroic Spirits are made, as humans should only be born from their mothers.[13]
She insists Europa think of her as her now, for she is a goddess of the land and the land is mother to all. She says the sea was also supposed to be a mother. Peperoncino is confused as he sensed no feminity from Poseidon and assumes Demeter is talking about the Oceanids. Demeter tells him that wasn’t what she meant, though she supposes it would be difficult for him to understand.[13]
Meanwhile, the Border crew detects a Divine Spirit-level Servant has drifted in from Atlantis. They also watch a video Sion had sent them. In it, she says the data they sent her about the Aegis Eclipse was the final key to give humans the means to bring down gods.[13]
Thou Art the Harvest that Reaps the Stars（II)[]
A flashback shows Edison trying to hold the last line of defense with his mass-produced mechanical soldiers. A heavily injured Helena says she finished the first two summoning positions. But they do not have the time for her to at least finish the third and fourth. She, Edison, and Tesla are then all presumably killed when the gods demolish the district they were fighting in.[9]
Ritsuka wakes up in their room in the Godbreaker base. Mash enters and sees Ritsuka’s face is pale. Ritsuka thinks it is because of the nightmare they had. Mash confesses she had a nightmare and thinks it is because they learned every Servant who came to Olympus from Atlantis were annihilated. But she tries to stay positive, thankful for the base and Musashi’s aid. She and Ritsuka then leave to join Musashi and Holmes.[9]
Musashi decides to tell the others what happened to her following the Russian Lostbelt. She confirms her drifting always puts her in different worlds, never the same one she drifted from. Before, if she wanted to drift back to the same world Chaldea was in, she would have to keep drifting between worlds and hope she got lucky.[9]
But when she drifted out of Russia, she found herself on the blank Earth of 2017. Her subsequent drifts always led her back to the blank Earth of 2017, albeit at a different location each time. She realized she gained the ability to long distance teleport.[9]
While testing out her newfound ability, she one day met a robed man and traveled with him. He caught her up with what Chaldea had been up to following Russia. It was then she decided to sneak into the Atlantic Lostbelt ahead of Chaldea and wait for them. The robed man foresaw a Grand Servant would appear in the Lostbelt and that the Chaldeans would need Musashi’s aid.[9]
Ritsuka and Mash ask Musashi for more info on the robed man, wondering if he is the Chaldean. Musashi replies she can’t answer that, as the robed man promised her not to. Considering he sent Musashi to aid them, Ritsuka and Mash hold on to hope that the robed man is an ally to Chaldea.[9]
Musashi then spars Ritsuka, Mash, and Holmes, who is recovered now thanks to Demeter Klironomia, to cheer Ritsuka and Mash up.[9]
Afterward, though, Ritsuka and Mash get depressed again when Holmes praises Olympus as a true utopia that he doubts Proper Human History could best. Musashi scolds Holmes for depressing Ritsuka and Mash again. She continues, it doesn’t matter what the Lostbelt is because Chaldea still needs to defeat it if they and Proper Human History are to survive.[9]
Mash confesses to Musashi they have already decided to learn about the people whose world they’re trying to cut off again from Proper Human History and that it’d be wrong to avert their eyes from the effects of their actions.[9]
Musashi, however, says she was actually telling them to separate themselves from such things. She thinks it’s fine for them to worry about their opponent’s circumstances and their own moral code, but burdening themselves with it will only lead to their loss on the battlefield. Ritsuka and Mash know that she is right.[9]
The hooded man enters and introduces the heroes to the twins who helped save them yesterday. They are Macarios and Adele, the last remnants of the Godbreaker Alliance.[9]
Adele confirms she and her brother are full-fledged citizens of Olympus. She tries to tell the truth of their situation, but Macarios tells her to save it for later so to focus on catching the Chaldeans up to speed. He then activates an A.I. Tesla made utilizing the personalities of the Servants who stayed and fought in Olympus.[9]
The A.I. reveals the gods all came to Earth from across the universe. Holmes deduces they are akin to machines built by a highly advanced civilization, possibly from another universe.[9]
Continuing, the A.I. suspects the Lostbelt diverged 14,000 years ago with the machia following the Titanomachia――the war in which the gods overthrew the Titans and Zeus’ rule was established――, the Leukosmachia, during which the gods battled with an enemy that threatened the world. It was never recorded in Proper Human History and few citizens of Olympus know anything about it.[9]
The Gigantomachia――battle against the gigantes――serves as a further evidence that the Leukosmachia was the point of divergence. In Proper Human History, the Gigantomachia was the second and final machia and the gods achieved victory with the aid of human heroes like Heracles. But in the Lostbelt’s history, it was the third machia and the gods won in an instant.[9]
Holmes deduces the gods' instant victory was thanks to them still retaining their original machine bodies, unlike how it was in Proper Human History. Furthermore, they would have not been affected by the deteriorating Age of Gods.[9]
The A.I. reveals the civil war between gods revolved around whether they should rule over humans or coexist with them. Zeus, Demeter, Aphrodite, Hera, and Artemis wanted to rule, while Athena, Hades, Poseidon, Apollo, Hestia, Ares, and Hephaestus wanted coexistence. Their conflict became know as the Olympiamachia and the gods killed fell to Atlantis, where their remains became the islands. Ultimately, the gods for ruling over humanity won and punished the losing faction. For example, Poseidon’s Divine Core was rewritten, and he became little more than an automated guard for the Great Pit.[9]
Today, five gods rule over Olympus from the Olympia Dodona: Zeus, Europa (fused with Hera), Demeter, Aphrodite and Dioscuri. However, with Dioscuri, they are no longer a god but a Divine Spirit. Kirschtaria killed them and contracted them to be his Servant once they were reduced to a Divine Spirit.[9]
Macarios expresses sheer rage and disgust at Dioscuri. Adele explains her brother swore to the late Athena that he would one day take revenge on the twin gods for their murder of their fellow alliance members. Only members remain now, including the twins.[9]
Though baffled by the Chaldeans’ seemingly unfazed reaction to all this information, Macarios is nevertheless happy they are as Edison described: a bunch of weirdoes. The hooded man considers that an apt description for the Chaldeans, though he doubts they can overcome this Lostbelt like they did the previous ones. The twins presume he is the one sent by the Collaborator, the alliance’s secret helper. He is confirms he is acquainted with the Collaborator.[9]
Mash realizes who the hooded man is when Holmes says he is Kadoc. Kadoc removes his disguise, shocked that Mas could see through his spell.[9]
Ritsuka thanks Kadoc for rescuing them, but Kadoc claims he only did it so he could use them as pawns to throw Olympus off-balance.[9]
He recalls to himself when Rasputin brought him back to Olympus that Kirschtaria told him to keep his Sirius Light. Kirschtaria also told him Rasputin rescued him from the Shadow Border of his own volition and that he cannot order the Apostles. He continued that the Alien God only cares if he himself lives or dies as they have the greatest expectations of him. He then gave Kadoc permission to experience Olympus for himself.[9]
Kadoc tells the heroes he intends to expose whatever Zeus and Kirschtaria are planning.[9]
In the gardens, Kirschtaria tells Demeter that her motherly love for all is closer to Zeus’ ideas for the restoration of mythology than his own. Olympus is the ideal he seeks, but he and Zeus differ on their end points. He believes the gods should be even stronger than they are now.[9]
Back in the base, the A.I. tells the heroes that they have an infinitesimal chance of defeating Zeus as he isn’t truly omnipotent. It suspects Zeus became nigh omnipotent when he synchronized all the Titans’ Authority with his own, followed by the Authority of many lesser gods and ultimately his fellow Twelve Olympians’ Authority. Zeus isn’t omnipotent, though, given that he doesn’t even look in Olympus’ underground infrastructure for “villians”. The A.I. therefore surmises the gods of Olympus are conceptual beings and that they rely on the Klironomia. It is in that the heroes have the tiniest hope of victory.[9]
The A.I. then reveals Kirschtaria formed a contract with Zeus as his equal. Kadoc says Kirschtaria seeks to restore the Age of Gods, which will come to fruition if the Atlantic Lostbelt ends up as the new proper timeline. Kirschtaria contracted with Zeus to be certain his Lostbelt’s Tree would grow as fast as possible.[9]
Kadoc finds it strange, though, that Zeus has no problem with the Tree, unlike how it was with the other Lostbelt Kings. He therefore suspects Zeus and Kirschtaria came to a secret agreement about it, but right now he can’t see their endgame. He tells the heroes both Zeus and Kirschtaria can be found in Olympia Dodona and then leaves, doubting they will survive long enough to see Kirschtaria.[9]
Both Musashi and Holmes try to tail Kadoc but both fail thanks to Kadoc’ invisibility and high-speed movement spells.[9]
The heroes agree their destination is Olympia Dodona, but they have no way of getting there without endangering themselves. The twins offer to help with it, knowing the heroes seek to cut the Fantasy Tree Magellan that lies further up Olympia Dodona. They have their own means of air travel, but warn Olympia Dodona is forbidden to humans.[9]
The twins then test the heroes’s strength by having them spare with Nemea, a Klironomia made Chimera that now acts as the base’s trusty guardian after Edison and Tesla made adjustments to it and Helena tamed it with a spell.[9]
Macarios finds the heroes are strong enough to be an even match for the royal guard, but not enough to beat the gods. That is why they’re going to use the machines and attack plans Edison, Tesla, and Helena had left for them.[9]
Ritsika notices Adele is hurt, which she presumes is from when Nemea’s shards were sent flying. Macarios assures the heroes that his sister will be fine, as her wound is instantly healed.[9]
The twins explain no matter how injured they get, the citizens of Olympus always return to their “perfect” forms. They are all practically immortal thanks to the ambrosia――Demeter Klironomia――in their bodies. Only the gods have the power to kill them.[9]
In addition, the citizens of Olympus all have eternal youth with their physical age dependent on how old they were when they were first given ambrosia. While most Olympians are happy with this forced stagnation, the twins are not and that is why they have chosen to rebel.[9]
The twins make it clear they are full aware what will happen if Chaldea is victorious. They are sick of living the same day and desire to see a new tomorrow, even if it means they end up dying for it. They are over ten thousand years old, having supposed to be sent to Atlantis will all the other humans who supported the Coexistence Faction during the Olympiamachia. But they missed the last boat and the gods have forbidden anyone from leaving Olympus. For ten thousand years, they have been stuck in Olympus, living in utter stagnation.[9]
Thou Art the Harvest that Reaps the Stars（III）[]
Zeus orders Demeter to destroy the Chaldeans hidden in the city. He permits her to use her Aletheia in every district of Olympus. Demeter swears upon her beloved daughter Persephone that she will eradicate the Chaldeans.[45]
Castor asks Zeus why he cursed that sage of Proper Human History. Zeus tells him it is because that sage is the very worst of humanity and thus undeserving to know the full wrath of his thunderbolts. Castor asks Zeus more questions: why he didn’t kill the sage on the spot, why he permitted Chaldea’s submarine to disembark on Olympus, and why he didn’t use his great thunderbolts on the ship.[45]
Europa reprimands Castor for speaking to Zeus however he likes. Zeus forgives Castor’s trangession, though, and confesses he didn’t use his great thunderbolts because that would have destroyed the city and its populace, something not even the Demeter Klironomia could undo. He declares they must protect the city, for ever since the Leukosmachia—the day they obtained the Cronos Crown—they have ceased to be a fleet of interstellar ship and became gods.[45]
Later, Zeus speaks with Kirschtaria, using all of his Authority to keep their conservation private, even from the Alien God. He finds irksome though that he cannot prevent the Priestess from seeing them. Kirschtaria tells Zeus that is because she is an observer, which in a way makes her more troublesome than the still bodiless Alien God. But knowing she cannot hear them right now gives Kirschtaria and Zeus an opportunity to discuss their end goals with each other.[45]
Kirschtaria confirms as Zeus surmised that the Alien God is keeping a close eye on him. He is the only Crypter with a direct link to the Alien God, and if he acts in counter to their interests, he would be immediately cut off from further aid. He thus has no choice but to say: “Grow the Fantasy Tree. When it is done, the Reconstruction of Myth will take place.”[45]
Zeus remembers when Kirschtaria told him that. But while he agreed with restoring the Age of Gods, he still insisted on battling Kirschtaria to see if he had the necessary strength to turn his ideals into reality. He lost that fight, though, thanks to him spending most of his power to keep Olympus operational and Kirschtaria’s meteoric magecraft.[45]
He recognizes the Tree is needed to preserve the Lostbelt, but so long it remains, the Alien God will one day descend upon this world. The Olympian gods cannot coexist with the Alien Godd, all they need is the Tree. The Alien God and the Apostles are enemies, nothing more.[45]
Thus, Zeus declares once the moment the Tree fully blossoms, the gods will rebel against the Alien God and the Apostles. He will claim the Tree for himself and destroy the Alien God’s point of arrival. From there, he will destroy Proper Human History and establish his Lostbelt in its place. Yet despite his opposition to Proper Human History, he assures Kirschtaria he will protect humanity in his stead in the event of his death in honor of their friendship and contract.[45]
Kirschtaria tells Zeus there are only a few days before the Tree reaches a critical point, so until then, they will continue working toward the Reconstruction of the Age of Gods. He then leaves, agreeing with Zeus’ request to save his final battle for him.[45]
In the Machina Corridor, Aphrodite runs into Beryl, irritated by his attitude. Beryl calms her down by telling how he just arrived from a godless barbaric island and by praising both Olympus and her. Aphrodite thinks such world should be pruned. She cannot imagine what he suffered in such a Lostbelt, so she will forgive his transgression in light of his decision to abandon that Lostbelt. She then invites him to her shrine, wishing to know about his Lostbelt――the Land of Fairies at the Ends of the World.[45]
Beryl accepts her invitation, but asks her if she knows where Kadoc is. Aphrodite answers she doesn’t know, not caring about Kadoc, and presumes he is out enjoying one of the city’s automated brothel. Beryl finds that works out nicely. If Kadoc is out in the city, Aphrodite finds likely he will get caught up in and killed in the eradication of Chaldea. As he is not a citizen of Olympus, she doubts there will be a trace left of Kadoc. Beryl claims he can only hope Kadoc is somewhere in Olympia Dodona. Aphrodite considers Demeter far too nice for a Machine God.[45]
Demeter demolising the Sout District with Scream Eleusis
In skies of the city’s south district, an enormous sphere appears. It is the true form――Aletheia――of Demeter. She proceeds to demolish the entire district.[45]
Meanwhile, in the alliance base, the heroes feel the vibrations of Demeter’s attack. Adele calls it Scream Eleusis, a scream derived from Demeter’s Authority that can till large swathes of land in an instant. With it Demeter could demolish half of Olympus in half a way.[45]
The twins suspect Demeter is trying to kill the Chaldeans. Demeter’s scream kills everything it touches, so all she needs for her attack to succeed is for the heroes to be in one of the districts she is targeting. None of the citizens care because they know Demeter will regenerate everything she killed or destroyed afterward like she did during Leukosmachia and when she killed Tesla’s group.[45]
The Chaldeans find it hard to believe being resurrected after traumatizing experience wouldn’t affect the citizens psychologically. Adele sees the Chaldeans care about the same things as the Servants with the Alliance. She recalls the Servants tried to save people from the gods’ attack, even though some said it was pointless since they were all going to disappear when Proper Human History is restored. The A.I. ensures Ritsuka and Mash they not will make the same experiences they did and recommends proceeding with Operation Godbreaker.[45]
Arriving in the devastated southern district, the heroes commence with Operation Godbreaker: Demeter Maneuver, with the twins priming the Seven Link Heroic Spirit Cannon to fire.[45]
Thirty minutes ago, before leaving the base, the heroes learned Operation Godbreaker is the name for the strategies devised to defeat each of the gods. Tesla’s group made a lot of headway on them but they failed in their attempt, so it’s up to the heroes to pick up where they left off.[45]
The A.I. showed them a hidden Klironomia dispenser like similiar to the one in Atlantis. Adele said it was an original model, so its Klironomia are more effective as the Klironomia never degrade while near the Cronus Crown――the giant mechanical structure above Olympia Dodona.[45]
Adele explained the dispenser contains Ares and Athena Klironomia, usually only given to the Royal Guard stationed in Olympia Dodona. They will serve as combat boosters until their effects. It is thanks to the Collaborator that the alliance has them. High-purity Klironomia usually reject human Heroic Spirits, but the twins know how to adjust them so that doesn’t happen. Musashi and Mash agree to inject themselves with Klironomia.[45]
While they underwent the procedure, Adele showed footage of Demeter in her true form. She explained Demeter is the ship responsible for providing the Interstellar Olympus Fleet with the necessary supplies and providing the people of Earth with infinite resources. She has Authority over production and regeneration and, while her power consumes a lot of magical energy, the gods have an infinite supply thanks to their connection to the god-made leyline in Olympus’ crystal mountains. Plus, Demeter can infinitely regenerate.[45]
Holmes inquired if they could use the same aural dissonance they used yesterday, since it can cut off the gods from their magical energy. The twins answered they can’t use it freely as it takes a while to recharge with magical energy, so it’s currently out of commission.[45]
Fortunately, Tesla’s group built the Seven Link Heroic Spirit Cannon. It is a Mystic Code all seven of the Servants pooled their magical energy into making. It uses the Klironomia of gods who were in the Coexistence Faction and perished in the Olympiamachia――Hades, Apollo, Ares, and Hephaestus. The Servants, along with the Collaborator, designed it to fire a powerful projectile that should expose a god’s Divine Core with a direct hit. However, it can only be fired once, so the heroes need to get Demeter into position and not miss, all before her scream reaches and destroys the base.[45]
The heroes then left the base to commence Operation Godbreaker after Mash and Musashi finished being injected with Klironomia.[45]
In the present, the heroes fight Demeter’s escort to lure her into the cannon’s line of fire as she heads south, with Mash and Musashi having injected themselves with Athena and Ares Klironomia, respectively. But Demeter suddenly changes direction from south to east, forcing the heroes to lure her toward the position in that direction.[45]
Demeter continues to ignore the heroes even though they keep kill her escort. Since that isn’t working, Holmes recommends attacking her from the front to get her attention. Though risky, the heroes unleash a frontal assault on Demeter to lead her into position.[45]
The heroes eventually get Demeter to slightly alter her course toward them. But even with Mash’s protection, they cannot only take two more strikes from Demeter’s scream. Worse still, they become beset by a large number of Olympian Soldiers.[45]
Thou Art the Harvest that Reaps the Stars（IV）[]
Demeter, remembering Persephone, suddenly attacks her own soldiers with Scream Eleusis, eliminating over half of those caught in it. Holmes finds there was something different about that scream and wonders if Demeter is malfunctioning. The remaining soldiers accuse the heroes of doing something to Demeter and power themselves up to kill them.[46]
However, the soldiers are all ambushed and killed by the surprisingly alive Caenis. Also, thanks to her using Poseidon’s, who was the same type as Demeter, Authority, she neutralized the goddess’ blessing, thereby ensuring the soldiers stay dead.[46]
Goredolf contacts the heroes, relieved to see Caenis found the heroes. He explains Caenis was given a communications relay Da Vinci built to boost their connection and allow for real time communication.[46]
He orders Ritsuka to make use of Caenis to defeat the Machine Gods and cut down the Tree. Caenis threatens to kill Goredolf for saying to “use” her. Terrified, Goredolf reminds Caenis she is indebted to her and that she said she would do whatever was asked after admitting defeat to his negotiation skills.[46]
Caenis tells the Chaldeans that she will kill them once she repays her debt to Goredolf. Musashi wonders if she will make it that far, pointing to the many soldiers. The soldiers cannot believe Caenis is alive and attack her under the belief she is an illusion cast by the Chaldeans. Caenis helps the heroes fight the soldiers.[46]
Half a day earlier, Goredolf had Caenis rescued, she being the Servant the crew detected that drifted in from Atlantis. He had her placed in the recovery pod without restraints and once she recovered, gave her a regular bed. He worried they hadn’t heard back from Ritsuka and decided Caenis was the only person they could send, very well aware of the risks.[46]
With a freshly baked croissant, Goredolf entered the medical bay and nervously introduced himself to Caenis. He offered her the croissant, trying to claim he had no ulterior motive. But Caenis heard the whole conversation he had with Meuniere outside the room.[46]
She couldn’t believe Goredolf would help her, even after she promised to kill everyone. Goredolf told her that because he had her rescued from the brink of death, she was indebted to him. Of course, his original plan was to heal her a bit and negotiate with her while she was still weak, but she recovered faster than expected.[46]
Now that she was fully recovered, Caenis threatened to end negotiations by killing Goredolf if he had no leverage other than saving her. Goredolf told her they defeated Poseidon. Though angry she wasn’t the one to kill Poseidon, Caenis was nevertheless impressed and gave Goredolf five minutes to flee before she kills everyone.[46]
Goredolf, however, refused to abandon his crew, but not out of responsibility as commander, but because he blames himself for what happened to the Earth and Chaldea’s destruction. He admitted it was wrong to insist it was Chaldea’s fault when he knew beforehand they resolved the Incineration of Humanity and believes it would have been better if he hadn’t taken over as director. He is the most important person himself, so he doesn’t want to be a traitor to humanity or a useless coward. That is why he refuses to run, believing he can cut a deal with Caenis.[46]
He then offered Caenis the croissant with tea and milk. Caenis laughed at him for trying to win her over with food, but she accepted and ate the croissant. She then agreed to fulfill any reasonable request Goredolf would ask of her.[46]
Goredolf asked for her help and the fragment of Artemis, complete with her Klironomia, she has. Caenis gave him the fragment and Goredolf left the room to order Meuniere to bring the fragment to Da Vinci. He also told him to use every ounce of the Border’s electricity to contact Sion at the Wandering Sea and tell her they have the last material.[46]
Returning to the room, he then asked Caenis for what she thinks of Kirschtaria as a person.[46]
Demeter hit by the Seven Link Heroic Spirit Cannon.
In the present, Caenis uses Lapithai Caeneus to keep Demeter off balance, allowing the others to topple her within the cannon’s line of fire. The cannon’s blast doesn’t expose her Divine Core as hoped, but her armor is no longer invincible and Caenis has negated her healed. The heroes then work together to crack open Demeter’s armor.[46]
Demeter’s Divine Core is exposed, but her regeneration has restarted in spite of Caenis’ attempts to neutralize it. Caenis gives something to Ritsuka who recognizes as an attachment for the Ortenaus. Goredolf confirms it is a new piece of Ortenaus equipment designed by Da Vinci and Sion. It is called Black Barrel――the Natural Longevity Conceptual Weapon. Ritsuka passes it to Mash, who confesses she had practiced using it in the simulator while on standby at the Wandering Sea.[46]
She installs it, transforming her shield into a cannon, and she uses it to measure Demeter’s lifespan. It is a weapon that copies its target’s lifespan and fires it back as magical energy.[46]
Da Vinci had built it to be limited to Machine Gods. She got the blueprints for it from Sion some time ago, but she needed a benchmark to serve as core: Poseidon’s Divine Core and the Artemis fragment. For the Barrel to fire, though, Ritsuka will need to combine their magical energy, their stamina, and even their fate through a Command Spell.[46]
Mash fires the Black Barrel at Demeter.
Demeter finally takes notice of the heroes and charges with magical energy to unleash a massive scream. With very little time to spare, Ritsuka uses a Command Spell, which Mash immediately loads into the Barrel. She then fires, landing a direct hit on Demeter’s Divine Core.[46]
In her final moments, Demeter finally remembers Persephone died in the Olympiamachia. The Priestess asks her if she has any last regrets before she dies. Demeter answers she only has one regret and prays that the Olympians find peace and go without suffering when their time comes.[46]
The heroes are victorious, but Ritsuka faints from extending all their energy.[46]
Record's Fragment[]
Kirschtaria thinks back to when he was fifteen in the springtime when his life changed. He was enrolled in Astromancy at the Clock Tower and he was chosen to be thirteenth head of his family after the longstanding eleventh head. A prodigy, he was expected to bring about a new age of magecraft, and so he acted like the boy under the bridge he took to Evocation for the past sixth months didn’t exist. He believed he had a duty to fulfill, and that he was going to create something beautiful and wonderful. It was for that reason he frequently visited Evocation.[47]
But one dark night while crossing the bridge, a manservant he frequently saw in his house shot him. Thanks to the spells engraved into his body, Kirschtaria automatically counterattacked and sliced the would-be assassin apart with vacuum blades. But he was already critically wounded with more men coming, all sent by his father.[47]
Applying a weight alteration spell, he threw his ring into the river to trick his pursuers into thinking he fell into it. Afterward, he activated a footstep cancellation spell in his shoes and fled from there as far as he could.[47]
But instead of heading for the city exit, he went back to the bridge and, while making his way through a narrow back alley, he finally lost consciousness. Unbeknownst to him at the time, he was shot with a poison used by a famous mage killer that was designed to attack Magic Circuits directly.[47]
He later woke up in a decrepit room, unable to move from the makeshift bed he was lying on and with the wound in his chest still open. In the corner, he saw something creepy grinning at him.[47]
Kadoc unexpectedly finds Kirschtaria sleeping in the gardens just when he decided to stop by to make it look like he wasn’t gone for two days. He wakes him up and tells him that Caenis helped the Chaldeans kill Demeter. These developments surprise Kirschtaria and he makes a lame music pun about the Chaldeans defeating a god.[47]
He is surprised Kadoc knew something even Europa didn’t and correctly assumes he watched the battle through a familiar. Kadoc claims he needs to be ready to fight again at least one more time. Kirschtaria says that fine but warns Kadoc not to use something he shouldn’t lest he be forced to respond appropriately.[47]
Kadoc, fearing Kirschtaria knows about his activities, changes the subject by positing the Chaldeans defeated Demeter not because they overpowered her but because she seemed preoccupied with looking for something. He asks Kirschtaria if he knows it was.[47]
Kirschtaria reveals Persephone sided with Coexistence Faction during the Olympiamachia so Zeus ordered Demeter to kill her own daughter. Kadoc realizes Demeter was calling out to her daughter as if she was still alive. He finds that almost human of her, but questions how the gods, who are supposed to be machines, can function when they behave so contradictorily.[47]
While he understands Kadoc’s confusion, Kirschtaria insists it is because the gods are machines that there are no contradictions. The Twelve Olympians were never gods to begin with and only became defined as so over time because their functions as ships led the people to seeing them as gods. So the fleet made acting as gods into a new directive to operate more smoothly on the plane since the people wanted superior beings to they could pray to, not cold unfeeling machines.[47]
Kirschtaria states Demeter’s behavior was more of a matter of conflict than a contradiction. Being ultimately a machine, she had no choice but to treat the order to kill her own daughter like any other assigned task. She wasn’t crazy, rather she was in pain.[47]
Kadoc, recalling Kirschtaria seeks to restore the Age of Gods, asks him if the Machine Gods are the type of god he wants to be. Kirschtaria insists gods should rule the world, but he seeks a more perfect age, one where there will be no conflict or contradiction. It is his responsibility to bring about, and it is what the Alien God wishes.
Thou Art the Ardor that Corrupts the Stars（I）[]
In the Machina Corridor, an exhausted Koyanskaya has recently returned from getting a plethora of items from Proper Human History for a client Beryl introduced her to. Then, knowing one of the Machine Gods fell, she insults the Lostbelt as an absolute joke.[48]
Aphrodite, having eavesdropped on Koyanskaya, insults her for talking so loudly and demands she conduct herself properly before a god. Koyanskaya responds by sarcastically presuming Aphrodite is distraught over Demeter, who she insults for getting killed by humans. Aphrodite is amused by Koyanskya’s defiance and assumes she is an Apostle like Limbo.[48]
Koyanskaya corrects Aphrodite that while she is indeed an Alter Ego, she is not one of the Alien God’s three Apostles. Their arrangement is simply one where their mutual interests just happen to align.[48]
Aphrodite wonders whose Servant Koyanskya until she remembers hearing certain Servants not being summoned by anyone in particular. She recalls someone once warned them there were seven evil Spirit Origins that materialized all on their own.[48]
Koyanskaya suspects that was Rasputin as he seems to enjoy giving out warnings that seem nonsensical but are ultimately helpful. She insists that has nothing to do with her, not yet anyway, nor does she think it applies Aphrodite whom she calls Venus.[48]
Amused, Aphrodite finds she and Koyanskaya have much in common and insists they become close to friends. Koyasnskya accepts but asks Aphrodite if it is a good idea as the gods are supposed to protect all humans fairly and she is rumored to particularly favor the Ancients――the descendants of intelligent beings from a bygone continent――even love them. Aphrodite insists she only oversees love and never engages in it. Koyanskaya doesn’t share in her tastes but agrees they both enjoy cruelty.[48]
In the gardens, Aphrodite asks Peperoncino how it feels to have lost his Lostbelt, insulting him as incompetent. She was looking forward to conquering the other Lostbelts with Zeus. But to her disappointment, Chaldea destroyed all of them first.[48]
Peperoncino admits his failures are his own and apologizes to Aphrodite for not meeting her expectations, disappointing Aphrodite that he neither cowered in fear nor burst out in anger.[48]
He then honestly tells Aphrodite that her Proper Human History counterpart was more charming. He has always known Aphrodite to have two sides, but he only sees one side to Lostbelt Aphrodite. Though he admits they do share certain aspects, as he tells Aphrodite about how her counterpart caused the Trojan War. But it was never her intention to trigger a war.[48]
Aphrodite concludes she and her counterpart as nothing in common. She would have no qualms and even enjoy destroying a nation or two.[48]
A flashback shows Mordred, Frankenstein, Kintoki, and Minamoto-no-Raikou being driven to attack one another by a song after they killed the regenerating mechanical Argos. However, Argos was merely a decoy. The flashback end with Mordred killing Frankenstein and immediately feeling remorse for it.[48]
Ritsuka wakes up in their room in the Godbreaker base, greeted by Musashi. RItsuka insists they’re doing fine now, but Musashi doubts it. She tells Ritsuka Mash stayed with them until dawn, originally wanting to stay until they woke up, but as she exhausted herself, the others convinced her to take a nap. So Musashi is in Ritsuka’s room now to check in on them.[48]
She is certain they have recovered by now but believes they deserve to rest more. Ritsuka decides to get some more rest. Musashi offers to tell them about the current situation outside in the meantime. Ritsuka asks her what happened to the city after Demeter was killed.[48]
Musashi tells them recovery operations are already underway and over half of the population has been resurrected thanks to Zeus assuming Demeter’s harvest Authority now she is gone. As for Demeter’s remains, machines disassembled her into her component parts and transported them to Olympia Dodona. Musashi suspects the district will be fully repaired in a few days.[48]
Thinking back to the fight with Demeter, Musashi laments that she was useless compared to everyone else. She only pulled off what she did in Russia because she was super focused. But the battle with Demeter has made her realize the limitations of cutting things from the void and wonders if an empty sword can anything. She says she can see the zero beyond the void and she knows it is her ultimate destination, whether it’s herself or Proper Human History Musashi. She and Ritsuka then leave to have breakfast.[48]
Mash, Goredolf, and Holmes are all glad to see Ritsuka up and about. Holmes tells them they have ttheadvanced healing spells designed for people from Proper Human History the Alliance Servants left behind to thank for their recovery.[48]
The twins are relieved to see Ritsuka has recovered. Goredolf has already been informed about who they are, though it surprises him two natives would willingly help destroy their own world. He then lets Ritsuka know Nemo is still recovering while Da Vinci is supposed to be.[48]
Da Vinci calls and tells Ritsuka their body experienced intense recoil from using the Black Barrel since they were directly linked to it through the Command Spell they loaded into it. She warns firing the Black Barrel even once places a greater burden on their body than a normal Command Spell, so firing it in rapid succession could kill them. Mash would also be out of commission since she is directly linked to the Ortenaus when firing it. Da Vinci then goes to rest like the others recommended.[48]
Caenis enters and reminds the heroes they’ll be back to being enemies once her debt to Goredolf has been repaid. She is pleased Ritsuka understands and wishes them good luck defeating the remaining Machine Gods.[48]
Goredolf reminds Ritsuka the Black Barrel requires their Command Spells and since they already used one against Demeter, the Black Barrel can only be fired two more times. Furthermore, they cannot replenish their Command Spells, even if they return to the Border. The only way would be to return to Chaldea Base and connect themselves to its Magical Reactors as usual.[48]
Asked by Holmes, Goredolf confirms the Border is still defenseless and wishes the heroes could send a Heroic Spirit over to defend it. Macarios ponders on how to get the heroes back to the Border should they need to, but stops upon hearing it is in the western frontier zone. However, while there is no safe way back to the frontier, the twins confirm the underground can be used to access the other zones. Caenis offers to escort someone back to the Border as her Authority over the sea allows her to cross any border, Lostbelt or not.[48]
The A.I. awakens and states the ultimate goal of Operation Godbreaker is to defeat Zeus. For that, they plan to summon a Grand Servant through a great summoning circle using the principles of Chain Summoning and requiring multiple summoning circles placed at various points around the city. A mechanical device called a “Great Summoning Vessel” is needed to act as a catalyst to direct the summoning. It was designed by Telsa, Edison, Helena, and built by the Collaborator.[48]
The Alliance Servants managed to establish and hide four of the seven summon circles required for the great summoning circle before the gods killed. The three remaining need to be set up at various various in the East District. Goredolf orders the heroes to pick up where the Alliance let off. As it will be a convert mission, Holmes decides he will disguise Ritsuka's Command Spells so the citizens are none the wiser..[48]
Thou Art the Ardor that Corrupts the Stars（II）[]
Adele initiates base transfer, prompting the base to start moving. Macarios explains the base was originally an all-purpose vehicle for the underground infrastructure. They could walk the underground corridors but they’re difficult to navigate and it would take a few days to reach the East District.[11]
Musashi is amazed, believing the base is Olympian technology. Macarios corrects her that it is Atlantean, or at least that is what he heard. His and Adele’s ancestors were said to originally came to Olympus from the continent of Atlantis about 10,000 odd years ago. Adele thinks that is why the Olympiamachia may be partially responsible for Atlantis’ destruction, though it can never be confirmed as all records pertaining to that time were lost long ago.[11]
All of this leads Mash and Holmes to discuss if and how the continent of Atlantis could exist in Proper Human History as no evidence. Holmes soon hypothesizes Atlantis was similar to Lostbelt Olympus——a virtual continent built inside a hollow space with technology beyond the scope of Proper Human History.[11]
Musashi inquires about the full story about how the underground became a safe haven. She only knows it was Hades’ domain and that he was killed during the Olympiamachia.[11]
The twins reveal Hades had actually killed himself with the resulting explosion sealing off his underground domain. The underworld thus became a dark zone closed to all but those allied with Hades and the Coexistence Faction. Zeus and Hades are of the same ship type, both based off of the Titan Cronus, making them the same class of deity as gods. So even after Zeus became nigh omnipotent, he would still need to allocate almost all of his power to see everything happening in the dark zone. Currently, Zeus is using most of his magical energy to keep Olympus and Magellan operational. It is a weakness the heroes can take advantage of.[11]
The base stops moving, the noise of which wakes the sleeping Caenis up. The twins will be occupying the heroes this time since it is a covert operation. Caenis decides she’ll be in spirit form as she refuses to play pretend but will come out if things turn violent. Mash inquires by what Caenis meant by play pretend.[11]
The twins explain they will need to watch their words up on the surface or else Zeus’ scans will catch them. Their cover story will be that Ritsuka, Mash, and Musashi are all their distant relatives from the very edge of the South District. As for Holmes, he decides he will be in spirit form as well.[11]
Holmes correctly presumes there is a risk their conversation will be eavesdropped upon the surface. Macarios explains Zeus listens to everything being said, meaning the people live in a state of constant surveillance. But while he can see everything aboveground, he cannot tell individual people apart. However, he is able to listen and comprehend every conservation people have on the surface.[11]
But before they begin the operation in earnest, the twins want to pick up something they forgot from their house. Caenis refuses to go and decides to stay behind until the operation actually starts. Macarios explains the item in question is something they’re going to need. The last time it was used, the twins misjudged the timing and their entire squad was wiped out. The heroes leave for the surface.[11]
Upon the surface, the heroes (with the Chaldeans disguised) start to make their way to the twins’ home when they run into two kids familiar with the twins. From the kids, the heroes learn ambrosia is still being distributed. It would seem Zeus has assumed Demeter’s role even while supplying Olympus and Magellan with magical energy, which brings into question how much magical energy he has.[11]
The children ask the heroes if they saw the Chaldeans while in the South District, only hearing they’re demons who came to destroy their world. Macarios and Ritsuka both deny they saw the Chaldeans. The children fear the Chaldeans will come to the East District and wish evil people like them would just die. Musashi disagrees and argues it is wrong to condemn someone to death because they are “evil” without knowing their reasoning and motivation.[11]
Suddenly, the children’s curfew alarm goes off, so they head home. The heroes head for the twins’ apartment, surmising from the kids’ curfew alarms going off that it will soon be sunset.[11]
Once in their apartment, Macarios snaps his finger to signal Holmes that it is clear for him to leave spirit form. After he does, Holmes asks the twins where the rest of their family is. The twins confess their parents were killed during the Olympiamachia, being supporters of Athena and Ares. Macarios lies that he and Adele weren’t part of the Coexistence Faction like their parents to avoid arousing Zeus’ suspicion.[11]
After supper, Adele reveals Aphrodite’s protection is especially strong in the East District, so she and her brother figured they would need a guide. Said guide has been sleeping in the apartment for a while now, but he should wake up soon. Mash and Musashi realize the so-called item was metaphorical.[11]
Adele then releases Caligula from cryosleep. He is pleased to see the twins again and to meet their friends. Ritsuka and Fou are shocked he actually spoke.[11]
Thou Art the Ardor that Corrupts the Stars（III）[]
With Caligula, the heroes return to the underground whereupon they are welcomed back and insulted as laggards by an impatient Caenis. She was going to wait another hour before heading back to either the base or the Border. Caligula apologizes for making a proud warrior such as herself wait and hopes they can fight together as comrades from now on. Mash introduces the baffled Caenis to Caligula.[49]
Caligula finds it odd the hostile machine that guarded the underground corridor is nowhere to be seen. Macarios assures him that Mordred’s gang already took care of Argos, so the underground is safer than ever.[49]
Ritsuka and Mash are still taken aback to hear Caligula speak so fluently. They figure he must be one of the Servants in the alliance, even though they were told every Servant in the alliance was wiped out. The A.I. confesses they didn’t tell them about Caligula for dramatic effect, much to the annoyance of Fou and Ritsuka.[49]
Macarios asks the Chaldeans not to be too hard on the A.I. as he and his sister didn’t tell the truth either until now. But Ritsuka and Mash aren’t mad, just shocked and are relieved to count Caligula amongst their allies from now on. Macarios agrees they will bring Caligula along with them from here on, especially after he and his sister messed up last time.[49]
Musashi interprets Macarios’ words to mean it was a bad call from him that everyone else killed. Caenis dismisses the twins’ efforts but takes it back when Musashi reprimands her and reminds her not every battle in a war is won, especially when it is against gods. She even applauds the twins for doing pretty well, considering the circumstances.[49]
The twins explain Caligula is their secret weapon, similar to the cannon in their battle against Demeter, which is why everyone in the alliance agreed to keep him hidden until Operation Godbreaker’s final stage. As for why they didn’t keep him in the base, Holmes correctly deduces they didn’t want to keep all their assets in one place and risk losing everything in a single successful strike, especially given that the underground is quite vulnerable to massive strikes like those of Demeter. It was for that reaason the twins hid Caligula in the East District and froze him to keep his magical energy hidden. Unfortunately, Aphrodite appeared and the East District team was killed as a result.[49]
Holmes correctly surmises the twins fear Aphrodite will try once again to thwart their efforts to establish the summonings circle, so they brought Caligula out of cryostasis to act as a countermeasure against her.[49]
Musashi finds it concerning the twins aren’t sharing more information, but given that some of the Servants who came to Olympus left upon hearing how powerful the gods are, she can understand why they are so cautious. She notes the human heart is always a factor, no matter when or where.[49]
Ritsuka asks the twins how is it that Caligula can speak normally now. Caligula, as the Chaldeans know him, is a Berserker and he cannot talk very well. Caligula understands their bewilderment and believes it happened because Artemis struck him with an invisible force back in Atlantis. Artemis was also the goddess of madness, so Holmes deduces she had Authority to control the mind too.[49]
The A.I. confesses Caligula was used to lure Artemis out due to his connection with the goddesses. Artemis blasted him with a precious mental attack, but it inverted his madness, turning him rational. This development greatly confused Artemis and led her to assume all Heroic Spirits from Proper Human Histroy have some form of mental protection. As a result, she ditched mental attacks in favor of the more direct destructive power of her cannon.[49]
Caligula surmises from Chaldea’s presence in Olympis that Artemis has fallen. Ritsuka confirms she has, with the help of Orion and many others. Caligula concludes Orion has fulfilled his purpose, so he will not mourn for his goddess, for he is certain she has returned to where she belongs. Mash thinks the same.[49]
Agreeing with Caenis that they stalled long enough, Macarios tells everyone they’re heading back to the surface to begin the operation in earnest. Ritsuka, Mash, and Musashi will occupy the twins while Holmes, Caenis, and Caligula follow in their spirit forms.[49]
Upon the surface, the twins decide it is best they guide the heroes to the spots the summoning circles rather than the heroes clumsily navigating the city with a map since that would attract the guard’s attention.[49]
They arrive at the first spot, though there are many people around. Unfortunately, the spots are very specific as it related to the position of the stars. Adele casts the spell to establish the summoning circle and the entire street starts to glow, causing the people to flee into homes and drawing the attention of Mass Destruction Devices. Caenis and Holmes come out of spirit form to help fend off the enemy until Adele finishes establishing the summoning circle.[49]
All hostiles are eliminated, and Adele finishes establishing the summoning circle. The heroes head for the next spot, but along the way, they’re attacked by Olympian soldiers.[49]
While fighting the soldiers, Musashi notices it is easier to fight now than before. She knows the Klironomia is a part of it and Caenis has been a big help as well, but she feels more to it than that.[49]
As they can’t let the soldiers delay them any longer, Macarios casts a smokescreen spell――the very same the twins used when they first met the Chaldeans. It is a spell the alliance developed for emergencies, able to disrupt magical energy detection for a short time. The heroes follow Adele through the smoke to the second spot.[49]
Investigation/Encounter/Cherish[]
The heroes reach the second spot, but for some reason, the A.I. can no longer tell the exact coordinates for where the summoning circle needs to be placed. It and Musashi are both annoyed they cannot go into specifics of the plan with Zeus listening in. Holmes believes they may circumvent that with a telepathy spell, though it may be difficult to maintain for several participants at once.[50]
Adele confesses she knows a telepathy spell, but she can only cast it, lest, as Holmes correctly deduces, Zeus will figure out it. But as desperate times call for desperate measures, Holmes leaves the decision to Ritsuka. Rtisuka tells Adele to cast the spell, which she proceeds to do.[50]
With everyone now connected telepathically, Adele explains the coordinates needed to complete Grand Servant Summon all make use of a type of magical energy distortion. Usually these distortion are closely linked to their physical space, so it should be impossible to lose sight of them or up and vanish. So the fact the heroes lost sight of it either means it’s no longer possible to sense or some unforeseen interference temporarily moved it from its original space.[50]
Ritsuka and Holmes agree they need to split up and search the area. Caenis and Caligula will search on their own alone while the rest stay together. Adele gives Caenis and Caligula A.I. terminals, explaining it should react once within a few of the detections and since the A.I.s are linked, everyone should be alerted when one of them finds it.[50]
Caenis and Caligula get a head start on their search, but the others are forced to contend with soldiers and rare phantasmals first. They eliminate the enemy and proceed with their search, all the while dealing with any hostiles in their way.[50]
They soon find where the distortion was moved. Koyanskaya is there as well. She tells the heroes she only came to check on her Phantasmal factory since she’ll need it for future endeavors. She wants to keep her visit a secret from the gods, so she suggests they all pretend they never saw each other and go their separate ways. Her plan is to wait for things to play out and hopefully come away with choice Olympus products for her to sell when all is said and done.[50]
Concurring with Ritsuka that it is time they find out Koyanskaya’s motivations, Holmes doubts she would actively interfere with Chaldea’s attack on the Lostbelt as evidenced by her actions in past Lostbelts. But she isn’t on the side of the Crypters――that is the Alien God――either, as she never once attempted to protect a Fantasy Tree. She also showed no signs of subservience to the Alien God and gave misleading information to make it sound like she was one of the Apostles when she never directly said she was.[50]
To answer the question of who Koyanskya is, Holmes concludes the three Apostles are Rasputin, Limbo, and Muramasa, whom they learned of recently in Atlantis. As Servants summoned by the Alien God, they're naturally inclined to protect the Trees. Koyanskya has no affiliation with the Alien God, yet the Apostles respect her. It can therefore be inferred that she is a being on par with the Alien God or, as Koyanskaya might prefer, a business partner.[50]
Koyanskaya confirms she and the Alien God signed a contract. The Alien God told her they would not eliminate her in exchange for her not comprehending them and they will abide by their respective principles as they see this planet to its end. Koyanksya is curious as to how Holmes figured her out, though.[50]
Holmes answers it would explain how she could work toward her own goals despite being in the same position as the Apostles. He suspects her and the Alien God's goal similar to one another in that they both seek to destroy humanity, leading him to surmise that the Alien God saw her as a competitor, which is why they entered into a business arrangement. He expects said agreement involved both promising to use each other’s resources, to ignore one another as possible, and to avoid any direct conflict.[50]
He deduces further that despite appearing as the greater threat, the Alien God saw Koyanskaya as a threat and so collared her with a contract. Koyanskaya, despite her twisted personality, takes pride in being a businesswoman, so making her a partner was the quickest way to remove her as a competitor. Thus, by entering a non-compete contract of sorts, Koyanskaya and the Alien God came to stand on equal ground.[50]
Koyanskaya, although she finds his explanation long-winded, confirms Holmes is more or less correct. She therefore asks him what she is.[50]
Holmes answers that considering the Alien God saw her as a threat, her ability to freely travel between Lostbelts, and the conditions for Grand Servant summoning have been fulfilled in both Atlantis and Olympus, Koyanskaya can only be one of the seven Evils of Humanity――a Beast. Koyanskaya gives an intense teeth-bearing smile. But her Spirit Origin is still within standard parameter because even though she reached a point to warrant a Grand Servant, she has yet to fully mature.[50]
Koyanskaya declares she has no True Name, and the area becomes engulfed in a thick fog. Pleased that she has reached the point she’s waited for, she reveals one of the stipulations in her contract with the Alien God was she couldn’t reveal her name of her own accord. Because of that, she had no choice but to go about her endeavors slowly and painstakingly. But now she has regained a body she can really stretch in, for which she thanks the Chaldeans. She thanks them further for ruining Goetia’s naïve ambitions beyond any hope of repair.[50]
Now that she has had her pick of the finest breeds in every Lostbelt, she was wondering when she should unveil herself. She has, much to frustration, yet had the chance to test out her tails, so she decides to treat herself by toying with humanity personality this time and reward the heroes for deducing her identity by taking her time with them.[50]
Both Koyanskya’s shape and mass have changed dramatically, growing larger as she absorbs nearby magical energy. She is now a shadowy four-legged creature of unknown origin and attacks the heroes.[50]
After a long battle, Koyanskaya roars, ready to blast the whole area and end Chaldea’s battle in this Lostbelt. Musashi, though she can’t get a solid read on her, takes this opportunity to attack Koyanskaya from behind with a powerful sword strike, which Caenis follows up with a falling strike. Mash momentarily thinks that killed Koyanskaya but is immediately proven wrong when the fog clears and Koyanskaya is back to her human form with nary a scratch on her Spirit Origin.[50]
Koyanskaya decides that is enough for her debut but dares the heroes to continue fighting if they all wish to perish. Ritsuka has everyone stand down. Koyanskaya is satisfied with the results of the battle, finding the heroes neither too weak nor too strong. She suggests they all get back to their respective businesses and confirms she will not tell mention this encounter to either Zeus or the Crypters. She then leaves in her spirit form, hoping all the heroes’ battles in this Lostbelt are fruitful and victorious.[50]
With Koyanskaya gone, the second distortion is detectable again, confirming she was the one who moved it. Adele has the A.I. contact Caligula, who arrives almost immediately to join the others as they hurry to the final spot.[50]
Thou Art the Ardor that Corrupts the Stars（IV）[]
In Olympia Dodona, Zeus orders Aphrodite to eradicate the Chaldeans, permitting her to use her Aletheia in every district of Olympus.[51]
Aphrodite declares she will avenge her friend Demeter and make amends for the unwitting sins she committed in the name of love, her divine domain. Love was Demeter’s fatal weakness, but Aphrodite declares she has no such weakness as love and beauty are hers to command. She swears on her husband, Hephaestus, to use all her power and Authority to eradicate Olympus’ enemies.[51]
Limbo finds it laughably odd Aphrodite would seek to avenge Demeter, believing Aphrodite thought her fellow god pathetically pitiful for succumbing to humans.[51]
Rasputin warns Limbo not to rile up the gods who agreed to help them just for laughs. Limbo claims his impatience is getting the better of him now that the Chaldeans are so close at hand. He tries to warn against ignoring them when Rasputin interrupts and reveals he already taken measures against them. Limbo decides he will remain in the great shrine then and see how things play out.[51]
He suggests to the gods they take time to enjoy themselves, for the advent of the Alien God is nigh. Rasputin concurs and asks the gods to continue supporting the Tree. It is no concern to the Apostles what the gods do with the rest of the Lostbelt, at least that is the contract the Apostle struck with the Lostbelt.[51]
Castor doesn’t understand why Aphrodite hasn’t killed Limbo yet for his insolence in Zeus’ presence because with her Authority she could easily kill any Servant with a Spirit Core connected to a brain and heart. Pollux tries to tell her brother something about Aphrodite when Aphrodite interjects and tells Dioscuri that today she is more concerned with destroying the Chaldeans.[51]
Zeus reiterates his orders to his daughter Aphrodite. Aphrodite assures her father it will be done.[51]
Meanwhile, in the Machina Corridor, Peperoncino agrees with Beryl that it does seem shortsighted of the gods to send their forces one at a time. He presumes they do it, though, because they feel it would be beneath them to muster all their forces against mere humans. He supposes it is one of the few ways their higher existence restricts them.[51]
Beryl asks Peperoncino what he thinks of Chaldea’s chance of victory, recalling Zeus said they have one of Atlas’s Seven Taboos: Black Barrel. He worries the Chaldeans could end the world if they mess up using the Barrel from the sounds of it. But Peperoncino, considering Zeus doesn’t think it will be a problem, is inclined to think it isn’t that dangerous of a weapon. However, that assumes that it isn’t technology beyond the gods’ understanding.[51]
While he admits the Atlantic Lostbelt’s technology surpasses Proper Human History, Beryl knows Proper Human History has its own “nasty bombs” waiting to be awakened, with the Atlas Institute’s being the nastiest. He worries the gods’ pride will lead to their downfall and his sweet life in the Lostbelt will end. Peperoncino assures him, though, that there is no way Aphrodite can lose as no one could ever hope to touch her.[51]
Beryl asks Peperoncino if he knows where Kadoc has gone to. He hasn’t seen him since Chaldea arrived and worries the Apostles will go after him if either Kirschtaria or the Alien God suspects he is up to something. Peperoncino claims he hasn’t seen Kadoc around either, only recalling he has been out in the city a lot recently. Considering his serious personality, Kadoc is probably caught up in learning about Olympus technology.[51]
In the East District, the alarm warning of imminent danger goes off and the people huddle together in branch shrines, which double as emergency shelters. As nothing happens, though, they start to feel relieved under the assumption it was a false alarm. But as soon as they feel that way, Aphrodite’s Aletheia appears in the skies above and proceeds to unleash waves of magical energy.[51]
Hit by these waves, the heroes all suffer from agonizing headaches. Even the Ortenaus is affected, its magical energy output declining.[51]
Adele explains it is Aphrodite’s form, a massive intelligent life-form guidance terminal and Spiritron info-warfare fighter. Her true body can unleash mental attacks across a wide area and, according to Macarios, induce mental breakdowns in all intelligent life, even a Servant. It is why Kintoki’s team attacked each other. Fortunately, the twins have a plan and Macarios calls out to Caligula. However, Caligula says it is too soon, as what is happening now is merely prelude. He urges everyone to hold out as best they can.[51]
Holmes thinks Aphrodite’s attack is manipulating their perceptions, awareness, and sensations. But he realizes that since Aphrodite is the goddess of beauty and beauty is the manipulation of the mind, she is actually redefining their values, minds, and sense of self.[51]
Aphrodite declares beauty and sometimes love is worth. She defines worth as something derived from necessity and desire, bestowing intelligent lifeforms with a sense of fulfillment. Humans depend on it, therefore, as the god of love and beauty, she controls everything about them. So long as they have intelligence, humans will never be a match for gods. Aphrodite laughs at how pathetic and inferior humans are compared to the gods.[51]
Musashi suddenly attacks Mash, thinking the latter immediately regrew her head when she blocked her strike. Ritsuka realizes Musashi is reliving her memories of Shimousa. Mash surmises Musashi is conflating the past with the present and sees everyone as past enemies. Adele explains Aphrodite’s attack mixes memories and incites anger.[51]
Holmes attacks Caligula, thinking he is Colonel MoranWP. Caligula concludes both Holmes and Musashi have lost their minds. He says they must hurry and whittle down their will to fight all without damaging their Spirit Cores. Ritsuka gives their approval and so Caligula encourages Mash to join him in pacifying their now crazed companions[51]
Musashi finds not even cutting off her consciousness from her corrupted mind is enough for her to retake control of her body. Her urge to kill keeps growing on its own and she realizes Aphrodite’s mental attack makes allies kill each other. She internally implores Ritsuka and Mash to run, fearing she won’t be able to stop herself from killing if this urge to kill consumes her consciousness.[51]
Then, screaming “stop…singing…inside my…head!!!”, she leaps behind Mash and swings her sword to cut off her head. Fortunately for Mash, Caenis takes the blow for her. Musashi then attacks Caligula, but he catches her sword with his hands. He commends her for fending off Aphrodite’s onslaught, telling the others she has been holding herself back. He then breaks her sword, injuring his hand and forcing Musashi to back off. Admittedly, though, he is unsure how effective taking one of her swords will be when she has four. Fortunately, he can keep pace with her swordsmanship thanks to her and Holmes not being in peak condition right now[51]
Mash, however, isn’t certain how much longer she can stand. Caligula yells at her to not fall on her knees, asserting she of all people must never let that happen. He calls her an inspiration to him and believes that her dedication to the shield must mean she is the descendant of a great hero who stood firm even against vast armies. She is the sort of soldier Mars would be proud of. Mash remembers Leonidas in Babylonia, inspiring her to keep standing.[51]
Caligula, having continually resisted Aphrodite’s song, feels his power can reach her now. He asks the others to buy him for which to prepare his Noble Phantasm. Ritsuka and Mash agree, but Ritsuka succumbs to Aphrodite’s song and their consciousness fades.[51]
Thou Art the Ardor that Corrupts the Stars（V）[]
Ritsuka finds themselves in an european town, where they encounter Patxi, Gelda, Asha, and Red Hare. With the exception of Red Hare, all their faces are obscured to symbolize they are forever gone from Ritsuka’s life. They are all concerned Ritsuka doesn’t look good, with both Red Hare and Patxi noting it looks like they’re hearing a song.[52]
The scene then shifts to the old Chaldea command room. There, the old Da Vinci, whose face is also obscured, tells Ritsuka not to force themselves to pass the physical and mental exams they can’t easily pass. She understands there is no one to replace them should they fail, but she still wants to let them worry and help them how they can.[52]
Ritsuka says they hear a song. Da Vinci explains it is a divine melody, heard in the soul. She continues that the song has already seized Ritsuka’s cerebral system and limbic system, so their mind could collapse at any time. She says they need to find them a doctor.[52]
The scene shifts to the hallway where an engineer (his face obscured) briefly speaks with Ritsuka before he gets back to work. Mash and Ophelia, the latter of whom has her face obscured, then walk up. They both notice Ritsuka is looking pale, with Mash fearing they might be in danger. Ritsuka asks if they want to sing together.[52]
Ophelia, her face no longer obscured, tells Ritsuka only they hear the goddess’ song. She warns them it won’t be long before it seizes control of their heart, explaining that it is a form of Mental Pollution that forces those who hear it to kill everything they hold dear, even as it sings of love. She implores Ritsuka to hurry and wake up, especially since they’re in a precarious now they’ve touched the Black Barrel. If they do not, they will end up killing Mash.[52]
The scene shifts to the cafeteria, where Ritsuka encounters SIon and Goredolf. But Goredolf isn’t the director and is instead the inspector sent by the Clock Tower to inspect Chaldea. Sion also seems to be a senior employee of Chaldea. They both see Ritsuka looks like they need immediate medical attention, so Sion calls for the doctor. It isn’t known what the doctor looks like and with the exception of Ritsuka’s name, all their dialogue is obscured. Ritsuka says they hear singing.[52]
In pitch blackness, a man’s voice notes humans constantly seek fellow souls to form connections, so he can see why Aphrodite’s attack was so effective. The source of the voice, a shadow, then complains about how noisy it is, saying it’s even too much for his flames that can easily handle a fair amount of corruption. He tells Ritsuka to remember the Black Barrel and the Command Spell ammunition and that no matter what transcendent destructive light they touch, their soul is theirs alone.[52]
Ritsuka notes they saw people that shouldn’t be. They want to talk with all of them, but even so, they cannot stop now, for they have yet to find an answer they can be proud of. The shadow therefore encourages them to overcome Aphrodite’s song and kill her, certain they can make it happen.[52]
Waking up, Ritsuka learns Holmes and Musashi are also free of Aphrodite’s Mental Pollution. The moment Ritsuka collapsed, Caligula used his Noble Phantasm, Flucticulus Diana, to temporarily counteract Aphrodite’s mental attack. Fortunately, he does not need to use it multiple times successively, for the twins have already accomplished their ultimate objective. Now all that remains is to take down Aphrodite.[52]
Adele thanks Caligula as his Noble Phantasm was just what they needed to fight Aphrodite. Aphrodite’s power and Caligula’s Noble Phantasm, which uses Artemis’ Authority, both affect the mind, so they effectively cancel each other out. Holmes and Musashi apologize for their actions. Caenis says now that Caligula’s Noble Phantasm has neutralized Aphrodite’s song, it is their chance to finally take her down.[52]
To get the heroes to Aphrodite high in the skies, Macarios teleports in the Stymphalides Blackwing, the alliance’s sole ultrasonic mobile fighter built by Edsion, Tesla, and Helena themselves. Aphrodite’s air-to-ground attacks cover too wide an area to fly straight up to her, so the twins are going to use the Stymphalides to send the heroes up even higher. Everyone boards and with Macarios piloting, the Stymphalides takes off; Ritsuka equips a breathing Mystic Code.[52]
As soon as the heroes break through the clouds, A.I. Kintoki tells them it’s time to execute Operation Godbreaker’s second phase, which means his turn to help. He reiterates the alliance Servants are all dead, but they did their best to leave behind everything they could: The Seven Heroic Spirit Link Cannon, the great summoning circle plan, Caligula, and his giant golden surprise.[52]
Aphrodite tells the citizens that until she kills every Chaldeans, they will have to kill each other awhile longer. She then sees the heroes approaching and sends a Spiritron attack their way. In response, Caligula gets on top of the Stymphalides and neutralizes Aphrodite’s attack with his Noble Phantasm.[52]
As the heroes fly closer to her, and he continues to neutralize her attack, Caligula tells Aphrodite that in Proper Human History she is the ancestor of his grandmother Silvia, whose father is Aeneas, her son with Prince Anchises of Troy. Her love is why Rome was born, and for that Caligula says Rome is forever grateful to her, even though he understands Lostbelt Aphrodite isn’t the same person and she is a goddess of love who no longer feels love. Caligula thus declares it is time Rome separates from her Lostbelt self and calls forth Rider.[52]
With a bolt of lightning, a giant suit of crimson armor suddenly manifests and grabs hold of Aphrodite. The people of the East District, even though 85% of them nearly lost their minds and souls to Aphrodite’s song, still looked skyward to see the spectacle. Seeing it, they are instantly reminded of Ares who defied Zeus’ rule thousands of years ago to instead coexist with humanity.[52]
The twins are thrilled that the emergency test of the Godbreaker summoning circle, the virtual summoning of Kintoki’s Noble Phantasm, succeeded. The armor, speaking with Kintoki’s voice, explains it was created from part of Kintoki’s Spirit Core mixed in with Noble Phantasm to test out the great summoning circle before it summons a Grand Servant. It is Golden Huge Bear, the Great Noble Phantasm: Settsu Armor Kumano. Then, at Golden Huge Bear’s behest, the heroes fight Aphrodite.[52]
Aphrodite is shocked mere humans are damaging her skin. She demands Golden Huge Bear let her go and tries to use her song to loosen its grip. But Golden Huge Bear is immune and electrocutes Aphrodite with Giga Golden Spark. As it does, it explains that since it was only just created, it is essentially a newborn. Holmes realizes that means Black Barrel will barely harm it at all.[52]
At Golden Huge Bear’s behest, Mash transforms her shield into the Black Barrel and begins preparations. Macarios flies the Stymphalides as close as he can to Aphrodite; Adele opens the canopy. Mash calculates Aphrodite’s lifespan and fires the Black Barrel at her once Ritsuka loads their Command Spell.[52]
Struck by Black Barrel, Aphrodite feels herself dying. She seems glad she finally gets to die, though she finds ironic that the last thing she’ll see is the starry night sky. What love she had was lost long ago, so even in her final moments, she feels nothing when she looks up at the starry sky.[52]
Aphrodite destroyed
She remembers Caligula said that in Proper Human History she was the ancestor of Rome’s founders and she loved a man named Anchises. But she never heard of those, and the only one she ever loved was Hephaestus. She concludes from the sounds of it that her counterpart’s love outlived her.[52]
The Priestess asks Aphrodite if she has any last regrets. Aphrodite answers she does not, asserting she is only a device for controlling others. She invites the Priestess to watch how a goddess meets her end and see what remains after a life of control and arrogance. Then, weakly calling out to Hephaestus, Aphrodite’s body explodes.[52]
Meanwhile, in the gardens, Peperoncino watches Europa as she picks flowers to honor the fallen Demeter and Aphrodite. Europa disagrees with him that she is more affection than the other goddesses, considering herself crueler than anyone on Olympus.[52]
Souls To Be Equals in Due Course (I)[]
Macarios lands the Stymphalides back on the ground. Mash notices RItsuka’s vitals are all stable and questions how. Adele explains it is because Ritsuka’s body still has traces of Helena’s healing spell, so the effects are being prolonged. However, since they do not know how long that will last, Holmes advises Ritsuka not to push themselves too hard. Everyone then gets off the Stymphalides so Macarios can miniaturize it and put it away.[53]
Caenis is disappointed Golden Huge Bear is gone as she was hoping to smash it herself. Holmes asks her to refrain herself from doing so when that chance comes again, since Golden Huge Bear will undoubtedly be a key component of Operation Godbreaker going forward. Macarios says Golden Huge Bear uses a lot of magical energy and is a virtual Noble Phantasm, so keeping it materialized is quite difficult.[53]
The heroes then get ready to return to the base for some much needed recuperation when they’re attacked by Dioscuri. They try fighting the twin gods, but their light speed movement proves too much, so the heroes escape using a combination of Caligula’s Noble Phantasm and the twins’ smokescreen spell. Castor furiously vows to kill every one of them.[53]
Someone remarks how they and someone else have been together since birth. This other person is precious and irreplaceable to them, even thinking they could tell their thoughts. But that was a long time ago and now they honestly have trouble telling what they’re thinking. Even so, they love and trust them more than any ever has or will.[53]
In the Machina Corridor, Castor rages that a human Heroic Spirit’s Noble Phantasm hindered his mind, finding it utterly humiliating. Pollux tells her brother it isn’t surprising Caligula’s Noble Phantasm would affect even them, given that it is derived from Artemis’ Spiritron information warfare functionality. But now that they experienced it, they have developed a resistance, so it will never work on them again. Pollux thus implores her brother to calm himself. Castor concedes that his sister is right.[53]
On the subject of finding and killing the heroes, Castor asks Pollux if they still do not have permission to destroy the frontier zone. Pollux answers they do not, for Europa insists that, as one of Olympus’ production districts, it is too important to destroy. The only way they can destroy entire districts is if one of Zeus’ revelations permits it.[53]
Castor finds it insolent that Europa would speak for Zeus instead of him and his sister. He can only imagine how Hera must feel being fused with her, as he certainly wouldn’t stand it. Pollux reminds her brother these decisions came from Zeus himself, so it isn’t their place to criticize. Castor insists, however, that he has every right to be angry about it.[53]
Back in the alliance base, Adele immediately initiates base transfer. Macarios says they’ll be moving much faster than before, as they need to get away from the East District as quickly as possible. He is angry that they once again ran away from Dioscuri, but as he wants revenge, he knows the mission comes first.[53]
He informs the heroes they can’t use smokescreen spell anymore as the enemy has seen too many times now. Holmes surmises Macarios is talking about the Mystic Codes that resemble portable cannons. He noticed the twins switched between different spell and magecraft bases with every shot and correctly presumes they used all of them up.[53]
Adele explains they worked with both the Heroic Spirits and the Collaborator to make those Mystic Codes. They can use Egyptian, Scandinavian, Eastern European, Greek, Celtic, and Roman spells without relying on Divine Spirits. Mash is amazed the twins’ Mystic Codes could use multiple different magecraft foundations in parallel as such a thing is unthinkable in modern magecraft. Holmes deduces that is why they were effective against even gods, though that is no longer the case. Macarios adds the same with Caligula’s Noble Phantasm, suspecting Disocuri have figured out it by now.[53]
The A.I. reboots and declares it is time for Operation Godbreaker’s final phase. With the summoning circles now in place, all that remains is to complete the Great Summoning Vessel. Unfortunately, the alliance lacks the skills to do it, so they can only hope the Collaborator made significant progress with its construction. But they have no means of contacting them.[53]
Holmes deduces it is actually for security reasons and gets ready to explain when Peperonicno suddenly appears in the base. He reveals he is the Collaborator’s other helper. Kadoc had sent him to inform the heroes that the Great Summoning Vessel is almost ready for them to pick up. He has the coordinates to the Collaborator's workshop/hideout.[53]
Souls To Be Equals in Due Course（II)[]
Following Peperoncino's coordinates, the base arrives beneath Altartown in the middle of the city. Peperoncino tells everyone they'll be walking the rest of the way. Everyone is all ready to go.[14]
Asked by Holmes, the twins explain Altartown is directly beneath Olympia Dodona, which sits above a group of central shrines that supervise the branch shrines in other districts. It is the area of the city closest to Zeus. Furthermore, the coordinates aren't that deep underground, so Hade's remaining protection is at its weakest, while Zeus' protection is at its strongest. As such, the heroes need to be careful on their trek. Macarios even warns to run immediately if an automous weapon spots them because even destroying it will not stop it from alerting the others.[14]
The A.I. realizes the autonomous weapons Macarios spoke of are the mass destruction devices and anti-personell eradicators. The autonomous weapons are all linked to Zeus' senses, so even though he can't see into the underground directly, he can sense what his machines see. They do not appears at the depths the alliance usually hide their base, but they do appear at shallower depths like where the heroes are now.[14]
Then, speak of the devil, the heroes detect an autonomous weapon ahead of them. There are no other paths along the tunnel the heroes are going down, so their only choices are to either fight the machine or retreat. Macarios advises retreating; Adele says she'll look for another route. However, an synthesized voice reveals it disconnected the machine from Zeus' neural network. The heroes take this opportunity to destroy it, followed by the hostiles that happened upon the heroes.[14]
At Peperoncino's suggestion, the synthesized voice tells the heroes its workshop is straight ahead, revealing themselves to be Prometheus-Hephaestus. The heroes are shocked to hear Hephaestus is still alive, as Ritsuka recalls he was destroyed in Atlantis. Prometheus-Hephaestus calls that version of him a backup of the himself and reminds the heroes that version told them another separate of him existed in Olympus.[14]
Entering Prometheus-Hephaestus's workshop, Mash is reminded of the temples in Atlantis and correctly concludes it is actually Prometheus' brain. Prometheus, confirming Holmes's deduction, confesses he fused with Hephaestus after the latter was taken prisoner following the Olympiamachia. Ritsuka asks him if he is the Collaborator. Prometheus-Hephaestus answers by saying he is indeed collaborating with the alliance[14]
Holmes deduces Prometheus-Hephaestus as the one who built the source of the dissonant noise that interfered with the gods' connection with the divine leyline. Given it was quite effective against the gods, he asks Prometheus-Hephaestus if they could borrow it. Unfortunately, Prometheus-Hephaestus reveals that it will not work anymore. The twins explains it was a special Mystic Code built on Orpheus' music magecraft. But since it was already used once, it will never be as effective as it once was.[14]
Prometheus-Hephaestus, congratulating the heroes on their victories of the gods, asks them if Aphrodite said anything about him. He doesn't blame them for killing his wife, but regardless how much she changed after the Olympiamachia, she is still the woman he loved. Ritsuka tells him Aphrodite said his name right before she died. Prometheus-Hephaestus immediately moves on to the subject of the Great Summoning Vessel.[14]
Caenis demands Prometheus-Hephaestus hand over the Great Summoning Vessel, threatening to kill him afterward for bringing up Poseidon around her. But suddenly, without anyone noticing, a man sneaks up behind Caenis and touches her spear. It is Muramasa, whom Ritsuka remembers from Shimousa, but now he is an Apostle of the Alien God.[14]
Musashi asks Muramasa what he is doing in the workshop, wondering if he was lying in wait to eliminate Chaldea for getting in the Alien God's way.[14]
Muramasa answers he wants to honor his mentor's, Prometheus-Hephaestus, requests, but he can't ignore his duties as an Apostle. Zeus also told him to kill the Chaldeans and present them as an offering if he comes across them.[14]
He notices Musashi recognizes him and presumes she met him during a past materialization. He has no memories of that time, but he thanks Musashi regardless and assumes she must have liked him, given she has kept her hands off her swords even in these circumstances. For the moment, he is not Chaldea's enemy, but neither is he their ally.[14]
Caenis, annoyed by the situation, decides to rest in her spirit form until things get interesting.[14]
Holmes correctly assumes Muramasa will not tell the other Apostles about the heroes' arrival in the workshop. Muramasa insists he is just another smithy at the moment, so he cannot be bothered with anything else until his current job is done.[14]
Musashi notices someone hiding in the shadows and demands they come out, especially since they're not trying to hide their presence. Minervera emerges, the same mechanical owl Kadoc used to set off Orpheus' spell. Europa then appears, saying she was entrusted with Minevera. She reveals she is the Collaborator.[14]
Souls To Be Equals in Due Course（III）[]
As they all watch Fou play with Minerva, Europa explains Minerva is part of the Authority Athena left behind. But now it is simply a terminal, unaware of its godly nature. Nevertheless, it was still able to interfere with the divine-made leyline by synchronizing with Prometheus-Hephaestus.[10]
Europa then apologizes to the heroes for not revealing herself to them earlier. Worse, she endangered their lives when they last met. The heroes bear her no ill will though, understanding she needed to maintain her cover as a spy. They also wouldn’t have survived their first encounter with the gods if it wasn’t for her and Minerva. Europa thanks everyone for their kindness and understanding.[10]
Moving on, Europa says Zeus cares for her like his Proper Human History counterpart, but he is not him. He rejected his duty to entrust the world’s fate to humanity and decided to rule everything himself. Europa takes this as a clear sign Zeus considers humans weak and incapable of fending for themselves.[10]
Holmes suspects Europa defied Zeus because she, as the progenitor to all of Europe, feels obligated to watch over humanity and still feels connected to them. Europa isn’t sure about that, only that she loves all people, whether they’re from Proper Human History or this Lostbelt. She loves every Olympian as if they were her children, which is why she cannot accept nor tolerate Zeus’ decision to keep them stilted for thousands of years.[10]
Demeter once expressed the same belief. Zeus responded by recalibrating her Divine Core, causing her to go mad. He modified the other gods as well. Aphrodite forgot how to love because of it and lost one of her two sides.[10]
In truth, none of the other gods joined Zeus during the Olympiamachia. He killed five of them and forced the remaining five to join him. Hephaestus wasn’t completely destroyed, but Zeus kept his brain alive to help run Olympus more efficiently.[10]
However, Hephaestus has been synching with Prometheus and cutting off Zeus’ supervision network. Together, he and Europa became the alliance’s Collaborators.[10]
Europa tearfully laments no one can reason with Zeus, not her nor Hera. Caligula tells her it is too soon to cry, assuring that together with Chaldea, the alliance will finally slay Zeus. Ritsuka concurs. Europa thanks them and agrees there will be time to cry later. She is here now to lend her aid, and on that note, she offers Prometheus-Hephaestus all the magical energy she saved up for years for him to use to complete the Great Summoning Vessel. She also has a present for Mash: a parting gift from Athena.[10]
Peperoncino heads back to Olympia Dodona alone to avoid arousing suspicion, advising Europa to use Minerva to warp back in case of an emergency. Afterward, Ritsuka, Mash, Muramasa, and all help Europa make dinner.[10]
While the others are cooking, Prometheus-Hephaestus confirms Holmes's theory that the gods were meant to lose their Aletheia during the second machia. In Proper Human History, the White Death destroyed prehistoric civilization, gods and humans alike. In the Lostbelt's history, however, the gods managed to defeat the White Death, allowing them to retain their Aletheia. Prometheus-Hephaestus confirms that prehistoric civilization was Atlantis.[10]
Recalling the fierceness of the battle, Prometheus-Hephaestus describes the White Death as a ruthless invader from space called Sefar. Holmes asks if it was anything like Alien God. Prometheus-Hephaestus says it wasn't as they can comprehend the structure of the Alien God's Fantasy Trees. Sefear's structure, on the other hand, was incomprehensible to all intelligent life on the planet.[10]
Sefar came to Earth to destroy the gods and prehistoric civilization. No lifeform on Earth could stand against it. The gods only survived because Zeus became a composite deity at the last moment. The Machine Gods once had the ability to combine with one another, having originally been one being: Chaos. Zeus had defeated the Titans and stole the Cronos Crown――the mark of the gods' flagship that ties their pantheon together. It was only thanks to him serving as the core of their fusion that the gods were able to fight Sefar[10]until Excalibur could be used to destroy it.[7]
Souls To Be Equals in Due Course (IV)[]
Prometheus-Hephaestus explains the Grand Summoning Ritual doesn't use a summoner, given the vast magical energy required. He, in fact, designed it to access the limitless supply of magical energy in the crystal mountain through the divine-made leyline. He confesses he created the divine-made leyline, albeit reluctantly under Zeus's orders, like Holmes suspected. As its creator, he knows everything about it, including the fact it was never completed and therefore full of vulnerabilities. Its greatest vulnerability is that it exists in all spaces throughout Olympus, so by placing special spell and formations at these spaces, the alliance can draw a summoning circle that covers all of Olympus without the gods noticing. Those special spells are the same ones the heroes and their predecessors had placed throughout Olympus.[54]
Now done eating, Musashi claims she is going out on a walk to help her digest. Ritsuka and Mash want to accompany her, given the danger in the tunnels. But Musashi insists she will be fine on her own since Prometheus-Hephaestus already disconnected the autonomous weapons from the network and leaves.[54]
Musashi sees the twins have followed her and, like her, they too are suspicious of Muramasa. She then calls out to Muramasa, certain he had things to talk about he didn't want the Chaldeans overhearing. Muramasa comes out, having suspected Musashi would show up, though not the twins. He claims he has nothing to talk about it, but Musashi wants to talk about how dangerous he is. She is certain that the moment he hands over the Vessel to Ritsuka he will kill them.[54]
Not denying it, Muramasa explains Rasputin gave him two jobs as part of his Apostle duties. First was to protect Prometheus-Hephaestus in Olympus since he is needed to keep Olympus running smoothly. The second was to destroy Hephaestus in Atlantis to fulfill Zeus's order to keep Chaldea and Hephaestus from coming into contact. But since killing a god is still a serious issue even in Atlantis, it was completely up to the Apostles to do it. So while Rasputin killed the Proper Human History Servants, Muramasa cut Hephaestus's main unit. He didn't kill him, though he said he did in his report.[54]
Understanding that Musashi and the twins are confused, Muramasa explains Prometheus-Hephaestus threatened to self-destruct unless he helped him forge the great summoning vessel, so he agreed to help since it's his job to protect him. Prometheus-Hephaestus then immediately put him to work since his own manipulators are too old for such delicate work. One of those odd jobs involved Muramasa collecting Prometheus-Hephaestus's backup data in Atlantis. Musashi is amused Muramasa "killed" Hephaestus then got his backup to effectively resurrect him.[54]
Muramasa then warns that Zeus ordered him to kill all of them. However, he prefers doing his jobs in order, so he is ignoring Zeus's commands until the Vessel is finished. That being said, he thinks it's time for him to leave as he doubts his chances against the heroes. Furthermore, with the heroes now present, Prometheus-Hephaestus's workshop is certainly done for, so Muramasa advises the heroes to take the Vessel once it's done as far deep as they can before the others arrive. He reassures Musashi he set it up so that the Vessel will be done by tomorrow morning.[54]
He affirms to Musashi he is going to leave now, but first he reveals that, unlike Rasputin and Limbo, whose duties are to supervise the Crypters and Lostbelt Kings respectively, his duty doesn't come until after the Alien God's descent. He is going to serve as their attendant, so he can't let himself get killed him now. In the meantime, he will make clothes for the Alien God because if it's true they will arrive naked.[54]
The Priestess appears, startling Musashi. Muramasa assures her that the Priestess is only an arbiter, so she can't do anything. She also wouldn't do anything if she could.[54]
Muramasa advises the twins not to throw their lives away, considering it pointless to win the war if they lose their souls. Macarios appreciates his concern and thanks him for showing them Prometheus-Hephaestus, the last decent god in Olympus. Adele thanks him as well and promises to remember his warning until their last moments. Muramasa sees the twins have already made their choice and leaves, telling the twins to both live good lives.[54]
Prometheus-Hephaestus finishes and materializes the great summoning vessel, Aether; Europa was the one who named it. Adele confirms to Ritsuka that they need to activate the Aether during their battle against Zeus since they do not know how long the materialization will last. Macarios thanks everyone for getting Operation Godbreaker to its final stage. Caligula assures Prometheus-Hephaestus and Mash that the final catalyst for the Grand Summoning has been already taken care of.[54]
Musashi has Prometheus-Hephaestus reconfirm that his workshop is cut off from the outside and the only way in is through a door in the underground passage that has been partitioned off. She confirms with a smile that something is bothering her and asks Prometheus-Hephaestus to check outside. Prometheus-Hephaestus tries to run a periphery scan when the outside partition is suddenly destroyed. Sensing impending danger, the heroes make themselves ready.[54]
Limbo emerges and reveals he tracked the heroes thanks to the spell thread he placed on Europa's garments. He knows all about the heroes' plan, but he waited to take action until the Aether was finished. He looks forward to hearing the heroes' despair when he shatters it before their very eyes.[54]
Prometheus-Hephaestus doubts Limbo is a proper Heroic Spirit, as his workshop should have no problem detecting a spell from a Heroic Spirit. Limbo tries to explain it's because his spells are blessed by his god, but is interrupted by Dioscuri who are annoyed by his incessant talking and are eager to massacre the heroes.[54]
Castor attacks the heroes, but Caenis suddenly materializes and blocks his attack. She then attacks Pollux, which Holmes follows up by hitting Castor with a magical light beam. It's ineffectual against the gods of light but lets Holmes know that in spite of their near-light speed movement, they cannot nullify all forms of light directed at them. The others then join in to help fight Dioscuri.[54]
As the fight continues, Minerva emits the dissonant noise to disrupt Dioscuri’s connection to the divine-made leyline. Limbo knows it won’t work, but to be safe, he uses his magecraft to drown out the noise. He then destroys Minerva to ensure it can never happen again.[54]
Afterward, as further demonstrations of his power to destroy machines, he infects Prometheus-Hephaestus with shikigami insects to erode his data. Ritsuka tries to use their Mystic Code to help Prometheus-Hephaestus, but it is ineffectual. Limbo laughs at their failure, stating that while their Mystic Code would have broken through karma, it is useless against shikigami insects filled with curses and blight.[54]
Europa demands Limbo stop before he kills Prometheus-Hephaestus. She asks him why he is doing it when he knows Zeus considers Prometheus-Hephaestus essential for Olympus's welfare. Mash tells Europa to get back behind them where it's safe.[54]
Limbo instantly moves behind Europa and grabs her, admitting he was eroding Prometheus-Hephaestus to goad her into a vulnerable position. He tells the heroes he will not kill her as his job is strictly to bring her back to face justice for her treachery. Europa tells Mash to remember her last gift before Limbo teleports himself and her away.[54]
Dioscuri are incredulous that the alliance would dwell in the underground infrastructure――Tartarus――instead of the designated aboveground areas like citizens of Olympus are meant to. It was created solely for resource distribution built from parts of the Titans during Titanomachia, magical energy from the Gigantes defeated during Gigantomachia, and the remains of the losers of the Olympiamachia. In other words, the underground is the land of the dead, yet the alliance has chosen to dwell in it while they still live. Dioscuri asserts death is the only way to pay for this transgression.[54]
Castor rants about how weak and foolish humans are, comparing them to insects. Pollux agrees with her brother, which disgusts Adele that Pollux is nothing more than a yes-man for Castor. She asserts you do not stand by and watch as someone you care for makes a mistake like Castor is. Gods may rule over humans, but they do not kill them out of spite. Adele and Ritsuka agree that is something humans do.[54]
Mash recalls Castor of the Gemini constellation was said to have been human. The gods known as Dioscuri were originally twins, but that changed when they became integrated into greek mythology. Pollux, the younger brother, was Zeus’s immortal son, while Castor, the elder brother, was fully human. Holmes concludes Dioscuri’s massacre of the alliance is simply because they hate humans. Macarios angrily asks Dioscuri if they killed his and his sister’s comrades and parents over some petty resentment of their race.[54]
Castor furiously rants it was due to the faith of humans that he became a human in Proper Human and degraded his sister into a demigod. He further expresses disgust at how humans have continued to survive and thrive despite how weak they are. He also considers it an unforgivable sin humans would declare themselves the rulers of Earth.[54]
Macarios is disgusted that is Dioscuri’s reason for killing his and his sister’s friends and family. Castor asserts it is reason to kill their entire species and believes they should be grateful he only killed those who rejected Zeus. He then offers the twins a quick death should they praise his benevolence. Adele refuses, asserting they will not die today.[54]
Caenis, understanding now Dioscuri are misanthropes, realizes why they “killed” her back in Atlantis. Castor was jealous of her for becoming a Divine Spirit and obtaining Poseidon’s trident. Also, Kirschtaria only really trusted the twin gods to keep to their petty hatred. Pollux, enraged by Caenis’ insults, attacks the heroes with her brother.[54]
During the battle, Mash blocks Dioscuri’s attacks with her shield, with light radiating from it. The twin gods recognize that light as Athena’s protection――the Aigis. But with Odysseus gone, the Aigis shouldn’t exist in the Lostbelt anymore.
Prometheus-Hephaestus confirms it is not the true Aigis. He had converted the Athena Klironomia――Nike Sophia, Athena’s final Authority of victory――into ingested form and mixed it into Europa’s cooking. He also tweaked Caenis’s Spirit Origin to be in better synch with Poseidon’s Authority. Disocuri senses the power of Poseidon’s trident coming from Caenis’s spear.[54]
With Caenis leading the charge, she, Mash, and Musashi attack the twin gods. Out of desperation, Castor instantly moves behind Ritsuka and takes them hostage, threatening to kill them if the others move. Pollux is impressed by her brother but quickly notices he is bleeding from the mouth. She realizes he used his Authority to move faster than light. She reminds him they are Divine Spirits now, so making true use of their Authority risks destroying their Spirit Origin.[54]
Ritsuka calls out Castor for getting desperate. Castor squeezes their head, threatening to tear it off. Mash moves to protect Ritsuka, but Pollux blocks her. Castor tells Mash he may release Ritsuka if she uses her shield to cut her own head off.[54]
But he suddenly releases Ritsuka, realizing they are the Black Barrel’s ammunition. Caenis takes this chance to wound Dioscuri. Mash secures Ritsuka and leaves the rest to the others. At Caenis’ behest, Macarios and Adele cast a spell derived from the powers of Hades and Athena on Dioscuri.[54]
Pollux asks the twins what they hope to achieve by allying with Proper Human History because even if their rebellion succeeds, there will be nothing left for them afterward. Macarios and Adele answer they refuse to give up, no matter how many times they’re forced to submit to the gods’ power.[54]
Ravaged by the spell, Pollux asks Adele why she didn’t stop her brother when they both know their path will only lead to death. Adele answers it was because she and her brother believe a new tomorrow would be better than an endless today. Castor questions if the twins understand that without Hades to ensure the souls of the dead are reborn, death is truly the end. The twins understand that, but they want to see a tomorrow different from yesterday.[54]
Dioscuri disappears, with Castor reminding the twins their path only leads to a dead end. The twins are fully aware only oblivion awaits them, but even so, they want to see a real tomorrow.[54]
In the Crypter meeting room in Olympia Dodona, Peperonico reports to Kirschtaria that Disocuri have disappeared and Prometheus-Hephaestus has completely shut down. The Chaldeans and the twins still yet live. Caenis is also still working with them.[54]
Kirschtaria is surprisingly accepting that Caenis is still working alongside the enemy. However, he regrets he never got the chance to get to know Dioscuri better, confessing to Peperonico that their misanthropy kept them from understanding one another. He thinks Ritsuka would have done a better job than him at understanding the twin gods. Dioscuri only accepted him because Zeus did. He regrets fighting them in front of Zeus, thinking things would have been different if Zeus wasn’t acting as a judge in the background.[54]
Peperoncino suspects Zeus will now not hesitate to use Magellan. But the Crypters can not let anyone other than themselves to use it, meaning Kirschtaria’s alliance with Zeus will crumble in the end. As such, Kirschtaria’s greatest adversary right now isn’t Chaldea but Zeus.[54]
Kirschtaria insists Chaldea is still his greatest adversary, which is why he used one of the last two times he planned to personally fight on them. The results of that battle disappointed him, but he thinks it would have been a closer call if Ritsuka had the same resolve he heard they had during the Time Temple. He believes, in practice, there isn’t much difference between him and Ritsuka, as Ritsuka’s exploits to date have proven. But whether or not the two of them will have a rematch is up to Ritsuka.[54]
However, Kirschtaria already promised Zeus he would fight him last as per their contract. A rematch to decide the fate of the world of gods was Zeus’ condition for cooperating. Peperoncino is surprised Zeus would have such human motivations. Kirschtaria says no one lacking that quality would take on the task of becoming the god who leads humanity. But that is why he pities Zeus for the decision he is about to make regarding Europa and her treachery.[54]
I Am the Thunder that Smites Stars (I）[]
Europa is brought before Zeus to be judged for her betrayal. Rasputin scolds Limbo for interfering with Olympus' affairs, considering it oversteps the bounds of their duty to await the Alien God’s advent. Limbo claims he couldn’t help but get involved upon discovering Europa’s betrayal. He offers his head to make things right. Zeus demands the Apostles be silent, for the time of judgment is at hand.[8]
Meanwhile, in the Machina Corridor, Peperonicno confirms to Kadoc that Europa is likely going to be executed. Kadoc doesn’t understand why she didn't use them as scapegoats, believing her life could be spared if she claimed they made her do it. [8]
Peperoncino tells Kadoc to calm down as they cannot be certain Zeus is keeping to his agreement with Kirschtaria not to eavesdrop on their conversations. But the fact they haven’t been struck by lightning must mean Zeus has kept to his word.[8]
As for Europa, Peperoncino believes she said nothing because she doesn’t want either of them to die. He is also certain she hasn’t given up yet because even now, she has chosen to remain materialized instead of ending her life. [8]
Kadoc, realizing how strong Europa is, decides to come clean to Kirschtaria. Peperoncino decides he is going to ensure a certain evil monk gets his comeuppance.[8]
Zeus asks Europa why she betrayed him, believing his Lostbelt is the path the world must take for the Earth and mythology to be restored. Europa replies by telling Zeus the love he feels for humans is the same love reserved for pets. Zeus admits that was always the case ever since they chose to become gods. He wonders if it would have been different if he remained a ship, but Europa is overjoyed he chose to take a human-like form. Zeus is doubtless Europa genuinely loves him, but he nonetheless must pass judgment on her for aiding in the murder of his fellow gods.[8]
The heroes (along with the rest of Olympus) hear Zeus’ announcement that Europa will be publicly executed at the Olympia Dodonda’s great shrine at noon today for deicide. Ritsuka is deeply concerned as noon is only three hours away. Goredolf (the connection had just recently been reestablished) warns Ritsuka not to be hasty when they just returned to base. He also notes their report on their encounter with Koyanskaya was condensed to a single line that read they encountered and fought her.[8]
Holmes, whispering to Ritsuka and Mash, confesses he abridged their battle report since Koyanskaya continues to be a sore subject for Goredolf. He requests they keep the truth of Koyanskaya’s identity secret from Goredol until the mission is over.[8]
As Europa’s execution is most obviously a trap and her role as Collaborator is now done, Goredolf heavily implies they should leave her to be executed to focus on their mission. Caligula advises Ritsuka and Mash to make a decision quickly.[8]
The twins understand they will most likely die once the Lostbelt disappears after the Tree is felled. But they do not want Europa to be executed because even though their time together was brief, she reminded them of their mother, and considers her the last person who wished for a future where they could grow and learn. They wish to spend their last moments with her.[8]
Caligula asks Ritsuka to grant the twins’ wish. Goredolf gives in and starts to give a speech about how Chaldea will help stop Europa’s execution until he realizes Ritsuka already agreed to do so. Ritsuka was sure Goredolf was going to agree, anyways.[8]
But before they can head for Olympia Dodona, the heroes must first deal with the dozens of soldiers heading for the base. They defeat the first wave, but they understand they will be able to hold against two more waves. Their only option now is to abandon the base and escape to the surface through the south corridor. The A.I.’s circuits were damaged in the battle, and it shuts down after agreeing with Risuka they will meet the Heroic Spirits it’s based on again someday.[8]
Escaping with the others, Caenis tells Goredolf they’ll be even once Zeus is dead. Goredolf finds that acceptable and tells the heroes the Storm Border will be right behind them once they take to the skies to reach Olympia Dodona. [8]
Da Vinci shows she has recovered and reveals Nemo is very nearly recovered. She continues that once the Storm Border is rebooted, it’ll be ready to showcase its special flight capabilities. She urges the heroes to survive so they can meet again in the great shrine’s airspace.[8]
Kirschtaria is shown going through the Seven Singularities with his fellow Crypters, and it is implied he has experienced it multiple times to ensure everyone survives.[8]
He later meets with Zeus before Magellan. He tells him not to go through with Europa’s execution, not just for her sake but his as well. Zeus refuses to overturn his decision as he seeks to protect not himself but Olympus, or rather this world they found after years of wandering. Kirschtaria realizes Zeus never told him why his fleet crossed the universe.[8]
Humans gave them names, something which previously only Chaos had. Zeus became the fleet’s flagship in Chaos’ place. The humans believed they had personalities and came to worship them. The fleet was uncertain how to respond to all of this as none of it was important or useful for voyaging. Nonetheless, they were delighted, feeling joy for the first time, and decided from thereon to act as gods. But Zeus was the only one who understood that meant they would be abandoning their original directive: the revival of their home planet.[8]
Kirschtaria asks Zeus why he took control of the other gods’ functions. Zeus answers it was the only way to fight against Sefar, fully aware it would cause his fellow gods to hate him. All the gods have the same integration ability, but he was the only one who chose to use it. He thus believes he was the only one who went mad.[8]
Kirschtaria refutes that last line, believing at that moment, as far as humanity was concerned, Zeus was the only true god. He then compares himself to Zeus in that they both altered from what they were supposed to be and wholly dedicated themselves to what changed them.[8]
Zeus senses a commotion on the surface and concludes Chaldea is coming to Europa’s rescue. He asks Kirschtaria how Magellan is faring. Kirschtaria replies it is nearly ready, and once it is, the final step will be for one of them to use it. He offers to deal with Chaldea if Zeus would like to use Magellan first. Zeus declines, believing he should greet the Chaldeans if they are coming to save Europa. He will save Magellan for after he defeats Chaldea and Kirschtaria. He believes this is the only way he can repay Kirschtaria.[8]
He thanks Kirschtaria for letting him share his burdens, something he couldn’t even do with Hades or Poseidon when he became an all-powerful god. He then erases his terminal, bidding farewell to his friend. Kirschtaria says goodbye to him as well, saying he holds him in the highest respects.[8]
Meanwhile, in the city proper, the heroes fend off Olympus' forces while Macarios gets the Stymphalian ready for take off.[8]
Kadoc takes advantage of the situation to look through Kirschtaria’s files on his terminal to try and find a clue to the Alien God’s real identity. The files are password protected, but since there is little time to try and hack his way in, he starts guessing the password. He quickly finds the password is KKOAPBD, an acronym using the first letter of each Crypter’s name. He sees a regularly scheduled report from Ophelia (dated around the time Chaldea captured him) and opens it, finding it strange it is the only one saved.[8]
In her report, Ophelia hypothesizes the blank period between when a Lostbelt was pruned and when it was “replanted” in the present day takes place within each Tree. She suspects the Trees take the point that a Lostbelt’s history is pruned and simulates what would happen if that history had continued on from that point. The Trees thus effectively prove that history’s existence and project the result onto the planet’s surface. If Ophelia’s hypothesis is correct, that would mean the Trees are essentially creating history. As not even a Chief God who once ruled the planet could wield such Authority on Earth in the present day, Ophelia asks Kirschtaria what exactly is the Alien God.[8]
Kadoc opens a text file Kirschtaria wrote on the Trees and the Bleached Earth Phenomenon. In it, Kirschtaria believes they were mistaken to think the Trees were what bleached the Earth. The Trees came after the Earth was bleached. Kirschtaria hopes whichever Crypter ends up viewing this file finds it useful.[8]
Confused by this revelation, Kadoc questions the purpose of the Trees or the Lostbelts. He at first suspects the Lostbelts are essentially a means through which the Alien God can learn about humanity and that a blank world is the only kind the Alien God can visit. He quickly realizes, though, that doesn't make sense. If the Alien God requires a blank world, then the Lostbelts would only be in the way, which begs the question of the purpose of them and the Trees. Furthermore, if the Alien God knew nothing about humanity, they wouldn’t have known to target Chaldea first.[8]
Kadoc concludes the Alien God’s extreme cautiousness is because they still lack a physical body. It is why they enlisted the Apostles and Crypters to act on its behald. But Kadoc questions why the Apostles would be figures from Earth’s history when he suspects the Alien God can only make use of things that existed in Earth’s past. He therefore theorizes that when the Alien God descends and incarnates through the Tree, their body will be based on data collected about Earth for them.[8]
He then tries to expound on how the Alien God has to make use of Earth's lifeforms when Limbo interrupts and fatally wounds him for getting too close to the truth. Kadoc falls unconscious from the pain curse inflicted through Limbo’s nails and is left for dead.[8]
I Am the Thunder that Smites Stars (II)[]
Rasputin and Kadoc speak in the gardens, the latter having escaped and closed his wounds. Rasputin denies he is going to kill Kadoc because his duty to supervise the Crypters only applies to Kirschtaria, so Kadoc will never be eligible for purging. Kadoc feels somewhat embarrassed for sneaking around.[55]
He then muses on how an abnormal person Musashi is, believing she is crazy or a samurai because those are the only kinds of people who would save someone from execution only let them die another way. He thinks she is rubbing off on Chaldea and notes how samurai fight and die for loyalty and duty.[55]
Rasputin rejects that Musashi is a samurai because, from what he has heard, she is the furthest thing from a samurai. He also thinks it is Chaldea that is rubbing off on her. Kadoc doesn’t know what he is talking about, only that Olympia Dodona is going to see some serious action. He asks Rasputin about his next step and tries to state his own when he falls unconscious.[55]
Impressed by Kadoc’s mental fortitude, Rasputin decides to take the spare time he has until he needs to be present for an upcoming birth to fulfill his promise to the Grand Duchess.[55]
Beryl finds Koyanskaya sulking in the gardens. He claims Limbo has killed Kadoc for rebelling against Kirschtaria, though he would have killed Kadoc himself if he had resigned himself to being a fool. Either way, though, Beryl thinks Kadoc was on his way out ever since he returned from Russia.[55]
While she agrees with him on that note, Koyanskaya makes it clear to Beryl that she has no interest in dealing with a bloodthirsty killer like him. She then tries to go and say her goodbyes to Rasputin. But Beryl, knowing she is looking for monsters who were never a part of Proper Human History, piques her interest when he says he can lead her to a living Dragon of Albion. He agrees to find her what she wants if in exchange she gets him out of the Lostbelt.[55]
Meanwhile, the heroes board the Stymphalides and set course for Olympia Dodona at top speed so they can get there in under a minute. However, there is a blockade of autonomous weapons and soldiers using flight spells barring their way. But Caenis makes use of the aircraft’s Hephaestus and Athena Klironomia to destroy the blockade with Poseidon Maelstrom in fell swoope, surprising even her. Unfortunately, the Noble Phantasm causes the aircraft to lose control. Everyone braces themselves to crash-land in the great shrine's perimeter gardens.[55]
I Am the Thunder that Smites Stars（III）[]
The heroes crash-land with nary an injury and proceed to head down the Machina Corridor. They stop, though, when Mash senses a large magical energy source. Mushashi knows it is Limbo from the stench of death and unrepentant evil. Limbo shows himself at her demand, impressed she found him by mere scent even though he casted a few stealth spells to hide himself.[56]
He calls the heroes out for coming to rescue Europa when they’re going to leave her to die when they destroy the Lostbelt. It baffles him, so he asks the Chaldeans how long they intend to continue this behavior of destroying the very lives they saved. He mocks it as a comedy that even he, as his god’s jester, couldn’t hope to compete with and summons Cerberus.[56]
The heroes slay Cerberus. Musashi cuts off Limbo’s head, but she knows his body is a shikigami. Limbo, regrowing his head, amusedly disappointed shikigami will not work on Musashi anymore. But he decides to stop for today, even though he’d love to do nothing more than endlessly toy with the heroes. He admits he once tried and failed to kill Zeus and looks forward to seeing how the heroes will fare.[56]
Caenis, annoyed by his constant talking, slashes Limbo. Libo laughs it off because no matter what happens to his shikigami, he can’t be truly harmed and boasts his life extension technique is invincible. However, Peperoncino suddenly appears, refuting Limbo’s claim.[56]
He casts a Shugendō spell on Limbo after declaring his intent to make him pay for what he did to the Indian Lostbelt. It is a special technique that combines Tashintsu and Rojintsu called Namushinpen Great Boddhisatva: Rojin-Tashintsu that he made specifically to render Limbo’s method of “false reincarnation” by spreading his lifeforce throughout countless shikigami inert. Thus, Limbo’s next life will be his last. Limbo’s shikigami disintegrates, cursing Peperoncino.[56]
Ritsuka appreciates Peperoncino for what he did. Peperoncino tells them he just did what he had to, imploring the heroes to do the same. Even if he wanted to stop them, he expended all of his magical energy on that spell so he will watch from the sidelines. But he cannot root for them when they go up against Kirschtaria.[56]
He then tells Ritsuka that Kirschtaria believes they are now capable of defeating him. He now realizes how similar Ritsuka and Kirschtaria are; Both are earnest hard workers who stand up against adversity like it was completely natural and had more than their fair share of painful goodbyes. Neither he nor Daybit could hope to defeat Kirschtaria, but Peperoncino believes Ritsuka might be able to now. Ritsuka resolves to make Kirschtaria pay for their loss in Atlantis.[56]
A pack of Phantasmals suddenly approaches. The heroes slay them. Mash notices Peperoncino is now gone, presumably having left during the battle. She is sad, but Ritsuka reassures her that they will meet him again as she knows how he loves to help. Mash agrees and decides she will thank Peperoncino for his help then. The heroes rush toward the great shrine while the twins prepare the Aether.[56]
At the great shrine, the heroes can see Magellan and the Cronos Crown. A bell then tolls, and a voice from the shrine announces that Zeus will project himself from his Alethia. The air shakes, and magical energy, the destiny of which is overwhelming, begins to concentrate before the heroes. The sheer power makes the other gods look like nothing.[56]
Zeus manifests and forces the heroes to kneel before him with a gravity field. The heroes refuse to give up, however, with Caenis, Musashi, and Mash standing up. Zeus deactivates the gravity field, having sensed Athena’s, Ares’, and Poseidon’s power from Mash, Musashi, and Caenis, respectively.[56]
Deciding to refrain from crushing all of them at once, Zeus asks why they have come. Macarios, barely able to stand, answers they came to stop him from execting Europa before he collapses. Zeus tells the twins to rest as the graviton baptism Authority granted to him by Cronos Crown is too much for humans to bear. His question was for the Chaldeans and the Heroic Spirits of Proper Human History who accompany them.[56]
Talos
He asks them why they came to his Lostbelt. Ritsuka and Mash answers they came to cut down the Tree and take back their world. Zeus laughs at their answer, creating immense pressure as his laughter is the Authority of laughter. He stops and tells the twins they will carry out the execution as sign of commendation for their friends’ bravery.[56]
A mind-controlled Europa appears and is ordered by Zeus to kill the heroes lest they kill her. Zeus tells the twins he will grant their wish, for he will not execute Europa, instead they will. He refuses anything but acceptance, considering it his grace.[56]
Mash is incredulous that Zeus would call that grace. Zeus responds by creating immense pressure on the heroes, declaring everything he provides humans as grace. He then calls forth Talos the bronze giant Proper Human History Zeus once gave Europa. The heroes fight Talos so they save Europa once it is destroyed.[56]
I Am the Thunder that Smites Stars（IV）[]
The heroes destroy Talos, and Holmes gently incapacitates Europa. Zeus asks the heroes why they didn’t kill Europa like he ordered. He wonders if they’ll claim it is because humans are merciful creatures moved to help each other out. Caenis denies that isn’t the case for her as she wants to kill both humans and gods.[57]
Zeus asks her how she did not disappear after Dioscuri “killed” her and why she stands with Chaldea now. Caenis answers that she is standing with Chaldea because she naturally wanted revenge against the gods. Zeus surmises she is saying the gods’ arrogance led to the current situation, including her own destiny.[57]
He then asks Musashi why she, as someone also from excised history, would fight the gods. Musashi answers that it is simply because he is Chaldea’s enemy. As for the moral conundrum that is Proper Human History versus Lostbelts, she cannot be bothered to care. All she cares about when fighting for another’s sake is if she can truly trust them.[57]
She declares she currently fights for her own sake to surpass the limits she pushed against her entire life. At first, she thought Zeus was the opponent she sought, but now she sees he is merely an obstacle on the way to her ultimate destination. She will cut down whatever blocks her path and right now that leads to the Tree, which she will cut down.[57]
Zeus now sees the heroes each have their own thoughts, hopes, and distress. But he considers their threat infinitesimal compared to Sefar and its divided spirits, the Gigante. So he must ask them why they continue their journey and why they destroy the Lostbelts, especially now that this planet’s humanity and history have all been wiped out as if they never existed.[57]
Ritsuka reiterates their previous answer. Zeus laughs, prompting immense pressure to weigh down on the heroes once again. He finds it hilarious the heroes would insist on carrying out their wishes themselves with their own trifling power. He can see now, though it was that unabashed straightforwardness that allowed to defeat his fellow gods. Then, declaring he is not merciful like his counterpart, Zeus activates his Alethia.[57]
The heroes see a massive face up in the sky. It is the true visage of Zeus, his Alethia. Macarios, knowing attacking Zeus directly is suicide, implores the heroes to focus on defending and surviving until he and his sister can activate the Aether. Zeus declares he shall save Earth and that mythology shall rule once more.[57]
Holmes correctly deduces Zeus has no intention of sharing the planet with the Alien God. Zeus calls Holmes dangerous, his very eyes a threat to the world. Holmes chastises Zeus for trying to change the subject, reminding him even now he is under his curse. He asks Zeus what he intends to do with the Alien God.[57]
Zeus decides it would be too cruel to let humans bear the weight of the world. He will do their thinking and worrying for them. All they need to do is smile and worship him. Then, addressing the Chaldeans, he tells them to sleep and that when they next wake, they shall witness him restore mythology.[57]
He unleashes a powerful lightning storm, all but destroying the great shrine. Mash activates the Aigis to protect against Zeus’ lightning bolt, which, if not for Athena’s conceptual protection being the greatest conceptual defence in all Greek mythology and temporarily turning Mash's shield into a Divine Construct, would have vaporized Mash body and soul.[57]
Musashi is amazed by how strong the Aigis, but she knows it will not last as Ritsuka and Mash’s magical energy is being worn away. She wonders how they get past all of Zeus’ layers of conceptual defense. Ritsuka says to hold out until the Aether is activated. Caenis cannot not use her full power, and Holmes and Caligula can’t even budge.[57]
The battle exceeds Zeus’ expected duration, so he reevaluates the heroes’ combat capabilities and proceeds to deactivate the following Authority limiters: Great Composite Authority Titanomachia limiter, Great Composite Authority Gigantomachia limiter, Intelligent Life-Form Conservation Function (his Authority over the Land and Harvest can no longer replenish the souls his thunderbolts incinerate), and World Discipline Keraunos Function Limiter (includes Anti-Planet Destruction, Anti-Star System Annihilation, Anti-Space-Time Attack, and Anti-Concept Shattering Mechanism Limiters). Zeus intends to destroy everything, but even before his unimaginable power, Ritsuka and Mash stand firm.[57]
Holmes refuses to believe Zeus truly wants to destroy the world. Zeus tells him to be silent, calling his decision his shame and powerlessness. Before ■■■■■■ appears within the Tree, he will claim every Spiritron in it for himself. From there, he will covert Olympus into a colony and set off for another spacefaring journey. He is going to abandon Earth’s lifeforms, taking only the traces of their existence with him. With 37% of his Authorities released, Zeus readies to unleash World Discipline Keraunos, which wipe out all life on the planet.[57]
Ares is summoned.
But at that moment, Golden Huge Bear attacks Zeus, its fist-blade repelled by the countless Authorities protecting the Chief God. Zeus automatically retaliates by atomizing Golden Huge Bear with Hades’ Authority. However, through a spell that uses the Spirit Core fragments of the defeated Servants, Caligula’s bonds acting as a materialization guide, and Golden Huge Bear acting as a catalyst, Ares is chain summoned from Proper Human History, inexplicitly in his original crimson Aletheia. In Rome, he is known as Mars, a Chief God.[57]
Musashi realizes from Ares’ summoning that the Aether has been activated. Zeus is incredulous that the heroes would call upon someone he had already killed once before, but Ares tells him he is wrong. Adele calls the Aether the embodiment of their wish to bring down Zeus, revealing it has more than one summon to it. Macarios readies the Aether’s final summoning.[57]
With Mars before him, Caligula can now fulfill the true purpose of his materialization. He calls Zeus Greek mythology’s supreme being and essentially tells him one of Rome’s three Chief Gods is best suited to stand against him. Mars is one of those Chief Gods. As for the other, Caligula calls upon the twins and Ritsuka to activate the final summoning.[57]
Thanks to the great summoning circles throughout Olympus, the Aether absorbed endless amounts of magical energy from the infinity crystal and True Ether from the atmosphere. With all that, Caligula then fulfills his purpose of being the catalyst to summon the Grand Lancer Romulus-Quirinus. Zeus recognizes him as the only human who ascended to Supreme Deity.[57]
Holmes realizes the final phase of Operation Godbreaker was meant to summon a new god——one who could forge a path to a new future. Quirinus was born a demigod, wielding godlike power even as he held onto his human roots. He is the very picture of one who cast off an old era to forge new legends. Holmes cannot think of anyone more suitable to best Zeus.[57]
With Quirinus’ protection boosting their magical energy and the help of Ares, the heroes fight Zeus to carry out the final phase of Operation Godbreaker.[57]
Zeus cannot believe he is being injured. Musashi strikes him with her Noble Phantasm, which Caenis follows up with Poseidon Maelstrom. Holmes notices Zeus has resorted to his Anti-Dimensional and Anti-Star System attacks and notes it is thanks to Quirinus’ protection that they can penetrate Zeus’ defenses. Quirinus damages Zeus even further with Per Aspera Ad Astra.[57]
Europa wakes up and implores Zeus to stop. She believes he should be blessing the twins’ desire to see a true tomorrow, not cursing them for it, certain he truly desires to save the world. Whether it is Proper Human History or this Lostbelt, she knows Zeus has always loved her along with all humans. So she asks what difference can there be between a human and a god.[57]
Zeus hit by Black Barrel
Zeus declares gods and humans are nothing alike, considering any god who could love human broken beyond repair. As for Europa, he tells her he isn’t the Zeus she loved and readies an offensive Authority to kill her.. But as result, his outer shell’s magical energy density is weakened, giving the Chaldea a chance to finish him off.[57]
Mash readies the Black Barrel and calculates Zeus’ lifespan, surprised it is only one thousand. Ignoring this, she finishes the remaining firing preparations. Ritsuka loads their final Command Spell and Mash fires the Black Barrel, its black light bullet striking Zeus in his left eye.[57]
Void[]
In the Crypter meeting room, Kirschtaria regrets his and Zeus’ vision for resurrecting the Age of Gods could never truly be compatible as the latter’s ultimate objective was to escape Earth. He would have supported Zeus’ plan if he made Olympus into a new type of spaceship and brought its people with him. Instead, Zeus planned to abandon the very people that named him a god in the first place. His vision for a new Age of Gods was the same dead end the gods of Proper Human History left behind. Kirschtaria regrets not even Europa could inspire a change of heart in Zeus. He supposes, though, that not even Zeus could disobey Chaos’ directive.[58]
Chaos emerges from a rift in space.
Zeus is dead and the Cronos Crown has been damaged. But suddenly the Shrine Voice warns World Discipline Keraunos has been accessed from the source. A rift in space then opens up in the sky, a giant eye peering from the other side. Ares panics and identifies the eye as the original starship――Chaos.[58]
Chaos fires a beam, faster than the speed of light. Being the only ones fast enough to react, Ares and Quirinus move immediately to protect the others. Quirinus erects a Bounded Field to protect the heroes while Ares uses his own body.[58]
Ritsuka and Mash are confused to see Ares is gone all the sudden. Quirinus informs them Ares died saving their lives, killed by a ray of sunlight――a great Authority that exceeds even Apolo in his prime. Holmes is confused as he thought only Zeus could access the Authorities of other Machine Gods until he remembers Chaos is the source of all gods in Greek mythology.[58]
Ritsuka presumes they mean chaos as in confusion. Mash explains, though, that while the modern usage of the term “chaos” is used to describe unpredictable situations, in Greek mythology, Chaos is the largest, most ancient god of all. Its name means “hole in the sky”, a void. Musashi reacts upon hearing this.[58]
Quirinus explains the Machines Gods all originated from Chaos as nothing more than a way for it to divide its countless functions. It resembles a Dyson Sphere, the scale of which surpasses the Earth and has existed for eon. According to Holmes, that makes Chaos a god that embodies every concept and natural phenomenon.[58]
Caenis wonders if Chaos came to protect Zeus, but Quirinus and Europa both confirm Zeus is truly dead. Europa expects Chaos came to carry out Zeus’ will in his stead. However, unlike Zeus, who wished to preserve Olympian civilization, Chaos is apathetic towards Earth. Its highest priority is preserving the fleet, so it will absorb every resource on the planet’s surface and return to its interstellar voyage. But nothing exists where Chaos is, only a gap in the cosmos.[58]
Chaos readies to harvest the planet’s resources, which will revert the surface to its primordial state, intending to take 37%. If successful, the Earth will be unhabitable.[58]
Musashi notices Chaos isn’t attacking them. Europa suspects, given that it perceives the universe on a scale greater than Zeus. that Chaos isn’t aware of them. Furthermore, the attack that killed Ares was more akin to a reflex. Chaos doesn’t mean to attack, for its only intention is to take the planet’s source to fuel another interstellar voyage.[58]
As they still need to cut down Magellan, Ritsuka and Mash decide to fight Chaos. Holmes basically tells them, however, that is impossible as the distance is far too great and not even to the energy of Goetia’s light bands could destroy Chaos.[58]
Musashi asks Holmes if Machine Gods are different from conceptual ones. Holmes tells her the two are functionally the same. Musashi, upon hearing this, declares she can defeat Chaos. She is well aware she can’t destroy it, but she can close the “window” it is looking through. Holmes reminds her the rift is a void when he realizes her intentions.[58]
Musashi explains every time she drifts, she always falls through a light field in the boundary between worlds. There are hundreds of entrances to different worlds and she jumps in one in the hopes it will bring her home. But she always ends up in a different world, which is how she ended up in Shimosa. However, with each subsequent drift, fewer worlds became available. Her Japan has long since been pruned away and was presumably a Lostbelt itself. She can no longer travel to other worlds; coming to Olympus was her fate. Holmes suspected something like this could happen ever since he observed Musashi’s condition in Russia.[58]
Ritsuka and Caenis try to stop Musashi from taking on Chaos on her own when the Storm Border arrives, previously held back Zeus terminals. Musashi explains the situation to the crew and jumps on top of the ship. She tells them to head for the rift, proclaiming she has a special move that will take care of it.[58]
The shrine voice begins the countdown until Chaos returns the planet to its primordial state. Europa warns if they don’t do something fast, Chaos will activate the Cronos Crown and disassemble everything on Earth, physically and conceptually, into their component Spiritrons.[58]
Ritsuka and Mash yell at Musashi to come back, believing there must be other options. But Musashi yells her plan is their best and only option. She doesn’t want to do this, but everyone else not dying is more important to her. She implores them to let her go, determined to go out doing something truly meaningful.[58]
Accepting her determination, RRitsuka gives Musashi their support, even as they cry over her. Nemo assures Musashi that his ship will get her to her destination. Musashi thanks Ritsuka for everything and the Storm Border heads for the rift.[58]
However, the path to Chaos is far more complex than it seems, only looking straightforward due to the limits of human perception. The Storm Border is following the Paper Moon’s route to Chaos, but it will take so long that neither the ship nor Musashi will last. Nemo thus determines they’ll take a shortcut through Imaginary Number Space by means of a series of intermittent Zero Sails, knowing it will kill him. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to come to that, as Quirinus uses his remaining power to create a straightforward path to Chaos, shortening the traversal time to three minutes.[58]
Musashi expresses her gratitude to whomever allowed her to keep traveling after her death in Shimosa; not if it’s humanity, though, considering it was humanity that made her an outcast. She knows as a Musashi subject to Pruning Theoretical Phenomenon, she can never be summoned once she disappears. She says her goodbyes to Ritsuka, and then readies her swords.[58]
Chaos fires, but Nemo uses the Storm Border’s Spiritron cannon to block Chaos’ beams,, protecting Musashi so that she can perform her ultimate attack. Soon enough, the Border reaches the rift. Musashi declares cutting the void is her destiny, and then with a single slash, she cuts the void, sealing Chaos away forever. Musashi, having spent all her Spirit Origin, disappears, proud of her accomplishment.[58]
The Day to Bring Down Gods[]
A flashback shows the aftermath of Kirschtaria’s battle with Caenis after he summoned her, having bested her with his meteor magecraft. Caenis refused to join him against Proper Human History as she doesn’t take orders from any man, especially the kind who tries to make her obey by force just because they’re stronger than her. Kirschtaria refuted he was strong and insisted Caenis would win next time.[59]
He told her he sought a truly beneficial relationship, wanting her help specifically. He then revealed the true nature of his plan to her, certain she would find it irresistible and that he could trust her. Caenis was adamant that she couldn’t be trusted, however, adding that she didn’t take any orders from anyone, and claimed she got her invincible body because she is misanthropic misotheist killer.[59]
Kirschtaria knew Caenis hated the gods for their flaws and tyranny and humans for their weakness, including herself. Though she was so enraged and despondent to rend her own body, she still chose survival instead of suicide, and ultimately asked her violator Poseidon to turn her into a Divine Spirit as indemnification. She didn’t do it to become like god but rather to ensure she would never lose hope in herself again.[59]
Caenis threatened to kill Kirschtaria before one of his meteors crushed her if he brought up that subject ever again. Kirschtaria is well aware of the consequences for misspeaking, but assured Caenis she would win next time. To prove it, he removed his gloves and cloak.[59]
His hands were wrinkled, having been that way ever since he was resurrected; Caenis was the first person he revealed this to. He then removed his shirt, showing his emaciated body and the scar left from a curse that damaged his Magic Circuits directly his father inflicted him with when he was younger. Due to said curse, he was shut away in a basement for several days. But eventually he freed himself, forced his father to retire, and became head of his family. It was then and there he vowed to find a way to overcome all human weakness.[59]
He assured Caenis she was his first and only choice for a Servant, seeing her as proof of what he desired could be done. She is also the only one privy to his true desire, as he believed she would understand his feelings and why he made his oath. He then requested her help in fulfilling his oath. His plan enticed Caenis, so she agreed to go along with his plan, telling him they’ll use each other for their own ends.[59]
Nemo confirms to the heroes that Chaos was successfully sealed away permanently. However, the Border had sustained significant damage and is currently far off-course from the great shrine, so the crew will need an hour to repair the ship before they can rejoin the heroes. Magellan is also now descending towards Olympus, its internal magical energy only continuing to raise. Last, Musashi has disappeared and her record on the Spirit Origin graph now only reads “Data Lost”.[59]
With the gods all defeated, Caenis’ debt to Goredolf has been repaid. She contemplates killing the heroes while they’re mourning Musashi, but Quirinus knows what she is thinking and reminds her that her Master wouldn’t want to end things through such dishonorable means. Caenis insists she was only thinking about it since the heroes looked so pathetic.[59]
She announces to the heroes she will be returning to Kirschtaria now that her debt has been repaid. She considers it worth it to be Kirschtaria’s Servant and tells Ritsuka and Mash that he’s worth fighting and fighting as hard as they are.[59]
After giving directions to Kirschtaria, Caenis warns the twins that if they want to live as long as possible, they should go back while they still can. She is going to kill the Chaldeans no matter what, noting they have no choice but to fight. The twins, however, refuse to leave as they swore to end this world. Caenis accepts their answer and leaves, declaring she will kill them and show them what a “real” Master looks like she’s at it.[59]
Quirinus starts to disappear, admitting he relinquished his title as Grand Lancer and depleted his magical energy to escort the Storm Border to Chaos. Ritsuka thanks him for his help. Quirinus disappears, essentially encouraging Ritsuka to never give up and reach further beyond, even in their darkest moments.[59]
The shrine starts to shake. With Zeus now gone, Olympia Dodona has lost power, so the heroes make their way toward Kirschtaria. As they do, it becomes clear that with the Cronos Crown shut down, it is only a matter of time before the shrine fall.[59]
The heroes enter the Crypters meeting room where they hear Kirschtaria announcing his victory to his remaining fellow Crypters. The Chaldeans then see the Priestess standing in front of the corridor that leads to Magellan and Kirschtaria. But the twins cannot see her, nor sense any magical energy. Regardless, they ignore her and move forward, though Mash is left wondering if she wanted to tell them something.[59]
After they’re gone, Rasputin asks the Priestess if she wanted to stop them or kill them. The Priestess looks downcast in response. Rasputin interprets this to mean she doesn’t care either way, and so he decides to not interfere with the Chaldeans’ battle either. Whoever wins the upcoming battle does not matter to him, for he will simply watch and what form the Alien God’s truth will take.[59]
The heroes now stand before Magellan, though unlike the previous Trees it isn’t trying to attack them. Kirschtaria welcomes them, accompanied by Limbo and Caenis.[59]
Limbo relishes in the Chaldeans’ surprise at his appearance, boasting about his so-called immortality. Kirschtaria, however, reveals this Limbo is actually a shikigami Limbo left behind to keep an eye on Magellan, unaware that his connection to the real Limbo had been severed and that he is the last clone. Limbo refuses to believe his spell had been severed, but is shocked to learn it is the truth. He therefore to decides to leave the Chaldeans to Kirschtaria while watches from afar by Magellan.[59]
Kirschtaria congratulates the Chaldeans on their victory over Zeus, impressed they didn’t lose a single member of their team. This provokes Ritsuka as Kirschtaria does not count Musashi since she is not from Proper Human History. Holmes warns Kirschtaria to keep his provocations to a minimum and that they’re going to cut down the Tree before it’s too late.[59]
Unfortunately, Kirschtaria declares it is too late as Magellan is complete and is now using half of its power to protect itself. Once a Tree’s bark reaches that point, interfering with it from the outside becomes impossible. The only ones who could make Magellan die now are Zeus, who was directly connected it, and Kirschtaria, who possesses the right to use it as he sees fit. Therefore, the only way to cut down Magellan now is to defeat Kirschtaria. Kirschtaria is ready and is elated to see Ritsuka is wholly focused on defeating him. The battle between the two Masters and their respective Servant thus commences.[59]
Soon, however, Kirschtaria pauses the battle. Mash detects Magellan’s internal magical energy is spiking rapidly. Everyone then sees something coming down from the sky. Holmes wonders if it’s the Alien God’s advent, though he is more concerned about the sky. It is neither the night sky nor outer space, not even the same cross-dimensional space Chaos resided.[59]
Macarios notices what seems to be a giant humanoid inside the Tree. Limbo appears and enthusiastically proclaims it is the body of the Alien God. Kirschtaria explains the Alien God cannot take physical form on Earth, so they will occupy the hollow of the matured Tree and descend to Earth using the Tree as their vessel. But he urges Limbo to look closer at the Tree, turning the mad monk’s elation into anger when he sees another god already occupies Magellan’s hollow. He realizes Kirschtaria had summoned a Divine Spirit inside the Tree, though, when Caenis reminds him the Tree was renamed to Atlas.[59]
Kirschtaria confesses he summoned three Divine Spirit Servants in total: Lostbelt Dioscuri, Caenis, and the Titan Atlas, who served as the foundation of the Greek world in Proper Human History. Atlas had agreed to aid in Kirschtaria’s plan to rebuild a new Age of Gods, rather than give the world to the Alien God. Kirschtaria doesn’t consider this a breach of his contract with the Alien God, as they never agreed on what was going to fill the Tree.[59]
Magellan’s haloes suddenly turn red, indicating its communications have been cut off. Kirschtaria reveals he was never obedient to Alien God, and he has never stopped believing in the possibilities of humanity. While his body is no longer compatible with Proper Human History thanks to the Alien God resurrecting him, he never attempted to overthrow humanity for the Alien God’s sake, rather he abandoned Proper Human History to expel them.[59]
Limbo tries to kill Kirschtaria for his treachery, but Caenis immediately interrupts his casting. The two then head off somewhere to continue their battle.[59]
Despite saying he is against the Alien God, Kirschtaria has no desire to protect Proper Human History. Magellan’s haloes return to their color. Kirschtaria explains Atlas will use Magellan’s magical energy to recreate all of humanity into lifeforms that surpass even the Machine Gods. He believes once everyone is a god unto themselves, equality will cease to exist and humanity will be led to a better place.[59]
Goredolf doesn’t believe what Kirschtaria is trying to do is possible. Da Vinci informs him, however, that according to the Border’s instruments, Atlas is spreading True Ether across the world. Right now, it is refining every living human soul’s spiritual format, and if it continues, they will become beings on par with Heroic Spirits or gods. Mash notices Ritsuka and the twins' Magic Circuits are improving in both mass and quality.[59]
Holmes tells Kirschtaria even if he does succeed in turning all of humanity into god-like beings, so as long as humans remain intelligent beings, conflict will always arise. The only difference will be in scale and destruction.[59]
Kirschtaria knows that but is certain his plan will eventually result in the end of human conflict. It will, however, be limited to humanity on Earth as it currently exists. Furthermore, once Atlas’ Textures cover the Earth, Proper Human History will be gone forever. Mash considers Kirschtaria’s plan no different from having the Earth wiped clean.[59]
Ritsuka finds Kirschtaria’s plan is no different from the Alien God’s. Kirschtaria tells them they are wrong and asserts the Alien God cares nothing for Earth or humanity. He then reveals that much like Goetia incinerating humanity, the bleaching of the Earth was a side effect of the Alien God’s true goal.[59]
The Alien God, in response to Kirschtaria preventing their advent, decides to end his life. Even so, Kirschtaria still intends to bring about his new world before the Alien God can sever their contract. He warns Ritsuka and Mash that he will show them no mercy if they interfere, calling his plan his Grand Order――the ideal he fought for his entire life. He then challenges them to prove they can make a greater future than himself and the final battle between Masters commences.[59]
Kirschtaria finds himself amazed by the Master Dr. Roman had raised. He was never worried about what might happen if something unfortunate happened to him because he trusted Daybit would carry on where he left off. But to his amazement, there was another candidate stronger than him all along.[59]
Ritsuka defeats Kirschtaria, but unfortunately Atlas cannot be stopped at this point even if Kirschtaria were to die. Kirschtaria believes humans becoming god-like beings will allow them to devise a way to stop the Alien God’s plan when Magellan starts to burn. This horrifies Kirschtaria, as it should be impossible to burn a fully grown Tree from the outside. A voice confesses that is why they burned another Tree and exploited the Trees’ network to spread the fire to Magellan.[59]
Beryl then tries to stab Kirschtaria in the back, only for Kirschtaria to deflect his attack. Kirschtaria is surprised by Beryl’s sudden betrayal, telling him he will be free of the Alien God’s control once he is deified. Beryl is disappointed that Kirschtaria doesn’t understand, though he never expected him to.[59]
On a different subject, he asks Kirschtaria why he feared the British Lostbelt since he never been there himself. Kirschtaria confesses it is because he came to realize that Lostbelt poses a different yet equal threat as the Alien God. He asserts nothing good can come of a Lostbelt in Britain, only a curse that would destroy the planet. Such a thing excites Beryl, though.[59]
He confesses the reason why he came to Olympus was because he incurred the fairies’ wrath for betraying them. In fact, he can shout “Here I am!” and the fairies will bring down divine retribution on him.[59]
The moment Beryl says that Kirschtaria urges the twins, Ritsuka, and Mash to evacuate. Rhongomyniad shoots down from the sky toward Olympus. Kirschtaria creates a barrier to block the Holy Lance, refusing to let Chaldea’s journey end here. Unfortunately, maintaining the barrier leaves him vulnerable for Beryl to stab him.[59]
Beryl admits he was originally going to return to Britain after burning Magellan, but he had to stab him out of disgust for his plan to deify humanity because he wouldn’t be able to kill anyone anymore then. He has no interest in becoming an enlightened version of himself, perfectly fine with who he is.[59]
Advent[]
Outside, Limbo cannot believe Caenis’ techniques are overwhelming him when he realizes she has been hiding her true strength. Caenis is irritated the battle took longer than she expected when she notices something happening to Magellan. She wonders if the Alien God is interfering again, but Limbo surmises it is Beryl’s doing.[60]
He decides to leave, declaring Olympus all but finished now. While this means the perfected Alien God’s advent has been delayed, Limbo is certain his true self should be able to resolve matters should he decide. So, in the meantime, he will disappear and focus on preparing a new picture of the hell to unleash. He then cuts his own head off. Caenis hurries to her Master’s side.[60]
Kirschtraria collapses from blood loss. Beryl kicks his body, his cruelty earning him glares from the heroes. He jokes about killing Ritsuka while they’re exhausted, as he can sense he and Holmes would only kill each other. To avoid that, he suggests they talk instead, reminding Mash he is the type to hash things out.[60]
Mash admits that even if his advice was statically helpful, she was never able to understand his behavior back in Chaldea. Beryl sees he earned Mash’s ire, but is nonetheless thrilled to see this new side of her. Ritsuka steps forward in front of Mash. Beryl moves to kill Ritsuka, but is interrupted when Caenis comes crashing in.[60]
Caenis sees Kirschtaria is bleeding profusely. She urges him not to die before she can pay him back, reminding him he still needs to make the gods obsolete and do something about the Alien God.[60]
Beryl offers Caenis territory in the British Lostbelt if she becomes his Servant. Caenis refuses as she can tell Kirschtaria’s wound came from an ambush. She knows that isn’t Ritsuka’s style and thus concludes it was Beryl’s doing. It seems like a fight between the two is about to occur when Rasputin tels them further infighting is pointless with Chaldea’s victory.[60]
Disappointed to hear from Caenis that Kirschtaria is a traitor, Rasputin asks Beryl if his killing of Kirschtaria means he is still on the Alien God’s side. Beryl confirms he is, but questions what will happen next now that the Alien God is without a vessel since Kirschtaria prevented them from using Magellan and “that woman back in Britain” drained Seyfert dry. So the way he sees it, that means his Lostbelt King is the strongest one on the planet.[60]
Rasputin interprets Beryl’s words to mean the British Lostbelt officially opposes the Alien God and further assumes from his apparent loyalty to its king that he speaks for Britain. Beryl admits his Lostbelt King permitted him to do whatever he liked on her behalf. He also reveals Rhongomyniad earlier was as a spell his Lostbelt King made specifically for the Alien God. He and his king always planned to destroy Olympus.[60]
Rasputin reveals the Alien God only resurrected Kirschtaria, giving them control over his continued existence. These restrictions do not apply to the other Crypters, however, since Kirschtaria was the one who saved them. Rasputin therefore tells Beryl he is free to do what he wishes, declaring him an enemy of the Alien God.[60]
Beryl gets an ominous feeling from Rasputin’s words and calls for Koyanskaya to get him out before it’s too late. Koyanskaya appears and warps him out. Rasputin accepts Koyanskaya is an enemy now and, given she is the same class as the Alien God, it would only be a matter of time before they tried to kill each other if she had stayed.[60]
Senji Muramasa cleaving Atlas in half, allowing the Alien God to possess his Spirit Origin.
Then at Rasputin’s behest, Muramasa cleaves Atlas in half, allowing the Alien God, Beast VII, to manifest through his bisected Spirit Origin. The Alien God thanks her Apostles for providing her with a vessel, but sensing no respect in the brainwaves directed at her, she realizes her body is small for one made from a Tree. Ritsuka and Mash are very much confused by her appearance. The Alien God asks Rasputin for a status report.[60]
Rasputin explains to the Alien God that Seyfert’s flames burned Magellan before it could become her body. While her Spirit Origin is unaffected, he suspected she will be unable to make full use of her Authority as a result.[60]
The Alien God concludes her body still has yet to fully eclose. She then decides she will consume the Lostbelt to make up for deficiencies. Usually, a single Lostbelt wouldn’t satisfy her craving, but since she only just acquired her body, she considers it a well-balanced wake-up snack. However, she questions why the Chaldeans are still alive and why they do not fear and revere her when she is a god. She asks Ritsuka why they do not fear her.[60]
Ritsuka answers it is because she is Director Olga Marie. The Alien God assumes they have gone mad with fear. She introduces herself as a god who descended from the void to right the planet’s wrongs and forever eliminate its evil. As its ultimate ruler, she will unite Earth under a single nation and personally govern each of its people. She is the sovereign of Earth――U-Olga Marie. This confuses Ritsuka and Mash even further.[60]
U-Olga Marie creates a black hole to destroy Olympus
Now sensing fear and confusion, U-Olga Marie declares she will wipe the planet clean of everything as the human race, the Lostbelt, the Crypters, and even her Apostles are all unnecessary now that she has a physical body. She then creates a black hole that threatens to not only destroy Olympus but the Lostbelt as well.[60]
Holmes can tell even without his Noble Phantasm that humanity has no hope of defeating U-Olga Marie. Her Spirit Graph alone is a counter to Humanity itself. Chaldea was only able to prevail over Mesopotamia and the Time Temple because they were an unknown factor and gave them an almost an excessive advantage in the environments Goetia and Tiamat appeared. But U-Olga Marie is different, as she had Chaldea in her sights well before they were even aware of her existence. Holmes declares it is utterly hopeless.[60]
But Kirschtaria, still alive, asserts that is all a matter of perspective. Now that Magellan has been razed and the Alien God has descended, his plan has failed and there is no hope for him to turn things around. For Chaldea, however, because for them, merely surviving ensures their victory. They haven’t truly lost and so still have a chance to turn things around.[60]
Kirschtaria proclaims it is time to play his last card, assuring he will make the Alien God pay back. Even if it’s fated to disappeared with Magellan now gone, he will protect Olympus to the end just as he promised Zeus. He can only make the Alien God go away temporarily, so he urges the heroes to escape now.[60]
Ritsuka asks him if he’s sure, considering how severely wounded he is. Kirschtaria claims it isn’t as bad as it looks and assures he still has plenty of fight left in him. He regrets, though, that they couldn’t finish their duel and that he burdened them with an immense responsibility again. Ritsuka knows it will not be easy, but they will give it everything they have.[60]
Holmes promises to Kirschtaria’s relief that he will do everything in his power to give Chaldea a chance to turn things around.[60]
Kirschtaria tells Mash that as a Crypter, he considered her and Ritsuka enemies to be eliminated and treated them accordingly. He did so because he believed it was right at the time. But he understands it is human nature to move toward their choices, right or wrong. There is thus no need to fight to assuage a guilty conscience or to atone for past misdeeds. He tells Mash not to forget she left Chaldea to go on a journey to get the most out of it.[60]
Olympia Dodona is nearing collapse, so the heroes need to escape now. Mash thanks Kirschtaria for everything he did for her back in Chaldea and leaves, wishing they could have talked more.[60]
Kirschtaria asks Caenis if the heroes are gone now. Caenis quickly realizes Kirschtaria can no longer see and confirms the heroes are indeed gone. She lets him lean on her. Then, after Rasputin assures he will only observe, Kirschtaria uses his Sirius Light against U-Olga Marie.[60]
Something One Is Not Born With[]
Kirschtaria recalls the time when he was fifteen and ended up trapped in a decrepit room. Because he was to be the next head of the family in lieu of his father, he possessed a Magic Crest that had been reinforced over eleven generations. It was designed to automatically its bear in the event they were injured, but thanks to an Anti-Magic toxin, both it and Kirschtaria’s Magic Circuits were completely dead. He had no means of counteracting the toxic without his assistance. His only hope was that his grandfather would notice something was amiss and send someone to rescue him.[61]
A boy wearing a discarded coat and unwashed hair saw Kirschtaria was awake now. Kirschtaria surmised the boy carried him here to his abode from the alley where he collapsed. He assumed the boy sought to profit off him based on his attire. He was disgusted as the boy rummaged through garbage and ashamed that boy was his rescuer.[61]
Kirschtaria was then force fed stale, moldy bread. His wound was closed, but eating such inedible food when he was digestive system barely worked would only worsen his condition. But in his current condition, he couldn’t resist or refuse, so he reluctantly ate the bread. Once he finished eating, he rested, expecting his assailants would find him in a few hours.[61]
But several days passed, and his assailants never showed. Now more accustomed to his current environment, Kirschtaria asked the boy for his name, but he was shocked to learn the boy didn’t even know what names were. A more pertinent question, though, was how he survived all this time by himself. As if to answer, the boy said everyone was scary and here was always safe, all the while stroking the pendant he wore around his neck.[61]
Even though he couldn’t use magecraft at the time, Kirschtaria could tell the pendant was a Mystic Code of concealment. It was a talisman that belonged to a sect of witches who lived deep in England’s forests long before the Clock Tower was founded. The pendant had rendered the room invisible, which is why Kirschtaria was never found and why the boy could survive all this time without anyone’s.[61]
Several more days passed and Kirschtaria learned the boy was the one he saw under the bridge. The boy also knew that if he left with the pendant, there was a chance Kirschtaria’s assailants would find him. So for almost two weeks, the boy fed Kirschtaria with what he had on hand.[61]
Sometime later, the boy woke Kirschtaria up for the first time of his own accord to show the basket of freshly baked bread he brought. Kirschtaria started to eat the bread when the boy suddenly collapsed on the bed.[61]
At that moment, Kirschtaria realized how truly malnourished the boy was and the fresh bruises on him. The boy only ever had enough food to feed two people for over two weeks, and ever since he took Kirschtaria in, he barely ate and never left. He knew leaving with the pendant meant the room would no longer be safe, so he left it by Kirschtaria’s bedside to keep him safe. He was thus caught stealing and brutally beaten for it. It proved too much for his malnourished body and he succumbed to his injuries as a distraught Kirschtaria begged him not to die.[61]
The boy’s selfless display of kindness moved Kirschtaria to forever discard his elitist worldview. He then burned his soul for energy to rouse his body, feeling his Magic Circuits physically crumble away. Afterward, he ate every last bread roll, and vowed to dedicate his life to following the boy’s example and use his gifts to demonstrate the value of human life.[61]
In the collapsing Olympia Dodona, Kirschtaria’ Sirius Light had expelled U-Olga Marie. Caenis kneels down beside Kirschtaria, whose lower boy had been obliterated. She is amazed by what his Sirius Light did, as Ophelia did nothing close to it. Kirschtaria reveals that was how they were originally supposed to be used. Marisbury had told him to use his to save the world if things looked bleak.[61]
Kirschtaria confesses he was absolutely shocked when he learned Caenis joined Chaldea’s side so quickly, having thought it would take longer. Part of him was even jealous, and he wondered for a moment if it meant Caenis would join anyone who defeated her.[61]
Caenis, denying she was defeated, confesses the main reason she helped Chaldea for so long was because Goredolf asked her what Kirschtaria was like as a person. In exchange, she had Goredolf tell her about Kirschtaria’s Clock Tower days. She learned he wasn’t a born champion, but a cautious and extremely stubborn coward. She laughs joyously to commend her Master for keeping up a perfect front for so long.
Asked by Caenis what he wanted to do, Kirschtaria explained to her how each Crypter was required to have an accomplishment worthy of overturning their deaths. The Alien God thus created simulations of the Grand Orders for Kirschtaria and a fellow Crypter to complete.[61]
Through these simulations, Kirschtaria bonded with his teammates, but once they were complete, only he would remember. Caenis is surprised then by his cold treatment of them. Kirschtaria felt he had no choice because even if he told them they wouldn’t understand, so he locked those experiences away to ensure they wouldn’t disappear. If it were possible, he would have wished he and his teammates saved the world together.[61]
Caenis realizes Kirschtaria loved his teammates as their friend. She thinks he and Ritsuka are the same.[61]
She tells him he didn’t have to try so hard by himself. Kirschtaria tells her he was never by himself, asserting that all humans are trying their best. Caenis tries to refute him on that point, but Kirschtaria has already died. His death fills her with regret of failing to protect him and she flies off to prove she was indeed the right Heroic Spirit for him.[61]
One Day, At the Beyond[]
The heroes reach the Crypters meeting room when the flash of Kirschtaria’s Sirius Light. Goredolf contacts them and does a quick review of what transpired. He then informs the heroes that the Border is on its way to rendezvous with them at top speed. At his urging, the heroes make their way to the altar, the most stable part of the Great Shrine according to Europa, to wait for the Border’s arrival.[62]
Cronos Crown and the infinity crystal collapsing
As the Cronos Crown and the infinity crystal fall apart, the people huddle together in the branch shrines. Most prayed for the destruction to end and for their friends and loved ones to be resurrected. But in time, more and more realized their prays would go unanswered, for the gods were truly gone. They realized their Lostbelt’s impeding destruction, and one by one, they all fell silent, the first time in 10,000 years.[62]
Meanwhile, the heroes try making their way to the altar, but with the shrine collapsing so quickly, it is doubtful they will make it. Europa, therefore, decides to use the last of her magical energy to provide the Chaldeans with a defensive Bounded Field and a floating spell. She requests the twins’ help in this, which they agree to.[62]
Adele declares with Operation Godbreaker complete and Magellan gone, they finally have a new future. Macarios tells the Chaldeans they’ll be fine, claiming he and his sister can get down on their own since Olympians are stronger than humans from Proper Human History.[62]
Enjoying their time together, the twins thank the Chaldeans for giving them the tomorrow they’ve long hoped for, even though it means the Lostbelt will soon disappear. While most Olympians think of them as the most evil people ever, they do not and believe that is enough. They will never forget them, even if this world was never meant to exist. So long as the Chaldeans remember them proudly, that is plenty meaningful for them, preferring that over living forever aimlessly.[62]
Mash thanks the twins for all their help. Ritsuka wonders though if they could stay together until the end. The twins sadly tell them that is not possible, for their ends will be completely different from each other, like Kirschtaria said, so they’re fine going their separate ways here.[62]
Europa thanks the Chaldeans as well and prays they all live on. She then casts the defensive Bounded Field and floating spell on them. The twins say their goodbyes as they watch the Chaldeans float further and further away.[62]
After the Chaldeans are out of view, Adele calls Macarios out for lying to the Chaldeans that they could get down on their own. Europa apologizes to the twins, but Macarios tells her there is no need because they all needed was for the Chaldeans to take to the sky.[62]
Macarios and Adele crying over the hypothetical future they will never experience.
Macarios wonders what Proper Human History is like as the Chaldeans never told them. Adele thinks must be a wonderful world if it produced people like the Chaldeans, to which her brother agrees. The twins do not regret what they’ve done, but crying to themselves, they wish there was a small chance they could see beyond tomorrow and see what they were as grown-ups.[62]
The Chaldeans reach the Border when Caenis, now possessing golden armor and trident, arrives. Her Spirit Origin, which previously had some Divinity mixed into it, is now almost like a pure Divine Spirit, making her a god in her own right――Poseidon's proxy. She has come to settle the score between her and Chaldea with a battle to the death.[62]
Though they know the battle is meaningless and their magical energy is at its limit, the Chaldeans nonetheless accept her challenge. Caenis declares all she does now she does for her contracted Master, calling herself Caenis the Divine Spirit and the only Servant Kirschtaria truly trusted. The final battle of the Atlantic Lostbelt begins[62]
Defeated, Caenis remembers when Kirschtaria told her that his plan to deify humanity (after explaining it) would not include him, for it requires a central spellcaster to work. She thought it was utterly cruel for him to be the only relic of the past, but he was genuinely excited about his envisioned version of humanity.[62]
She admits Disocuri were right that her hateful nature meant she could never support Kirschtaria’s plan wholeheartedly. She never once thought it was a good idea and even told Kirschtaria that the idea of a deified humanity sounded like her own personal hell on Earth. Yet it amazes that he got someone like her to support someone like him.[62]
Caenis accepts her defeat, so now she doesn’t have to worry about the Chaldeans or Kirschtaria. She disappears, telling RItsuka she’ll have a few words of praise for them when they get to the other side.[62]
Goredolf urges the heroes to hurry inside. He congratulates them on a successful mission and declares an official end to Order: Lostbelt 5, Sub-Order: Those Who Cross the Sea of Stars. He is so pleased with their performance that he advises to look forward to their next bonus, which he thinks they'll be pleasantly suprised with. Mash congratulates Ritsuka as well and they head inside together with Holmes.[62]
The Journey Continues[]
On the outskirts of Olympus, Peperoncino decides to pursue Beryl in revenge.[63]
Elsewhere, Limbo expresses disappointment that he never got to plunge all of Olympus into despair. He moves his true body for the first time in a long time, vexed with himself for imagining someone could sever his Life Extension with Ronjitsu. He then gives a moment of silence for the Machine Gods before quickly laughing about how their highly advanced civilization was brought by two traitorous Olympians and Chaldea. It amuses such that he declares he shall entertain the god-slaying Master in his true domain.[63]
As the Chaldeans leave the Lostbelt, Da Vinci mentions Magellan’s branches to cover the Earth’s stratosphere, even though the Tree itself is technically gone now. As for the Alien God, it appears the massive burst of magical energy launched at her before she could destroy Olympus damaged her somewhat since she retreated with Rasputin and Muramasa. At the moment, not even the Border’s sensors can detect where they are.[63]
The problem now, though, is that the Alien God shares the name and appearance of the supposedly deceased Olga Marie. Holmes hypothesizes the Alien God may be possessing Olga Marie’s body similar to what Goetia did with Solomon’s. He suspects there must be a reason why she was chosen, so he will scour Chaldea’s files on the Animuspheres once back at the Wandering Sea.[63]
Goredolf asks Holmes how he is doing because, according to the report that he just read, one of the effects of being struck by Zeus’ lightning was a reduction in brainpower. Holmes assures Goredolf that his brainpower has nearly recovered.[63]
But Da Vinci tells him he needs to rest fully aware he has been using his Nobel Phantasm this entire time to devise ways out of the jams the heroes kept getting into it. She knows he has a lot to talk about, but that can wait until everyone recovers, and that includes talking to Kadoc in the infirmary.[63]
Ritsuka and Mash are surprised to hear Kadoc is in the infirmary. Goredolf remembers Rasputin had delivered him right before they were about to head toward the altar. Anastasia had asked him to take care of Kadoc back during the Russian Lostbelt. By delivering Kadoc to the Border, Rasputin had fulfilled Anastasia’s request, but he told the crew to let Kadoc know that it was a onetime occurrence. He was gone by the time the crew went out to recover Kadoc. Kadoc’s injuries have left him in a coma and will need to be kept in a recovery pod for several months.[63]
After Da Vinci congratulates them on a job well done, Ritsuka and Mash leave the bridge. But before they head back to their rooms, the two share the sentiment that U-Olga Marie is the same Olga Marie they knew, even though they have no proof of that. They both agree they now need to find a way to save her.[63]
In Atlantis, Rasputin tells Muramasa that Kirschtaria’s Sirius Light didn’t harm U-Olga Marie at all. But the fact there are beings who are willing to attack her has made her rethink her approach. Right now, she is using the temple’s terminal to research human history, even though she isn’t happy about it.[63]
Rasputin finds Kirschtaria’s attack on U-Olga Marie rather fortunate because thanks to that she is willing to let her Apostles live, though they lost contact with Limbo. Regardless, these events have taught her that there are those in this world willing to attack and that there exists a lance of light capable of burning down the Fantasy Trees. Rasputin informs Muramasa that he has been tasked with investigating and destroying the lance. U-Olga Marie will teleport him there once she is ready.[63]
As for himself, Rasputin has been tasked with procuring U-Olga Marie with a more durable vessel than she has now. Muramasa asks how that is possible, believing U-Olga Marie’s Spirit Origin is the strongest on Earth. Rasputin tells him the Machine Gods weren’t the only ones were traveled to Earth in ages past.[63]
He examples there is a golden sea of tree in the underworld known as Xilbalba that is home to an enormous beast. It slumbers in a world where Alaya is stable while it wakes in a world where Gaia shows itself. It is the Ultimate One of the Oort Cloud.[63]
Late at night, Meuniere calls Ritsuka in their room to inform them about a video file from the Godbreaker Alliance base. According to the timestamp, it was recorded after Demeter was killed. It is unknown when it was sent, but it seems it was right before RItsuka’s party left for Olympia Dodona. It uses the very same video format as Chaldea’s. Meuniere had already sent it to Ritsuka’s terminal. He and the crew already watched it, but he leaves it to Ritsuka whether they want to watch it or not and ends the call.[63]
The video is shown to be a hidden video recording by Macarios for the purposes of internal review. In it, he asks Adele and Musashi what they think of the Chaldeans. Adele answers they’re comrades, while Musashi confesses she loves Ritsuka and Mash and wishes to see them do in their best together.[63]
Macarios asks her if she’d like to make a request of them. Musashi, almost revealing she will disappear, answers she wants them to live long and happy lives together. She then asks the twins what they think of Ritsuka and Mash.[63]
Before her brother can give a clear answer, Adele confesses she personally likes Ritsuka and Mash. She thinks they could have been friends if not for the war.[63]
Then, at Musashi’s suggestion, she and the twins agree to have a celebration party once Operation Godbreaker is complete. The video ends with Musashi looking forward to the party.[63]
Participants[]
Servants
| Designation | Identity | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| Rider | Leonardo da VinciWP (Child) | Ritsuka Fujimaru |
| Ruler | Sherlock HolmesWP | Ritsuka Fujimaru |
| Assassin | Charlotte CordayWP | Ritsuka Fujimaru |
| Archer | OrionWP | Ritsuka Fujimaru |
| Lancer | CaenisWP | Kirschtaria Wodime |
| Rider | MandricardoWP | Ritsuka Fujimaru |
| Rider | Bartholomew RobertsWP | Ritsuka Fujimaru |
| Saber | JasonWP | Ritsuka Fujimaru |
| Rider | OdysseusWP | Kirschtaria Wodime |
| Rider | Francis DrakeWP | N/A |
| Assassin | Mochizuki ChiyomeWP | Ritsuka Fujimaru |
| Lancer | HectorWP | Ritsuka Fujimaru |
| Archer | ParisWP | Ritsuka Fujimaru |
| Rider | AchillesWP | Ritsuka Fujimaru |
| Archer (Living Hero) | ChironWP | Odysseus |
| Saber | Miyamoto MusashiWP | Ritsuka Fujimaru |
| Berserker | CaligulaWP | Ritsuka Fujimaru |
| Lancer | QuirinusWP | Ritsuka Fujimaru |
| Saber | Castor and PolluxWP | Kirschtaria Wodime |
| Ruler | AstraeaWP | N/A |
| Rider | EuropaWP | Godbreaker Alliance (Cooperator) |
| Alter Ego | Ashiya DoumanWP | Beast VII |
| Alter Ego/Beast | Tamamo Vitch Koyanskaya | Beast VII |
| Alter Ego | Grigori RasputinWP | Beast VII |
| Alter Ego | MuramasaWP | Beast VII |
Non-Servants
| Designation | Identity | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy Tree | Fantasy Tree Atlas | N/A |
| N/A | EchidnaWP | Odysseus |
| Crypter | Kirschtaria Wodime | Crypters |
| N/A | ArtemisWP | Twelve Machine Gods |
| N/A | HephaestusWP | N/A |
| N/A | PrometheusWP | Godbreaker Alliance |
| N/A | DemeterWP | Twelve Machine Gods |
| N/A | AphroditeWP | Twelve Machine Gods |
| N/A | PoseidonWP | Twelve Machine Gods |
| N/A | ZeusWP | Twelve Machine Gods |
| Crypter | Kadoc Zemlupus | Godbreaker Alliance (Cooperator) |
| Crypter | Scandinavia Peperoncino | Godbreaker Alliance (Cooperator) |
| Beast | U-Olga Marie | N/A |
| Crypter | Beryl Gut | Crypters |
| Divine Spirit | Ares | Ritsuka Fujimaru |
| Human | Adele | Godbreaker Alliance |
| Human | Macarios | Godbreaker Alliance |
Development[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt PV
- ↑ Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - SIN: Land of Unified Knowledge - Prologue
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 3.25 3.26 3.27 3.28 3.29 3.30 3.31 3.32 3.33 3.34 3.35 3.36 3.37 3.38 3.39 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 Notes on Olympus by fallacies
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 6.17 6.18 6.19 6.20 6.21 6.22 6.23 6.24 6.25 6.26 6.27 6.28 6.29 6.30 6.31 6.32 6.33 6.34 6.35 6.36 6.37 6.38 6.39 6.40 6.41 6.42 6.43 6.44 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 1: Interstellar City on a Mountain Range: Olympus
- ↑ 7.0 7.1
Fate/Grand Order 5th Anniversary Q/A- Nasu explains how the Atlantis Civilization ended Q: Can you explain a bit more about how the Atlantis Civilization ended?
Nasu: Well that is the Type Moon World story right? In the Type Moon World, 14000 Years ago, Sefar came in and went around breaking down everything. Gods from other sect of divinity when Sefar arrived reacted it "Oh no a threat beyond the sky came down, what do we do?" and panic-ed and started making plans. While Atlantis because they were from space too, they were looking down at them a bit (laugh). They were acting very high and mighty, until they were easily defeated because of Sefar being an Anti-Foreign Civilization Specialty Weapon. Meanwhile, in the Greece Lostbelt, Zeus alone recognized "This is Dangerous" and immediately recognized, and forced the other 12 gods who didn't wanted to fuse, and forced them all with "If we don't fuse now, what do you think is gonna happen", fighting Sefar in what was approximately a draw and chasing it away. But in a normal Type Moon Senki World, the 12 Machine Gods didn't become serious and as a result Atlantis Civilization ended. And surviving remnant flowed to the Aegean Sea, which later became the foundation of the Greek Civilization, type of almost forceful story happened.
Translated by: INKD and Fallacies
――ゲーム中でも少し描かれましたが、アトランティス文明が滅びた理由についてもう少し詳しく教えていただけますか。
奈須もちろんTYPE-MOON世界でのお話ですよね？ TYPE-MOON世界においては、1万4千年前にセファールがやってきて、ボコボコにされたからです。ほかの神話体系の連中は、セファールがやってきたときに「空からヤバいのが降ってきたぞ。どうする？」と慌てて対策をねっていたのですが、アトランティスは自分たちもほかの宇宙からやってきたので、舐めていたんです（笑）。そうしたら、セファールは本当に対異星文明特化型の兵器だったので、あっさりやられちゃったんです。一方、ゼウスが「これはヤバい！」といち早く気づいて、ほかの十一機神が合体したくないのを「今ここで合体しないでどうする」と無理やり合体して、ほぼ相打ち状態になってセファールを追い返したのが、異聞帯になった世界です。十二機神が本気にならなかったほうが、普通の型月伝奇世界なんです。それでアトランティスが滅んで、生き残りの残骸たちがエーゲ海まで流れ着いて、後のギリシャ文明の下地になったという。無理やりだけど、そういう伝奇感になっています。
Original Source: https://www.famitsu.com/news/202012/26211778.htmlFate/Grand Order 5th Anniversary Q/A- Nasu explains how the Atlantis Civilization ended Q: Can you explain a bit more about how the Atlantis Civilization ended?
Nasu: Well that is the Type Moon World story right? In the Type Moon World, 14000 Years ago, Sefar came in and went around breaking down everything. Gods from other sect of divinity when Sefar arrived reacted it "Oh no a threat beyond the sky came down, what do we do?" and panic-ed and started making plans. While Atlantis because they were from space too, they were looking down at them a bit (laugh). They were acting very high and mighty, until they were easily defeated because of Sefar being an Anti-Foreign Civilization Specialty Weapon. Meanwhile, in the Greece Lostbelt, Zeus alone recognized "This is Dangerous" and immediately recognized, and forced the other 12 gods who didn't wanted to fuse, and forced them all with "If we don't fuse now, what do you think is gonna happen", fighting Sefar in what was approximately a draw and chasing it away. But in a normal Type Moon Senki World, the 12 Machine Gods didn't become serious and as a result Atlantis Civilization ended. And surviving remnant flowed to the Aegean Sea, which later became the foundation of the Greek Civilization, type of almost forceful story happened.
Translated by: INKD and Fallacies
――ゲーム中でも少し描かれましたが、アトランティス文明が滅びた理由についてもう少し詳しく教えていただけますか。
奈須もちろんTYPE-MOON世界でのお話ですよね？ TYPE-MOON世界においては、1万4千年前にセファールがやってきて、ボコボコにされたからです。ほかの神話体系の連中は、セファールがやってきたときに「空からヤバいのが降ってきたぞ。どうする？」と慌てて対策をねっていたのですが、アトランティスは自分たちもほかの宇宙からやってきたので、舐めていたんです（笑）。そうしたら、セファールは本当に対異星文明特化型の兵器だったので、あっさりやられちゃったんです。一方、ゼウスが「これはヤバい！」といち早く気づいて、ほかの十一機神が合体したくないのを「今ここで合体しないでどうする」と無理やり合体して、ほぼ相打ち状態になってセファールを追い返したのが、異聞帯になった世界です。十二機神が本気にならなかったほうが、普通の型月伝奇世界なんです。それでアトランティスが滅んで、生き残りの残骸たちがエーゲ海まで流れ着いて、後のギリシャ文明の下地になったという。無理やりだけど、そういう伝奇感になっています。
Original Source: https://www.famitsu.com/news/202012/26211778.html - ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 8.16 8.17 8.18 8.19 8.20 8.21 8.22 8.23 8.24 8.25 8.26 8.27 8.28 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 18: I Am the Thunder that Smites Stars (I）
- ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 9.13 9.14 9.15 9.16 9.17 9.18 9.19 9.20 9.21 9.22 9.23 9.24 9.25 9.26 9.27 9.28 9.29 9.30 9.31 9.32 9.33 9.34 9.35 9.36 9.37 9.38 9.39 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 5: Thou Art the Harvest that Reaps the Stars（II)
- ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 16: Souls To Be Equals in Due Course（III）
- ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13 11.14 11.15 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 9: Thou Art the Ardor that Corrupts the Stars（II）
- ↑ 12.00 12.01 12.02 12.03 12.04 12.05 12.06 12.07 12.08 12.09 12.10 12.11 12.12 12.13 12.14 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 2: Olympus's Reception (First Half)
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 13.8 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 4: Thou Art the Harvest that Reaps the Stars (I)
- ↑ 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 14.12 14.13 14.14 14.15 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 15: Souls To Be Equals in Due Course（II）
- ↑ Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Interlude
- ↑ Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Götterdämmerung: Eternal Ice-Flame Century - Section 6: Castle of Snow and Ice (End)
- ↑ 17.00 17.01 17.02 17.03 17.04 17.05 17.06 17.07 17.08 17.09 17.10 17.11 17.12 17.13 17.14 17.15 17.16 17.17 17.18 17.19 17.20 17.21 17.22 17.23 17.24 17.25 17.26 17.27 17.28 17.29 17.30 17.31 17.32 17.33 17.34 17.35 17.36 17.37 17.38 17.39 17.40 17.41 17.42 17.43 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Prologue
- ↑ 18.00 18.01 18.02 18.03 18.04 18.05 18.06 18.07 18.08 18.09 18.10 18.11 18.12 18.13 18.14 18.15 18.16 18.17 18.18 18.19 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 1: Crisis After Crisis
- ↑ 19.00 19.01 19.02 19.03 19.04 19.05 19.06 19.07 19.08 19.09 19.10 19.11 19.12 19.13 19.14 19.15 19.16 19.17 19.18 19.19 19.20 19.21 19.22 19.23 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 2: Impossibly Miraculou
- ↑ 20.00 20.01 20.02 20.03 20.04 20.05 20.06 20.07 20.08 20.09 20.10 20.11 20.12 20.13 20.14 20.15 20.16 20.17 20.18 20.19 20.20 20.21 20.22 20.23 20.24 20.25 20.26 20.27 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 3: Enduring Light of the Gods
- ↑ 21.00 21.01 21.02 21.03 21.04 21.05 21.06 21.07 21.08 21.09 21.10 21.11 21.12 21.13 21.14 21.15 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 4: Minute Assembly of Authorities
- ↑ 22.00 22.01 22.02 22.03 22.04 22.05 22.06 22.07 22.08 22.09 22.10 22.11 22.12 22.13 22.14 22.15 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 5: Sailing Anew
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 23.5 23.6 23.7 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 6: The Stars Scattered across the Land
- ↑ 24.00 24.01 24.02 24.03 24.04 24.05 24.06 24.07 24.08 24.09 24.10 24.11 24.12 24.13 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 7: Delight in Your Extinction, Native Life-forms
- ↑ 25.00 25.01 25.02 25.03 25.04 25.05 25.06 25.07 25.08 25.09 25.10 25.11 25.12 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 8: Argonauts, Head Out
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 26.5 26.6 26.7 26.8 26.9 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 9: Peacefully Reminisce around a Fire
- ↑ 27.00 27.01 27.02 27.03 27.04 27.05 27.06 27.07 27.08 27.09 27.10 27.11 27.12 27.13 27.14 27.15 27.16 27.17 27.18 27.19 27.20 27.21 27.22 27.23 27.24 27.25 27.26 27.27 27.28 27.29 27.30 27.31 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 10: Hephaestus, God of Blacksmiths
- ↑ 28.00 28.01 28.02 28.03 28.04 28.05 28.06 28.07 28.08 28.09 28.10 28.11 28.12 28.13 28.14 28.15 28.16 28.17 28.18 28.19 28.20 28.21 28.22 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 11: Glimmers Like a Meteor
- ↑ 29.00 29.01 29.02 29.03 29.04 29.05 29.06 29.07 29.08 29.09 29.10 29.11 29.12 29.13 29.14 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 12: Three Battles on Astraea Island
- ↑ 30.00 30.01 30.02 30.03 30.04 30.05 30.06 30.07 30.08 30.09 30.10 30.11 30.12 30.13 30.14 30.15 30.16 30.17 30.18 30.19 30.20 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 13: Recollection: Apostles of the Foreign Star
- ↑ 31.00 31.01 31.02 31.03 31.04 31.05 31.06 31.07 31.08 31.09 31.10 31.11 31.12 31.13 31.14 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 14: Suffering and Pleasure are Life's Medicine for Relief
- ↑ 32.00 32.01 32.02 32.03 32.04 32.05 32.06 32.07 32.08 32.09 32.10 32.11 32.12 32.13 32.14 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 15: An Absent Monster and Great Labyrinth in the Ruins
- ↑ 33.00 33.01 33.02 33.03 33.04 33.05 33.06 33.07 33.08 33.09 33.10 33.11 33.12 33.13 33.14 33.15 33.16 33.17 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 16: Three-Headed Dog
- ↑ 34.00 34.01 34.02 34.03 34.04 34.05 34.06 34.07 34.08 34.09 34.10 34.11 34.12 34.13 34.14 34.15 34.16 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 17: To the Sunset Red as Blood
- ↑ 35.00 35.01 35.02 35.03 35.04 35.05 35.06 35.07 35.08 35.09 35.10 35.11 35.12 35.13 35.14 35.15 35.16 35.17 35.18 35.19 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 18: Soldier-Sage's Trap
- ↑ 36.00 36.01 36.02 36.03 36.04 36.05 36.06 36.07 36.08 36.09 36.10 36.11 36.12 36.13 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 19: One Who Overcomes the Stormy Sea
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 37.3 37.4 37.5 37.6 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 20: Mad Passion and Disturbing Delusions
- ↑ Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 21: Challenge: Breaking Through the Distant Seas
- ↑ 39.00 39.01 39.02 39.03 39.04 39.05 39.06 39.07 39.08 39.09 39.10 39.11 39.12 39.13 39.14 39.15 39.16 39.17 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 22: Those Who Drive Through the Storm
- ↑ 40.00 40.01 40.02 40.03 40.04 40.05 40.06 40.07 40.08 40.09 40.10 40.11 40.12 40.13 40.14 40.15 40.16 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 23: Maiden of Monsters, the Tactician of Steel, and the Angel of Assassination
- ↑ 41.0 41.1 41.2 41.3 41.4 41.5 41.6 41.7 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 24: The Hunter Who Pierces the Goddess (Part 1)
- ↑ 42.00 42.01 42.02 42.03 42.04 42.05 42.06 42.07 42.08 42.09 42.10 42.11 42.12 42.13 42.14 42.15 42.16 42.17 42.18 42.19 42.20 42.21 42.22 42.23 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 25: The Hunter Who Pierces the Goddess (Part 2)
- ↑ 43.00 43.01 43.02 43.03 43.04 43.05 43.06 43.07 43.08 43.09 43.10 43.11 43.12 43.13 43.14 43.15 43.16 43.17 43.18 43.19 43.20 43.21 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Atlantis: Ancient Ocean of the Dreadnought Gods - Section 26: Final Showdown: The Hollow Sea God
- ↑ 44.00 44.01 44.02 44.03 44.04 44.05 44.06 44.07 44.08 44.09 44.10 44.11 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 3: Olympus's Reception (Second Half)
- ↑ 45.00 45.01 45.02 45.03 45.04 45.05 45.06 45.07 45.08 45.09 45.10 45.11 45.12 45.13 45.14 45.15 45.16 45.17 45.18 45.19 45.20 45.21 45.22 45.23 45.24 45.25 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 6: Thou Art the Harvest that Reaps the Stars（III）
- ↑ 46.00 46.01 46.02 46.03 46.04 46.05 46.06 46.07 46.08 46.09 46.10 46.11 46.12 46.13 46.14 46.15 46.16 46.17 46.18 46.19 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 7: Thou Art the Harvest that Reaps the Stars（IV）
- ↑ 47.00 47.01 47.02 47.03 47.04 47.05 47.06 47.07 47.08 47.09 47.10 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Record's Fragment
- ↑ 48.00 48.01 48.02 48.03 48.04 48.05 48.06 48.07 48.08 48.09 48.10 48.11 48.12 48.13 48.14 48.15 48.16 48.17 48.18 48.19 48.20 48.21 48.22 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 8: Thou Art the Ardor that Corrupts the Stars（I）
- ↑ 49.00 49.01 49.02 49.03 49.04 49.05 49.06 49.07 49.08 49.09 49.10 49.11 49.12 49.13 49.14 49.15 49.16 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 10: Thou Art the Ardor that Corrupts the Stars（III）
- ↑ 50.00 50.01 50.02 50.03 50.04 50.05 50.06 50.07 50.08 50.09 50.10 50.11 50.12 50.13 50.14 50.15 50.16 50.17 50.18 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 11: Investigation/Encounter/Cherish
- ↑ 51.00 51.01 51.02 51.03 51.04 51.05 51.06 51.07 51.08 51.09 51.10 51.11 51.12 51.13 51.14 51.15 51.16 51.17 51.18 51.19 51.20 51.21 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 12: Thou Art the Ardor that Corrupts the Stars（IV）
- ↑ 52.00 52.01 52.02 52.03 52.04 52.05 52.06 52.07 52.08 52.09 52.10 52.11 52.12 52.13 52.14 52.15 52.16 52.17 52.18 52.19 52.20 52.21 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 13: Thou Art the Ardor that Corrupts the Stars（V）
- ↑ 53.00 53.01 53.02 53.03 53.04 53.05 53.06 53.07 53.08 53.09 53.10 53.11 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 14: Souls To Be Equals in Due Course (I)
- ↑ 54.00 54.01 54.02 54.03 54.04 54.05 54.06 54.07 54.08 54.09 54.10 54.11 54.12 54.13 54.14 54.15 54.16 54.17 54.18 54.19 54.20 54.21 54.22 54.23 54.24 54.25 54.26 54.27 54.28 54.29 54.30 54.31 54.32 54.33 54.34 54.35 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 17: Souls To Be Equals in Due Course (IV)
- ↑ 55.0 55.1 55.2 55.3 55.4 55.5 55.6 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 19: I Am the Thunder that Smites Stars (II)
- ↑ 56.00 56.01 56.02 56.03 56.04 56.05 56.06 56.07 56.08 56.09 56.10 56.11 56.12 56.13 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 20: I Am the Thunder that Smites Stars（III）
- ↑ 57.00 57.01 57.02 57.03 57.04 57.05 57.06 57.07 57.08 57.09 57.10 57.11 57.12 57.13 57.14 57.15 57.16 57.17 57.18 57.19 57.20 57.21 57.22 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 21: I Am the Thunder that Smites Stars（IV）
- ↑ 58.00 58.01 58.02 58.03 58.04 58.05 58.06 58.07 58.08 58.09 58.10 58.11 58.12 58.13 58.14 58.15 58.16 58.17 58.18 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 22: Void
- ↑ 59.00 59.01 59.02 59.03 59.04 59.05 59.06 59.07 59.08 59.09 59.10 59.11 59.12 59.13 59.14 59.15 59.16 59.17 59.18 59.19 59.20 59.21 59.22 59.23 59.24 59.25 59.26 59.27 59.28 59.29 59.30 59.31 59.32 59.33 59.34 59.35 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 23: The Day to Bring Down Gods
- ↑ 60.00 60.01 60.02 60.03 60.04 60.05 60.06 60.07 60.08 60.09 60.10 60.11 60.12 60.13 60.14 60.15 60.16 60.17 60.18 60.19 60.20 60.21 60.22 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 24: Advent
- ↑ 61.00 61.01 61.02 61.03 61.04 61.05 61.06 61.07 61.08 61.09 61.10 61.11 61.12 61.13 61.14 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 25: Something One Is Not Born With
- ↑ 62.00 62.01 62.02 62.03 62.04 62.05 62.06 62.07 62.08 62.09 62.10 62.11 62.12 62.13 62.14 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 26: One Day, At the Beyond
- ↑ 63.00 63.01 63.02 63.03 63.04 63.05 63.06 63.07 63.08 63.09 63.10 63.11 63.12 63.13 63.14 63.15 63.16 Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Olympus: Interstellar Mountain City - Section 27: The Journey Continues