A Meeting at SweetS Jeanne
"You want the coordinates for Chaldea's phase? Why on earth for?"
Roman, who had been happily stuffing his face with sweets, cried out at the King's demand.
"To protect Chaldea, obviously. If even Goetia hasn't grasped your location, it would be a failure if I did not."
"Well, I get that... but what are you going to use it for? I don't think you'd use it for anything bad, but... you know, as a doctor, I have to ask."
Roman looked healthy enough. Though... was that a small, bruise-like mark on his neck? It was probably just Air's imagination.
"Sigh... To think that even as the King of Mages, you cannot grasp such a simple conclusion. You truly are a pathetic idol-otaku."
"I'm a reverse-reincarnation! I've been working hard ever since I stopped being a grand existence like you, so cut me some slack?!"
The King looked down slightly as Roman shouted with teary eyes, then took a bite of butter cake.
"Listen. In the next Singularity, we will learn the coordinates of the Temple that serves as Goetia's base. We will reach their nursery, which exists outside the proper flow of time. —That means, conversely, 'they will also know our location.' Our coordinates will be grasped by the mastermind. They have claimed the Temple and space itself as their own. If we are the manifestation of the Planet, they are the manifestation of the Universe. —It is obvious who holds the disadvantage."
Roman, who understood the nature of the Time Temple better than anyone, nodded quietly.
"...You're right. Exactly right. Our scale compared to theirs is like night and day."
"Therefore, we must act. —Do not worry. If 'Defense' is impossible, we shall simply shift to 'Annihilation.' —The equipment, the facilities, the preparations. —They are already in our hands."
"...Can I believe that we actually have a chance to win?"
Gilgamesh declared it a certainty, finished his cake, and drained his ale.
"Do you think I would invite a battle I cannot win? I have gathered every possibility within my grasp, and I myself shall stand at the vanguard. You hold a miracle in your hands—be grateful."
—"And you all have carved out this path with your own hands and feet. I believe there is no reason to be humble or afraid."
There had never been an easy fight. If so—if they continued to struggle and fight with the same courage—they would surely seize victory. Both the King and Air believed this.
"—...I see. Yeah. You're right. ...Alright!"
Roman pulled up a console with one hand and provided the coordinates in three seconds.
"This is the coordinate certification for Chaldea. —I don't know exactly what you're planning, but I believe it will become our strength."
"Of course. Leave it to me. And savor it. The fact that the gorgeous me is providing total cooperation—that is the miracle. You may weep with joy and prostrate yourself now."
"Hahaha, I'd have to stay bowed forever to thank you properly, so I'll pass! I'm already so indebted to you I can never pay it back!"
Amidst the lighthearted banter, the two men who shared the same 'eyes'—Roman and Gilgamesh—talked of many things. Their reigns, their hobbies, and current trends.
"Magi*Mari tells me: 'No matter what, survive. And find happiness.' —Just getting those words from her makes me happy..."
"（A gaze of pure, lukewarm pity）"
"W-What?! Did I say something weird?!"
"No, not particularly. ...The internet is a deep pit of karma."
—"By the way, I wonder who MagiMari's manager is? If she's an idol, she must have one..."*
The scene was that of two coworkers who had grown remarkably close.
The Deification of Marduk
After a brief rest, Gilgamesh headed to the hangar. He entered a custom dock where space-time had been warped to allow for Marduk's maintenance.
『Ether Refinery Main Engine 'Tupsimati,' operational. Six World Grails, functioning normally. Atmospheric activity, no issues.』
Gilgamesh listened to Siduri's report while inspecting the various components.
"Report on the armaments. Anything unusable is out of the question. Be concise."
Siduri nodded and handed over a clay tablet. It detailed the various weapon systems now fully unlocked.
Probability Fluctuation Rounds: A conceptual enchantment that forces all probabilistic events to yield a positive result. It overwrites the event of 'ineffective' with 'not ineffective,' allowing the rounds to bypass any defense. It is a rule-breaking weapon designed for absolute penetration.
"—The drawback is that it's less effective against 'Perfect Results.' It likely won't work on a divine body."
As the King said, it could not bypass the 'Laws of Perfection.' It only worked on those standing on the same battlefield.
Palm-Style Sublimation Thaumaturgy: Gugalanna: Simple and brutal. Energy is focused into the right palm and sublimated with infinite heat. Its simplicity grants it immense logic. The sheer energy is said to be enough to evaporate the Tigris and Euphrates.
"It could probably evaporate a tsunami. Well, that's to be expected. Uruk is a city where destruction is a daily neighbor. We must remove the cause."
『'Even if we fall seven times, we rise eight.' That is Uruk's motto, after all.』
—"Uruk is amazing! I'm realizing that all over again!"
"The Light-Speed Missiles need no explanation. The Star-Severing Sword is for cutting down the planet's sensory organs, proxies, dead stars, and empires. —That leaves the Abyssal Spiral Arm: Irkalla."
The Irkalla. A gargantuan drill deployed from Marduk's left hand, capable of instantly excavating a hole straight to the Underworld. A drill several times larger than Marduk itself would appear to gouge out the enemy and the surrounding earth, dropping them into the abyss. However, it was a double-edged sword.
"The laws of the Underworld belong to Ereshkigal. If one does not withdraw before being claimed by the abyss, escape is difficult. —It also causes significant environmental damage. And since there aren't many opponents that require being dropped that far—it doesn't have much use."
『You named it after me and then you call it useless?! That's cruel!』
"It can't be helped. Relying on the Underworld is a rare necessity. Well, if you get a turn, consider yourself lucky."
—"Next would be the Dimensional Probability Observation Computer: 'An.' The Phase-Shift Defense Wall: 'Nammu.' And the Planetary Transposition Mechanism: 'Inanna.'"
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 40 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[patreon.com/Greyhounds]
Thank you so much for your support!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!