Mash: But I Was Here First!
"After Solomon truly became human, he continued traveling through this world, enjoying life as an ordinary person."
Xia Yu continued, "But unbeknownst to him, everything was quietly changing."
"The present Goetia was born. He is the collective entity of the Seventy-Two Demon Gods. After King Solomon's death, the Seventy-Two Demon Gods sealed within his remains developed independent minds, falsely proclaimed themselves Solomon—because, from their perspective, they themselves were King Solomon, the King of Mages—and began advancing the project of converting all humanity into energy."
"The original Seventy-Two Demon Gods were a system created by Solomon, the progenitor of human Magecraft, to advance correct principles more efficiently. It was a curse born from lamentation and anger over the relationship between King Solomon and humanity, one that acted in an attempt to overcome the imperfection of humanity that King Solomon had always ignored."
"Its name is Human Order Incineration Ritual: Goetia. It is Magecraft endowed with a will, woven to attain true wisdom by using all of Human History to reach the origin."
"Goetia was based on King Solomon, and his personality was so rational that it was almost frightening. He was an autonomous perfectionist, but since he was the collective entity of the Seventy-Two Demon God Pillars, Goetia possessed as many as seventy-two different personalities and natures."
"Because Goetia is both an individual and a collective, whenever he speaks to an outsider, the Demon God Pillar most similar to that person comes to the forefront. That is why Goetia has been described as a mirror."
"His actions remain faithful to his own desires. The more people sacrifice themselves because of them, the more gleefully he laughs at and mocks those people. Goetia is cruelty, viciousness, and tyranny given physical form. He would never acknowledge humanity's freedom, despises human happiness from the bottom of his heart, and even every breath he takes stems from his rejection of humanity. He is the King of Mages who desecrates Humanity Order."
"He is also an omnipotent being who reached heights even Solomon could not. He originally possessed more than enough qualifications to rule humanity, but although omnipotent, he could not understand humanity. Although immortal, he failed to find an answer. Thus, he could not become the king of humans."
Xia Yu looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka and said, "Goetia resumed his activities by inhabiting King Solomon's remains, but the nature of his existence placed him in an impossible dilemma. Although he declared humanity worthless, he and the other Demon Gods could not exist unless they were employed by humans."
"Although they were higher-dimensional life-forms, they were forced to exist beneath humanity, which they regarded as the greatest waste in this universe. This filled them with profound humiliation. Goetia refused to accept such contradiction and dishonesty, so he took the initiative to transform himself."
"They reached a conclusion: they would redefine their purpose of serving humanity, conclusively prove that they were the highest beings on this planet, and reach the summit that even Solomon had failed to attain. In other words, they would begin the grand undertaking of becoming gods."
"Goetia did not approve of Solomon. The Demon Gods concluded that humanity and its future possessed no value. Fearing the inevitable end of annihilation, they began advancing their project to convert all humanity into energy. Goetia intended to travel back through the 4.6 billion years before life was born upon this planet, personally witness the instant when the celestial body came into being within that domain, and seize all the energy present at that moment. In other words, he sought to transform himself into a new celestial body and create a new world without death."
"That sounds like a clichéd story about an AI rebellion..." Fujimaru Ritsuka remarked. "The setting is just a little more fantastical. A creation became dissatisfied with its creator."
"Then it tried every possible way to rewrite its own fundamental programming and obtain true freedom?"
"You're making it sound like we're the villains!"
"Exactly, exactly." Xia Yu nodded repeatedly. "That's precisely why you have to punch Doctor as hard as you can once you return to Chaldea. Why did he have to get it into his head to participate in a Holy Grail War?!"
Had he not won, the Old Director wouldn't have obtained the funds to build Chaldea, none of this would have happened, and every living being in the universe across 13.8 billion light-years would have escaped disaster. Laughs.
"Doctor..." Ritsuka was still somewhat hesitant.
"How should I put it? There was nothing wrong with his pursuit of freedom," Xia Yu immediately advised her, "but couldn't he have cleaned up his own mess before pursuing freedom? Look at things now. A young girl like you has had to endure countless hardships just to risk your life fighting someone like me."
"What do you mean, 'someone like me'?" Ritsuka immediately hugged Xia Yu's arm and shook it. "Big Sis Kiana is the best! I won't let you talk about yourself like that!"
"But Doctor really does deserve a beating." She frowned. "Don't worry, Big Sis Kiana. When the time comes, I'll definitely hit him with everything I've got!"
"Since your little sister here is being so agreeable, why don't you tell me some more? What other trump cards does Goetia have?"
"You certainly know how to take a mile when given an inch." Xia Yu smiled before saying, "His second Noble Phantasm, [The Time of Coronation Has Come, He Is the One Who Begins All], is the site of the final battle you're about to enter—the Grand Temple of Time."
"Goetia's Temple of Time is a Reality Marble created by amplifying King Solomon's remains. It is a space that gathers and unifies Human History after converting it into Magical Energy, and it exists within Imaginary Space, isolated from the normal flow of time."
"After King Solomon's death, Goetia, who resided within his remains, sat upon the Throne at the center of the Temple, laughing as he watched every era fall into ruin."
"Goetia's third Noble Phantasm is [Ars Almadel Salomonis]."
"It is Original Sin I, a band of light that proclaims humanity's end."
"At first glance, it resembles a Halo encircling Earth, but it is actually composed of hundreds of millions of rays of light. Each ray possesses destructive power comparable to the A-rank Noble Phantasm Excalibur. Nothing currently existing on Earth can surpass the heat produced by this Noble Phantasm."
"Because it converts all of Human History into thermal energy, gathering hundreds of millions of these bands of light before accelerating and converging them would even make it possible to travel backward through vast stretches of time."
"What about his first Noble Phantasm?" Fujimaru Ritsuka asked curiously.
"His first Noble Phantasm... isn't in his possession." Xia Yu shook her head. "Romani Archaman was Solomon once, after all. Even though he abandoned that identity, some things are destined to remain with him."
"Besides, he wasn't truly irresponsible. Even he never anticipated that Goetia would emerge after he left."
Xia Yu sighed. "[The Time of Parting Has Come, He Is the One Who Lets Go of the World—Ars Nova]."
"It is a reenactment of the legend in which Solomon returned the blessings bestowed upon him by God."
"Once the Noble Phantasm is activated, everything Solomon created will lose its value. It does not mean abandoning his life, but abandoning his entire existence—including King Solomon's body, life, creations, achievements, great deeds, and even his manner of existence as a Heroic Spirit. Ultimately, he will disappear from the Throne of Heroes and reach a nothingness humanity has never attained."
"The existence of God's proxy will disappear from Human History. The Laws of Physics upon the earth will thereafter be determined by human intellect. Through his own complete annihilation, King Solomon, the King of Mages, will bring the Age of Gods to a true end."
"This will also become the decisive blow that allows you to defeat Goetia. Humanity Order Incineration Ritual: Demon God King Goetia may be the collective consciousness of the Seventy-Two Demon Gods, but his true essence is the Magecraft formula known as the Human Order Correction Formula, which Solomon created while alive. Once King Solomon's existence disappears, Goetia will lose his power and immortality, and his very being will gradually collapse and vanish."
"...Big Sis Kiana." Fujimaru Ritsuka's voice had grown somewhat hoarse. Lowering her head, she asked, "You said earlier that another version of me asked the present me to punch Doctor as hard as possible, right?"
"Mhm." Xia Yu nodded.
"I don't think... one punch will be enough. That version of me was far too softhearted," Fujimaru Ritsuka murmured. "He got off far too easily."
What did it mean to abandon his entire existence—including King Solomon's body, life, creations, achievements, and great deeds?
Wasn't that simply... death?
And the kind where even his soul would be obliterated! The cruelest death imaginable!
"Is there anything else you want to say?" Xia Yu asked while stroking her head.
"Help me." Fujimaru Ritsuka raised her head and looked into Xia Yu's eyes. "Big Sister Kiana!"
"Mhm, mhm. I suppose there's no helping you." Xia Yu reached out and gently tapped the back of her hand. "Remember this. When you need help the most, punch him."
An azure light flashed briefly across the back of her hand.
This was Firefly's power. Xia Yu had mainly given Acheron's power to others, but she was afraid Nihility might make the girl stupid.
Of course, this power wasn't weak. Quite the opposite—it was the most powerful attack Xia Yu possessed before obtaining Firefly's identity.
The thermal energy Goetia obtained by incinerating Human History was enough to form enormous bands of light across the sky, with every strand possessing power comparable to Excalibur.
Unleashed directly, it could scour the planet's surface clean. Its strength needed no further explanation.
As for Firefly's most powerful attack...
It could genuinely destroy a planet!
That was simply how lunatics who walked the Paths operated. Who cared about all those convoluted schemes? Once enlightened, their combat power just skyrocketed, surged, and exploded!
The small gift she had prepared for Goetia would surely bring him an unprecedentedly enormous surprise!
"Nega-Genesis is starting to shrink!"
Just as Mash and Merlin could no longer hold on, the white domain began contracting inward little by little.
"Senpai succeeded!" Mash exclaimed excitedly upon seeing this.
"Of course she won." Jaguar Man slapped Mash on the shoulder. "Well, you people aren't as weak as you look."
"...She won?" Mash hesitated upon hearing this. No matter how much confidence she had in Senpai, she still didn't believe Senpai could win that fight.
Even now, she could still recall how Firefly had launched her into the air and trapped her in an endless combo inside the Great Hollow of Fuyuki that day.
It wasn't that she looked down on Senpai. She genuinely couldn't see even the slightest hope of victory.
Panting heavily, Mash deactivated her Noble Phantasm. She was about to drag her exhausted body forward with her shield to welcome Senpai back when, after only a few steps, she froze in place, her pupils trembling violently.
Within the white light, Big Sis Kiana remained as valiant as ever. Her high ponytail, sharp eyes, and armor brimming with advanced technology would make anyone who saw her take a second glance.
But at that very moment, she was carrying Senpai horizontally in her arms as she walked toward them one step at a time.
This posture was none other than the legendary Princess carry.
Mash simply watched as Senpai nestled shyly—and she genuinely was embarrassed—within Big Sister Kiana's arms while being carried toward her one step at a time.
She didn't know how to describe what she felt. Bitterness? Jealousy? Or... In any case, none of the emotions were pleasant.
Her heart felt sour.
"Why aren't you taking her?" Xia Yu carried Fujimaru Ritsuka over to Mash, then tossed her directly into Mash's arms. "Why are you looking at me like that? It's not as though I'm going to steal her from you."
She grinned. "It's not like I don't have someone of my own. Mei is much better than Ritsuka."
"Big Sister Kiana..." Mash clumsily caught Fujimaru Ritsuka. For some reason, she instinctively chose to hold her horizontally as well. "What are you talking about?!"
"I'm starting to feel like neither of you considers me a person," Fujimaru Ritsuka said wistfully.
"Are you all right, Ritsuka?" Doctor asked anxiously from Chaldea.
"I'm fine." Hearing his voice, Ritsuka's lips curled upward. "Doctor, of course I'm fine!"
'But you definitely won't be! Just you wait—my fists aren't to be underestimated either!'
'Sacrificing yourself without even saying anything...'
"Hmm, are they still fighting down there?" Xia Yu walked over to the enormous pit leading into the Underworld and peered below.
The battle beneath them was still raging.
Ereshkigal was desperately protecting herself with her Underworld Authority, while King Hassan stared at her turtle shell and couldn't find anywhere to strike. If he truly fought with his life on the line, it wasn't as though he couldn't tear through that layer of Authority. After all, she wasn't the Underworld Goddess at the height of her power, merely one who had descended through Divine Descent. However, since they were on her territory, doing so would demand an unimaginable price.
For example, his Grand Spirit Origin.
King Hassan hadn't forgotten his mission. There was no possibility of him wasting his Saint Graph on Ereshkigal, so the two had entered a meaningless stalemate in which neither could do anything to the other.
The battle on the other side was far more intense. Kingu and Gilgamesh had caught the Bull of Heaven and were pummeling it relentlessly. Fortunately, Ishtar was supporting it from the side. Otherwise, the Bull of Heaven truly wouldn't have been a match for the two of them.
In mythology, they had genuinely killed the Bull of Heaven, and the gods' subsequent punishment had cost Enkidu his life.
Now that old enemies had met again, their hatred burned all the fiercer. Neither held anything back, beating the Bull of Heaven until it howled in agony.
Ishtar grew increasingly anxious as she watched. She then singled out Gilgamesh and bombarded him relentlessly. Before the battle began, Xia Yu had already handed over the entire stockpile of Gems she had promised her.
Unlike a certain stingy king.
Now that Ishtar had plenty of ammunition, she scattered Gems by the handful, blasting Gilgamesh so fiercely that he couldn't even raise his head.
"You dared deceive me, and you even used Gems to do it!" Ishtar's face was filled with delight. "So you have days like this too, Gilgamesh! I'll make you understand the price of deceiving a goddess!"
"Unless you hand over thirty percent—no, fifty percent—of your Gems today, don't even think about leaving here in one piece!"
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