IBHJ 1033 (Patreon)

Gaia had used the threat of orbital disruption to force the gamble. But had she considered that it was her siblings' hesitation that truly allowed her to succeed?

Except for Mercury, who openly sided with Gaia, and Venus, who had her own agenda, the other UOs had shown leniency, allowing themselves to be defeated.

That was where Gilgamesh had obtained his God Fragments. Perhaps the other UOs had thought that even if they lost, others wouldn't be defeated. That was why they had shown leniency.

In fact, even Saturn had considered letting the Emperor's Conquest Guild defeat him and lose the gamble. But he knew that while others could afford to be lenient, he could not.

He was the leader of the UOs, the guardian of the Solar System.

He absolutely could not be defeated.

Even with consciousness and emotions, that was an inviolable rule.

—Humans truly were inferior beings.

Saturn's heart was filled with conflicting emotions, but his resolve to destroy Gaia remained firm.

Mooncell's operation had problems, creating loopholes that could be used by UOs, but that wasn't Saturn's reason for flipping the table. What truly made him flip the table was the presence of the Lord of Salvation, who appeared twice after God Brain was stolen.

It was so close, already interfering with this incomplete worldline. How long before it broke free and escaped from the Root once more?

And if it did escape and return to reality, who could stop it?

Saturn didn't know. He only knew that he couldn't. Even with the combined might of all his siblings, they wouldn't be strong enough. Unless they could resurrect the ancient civilization… but that was impossible. Even Tethys, their last descendant, was gone.

If the Lord of Salvation returned, nothing could stop it. Destruction was inevitable.

Saturn looked towards the spot where the Resurrection Pyramid had stood. It was completely gone, and the final blessing of the gods had vanished with it.

"That irritating divine light is finally gone. The force protecting this planet has disappeared. Gaia… you shall perish as well!"

Saturn's resolve was absolute. Across its three-thousand-meter surface, the strange minerals began to emit an eerie sound. They lit up, flickering with a strange light, radiating terrifying energy.

It wasn't magical energy.

Nor was it life energy.

It wasn't any kind of energy known to humans. It was Saturn's unique power.

It was about to strike down the floating Sanctuary, a declaration of its destructive authority. But just as the destructive light was about to be unleashed, a familiar voice echoed in its mind.

—Wait, brother!

Who!? Saturn froze, searching for the source of the unfamiliar yet familiar voice that had invaded its mind. It knew the wavelengths of all the other UOs except for Crimson Moon. This was so unfamiliar, yet… so familiar. Could another invader have entered the solar system?

Saturn searched for the source of that unfamiliar yet familiar voice, and soon its gaze fell on the tiny Barbie doll.

Such a ridiculous human plaything… and yet, it filled him with astonishment.

—Tethys?

"It's me, brother," Tethys said with a smile and a nod.

The ancient civilization was the origin of Earth's civilization, and also Gaia's UO—a civilization development-type UO. Tethys was, in a way, the last cell of that UO.

And since the relationship between UOs could be described as that of siblings, Tethys had the right to call Saturn brother.

—Impossible! You're dead! Saturn exclaimed.

"Yes. This is just my memory, my consciousness. Not the real me," Tethys said.

—Then why have you appeared before me like this? What do you want?

Tethys's appearance demanded his attention. She was part of the ancient civilization, Gaia's UO, the hegemon who had once established interstellar law across the solar system and the universe.

"I want to ask you to give the future a chance, brother," Tethys said with utmost seriousness.

—What did you say?

"I'm asking you to give our descendants a chance to win their future!" Tethys insisted.

Saturn fell silent. Within its enormous head, countless strange minerals shimmered, forming the hazy figure of a humanoid.

It was Saturn's simulated personality.

He looked at her and asked, "You want me to give the gods, humans, magical beasts… all of Gaia's creatures… a chance to challenge the Lord of Salvation?"

Tethys nodded.

"That's impossible!" Saturn refused, frowning. "You and I both know what the Lord of Salvation is! Nothing can challenge it! Even you all failed. What hope do they have? Gaia is doomed!"

"Brother!" Tethys was anxious.

"The risk is too great!" Saturn insisted. "Step aside, or I will destroy your memory along with this incomplete worldline!"

"Are you still the brother I knew?" Tethys asked, her voice rising. "Are you so afraid of the Lord of Salvation?"

"Times have changed, Tethys. You all changed, the galaxy changed, Crimson Moon changed. I also changed!"

Saturn's body pulsed with energy. It was a power that could obliterate Earth and even Jupiter many times over.

Tethys watched him, then fell silent for a moment. "Do you really think destroying Earth will destroy the Lord of Salvation?" she finally asked. "Don't fool yourself, brother. Even if the Solar System is destroyed, even if the entire universe is destroyed, It won't be destroyed. Don't forget, the Lord of Salvation is the monster at the source of all things—the monster of the Root!"

Saturn paused. Tethys' words had struck a nerve.

"You're strong," she continued, "stronger than any of our siblings. Even Mercury is no match for you. But while you can destroy Earth, can you destroy the Root?"

Saturn's breath hitched. Tethys had ruthlessly exposed his vulnerability. Yes, the Lord of Salvation was a monster of the Root. He could destroy Earth, but could he destroy the Root?

"As long as Earth is destroyed, the Lord of Salvation can't enter our reality...!" Saturn said through gritted teeth.

"Incomplete worldlines... those are Earth's discarded remnants, what we created to burn as energy," Tethys argued. "Do you think these parallel worldlines that were cut out, some even burned and incomplete... when even Shakyamuni can freely roam within them and even support them into complete realities, do you think they can contain the Lord of Salvation? Don't fool yourself, it's simply impossible!"

"Perhaps," Saturn admitted. "However, between struggling to take a gamble and letting it appear freely, I've made my decision."

"If you really insist on a gamble," Tethys said, "then I also want to take a gamble with you."

"Gamble on what?" Saturn asked.

"The light that connects the distant past to the far future!" Tethys declared, extending her hand and pointing toward the battle-scarred ground.

Saturn followed her gaze. Several people had suddenly appeared where the Resurrection Pyramid had disappeared. His eyes immediately locked on the young man leading the group.

"He is what I spoke of," Tethys said with complete seriousness. "The light that connects the past and the future!"

...

Meanwhile, in Chaldea...

"This, this is—" Pandora stared in surprise at a small baby blanket, with Chloe pinned beneath Miyu.

"I've... turned back..." Miyu looked at her hands in bewilderment.

"Yes, you've changed back," Chloe said, her voice muffled. "So, Miyu, how long do you plan to stay on top of me?" She tapped her fingers impatiently on the floor from her position under Miyu.

"Sorry, Chloe!" Miyu quickly tried to get off, but just as Chloe started to push herself up, Miyu's legs gave way. She landed back on top of Chloe with a thud. Chloe's head bounced against the floor.

"S-sorry, Chloe," Miyu apologized, her voice filled with panic.

"It's fine," Chloe mumbled, tears welling up in her eyes as she cradled her head. "I'm used to it."

Pandora quickly brought clothes and draped them over Miyu.

"But if Miyu-neesan has changed back," Pandora said, "that means Illya-neesan succeeded!"

"Illya succeeded?" Chloe got up and pouted. "If that idiot could pull this off, I'll write my name backwards! Obviously, it was Shirou-niisan and the others who went after her that did it."

"Shirou... niisan?" Miyu froze.

"Ah, not your brother," Chloe clarified, dusting off her clothes. "Fujimaru Shirou."

Miyu grabbed Chloe's shoulders. "Shirou-niisan is back?" she asked urgently.

"Y-yeah..." Chloe responded nervously, taken aback by Miyu's intense reaction. She suddenly remembered how much Miyu loved Shirou.