"————"
At that moment, the world sank into a silence.
The terrifying heat seemed as if it would annihilate everything, transforming into a pillar of light that burst forth from the band of light above and fell straight downward.
Before it, the radiance of the holy sword was nothing but child's play.
Before it, the judgment of the holy lance was no more than a dim candle flame.
Even the light pillar summoned by Altera's Noble Phantasm—compared with this one—if one set aside the matter of its nature and simply compared raw power, there was no contest.
Within the temple, all the Servants and familiars who were fiercely battling the Demon God Pillars suddenly felt their hearts tremble with fear.
They all snapped their heads toward the space a kilometer away, toward that star-destroying light descending from the heavens, and horror surfaced across every face.
The density of mana within it shook the entire Imaginary Number Space.
The terror of its heat pressed tangibly upon the temple.
A pillar of light capable of burning away the planet's surface and piercing through the planet itself descended as though to proclaim the world's end, crashing toward its tiny target.
Rozen stood tall like a frail ant daring to challenge the apocalypse, watching the terrifying pillar of light falling from the heavens. A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
"If it had been the me of before, facing this strike—even if I exhausted all my strength, I likely would not have escaped unscathed."
Back then, Rozen's power was indeed enough to confront a Beast alone. In a direct battle with Goetia, victory or defeat might have been uncertain. But against this power—built up over thousands of years of planning and accumulation—it would have been exceedingly difficult to withstand.
It was precisely because of this Noble Phantasm that Goetia had felt no fear of Altera and Tiamat's existence.
Even if either of them was comparable to or stronger than him, before this band of light—formed from millennia of accumulated mana—neither could be certain they could deal with it.
And if even they could not, then a mere human like Rozen should have no chance at all.
At least, that was what Goetia believed.
However…
"I am not who I was before."
So declaring, Rozen slowly raised his right hand.
"Zing!"
From the arm he lifted high, the Magic Crest known as Cleansing flared with a radiance stronger than ever before, its glow illuminating the earth.
In the next instant, countless particles of light surged upward, like invisible spirits flying into the heavens, rushing to meet the star-destroying light.
Immediately, wherever those glowing particles passed, all heat vanished as though it had evaporated into nothingness.
All the heat disappeared.
Including that descending star-destroying light—it too vanished.
The light pillar trembled under the illumination of the particles, then dissolved as though volatilized, disappearing completely.
The power that had shaken the Imaginary Number Space itself dissipated in that instant.
All returned to silence.
"Impossible!"
The mocking smile that had been on Goetia's face twisted into shock as he cried out in disbelief.
But Rozen paid him no mind. From the Magic Crest on his right hand, he released even more particles of light. They surged into a radiant halo, shooting skyward, rushing straight toward the band of light.
Before long, the particles touched the entire band and spread rapidly, enveloping it until it shone brilliantly with crystalline luminescence.
Yet that glow was not for ornamentation.
Under its embrace, the band of light began to unravel.
The mana Goetia had gathered through three thousand years of schemes and preparation was now undone by Cleansing, returning to the various eras of history.
What did this mean?
It meant Rozen had directly interfered with the band of light, rewinding it, restoring the human history that had been transformed into vast mana—step by step, repairing Human Order in the most direct way possible.
Goetia's grand undertaking was beginning to collapse utterly in Rozen's hands.
"Stop!!!"
Goetia roared in fury and panic, his composure and arrogance shattered.
He sought to stop Rozen—but he failed.
For a figure suddenly appeared before him.
"I won't let you disturb Senpai!"
Mash appeared, shield of pure white in hand, her face set with determination, standing squarely before Goetia.
"Out of my way!"
Goetia bellowed in rage, charging at Mash. His fists split into countless shadows, hammering toward her.
Each blow was powerful enough to split mountains and shatter stone.
If it had been the Mash of before, she too would have struggled to withstand such an assault.
But just as Rozen was no longer the same as before—Mash was not either.
"Clang—Clang—Clang—Clang—Clang—Clang—!"
Amidst a storm of clashing metal, Goetia's endless barrage of fists struck that pure white shield, sparks bursting again and again.
Mash stood like an unshakable mountain, shield raised, firmly taking all of Goetia's strikes.
"This shield—cannot be broken by the likes of you!"
So declared Mash, driving Goetia into greater anger and desperation.
He did not wish to be entangled with her—he only wanted to reach Rozen and stop him.
If the band of light were fully unraveled, then his ambition, his great work, would be reduced to ash in an instant.
Such a thing was intolerable to Goetia.
"Grahhhhhhhhhhhhhh…!"
Goetia roared, unleashing the most terrifying surge of mana he had ever released, his entire body like a meteor colliding with heaven and earth as he charged Mash.
This was Goetia's full power—his strongest strike short of using his Noble Phantasm.
Yet Mash did not flinch or evade—she met it head on, raising her shield.
"BOOM————!!!"
Goetia, like a meteor, crashed into Mash's shield. With a deafening explosion, he became a blazing star, slamming again and again into that immaculate shield.
Mana and shockwaves roared out like storms, sweeping across the battlefield.
"Haahhhhhh!!!"
Mash shouted as she endured, as though withstanding the impact of a true comet. The tidal wave of mana and force crashed down upon her, yet she bore it with everything she had.
This girl, who had gained the qualifications of a saver, withstood the full brunt of Goetia's power.
"No! No!"
Goetia could only cry out, his voice growing more panicked and enraged.
Rozen, however, remained unmoved. He focused only on unraveling the band of light in the sky, dispersing its mana and returning it to each era of human history, restoring it piece by piece.
The band of light crumbled, weakened, and finally, disappeared completely.
"ARGHHHH!"
Goetia screamed in despair as he watched it vanish before his eyes.
"It's over, Goetia."
Rozen turned toward him, stretched out his right hand—and clenched it into a fist.
"BOOM!!!"
At the pull of an invisible force, Goetia's scream was cut short as his body suddenly burst apart.
The First Beast, possessing the highest rank of immortality, even lacking the very concept of death itself—was reduced to nothing but ash.