Chapter 1297: Alas, Sodom, Alas!
At the top of the building, Scáthach held a ball of light in her hands.
The ball of light seemed to possess self-awareness, its glow brightening and dimming rhythmically, much like breathing.
"Is this Eiji's soul?"
"Yes."
In response to Merlin's inquiry, Scáthach nodded naturally.
"The moment his body died, I collected his soul. With his level of mastery, recreating a body probably wouldn't take more than an hour."
"I see, that's a relief!"
Merlin exaggeratedly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and let out a deep sigh of relief.
"It's too early to relax."
Scáthach shook her head with a serious expression.
"What do you mean?"
"See for yourself."
Scáthach handed over the ball of light.
"His problem now isn't his body, but his soul... It's likely severely damaged."
Indeed.
At the critical moment of the final battle, urged by his intuition, Eiji abandoned using Divine Foot Travel to escape and instead unleashed a Reverse Glow strike.
It was an unprecedented Reverse Glow.
Even Eiji himself had to admit that strike represented the pinnacle of his life so far, surpassing all his previous achievements.
That strike collided head-on with the Human Order Annihilation Cannon.
The energy of the Human Order Annihilation Cannon was largely dispersed by the strike, while the overflowing magical residue melted the Jeweled Shield like snow and completely shredded his body in an instant!
At the same time, Eiji's strike bypassed the Human Order Annihilation Cannon and landed squarely on Goetia!
What the outcome was, Eiji himself didn't know.
But he knew he had succeeded.
When he unleashed that unprecedented Reverse Glow, he knew this strike would definitely destroy the immature rule Goetia had established!
Indeed, the purpose of unleashing Reverse Glow wasn't to perish together with Goetia, but to sever the rule binding the clone's life to the main body!
Although he had long been capable of severing concepts and causality, severing rules was something he had never attempted before.
Because it was impossible.
Even Eiji, who had reached the realm of Heavenly Principles, could only comply with and utilize the world's rules—not reverse or oppose them.
But the rule Goetia established wasn't part of the world's fundamental operating principles. Rather, it was a superficial rule imposed on the world using her own power, leaving room for intervention!
Under such circumstances, Eiji targeted the rule she had set.
Fortunately, the result could be considered a success.
The superficial rule established by Goetia was successfully severed by that unwavering strike.
However, his clone died too quickly, almost simultaneously with him severing the rule.
Although he escaped as quickly as possible, he was still evidently affected by the power of the Crown of the Seventh Beast.
Not only was his body completely destroyed, but his soul also suffered severe damage.
"Soul damage? That's an extremely troublesome injury!"
Merlin immediately frowned deeply.
For someone as powerful as Eiji, his soul scale must be equally immense.
For such a powerful soul to sustain damage, relying on self-recovery to gradually heal would likely take hundreds, if not thousands, of years!
"To put it bluntly, if we can't find a quick method to heal him, he'll likely become ineligible for the UO Throne."
"The simplest solution would be to locate the Holy Grail, but that happens to be in Goetia's possession."
The two exchanged glances, both feeling somewhat helpless.
It wasn't that they lacked methods to nurture souls, but expecting a full recovery within three days while still being able to participate in the finals was simply asking too much.
"Surviving in that situation alone is remarkable. Truly remarkable."
At that moment, an unfamiliar voice suddenly echoed around them.
The calm tone was filled with admiration and praise, carrying a distinctly maternal warmth.
"Who's there?"
Scáthach's eyes immediately turned cold as she grew alert.
They had, after all, set up a barrier around them—how could someone infiltrate so easily?
"No need to rush or fear. I am the mother of all, and I would never harm even a single blade of grass here."
Appearing before them was a snow-white figure.
She had pure white long hair cascading over ram-like horns, with pink eyes full of gentleness.
Her modest clothing concealed her impressive figure, yet the tattered cloth design revealed glimpses of skin beneath, stirring a tantalizing curiosity.
Tiamat.jpg
"You are... Tiamat!"
Merlin was utterly astonished, every nerve in his body tensing up.
This wasn't a Beast's Saint Graph—there was none of the foul stench characteristic of a Beast.
The primordial goddess herself had actually come to participate in the tournament!
"Don't be afraid. I bear no ill will toward you. I came here pursuing Beast VI."
A warm smile naturally spread across Tiamat's face.
Her smile was deeply maternal, radiating such strong affinity that both Merlin and Scáthach unconsciously lowered their guard.
"You say you're pursuing Beast VI?"
The two exchanged another glance before Merlin stepped forward to converse with Tiamat.
"Correct."
Tiamat nodded frankly.
"Beast VI manifested in another world. She adopted Goetia's methods, using Demon God Pillars to create seven Singularities, causing trouble for Chaldea there—so I went to assist."
You went to help?
Don't you resent humanity for banishing you?
Even so, they remain my children.
Facing Merlin's astonished question, Tiamat responded with serene clarity.
All Evils of Humanity begin as Love for Humanity.
They all hopelessly love humanity, which is why they grow desperate enough to want to destroy it.
Appearing not as a Beast but with her primordial goddess Saint Graph, Tiamat embodied more love than malice.
From Tiamat, Merlin and Scáthach finally uncovered the truth.
How could Goetia usurp Beast VI's Saint Graph?
It was because the Beast of Sodom, while causing trouble in another world, copied Goetia's methods entirely!
Not only did she replicate his Singularity-creation techniques, but she also used his Demon God Pillars, incinerated human history... and so on—a complete carbon copy!
However, midway through her schemes, she received an invitation from the Counter Force to participate in the UO tournament.
Troublemaking can wait—the UO tournament only happens once!
Without hesitation, Sodom followed the path of the Counter Force merging world lines and arrived at this Singularity, merging with Nero.
Tiamat also traced her trajectory to reach this Singularity.
Merlin could almost imagine Goetia's expression upon learning of the Beast of Sodom's appearance.
He must have laughed like a madman!
Never before had he seen such a willing lamb delivered to his doorstep! This time, he truly witnessed it!
In the Type-Moon World, one should never lightly tread the path others have walked!
For doing so inevitably turns the predecessor into an "Archetype," creating a conceptually overwhelming restraint! Just as Roa easily defeated Arcueid using the concept of Dracula back then!
Without another word, he seized Nero and, when the time was ripe, swiftly usurped Sodom's Saint Graph!
Thus, the physician Goetia vanished.
The golden-haired loli Goetia was born!
Immediately after, the issue of the Human Order Cannon's energy was resolved.
That energy was actually the power accumulated by Sodom after incinerating the Human Order of another world. After her Saint Graph was usurped by Goetia, the energy she had stored was also taken by him!
How tragic, Sodom, how tragic!
Despite all her scheming and efforts, everything ultimately became a wedding dress for Goetia!