Summoning Phase: GO! CHALDEA! GO!
On the eve of the final battle, the Human Order Continuity Institute, Chaldea...
It had become a paradise far exceeding the grasp of ordinary mortals. Under the hand of the Hero King, Gilgamesh, it had been transformed into the most magnificent structure in existence—a "Modern Uruk" of unparalleled splendor.
And there—
"Hear my voice!! All staff! Assemble!!"
Driven by a desire for the one-of-a-kind treasures he had sought since the beginning, the Hero King issued his command. It was the usual roar, one that shook the foundations of paradise.
The staff sighed in unison. "Ah, here goes the King again," they thought.
And yet, the King fights on.
For the sake of his "Pleasure Department" (and the alcohol served at their failed-roll wakes).
For the sake of pure entertainment (as the Department Chair).
And for the sake of his own peace of mind—!!
"Was that a slight from the very world itself, or do I merely imagine the mockery in the narrative?"
Gilgamesh sat upon his throne, arms crossed. Beside him, Air's soul floated gently like a golden wisp, with Fou nestled peacefully against her chest.
"It's just your imagination, Gil! The world is simply building excitement for the final battle! This time—I just know it—they'll answer your call!"
Air made a determined fist. Fou let out a bored yawn.
(It's all well and good to shower the staff with good Gacha luck, but giving away your own fortune seems a bit over-indulgent, don't you think?)
"Fool. What kind of King would I be if I did not reward those who sing my praises? Besides, I shall emerge victorious in the end. Though... I suppose I must arrange a proper celebration later."
The Hero King let out a long sigh.
"...Though I no longer have to seek so desperately as I once did. My hands already overflow with more wealth than I can use. But... a King cannot simply abandon a war he started."
"?"
Air tilted her head, confused. Gilgamesh placed a gentle hand on her head.
"If you do not understand, then it is for the best. A treasure that proves its value without conscious effort... that is a rarity indeed."
"O-Oh! The King's words are always so deep, it's hard to keep up... but let's do our best! Come on, let the curtain rise! Please come, Saber! Saber...!"
Watching the praying Princess with a look of affectionate amusement, the King snapped his fingers.
"Then, let us begin. We shall start by processing the reinforcements. Spin the circle."
"Right, right. Honestly, this feeling of not knowing who will appear... it's addictive!"
Roman hummed a tune as he tapped at the console. The summoning system hummed to life, the light intensifying until it flooded the room.
"I wonder who it'll be? I wonder who it'll be?"
Rikka and Mash clapped along to the rhythm. Olga Marie used the Holy Grail to guide the connections, exerting a degree of control over which heroes would be pulled from the Throne.
Air watched with bated breath. Sheba-nyan dozed off, while Da Vinci announced the results with a flourish.
"Saint Graph Pattern: Caster! Oho, could this be a new rival for the lovely Da Vinci-chan?"
"Hmph. Any class can be tainted by the Arturia factor; do not lower your guard. Though it is not guaranteed to be her... tell me, who among the Casters is registered?"
(I'm sorry, who is who again?)
Fou batted at Gilgamesh's hand, and the King playfully swatted him back. Amidst the play, the light faded, and a hero manifested.
"Welcome, Hero!"
"I have the crackers! Let's set them off!"
Amidst the cheers, she appeared.
"I am Xuanzang Sanzang! I have manifested here through the guidance of the Buddha! Pleased to meet you! ...Wait, are Touta and Moses not here?"
The living embodiment of the Buddha's grace, a high priestess in attire that bordered on beachwear, had descended.
"It's Sanzang-chan! Welcome!"
"Ah! Rikka! Look at you—I'm so glad we meet again! I knew the Buddha was watching over us! Splendid, splendid! My King, I look forward to being in your care!"
Sanzang bowed deeply. The Hero King nodded.
"The chanting of auspicious sutras will be a fine addition to this Chaldea. See to it that you record my exploits in no less than 7,777 scrolls."
"What kind of epic is that?! I don't know if a single person can write that much... well, never mind! One must enjoy paradise! ...Um, if it's not too much trouble, what about Touta and Moses...?"
"I am getting to that. Move along. If you wish to act like a senior, you must first master the geography of this place."
Gilgamesh nudged the dejected Sanzang, subtly firing up her motivation.
"Right! You're right! Okay! Here I go! I'm going to find a place to sleep and a place to eat! GO! CHALDEA! GO!"
Full of energy once more, Sanzang sprinted out of the room.
"So that is the initiative required to reach India... even in their simplest actions, heroes are on a different scale entirely. I'm only just realizing that..."
(That she would immediately get lost and turn the paradise into a maze is a story for another time. Sanzang taught everyone that day that sometimes, reflection is necessary. Probably.)
(Personally, as long as they have a unique personality and they're a girl, it's an A+ from me. It makes the place much more colorful,) Fou noted.
"I refuse to welcome the meatheads or any of the Goddess lineage. Especially Ishtar. That is an immutable decree."
"Ishtar-san... poor soul. I only hope she doesn't cause any trouble in the next Singularity..."
As they shared their varying thoughts, the summoning continued.
"Next. I care not if they answer, but spin the circle regardless."
Gilgamesh was in a generous mood; if a wish was expressed, the "Gorgeous" style was to fulfill it.
"Which one will it be? Which one will it be?"
"Pattern... Archer!"
Rikka's clapping and Da Vinci's call synchronized perfectly with everyone's expectations.
The one who appeared was—
"Archer, Tawara Touta, reporting for duty! Leave the delicious meals to me! I'll make sure you eat your fill every single day! Hahahaha!"
The green-haired Archer, Tawara Touta, laughed boisterously. In that moment, Chaldea's food security became ironclad.
"It's Touta-san! Yay! Now we can have even better meals!"
"Indeed! A paradise must have fulfilling food! The King's wealth, his chefs... and I shall handle the ingredients! In abundance! Absolute abundance!"
"—Oh? Providing ingredients is your specialty? Perfect. Come with me. I was planning on making quite a spread."
Shiki (Assassin) had wandered in, and Touta answered her with a grin.
"Very well! I can see you are a lady who knows her way around a blade! Mountain bounty, sea bounty—I shall provide it all!"
"That's good to hear. You lot, you can look forward to dinner tonight. Make sure you're hungry."
"Hooray! ...Mr. Tawara, is that bag heavy?"
"It is the weight of happiness! I'm sure a Master like you can handle it. Slowly now... there!"
Rikka managed to catch and hold the heavy bale of rice.
"Whoa! It is heavy!"
"You can hold it! I knew it! You carry the future of humanity on your shoulders; this much is nothing! Truly, you are a sturdy heroine! Hahahaha!"
Laughing heartily, Touta and Shiki departed the summoning room.
"The weight of happiness, huh..." Roman mused.
"A bale of rice weighs about 60kg... that's not really a weight a young lady should be able to lift so easily..."
The Hero King laughed at Roman's distant gaze.
"Fuhaha. Compared to the weight of all humanity, it is but a pebble. For the Master, it is no issue at all."
"I think there's a problem there as a girl... no, I won't say it. Alright, let's settle the final connection!"
The summoning circle spun—and in that instant:
"It's a rainbow! The summon animation that makes every player's heart skip a beat! We've won!"
High-output spiritrons flooded the room, coalescing into a form. The light reflected and refracted, illuminating every corner.
"—"
Gilgamesh swirled his wine glass, his eyes fixed on the result.
The one who appeared was—
"Hey! Did you call me because you were feeling frustrated? Leave it to me! Anything that can be solved with strength or a fist, I'll handle! Oh, I haven't introduced myself. I am Moses! I'm a Ruler. Between 'conveying the Lord's will to all without distinction,' 'having no interest in the Grail,' and 'believing in equality,' it was the best fit. Nice to meet you!"
A relaxed, friendly Ruler. The successor of the Jacob's Limbs style of holy boxing. The Prophet of Guidance, Moses, had descended.
"Moses—?!"
Ozymandias sprinted into the summoning room.
"Hey, Rameses. You doing well? You were quite something back in Camelot."
Moses gave a casual wave.
"O—my eternal—"
The moment he laid eyes on Moses, Ozymandias collapsed to his knees, weeping with joy.
"Ahaha, still a crybaby, I see. Sorry to do this right after being summoned, but can I give Rameses a hand?"
With practiced ease, Moses offered his shoulder to the Sun King.
"Thanks for calling me. If you ever need a sea split, my fists are at your service. If you need a God or an Archangel punched, leave it to me. Especially the Gods."
"Are you really a Saint?!" Roman shouted.
"A Saint-eccentric, maybe. You can't really do God's work with a sane mind. Imagine a boss who is stuck inside your head 24/7 giving you orders. You'd hate it, wouldn't you?"
"If it were Marie, I might be okay with it..." Roman muttered.
Rikka let out a soft, warm chuckle.
"I won't be noisy 24/7, you know?!" Olga Marie snapped.
"Ahaha, it was just a metaphor. But remember this: there are things in this world that simply can't be helped. That goes for both humans and Gods. That's why, when there is something you can solve, you should take the means to solve it. Whether it's bonds, wealth, or a fist. If you don't take the action you should, you'll only regret it more later. People called 'Saints' are just weirdos who don't hesitate in those moments. That's why we're all a bit strange—myself included."
Moses offered a brief farewell.
"Anyway, I look forward to working with you. Bye-bye. Come on, Rameses, stop crying, okay?"
Moses led the weeping Ozymandias out of the room, his relaxed pace never faltering.
—To do what must be done.
"His theory hits the mark. To achieve one's goal, one must not be picky about the means. I agree entirely. ...Is that the end of this colorful parade?"
"Yep. Next is..."
"The Mountain People, or the Knights. ...Well, either will do. I shall choose as the whim takes me. We shall take a break. Reassemble in two hours."
—It's getting even more lively, Fou!
(Yeah! And the number of rooms is increasing again!)
Brimming with the warmth of new bonds, the party headed off to rest.
NG Summoning Chapter: Attribute - Heaven
"I am the Goddess of Water, Caster! Yes, leave the healing magic to me! As long as you let me laze around in paradise, I'll do my absolute best! Now, spoil me! Spoil me rotten!!"
"Lacking in intelligence. Lacking in grace. Lacking in spirit. Lacking in self-awareness. Being a 'God' is a disqualification from the start. You lower the prestige of this place. Begone."
"That's so mean—!! Wait, really?! You're really refusing the summon—?!"
[Returned to the Throne due to an excess of disappointment.]
"I'm the Saber of the Game Industry! Now that I'm here, leave it to me! With the power of a Goddess—"
"Hah. I have no need of you. Vanish."
"Nep-whaaaaa?!"
[Returned to the Throne because she is not the protagonist of this story.]
"...As someone with the same attribute, I can only hang my head in shame."
—Goddesses really come in all shapes and sizes, don't they?
(I wanted an autograph...)
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