From that time onward?
The scene before my eyes suddenly changed.
At the same time, a calm female voice echoed beside my ear.
"Some say he rests beneath the omnipotent right hand of the Absolute."
Binah still occupied most of my vision, but the setting had changed from the windswept sands of the Abydos Desert to the cavern beneath the Ancient Sanctuary.
And the ones suppressing Binah had changed from Mika to Azusa, Saori, Atsuko, and, to my surprise, Toki, who had somehow joined the battle.
"Some say that he will one day lead his people and complete the vengeance of both himself and his kingdom against their enemies."
The next scene showed me standing alone on the street outside the Old Cathedral, blood staining my side a vivid crimson. Not far away stood Saori, my pistol half-raised in her hands, her pupils contracted.
"Some say that, in that battle where reinforcements never came, he died by his own sword."
The old Arius training grounds.
I was resting against a wall with my eyes closed while Azusa, Misaki, and Hiyori stood guard nearby with vigilant expressions.
"Others say that he became eternal marble, slumbering within the cavern beneath the Golden Gate, watched over by angels as he awaited the day he would be summoned."
The Basilica.
Kei was fighting the Gematria members, for some reason burning with fury, as though roaring in rage.
"There are also those who say his resurrection will be heralded by the bellow of a great bull... Sigh. To regard the one who shares a single destiny with the Nameless Gods' Princess as the Heavenly White Bull possessing the same Mystery, and still arrive at such an interpretation... Forgive the interruption. Let us continue."
Wait.
The narrator this time...
Was self-aware?
I tried to speak, but found I couldn't.
All I could do was silently watch as the scenes continued to change.
A vast ocean stretched endlessly beneath a night sky.
The waves washed over the surfboard beneath my feet.
In the distance, the bunny girls aboard the Odyssey cruise ship gasped and whispered among themselves, their faces filled with admiration.
"The faithful, their beliefs clouded by dust, all remember the glory of ages past and long for the return of the final ruler. Thus has this legend echoed throughout history."
Then came a rapid succession of images.
Guided by Arius Squad, I entered the Arius Satellite School.
I fought Beatrice.
Inside the Sanctum, I once gained the upper hand.
Until she prayed to the so-called the Chroma and transformed into an utterly unmatched monster.
The final image froze upon her grotesque form.
Countless feathers.
Each one hanging a massive crimson-black eye.
An incomprehensibly twisted creature.
"He shall eventually arrive at that capital, rebuild the fallen empire, drive out the conquerors..."
"...beneath the red apple tree."
The calm voice paused before concluding,
"And thus the eternal, immovable cornerstone upon which the foundation shall be laid."
Then...
A voice of overwhelming majesty and sanctity bypassed my ears altogether, reverberating directly within my consciousness.
[Legend Reenactment!]
[Archangel of Death authorization in progress... Approved.]
[Authorization verification... Failed.]
[Tree Climbing Technique activated... Exemption granted.]
[Divine Name Forging Ritual for the Marble King loading...]
[Loading complete.]
[Initiate Great Alchemy?]
Wait.
Why had "Verification Failed" and "Exemption Granted" suddenly appeared?
And what did climbing trees have to do with any of this?
Although I still had my doubts...
At this point...
There was only one possible answer.
[Alchemy Initiated!]
The instant I chose "Yes" in my heart, the regret I thought had been completely stripped away returned.
Along with unbearable agony, it rapidly spread through every corner of my body and soul.
Then I heard countless overlapping voices, each filled with emotion.
"You are the King who sleeps within the mountain, the Hero in Chains."
"Born from the prayers of the people, the strength of all strengths that shatters the hard and overcomes the unyielding."
"O King of Eastern Rome, acknowledged by the Guardian."
"You shall return like lightning, just as the prophecy foretold."
"On the day of your triumphant return, even the Prince of Heaven shall sing your praises, and the entire nation shall rejoice."
"O mortal king blessed by grace, we bow before you."
"Every kingdom among men that you established has been conquered by your love."
"Together we sing your name..."
[The Sublime Manifests!]
When the pain finally subsided, I turned around.
Standing upon water reflecting the colors of the sunset was a silver-haired girl dressed in white.
Her face was hidden beneath a veil of light, impossible to discern.
She seemed to be quietly watching me.
Then she gave a slight bow.
In a somewhat stiff but gentle tone tinged with nostalgia, she greeted me.
"Good morning, Sensei."
"This time, I'll be the one explaining things to you."
...
Gematria.
"...I can hardly believe it."
After listening to Golconde's report, Maestro trembled with anger.
"For the sake of revenge, she summoned a disaster capable of destroying all of Kivotos. Is she trying to ruin all of our research?"
Black Suit sighed regretfully.
"I knew her ideals had always differed from ours, and that she had always harbored resentment toward Sensei. But I never imagined she would make such a choice. Gematria are seekers, pursuers of truth. Madness is the enemy we are destined to defeat... Beatrice has lost the qualifications to call herself one of us."
"I concur."
Golconde nodded.
"But of course!"
The Decalcomanie in his arms spoke passionately.
"So, are we going to deal with her now?"
Maestro, who had long been at odds with Beatrice, sounded eager.
"No."
Black Suit paused before smiling.
"If we intervene carelessly, it would likely displease Sensei."
"I wonder how Sensei intends to deal with Beatrice."
"Hehe. I truly look forward to seeing it."
"The art of that gentleman is indeed far more captivating."
Maestro agreed.
Black Suit continued,
"By the way, Golconde. Before returning, you were originally supposed to assist Beatrice. You must have left some means of observation behind, correct?"
Golconde chuckled.
"Hehe. Opportunities to witness Sensei in action are rare."
"Besides, Beatrice is no longer our companion."
"But of course!!"
In the past, out of respect for a fellow member, they had never intruded upon Beatrice's territory.
But now that Beatrice herself had shattered the fundamental principles Gematria was meant to uphold...
There was no longer any reason for restraint.
"Hehe. Then what are we waiting for?"
Black Suit said.
"Please share the situation on-site with Maestro and me."
Golconde had intended to do so from the beginning.
He readily agreed.
Soon, the scene inside the Sanctum appeared clearly before the three of them.
The first thing that caught Gematria's attention was not Sensei...
But Beatrice herself.
Her true form had become even more grotesque than they had known.
"Oh?"
Black Suit immediately noticed something unusual.
"Beatrice..."
"Is she afraid?"
"Speaking of which, Sensei appears to be..."
From the surveillance feed, the young man whom Beatrice so obviously feared simply sat cross-legged, looking almost as though he were asleep.
"Hm..."
"It seems something is happening that can only be observed through spiritual sight on location."
Golconde smiled awkwardly.
"How embarrassing. It seems my techniques still have room for improvement."
Black Suit laughed.
"Though it's a pity, don't let it trouble you."
"Now..."
"Let us wait."
"And watch with anticipation."
...
"You are...?"
I asked cautiously.
"For reasons I cannot reveal, I am unable to answer that question."
The silver-haired girl answered calmly.
"Even though, after you leave here, you will forget most of our conversation, it is for your own good."
For some reason...
I could sense her goodwill.
So I asked differently.
"Have we met before?"
The silver-haired girl still refused to answer.
"Please don't ask questions that would put me in a difficult position."
"As for my identity, the only thing I can tell you now is this."
"I..."
"We..."
"Will always stand on your side."
She and who?
The girl who had spoken to me in endless riddles when I forged the Divine Name of the White Crown King?
"I'm sorry, Sensei."
The silver-haired girl looked apologetic.
"One day, you will know every answer."
"But time is running short."
"I'm very far away from you at the moment, and the signal on the ship isn't very good."
"So I'll keep this brief."
"Please listen carefully."
A ship?
Was she out at sea?
I wondered silently before nodding.
"First."
"The only thing you can trust with all your heart..."
"...is your own Adult Card."
The silver-haired girl spoke as though there were deeper meaning behind her words.
"It will never deceive you."
"Nor can it be easily compromised."
"No matter who attempts to influence it, they can only do so indirectly."
"Oh, and one more thing."
"I'm not a being residing inside the card."
"...Sigh."
"Please stop imagining that."
Having my thoughts seen through so easily, I smiled awkwardly.
She continued.
"And secondly..."
"If you don't trust me..."
"...then don't ask me for help."
The abrupt statement seemed to come out of nowhere.
She sighed softly.
"I'm sorry, Sensei."
"This is as far as I can..."
Before she could finish speaking, her figure blurred.
Before I could even respond, she dissolved into countless fragments of light and disappeared into the air.
Only her final words remained, echoing through the space.
"I sincerely hope..."
"...that you will find true happiness."
"For that..."
"...we will pray for you."
Then...
I seemed to hear a soft laugh carrying an indescribable meaning.
Followed by a crisp, clear chime.
My consciousness immediately grew hazy and soared toward an immeasurably distant height.
When I came back to my senses...
The card's screen had changed.
...
Divine Name Released: [Marble King]
Description: Releases the associated Authorities and grants foundational traits. Continuously consumes Mystery while active. Can be deactivated.
Source: The Legend of the Marble King successfully reenacted.
...
Unlike the White Crown King, only two Authorities were released alongside the Marble King's Divine Name.
...
Even so...
I could already feel an overwhelming difference.
A difference as vast as heaven and earth.
The moment I looked up, Beatrice asked warily,
"Y-You... What exactly are you..."
"Ah."
"So you noticed?"
I smiled as I stood up.
I glanced at the monster still fighting Arius Squad and casually tucked the card back into my clothes.
"I really should thank you, Beatrice."
After all...
It was thanks to Beatrice's contribution that I had been able to attain this Divine Name.
I took a deep breath of fresh air.
After making a few casual movements, I felt my body become lighter and stronger than ever before.
Whether in strength or speed...
The enhancement far surpassed that of my other Divine Name.
Such was the difference in their fundamental attributes.
Suddenly sensing something strange, I unbuttoned a few buttons of my shirt.
Reaching inside, I pulled out a dark red object and casually tossed it onto the ground before crushing it beneath my foot.
It was...
The scab left behind after the gunshot wound Saori had inflicted had fully healed.
...
Permanent Authority: [Revival of the Dragon Serpent]
Description: Greatly enhances the holder's regenerative ability. The scale of regeneration is now determined by actual life consumed.
Source: [Slumber of the Dragon Serpent] released.
...
While a Divine Name was active, my lifespan drained roughly a thousand times faster than before.
My regeneration, however...
Had become ten thousand times faster.
If I suffered damage, empowering magic bullets would increase that cost severalfold again.
And I also possessed an Authority capable of consuming an enormous amount of lifespan all at once.
"So long as I still have a single breath left..."
I murmured.
"Until my very end arrives..."
"I will never die."
Only after saying those words did I realize that the corners of my lips had unconsciously curled upward.
Beatrice demanded sharply,
"What exactly are you doing?!"
Ignoring her, I drew my pistol.
After only a brief hesitation, I resolutely removed the necklace hanging around my neck.
It was the vessel for Hifumi's Authority, [Brass Fire Serpent].
I wrapped the chain, with its small cross entwined by a serpent, around the pistol Rin had given me, the one that also carried Saori's Authority.
Then I took out a needle and pricked my finger.
The [Blood of the Holy King], imbued with my life, seeped out and dripped onto the serpent's head.
Then, after completing everything according to the blueprint...
I decisively activated the newly acquired Smelting Authority.
A crimson glow blossomed.
A faint hiss of a serpent echoed.
The two objects, which once had seemed completely unrelated to me, fused into one.
Compared to the original Spear of the Holy King Slayer...
The only visible difference was a single yellow serpent-shaped pattern winding across the body of the gun.
When I took out the card again...
Several Smelting Authorities had disappeared.
In their place were several new lines of text.
...
Miracle: [Godslaying Spear]
Description: Can we, too, obtain salvation?
Source: Just as the great prophet lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so too shall the Son of Man be lifted up, washing away every sin with blood.
...
"Y-You...!"
"W-What exactly are you?!"
...Why had Beatrice been screaming this whole time?
Her outburst spoiled the moment.
Frowning, I took out my phone and switched to the selfie camera.
My face was still the same handsome one as before.
The only difference...
Was the pure white marble halo floating behind my head, adorned with intricate purple patterns.
So what exactly was Beatrice making such a fuss about?
"You're not..."
"You're not..."
Beatrice suddenly burst into hysterical laughter.
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
"Black Suit and the others were wrong! All of them were wrong!"
She shouted at the top of her lungs.
"You're nothing but..."
"...a fake!"