"Long time no see. Have you been well, Professor Shiomi?"
Hovering in the sky, Kirschtaria greeted Shiomi with effortless elegance.
Though they had never truly interacted as teacher and student, Kirschtaria still showed Shiomi the respect he was due. In the world of Magi, lineage mattered, but power mattered just as much.
"You're too polite. I'm doing fine," Shiomi replied, resting his spear against his shoulder. "That said, I thought you'd stay comfortably in the rear, watching Olympus from afar. I didn't expect you to come in person."
Kirschtaria smiled faintly. "I don't know what you experienced in the British Lostbelt, Professor. But after cutting down three Lostbelts in succession and then turning your sights on mine, there was no way I could remain seated forever, even if I wanted to."
"Oh?" Shiomi narrowed his eyes slightly.
"I am Kirschtaria Wodime, leader of the Crypters, and the Master entrusted with this Atlantic Lostbelt," Kirschtaria continued. "Moreover, you annihilated Olympus's massive fleet twice, drove my companions into desperate straits, and even killed my Servants. Under those circumstances, abandoning the rear and stepping onto the front lines is only natural."
Shiomi raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you mean the twin Servants? I didn't kill them. My master did. I was busy dealing with the Alien Apostles."
He shook his head lightly. "Honestly, your choice of personnel leaves much to be desired. Didn't the Alien Apostles or Kirschtaria tell you? My master is the ruler of the Land of Shadows, Queen Scáthach. Any Servant who carries Divinity or a divine nature should steer clear of her."
"Indeed, as you say, Professor, my deployment was flawed," Kirschtaria admitted without hesitation. "That said, even if I had chosen different Servants, they might not have fared any better against you."
As he spoke, he lifted the cloak draped over his left shoulder, revealing the staff in his hand.
It was both scepter and wand, a Magus's ritual implement.
As the heir of the Wodime family, Kirschtaria's equipment was, without question, of the highest grade.
"Enough pleasantries. We can't afford to waste any more time," Kirschtaria said calmly. "I have no intention of exchanging opinions. I intend to end this here. I will face you myself, Professor. While we fight, the goddesses will wipe out your companions."
"A bold plan. I hope it goes the way you expect," Shiomi said with a faintly mocking smile. "But before we begin, there's one thing I want to ask."
"Go ahead," Kirschtaria replied, already gathering his Mana.
"Why do you deny our history?" Shiomi asked, fixing his gaze on him. "You, too, were born from Proper Human History. Yet you rebel so decisively against the world that gave you life. I find that… curious. I don't know your past, but such deep loathing for one's own origin is still surprising."
Kirschtaria thought for a moment before answering. "It has nothing to do with my personal experiences. I simply reached this conclusion. Humanity has made mistake after mistake, far too many times. In every era, every civilization. No matter the heroes, no matter the nations. We have never once chosen the correct answer."
"So you concluded that humanity lacks the capacity to choose the right answer, and decided to correct that flaw?" Shiomi said, understanding dawning.
"Exactly. In that regard, the Alien God is the same. It does not acknowledge error. The Alien God is a being that pursues only the correct answer," Kirschtaria said. "I may as well say it plainly. The Alien God will soon descend. Before something that significant occurs, don't you think it's only right that I deal with the major problem in front of me first?"
Shiomi felt little in response to Kirschtaria's words.
Naturally, Kirschtaria felt much the same.
While the two spoke, Skadi had already left the cabin and stepped onto the deck, standing silently behind Shiomi.
"This isn't some tidy one-on-one duel. The moment Kirschtaria makes his move, neither the goddesses nor Yu Mei-ren's side will just sit there," Shiomi murmured to Skadi. "Demeter is on you, Skadi. Hold her down."
"Gladly." Skadi nodded.
She had already spotted Demeter hovering near Kirschtaria.
Against the earth goddess, Skadi the goddess of ice and snow was the perfect counter.
"Are you finished discussing things?" Kirschtaria asked, patient to a fault.
"Of course. Sorry to keep you waiting." Shiomi lifted his spear with one hand. "During combat training at Chaldea, you always stopped just short, never letting your full strength show. So let me, someone who has fought countless heroes and even the King of Magecraft, be the judge of your Magecraft!"
His voice rose sharply, announcing the battle's restart. Kirschtaria's expression tightened, and he triggered his spell without a moment to spare.
"Guidance of the Stars."
Behind the aurora, countless stars flared to life at his words, and beams of Mana poured down from the heavens like a violent storm.
Yet when the barrage ended, Storm Border remained untouched. Skadi had blocked it.
The queen of the Scandinavian Lostbelt, a goddess of Magecraft who wielded the primordial runes.
Kirschtaria wasn't surprised.
Her opponent was Demeter.
Then where was Shiomi, no longer on the deck?
Listening to the wind hiss past his ears, Kirschtaria slowly lifted his head and saw Shiomi rising higher than him.
The jewel set into Kirschtaria's staff flashed. In response to his will, spell-forms that needed no chant unfolded one after another, hammering Shiomi's position with dense, concentrated fire.
But those powerful magical bombardments were neatly cut apart by the spear in Shiomi's hand.
The sky changed in an instant. Shiomi pointed his spear upward, thunderclouds swelling at once to cover the aurora curtain. Lightning raced through the clouds, then crashed down.
"So that's it. Not just a Noble Phantasm, but a Mystic Code too… and top-tier at that," Shiomi said, meeting the falling thunder with his own attacks as he assessed Kirschtaria's equipment.
"What are you looking at!"
In the explosions and smoke of their clashing Magecraft, Shiomi shot forward like a meteor, slamming straight into Kirschtaria.
The air burst apart with a deafening crack, and a gale exploded outward in every direction.
"You call it a Magecraft duel, yet you seem rather fond of close-quarters fighting, Professor," Kirschtaria said, voice edged with mockery.
"If I stay that far away, I can't pull you in."
Shiomi didn't try to outmuscle Kirschtaria head-on. Instead, he pressed forward, seeking an opening in the defensive barrier.
"What?"
Kirschtaria's instincts as a Magus screamed that something was wrong.
"Too late. Reality Marble, deploy. 『Eternal Orkney』."
Light flashed, and both Kirschtaria and Shiomi vanished from the sky above the battlefield.
...
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