Chapter 255: The Sevenfold Blade Shines at the Grand Centennial Gathering
To use oneself as a weapon.
To drive one's own output beyond its natural limits.
That was the only way to stop what was coming.
It was also the only way for Rowe to die on his own terms.
In the instant before death, he would fuse everything he had become into a single purpose, then retrieve the power he had entrusted to the highest seat of the Seat in its strongest form.
That power, placed at the summit of the Seat, was naturally vast. Vast enough to exceed galaxies, vast enough to brush the edge of what people casually called "the universe." Even so, having one, or several, ways to use power was never a disadvantage.
More importantly, saving the world meant saving the people he cherished.
Rowe had never hesitated over that equation.
"So that is the real reason you came to see me."
After the initial shock, understanding settled into Ying Zheng's gaze. He looked at the pale moonlight flickering in Rowe's eyes and grasped the shape of the plan immediately.
Rowe nodded.
"Exactly."
"Through Mount Fuji, the ley line hub of Dongying, linking to Shenzhou, the origin point of the Asian continental leylines. Then through the Asian network."
"Linking the entire planet."
"Forging this body with starlight."
"Tempering myself with the fire of the magma core."
This was Rowe's deeper purpose for coming here.
Ying Zheng's expression turned into something like admiration, something like exhilaration.
"Worthy of my friend. The one who established Great Qin's unified belief with me, Heaven itself."
Then his smile narrowed into the precision of a ruler who never let excitement erase caution.
"But I have one final question."
"How will you bear this power?"
The power of the stars was not a trivial thing. Ying Zheng knew Rowe had already grown stronger than him after fusing with the Lostbelt version of Ying Zheng.
Only one step stronger.
At this level, a single step was not a "difference."
It was a fault line.
After all, it was hardest to move when you were already near the summit. If you advanced further, it was often no longer a matter of quantity.
It became a qualitative change.
Even so, even a star creating god would find it difficult to bear the weight of an entire planet.
A star creation god was still, in the end, primordial.
Still inside the planet's frame.
It could shake the world. It could push it. It could steer it.
But to shoulder it completely was another matter.
Normally, it would be impossible.
Yes.
Normally.
Rowe had never been normal.
"Because I have already become Earth's Ultimate One."
The Ultimate One of a planet was the singular manifestation at the top of that ecosystem, and also the agent of the planet's will.
He did not need to bear it like an individual.
Because the authority of Ultimate One would allow the planet to bear itself through him.
"…Hahahaha!"
Ying Zheng burst into laughter, delighted, almost offended on behalf of the concept of limits.
"It seems you have truly thought it through. I underestimated you after all."
The First Emperor understood what "Ultimate One" represented. In a certain sense, Ying Zheng could also be called the Ultimate One of his own miniature celestial structure, the world within Epang Palace.
"Since you have reached that point."
"I will give you my full support."
"I will fulfill your wish."
"And I will become the divine instrument of the vast Nine Provinces."
He lifted his gaze, dragon eyes reflecting countless mountains and rivers.
"And of all things."
The so called Nine Provinces were never merely Divine Land.
They were the world.
"I will also help you, Rowe."
Enkidu blinked, smiling.
"I do need your help," Rowe replied.
He rose, taking Enkidu's hand.
The visions of the sevenfold disaster that had briefly manifested earlier scattered like smoke. The table vanished. Ying Zheng's figure faded from the center of the hall.
The rolling red dust and clear mist dissolved into nothing. In their place came something heavier, something older.
Turbid earth attribute mystery.
Ley line flow.
The Qin Palace, which had covered the leylines and formed its own realm, retracted. The artificial heaven folded back into itself.
Rowe and Enkidu stood facing the leylines of Shenzhou.
And beyond that.
They faced the leylines of Earth.
"Go," Ying Zheng's voice thundered behind them, vast as a dragon's roar. "I have opened the passage at the hub for you."
Rowe looked at Enkidu.
"Let's go."
Next, he truly needed her.
The first divine clay.
The one who could help him complete the shaping of the sword that was himself.
Enkidu tightened her grip on Rowe's hand. Her emerald hair fluttered, her smile bright as a flower swaying in wind.
She was the first person in this world to form a mutually dependent bond with Rowe.
And she would accompany him through this final step.
The forging of himself.
They stood at the hub of Shenzhou's leylines.
In that instant, Shenzhou's network connected into the continental framework, then into the planetary lattice, linking mountains, rivers, oceans, glaciers.
Ley lines never pointed only to mountains.
They were the blood vessels of Earth.
Naturally, they encompassed everything.
Pressure descended.
It was immense, sinking, absolute.
The heat of the planetary core surged upward like a breath that could melt language.
Rowe frowned, letting that power pour through him.
"What should I do?" Enkidu asked softly.
"You do not need to do anything," Rowe said. "Just being here is enough."
The moonlight in his eyes burned brighter.
A clang rang out.
Then another.
And another.
Not sound in the physical sense, but the concept of forging made audible. The idea of iron being struck was forced into reality by mystery alone.
Enkidu truly did not need to move.
Because Rowe had already begun.
Bearing the planet's ley line pressure.
Gathering the majesty of four seas and three mountains.
"The sword I am forging links the leylines, links the planet, links everyone in this world."
"What I want is to integrate everything within me."
"To forge a sword."
"And with this sword, to bear humanity's reason."
If the human order could become one, then everyone in this world would be qualified to wield it.
That was why Rowe let one end of the Seat merge with this world, letting the radiance of human order shine with an intensity that bordered on violence.
Because it was a sword that embodied human history.
And more than that.
It was a sword that carried human glory.
"Enkidu."
"Mm. I am here, Rowe."
"All you have to do," Rowe said, voice lower now, "is remember me. From my beginning to my end."
"Do not let me lose myself in the torrent of human order."
"Do not let me dissolve into its upheaval."
This step was dangerous in a way that death was not.
It was not dying.
It was an eternal sleep.
One misstep, and Rowe would be assimilated by human order, becoming its restraint, its mechanism of inhibition, forever unable to reach the summit of the Seat.
Even so, Rowe did not hesitate.
Because Enkidu stood before him.
"Like how you were with me long ago?" she asked, understanding instantly.
Thousands of years ago, their meeting had been just that.
Because of the shadow of Enkidu that Rowe carried in his heart, Enkidu gained a body and a mind that could be called human.
He had always remembered her.
He had known her, even before she came into the world.
Then.
"I will," Enkidu said.
She rose onto her toes and embraced him.
Her slender body in a white shirt pressed lightly against him, close enough to share warmth. Her heroic face framed by emerald hair softened into a smile. Enkidu closed her eyes and kissed him.
Rowe smiled and returned it.
Their lips met, and for a moment the world felt simple, like fish entering water.
Light flowed.
A sword took shape.
A sword carrying human order, shining with seven layers of radiance, positive and negative intertwined.
Seven layers of human order.
Seven carriers.
Seven swords.
Seven deadly sins.
…
Three days passed in a blink.
Tokyo, on this day, felt wrong in the way the air feels wrong before a storm.
Since leader class Servants from various countries began announcing their visits three days ago, this small island nation had become, in a sense, the eye of a global vortex.
No one knew whether that vortex would bless the world or devour it.
Many speculated that Japan had been chosen because it represented a door to the East. Western heroes came here to touch the East, especially that ancient and majestic country.
Japan was merely a stepping stone.
To a certain degree, it was true.
Japan was a stepping stone.
Not for other reasons.
But to contact the man who, in a single day, sent letters to every Servant.
"The most famous conqueror in history. A hegemon whose territory surpassed even mine. Truly exhilarating!"
Thunder rolled.
Outside the hall, an international convention center built within three days by the will and resources of a single nation, shaped like an Olympic stadium, Servant fans and countless reporters looked up at once.
An ox drawn cart tore past with absurd speed.
Boisterous laughter filled the air, followed by the panicked voice of a boy.
"Rider, stop! The Holy Grail War is over, you do not need to carry me anymore, ahhh!"
"What are you saying, kid?" the voice thundered back. "You are the attendant of the great King of Conquerors!"
"Besides, meeting that person will be good for you too!"
The laughter, wrapped in thunder, rushed into the venue like a declaration.
Iskandar.
"The King of Macedon, Alexander, the King of Conquerors who conquered vast lands?" someone blurted.
Others whispered the once secret things that had become public knowledge to anyone who cared.
"I heard that in this country beneath our feet, a magecraft war to summon heroes once took place. Iskandar answered the call and met a boy from Europe here."
Envy appeared on faces.
Forging a bond across time with a conqueror was a dream many never stopped having.
Then another murmur rose.
"Wait. Someone else is coming."
"Who is that?"
The red carpet at the entrance rippled in the light as another figure stepped onto it, arriving with unhurried confidence.
Invited Servants arrived one after another.
Heroes across eras gathered here, for one man.
"So lively. So many people."
Inside the magnificent hall, silhouettes filled the space. Above, drifting clouds reflected dappled light. The lamps cast a soft glow like moonlight filtered through mist.
Abigail, dressed in a black fluffy dress, carefully threaded her way between tables loaded with food and wine, following behind Manaka.
"Of course there are many," Manaka said casually. Her short choppy golden hair swayed, her white stockings catching the light beneath a blue dress as she strode. "Not all of them, but most of the Servants should be here."
She made no effort to hide her gaze, sweeping over the crowd.
Men, women, elders, children, even giants.
Heroes of human history.
Surviving gods.
"After all, it is living human history. A scene like this is only natural."
Manaka smiled widely.
Still, compared to all of these figures, she was more excited for the true protagonist of the grand event.
"That guy still has not shown up. Slow. Is this how he treats his guests?"
"But it seems we were not invited," Abigail objected quietly.
"Does it matter?"
"Eh? It does not?"
"Of course not. We are here. That makes us guests, right?"
Abigail stared at her, unsure how to respond.
Then Manaka steps stopped.
"Oh my. I did not expect you to come too."
She tilted her head.
"I received an invitation," the person opposite replied.
Abigail peered over and saw an elegant figure in a luxurious kimono.
Wooden clogs outlined delicate feet. The flowing hem emphasized a slender waist. Wide sleeves swayed like clouds. Dark hair billowed, and eyes half hidden beneath bangs glowed with ghostly blue.
Ryougi Shiki.
The one connected to the Root, and the will that brushed its edge, met again. Their air was immediately sharp.
"So what if you were invited?" Manaka put her hands on her hips. "Do you want to know where I have been these past few days?"
"No," Shiki answered flatly.
"You do not want to, but I insist on telling you. I have been with Mr. Rowe these past few days, you know?"
"Really? I do not believe it."
"You do believe it."
"…"
Abigail tilted her head, confused by how childish it sounded, like two children fighting over a toy neither would admit mattered.
But the hall was undeniably interesting.
"Heracles. We meet again. It seems you have grown quite a bit."
"Yes, Teacher Chiron. Under Mr. Rowe's guidance, I can now not only say 'his mother' skillfully, but also 'your mother.'"
"…"
Chiron stared at the tall, honest faced Heracles and felt a deep, sudden desire to retract his earlier praise.
He also felt the urge to say it.
"So, where is Lord Rowe?" Chiron asked, forcing his mind back onto the important matter.
"He should be arriving soon," Heracles said, rubbing his chin. "It seems very lively over there."
Of course it was lively.
It was the Roman Emperor's territory.
"Umu. Next, I shall sing a song to welcome my beloved Rowe. Do not stop me, Lady Boudica. Lady Martha."
"Your Majesty, calm down. Calm down."
"I am very calm, umu. I am the sole victor. I must let everyone know of Rome's triumph!"
Nero Claudius, wearing a heavy imperial gown, stood with hands on hips, smiling brightly.
"That is exactly why it is impossible," Martha and Boudica said almost in unison, exchanging glances like people sharing a migraine.
The revelation of the Lord was not something ordinary humans should hear.
If a normal person heard it, their mind would not survive intact.
"I did not expect you to come too, you idiot saint."
"I am not an idiot saint. I am merely one who faithfully follows my Lord's banner."
"An idiot is an idiot. You are just performing piety."
"Then make room for me."
"Hmph."
Jeanne d'Arc looked at her other self, the Dragon Witch, kneeling in prayer with the same pious posture and a scornful expression. Jeanne could not help smiling.
In the corner behind the Dragon Witch, her superior stood, expression unreadable, waiting.
"Bad guy"
Altera.
Elsewhere.
"Scathach, wait for me!"
"It seems your special training is still not enough," another voice replied coolly. "Are you already exhausted after such a short distance, Skaði?"
"…"
"Ishtar, have you seen Rowe?"
"No. Could that guy be hiding?"
"No, that is impossible."
In another cluster of kings.
"AHAHAHA, you mongrels. Come and behold the great King of Heroes."
"Kek hahaha. Come and behold the great King of Kings, Ozymandias."
"Hm."
"Hm."
Gilgamesh and Ramses II opened their mouths, then stopped at the same instant, like beasts that sensed another apex predator.
"Another one who does not know his place and presumes to be king?"
"This king is the King of Kings. Presume? Kek hahaha. A king from another land dares speak?"
"AHAHAHA. Another land? This heaven and earth belong to this king. Those who claim kingship over this king are fakes. Still, since you stand here and are recognized by this king's friend, I will forgive your disrespect."
Ramses II was about to answer, when another voice cut in with gleeful arrogance.
"hhohohoho. Is it you all? The great kings Rowe spoke of. I am the hegemon who surpassed the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. The First Emperor."
"…"
Somewhere in a quieter corner, a great king with far less presence squatted, thinking.
"So why do I have to be here too?"
Solomon sighed, then immediately brightened.
"But this cake tastes excellent."
At a dining table, Artoria Pendragon, the Knight King in a deep blue robe, swirled a wine glass. Her sky blue eyes were calm and steady.
Behind her, Melusine, Barghest, and three Fairy Knights stood as retinue.
"My King," one of them murmured.
"Easy," Artoria replied with a faint smile. "He is coming soon."
So many heroes had arrived as promised.
How could Rowe not come?
Then.
"It is time for you to appear, Rowe."
Atalanta stood on high ground, beast eyes locked on the unseen horizon.
"If you do not come soon, it will be too late."
The venue, previously roaring, fell silent.
Not because they saw Rowe.
Because they felt something else.
An invisible rhythm.
A tremor that did not belong to Earth.
"What is that?"
A Servant looked up, pupils narrowing.
"Is that a monster?"
They saw eyes.
Eyes beyond the atmosphere, beyond the planet, reflected like sun and moon.
Outside the venue, a tall figure stood against the wind, voice low.
"The Horned God."
"The Horned God, Cernunnos."
Ziusudra, the Grand Assassin who had stepped forth from the Middle East, lifted his gaze and spoke the first warning.
The Horned God.
The seven calamities began with him.
And he was the first to target Rowe.
Now he was the first to arrive.
Outside the starry sky, his manifested form was so immense that it seemed to rival a third of Earth in scale.
The death of a world, condensed.
Towering.
Dreadful.
The Servants were startled. The hall held its breath. But neither the strongest nor the weakest panicked.
"So this is the kind of thing the Rowe summoned us to deal with?"
"I am afraid yes. Rhongomyniad is ready, Lord Rowe!"
"Calamities of world destruction… Esteemed Sage, is this the opponent you face?"
"Teacher Chiron, smash him!"
"Heracles, please stop talking."
"Bad guy"
Nobody believed Rowe gathered living history for a party.
Everyone had prepared for exactly this.
"A disaster from another dimension…"
Manaka stopped arguing with Shiki and tilted her head.
"Are you going to move?"
"Wait for the right moment," Shiki answered.
Yet her hand had already settled quietly on the hilt of her blade.
She looked up at the Horned God beyond the atmosphere.
The figure was blurred through protective barriers, indistinct, like something too vast for the eye to process.
But the terror was unmistakable.
Especially when Cernunnos raised his hand.
Slowly.
Covering the world with his palm.
Tides surged.
The sky plunged into darkness.
On that day in 1994, the world shook.
"Why is it dark?" someone on the street asked, bewildered. "Is it going to rain?"
"Dark clouds… no, that is not clouds."
"Is that a hand?"
"Is the world ending?"
Earthquakes.
Tsunamis.
Flash floods.
The descending hand pierced the atmosphere, and Earth's rotation was obstructed for a breath. The aftershocks of that interruption cracked the surface of human certainty, pushing countless people into despair.
The demon of world destruction had arrived first.
Like an angel of doom, blowing the horn for annihilation.
And yet.
The darker it became, the easier it was to see light.
The people. The Servants.
All of them looked up.
And they saw it.
Light and shadow beneath the descending palm.
"Clouds… no. No cloud covers the entire Earth."
"Is that…"
"A sword?"
Seven layers of radiance illuminated the sky.
Not only above Tokyo.
Not only above Japan.
Sharp eyed Servants realized the boundary of that radiance wrapped the entire dome of the sky. Those with Clairvoyance felt it even more clearly.
The scope was the planet.
That radiance was not only light.
It was a sword.
Seven swords, distributed across the world's directions.
The people outside the venue looked up at the same time. So did Tokyo. So did East Asia. So did Eurasia. So did the entire planet.
All of them felt it together.
Seven layers of radiance illuminated the world.
And within that radiance, it was as if they saw a person.
Walking from ancient time to the present.
Enduring three days.
The sword that carried human order was complete.
Forged.
Manifest.
Rising, not in a single hand.
But in the hearts of all people.