In Indian mythology, there existed a demon king who struck fear into the hearts of the gods, known as Ravana.
It is said that Ravana had ten heads and, in his quest for unparalleled power, he performed intense austerities for Brahma, even going so far as to sever nine of his own heads.
Moved by Ravana's devotion, Brahma agreed to grant him one wish.
Ravana wished for invincibility, ensuring that neither beasts nor gods nor demons could harm him. However, out of disdain for mortals, he neglected to request immunity from human harm.
With his newfound invincibility, Ravana revealed his true nature—a tyrant of unparalleled cruelty. Empowered by his invulnerability, he even dared to disregard the gods themselves.
Terrified, the gods sought the aid of Vishnu. Thus, Vishnu incarnated as Rama, the eldest son of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya.
In myth, Rama is depicted as a courageous, wise, and noble figure. Not only was he the ideal king, but also the epitome of a devoted son, brother, and husband.
In the tale, Ravana abducted Rama's wife, Sita. With the help of the divine monkey Hanuman, Rama defeated the demon king and reclaimed his wife. The familiar trope of a hero defeating a demon king to rescue a princess originates from this very story.
Fate/Grand Order (FGO) also features Rama, though his portrayal diverges significantly from the original myth.
In FGO, Rama is merely a four-star Servant, while Arjuna and Karna—Servants from the same region—are both five-star, overpowered characters.
All three Indian Servants appeared in the Fifth Singularity. In it, Rama was easily defeated by Berserker Lancelot, whereas Arjuna and Karna, in terms of strength, were on par with the Berserker. This made Rama seem far inferior to the other two.
However, in Indian mythology, Rama is far more formidable than both Arjuna and Karna. In fact, one could argue that Rama is the greatest hero in all of Indian mythology.
India's two most famous epics are the Mahabharata, which chronicles the exploits of heroes like Arjuna, Bhima, and Karna, and the Ramayana, where Rama is not just the hero but the sole, unequivocal protagonist.
While the title Demon King evokes fear among the gods, Rama—"the hero chosen by the gods to vanquish the demon king"—perfectly embodies the archetype of "The Last King."
In the myths, the gods bestowed upon Rama numerous divine weapons to ensure his victory over Ravana.
This is the truth behind the title of "The Last King."
And that peculiar figure wrapped entirely in white cloth? It was none other than Hanuman, the divine monkey who repeatedly aided Rama. As the son of Vayu, the wind god, Hanuman wielded the power to control storms.
There was once a rumor told to Artoria that Hanuman might have been the inspiration for Sun Wukong… After all, the legends describe Hanuman as capable of moving mountains, flying through the skies, and performing miraculous transformations. His clever and adaptable nature bears a striking resemblance to Sun Wukong.
However, many believe that Sun Wukong's true origin lies in the Shan Hai Jing, as the demon Wuzhiqi.
The reason Hanuman is wrapped in white cloth is likely to avoid recognition. After all, a monkey with pure white fur would be far too conspicuous.
Previously, when Artoria encountered Hanuman, she sensed immense magical energy and divine authority radiating from him—on par with the chief deities of myth.
While Hanuman is renowned in myth as Rama's companion, the divine energy he now exudes is undeniably abnormal. It seems likely that, in addition to Hanuman's powers, the godly might of his father, Vayu, has also been reproduced.
Vayu, one of India's natural gods, ranks just below the King of Heaven, Indra. Such formidable strength would not be surprising.
"It seems you know me well. Otherwise, you wouldn't have so easily spoken my True Name," said the silver-haired boy known as Rama, raising the [Divine Savior Blade] with a faint smile. "In that case, I imagine you also know the true nature of this sword?"
As the hero chosen by the gods to vanquish the demon king, the gods entrusted Rama with their divine weapons.
"Now is the time to unveil the splendor of the heavens!"
Rama lifted the [Divine Savior Blade] high. A faint hum echoed as radiant energy gathered at the blade's tip, forming a holy and commanding square magic circle amidst the vast expanse of sky and sea.
"[Divine Savior Blade]! My master! My comrades! The celestial weapons bestowed by the sages and the great gods—show yourselves!"
As Rama poured his magical energy into the blade, the magic circle began to rotate, morphing into a series of overlapping formations. In an instant, it seemed as though thousands of patterns intertwined and interlocked, dazzling to the point of disorientation.
The square magic circle expanded as it spun, eventually growing to the size of a football field. Its patterns and designs became increasingly intricate.
This massive array was divided into countless smaller squares, each adorned with exquisite carvings, like fruits hanging from a tree.
Within each square rested a weapon—blades, swords, shields, spears, whips, axes—all radiating divine brilliance, their individual power overwhelming to behold.
To Artoria, the sight was strikingly familiar.
It reminded her of a certain golden figure who laughed maniacally atop streetlights.
However… compared to Gilgamesh's [Gate of Babylon], this display was on an entirely different scale.
While Gilgamesh possessed the prototypes of all Noble Phantasms, what Artoria faced now were the actual weapons of the gods themselves!
"This is the true form of the [Divine Savior Blade]. Its name is [Mandala of the Divine Blade]. It is not a singular divine weapon, but the collective embodiment of all the god-bestowed armaments granted to the hero who defeated the demon king."
Rama spoke with calm certainty. "Because of this blade, I am the Last King. If you wish to surpass me and take my place, then try to withstand its power!"
Fixing his gaze on Artoria, Rama swung the Divine Blade with force. In an instant, the divine weapons, brimming with godly radiance, trembled and emitted a piercing hum, transforming into streaks of lightning that shot toward Artoria like a storm!
The space around them was repeatedly pierced, rippling like the surface of water under heavy rain. The once-immortalized divine weapons of myth now came at her with the density of raindrops, as if they were mere steel scrap.
Artoria raised her hand, unleashing an aura of pure, draconic ferocity with each breath. The overwhelming magical energy emanating from her was like a towering wall encircling her.
"Attacks devoid of soul won't threaten me!"
Artoria's cold voice cut through the chaos. Each beat of her dragon's heart surged with immense magical energy. "Even if these weapons are the pride of the gods, what of it? Watch me destroy them all!"