"???"
Sanjiro's head was full of question marks.
Sure enough, there really is such a thing as 'the kind of meal your mom insists you haven't eaten enough of.'
As expected of the ultimate healer who supports him—the most diligent nurse imaginable.
He couldn't help but love her for it.
Sanjiro cleared his throat a little awkwardly.
"My injuries have mostly healed. Give me a bit more time, and I'll be fully recovered."
Earlier, under Chin Kyu's support, he had unleashed power far beyond what his body could normally endure—only then was he able to truly kill Zeus.
Even with Tiamat's authority [Sea of Life] reinforcing him, his very essence had been damaged.
But that didn't bother him much.
He'd survived even when his Spirit Origin had been shattered to dust—stronger than any so-called 'Battle Continuation' skill could ever allow.
Tiamat gently placed a hand on his head.
"With me here, I won't allow you to remain injured."
"Mm…"
Sanjiro's feelings were complicated.
He had always been the one protecting others—facing down overwhelming foes, earning songs and legends in his name, hailed as humanity's strongest guardian.
But now, this being—this Embodiment of Humanity's Evil—was treating him as someone to be cherished, not as a mighty protector.
Sanjiro grew a little embarrassed.
"Cough, cough… we're at home right now, and there are… people here. Let's, uh, talk about this later."
After all, the kid was still in the bedroom.
If someone saw this scene, he'd never live it down.
"Don't want to be seen?"
Tiamat tilted her head slightly, lowering her gaze as her hand moved toward his waist.
Sanjiro instantly froze—his entire body trembling.
Wait—what? He'd just said he was embarrassed, so why was she getting even closer?!
But instead—
She reached down and pulled off the Chains of Heaven wrapped around his waist like a belt, tossing them casually aside.
Enkidu stood there, completely stiff, the perfect image of a divine weapon trying to process what just happened.
"Uh…"
I'm a person, not just a weapon!
Enkidu felt a strange heaviness in her heart.
Damn it! I'm the one who's actually your child, so why are you throwing me aside?!
After all, the gods of Mesopotamia were birthed by Tiamat herself.
And Enkidu, as a weapon forged by those gods, was practically the child of her children. Shouldn't that make her "the favorite grandchild"?
What's more, Tiamat once used her own body to create another Chain of Heaven—Kingu—as her eyes and hands in the mortal world.
Kingu had always called her Mother.
Was this estrangement because of his betrayal, when she used the chains to bind her?
Splash—
Azure phantom waters rippled across the living room, transforming it into a vast ocean in an instant.
Enkidu could only watch helplessly as the two figures vanished beneath the waves, left standing alone by the shore.
Damn it, why didn't they bring me along?!
She's injured too!
Mother, love me once more!
After a while, the azure sea slowly receded, and the two reappeared before her eyes.
Sanjiro wiped the corner of his mouth and let out a small burp.
"I'm full. Thank you, Mother of Creation."
After eating his own cooking earlier and then being fed by Tiamat, he had never felt such overwhelming fullness.
The injuries in his body were completely healed.
But more than that—
Through Tiamat's divine nourishment, he had inherited the primordial power of creation itself.
In ancient times, when she birthed the gods of Mesopotamia, Tiamat had merely expended divine power to create them.
But now—she had bestowed her original essence through this feeding, gifting him a fragment of power on par with her own origin.
That gift became a primordial seed, an existence equal in rank to a Grand-class Saint Graph.
And when fused with his limit-breaker nature—his infinite growth potential—it meant he could now evolve without end.
It was a gift with no reservations.
"Child," Tiamat said gently, stroking his hair, "grow strong every day. Watching you flourish brings me joy."
"…"
Beside them, Enkidu fell silent.
Damn it—even as a divine weapon, watching this scene filled her with jealousy and envy.
That was the Mother of Creation—even the gods she made never received such treatment!
"I'll do my best to become stronger," Sanjiro nodded firmly.
Stronger enemies awaited him—he wasn't nearly powerful enough yet.
At that moment, he felt the energy inside him begin to surge wildly.
The primordial power from the Mother of Creation was merging with the [Platinum Dragon] energy bestowed by Shikotei's imperial decree, when he was titled Imperial Teacher.
Platinum scales appeared on his skin, his body glowing as if he were about to transform into a dragon.
A dragon?
Sanjiro closed his eyes and used sheer willpower—stronger than life or death itself—to suppress the transformation.
From beginning to end, he was human. He would never become something other.
The Platinum Dragon's divine strength merged with the primordial seed of creation—together, they transformed into something far greater.
That power gave him a faint sense—that he could become the center of the world, capable of touching everything that exists.
And so he named it:
[Platinum · The World]
Sanjiro couldn't help but sigh.
"The fusion of two invincible powers… I've finally gained a bit more combat strength."
At his peak, he had also gathered countless powers into one body, reaching a height that even surpassed Humanity's Evils.
But it still wasn't enough.
He needed to transcend—to take that final step toward enlightenment, like the Awakened Ones, to truly live free in this world.
Just then—
The once-gentle Tiamat, still holding him in her arms, suddenly had her crimson cross-shaped pupils flash with deadly intensity.
Her soft, sweet form was now covered in dragon scales—entering battle mode in an instant!
Sanjiro tensed up too.
For the Mother of Creation to react like this, the intruder had to be something truly terrifying—an equal.
So… who was it?
A faint ripple pulsed through the air.
The world itself seemed to fall into a dream.
A dream?
Could it be Merry?
No—that annoying nightmare wouldn't make Tiamat this alert.
Then—Sanjiro heard it.
A strange whisper, echoing beside his ear, twisting his mind.
Just hearing it filled him with manic confusion, rage, and chaos—an almost uncontrollable urge to go insane.
This…
This was—
An Outer God.
Sanjiro immediately realized the truth.
It was the same being that had corrupted the gods of Heaven in the Eternal Emperor, twisting them into fallen deities.
Damn—Abigail was coming knocking?!
No—someone of her level wouldn't make Tiamat this wary.
Could it be the being behind her?
Before he could think further, a door appeared before him—swallowing him and Tiamat whole.
Inside the Inner World—
A petite girl with golden hair and blue eyes knelt in prayer, her hands clasped devoutly.
On her forehead glimmered a clear keyhole, the mark of her authority to open the gate between worlds.
"I hold in my hand the silver key. It appears from the void, and I touch it with my fingertips."
Her voice grew ever more reverent.
"God, my Father. I will transcend beyond the sleep of roses and reach the gate of the ultimate power!"
[Qliphoth Rhizome: Hollow Tree Filled by a Remnant of Light]
A gate materialized before her.
Under her Father's boundless power, the world itself began to split apart.
The Inner World and the Surface World were linked as one.
A figure appeared before her—
And the woman radiating with primordial power, the Mother of Creation herself, had been summoned by her Father, as if conversing in silence.
Abigail's cute face lit up with a sweet smile.
"Nameless, welcome to my world! Let's enjoy this beautiful scenery together. I'm sure you can endure it."
"Abby…" Sanjiro frowned at her.
They had spoken once before, back in the Lostbelt No. 3.
But he never imagined she would so recklessly wield her Father's—Yog-Sothoth's—power to drag him into the rift between worlds.
This was the boundary between the Inner and Outer Worlds.
You could see both, yet belong to neither.
The chaotic space overflowed with madness—magic itself distorted, saturated with eldritch murmurs that eroded sanity.
Anyone else's mind would've already crumbled.
Perhaps that insane pink-haired heroic spirit, Astolfo, would fit in better here.
But not him.
Thanks to countless battles across human history, Sanjiro's will had already surpassed that of gods themselves.
He simply ignored the whispers entirely.
Abigail's delicate face showed a hint of unease.
"This is… me, the Witch of Salem. Please, don't be afraid."
She had said before she wanted to share a meal—so why did she look so distant now?
Sanjiro smiled gently.
"How could I ever fear someone as adorable as you?"
Since she'd come all this way, he might as well return the favor.
This witch of Salem had been feared and shunned since childhood—eventually becoming the chosen vessel of Yog-Sothoth, the voice of the Outer Gods themselves.
The keyhole on her forehead was proof enough—
She was both the Silver Key and the Door.
Through it, she could channel the boundless might of Yog-Sothoth, unleashing her ultimate Noble Phantasm—a power that could shatter both mind and body, driving all into perfect madness.
Abigail stepped forward.
"So, you're going to make pancakes for me?"
"Uh… sure!"
Sanjiro's face twitched.
He had just cooked one meal, then got fed another by Tiamat—and now, he was about to make a third.
If this were Artoria, the glutton king herself, she'd be overjoyed.
"Yay~!"
Abigail cheered softly.
She eagerly prepared the kitchen, arranging an entire set of utensils and cookware.
"Please wait a moment."
Sanjiro began cooking with practiced ease.
It was honestly ridiculous.
Here they were, in the gap between worlds, facing an emissary of the Outer Gods… and he was making breakfast.
Guess I really am suited to being a Grand Chef.
A short while later—
Soft, fluffy pancakes were topped with perfectly crisp bacon, then smothered in steaming mashed potatoes rich with savory juices.
The aroma filled the air, glowing almost literally with warmth.
A dish that doesn't shine isn't a good dish!
Abigail sniffed adorably, eyes sparkling. "Can I eat now?"
"Of course. If it's not enough, I'll make more," Sanjiro smiled.
Right now, she looked no different from an ordinary little girl with a sweet tooth—though that "bear child" in the other room was much scarier.
Sanjiro felt a mix of amusement and exhaustion.
He was so used to living in constant dread, raising that child, that fear had become… familiar.
Crunch!
Abigail took a bite. The crispness broke through softly, a wave of sweet, rich flavor blooming across her tongue.
Her whole face lit up with delight.
It gave Sanjiro Shokugeki no Soma flashbacks.
Yes—food really is the essence of happiness.
So what comes next? Foodgasm—
Just as he was thinking that—
Her black gothic dress suddenly burst open, revealing cute white pajamas underneath. Her flushed cheeks made her look even more adorable.
Wait, she really did explode?!
Abigail licked her finger shyly. "Just like you said—it's really delicious."
"I'm glad you like it," Sanjiro replied warmly.
Poor kid. You probably haven't tasted good food in your life, have you?
Then Abigail suddenly hugged him tightly around the waist.
"Let me be spoiled, just for a moment… Disaster is about to descend upon Earth. Endless battles await you."
"I know."
Sanjiro hesitated, then gently patted her back.
She had been treated as a witch since birth, even her own parents feared her.
How pitiful.
"Zeus's curse wasn't complete," Abigail whispered, her face pressed against his chest. And my Father's gaze… is upon you too."
"…"
Sanjiro felt his future darken.
Outer Gods, South American arachnids, the Moon's Vanguard, and perhaps the Primordial Father himself—
He would have to reach true transcendence to end them all.
At that moment—
Abigail suddenly grasped his right hand and placed it against her forehead. "Please, open my keyhole."
The instant he touched it, it felt as though he touched the entire universe.
A vast, incomprehensible power surged forth—
He felt his senses overwhelmed; vision, hearing, touch, all flooded with divine noise.
It was as if he had opened the door to a library of all existence.
Infinite books, infinite knowledge—all unraveling before his eyes.
This was the Gate to the Root, the Library of All Truth.
Just a glimpse could drive one mad.
Endless colors flared.
And within them, an eye was watching him.
Hummm!
Sanjiro finally tore himself free, drenched in cold sweat.
Too terrifying.
Even with a will that surpassed gods, it nearly broke him.
That keyhole—it was directly linked to Yog-Sothoth, the "One who is All, and All that is One."
The being of boundless knowledge—so generous that it answered all prayers with more than one could ever handle.
But mortals, even gods, couldn't bear such a gift.
Imagine asking for a "simple reference," and the god dumps every single book on the subject on your head—every kink, every format, every possible "edition"—all at once.
Overwhelming generosity… and instant overload.
Like trying to fit a planet into Paimon's tiny body—impossible no matter how you try.
Abigail's eyes gleamed.
"Just as I thought—you really can endure it!"
"Barely," Sanjiro muttered, wiping his sweat.
This wasn't modesty.
The Outer God was watching him—and that was not a good sign.
"Since you can withstand my Father's gift, the power linking all doors in existence… I can't hold it back anymore."
Abigail trembled. "It's too vast—it's overflowing. Whether it saves the world or destroys it—it's your choice!"
"I'll protect humanity. I'll protect this world."
Sanjiro's voice was unwavering.
No matter the foe—Outer Gods, Vanguards, or anything beyond—he would fight to the very end.
Though death comes nine times over, I will never regret. I will search above and below for the Way.
"Good," Abigail smiled softly. "Then allow me—Abigail Williams—to serve as the Heroic Spirit you've summoned, and fight by your side."
She rose on tiptoe, brushed his forehead with hers, and whispered sweetly,
"Call me Abby."
For her—an Outer God's chosen vessel—to descend to the mortal world, she had only one path: to become a Heroic Spirit bound to him.
Her class would not belong to the Seven— but her own, unique title:
[Foreigner]
"Thanks, Abby," Sanjiro breathed, relieved.
Did that mean he'd just "romanced" an emissary of an Outer God and saved humanity again?
That being's power… was probably on par with an Awakener—or even God himself.
Terrifying.
Such a foe existed on a level beyond reason—how could anyone even fight it?
It was like a 2D anime character trying to fight a 3D human.
While he pondered this—
Magic surged from Abigail's body, and a door appeared before them.
Beyond it lay the void—and suspended there, a silent planet.
Cold. Dead. Lifeless.
And behind it… a blue planet.
Earth.
And the first—the Moon.
As a human-shaped Silver Key, she could open any gate—and that was why she'd been able to find him.
But opening the gate to the Moon also meant… the horror sleeping there had awakened.
Just as Zeus warned before his death—on the Moon, Earth, and even the Sun, dormant terrors awaited humanity.
Under her gaze—the far side of the Moon began to crumble.
And from beneath its surface, a being beyond comprehension began to rise—
The Vanguard of the Umbral Star, the White Titan—Sefar—Atilla!