The old worm!
It was him again. He wasn't a powerful Servant like the King of Heroes, nor was he a magus with both strategy and strength like Marisbury.
He was just an old undying creature who had lived for who knows how many years. Besides his astonishing self-preservation abilities, his strength was at the absolute bottom of this Holy Grail War.
Yet, it was this kind of existence that, time and time again, committed acts that made the blood of the audience outside the light screen boil.
From Sakura at the beginning to the modification of Lancelot now, this fellow... was definitely a natural-born villain, a major antagonist destined to bring calamity to the world from the very start!
Light Screen Danmaku——
[Joseph Joestar]: "That man... he doesn't have a single shred of the Golden Spirit. He's just a villain so pure it's disgusting."
[Boros]: "Insulting the body of a warrior... is that it? Very well, Zouken Matou. You have crossed the line of I, Boros!"
The old worm's actions were something that even many villains and heroes couldn't stand to watch. But more people were curious about why the old worm was getting involved in the Holy Grail War at this time, and... what was Elysia planning to do?
[Yukino Yukinoshita]: "Is that perverted old worm also going to intervene in this Holy Grail War? What does he intend to do while the Outer God is on a rampage? What means does he plan to use to seize the Holy Grail?"
[Conan Edogawa]: "Elysia said she already has a way to fight the enemy. But without Saber's support, what method can she possibly use to defeat the Outer God?"
It was completely incomprehensible. Although Elysia's strength was immense, even exceeding the imagination of the audience, he really couldn't think of a way to salvage the situation with an Outer God in front and a disgusting old worm behind...
The reason Conan couldn't deduce it was because he had too little information, and also because he was too young. Although he possessed wisdom far beyond his peers... it was still far from enough.
[Otto Apocalypse]: "The old worm... the Holy Grail... the vessel. Hehehe, so that's how it is. It seems Elysia has already familiarized herself with the rules of that world."
Honkai World—Otto, daydreaming at his desk, had already figured out Elysia's strategy.
Otto was a cautious man. His intellect was astounding even on a multiversal scale. Compared to a young man under twenty like Conan, his cunning and wisdom were a level deeper.
Through various inquiries and multiple reviews of the previous light screen projections, Otto had long since gained a deep understanding of the world called the Fate universe. Even some powerful magi couldn't match the understanding of this 'outsider'.
Simply put, in the world where Elysia currently was, there were two Holy Grails... one was the Grail that Solomon had taken from Gilgamesh, and the other was Irisviel.
For some unknown reason, Irisviel's Grail contained powerful grudges and malice, and could no longer grant wishes normally. The one in Solomon's hands, however, could still grant wishes as usual.
The old worm's target was naturally not the Grail in Solomon's hands. In fact, even if he went all out, he would be no match for Solomon. The two were on completely different dimensional levels; a gap that could not be bridged by strategy or rules.
His target was Irisviel. To seize the Grail... it was most likely to survive at the hands of the Outer God. But... this gave Elysia an opportunity, a chance to recycle the Holy Grail!
The function of the Holy Grail was not as simple as one might imagine. Granting wishes? No... the true purpose of the Holy Grail was to achieve the Third Magic. With enough magical energy, one could use the Holy Grail to achieve the materialization of the soul.
And Elysia's goal was not the Third Magic, nor was it to wish for the Holy Grail to destroy the Outer God. It was to inject Honkai Energy into the Holy Grail!
What kind of chemical reaction would occur when All the World's Evil and Honkai Energy fused? Just imagine... in an already chaotic world, to reintroduce a high concentration of Honkai Energy comparable to the Second Honkai War... no, perhaps even greater.
What kind of scene would that be? Destruction? No... that's not right. The Honkai brings destruction, of that there is no doubt. But in Elysia's hands, it was by no means a symbol of destruction. On the contrary, it might bring about a new birth!
This was something only Elysia could do, a great feat that only the Herrscher of Origin could accomplish. If Elysia succeeded, then this world would not just be saved.
It was a grand gamble, one with a theoretically pitifully low success rate. But Otto was now eagerly waiting to see the result, to see the outcome of her success!
Having experienced the tragic era of the Previous Era, Elysia's will, and her 'love' for people, were something that no one in the multiverse could imagine. And it was precisely because of this that her seemingly insane plan appeared so simple and unadorned.
The Authority of the Herrscher of Origin would be pushed to its absolute limit through her!
---o---
[Light Screen Projection——
The moment Saber left, the Outer God's voice once again echoed in Elysia's ears. Endless tentacles assailed her. Elysia blocked an attack from a noodle-like tentacle with her scepter. The Honkai energy on the scepter and the tentacle grated against each other, creating countless sparks and the sound of screeching metal.
Only then did people notice with surprise that the hole previously created by the King of Heroes was now getting smaller and smaller. At this rate, it wouldn't be long before the Outer God completely regenerated its wound.
And now, only Jeanne and Elysia were left to fight the Outer God. How could these two 'delicate women' possibly contend with such a massive being?
The audience outside the light screen was filled with worry, but the Thirteen Flame-Chasers showed no reaction. Because of the Outer God's special nature, Elysia might indeed be unable to defeat or even harm it, but that didn't mean Elysia would lose.
No matter what happened, they would unconditionally believe in Elysia. This was a level of treatment that not even Kevin received.
And just as expected, in the projection, after a brief clash with the Outer God, Elysia, knowing full well that she could not let it continue to display its world-targeting 'Authority', resolved to hold it back with 'her own power'!
Of course... this 'her own power' referred to neither herself nor Jeanne. Delicate girls like them didn't possess such immense strength. But what beautiful girls never lack is powerful reinforcements!
While Berserker was being held back by the Heroic Spirit Emiya and Jeanne was using her Noble Phantasm to defend against the tentacles, Elysia once again flew into the sky.
But this time, it was not to fight the Outer God, but to deploy her own domain!
Although she knew the other party probably wouldn't respond to her words at all, Elysia still asked in her pure, flawless voice:
"O god from beyond the world, do you know of the Honkai?"
"..." She was met with only silence. But Elysia continued, unconcerned:
"The Honkai, much like you, brings disaster to the world. But... is it not also the last glimmer of hope for humanity in the apocalypse?"
"After all... without the Honkai, humanity would have long been annihilated."
Elysia tilted her head back. In the vast sky above, the moonlight was as clear as water, emitting a pure and flawless light.
What kind of sky was that? It was unbelievably beautiful. Dazzling colors hung in the sky, and the starry expanse seemed to be right before one's eyes. That sky was as pure and flawless as Elysia herself.
The maiden lay back, letting her back rest against a warm, tangible surface.
Wait... lying back? Wasn't Elysia in the sky? What was she lying on...?
For a moment, the viewers outside the light screen widened their eyes, eager to witness the next scene.
As the camera continuously zoomed out, the 'creature' was fully revealed to all the witnesses, both inside and outside the projection.
It was a massive creature. From the zoomed-out shot, its body length was at least eighty meters! It had giant fins and flew freely in the sky as if it were an ocean.
Judging by its size alone, this ray-like creature was already as large as the Outer God.
As if to match Elysia's colors, the giant ray was a mix of pink and white all over, emanating an immense power. Perhaps because it was its debut, its power was竟然 on par with the Outer God before it!
---o---
A Honkai Beast!
Almost immediately, Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, and World Serpent confirmed the creature's identity. Judging from the power it emanated, although its size was a bit small, it was undoubtedly a Judgment-class Honkai Beast. Its strength was definitely not weaker than Benares from the Second Honkai War, and perhaps even greater!
But... why? Why would a Honkai Beast of this level appear beside Elysia? Could it be... that its relationship with Elysia was the same as Sirin's with Benares? Was it a Companion Honkai Beast?
Companion Honkai Beast—a special type of Honkai Beast that is born only when a Herrscher descends. For example, the demonic dragon Benares from the Second Honkai War was Sirin's Companion Honkai Beast.
Not all Herrschers have a Companion Honkai Beast. For example, the First Herrscher, Welt Joyce, did not have one when he was born. But one thing is certain: any Herrscher who possesses a Companion Honkai Beast is undeniably powerful.
Just like Sirin. If she had been a little less arrogant, her power would have been more than enough to destroy the world.
And Elysia, as the most special Herrscher, it was only natural for her to have a Companion Honkai Beast.
Companion Honkai Beasts are different from other Honkai Beasts. Compared to destroying humanity and civilization, they prioritize their master's wishes.
Before Elysia, there had never been a Herrscher who loved humanity. As the Companion Honkai Beast of the Herrscher of Origin, this beast was naturally the most special of its kind.
Because Elysia loved humanity, it also loved humanity. Elysia's flawlessness was deeply imprinted within the Honkai Beast's body. In a sense, it was the being in the world that loved Elysia the most.
---o---
[Light Screen Projection——
With the appearance of Elysia's Companion Honkai Beast—the Spirit of Origin—the war entered another climax.
Admittedly, the Spirit of Origin could not expel or kill the Outer God. However... its power as a Judgment-class Honkai Beast was not to be underestimated.
One must know that an unopposed Judgment-class Honkai Beast could destroy an entire continent in less than half an hour!
Unlike Benares, this Spirit of Origin was a Judgment-class Honkai Beast even by the standards of the Previous Era, perhaps even reaching the level of an Emperor-class.
"Wuuuu~~" Perhaps in response to Elysia's expectations, the manifested Spirit of Origin let out an ethereal cry.
"KUUU—!!" In contrast, the Outer God's voice was still as repulsive and incomprehensible as ever.
The two giant creatures stared at each other, and then... they began to fight!
Knowing that its master had summoned it to completely pin the Outer God in place, the Spirit of Origin did not hold back from the start. Powerful Honkai energy gathered in its mouth.
At the same time, the Outer God's mouth, full of tentacles, also began to gather magical energy as it had before.
From a distance, the dark red magical energy in the Outer God's mouth and the pinkish-white Honkai energy in the Spirit of Origin's mouth formed a stark contrast.
Neither would yield. Both were crazily charging their attacks, their magical and Honkai energies reaching their critical points!
The spherical forces they formed were like black holes created by the collapse of planets, tearing everything around them to shreds.
"BOOM—!!!"
Almost simultaneously, the immense powers shot across the sky. The beam struggle between the two was even more exaggerated and astonishing than the one between the King of Heroes and the Outer God before.
At the center of the collision between Honkai energy and magic, a massive gravitational force was formed, sucking in all the surrounding buildings.
It even affected the battle between Berserker and the Heroic Spirit Emiya, who were fighting nearby.
The two sides even stopped their fight to gaze at the center of the massive beam struggle, wanting to see the final result.
The struggle was intense, but when the light screen showed the Spirit of Origin on the left side of the clash, the outcome was already decided.
In the end, the Outer God was a true god, a true god that targeted the world. And while Elysia's Companion Honkai Beast made a stunning entrance, when faced with an Outer God that even Elysia was somewhat powerless against, how big of a wave could it truly make?
As the Outer God exerted its strength, the Spirit of Origin was gradually forced back. Then, a massive explosion, large enough to sink all of Japan, rang out in Fuyuki City!
If not for the magic formation Solomon had placed around Fuyuki, and the fact that the massive bodies of the Outer God and the Spirit of Origin had absorbed most of the impact, that single blow would have sunk the entire nation...
The smoke and dust cleared. The two giant figures stared at each other, forming yet another world-famous painting. No one would have ever thought that a small, insignificant Holy Grail War would evolve into such a spectacle...