Chapter 3: Ascension at the Temple
The path to Ryuudou Temple wound through what had once been a serene forest. Now, the trees stood blackened and twisted, their branches reaching toward the crimson sky like supplicating hands. The ground beneath them pulsed with corrupt energy, veins of darkness spreading outward from the temple at the summit.
"The boundary field is stronger here," Xian observed as they approached the massive stone stairway leading up to the temple grounds. "Multiple layers, designed not just to keep intruders out, but to corrupt anything that crosses it."
Scáthach nodded, her crimson eyes scanning the area with practiced precision. "Similar to the Land of Shadows, but inverted. Instead of purifying what enters, it taints."
Beside them, Berserker growled low in his throat, the corruption in his body visibly reacting to the proximity of its source—black veins pulsing beneath his armor, fighting against Xian's purification technique.
"You won't be able to maintain control much longer," Xian said to the massive Servant. "The source of the corruption will draw you back under its influence the closer we get."
Berserker's response was a curt nod, followed by a single word forced through his bestial voice: "Distraction."
Understanding dawned in Scáthach's eyes. "A diversion." She turned to Xian. "He can draw attention while we approach from another angle."
"Are you certain?" Xian asked Berserker directly. "Once you're back under their control..."
The corrupted hero's red eyes flashed with momentary clarity—a glimpse of the noble spirit beneath the madness. His massive hand formed a fist over his chest in a warrior's salute.
"Worthy... battle..." he managed before turning toward the main stairway. Without further hesitation, he charged forward with a roar that shook the very air, his massive weapon raised high.
The boundary field flared as he breached it, dark energy crackling around his form. For a moment, it seemed the purification might hold—then the corruption surged, black veins spreading rapidly across his body until the momentary clarity in his eyes was extinguished, replaced once more by mindless rage.
Yet even as the corruption reclaimed him, Berserker continued his charge up the stairs, his roars drawing immediate attention from the temple above.
"He's fighting it even now," Scáthach observed with grudging respect. "Using the rage to fuel his assault rather than turning back."
Xian nodded. "We won't waste his sacrifice. Come—there's another way up on the eastern slope."
They moved swiftly through the corrupted forest, the sounds of combat echoing from the main approach. As they circled around to the less-defended eastern side, Xian studied the boundary field, his perception extending beyond physical sight to the conceptual frameworks underlying it.
"Here," he said, stopping at a seemingly random point where the boundary shimmered slightly differently. "There's a fluctuation in the field—a structural weakness."
"Can you breach it without alerting them?" Scáthach asked.
In response, Xian placed his palm against the invisible barrier. The air rippled at his touch as he channeled his power—not forcing through the boundary, but rather persuading reality to accommodate his presence.
"[Void Steps – Reality Suture]," he intoned softly.
The barrier parted like a curtain, creating an opening just large enough for them to slip through. Unlike a conventional breach, which would have triggered alarms, this technique temporarily convinced the boundary that they were part of its natural structure.
"Impressive," Scáthach murmured as they passed through. "You didn't destroy the boundary—you negotiated with it."
"Space and Void Daos working in harmony," Xian explained. "But it won't last long. We need to move quickly."
They ascended the eastern slope in silence, the temple's corrupted presence growing stronger with each step. Atop the hill, Ryuudou Temple had been transformed almost beyond recognition. The traditional buildings remained in structure, but their nature had changed—wood turned to something resembling black obsidian, paper walls replaced by membranes that pulsed like living tissue. At the center of the complex, where the main hall should have been, stood a towering pillar of swirling darkness that stretched upward to connect with the storm clouds above.
"The Greater Grail," Xian identified. "Completely corrupted and activated."
From the direction of the main entrance came the continuing sounds of battle—Berserker's roars mingled with explosions and the clash of weapons. His diversion was working; the majority of the temple's defenders had been drawn to the front.
"We should—" Scáthach began, but stopped abruptly, her spear raising to a defensive position.
Xian sensed it too—a presence materializing behind them. They turned in unison to find a tall figure in blood-red robes, white hair cascading around a face that might have been handsome if not for the empty cruelty in its eyes.
"Caster," Scáthach identified.
The corrupted Servant smiled, the expression devoid of warmth. "Unexpected guests," he said, his voice carrying the refined accent of old nobility. "How rude of you to arrive unannounced."
"Medea of Colchis," Xian addressed her directly. "Or what remains of her."
Caster's smile faltered slightly. "You know much for an intruder. It will avail you nothing." She raised her staff, upon which corrupt energy began to gather. "The ritual is nearly complete. Soon, all of human history will be as this city—a foundation for the new world He creates."
"I've heard this speech already from your companions," Xian replied calmly. "I wasn't convinced then either."
Anger flashed in Caster's corruption-yellowed eyes. "Insolent—"
Before she could finish, Scáthach moved, her crimson spear a blur as she closed the distance between them with impossible speed. Caster barely managed to erect a barrier, the clash of magics sending sparks of conflicting energy into the air.
"Go, Master," Scáthach called over her shoulder as she pressed her attack, forcing Caster into a defensive retreat. "I'll handle this one."
Xian hesitated only briefly before nodding. "Be careful. Her Rule Breaker can sever magical contracts."
"I am well aware," Scáthach replied, a hint of a smile on her lips as she continued her relentless assault. "But she must touch me to use it—and that will not happen."
Leaving his Servant to her battle, Xian continued toward the corrupted temple's center, where the Greater Grail pulsed with malevolent energy. The closer he got, the more he could perceive the true nature of what was happening—not just corruption, but a fundamental rewriting of reality's rules within this localized space.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Analyzing Greater Grail Structure... ✦ Components identified: Holy Grail framework + Demon Pillar integration ✦ Function: Reality anchor point for cross-temporal incineration ✦ Warning: Direct interference may trigger immediate propagation ➤ Recommended action: Targeted conceptual rewriting
As he approached the central courtyard, Xian paused in the shadow of a corrupted building, observing the scene before him. The Greater Grail had been transformed into something far more sinister—a massive chalice of darkness suspended above a pit of swirling energy, surrounded by seven altars. Upon each altar lay what appeared to be a crystallized fragment, each pulsing in sync with the Grail.
"Command Seals," Xian realized. "The original Masters'... harvested."
"Perceptive as ever," came a now-familiar voice.
Not-Archer stepped from behind the Grail, his crimson eyes gleaming with amusement. "I wondered how long it would take you to reach us. Your Berserker friend provided quite the entertaining distraction."
Xian's eyes narrowed. "Where is Saber?"
"Completing her transformation," not-Archer replied, gesturing toward the base of the Grail. "Once the vessel fully integrates with the core, the incineration will become irreversible."
Now that his attention was directed there, Xian could see it—a feminine form suspended within the swirling energy, gradually being absorbed into the Grail itself. Saber's armor had been mostly consumed, her body now more corruption than human.
"It doesn't have to be this way," Xian said, taking a step forward. "Whatever entity you serve—Goetia, I presume—its plan can't succeed. The elimination of human history creates a paradox that will ultimately collapse all timelines, including any future it hopes to create."
Not-Archer's amused expression faltered slightly. "You continue to know things you shouldn't." His eyes narrowed. "But your understanding is incomplete. Goetia doesn't seek to merely erase humanity—it seeks to replace it. To create a new genesis untainted by human failure."
"Using the energy harvested from humanity's own incineration," Xian concluded. "A closed loop of destruction and creation. But the fundamental flaw remains—you can't build a stable future on a paradoxical foundation."
"Theoretical concerns," not-Archer dismissed with a wave of his hand. "The design accounts for temporal stability. Once completed, the new foundation will exist outside conventional time—immune to paradox."
As they spoke, Xian was subtly extending his perception, analyzing the structure of the corrupted Grail. Its construction was ingenious in its horror—a perfect fusion of the Holy Grail's wish-granting capability with the reality-altering power of a Demon Pillar.
"I'm curious," not-Archer continued, clearly enjoying the conversation despite the circumstances. "You recognized what I am—or rather, what speaks through this vessel. Yet you yourself remain a mystery. No normal human could have countered Saber's Noble Phantasm as you did."
"I could say the same about you," Xian countered. "Why choose Archer as your vessel? Why not manifest directly?"
A shadow of annoyance crossed not-Archer's face. "Limitations of the current phase. Direct manifestation requires more energy than is currently available." His expression turned calculating. "But you're stalling. Hoping your Servant defeats Caster and joins you? Or perhaps waiting for reinforcements from Chaldea?"
Xian didn't deny it. "Time favors me more than you. Every moment I delay is another moment for Chaldea to analyze this Singularity and develop countermeasures."
"A fair assessment," not-Archer conceded. "Unfortunately for you, we have contingencies for such delays."
He snapped his fingers, and the air rippled as two more figures materialized—a man in blue body armor wielding a crimson spear, and a woman in dark robes with a hood that shadowed her features. Both were visibly corrupted, black veins pulsing beneath their skin, eyes glowing with unnatural light.
"Lancer and Assassin," not-Archer introduced unnecessarily. "The latter you haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet."
The hooded Assassin tilted her head, studying Xian with predatory intensity. "This is the anomaly?" Her voice was soft yet carried an edge of madness. "He doesn't look special."
Lancer twirled his spear impatiently. "Does it matter? We have orders to kill him."
"Not immediately," not-Archer corrected. "First, I want to understand what he truly is." He turned back to Xian. "A final opportunity—join us willingly. Your power would be a valuable addition to the new world."
Xian's response was resolute. "I decline."
Not-Archer sighed theatrically. "Pity. Then we do this the hard way." He nodded to the corrupted Servants. "Disable him. Minimally lethal methods, if you please. I want him intact enough for study."
Lancer grinned, an expression turned grotesque by the corruption distorting his features. "Can't promise minimal damage with this guy. He feels dangerous."
Without further warning, he launched forward, his crimson spear a streak of death aimed directly at Xian's heart. Simultaneously, Assassin vanished from sight, employing Presence Concealment to position for a flanking strike.
Xian moved with fluid grace, one hand rising to meet Lancer's charge. The air between them condensed as he activated a Space Dao technique, creating a buffer zone that slowed Lancer's approach fractionally—enough for Xian to pivot sideways, the spear passing within millimeters of his chest.
As Lancer shot past, Xian spun, his heightened senses detecting the invisible approach of Assassin from behind. Without looking, he extended his other hand, fingers spread in a precise formation.
"[Five Elements Dispersal]," he intoned.
A wave of force erupted outward in five distinct streams, each carrying a different elemental signature. One stream struck the invisible Assassin, disrupting her Presence Concealment and sending her tumbling backward with a cry of pain and surprise.
Lancer recovered quickly, whirling to face Xian again. "Fast," he acknowledged, a warrior's respect momentarily overcoming the corruption's influence. "But speed alone won't save you from Gáe Bolg."
He assumed a stance Xian recognized immediately—the preparation for Lancer's Noble Phantasm, a spear thrust that rewrote causality to ensure the heart was pierced.
"The spear that reverses cause and effect," Xian acknowledged. "Impressive. But what happens when faced with one who exists partially outside conventional causality?"
Lancer's eyes narrowed in confusion, but his attack was already in motion. "Gáe Bolg!" he cried, the spear gleaming with deadly purpose as he thrust it forward.
The Noble Phantasm activated—reality itself bending to ensure the strike would reach its target regardless of any defense. The spear's curse had already decided that Xian's heart would be pierced; physics and space were merely catching up to that predetermined outcome.
But as the spear neared Xian's chest, something unprecedented occurred. The air around him shimmered with opalescent light as his cultivation system activated in response to the threat.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Causality Violation Detected ✦ Implementing Conceptual Defense ✦ Karma Dao + Void Aspect + Time Dao → 「Fate Severance Shield」 ➤ Cause-Effect Chain Temporarily Severed
Gáe Bolg struck the shimmering barrier and... hesitated. For the first time in its mythic existence, the spear that never failed to pierce its target's heart encountered an anomaly it couldn't resolve—a being partially disconnected from the causality it manipulated.
For a brief moment, reality itself seemed uncertain how to proceed.
Lancer's expression shifted from confidence to disbelief. "Impossible—"
The moment of uncertainty passed as Xian seized the advantage, grabbing the suspended spear with his bare hand. Where his fingers touched the weapon, golden light spread along its length, the same purification technique he had used on Berserker.
"Cu Chulainn," Xian addressed the Servant directly. "Ireland's Child of Light. This corruption isn't worthy of your legend."
Lancer staggered backward, releasing his grip on the spear as the purification energy raced up his arm. Like Berserker before him, he howled—pain and clarity warring as the technique temporarily disrupted the corruption's hold.
"What... did you... do to me?" he gasped, clutching his head as conflicting influences battled for control.
"Reminded you who you are," Xian replied simply.
Before he could press the advantage, something sharp pierced his shoulder from behind—Assassin, recovered from his earlier counter, had managed a successful strike with one of her dirks. The blade burned with unnatural cold where it penetrated his flesh.
"Poison," Assassin's voice came from just behind his ear, satisfaction evident in her tone. "Even if you survive us, that will finish you slowly."
Xian didn't flinch, instead reaching back with impossible speed to grasp Assassin's wrist before she could withdraw. His touch elicited a shocked gasp as the same purification technique flowed into her.
"Your poisons are impressive, Hassan of the Cursed Arm," he acknowledged. "But they rely on principles of death and decay—concepts I've already integrated into my cultivation."
With a twist and pivot, he threw the partially purified Assassin into the struggling Lancer, both Servants collapsing in a tangle of limbs as they fought both each other and the conflicting influences within them.
Not-Archer watched the scene unfold with an expression that had transformed from amusement to genuine concern. "What manner of magecraft is this?" he demanded. "No human should be able to interfere with a Servant's Saint Graph so directly."
"As I've said before," Xian replied calmly, pulling the poisoned dirk from his shoulder without a wince, "I'm not using magecraft."
The wound in his shoulder began to close almost immediately, golden light purging the poison from his system. He took a deliberate step toward the Greater Grail, his intent clear.
Not-Archer's facade of casual superiority finally cracked. "Enough games," he snarled, his form flickering as the entity within exerted more direct control. For a brief moment, Xian could see the true form superimposed over Archer's body—a writhing mass of eyes and tentacles arranged in geometric impossibilities.
"I see you now, Flauros," Xian stated, naming the entity directly. "One of the Seventy-Two Demon Gods, possessing this timeline's Archer to serve as Goetia's agent."
The revelation of its true name seemed to enrage the entity further. Archer's body convulsed, the human disguise slipping as Flauros manifested more of its power. The air around it distorted with heat and malice.
"You know too much to be allowed existence," it hissed, voice no longer human. "The King of Mages foresaw many variables, many potential disruptions to his plan. But you—you were not among them."
"An oversight he'll come to regret," Xian replied, continuing his advance.
Flauros raised a hand, reality warping around it as it channeled power no mere Servant should possess. "Your confidence is misplaced. Even if you somehow survive this encounter, Chaldea itself is already doomed. The incineration proceeds on multiple fronts simultaneously."
The statement gave Xian momentary pause—exactly the opening Flauros had hoped for. It struck with overwhelming force, a beam of pure destructive energy that carved through the space Xian occupied.
Or would have occupied, had he remained there. Instead, Xian had shifted sideways through a fold in space, reappearing several meters to the left.
"[Spatial Transposition]," he explained at Flauros's look of confusion. "One of the simpler applications of Space Dao."
Fury contorted Archer's features as Flauros abandoned subtlety entirely. The corrupted temple grounds trembled as it drew more power directly from the Greater Grail, the corrupted Saber within pulsing in response.
"You cannot stop what has already begun!" Flauros roared. "Even as we speak, my brethren prepare to eliminate Chaldea itself. Your journey ends here, anomaly!"
The revelation sent a chill through Xian. If Chaldea fell, humanity would lose its last defense against the incineration. He needed to end this confrontation quickly and return.
Decision made, he abandoned his measured approach. Power flowed through him as he fully embraced his cultivation system, drawing upon multiple Daos simultaneously in a technique that would have shattered a lesser being.
"[Void Horizon Collapse – Stellar Extinction]," he invoked, his voice resonating with conceptual weight.
The air around him darkened, reality itself seeming to bend inward as he condensed space, time, and void into a singularity between his palms. What formed was not energy in the conventional sense, but rather its opposite—a perfect absence, a negation of existence itself.
Flauros recognized the threat too late. It unleashed everything it had—corrupted noble phantasms, demonic invocations, reality distortions—all aimed at stopping Xian before he could complete his technique.
The attacks never reached their target. A crimson blur intercepted them as Scáthach returned to her Master's side, her spear dancing in patterns that defied comprehension, deflecting or neutralizing each threat with impossible precision.
"Caster has been dealt with," she reported calmly, never taking her eyes off Flauros. "Though I sense she was the least of our concerns."
"Indeed," Xian acknowledged, the singularity between his palms now fully formed—a sphere of absolute darkness rimmed with opalescent light. "Get clear, Queen of Shadows. What comes next will rewrite the local rules of reality."
Understanding immediately, Scáthach leapt backward, putting distance between herself and the impending release of power.
Flauros, recognizing its peril, abandoned Archer's body entirely. The Heroic Spirit collapsed like a puppet with cut strings as the Demon Pillar's true form began to manifest—a towering column of flesh and eyes, mouths forming and dissolving across its surface as it drew power directly from the Greater Grail.
"You are too late!" it declared, its voice now a cacophony of overlapping tones. "The vessel is already assimilated! The incineration point has been established!"
"Then I'll just have to destabilize it," Xian replied, unmoved by the nightmarish spectacle before him.
With a single fluid motion, he thrust the singularity forward, directly toward the heart of the Greater Grail where Saber's corrupted form floated.
"[Release]," he commanded.
The singularity expanded exponentially, consuming everything in its path—Flauros's partially manifested form, the corrupted Grail structure, and the suspended Saber within. Reality itself seemed to fold inward at the point of impact, colors inverting as fundamental laws were temporarily suspended.
For a heartbeat, absolute silence fell across the temple grounds.
Then, chaos.
The singularity collapsed in upon itself, creating a vacuum that pulled everything nearby toward its center. Flauros screamed—a sound of genuine fear—as its form was drawn inexorably toward the point of negation. The Greater Grail's structure buckled, cracks of golden light spreading across its surface as Xian's technique disrupted the corruption at its conceptual foundation.
"What have you done?!" Flauros howled as pieces of its form began to disintegrate.
"Introduced a conceptual contradiction into your ritual," Xian explained, his voice remaining steady despite the massive expenditure of energy. "Void consuming corruption, space folding into time, death embracing life. Your carefully structured reality can't accommodate the paradox."
The corrupted Grail's implosion accelerated, the cracks of golden light growing wider as the purification effect spread throughout its structure. Within, Saber's form became visible once more, the corruption receding from her body as the Grail's hold weakened.
Flauros made one last desperate attempt to salvage its plan, tentacles of corrupted energy lashing out to reconnect with the failing Grail. "You cannot undo what the King of Mages has ordained! The incineration is—"
Its words cut off abruptly as a crimson spear pierced what might generously be called its center mass. Scáthach twisted the weapon with cold precision, her eyes glowing with ancient power.
"You talk too much, demon," she stated flatly. "Die with dignity, at least."
Flauros's form convulsed, then began to dissolve, its connection to the physical plane severed by Scáthach's strike. As it faded, its final words echoed with ominous certainty:
"This changes nothing... Chaldea falls... today..."
Then it was gone, leaving only dissipating shadows where its massive form had stood.
The Greater Grail continued its controlled collapse, the corruption being systematically purged by the conceptual paradox Xian had introduced. As the dark energy receded, Saber's body floated gently downward, landing softly on the stone courtyard.
Xian approached cautiously, Scáthach at his side. The corrupted Saber lay unconscious, her armor now more silver than black, though traces of corruption still lingered around her form.
"The corruption is receding, but not fully cleansed," Scáthach observed. "This Singularity remains unstable."
Xian nodded, his expression grave. "We've disrupted Flauros's plan, but not completely reversed it. That will require Chaldea's full resources." He looked up at the sky, where the crimson clouds were now shot through with streaks of normal blue. "And if what Flauros said is true, Chaldea itself is in immediate danger."
As if in response to his concern, the communication device on his wrist suddenly activated, static clearing to reveal Romani's frantic voice:
"—ian! Xian! If you can hear this, return immediately! We're under attack! Something has—"
The transmission cut off abruptly.
Xian and Scáthach exchanged a grim look.
"We need to get back," he stated, already tapping commands into the device to initiate emergency Rayshift.
"What about this place?" Scáthach gestured around them. "The corrupted Servants, the Grail..."
"The purification I initiated will continue to spread," Xian explained. "It won't restore the timeline completely, but it will stabilize it enough to prevent further contamination. Once Chaldea is secure, a proper team can return to complete the restoration."
Around them, the partially purified Servants were beginning to recover consciousness—Lancer and Assassin stirring where they had fallen, the distant sounds of Berserker's roars changing in tenor as the corruption's hold weakened.
The Rayshift system began to respond, golden light surrounding Xian and Scáthach as Chaldea locked onto their signatures.
"This is not over," Scáthach warned as their forms began to dissolve into spiritrons.
"No," Xian agreed, his gaze fixed on the fallen Saber and the remnants of the Greater Grail. "This was merely the opening gambit in a much larger game."
As they dematerialized, returning to a Chaldea under siege, the first chapter of humanity's desperate struggle against incineration came to a close—and Xian Wuji, the Heaven-Devouring Architect, prepared to face the next phase of a war that would test the very limits of his awakening power.
Behind them, in the destabilized Singularity of Fuyuki, reality slowly began to heal itself, the golden light of purification spreading outward from Ryuudou Temple like the dawn of a new day.
But elsewhere, across seven points in human history, the flames of incineration continued to burn.
Heaven-Devouring Architect: Crownless Master of Chaldea
Chapter 4: The Fall of Chaldea
Rayshifting back to Chaldea was like diving through shattered glass. The normally smooth transition between timestreams had become turbulent, jagged edges of reality tearing at Xian and Scáthach's spiritron forms as they hurtled back toward their point of origin.
"Something's interfering with the return trajectory," Xian observed within the quantum tunnel. "The receiving end is damaged."
Scáthach's presence manifested beside him, her form more stable than should have been possible for a Servant during Rayshift. "Your concern for Chaldea was warranted. We may be returning to a battlefield."
The quantum tunnel suddenly constricted, external forces attempting to disrupt their return path entirely. Had they been ordinary Master and Servant, the connection would have severed, leaving them stranded between timelines—effectively erased from existence.
But Xian was far from ordinary.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Rayshift Disruption Detected ✦ Stabilizing Return Path with Space-Time Anchor ✦ Reinforcing Servant Connection at Conceptual Level ✦ Warning: Significant magical interference at destination ➤ Initiating Emergency Materialization Protocols...
The tunnel's collapse halted as Xian exerted his will directly on the conceptual framework, forcing a path where none should have existed. Reality itself seemed to protest, the laws of quantum physics straining against his interference, but ultimately yielding.
"Brace yourself," he warned Scáthach as they approached the terminus. "Emergency materialization will be volatile."
The transition back to physical space came with explosive force. Instead of the controlled rematerialization within the Rayshift coffins, they burst into existence directly in Chaldea's Control Room amid a shockwave that sent nearby equipment flying.
The scene that greeted them was one of chaos and destruction.
Alarms blared throughout the facility. Emergency lighting bathed everything in pulsating red. Parts of the ceiling had collapsed, and fires burned unchecked in several workstations. Bodies of staff members lay scattered across the floor—some wounded, others ominously still.
"What happened here?" Scáthach breathed, her crimson spear materializing instantly in her hand.
Before Xian could respond, movement caught his eye—a figure crawling from beneath a collapsed console, her white lab coat stained with blood.
"Da Vinci," he recognized, rushing to her side.
The Servant-genius looked up, relief washing over her face despite her obvious injuries. "Xian! Thank God you made it back." She grimaced as he helped her to a sitting position. "Though your timing could have been better—about an hour earlier would have been preferable."
"What happened?" Xian asked, quickly assessing her wounds—serious but not immediately life-threatening.
Da Vinci's expression darkened. "Lev happened. Or rather, what was masquerading as Lev all this time." She gestured weakly toward the central command platform. "He revealed his true form moments after your Rayshift. Planted bombs throughout the facility. Said something about ensuring Chaldea couldn't interfere with 'the incineration ritual.'"
Xian's eyes narrowed as pieces fell into place. "Flauros. The same entity I encountered in Fuyuki, possessing Archer."
"That makes a disturbing amount of sense," Da Vinci nodded. "Multiple agents in multiple timestreams... clever."
"Where is he now?"
"Central Observatory. With Olga Marie." Da Vinci's voice broke slightly. "She didn't... she didn't understand what was happening until it was too late. Trusted him completely."
Scáthach had been scanning the room while they spoke, her ancient eyes taking in every detail. "There are survivors," she reported. "Most severely injured, but alive."
"Mash?" Xian asked.
"Unknown," Da Vinci replied. "She was heading to the coffin room to check on the new arrival—Fujimaru—when everything went to hell."
Xian stood, decision made. "Scáthach, find Mash and any other survivors. Get them to safety if possible." He turned to Da Vinci. "Can you activate emergency protocols? Containment, medical responses?"
Da Vinci nodded grimly. "If I can reach the auxiliary controls, yes. Main systems are locked down."
"Do it," Xian commanded. "I'm going after Lev."
"You can't face him alone," Da Vinci warned. "He's not just Professor Lev anymore—he's something ancient and terrible wearing Lev's skin."
"I know exactly what he is," Xian replied, his eyes momentarily flashing with inner light. "And I'm not what I appear to be either."
Without waiting for further response, he turned toward the corridor leading to the Central Observatory, pausing only to look back at Scáthach. "Be careful, Queen of Shadows. There may be more dangers than just Flauros."
Scáthach nodded once, understanding passing between Master and Servant. "Do not die, Master. I would be quite cross."
A ghost of a smile touched Xian's lips before he disappeared down the darkened corridor.
The path to the Central Observatory was a testament to Flauros's destructive work. Walls had been breached, support beams twisted like paper, and the occasional body of a staff member lay crushed beneath debris. Xian moved through the carnage with focused purpose, his cultivation system actively processing the ambient mana to replenish what he had expended in Fuyuki.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Ambient Energy Absorption: 42% capacity restored ✦ Conceptual Framework Analysis: Detecting major structural damage to facility ✦ Warning: Multiple Conceptual Breaches detected ahead ➤ Demonic Entity presence confirmed: Class [Pillar-Tier]
As he approached the Observatory, the damage pattern changed—no longer mere physical destruction, but something more fundamental. The very reality of Chaldea seemed to warp, corridors stretching impossibly or contracting to claustrophobic dimensions.
"Reality marble effects," Xian observed. "Or something similar."
He reached a massive set of double doors—the entrance to the Observatory—now twisted and partially melted. Through the gaps, an ominous orange light pulsed, accompanied by sounds no human throat could produce.
Rather than force the doors, Xian placed his palm against the distorted metal, channeling Space Dao to simply step through the barrier, his body temporarily existing in the spaces between atoms before reconstituting on the other side.
The Observatory had been transformed beyond recognition.
Where the massive SHEBA observation system should have stood, monitoring the timeline of human history, now loomed a pulsating organic structure resembling a cross between a temple and a living organism. Fleshy columns rose to a ceiling now completely obscured by swirling orange clouds. The floor had become a reflective black surface that rippled like water with each pulse of malevolent energy from the central structure.
And there, suspended above it all, was Director Olga Marie Animusphere.
She hung in mid-air, her body contorted in pain, eyes wide with terror and incomprehension. Below her, Professor Lev Lainur stood with arms outstretched, his human disguise partially dissolved to reveal glimpses of the monstrosity beneath—patches of eye-covered flesh, tentacles emerging from his sleeves, his smile literally stretching beyond the confines of a human face.
"Ah, the anomaly returns," Lev's voice had changed, now overlaid with multiple tones speaking in unison. "Just in time to witness the first sacrifice to our grand endeavor."
Olga Marie's terrified gaze found Xian. "H-help me! Please! I don't understand what's happening!"
"What's happening, Director," Lev explained with cruel amusement, "is that you're about to become the first official casualty in the incineration of human history." He glanced at Xian. "Well, perhaps the second. This one's Servant nearly ruined everything in Fuyuki."
Xian took a measured step forward, his posture relaxed despite the horror surrounding him. "It's over, Flauros. Your operation in Fuyuki has failed. The Singularity is already stabilizing."
Lev's inhuman features registered genuine surprise before twisting back into malice. "Impossible. The Grail—"
"Is being purified as we speak," Xian finished for him. "Your physical manifestation there has been destroyed. Saber is free of your control. The anchor point for that phase of the incineration is lost."
For a moment, rage contorted Lev's features into something even less human. Then, unexpectedly, he laughed—a sound that sent cracks spreading across the Observatory's remaining windows.
"One anchor of seven," he dismissed. "A setback, nothing more. The incineration proceeds across multiple points simultaneously. You've won nothing but a temporary reprieve for a single timeline fragment." He gestured grandly at the transformed Observatory. "And in minutes, Chaldea itself will be eliminated, removing humanity's only hope of interference."
Olga Marie sobbed above them, her body spasming as whatever force held her seemed to tighten its grip.
"Release her," Xian demanded quietly.
"Or what?" Lev challenged, his partially transformed body pulsing with inhuman power. "You surprised my manifestation in Fuyuki, I'll grant you that. But here? This is my domain now. I've had years to prepare Chaldea for this moment."
As if to demonstrate his control, he made a casual gesture. The floor beneath Xian erupted into tentacles of solid darkness that sought to ensnare him. Simultaneously, the air itself seemed to congeal, becoming thick and resistant to movement.
Xian didn't bother dodging. Instead, he simply stood his ground as the darkness enveloped him.
Lev's triumphant smile faltered when, a moment later, the darkness shattered like glass, falling away from Xian's unharmed form.
"Amusing," Xian commented. "But as I explained to your counterpart in Fuyuki—I'm not using magecraft. Your anti-magic defenses are irrelevant."
For the first time, genuine concern flashed across Lev's monstrous features. "What are you?"
Instead of answering, Xian raised his hand toward Olga Marie. The air around her shimmered as he exerted his will directly on the conceptual framework holding her suspended.
"[Spatial Liberation]," he intoned.
The invisible bonds holding the Director snapped audibly. Before she could fall, another ripple of spatial distortion caught her, gently lowering her to the ground behind Xian.
"Impossible," Lev snarled. "Those bindings were tied directly to the Demon Pillar's authority!"
"And now they're not," Xian replied simply. "Run, Director. Find Romani or Da Vinci. This place isn't safe."
Olga Marie staggered to her feet, shock and confusion warring on her face. "But you—he—what's happening?!"
"Later," Xian promised without taking his eyes off Lev. "Go. Now."
Something in his tone brooked no argument. Olga Marie gave one last terrified glance at the transforming Lev before fleeing through the gap in the twisted doors.
Once she was gone, Xian's demeanor changed subtly—the careful restraint he'd maintained since arriving at Chaldea giving way to something more primal, more powerful.
"Now that the director is safe," he said, his voice resonating with new depth, "we can dispense with the pretense."
Power visibly gathered around him—not the familiar blue glow of magical circuits activating, but something far more fundamental. The very air seemed to bend toward him, light refracting oddly around his form as multiple conceptual Daos synchronized within his cultivation system.
Lev's transformation accelerated in response, his human disguise dissolving completely to reveal his true form—a massive pillar of flesh covered in countless eyes and mouths, tentacles writhing from its base. The Observatory's ceiling shattered entirely to accommodate his expanding mass.
"FLAUROS, DEMON GOD OF THE SEVENTY-TWO PILLARS," the entity boomed, its voice no longer bothering with human pretense. "FAITHFUL SERVANT OF THE KING OF MAGES, GOETIA!"
"Impressive introduction," Xian acknowledged calmly. "Allow me to respond in kind."
He straightened to his full height, and for a brief moment, reality itself seemed to hold its breath. When he spoke next, his voice carried the weight of universal law.
"I am Xian Wuji, Heaven-Devouring Architect, Master of the Cosmic Reforged Matrix, Walker of Infinite Daos."
With each title, the air around him shimmered with new colors, power manifesting in visible waves that pushed back against Flauros's demonic aura. For the briefest moment, a ghostly image superimposed itself over Xian's human form—something vast and incomprehensible, like a cosmic tree whose branches reached across dimensions.
"YOU ARE NO HUMAN," Flauros accused, multiple eyes widening in genuine alarm. "WHAT MANNER OF ENTITY HAS INTERFERED WITH OUR GRAND PLAN?"
"I was human," Xian corrected. "Now I'm becoming something more. As for interference—" a cold smile touched his lips, "—you haven't seen anything yet."
Flauros attacked without further warning, dozens of tentacles lashing out simultaneously while multiple mouths opened across his form to unleash beams of destructive energy. The assault was overwhelming—designed to obliterate not just Xian's physical form but to erase his very existence from the conceptual record.
Xian responded with a technique that defied conventional magecraft.
"[Void Horizon Shield – Eternity's Boundary]," he invoked, the same defense he had used against Saber's Noble Phantasm in Fuyuki.
The opalescent barrier materialized, but this time with far greater strength, having been refined through practical application. Flauros's attacks struck it and simply... ceased to exist, consumed by the conceptual void Xian had generated.
"WHAT IS THIS?" Flauros demanded, genuine fear entering his many voices. "NO HUMAN MAGIC CAN WITHSTAND THE MIGHT OF A DEMON PILLAR!"
"As established," Xian replied, maintaining the barrier with one hand while gathering energy in the other, "I'm not using human magic."
With his free hand, he traced a complex pattern in the air—lines of golden light that formed a three-dimensional array. As the final stroke connected, the pattern ignited with blinding intensity.
"[Five Elements Sovereign Mandala – World Purification Matrix]," he declared.
The golden array expanded outward explosively, engulfing the entire Observatory in its light. Where it touched Flauros's form, the demon's flesh hissed and steamed, the corruption that formed his being unable to withstand the purification concept Xian had invoked.
Flauros shrieked, thrashing wildly as portions of his mass began to dissolve. "THIS... THIS CANNOT BE! THE INCINERATION IS ORDAINED BY GOETIA HIMSELF! YOU CANNOT INTERFERE!"
"And yet, here I am," Xian replied, advancing steadily, his barrier maintaining perfect integrity despite Flauros's increasingly desperate attacks. "Interfering quite effectively."
The demon's form began to contract, pulling inward defensively as it sought to preserve its core existence. "YOU... YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU OPPOSE," it hissed through multiple mouths. "THE KING OF MAGES ACTS FOR HUMANITY'S SALVATION! THE INCINERATION IS NECESSARY!"
"Salvation through annihilation?" Xian shook his head. "A flawed premise. But even if it weren't—" his eyes hardened, "—this isn't your timeline to rewrite."
With that, he slammed both palms together, the golden array contracting violently around Flauros's form, compressing it from all sides.
"[Sovereign Compression]," Xian intoned, his voice echoing with conceptual weight.
Flauros screamed as his form was forcibly condensed, countless eyes bulging in pain and terror as the purification energy invaded every part of his being, breaking down the corruption that formed his essence.
"YOU CANNOT DESTROY ME COMPLETELY," the demon snarled defiantly even as parts of him dissolved into golden light. "I AM MERELY ONE ASPECT OF GOETIA'S WILL! THE INCINERATION CONTINUES THROUGH MY BRETHREN!"
"I don't need to destroy you completely," Xian replied. "Only enough to save Chaldea."
With a final surge of effort, he closed his fists, and the golden array contracted to a single point of blinding light. When it faded, where Flauros had towered now stood only a small, blackened husk—a fraction of the demon's essence, too weak to maintain physical form.
The transformed Observatory began to revert, organic structures crumbling as their animating force was defeated. The swirling clouds dispersed, revealing the damaged but recognizable SHEBA system above.
Xian approached the remnant of Flauros, which quivered pathetically on the floor. From its diminished form, a single eye stared up at him with undiluted hatred.
"This... changes... nothing," it wheezed. "The King awaits... at the Temple of Time... The incineration... proceeds..."
"Perhaps," Xian acknowledged. "But Chaldea still stands. And as long as it does, humanity has a chance."
The eye narrowed. "You... cannot save... them all. Seven singularities... seven pillars... seven flames of incineration... Even you... cannot be... everywhere..."
"I don't need to be," Xian replied. "I am merely one of humanity's defenders now. There will be others."
As if summoned by his words, the doors to the Observatory burst open. Scáthach entered first, her crimson spear at the ready, followed by Da Vinci supporting a shaken Olga Marie. Behind them came Romani, along with Mash and a young man with orange hair who could only be the newly arrived Fujimaru.
"Xian!" Romani called, surveying the destruction with wide eyes. "What happened? The readings were off the charts, and then suddenly everything started to stabilize!"
Before Xian could answer, the remnant of Flauros gave a final, wheezing laugh. "Too late... sabotage complete... reactor critical... Chaldea falls... regardless..."
As if to punctuate its words, a new alarm began to sound throughout the facility—a deep, pulsing tone that sent dread through everyone present.
"The primary reactor," Da Vinci identified, her face paling. "It's going critical. If it explodes—"
"All of Chaldea will be vaporized," Romani finished grimly. "And with it, humanity's last hope of correcting the timeline."
Olga Marie straightened, some of her authoritative manner returning despite her ordeal. "Can we shut it down remotely?"
"No," Da Vinci shook her head. "The controls are locked out. Someone would need to manually initiate emergency shutdown from the reactor chamber itself."
"Which is currently flooding with lethal radiation," Romani added bleakly. "No human could survive long enough to complete the shutdown sequence."
"Then I'll go," Mash stepped forward, determination in her lavender eyes. "As a Demi-Servant, I have greater resistance to—"
"No," Xian interrupted firmly. "This is my responsibility."
All eyes turned to him.
"That's suicide," Romani protested. "Even with whatever abilities you've displayed, radiation poisoning isn't something you can just ignore!"
Xian met his gaze steadily. "Concepts of decay and death are already integrated into my cultivation system. Radiation is merely another form of those concepts."
Understanding dawned in Scáthach's eyes. "Body Dao," she realized. "You've already synchronized your physical form with fundamental concepts."
"Precisely," Xian confirmed. "I have the highest probability of success." He turned to Da Vinci. "Explain the shutdown sequence. Quickly."
As Da Vinci outlined the emergency procedures, Flauros's remnant continued its wheezing laughter from the floor. "Futile... even if you save... this facility... the incineration spreads... Humanity's timeline... already burning..."
Xian silenced it with a look, then turned back to the group. "Once the reactor is stabilized, you must prepare for what comes next. The Singularity in Fuyuki was just the beginning. There will be more—seven in total, according to Flauros."
"Seven Singularities," Romani muttered, the implications dawning. "Each one a critical point in human history, corrupted to ensure our extinction."
"Yes," Xian nodded. "And they must all be corrected if humanity is to survive."
The building shook violently, reminding them of the immediate crisis.
"Go," Olga Marie commanded, her voice regaining its authoritative edge. "Save my facility, Candidate 48."
Xian nodded once, then turned to Scáthach. "Protect them, Queen of Shadows. I'll return shortly."
"See that you do," she replied, her crimson eyes conveying more than her restrained words.
Without further hesitation, Xian disappeared—not running through the door, but simply stepping sideways out of reality itself, his Space Dao creating a direct path to the endangered reactor core.
In his absence, an unlikely group of survivors found themselves staring at each other—the remains of Chaldea's command structure, now tasked with saving human history itself.
"So," the orange-haired newcomer, Fujimaru, spoke up hesitantly. "I just arrived for orientation... Did I miss something important?"
The reactor chamber was a vision from hell.
Emergency lighting bathed everything in pulsating red, while warning klaxons blared at deafening volume. The air itself seemed to waver with heat and radiation as the massive reactor core at the chamber's center pulsed with unstable energy, each surge bringing it closer to catastrophic failure.
Xian materialized directly within the chamber, immediately assessing the situation. The main control console had been physically destroyed—Flauros's work, no doubt—leaving only the emergency manual override system operational.
The radiation levels were far beyond lethal for any normal human. Even with his enhanced constitution, Xian could feel the effects immediately—a burning sensation across his skin as high-energy particles bombarded his cells, attempting to unravel his very DNA.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Extreme Radiation Detected ✦ Cellular Integrity Compromised: Implementing Countermeasures ✦ Life Dao + Void Aspect → 「Entropy Rejection Shield」 ➤ Warning: Temporary solution only. Complete shutdown required within 180 seconds.
His cultivation system responded automatically, creating a conceptual shield that temporarily rejected the very notion of decay within his body. It wouldn't last long—even the most advanced Dao application had limits when faced with such fundamental forces—but it would buy him the time needed.
Moving with deliberate precision, Xian approached the emergency override controls. The system required a complex sequence of actions—manual valve adjustments, code inputs, and precise timing—all designed to safely dissipate the building energy rather than containing it.
As he worked, the reactor's instability increased. Surges of blue-white energy arced from the core, striking nearby equipment and melting it instantly. The chamber's temperature rose to levels that would have boiled the blood of an ordinary human.
Sweat poured down Xian's face, not from exertion but from his body's desperate attempt to regulate temperature. Even with his cultivation system's protection, the extreme conditions were taking their toll.
Step by step, he progressed through the shutdown sequence. Valves turned. Codes entered. Coolant systems manually redirected.
The radiation continued to intensify. His temporary protection began to falter, cellular damage accumulating faster than his system could compensate. Pain blossomed across his body—a deep, fundamental agony as reality itself seemed to object to his continued existence in such conditions.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Cellular Damage: Critical ✦ Entropy Rejection Shield: Failing ✦ Estimating Functional Time Remaining: 42 seconds ➤ WARNING: Permanent damage imminent
Ignoring the system's warnings, Xian focused entirely on the final sequence—a complex series of adjustments that would redirect the core's building energy back upon itself in a controlled implosion rather than an outward explosion.
His vision began to blur. Blood vessels ruptured in his eyes, painting his sight crimson. The skin of his hands blistered and cracked as he manipulated the final controls.
With the last ounce of his strength, Xian entered the final confirmation code and pulled the emergency stabilization lever.
For a heartbeat, nothing happened.
Then, the reactor's chaotic pulsing began to slow. The arcs of energy receded. Temperature gauges, which had been pegged at maximum, gradually descended toward safe levels.
On the main display, status indicators changed one by one from red to yellow to green. The warning klaxons fell silent, replaced by the soft hum of systems returning to nominal operation.
Xian allowed himself a moment of satisfaction before the full consequences of his exposure struck him. His legs gave way as his cultivation system, pushed beyond its limits, finally failed to compensate for the massive radiation damage.
He collapsed to the floor, blood seeping from his eyes, nose, and ears. His skin, exposed to radiation levels that should have incinerated a human instantly, had begun to blacken and slough away in places.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Critical Damage Assessment ✦ Multiple System Failures Detected ✦ Cellular Integrity: 23% and falling ✦ Conventional Recovery: Impossible ➤ Emergency Protocol Available: Void Stasis Cocoon ➤ Warning: Entering stasis will accelerate system evolution but with unknown consequences ➤ Proceed? [Y/N]
With the last fragments of his consciousness, Xian activated the emergency protocol. As darkness claimed his vision, he felt his cultivation system responding—drawing upon the Void Dao to create a protective cocoon around his failing body.
Golden light enveloped him as the cocoon formed, sealing him away from the outside world in a pocket of distorted space-time where healing might occur.
His last conscious thought was not of his own condition, but of what lay ahead—the battles yet to be fought, the Singularities yet to be corrected, and the mysterious King of Mages who orchestrated humanity's incineration.
Then consciousness fled, and Xian Wuji, Heaven-Devouring Architect, surrendered to the void.
In the Observatory, now partially restored to its original function, the survivors of Flauros's attack gathered around SHEBA's main console. The alarms had ceased, indicating Xian's success in stabilizing the reactor.
"He did it," Romani breathed, relief evident in his voice. "Radiation levels are dropping. Core temperature returning to normal parameters."
"But where is he?" Mash asked, concern clear in her gentle eyes. "Shouldn't he have returned by now?"
Scáthach stood slightly apart from the group, her crimson eyes distant. As Xian's Servant, she could feel their connection—strained but unbroken.
"He lives," she stated with quiet certainty. "But he is... changed."
Before anyone could question her further, a new alert sounded from the console—different from the emergency klaxons, but urgent nonetheless.
"What now?" Olga Marie demanded, her composure continuing to return with each passing minute.
Romani's fingers flew across the controls, his expression growing increasingly grave. "It's the timeline. SHEBA is back online, and it's confirming what Xian warned us about. The incineration of human history is proceeding across multiple points simultaneously."
The main display activated, showing a representation of human history from dawn to present day. Throughout the timeline, seven points pulsed with ominous red light—distortions in the fabric of history itself.
"Singularities," Da Vinci identified. "Just as Flauros said. Seven critical points where history has been corrupted."
"And if we don't correct them all," Romani continued grimly, "humanity's entire timeline will be erased. Not just our present, but our entire existence—past, present, and future."
The remnant of Flauros, still quivering pathetically on the floor, gave one final, wheezing laugh. "The incineration... cannot be stopped... Goetia's will... is absolute..."
Scáthach silenced it permanently with a casual thrust of her spear, barely glancing in its direction as she impaled what remained of the demon. "Its voice irritated me," she explained to the startled group.
Olga Marie surveyed the damaged facility, the wounded staff, and the display showing humanity's peril. Despite everything she had endured, determination hardened in her eyes.
"We have work to do," she declared. "Romani, begin full assessment of Chaldea's operational capacity. Da Vinci, I want preliminary analysis of these Singularities—locations, time periods, potential threats. Mash, you and Fujimaru should prepare for potential deployment."
Her gaze swept over the group, lingering briefly on the empty space where Xian should have been. "We've lost much today, but Chaldea still stands. And as long as it does, humanity has hope."
As if in response to her words, a soft golden light began to emanate from the corridor leading to the reactor chamber. All heads turned as a figure floated into the Observatory—a human form encased in a translucent cocoon of golden energy, suspended inches above the ground.
"Xian," Scáthach identified, moving toward the cocoon with uncharacteristic urgency.
Within the golden shell, Xian's body was barely recognizable—radiation damage had ravaged his form beyond what should have been survivable. Yet the cocoon pulsed with regenerative energy, his cultivation system working at levels never before manifested to repair the catastrophic damage.
"Is he... alive?" Mash asked hesitantly.
"Yes," Scáthach confirmed. "But he has entered a healing stasis. I can sense it through our contract."
Romani approached cautiously, medical scanner in hand. His eyes widened as he read the results. "This is... I don't even have words for what I'm seeing. His cellular structure is regenerating, but it's not just healing—it's evolving. Reconfiguring itself at the molecular level."
"His cultivation system," Scáthach explained. "It adapts to challenges, integrates new concepts with each significant trial." Her crimson eyes studied the cocoon with something approaching respect. "This may be a blessing in disguise. When he emerges, he will be stronger."
"If he emerges," Romani cautioned. "These readings are beyond anything in medical science."
"He will emerge," Scáthach stated with absolute certainty. "It is not in his nature to abandon a battle half-fought."
Olga Marie studied the cocoon for a long moment before making a decision. "Move him to the special containment chamber. Monitor his condition around the clock. When—" she emphasized the word, refusing to say 'if,' "—he recovers, we'll need him for what comes next."
As staff carefully moved the golden cocoon, Fujimaru stepped forward, observing the unfolding events with bewilderment and dawning resolution.
"I don't really understand everything that's happening," he admitted. "But if human history is in danger... if people need help... I want to do my part."
Mash moved to stand beside him, her own determination matching his. "As do I, Senpai."
Olga Marie regarded the pair—the ordinary human who had arrived at the worst possible moment, and the Demi-Servant who had yet to fully realize her potential—and saw something that gave her hope despite everything.
"Then prepare yourselves," she told them. "In Xian's absence, you may be humanity's best hope."
As the damaged but undefeated Chaldea began to reorganize, the golden cocoon containing Xian Wuji pulsed with steady rhythm—a heartbeat of power that synchronized with the very fabric of reality. Within, transformation continued at levels beyond human comprehension.
And somewhere beyond time and space, in a temple that existed in all moments and none, a being of immense power took notice of the day's events with growing interest.
"A new variable," Goetia, King of Mages, observed from his throne of living light. "How... unexpected."
The great plan for humanity's incineration continued. But now, for the first time since its conception, an element of uncertainty had been introduced.
The game had changed.