AD 2015. The final era where Magecraft still held its ground. Society was built by human hands, but the truths of the world were guarded by Mages. Mages grasped the ancient techniques of the past that Science could not explain, while Science accumulated the future technologies that Magecraft could not achieve. These two paths, though fundamentally different, shared a single, ultimate goal: the preservation of human history and the prosperity of mankind.
The Organization for the Preservation of Human Order — Chaldea. Using Magecraft to observe what cannot be seen and Science to measure what cannot be calculated, Chaldea was a specialized agency designed to prevent the extinction of humanity. In AD 1950, the phenomenon-recording computer Laplace was completed. In 1990, the global environment model Chaldeas was finalized. In 1999, the near-future observation lens Sheba went online. In 2004, the Heroic Spirit Summoning System Fate was established. And in 2015, the spiritron calculation engine Trismegistus was finished. Thanks to these achievements, the safety of human history for the next 100 years seemed guaranteed.
But in 2015, the future observed by Sheba suddenly vanished. Calculations proved that humanity would be extinct by 2016. Why? How? Who? Facing these questions, the researchers of Chaldea fell into despair.
Then, a new anomaly was detected in AD 2004, in a certain city in Japan an "Unobservable Region." Chaldea assumed this was the cause of extinction and launched its sixth experimental phase: Time Travel. By sending a Master's Spirit Form into the past to intervene in history and destroy the Singularities, they sought to protect the future. This mission was named the Holy Grail Quest the Grand Order.
Fujimaru Ritsuka was a "novice" recruited as a candidate Master for Chaldea to fill a vacant slot. To correct the distorted history of mankind, he used the summoning system Fate to call upon Servants and embarked on a journey to repair seven Singularities.
Though he successfully restored all seven points, he discovered the mastermind behind the Incineration of Humanity: the King of Magic, Solomon... or rather, the entity claiming his name.
"I am the Incineration of Humanity itself—Demon King Goetia," the monster before Fujimaru spoke its name with chilling calm.
"Goetia—the collective consciousness of the seventy-two Demon God Pillars," Mash Kyrielight whispered, her gaze sharp and resolute. "After King Solomon's death, you lurked within his remains, using the Summoning Ritual to continue your existence..."
"And... this Saint Graph reaction... it's no longer a Caster. It's not even Solomon's body anymore. It is one of the Seven Evils of Humanity... the Beast of Calamity — Beast I."
Transforming into the state of the Demon King, Goetia revealed his origin and his ultimate goal for incinerating history.
"This planet is a mistake! The concept of 'Life destined to end' is pure madness!" Goetia raised his hands, as if proclaiming a grand ideal. "I shall create a new genesis! A world without the concept of 'Death'! This is our Great Work!"
"To us, humanity is nothing more than a fuel source to reach the moment of creation!" Goetia looked down at Fujimaru and Mash with cold indifference. "Look upon this throne! This is the suppression of your lives! Our light is the infinite accumulation of human history itself. Before it, a mere human has no hope of victory!"
"That light... no one can overcome it..." Mash closed her eyes, a soft realization dawning on her. "I see. I was born for this very moment, wasn't I, Doctor?"
"Mash?" Fujimaru looked at her, his heart filled with a sudden, sharp dread.
"...Goetia's Third Noble Phantasm is manifesting. It... it can no longer be stopped, Master," Mash whispered, a single bead of cold sweat rolling down her cheek.
The Demon King attempted to sway her. "How pointless. Why must you accept this fate, Mash Kyrielight? We can all feel the meaninglessness of life. We all lament the limited time we are given."
"Indeed, if life is destined for death, one could say it is meaningless. I cannot deny that," Mash spoke softly, her voice gaining strength. "But... a life's value is not found only in its survival! The world I see, at this very moment, exists right here!"
Goetia remained silent, unable to comprehend her resolve.
"Senpai, can you hold my hand one more time?" Mash asked with a gentle smile. "Yes, of course!" Ritsuka smiled back, gripping her hand tightly.
"How regrettable. Then burn into ash along with this era!" The Demon King's patience reached its limit. "Third Noble Phantasm, Deploy! With the flames that rule this planet, I declare the end of humanity!"
"Farewell, Fujimaru Ritsuka. And... Mash Kyrielight."
"No. Please, leave this to me," Mash charged toward the erupting energy of the Noble Phantasm. "Mash Kyrielight, deploying!"
"—MASH!" Behind her, Fujimaru's voice broke in agony.
[Witness it with your own eyes] The Demon King ascended into the air, releasing his ultimate weapon. [Your journey ends here] [The planet shall be remade] [The end of human history is at hand] [The moment of our Great Work's completion!] [Third Noble Phantasm, Deploy] [The Time of Birth has Come, He is the One who Corrects All — ARS ALMADEL SALOMONIS!]
...It was a scene where time itself seemed to freeze.
On Earth, there was no material capable of withstanding the heat of that light. However, that was only within the laws of physics. Her defense was a defense of the spirit. As long as her heart remained unclouded and without hesitation, her walls would never melt, never crumble. It was the Invincible Bastion.
"Coming all this way... I finally feel that my life had meaning. Just as Captain Drake said... in the final moment, I finally... found my wish." "But... I'm a little unwilling... because I was always being protected by you, Senpai." "Even at the end, just once... I wanted to be the one to help you."
[That which heals all wounds and all grudges—our homeland...] Mash closed her eyes, the Round Table in her hands radiating a blinding brilliance. [Manifest yourself!] [The Distant Fortress of Hope — LORD CAMELOT!]
The towering walls of the white castle manifested, shielding Fujimaru, but leaving Mash outside the gate. The pillar of light that could pierce the planet was about to strike her directly.
But then, a voice resonated from the void.
[Third Noble Phantasm, Deploy] [The Time of Birth has Come, He is the One who Corrects All — ARS ALMADEL SALOMONIS!]
A second pillar of light, identical in power and intensity to the Demon King's, roared from the opposite direction. It slammed into Goetia's beam, neutralizing the strike intended for Mash.
BOOM!
The collision of the two ultimate Noble Phantasms created a massive explosion. The shockwave sent Mash flying, but she was only lightly injured, her life preserved.
"WHO?! Who dares?!" The Demon King was struck with pure shock. He turned toward the source of the second beam. Mash and Fujimaru also turned their heads in disbelief.
In the distance, a colossal shadow was slowly drifting through the void of the Temple of Time. Every Heroic Spirit and Demon God Pillar on the battlefield stopped their struggle to look upon the anomaly.
As the shadow emerged into the light, its true form sent a shockwave of terror through everyone present. Floating in the sky above them was a second Temple of Time — ARS PAULINA