Within the silent depths of the Imaginary Number Space, everything remained in a state of absolute stasis. Even Time itself did not flow here, for this realm existed beyond the boundaries of the universe, severed from the progression of history.
Suddenly, a blinding radiance erupted, shattering the primordial silence. A colossal cluster of seven islands, interconnected by pulsating crimson and black tentacles, manifested within the void. With their arrival, the very concept of "Motion" was reintroduced to the Imaginary Number Space.
These were the islands of Chaldea, carrying Fujimaru Ritsuka and her legion back from the "Normal Mode" world to the reality of the Campiones.
"Whew... finally, we're back," Ritsuka sighed, stretching her limbs inside the command center. She glanced out the reinforced windows at the swirling void. "Doctor, how long has it been since we left this world?"
She raised her wrist to check her watch, but the device a masterpiece of Da Vinci's engineering had succumbed to the immense energy of the trans-dimensional jump. The hands were frozen, the internal mechanisms fried.
"Forget it..." Ritsuka muttered, staring at the useless watch. "Doctor, just initiate the teleportation and send me back to the office."
"Understood, Master!"
Chaldea Agency: Tokyo Branch — Ritsuka's Private Quarters
With a flash of brilliant blue light, Ritsuka materialized in the center of her room. The first thing she did was lunge for her laptop to check the local date and time.
"Whoa... almost an entire month has passed..." She carefully recorded the data and transmitted it back to Chaldea so Roman and Da Vinci could recalibrate the facility's internal clocks.
"I'm exhausted... even though I didn't actually do much fighting this time," Ritsuka groaned, collapsing onto her bed like a lazy housecat. "I doubt anything major happened while I was gone. And even if it did, it's not like it's my problem."
Lost in her idle thoughts, she quickly drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.
While Ritsuka was enjoying her well-deserved nap, Kusanagi Godou was suffering from a headache that felt like a localized supernova.
Not long ago, he had received intelligence from the Kuhoutsuka family regarding a certain "Heretic Steel" deity sealed within the West View Palace (Seiten-gu).
Upon hearing this, Godou felt his soul leaving his body. That Heretic Savior just vanished less than a month ago! Can't you people stay quiet for five minutes without trying to unseal a world-ending disaster?!
In the past month, Godou had traveled abroad to intercept the Heretic Perseus, returned to Japan to slay the Heretic Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, and had barely enjoyed a single day of peace before being told that another Heretic Steel was buried in his backyard.
Godou felt profoundly depressed. Is a normal high school life too much to ask for?!
But that wasn't even the worst part. According to Erica Blandelli, the most fearsome Campione from China the Sect Leader of the Five Holy Cults, the "Martial Arts King" Luo Hao (Luo Cuilian) was on her way to Japan.
As a fellow Campione, Godou understood better than anyone that his "peers" were essentially a collection of battle-maniacs and high-tier troublemakers. Fortunately, the Martial Arts King wasn't coming for him; she was coming for the sealed Heretic Steel.
Wait... that wasn't fortunate at all! If she was coming for the seal, it meant she intended to break it. And if two "Devil Kings" and a "Great Sage" started brawling in Nikko, Godou would inevitably be dragged into a three-way slaughterhouse.
Before heading to the West View Palace to inspect the seal, Godou crossed paths with Sect Leader Luo Hao. The meeting between the Heretic God and the Campione was... tense.
"It is truly pathetic," Luo Hao remarked, looking at the small, monkey-like deity within the seal. "A great hero of legend reduced to such a lowly, beast-like state... it is a disgrace. Have you no shame?"
"No, even if you call me a beast... as you can see, I am a beast," the deity replied, seemingly possessing zero self-respect.
Even Godou felt something was wrong. A Heretic God, regardless of their strength, usually possessed an ego the size of a planet. A god who mocked and belittled themselves was a massive red flag.
The seal... the curse used on him is the problem, Godou realized.
His suspicion was confirmed. The curse binding the deity was known as [Bi Ma Wen] the "Keeper of the Heavenly Stables."
The Great Sage Equal to Heaven... Sun Wukong... Godou let out a dry, bitter laugh. This is going to be a nightmare.
Furthermore, Luo Hao's perception of "Kingship" was enough to make Godou want to retire on the spot.
"I am the Emperor who stands above all of history, the supreme Hegemon. I am the pinnacle of Martial Prowess," Luo Hao declared with absolute certainty. "Therefore, any subordinate or commoner must offer me nothing less than absolute reverence. That is the natural Order."
"And... do you have any proof that you are greater than any King in history?" Godou asked, exasperated.
"My martial arts and my Authorities are the proof. With a single strike, I can slaughter a thousand soldiers. With a flick of my blade, I can crush ten thousand. If I reveal the true essence of my techniques, millions will become a mountain of corpses. Entire nations will vanish, leaving only the rivers and mountains behind."
(Note from the Author: I really wanted to summon a certain group of Chaldean Emperors to humble her right here.)
Facing such a self-centered individual, Godou was utterly speechless.
Eventually, in an attempt to prevent Luo Hao from unsealing the Great Sage, Godou engaged her in battle. Although he used his [Phoenix] Authority to force a stalemate where both sides were heavily injured, the [Bi Ma Wen] seal was ultimately shattered.
Using the body of Mariya Hikari (Yuri's younger sister) as a medium, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven erupted from the West View Palace and soared toward the summit of Mount Nikko.
Before leaving, the Sage used a [Stone Prison] spell to trap both Godou and Luo Hao. While Godou managed to escape through brute force, Luo Hao remained trapped inside... not because she couldn't get out, but because her pride wouldn't allow her to "crawl through a crack." She insisted on shattering the entire prison from the inside out.
Meanwhile, everyone on Mount Nikko tourists and locals alike was transformed into monkeys by the Sage's whim. To fully break his remaining shackles, the Great Sage summoned his sworn brothers: the Heretic Sha Wujing and the Heretic Zhu Bajie.
After a brutal battle against a titanic Great Ape summoned by the Sage, Godou managed a brief moment of respite before the final clash began.
Erica and the others were being pursued by the Great Ape, but they were saved by a new arrival: the Campione from Los Angeles, John Pluto Smith (The Lord of the Underworld). His timely intervention allowed Godou to focus on the Sage.
However, the situation escalated rapidly. The Great Sage summoned his brothers again, leading to a 3 vs 3 divine brawl. Even though the two "brothers" were subordinate deities and couldn't manifest their full power, the pressure was immense.
Fortunately, John Pluto Smith managed to hold back the two subordinates, giving Godou the chance to duel the Great Sage one-on-one.
In a desperate move, Godou managed to tear open the Sage's abdomen and rescue Mariya Hikari just as Luo Hao arrived on the scene.
The stage was set for a world-shaking 3 vs 3 battle between the Campiones and the Heretic Gods.
"If only someone could help Godou and the others..." Erica whispered to herself, watching the battle from a distance.
As if in response to her wish, a brilliant, kaleidoscopic light erupted before the gathered crowd.
"By the oath of the God-Slayer Contract, the Heroic Spirit Caster manifests here! A ha ha ha! My, my, what a lively party this is!"
Watching the dark, laughing witch standing amidst the chaos, Erica could only let out a sound of utter confusion.
"WHAT?!"