The God of Space-Time Chronoa had unleashed her power to its fullest. Despite the mounting tension, she didn’t even bother taking a combat stance before Ein and the others.
"What is the matter?" Ein asked. "Are you not going to use this second Authority of yours to defeat us?"
"I told you already—this is a parting gift. I will not use this power to defeat you. The moment I decided to wield it, the conclusion of this battle was already decided."
After responding bluntly to Ein, Chronoa slowly snapped her fingers. In an instant, Life appeared at her side.
"Calm yourself, God of Life."
"God of Space-Time?"
"We must admit it; the strength of the Human-Demon Allied Forces has exceeded our imagination. That being the case, the conditions have been sufficiently met, have they not?"
"I suppose so," Life replied. "It is infuriating, but Shallow Vernal takes precedence over my personal grudges. I have no objection. Let us bring this to an end."
"What are you—!? No way!" Ein cried out.
Before she could question their intent any further, the world shifted.
It was a scene identical to the moment they had first breached the God Realm. The Human-Demon Allied Forces were pulled together onto a single floating island, while the Gods assembled on another, standing across from them.
It was a forced teleportation, achieved through Chronoa’s authority over time and space. As the Allied Forces looked around in confusion, Chronoa spoke with quiet dignity.
"Rebels... no, Human-Demon Allied Forces. Your efforts were truly magnificent. I praise you from the bottom of my heart for struggling so fiercely against us, the empowered Gods. However, it ends here."
"You’re talking quite big, aren't you?" Alice spoke up on behalf of the alliance. The confrontation had returned to the exact same dynamic it had started with.
"We were empowered by the strength of Shallow Vernal," Chronoa explained. "And the Supreme Gods alone were granted one final power—the Zenith of Authority. We were given strict orders to use it only once, and only when we judged ourselves to be in a true crisis."
"Zenith of Authority...!? Everyone, withdraw immediately!" Alice shouted.
"Too late! Judgment of Space-Time!"
Alice had recognized the threat of that trump card instantly, but the power was already in motion.
What was the Zenith of Authority? The authorities of the Gods were originally gifts granted by the Creator God, Shallow Vernal. Therefore, their zenith was nothing less than an authority exercised directly by Shallow Vernal herself.
The Supreme Gods had each been entrusted with a special magic crystal containing magic stored directly by the Creator.
Among those gathered, there were certainly those who could manipulate space or nullify sealing formulas. But even they could not resist the direct power of Shallow Vernal. That was the clear, cruel difference in scale between the God who created the world and all other living things.
The movements and thoughts of every member of the Human-Demon Allied Forces were frozen alongside space itself.
"You should be proud," Chronoa murmured. "The fact that you forced us to use this is the ultimate proof that you cornered us. I say it once more: you were magnificent. God of Life?"
"Yes," Life replied. "Judgment of Life."
Following Chronoa’s lead, Life spoke the key phrase. A wall of shimmering aurora appeared, advancing toward the frozen Allied Forces.
"This is a forced state of suspended animation imposed by the power of Shallow Vernal. You may consider it an unbreakable seal."
"Some among you would revive even if killed by twisting the laws of causality," Chronoa added. "Therefore, we will have you sleep until everything is over. And for the final touch, we shall use the Judgment of Fate to ensure you can never release the seal yourselves. This is the finale."
The wall of light that would decide the war closed in ruthlessly. However, faster than the wall could reach its target, Alice—who should have been frozen—suddenly lunged forward.
"Guh... haah..."
"It is hard to believe, but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you broke free," Chronoa said, her voice devoid of shock. It was as if she had expected exactly this. "However, you have no time to help the others. You are strong, certainly, but if you are the only one left, there are plenty of ways for us to buy time."
"Tch!" Alice bit her lip.
She had successfully broken the Judgment of Space-Time, but even for her, it had taken several seconds. There was no time left to save the rest of the army before the Judgment of Life reached them.
Alice knew she was too late. She prepared to play her final, desperate trump card—but a shadow descended between her and the approaching wall of light.
"Judgment of... Fate!"
The entire God Realm seemed to gasp. Not only Alice, but Chronoa, Life, and every other God present were struck with absolute astonishment.
Fate had thrust her fist toward the wall of light and unleashed her own Judgment.
The wall of light split in two, passing harmlessly around the Human-Demon Allied Forces as if it had been destined from the start to miss them.
"What... what are you doing!? God of Fate!!" Chronoa’s voice cracked with rage.
It was an impossible sight—a sight that should never have been allowed to happen.
Chronoa’s fury was justified. She had known Fate was wavering, but she never imagined her colleague would make this choice. For a God who existed for Shallow Vernal to commit such a taboo was unthinkable.
"Do you understand what you are doing!?"
"I... I..."
As the Gods stared at her with murderous intensity, Fate looked like anything but a rebel. Her face was pale and her body trembled violently. She understood the gravity of her actions, but she forced herself to speak through her shaking voice.
"I! I think Shallow Vernal is... she's wrong!"
A heavy silence fell over the space. The eyes of the Gods turned cold, filled with a chilling intent to kill. Even Alice was at a loss for words. It was that abnormal for a God to deny their Creator.
"This is wrong! What's the point of erasing Kaito's memories!? No one will be happy! Even Shallow Vernal surely—"
"Silence, God of Fate," Chronoa hissed. "You are committing the gravest sin in existence. If Shallow Vernal commands it, then you set aside everything else and obey. That is the only reason we exist. You have—"
"No!" Fate shouted back.
"What?"
"Shallow Vernal hasn't ordered any such thing! Not once! She explained the battle, gave us power, and said 'I'll leave the rest to you.' That's all! She never told me to fight Alice and the others, and she never commanded me to help erase Kaito's memories!"
Fate screamed like a child throwing a tantrum. Chronoa’s expression remained glacial.
"How foolish are you? Even if it isn't put into words, you are expected to perceive her intent and act upon it."
"Exactly! That's why I've decided that the reason she gave us this power was so that if I thought she was wrong, I'd have the strength to stand up and stop her!"
"So you claim you haven't betrayed her? That is nothing but convenient, delusional nonsense. The very idea that you could stop Shallow Vernal using power she lent you is—"
"Yeah, I know. With the way I am now, there's no way I could ever oppose her."
"Hmm?"
"That's why... I'll do this!"
As she spoke, the immense magic power Fate was clad in began to recede. Simultaneously, her face contorted in agony.
"Gugh... aaaaaaahhh!"
"God of Fate... what are you—? No, wait! Stop! You can't take Shallow Vernal's magic into your own body!"
Fate let out a blood-curdling scream as her body began to crack, emitting a blinding light. It looked as though she was about to explode from the inside out.
"Our magic and Shallow Vernal's are of a different grade!" Chronoa shouted, panicked. "If you take it in, your very existence will be overwritten and erased! You won't just die; you will cease to exist entirely! Stop it!"
"Aaaaaahhhhh!"
"Fate!" Alice cried out.
The power the Gods had been given was like a blessing—a film of Shallow Vernal’s magic layered over their own. That was the safe limit. As Chronoa warned, taking that magic into the core of one's being meant being swallowed by a power that would annihilate their original self.
If Fate’s existence vanished, even Life’s Authority would be unable to revive her. She would be gone from the world forever. And that moment was almost upon her.
The pain felt as though her body was being shredded. Her consciousness began to turn white, fading away.
What am I doing? I’ve done something so stupid... I know it. I know it's just a convenient excuse. Chronoa is right...
The overflowing light began to consume her flesh. Little by little, her emotions and her sense of self were being annihilated.
I was... born for... Shallow Vernal's sake. That is my reason for being. If I... defy her... and lose her favor... then nothing... will be left for me. I'm disappearing... I am...
Her thoughts turned into a blank, white void. She couldn't think anymore. The cold emptiness was hollowing out her heart. She couldn't remember anything.
—Ah, yes. I look forward to working with you. My name is Kaito Miyama.
(Kaito... Miyama... Kai...)
—Wait a minute, Fate! Calm down!
(What is this? It's so warm.)
—Fate, back to the question... why did you choose me?
(Ah, I remember...)
—Here, this is a present I prepared for you.
(I was so happy about that cushion...)
—It’s okay, Fate. You’re fine just the way you are.
(Really? Was it really okay for me to be like this?)
—It’s too late for that. I’m selfish and lazy... but even so, I fell in love with you. You’re kind, you’re cheerful, and you make me smile just by being near you...
(Ah... that's right. That's how it was.)
The thoughts that had been bleached white began to pulse with color. A tiny light flickered in her heart, growing into a steady heat.
I won't disappear. Even if Shallow Vernal is disappointed in me, even if I lose my reason for being... I still have something precious left.
With a sensation like a final puzzle piece clicking into place, the existence known as Fate—which had been on the verge of shattering—began to reform. No, she was being reborn. She had found a new pillar for her soul.
The light covering the area began to subside. In the silence that followed, a pulse of magic power thrummed through the air, making the very space itself tremble.
"What... What is this magic!?" Chronoa stammered.
"It feels... almost like Shallow Vernal herself..." Life murmured in shock.
The light converged into a single point.
"I think... it's just a tiny step," a beautiful, clear voice echoed.
Silver-white hair swayed in the wind. Fate stood there, her presence so immense it felt as though she was swallowing the entire space.
"It might be like taking a single step at the foot of a mountain so tall you can't see the peak."
The change wasn't just in her hair. Her eyes, the seat of her authority, had transformed. They were now purple, with intricate gold patterns swirling within them—eyes that belonged to her alone.
"But I have taken that step."
She stood before the Gods and Alice with an overwhelming sense of majesty.
"Beyond space-time, and beyond life... I have reached the realm where Shallow Vernal and the Underworld King reside."
She was no longer merely the God of Fate. She was Fate—a unique, peerless God.
Serious-senpai: "Wait, was Fate the protagonist of this arc? If so, where’s the real protagonist?" Mystery Entity: "He’s asleep inside the cradle." Serious-senpai: "The protagonist has completely settled into the princess position, hasn't he..."