Fate: But This Is Not Solomon I Know!

Orne, Normandy – South of the [Great Book]

The sky was draped in a mournful ashen gray, like a funeral shroud suspended in midair. Below, the cracked, desolate ground bore witness to a bygone era—ancient city bricks now nothing more than scattered ruins. Amidst this wasteland, Romulus and Nero Claudius walked in silence, their eyes sweeping the void as if searching for something lost in the dusty annals of history.

Nero squinted at the surroundings and then shook her head with a hint of regret in her voice:

"Haah… That Solomon Holy Sovereign really went and ruined this place like this… Such a pity."

Romulus gently placed his hand on her shoulder. His gaze was deep and unwavering, filled with steadfast resolve.

"Truly, it is a tragedy. But Rome does not forget—our Rome, we shall defeat him and reclaim justice for the innocent who have fallen."

"Umu! I understand, Forefather."

Nero's smile shone radiantly, her golden hair rippling in the breeze. Yet behind that smile burned a fierce, unyielding flame of determination.

"But for now, we must—eh?"

Before Romulus could offer further counsel, he abruptly halted; his eyes sharpened, cutting toward the earth. Instantly, he assumed a defensive stance, raising his spear.

[THUD THUD!!]

The ground quaked violently. From amidst the ruins, a horde of Megids and Fang Knights surged forth like leviathans rising from the depths. They roared as they formed a circle around the pair, weapons raised and poised to strike.

"Oh… Rome, you are indeed receiving a most enthusiastic welcome."

Romulus allowed a slight, wry smile to flicker across his face, though his hand—clenched around his weapon—glowed brilliantly with divine energy.

"Umu! It is an honor to be 'welcomed' in such a fashion!"

Nero gripped her chained sword tightly, her lips curving into a bright smile—even as her eyes sharpened like knives, cold and burning like flames ready to set the battlefield ablaze.

Without waiting for their enemies to act, Nero advanced swiftly, swinging her sword in a wide arc—an eruption of crimson flames exploding like fireworks, vaporizing the front line in the blink of an eye.

Moments later, Romulus matched her pace. He flung his arm upward, unleashing a cascade of radiant spears from above that rained down upon the forces behind. Explosions echoed as the ground was carved into deep furrows; the Megids howled, their formation breaking apart.

Suddenly—

[SWISH!]

A razor-sharp arrow shot out from the darkness, striking Nero straight in the shoulder!

"Ouch—! How dare you tarnish the beauty of an emperor like me!?"

Nero staggered back a step, clutching her wound, but still managed to maintain her proud posture, tilting her head back and tossing her hair with defiant arrogance.

"Nero! Are you alright?"

Romulus immediately called out, his eyes filled with unhidden concern.

"Fear not! These few scratches will never knock me down! The star of the stage does not exit so easily!"

From the shadows, a figure flashed like a passing gale—cold and silent as deep forest mist: Atalanta.

Without a word, she raised her bow and loosed another volley of arrows, each one infused with razor-sharp wind magic.

Romulus swiftly thrust his hand forward, launching a barrage of radiant spears to intercept the arrows midair. Nero, meanwhile, darted to the side, swinging her chained sword in precise arcs to slash down every arrow approaching her, all while closing the distance.

"You two… should go no further."

Atalanta's voice was cold as ice. She drew a Wonder Ride Book and snapped it open, like flipping the fate of the battlefield.

[Sarutobi Ninjaden!]

[From the shadows I strike, swift as the storm! Master of all jutsu—I have arrived!]

She inserted the book into Fuusouken Hayate, then pulled the trigger as she split the blade in two.

"Henshin!"

[Sarutobi Ninjaden!]

[Sou Tou Bundan! Ichi no te – shuriken! Ni no te – nitouryuu!]

[Fuusouken Hayate!]

[Scroll of the Gale – The twin-bladed sword of the Wind Fang strikes with deadly ninjutsu!]

A swirling cyclone erupted around Atalanta. When the gust cleared, she had transformed into Kamen Rider Kenzan—clad in a deep green armor glinting with black highlights, adorned with golden patterns sharp as slashes carved into the night forest. The huntress of the woods had become a silent assassin of the wind—a reaper in a raging storm.

Reversing the twin Hayate blades in her grip, she shot forward like a devouring tempest.

"—She's too fast!!"

Nero exclaimed, hastily leaping back.

[Whoosh!]

The ground where she had stood just moments before was shredded into cinders by Atalanta's storm-blades. As the wind settled, Kenzan emerged—her eyes locked onto Nero like a predator locking onto prey.

"Don't you dare touch Rome's heir!"

Romulus roared, unleashing a barrage of luminous spears, encircling Atalanta in radiant destruction.

But she remained composed. Spinning her twin swords, she summoned a whirlwind of slicing wind, deflecting every incoming spear to either side.

Then, without pause, she drew her bow once more—and fired a single, deadly arrow at Romulus.

This arrow was no ordinary shot. Wind energy gathered around it like a divine tempest, launching it with the force of a lightning bolt.

Romulus narrowed his eyes and dodged to the side, but even so—the shockwave sliced clean through a lock of his hair.

"Rome must admit… you're powerful now. And that holy sword... is quite a nuisance."

"Thank you for the compliment."

Atalanta replied, her tone still cold as morning frost.

"I didn't expect a weapon of Master Logos to be this effective either."

[Ittouryuu!]

She hurled the Hayate sword, now transformed into a storming shuriken, straight at Romulus.

"Tricks."

Romulus's eyes sharpened. He summoned a blade of light and slashed repeatedly, shattering the wind shuriken into a flurry of sparkling gusts.

[Sarutobi Ninjaden!]

[Ninninīn! Hayate's Deadly Gale Strike! Ninninīn!!]

Atalanta activated her Finisher—scanning the Ride Book across the shuriken, then launching a barrage of wind-infused kunai as she herself spun forward, transforming into a spiraling vortex of death.

Romulus immediately erected a field of divine light, detonating it from within—a storm of radiant spears blasting outward in every direction to meet the assault head-on.

[BOOM!]

A cataclysmic collision shook the battlefield. Atalanta was blown back, rolling through dust and rubble. Yet she sprang to her feet almost instantly, panting, eyes locked on her adversary.

"…Seems I overestimated myself. I can't afford to take Grand Servants lightly."

"Hmph… Those holy swords are indeed troublesome."

Romulus shook his head, waving away the dust that clung to his robes.

"But Rome has never bowed to foreign power."

"Then let's test that."

Atalanta gripped her swords once more, lifting into combat stance—

But—

"Did you forget about me, little kitty?"

A proud, commanding voice rang out—right behind her.

Nero—without warning—had closed in from behind, her chained sword ablaze with fire, her eyes gleaming like a goddess descending in glory.

[Nitouryuu!]

Atalanta reacted just in time, switching to dual swords and slashing apart the incoming flames.

But—

[BOOM!!]

The ground beneath Nero suddenly transformed—a golden citadel erupted from below, engulfing the battlefield in imperial brilliance. Even Atalanta was forced to recoil, her instincts overwhelmed by the divine radiance.

"Take this!" Nero cried out.

"See my talent! Hear the thundering applause!

Thus, praise!

Golden Theater!

'Imperium of the Maiden's Flowery Words'

Laus Saint Claudius!!!"

Nero became a pillar of fire—rocketing into the sky—before plummeting like a crimson meteor.

[BOOM!!!]

A hellish explosion tore through the field—an ocean of flame swallowed everything in its path. Atalanta was caught in the blast's heart, flung far into the scorched earth, her body rolling through searing ash.

She had barely risen, gasping for breath—

"When I said I'm not done—

I meant it! Take this—

Nine Lives: ROMA!!"

Romulus raised his arm high. A divine gem formed in his palm, radiating with sacred light before it burst forth in a barrage of brilliant blasts, razing the land all around Atalanta.

But—

"You thought two against one would be easy? Hah... how exhilarating."

A voice cold as frost echoed from behind.

Somehow, Atalanta had circled behind Romulus. With a sharp cross-slash of her twin Hayate blades, she struck him down hard into the ground.

[BOOM!!]

The impact rocked the earth, raising a cloud of dust.

Before he could recover, Romulus suddenly saw three green-armored silhouettes burst from the wind—like clones. All of them had drawn their bows—strings taut.

[Whizz! Whizz! Whizz!]

Arrows cloaked in storm energy tore through the air, shrieking like they could rip apart space itself. The killing intent was suffocating, the pressure as if hundreds of wolves lunged at prey in perfect unison.

"Tsk… more troublesome than I expected, huntress of Artemis."

Romulus muttered, frowning, and raised both hands to form a seal—summoning his second Noble Phantasm.

"Moles Necessarie: My Love Reaches All!"

From the ground, radiant golden walls surged upward like divine blades piercing the sky—sacred fortifications forming a mobile citadel around him. The blinding gold cut down every arrow mid-flight, detonating in thunderous bursts like divine artillery.

From afar, Atalanta lowered her bow and began retreating, preparing for the next attack. But the moment she turned—

[CLANG—!]

A blazing sword strike came from her left—she barely managed to block with her blades. Sparks flew, and the clash echoed in a flare of light.

Nero had arrived!

"Hmph! Lucky day for you, kitty cat!" Nero grinned sharply, retracted her blade—then suddenly spun and unleashed a kick, sending Atalanta flying forward.

She twisted midair and landed on her feet—but—

"Forefather! Now's your moment!"

Nero's shout rang like a war bell.

Atalanta looked up in alarm—Romulus was already poised. Both hands raised high, divine light surging around him, golden armor crystallizing over his body like a demigod's war shell.

He began to chant—

"Our arm reaches anything, tears everything, and clears all paths.

Eventually, it will reach even beyond the stars in the sky…"

His holy spear spun once in the air, spiraling like a roaring dragon, then dove straight down with the weight of a thousand armies.

"PER ASPERA AD ASTRA!!"

From the void behind him, massive Roman pillars erupted upward, forming a grand semicircle—and then launched like divine cannons, activating a radiant light matrix.

The spear struck the ground.

[BOOOOM—!!!]

A dome-shaped explosion tore through space, obliterating the surrounding air. Shockwaves burst in every direction, and divine light blanketed the battlefield like the end of days.

When the light faded, the ground beneath had become gleaming silver-white marble—like a piece of Rome's undying soul carved into the earth.

Atalanta lay sprawled amid shattered stones. Her armor cracked, Hayate nowhere to be seen. She tried to stand, but her body was already beginning to spiritronize.

Her eyes filled with confusion.

Her voice trembled, barely a whisper:

"…Why… Why did you stop me from achieving my dream… A dream… for all children in this world… to be happy…"

Beneath a blood-red dusk sky, Atalanta faded into green motes of light—silent, without farewell. Only fragments of green armor remained on the scorched battlefield… a quiet elegy with no voice.

"Haaah… Finally over." Nero lowered her chain sword to the ground, chest rising and falling with the rhythm of recent battle. "Didn't think those Sacred Swords would be that annoying."

"Indeed… Rome did not expect this either." Romulus stood nearby, arms folded, gazing at the spot where Atalanta spiritronized—eyes solemn. "I can't believe… that kind of power came from Solomon's hands."

Nero turned to him, tilting her head:

"So now what? What's our next move, forefather?"

Romulus looked up toward the sky—where the [Great Book] still hovered ominously among the clouds, his voice low:

"Assist the others. The sooner this ends, the less likely that book will consume the entire land."

Just then, a familiar voice called out behind them:

"Oh? Done already, Lord Romulus?"

Taigong Wang approached calmly, riding atop his Pixiu like a divine beast on a stroll. His divine whip still in hand, his demeanor completely unruffled.

"Yes. What about you two?" Romulus replied softly, still keeping his eyes on the book above.

"All finished." Taigong Wang gently brushed his forehead, exhaling lightly. "I intended to support you, but I see you handled things rather quickly."

He turned to the horizon, raising a finger to the sky—where the Great Book continued to emit a dark radiance, swallowing the heavens.

"Well then, we should go aid the other groups. As you well know, Lord Romulus—if this isn't ended soon, that book will devour everything here."

"Umu!" Nero crossed her arms, her confident smirk returning. "Then let's get moving!"

Romulus clasped his hands behind his back and gave a slight nod with a faint smile:

"I will head to Manche. Support the Round Table knights and Chaldea."

"Umu! Be careful, forefathers!" Nero waved back with a grin, then broke into a sprint, following Taigong Wang toward Eure—where light and black fire painted the sky in uneasy twilight.