In a Multiverse of Anime, Starting by Transforming into Fu Hua

"Just a little more...!" Ritsuka gritted his teeth, his head already beginning to swim.

"No, Anna made the right call." Ishtar frowned. "It looks like we were close, but without the Command Spells' emergency support, maintaining our output would be useless. Trying to make up for a lack of quality with quantity would only waste mana."

"..." Ritsuka could only look at Amber.

Ishtar was in the same condition as Anna. Both had just pushed themselves past their limits, and it would take time before they could unleash another powerful attack. Time was exactly what they lacked most right now.

He knew Amber did not want to fight Tiamat, but they had no choice now.

Amber naturally understood that as well.

Crimson flames ignited between her brows, and a golden greatsword instantly descended from the sky.

The horn that had already been covered in cracks split in two like tofu cut by a kitchen knife, leaving behind a clean slash down the middle.

"Aaaa—!"

Tiamat turned her gaze toward Amber. A purple beam instantly crossed the distance of hundreds of meters and connected the two. Amber reacted swiftly, blocking the attack with her left fist. Watching Tiamat continuously fall after losing her buoyancy, she let out a faint sigh.

In the end, she still could not avoid this battle.

Since the fight had already begun, there was no reason to hesitate. Amber directly pursued Tiamat below.

This was her first time fighting such an enormous creature, and she instantly understood why the Herrscher of Reason had found it troublesome.

Because... there was nowhere to start.

Against Tiamat's excessively massive body, even if their punches and kicks inflicted damage, compared to her size, they were practically scratches. Not to mention that her wounds were continuously regenerating. Even the marks left by Amber's fists were healing, and even those giant horns were slowly growing back.

As Tiamat fell to the ground, that troublesome Sea of Chaos seeped out from beneath her feet once more.

"I understand the situation now! Leave the Tide of Chaos to me!" Ereshkigal, who had long been waiting below, pointed forward. Blue-white lightning attacked Tiamat from all directions, making Tiamat cry out in pain as she tried to rise.

"That's amazing!" Ritsuka, who had arrived on the ground with the pterosaur, could not help but marvel.

Ereshkigal's move had not used his mana at all, yet she had instantly suppressed Tiamat while evaporating the Tide of Chaos.

"That's heat on the level of Ishtar's Noble Phantasm!" Roman also revealed a delighted expression.

"This is the Underworld's defense system."

Seeing everyone's astonishment, Ereshkigal smiled. "It was specifically designed to deal with living beings who entered without permission. That is the rule of this world. Even Tiamat has to obey it."

As she spoke, she looked toward Ritsuka and Amber, her expression seeming to say, Now you know how much I held back back then, right?

"I see. It's Ereshkigal's privilege. How reliable," Ritsuka said with a smile.

"Very impressive. To accomplish this much, you truly are the mistress of the Underworld." Amber nodded, equally generous with her praise.

"Hehe."

Ereshkigal's smile grew even more satisfied.

"Shouldn't this boring praise session end here?" Ishtar could no longer stand listening to it. "Since this is your territory, hurry up and do something useful."

"A goddess who only knows how to indulge in treasure and pleasure really has no patience."

With Ishtar shouting, "What did you say!?" behind her, and Ritsuka constantly trying to calm Ishtar down, Ereshkigal turned to face Tiamat. A serious expression appeared on her face. "Then let me, the ruler of the Underworld, bring an end to everything!"

"O Gallu Lae of the Underworld, O spears of standing corruption! Bring down our Underworld's judgment upon the invader!"

Twelve crimson lightning spears appeared above Tiamat's head, then stabbed one after another into Tiamat as she struggled on the ground.

"Aaaaa!"

Though it was not a Noble Phantasm, its raw power and temperature had already surpassed the Piedra del Sol.

"Even Tiamat is merely an ordinary god in the Underworld! Before the combined assault of the Gallu Lae and me, she is completely helpless...! Completely... helpless...?"

Ereshkigal, who had remained composed and wanted to show everyone her cool side, suddenly stiffened. Sweat unconsciously appeared on her forehead.

She could feel that her authority within the Underworld had suddenly weakened to a certain extent.

At the same time, the Tide of Chaos instantly surged up from beneath Tiamat's feet. Not only did it ignore the intense heat, it even enveloped Tiamat and all of the Gallu Lae spears.

"What is happening!?" Everyone showed stunned expressions at the sudden reversal.

Roman also noticed something was wrong through his instruments and hurriedly shouted, "The Tide of Chaos is corroding the Underworld! At this rate, the Underworld will be occupied!"

"It can even corrode the Underworld!?" Even Ishtar, who had explained that the Tide of Chaos could corrode Servants and had always been somewhat at odds with Ereshkigal, was shocked. "No, the Underworld is not even alive, is it!?"

"Our assumption was wrong!"

Roman could only make another deduction. "She is changing the ecological environment! In other words, it isn't just life that she intends to recreate!"

"The... world itself?" Ritsuka clenched his fists.

"Th-this... wh-what do we do?" Ereshkigal also panicked. She instinctively wanted to use her Noble Phantasm to fight for ownership of the Underworld, but Ritsuka had already run out of mana. Using a Noble Phantasm recklessly under these circumstances would undoubtedly affect their combat strength afterward.

It would be fine if she won the struggle, but if she lost, she would not only lose her privileges in the Underworld, but also be unable to exert much power and might even be forced out of the battle quickly.

"Tiamat's Spirit Base is returning to the Age of Gods! It has already reached the Jurassic period! Spirit Base expansion process halted, mana furnace core restarting continuously—" Roman's jaw had started trembling. "...Her Spirit Base is still expanding... This is no longer merely Divinity... What stands there is a god!"

As the Tide of Chaos slid away, Tiamat's figure appeared before them once more.

Her appearance no longer resembled a goddess at all. Instead, she had become a winged monster that resembled a wild beast.

"So this is... Best II..." Ritsuka was drenched in sweat as he looked toward Amber again.

It was not only Ritsuka. Everyone's eyes turned to Amber.

At this moment, the only one they could think of who could contend with Best was this Crimson Kite Immortal from Shenzhou.

"...I'll do it."

Seeing everyone's gazes, Amber took a deep breath and stepped to the very front.

She was actually panicking too. Being the one to turn the tide was undeniably cool, and she had always admired protagonists who turned the tide, but right now, she truly felt something indescribable. In any case, she felt none of the thrill of being the final trump card.

Thinking of the gentle, kind blue-haired girl from her memories, then looking at the terrifying monster before her, she could not believe they were the same being.

Can I win?

Amber asked in a somewhat dejected voice.

Fu Hua, who had been observing the situation, sighed. Her tone carried a complicated emotion that was difficult to describe. Do you feel a great deal of pressure?

Yeah... Amber nodded.

Battle is like that.

Fu Hua was not surprised by Amber's current state of mind. Many times, it is not you who choose battle. Battle finds you instead, even if the one you must fight is someone you do not wish to harm.

Like Himiko?

Amber did not say it aloud, but Fu Hua naturally knew what she was thinking and nodded expressionlessly.

Until now, you have always had the confidence of being in control. Quetzalcoatl could not threaten you, nor could Ereshkigal last a single move against you.

Sword Heart, sword form, Sword Intent, sword soul, Sword God—regardless of which aspect it was, you were able to grasp it quickly. Though outside help played a part, that was still enough to prove your talent.

Without question, you have never encountered real trouble before. This is your first time facing a situation where you do not know how to win, where you do not even know whether you can win. Everyone sees you as their only source of confidence, so you feel unprecedented pressure.

Fu Hua easily voiced Amber's thoughts. Amber was not surprised. Mr. Navigator said that I could get through the first three worlds even if I did nothing, but reality is completely different from what he said. I think it is because I got involved that variables appeared.

Perhaps my involvement made this story worse. Whenever I think about that, I...

The girl's feelings could not be hidden from Fu Hua's eyes. She stepped forward and embraced her.

To be honest, Fu Hua believed that the girl had many misunderstandings about her, but there was one thing she had gotten right: Fu Hua truly was not very good at comforting people. Nor was there much need for comfort, because the things she wanted to say were things the other party already understood.

Amber had always understood reason. Rather than lecturing her with words, Fu Hua wanted to offer her some spiritual support.

In the past, she might not have done this. She had believed that disciples would always grow, and that she should not interfere too much with that growth. True growth had to be faced alone.

But now, she could not bring herself to simply stand by and watch.

It will be all right. Your master is here. You can rest assured. Fu Hua felt that her voice had never been so gentle. She hoped it could lend her disciple strength.

...Okay...

Amber was still somewhat downcast, but hearing Fu Hua say that made warmth surge into her chest.

Having someone to rely on, having a pillar behind her, made her feel incredibly safe. Fu Hua's words were like a sufficiently warm shelter offered to her amid a raging storm. Though she still feared the terror of that storm, they gave her the confidence to endure it.

Go. You only need to do the best you can.

Okay!

"Uwaaah!" In reality, Ereshkigal frantically directed the Gallu Lae against the increasing Tide of Chaos. Yet even the inanimate Gallu Lae were completely swallowed the moment they touched the Black Mud. The heat, hot enough to evaporate seawater, now seemed to have lost all physical effect and could do nothing against the Tide of Chaos.

"Immortal! Do you have any way to deal with this!?" Ritsuka's expression was equally anxious. None of them seemed to have any way to counter the Tide of Chaos. Did they have to use Mash's Noble Phantasm? But...

He could not squeeze out even a trace of mana anymore...

"Above is fire, below is fire—the light that burns above."

Coming back to herself, Amber's gaze became firmer. Watching the Tide of Chaos about to reach everyone, she swept her hands before herself as though supporting heaven and earth. A black-and-white True Qi vortex appeared above Tiamat's head, drawing all of the rampaging Tide of Chaos upward while lifting Tiamat's body away from the ground.

"It worked!" Having finally escaped the crisis, everyone relaxed considerably.

"Do not let your guard down!" A familiar voice sounded beside them. Merlin had appeared alongside blooming flowers.

His expression was stern as he watched Tiamat intently. "Even now, Tiamat still possesses immortality. I said that before, did I not?"

"..." Upon hearing his words, everyone's relaxed expressions became serious again, and the helplessness in their hearts grew heavier.

However, Merlin suddenly smiled. "But if he is here, the situation will be entirely different."

"Huh?" Ritsuka froze.

There was another expert?

At that moment, an impossible-to-ignore chill suddenly appeared behind them. Following everyone's gazes, they saw a towering figure in armor, wielding a greatsword. No one knew when he had arrived.

"Crimson Kite Immortal, protector of Human Order and savior of all living beings."

The man holding the greatsword walked step by step to the very front. Merely from his gait and that unmistakable presence, one could tell he was no ordinary person.

"Though it is of little importance, allow me to announce my name." Blue mana ignited around him, and even his greatsword gained a killing intent that made everyone feel as if they would fall into the abyss of death merely by looking at it. "Old Man of the Mountain, Hassan-i-Sabbah. With this blade, I shall share with you the glory of the living—of the victorious."

"Old Man of the Mountain... Hassan-i-Sabbah..." Amber adopted a solemn expression, but inwardly she could only wonder who this person was. After thinking for a while, all she could recall was that cannon fodder Hundred-Faced Hassan.

You look really cool! But I genuinely do not know your history, sorry!

"That is right. Corresponding to Best, when the world-ending calamity arrives, Tiamat's reaper follows." Merlin smiled. At last, he had complete confidence in winning this Best Battle. "His existence symbolizes the strongest Assassin who represents death: the Grand Class Assassin!"

"Without death, there is no life. Only with death can life exist. Beast of calamity, evil born from humanity—your love that longs to return is precisely the foundation that rejects you."

Watching Tiamat struggle in the distance to break free of the vortex's pull, the Old Man of the Mountain's mana rose to its peak.

"I have no need for the name of Grand Class. Proof of the strongest need only be entrusted to this sword—"

Tomorrow, it will be put on shelves. The collapse and the ending should both be tomorrow as well... I should stop making promises. The collapse should be fine, but the ending is uncertain.

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Deep into Tiamat

"Leave the Tide of Chaos to me."

Merlin looked toward the Old Man of the Mountain and Amber. These two were the main combatants in this battle. If they could avoid wasting mana, they should waste as little as possible.

The vortex in the sky that continuously absorbed the Tide of Chaos could not erase it. It could only prevent it from expanding further. Seeing this, Merlin directly cast magecraft and turned all of the Tide of Chaos into harmless flowers.

Amber also canceled the division of heaven and earth. Tiamat fell to the ground again, and another black tide surged forth.

Merlin calmly continued casting magecraft on the Tide of Chaos, turning it all into flowers.

Magecraft that changed the nature of the entire Tide of Chaos was not easy to perform. If their combat strength had been lacking, he definitely would not have wasted mana so extravagantly. He would only have ensured that the Tide of Chaos did not overflow too badly. But now, with two major damage dealers before him, there was no need to rely on him for offense.

He only needed to do his job as support.

Seeing the Tide of Chaos dealt with, the Old Man of the Mountain nodded slightly. Then he leaped forward, arriving behind Tiamat. The edge of his sword came crashing down. "Evening Bell Has Told Your Name. By Schicksal, I shall strip you of your wings."

Far beyond the limits of an ordinary Spirit Base, an incomprehensible conceptual power was unleashed in full through that strike. Blue-white radiance shone along the blade, and in the next instant, massive cracks spread across wings far sturdier than Tiamat's horns.