The airport basked in bright sunlight.
Such clear skies were ideal for ensuring flights departed on time.
Under the blazing sun, the heat radiating off the ground made Mordred squint as she stepped off the plane.
"This scorching sun… brings back some unpleasant memories."
Perhaps the blazing sunlight reminded Mordred of Verethragna's White Horse incarnation, the most powerful of his abilities, which had left her at a significant disadvantage in their recent battle.
She fished out a pair of sunglasses and slipped them on, a grin spreading across her face.
"Ah, much better!"
Beside her stood Artoria, dressed in a sleek black outfit, her stoic demeanor unshaken by the oppressive heat.
With them was a golden-haired girl, delicate and doll-like in appearance.
"So… this is the resting place of the King?"
Her voice carried a mix of emotions—curiosity, reverence, and frustration intertwined.
This was Guinevere, the Divine Ancestor, whom Artoria had brought along for a very specific reason.
Artoria no longer intended to delay her plans. She had decided that after dealing with the two [Steel] deities in Japan—Susanoo and Sun Wukong—she would challenge the true Last King.
And to awaken the Last King, Guinevere's presence was essential.
"I see now… No wonder Susanoo sealed Sun Wukong in this land," Guinevere mused, stroking her chin as realization dawned. "He feared the presence of the dragon-serpent would awaken the King. That's why every time a dragon-serpent appeared in this land, he sent the heretic Sun Wukong to subdue it!"
Her brow furrowed as she bit her finger in frustration. "Damn it… How did I not notice this for so long?"
As the Queen of Wisdom, Guinevere needed little prompting. With the clues before her, she quickly pieced together the truth.
"Perhaps you trusted your own instincts too much," Artoria said, her tone devoid of sympathy. "You assumed that if the Last King truly slumbered in this country, you would sense it the moment you set foot here. But you underestimated Susanoo. He went to great lengths to ensure you wouldn't detect the King's presence."
"That bastard…"
Guinevere's anger toward Susanoo was almost tangible.
If not for his interference, she would have fulfilled her mission long ago and met the true Last King.
Once, Guinevere might have deeply loved the Last King; otherwise, she wouldn't have fashioned herself as the King's queen in Arthurian legend.
But that version of Guinevere had long since died and been reincarnated, losing all her memories except for her mission to awaken the Last King.
Now, Guinevere's feelings for the King were less love and more akin to devotion—perhaps even obsession.
It was similar to the Archbishop Otto's unyielding determination to revive Saint Kallen after five centuries.
Five hundred years was more than enough time to transform a person entirely, to turn a righteous soul into a wretched, cowardly parasite. That Otto remained true to his goal after so long was almost unfathomable.
And Guinevere had endured even longer than Otto. Mere admiration or affection couldn't sustain such persistence.
After all, gods were more susceptible to change than humans. Their forms and identities were shaped by humanity's perceptions of them.
"I'll lead you to the Last King and awaken him," Artoria declared, her piercing gaze locking onto Guinevere. "But only after I deal with Susanoo and Sun Wukong."
"Very well, I have no objections."
Placing a hand over her heart, Guinevere's composure returned as she smiled with perfect grace. "Seeing that thief suffer a little… That would be quite satisfying."
If she were stronger, Guinevere might have stormed the underworld to drag Susanoo out herself. For now, her goal aligned perfectly with Artoria's.
"Oh! A fight's brewing again, huh?"
Mordred clenched her fist excitedly, slamming it into her open palm. "I, Mordred the Magnificent can't wait! Bring on whoever's next!"
Of course, there was another reason Artoria had brought Guinevere along.
Sun Wukong, the heretic [Steel] deity, had been sealed by Susanoo. Breaking that seal required three conditions:
The manifestation of a dragon-serpent's divinity.
A sacred blade imbued with a weakening formula.
A shrine maiden capable of exorcism.
For years, the Chinese Campione had sought to eliminate the heretic Sun Wukong, considering him an embarrassment to Chinese deities. But she had failed to meet these three conditions, even after demolishing the entire Western Heavenly Palace in her search.
For Artoria, however, these conditions were easily met. She, Mordred, and Guinevere all possessed dragon-serpent divinity.
"I'll head into the underworld alone. You two will go directly to the Western Heavenly Palace," Artoria instructed. "Guinevere, you'll guide Mordred and handle breaking the seal."
"Understood. Leave it to me," Guinevere replied, her flawless smile accompanied by a respectful bow.
"Ugh! So fake."
Mordred's muttered complaint came from nearby, loud enough that there was no way Guinevere hadn't heard.
Guinevere wanted to ignore Mordred's hostility, but she couldn't.
Though she wasn't truly that Guinevere and had no direct connection to Mordred, she couldn't fully shake the influence of myth. Subconsciously, she harbored a trace of animosity toward Mordred—the "illegitimate child" born of Arthur's betrayal.
Especially since Mordred's mother, Morgause, had schemed to sow discord between Guinevere and Arthur and expose Guinevere's affair with Lancelot.
Artoria, observing the silent rivalry between Mordred and Guinevere, could only sigh internally.
Thanks to her Alter Saint Graph, her first impulse in such situations was always violence. Normally, she'd deal with the issue by slicing something—or someone—and calling it a day.
Before leaving, Artoria offered Guinevere one last piece of advice.
"The shrine maiden who will break the seal—don't harm her. Your job is to ensure the seal is lifted. If a fight breaks out, protect her at all costs."
Guinevere hesitated for a moment, then smiled and nodded.
"As you wish. I'll ensure the girl is unharmed."