It was a magnificent, solemn, and brilliantly gilded Grand Theater, yet within its halls, there was no performance and no audience—only two individuals standing face-to-face, poised for a duel to the death.

One was a petite maiden with blazing scarlet eyes, clad in golden armor that shimmered with an intense, metallic brilliance. She gripped a weapon that was neither quite a sword nor anything else, standing tall and proud, her crimson gaze holding an air of utter disdain for the world.

The other was a golden-haired, green-eyed figure draped in battle-red armor, clutching the Primordial Fire, which raged like a living inferno—a crimson lotus born of fury. Her posture was fire, her aura was flame, and her emerald eyes held a domineering spirit that surveyed all creation.

“Is this your Noble Phantasm, Emperor of Rome? Impressive, quite impressive.” Despite the imminent threat, the maiden named Gilgamesh showed no fear. Her bright red eyes, fixed upon the spectacular scene, were alight with pleasure and excitement.

This was a sensation only a King who had tasted the pinnacle of worldly splendor could comprehend—a feeling beyond the ordinary. Summoned to this timeline only to repeat this farce called war day after day, she had long grown weary. Finally, she had encountered a worthy opponent, a challenge worthy of her full commitment.

“Hero King, better temper that arrogance of yours. This time, I won’t be playing around as I did before; I intend to shatter you into dust,” Nero stated coldly, raising the hand holding the Primordial Fire forward. The tip of her blade touched the floor, and she gave a slight twist with her thumb and forefinger on the hilt.

Suddenly, the Primordial Fire spun wildly. As the blade rotated, endless flames surged outward, the heat radiating in colossal waves, the very atmosphere recoiling from the sheer force.

“That is precisely my intention. I plan to grind you to ash as well,” the Hero King replied, her smile vanishing, her eyes filled with killing intent.

With a deafening boom that heralded a hurricane, the flames were scattered. Immense magical energy erupted from the maiden’s spiraling blade. “Awaken, Ea. The stage befitting you has been set.”

In ancient Mesopotamian mythology, Ea was the deity governing the earth and water. The Ea she called upon was the Sword of Rupture, the primordial blade that witnessed the miracle of creation itself. Its edge was tasked with cleaving the formless chaos of heaven and earth apart, bestowing upon them definite shape. Now, the proudly whirling divine sword stirred gusts of violent wind, poised to reenact that very act of genesis.

The gold-shining maiden declared with hauteur, “Behold—this is… Enuma Elish!”

With a single swing, the sky shrieked, the earth roared, and the palace trembled. A torrent of immense magical force assaulted the very laws of the cosmos as it surged forth.

The heavens shattered and the earth convulsed. With just this single strike, cracks began to spiderweb across the Golden Grand Theater, emitting a mournful kacha-kacha sound as it commenced its collapse.

Witnessing this, even Nero’s expression shifted dramatically. She knew the Hero King was strong, but she hadn't anticipated this level of might... That strike hadn't been aimed at anything specific; she had merely swung the sword casually. Yet—

The Sword of Rupture held by the Hero King pierced not just this space, but the entire world, including the firmament. Its attack transcended descriptors like 'hit' or 'power.'

Before the sword fell, all of creation was meaningless chaos. After the sword fell, new laws delineated Heaven, Sea, and Earth.

The surging force of creation poured forth, utterly exceeding the scope of anti-fortress Noble Phantasms. Everything tangible and intangible disintegrated under this peerless power. This was the true face of the Anti-World Noble Phantasm that allowed the Hero King to claim supremacy over all.

The sky descended, the palace crumbled, and everything dissolved into nothingness. In the infinite night, only the Hero King’s Sword of Rupture shone brilliantly. Its light, like the very Star of Creation illuminating a new world, heralded the solemn end of all things.

“How is it, Emperor of Rome? Have you witnessed supreme power?” The golden-haired, red-eyed maiden held her head high, her gaze not fixed on the enemy before her, but only on the starry expanse above—as if that were the only thing worthy of her attention.

However, she heard no reply. Not because she couldn't answer, but because an answer was unnecessary. For just as she looked up, a far more brilliant golden light flooded her vision… It was a Golden Grand Theater, identical to the one moments before.

“Th-This is…” Even the Hero King was momentarily stunned, surprise coloring her eyes. Her Ea should have utterly destroyed the Golden Theater. Why was it still here? No, the previous one was destroyed. This was a new one, yet the opponent hadn't used another Noble Phantasm. Did that mean… this palace regenerated automatically?

“What in the blazes did you do?” Her killing intent sharpened as she fixed her gaze on her enemy. A profound sense of humiliation flooded her core.

“Hero King, have you forgotten my Kingly Way?” Nero gazed back calmly. “Indeed, your power is beyond my imagination. A normal Reality Marble would have been shattered instantly by you. No, in fact, even my own Reality Marble could not withstand it. But, Hero King…”

At this point, Nero spread her arms wide, her tone infused with absolute authority, and proclaimed loudly: “I am the Absolute Emperor! I possess absolute command! Beneath my Golden Theater, be you man or god, be you heaven or earth, you shall not pass until my performance is concluded!”

“Absolute Emperor Domain… You insolent wretch!” The Hero King finally understood, and this realization enraged her far more than her lack of comprehension. Like the White Knight King and the King of Conquerors, this opponent possessed the absolute command of a sovereign. However, while the previous two commanded obedience through prestige, this individual commanded through absolute authority.

That was the truth. Both as an Emperor and by the nature of her Noble Phantasm, Nero was absolute… Imperial Privilege E. This trait wasn't just for show.

The golden-haired, scarlet-eyed maiden ground her teeth, her inner fury almost unspeakable… She, the oldest King, was being shackled by the trivial authority of the mundane world!

Impossible, impossible, impossible. This is a joke…

“What joke is this, you petty trick!” the maiden roared, swinging the Sword of Rupture once more, condensing a massive surge of magical power. “I will use my Ea to utterly obliterate that trivial authority of yours!”

“To destroy my authority, you must first destroy me,” Nero countered, stirring the crimson lotus of the Primordial Fire and slashing toward her opponent like lightning… While her Golden Theater would automatically regenerate under the Imperial Privilege, this regeneration required her magical energy. If her mana ran out, even the greatest privilege would be useless. Moreover, the curse on her head prevented her from lasting until her mana was depleted; she needed a swift victory.

CRASH!

Within this Golden Theater, Nero vastly surpassed the Hero King in both speed and strength. Before the Hero King could unleash her next strike, the Primordial Fire slammed against the enemy’s blade.

In an instant, the petite maiden was thrown backward… This was not surprising. Although the Hero King's Noble Phantasm was god-defyingly powerful, her raw physical strength could not match Nero’s. Furthermore, within this Reality Marble, her power was somewhat suppressed. In close-quarters combat, how could the Hero King be a match for Nero?

“You wretch!” Being struck back from the front for the first time made the maiden’s pretty face nearly contort. Enraged, she let out a manic laugh. “Hahaha! Good, very good. Your fangs have successfully grazed this King. Now, receive the sanction of a King’s wrath!”

“Enuma Elish…”

“Too slow.” Before the enemy could finish her chant, Nero was already upon her. The crimson lotus fire flared, gold light and crimson flame intertwining. Under the immense collision of power, the Hero King was driven back again.

“The tide has turned, Hero King. You have no chance left,” Nero declared victory, pointing her blade at the opponent. In the next moment, a flash of red light, and the figure vanished from her original position.

Swish-swish-swish.

However, this attack yielded no effect for Nero. For just as she moved, a bizarre space erupted behind the enemy… the Gate of Babylon opened, and countless Noble Phantasms rained down on her like shimmering light.

With no choice but to retreat and evade.

“Insolent creature, time to return the favor!” Seizing the opening, the Hero King was finally able to raise the Sword of Rupture once more, the surge of magical power unstoppable.

“Enuma Elish!”

Nero’s expression shifted. If the Golden Theater was broken twice in succession, she would be in grave danger. Without hesitation, she shifted the Primordial Fire to her left hand. In her right hand, a plain white-covered book suddenly materialized—her other Noble Phantasm, the Massacre Ceremony of the Nameless.

“Come forth, Kikōshin Mu-mei (Demon Engine God Nameless)!”

BOOM!

Instantly, a massive, robot-like figure descended from the sky, interposing itself directly against the Hero King’s Anti-World Noble Phantasm.

Two mechanical hands, large as millstones, thrust forward, and the spatial rift caused by the Sword of Rupture abruptly halted, unable to advance.

“You insolent creature… an Anti-World Noble Phantasm?” Seeing her attack effortlessly blocked, the Hero King was utterly shaken. Only an Anti-World Noble Phantasm could stop an Anti-World Noble Phantasm.

Indeed, the effect of Nero’s Massacre Ceremony of the Nameless was to summon Kikōshin Mu-mei, an A+-rank Anti-World Noble Phantasm possessing the ability to destroy spacetime continua and an armor that negates everything—both offense and defense integrated. Furthermore, within this Golden Theater, the capabilities of the Demon Engine God would be greatly amplified.

However… while this was an incredibly potent Noble Phantasm, its sole drawback was its extremely short existence and the severe self-damage incurred upon use. Under normal circumstances, Nero would never deploy it, but now, she couldn't afford to hold back.

“Hero King, let us determine who is stronger!” Nero shouted, though neither she nor her opponent noticed that Nero’s face was already starkly pale.

“Damn you! Take this one more time—Enuma Elish!”

The Golden Theater resonated once more with a heaven-shaking roar.