"Of course she's afraid," Shiomi said. "In the end, the reason Koyanskaya, the candidate for the Fourth Beast, came into being is tied to the catastrophe that once occurred on this land."
"That's right. I am the individual born from the fusion of the animals that died in the Tunguska explosion and the pain of the land itself," Koyanskaya admitted without concealment.
"Originally, the Fourth Beast who held the Principle of Comparison never disappeared. An existence like you shouldn't have been able to come into being," Shiomi said. "The fact that you were born as a candidate for the Fourth Beast while the original still existed is already an anomaly."
"If I were to put it in simpler terms," Taigong Wang suddenly added, "Koyanskaya as a candidate for the Fourth Beast is like the relationship between a Grand Servant and a Servant who merely possesses Grand qualifications. Which means… someone must have intervened in this matter, correct?"
Koyanskaya looked troubled.
"Unfortunately, I would very much like to know the answer to that anomaly myself."
"For example, perhaps like the other Beasts, you were granted the qualification to share the Beast's seat with the original Fourth Beast," Shiomi continued. "After all, the original Fourth Beast showed no intent to harm humanity at all. If its function is to be fulfilled, there must be a substitute to carry it out."
"Is that so?" Koyanskaya sounded doubtful.
She had originally intended to attack Cath Palug and devour his power as a candidate for one of her tails. Unfortunately, he had remained cautious the entire time, never revealing a single opening she could exploit. Even now, he was still living peacefully in Chaldea.
"No, that's just my conjecture," Shiomi said. "You keep saying you hate humanity. But if you truly had not even the slightest trace of love for humanity, you could never have become a Beast."
"..."
His words forced Koyanskaya into an unpleasant silence.
"Humanity's Evil is also Humanity's Love. The desire to destroy humanity does not come from simple malice. It comes from a yearning for a better future, which is why it bares its fangs at the present peace," Shiomi went on. "At its core, Humanity's Evil is a stain that emerges during human development. It is a calamity that destroys humanity. One of its sources lies in the collective unconscious, in the will toward self-destruction. It is an evil that humanity itself must overcome and eradicate."
Shiomi stopped walking and looked at Koyanskaya, who had turned her head slightly to glance back at him.
"An existence that should have faded away may have escaped dissolution and gained life because of humanity's unconscious guidance. After all, in this era, there are more and more humans whose ideas overlap with yours. There's no shortage of similar foolish acts."
"I finally obtained this life. I'm not foolish enough to discard it lightly," Koyanskaya said. "But let me be clear. This is not a plea for mercy. It is a declaration of my right to survive. As a god who holds Authority over life, you should understand that."
This was the inner side of Koyanskaya's Reality Marble. The innermost layer of her true self.
If she truly chose to drag them down with her, even if she could not kill Shiomi and the others outright, she could still inflict wounds severe enough to prevent them from continuing to fight.
If, in the worst case, they were forced to withdraw from Tunguska's non-primate living sphere only to encounter the 'Alien God,' the situation would be disastrous for Shiomi's side.
"I understand." Shiomi walked toward her and stopped at her side. "But the Chaldea personnel who died in Antarctica because of your assistance… who will declare their right to live?"
Koyanskaya froze for a moment, then laughed softly.
"So you're not speaking as a god. You're speaking as a human, seeking justice for comrades who once fought alongside you?"
"That's only one of my purposes," Shiomi said. "The living sphere you established on the Bleached World is also an obstacle that cannot be ignored when it comes to restoring Proper Human History."
"And?" Koyanskaya narrowed her eyes, smiling like a fox spirit.
"I've always believed in hating the crime, not the person. Many times, the crimes humans commit are not truly born of their own will. They may even have been coerced," Shiomi said. "Of course, that doesn't mean I forgive without limits. The Crypters are likely still fighting in the Indian Lostbelt right now, trying to prove their innocence."
"I see. You want me to lend you my strength and help restore Proper Human History?" Koyanskaya said. "I am a Beast. Don't you think that's a little naive, Divine One?"
Scáthach suddenly laughed.
"Do you truly think my beloved disciple speaks from naivety? Or do you believe we here would fear you detonating the entirety of Tunguska?"
"...Indeed. Even if I set off the entire living sphere, you could still rely on the time those two Servants buy to escape alive," Koyanskaya admitted, conceding her lack of options.
Driven to her own doorstep and unable to mount a proper defensive stand, she had no choice but to step forward and negotiate with Shiomi.
It was a desperate bid for survival. Even so, up until the very moment of a complete break, she held on to her pride.
"So this is how we'll settle it." Shiomi returned to Morgan's side. "Show us your power. If you are a Beast, an existence that covets the Beast's seat, then we'll decide this the way beasts do. In the most primitive way possible."
"By the original law known as survival of the fittest." Morgan placed her hand on Shiomi's shoulder. "We will subdue you with strength. Or you may choose to die in battle, as a Beast, with honor."
This was their judgment of Koyanskaya.
And also their mercy.
She bore part of the responsibility for the destruction of Antarctic Chaldea.
Unlike the Lostbelt princess in Russia, who had arrogantly declared war from the outset, Koyanskaya's restraint came from composure and an instinct for reading the situation.
"So be it." Koyanskaya's eyes widened slightly. "To agree to terms that offer no greater benefit, simply to preserve my life, would go against my business aesthetic."
What she required was a "high price."
Not something material, but a foundation strong enough to make her accept the terms willingly.
Its name was power.
Scáthach and Artoria moved to one side of the hall. Taigong Wang and Nikitich to the other.
Strictly speaking, there was no need to clear the space like this. It would have been more appropriate for them to withdraw outside entirely.
"Bring forth your strength. If you hold back and lose your life for it, don't blame us, Beast!"
Shiomi's voice rang through the hall.
Light enveloped both him and Morgan.
The Unified God descended.