Fate: But This Is Not Solomon I Know!

Fuyuki – Mount Miyama, Homurahara Academy

The night shrouded the quiet sky, gray clouds drifting silently, veiling the starlight. The cold evening breeze whispered through the trees, creating an eerie and solemn beauty in the air.

On the rooftop of the school building stood a lone figure. Clad in white and gold armor that gleamed under the pale moonlight, his tattered red cloak fluttered in the wind like a war banner soaked in blood. From within his helmet, twin crimson eyes pierced through the darkness.

Zoth.

He stood there, both hands resting on the hilt of the Golden Caladbolg, his gaze fixed on the town at the base of the mountain.

Not guarding.

Not lost in deep thought.

He… was simply enjoying the view.

And—calculating his next move.

Zoth raised one hand to the chin of his helmet, lightly tapping the metal surface.

Clink, clink…

A hollow sound echoed—like thoughts knocking at the door of his mind.

He scanned the landscape, smirked, and muttered lazily:

"Oi ya~... Time to stir up something unforgettable. Screw the Great Fire. Can't stop it anyway. Might as well make my mark with a little chaos~."

Why would he say that?

Because Zoth had used [Omni Visions] to peer into countless alternate timelines of this Holy Grail War.

All of them—led to destruction.

Kill Irisviel?

No use. In one timeline, Gilgamesh got to her first, severing every lead. The very next night, torrents of black mana surged forth, incinerating all of Fuyuki.

Destroy the Greater Grail?

Didn't work either. That damn Pika always intercepted him, never letting him lay a finger on it. Sometimes it even led to a catastrophe worse than the original fire.

Evacuate the town?

Hopeless. The [Book Gates] were far too small. And even if they weren't… who would trust a guy in armor popping up out of nowhere screaming about emergency evacuations? He'd be dismissed as a lunatic.

Use his divine powers?

Absolutely not. That would only result in more collateral deaths.

Zoth scratched his head, frustrated. He had thought it would be simple—break the Grail, wipe out the saboteurs, done. But no—the Grail's system was a tangled web. Touch one thread, and the whole mess shifted.

Every path… led to ruin, one way or another.

He sighed, gaze dipping for just a second. And then—

Click.

A spark lit within his mind.

A twisted smile slowly spread beneath the cold mask. He whispered to the world:

"Why don't I… complete the Omni Force… and turn it into the true Book of Omnipotence, hmm~?"

Zoth burst into laughter, the sound echoing across the rooftop. He stretched out both arms, overlooking Fuyuki like a player placing pieces on a grand chessboard.

A distorted face.

A mad plan taking shape.

He immediately sent a telepathic message to Berserker:

"Berserker. Watch the Matou household. I'm heading to Tokyo. Don't let anyone get hurt, understood?"

Message sent, Zoth turned around. Blood-red mist began to coil around him like the folds of a phantom gate.

He stepped into the glowing crimson space, vanishing like a living mirage.

Next destination – Tokyo.

Where something no one could predict… was about to be born.

---

Tokyo – Higashi-Douto District

Night fell over the city like a curtain painted in neon. Colorful lights flickered on rain-slicked streets, reflected in the puddles beneath hurried feet. Horns blared, traffic signals blinked like rhythmic pulses, and yet amidst the urban frenzy, there was a strange, surreal beauty.

And within that crowd, a small figure seemed completely detached from it all.

Sajyou Manaka.

Her pale blonde hair danced softly in the breeze. Cold, icy-blue eyes scanned the soulless crowd.

Her light blue dress swayed gently, reflecting the streetlights like mist caught in moonlight.

Daughter of Sajyou Hiroki.

Sister of Ayaka.

And a flaw... in fate itself.

She stood still, watching the people drift by like waves, her gaze distant—as if questioning her own soul:

"In the end… aside from finding my 'prince'... what is it that I truly want?"

Suddenly—

A crimson mist rose behind her.

Cold. Twisted.

Like something clawing its way out of hell.

Thud.

An armored hand, colder than death, landed on her shoulder.

A voice, deep and distorted like an echo from a cavern, spoke with malice:

"Found you~, Sajyou Manaka."

Manaka turned her head slightly—and the moment her eyes met the figure behind her—

SMACK!

The iron hand struck her across the face, launching her like a broken doll.

She rolled across the street and hit the curb before stopping. But within seconds, Manaka braced herself and rose, fury and bloodlust igniting in her blue eyes.

Across from her, Zoth strode calmly through the Tokyo night.

Every step of his armored boots echoed like a drumbeat into the mind.

He spread his arms wide, a slight smile curling beneath his mask, as if greeting an old friend:

"Konbanwa, Manaka-chan.

The name's… hmm, Solomon!

Yes, Solomon~

I came here to… negotiate cooperation, but now that I see you… nah, forget it.

I'll just take you in."

Manaka stood her ground, wiping blood from the corner of her mouth.

Her eyes narrowed, voice as cold as winter:

"Who are you...?

Why did you attack me?

Do we even know each other?"

Zoth summoned Caladbolg, its golden glow scorching the air around it.

He tilted his head slightly, gripping the hilt tight, his tone thick with disdain:

"No.

We don't know each other.

But I'm here to—"

BOOM!!

A magic projectile struck him dead-on, erupting into a shockwave that shook the entire street.

Manaka landed gracefully on the sidewalk, a cold smirk on her lips as she stared at the blazing inferno—

Until the sound of footsteps emerged... from within the flames.

Clang… clang… clang…

Zoth stepped out.

Firelight reflected off his white-gold armor.

Caladbolg scraped along the ground, throwing sparks.

He was unscathed.

He pointed the sword at Manaka, voice weary:

"Aiz~...

Little mouse, would you mind cooperating?

Let me capture you—or… we can work together. Pick one."

Manaka said nothing.

Only furrowed her brow—and unleashed a barrage of multi-elemental spells.

Flame, ice, lightning, wind—everything stormed toward Zoth in a raging tempest.

Zoth sighed.

"Honestly…

A brat like you needs some discipline~."

He bent his arm, snapping the Omni Force Driver shut.

[Omnimus Loading…]

[Solomon Break!!]

His left hand absorbed the entire wave of elemental magic, spiraling it into a vortex of pure mana.

He funneled all that energy directly into Caladbolg.

CLANG!

The blade changed color—now glowing a deep, blood-red.

Zoth grinned—

A savage smile behind a cold metal mask.

He gave Manaka no time to react.

Swoosh—!

A crimson blade wave cut through the air like a crescent moon, striking her square in the chest, blasting her straight into a nearby building.

CRASH!!!

Glass shattered.

The wall cracked.

Her small frame embedded into the structure as dust and smoke filled the air.

Zoth remained standing, casually flicking the dust off his sword as if he'd merely knocked on a door—not just attacked one of the most dangerous beings in Tokyo.

He walked slowly toward the ruined building.

The heavy grind of his armor echoed like a death bell in the night.

Clang… clang… clang…

He stopped at the edge of the destruction.

Eyes glowing red-orange through his visor scanned the broken rubble and swirling smoke.

Nothing.

No sign of Manaka.

He chuckled—a low, twisted laugh, like someone savoring a performance.

"So you like playing hide-and-seek~?

Fine then… allow me to join your game~."

With that, he vanished into a cloud of blood mist—

Leaving behind a battlefield in ruins, smoldering like the aftermath of an apocalypse.

---

At the same time – a small alleyway a few blocks from the scene

Rushed footsteps.

Labored breathing.

A small figure darted through the maze-like alleyways — Manaka.

She gasped for air, legs trembling from the lingering shock.

Her chest throbbed with pain — the wound from Caladbolg still bleeding, but she clenched her teeth and pressed on.

"What the hell was that...

He's nothing like any Servant I've ever seen..."

She tightened her fists, a flicker of fear in her eyes… quickly replaced by killing intent.

"No. I'm Sajyou Manaka.

I don't get to tremble in front of something like that."

But then—

The wind stopped.

The air in the alley was suddenly vacuumed.

Car horns from the street vanished.

There was no sound—only a silence so unnatural it chilled the spine.

Shhh—

A light wisp of blood mist drifted past the corner behind her.

Manaka froze.

She slowly turned her head… but saw nothing.

No one there.

No sound.

Just a flickering streetlight — off, on… off, on…

Clang.

A faint metallic sound rang out behind her.

She whipped around.

Still nothing.

But… the streetlight had gone dark.

Click…

Footsteps echoed ahead of her, deeper within the alley.

She backed away.

One step.

Two—

CRASH!

An armored hand burst through the brick wall beside her, barely missing her shoulder.

"Oh? So close~"

Zoth casually stepped out of the broken wall, chunks of stone falling from his white-gold armor, now glowing faintly red in the dark.

Manaka didn't hesitate.

She launched herself into the air, hastily drawing several magic circles mid-air, forming a dimensional gate in front of her.

But—

Zoth was already there.

Waiting at the gate's edge.

"Not faster than me, little one."

He slashed.

A red arc tore through the gate, shattering it instantly. The burst of unstable mana exploded, launching Manaka backward, her body slamming into the alley wall.

Thud!

A thin blade embedded itself right beside her neck — not fatal, but clearly a warning.

Zoth crouched down, face inches from hers, staring into her burning, hate-filled eyes.

He reached out and touched her cheek with a single finger — like toying with prey:

"What do you call this again~?

Ah… right.

'Hunting'."

Manaka stared up at Zoth in fear, trembling, her voice cracking as she forced out a question:

"W-What do you want...? What are you trying to do with me?"

Zoth let out a deep, chilling chuckle. He placed his heavy, armored hand on her head and gently patted it—like soothing a newly tamed toy.

"Ah~... I just need you… to help me become the embodiment of Wonder World, that's all."

"Embodiment... of Wonder World?" Manaka echoed unconsciously, eyes wide in confusion.

"Yup! And now that I've caught you~... guess I'll go ahead and 'claim my prize'."

He smirked. Behind his visor, his eyes gleamed a deep, burning orange.

Zoth clenched his fist. A golden energy beam shot from his palm, piercing straight into her forehead. Manaka gasped, her body convulsed, and then went limp—completely unconscious.

Zoth stood up and dusted off his hands like he had just finished some mundane task. The corner of his mouth curled into a wicked grin as he moved to the next phase of his plan.

First, he detached the Omni Force Wonder Ride Book from his Driver. Then, he retrieved a fragment of the [Almighty Book], and quietly implanted it inside Manaka's body.

Next, he placed a hand on her forehead, injecting his consciousness directly into the depths of her soul—into her innermost mind. There, he began guiding her spirit, forcing it to connect with that mythical dimension: Wonder World.

She moaned, her body writhing in pain. But Zoth remained cold, unfeeling, unwavering.

This next step required absolute precision. If he failed, Manaka would be erased from existence. And if that happened, he'd have no choice but to turn to the other two candidates—Arcueid and Shiki.

No. Zoth had no intention of touching them. Messing with either would only invite unnecessary complications.

At last, when all the steps were completed, Zoth tilted his head back, eyes twitching violently, a manic grin tearing across his masked face:

"HAHAHAHAHA! NOW… LET IT BEGIN!!!"

He withdrew the [Almighty Book] fragment from Manaka's body, reattached it to the Omni Force, and hurled it high into the sky, roaring:

"NOW—MY SACRED BLADES!! AID ME IN ASCENDING TO THE APEX OF POWER!!!"

BOOM—!!!

From all directions, the Sacred Swords—Rekka, Nagare, Ikazuchi, Gekido, and others—shot into the sky. They swirled around each other, forming a colossal magic array that unleashed holy light bright enough to tear the night sky above Tokyo.

Zoth raised his hand again—this time summoning the Wonder Ride Books. They hovered, circling into rings of luminous glyphs. From within them, myths, legends, beasts, and fairy tales began to emerge—flooding into the modern city.

Citizens panicked.

Some screamed and fled.

Some stood frozen in awe.

Others excitedly pulled out their phones, clueless of the nightmare about to descend.

Zoth clenched the Omni Force tightly and launched it into the sky once more, his gaze burning with ferocity.

"NOW—ACHIEVE YOUR TRUE FORM, OMNI FORCE!!!"

BOOM—!!!

A torrent of divine light surged into the floating book… then redirected itself into Manaka.

She screamed in agony, her body spasming violently.

Her soul was torn from her flesh, drawn into the Omni Force, forming the perfect bridge between Tokyo and Wonder World.

From that mythical realm, fragments of the [Almighty Book] began to resonate… slowly converging, reforming, drawn by the stabilizing link.

BOOOOOM—!!!

A massive explosion ripped through the sky, vivid and blinding. Aurora light scattered in every direction.

The array, the swords, the Ride Books—gone. All absorbed back into Wonder World.

At the heart of the blast, a deep crimson light descended.

Zoth held out his hand to catch it.

Within his grasp was the Omni Force—unchanged in form… but the raw, overwhelming power surging through it made even Zoth shudder.

Without hesitation, he flipped open its first page.

A familiar mechanical voice echoed—not into his ears, but into his very soul:

[Omni Force!]

[When the power of ten Sacred Swords and nineteen Wonder Ride Books gathers here… Behold! The Evil God has born!]

Zoth laughed, savage and exultant. He snapped the book shut and slammed it into his Driver.

"Hen… shin!!"

Instantly, black mist and golden dust—like metallic glitter—swirled around him.

The massive Omni Force book slammed down, opening the first chapter of despair.

[Open The Omnibus!]

[Force Of The God!]

[Kamen Rider… Solomon!]

[Fear is coming… soon.]

BOOM—!!!

A cataclysmic detonation tore the entire district apart.

Scarlet gravitational force twisted the land, melted buildings, and warped space itself.

At the center of the chaos—a familiar figure emerged.

Gleaming white-gold armor, blood-red lines etched like the marks of a demon god.

Dark crimson lightning crackled around him, radiating an oppressive aura.

A tattered red cape whipped violently in the storm.

Twin burning eyes glowed with annihilating fury.

The horn atop his helmet looked more like a blade that could cleave the night sky.

He was still Kamen Rider Solomon…

…but no longer the one they once knew.

Zoth raised his hand, studying the energy sizzling off his palm…

Then, without warning, he flung it outward.

A burst of blood mist sprayed, consuming the ruins before him—melting everything like living acid.

Still not finished, Zoth unsheathed Bilgamed, raised it high, and slashed downward.

Golden letters hovered in the air:

[Annihilation!]

BANG—!!!

As if some divine force had taken over reality itself, a crimson orb manifested above Tokyo.

No explanation needed—it fell like a wrathful meteor.

Upon impact—everything vanished.

The entire city: people, buildings, vehicles, creatures…

All swallowed in a sea of blood and ash.

Zoth stood amidst the apocalypse, clutching his helmet and laughing like a madman:

"This… THIS is the power of the Omnipotent, Omniscient Book?! Ha! Now I see why Isaac, Storious, and all those rats wanted it so badly!"

His laughter echoed—like a funeral bell over a dead world.

But then…

He stopped.

Surveying the destruction he'd wrought, Zoth narrowed his eyes. He slowly raised Bilgamed again and traced a symbol in the air.

Golden letters floated:

[Restore.]

Slash—!!!

A wave of pure white energy swept outward, a divine tsunami.

One by one—buildings, streets, lives—were restored.

But Sajyou Manaka was gone.

She had been completely absorbed by Omni Force, becoming its eternal conduit to Wonder World—beyond resurrection.

Zoth knew it…

…but he didn't care.

Once everything had returned to normal, he lifted his hand again. A gentle pulse of energy spread from his fingertip, seeping into the minds of every Tokyo citizen—erasing all memory of the apocalypse.

No one remembered a thing.

No one spoke of a Rider in white and gold who destroyed and rebuilt a city in a single night.

Zoth turned away, stepping into the blood mist behind him.

"Let's go… Fuyuki still awaits. And that meaningless Holy Grail War..."

He smirked coldly.

"…I'll make sure it has meaning."

The mist swallowed him.

Tokyo was peaceful once more.

But the nightmare—

had only just begun.