Shiva starts narrating, though that's not immediately obvious. He talks about how there is something that goes through the three realms of existence where the three poisons of Buddhism flow to take in all desires and corrupt all living things, like a poisonous snake or a poisonous dragon. It's what you, Varuna-Kamadeva, left him. Deva Loka, with its System of Reincarnation, demanded that Shiva take on the role that would make the world turn. It's why Varuna-Kamadeva shot love into him, pushing Shiva into being the World Representative for the System of Reincarnation. Love is the attachment to the bond with someone, and Shiva compares it to a poisonous desire that took him into the cycle of reincarnation. It is because you love things and desire things that you cannot escape reincarnation.
Because of the above, Shiva rejected love. He chose to live the life of isolation rather than live as the World Representative or connect with someone. He denied the flames of love that burned within himself, deciding it was the best way to control himself. Shiva then talks about how he went against the path of life the world showed him and picked something for himself. That was his own decision...and yet, why was he still suffering so much? He wonders if even this pain was something that was set as part of the world's System. Why did Varuna-Kamadeva give him love? He knows the other devas put him up to it, but Shiva wanted to know why Varuna-Kamadeva chose to go along with it.
Shiva's narration then focuses on you, reincarnation of the primordial
dragon Varuna-Kamadeva who was accompanied by the sea beast Makara. He
sealed his third eye ever since the incident that gave him love, but he
can still see you as you were back then. The first time he awoke to love
and opened his third eye, you were there. It was then that he swore to
himself that he had to destroy you.
Back to the present, the Outlaws react in shock at seeing Possessed Shiva and Suzuka asks who or what he is. Ellie is somewhere in the sky as she comments on hearing a voice, a voice which seems to be coming from Shiva-Mahakala. Camera then shifts over to Shiva-Mahakala introducing himself as such and proclaiming to everyone suffering within the cycle of reincarnation that he will end all such suffering now with the destruction of the cycle. A part of Mahakala wraps around Shiva as Shiva descends onto Ikebukuro. His voice has a curious echo that spreads far and wide while seeming to absorb everything into it.
Camera shifts over to Teda standing around in some of the damage at Ikebukuro. He sees Shiva coming and gets pissed about how he was punched out by him earlier, so he tries to get payback for it by firing his NP at him. The arrow he shoots is like the flash of light of the sun itself, and it fires in a straight line right at Shiva-Mahakala. This arrow has the power to shine upon and destroy all shadows, and normally it can vaporize any Shadow in a blink no matter how big they are. It also has the power to strike true no matter how far the distance is between Teda and his target.
Despite all those powers, the arrow disappears silently as if sucked into a void to Teda's shock. After a moment, he understands what's going on due to his war god status. It's not some virtual image of a shadow he shot at, and he starts remembering something similar that happened back in Nirai Kanai. Teda calls it something like the abyss of the whole world, and he laughs about this being interesting. He runs off undaunted to make his next move.
Pollux, Andvari, and Macan are reacting in confusion as they look at what's happening, and Snow starts calling Macan over the headphones or whatever at this point. Macan complains that he's trying to think and that Snow is too loud, so Snow apologizes and says he'll turn the volume down as he asks Macan to not throw his communicator away. But back to what he was calling about, Snow asks Macan what he's thinking about what he sees. Macan says it's the power of Shangri La, the Bringer of Immortality that the both of them use. Snow agrees as he further describes it as that which moves life aside, reaches the void throne, and perpetuates existence.
Narration talks about how this is the basis of Shangri La's System, the faith of the void where the atman, the true self, does not exist anywhere. Snow's artifact is much the same, based on the same faith and represents the same power. The self is made of three components which is the body, the mind, and the spirit. The faith of Shangri La however holds that none of them are the real self, and as such they can say that so long as the three bodies are not destroyed at once, the true self won't be destroyed either. An enemy's attack will never reach your true self, and paradoxically that is how your self attains immortality. This is all due to faith of Shangri La, the world on the reverse side of Deva Loka and the world that has lost its horizon.
Snow picks back up to say that no attack will work on Shiva-Mahakala because of the above reasons. He compares him to a black hole that sucks everything in, then calls him a manifestation of the bringer of the faiths of Deva Loka and Shangri La using the former's power and the latter's class.
Scene then shifts to the Warmongers' base where Mephistopheles talks about how Shiva had rejected becoming a World Representative since the start of the game. He refused to accept the role of ending Reincarnation, which meant he also never perfectly displayed the power that came with it. RIght now however, he's been given a different role from outside, the role of Mahakala. Everything up to using the vessel that is Shiva was the point where the other Warmongers shared a common goal.
Duo says nothing as he listens, so Mephistopheles continues talking about how Shiva, the vessel who rejected his role, was combined with Mahakala, the contents who held no power. A Pseudo Enclosed Area and the breakthrough of the boundaries was needed to make this happen. Mephisto says it was a dangerous gamble, but hey look it worked. At this point, Mephisto supposes that if the enclosed area were to be taken down, Shiva won't return to his original state. He reasons that if the zone were let up, Shiva wouldn't be affected by the memory rollback. The memories of the guardian of Shadows Mahakala are already hidden within Shiva and won't be removed, he says.
Scene then shifts to your end as Mahakala speaks to you through Shiva, his voice described as full of pity that seems it could permeate to your soul. You either say Mahakala's name or stay silent, but either way Mahakala talks about how he finally has the power to save those worthy of mercy. You ask what he means by saving or mercy, so Mahakala asks if you don't think you and Mononobe are people to be pitied. As he says this, Mononobe has somehow been teleported next to him, which alarms you.
Mahakala talks about how Mononobe has been worn out from countless loops, then asks again if you feel if eternal reincarnation is something to be pitied. He argues that an eternal dream is what causes misery, so he'll save people from that pain. You ask him if he means he's going to end the game, so Mahakala confirms as such and says he'll also put an end to people who would try to continue the endless war game. He'd also put an end to everyone living in this world, no distinctions will be made between people. Good, evil, children, adults, those forcing the reincarnation and those forced into reincarnation. All of them put to an end. When you ask further into this, Mahakala says salvation exists even for those who bring reincarnation. It's why he was sealed in the void horizon by the people who imprisoned Tokyo in eternal reincarnation.
Narration starts up about how there are things that will never happen in this world, like the land shaking, the sky tearing apart, and the miracle of gold falling from the sky. The World Representatives all know that sacrifice is necessary for maintaining the world. So long as they wish for the happiness for the greatest number of people possible at the smallest amount of suffering, someone will be forced to bear the misfortune and be fated to be exiled from the world. Tokyo is no exception.
Back to the present, Mahakala keeps talking about how everyone will be saved, even the ones who watch over the cycle of reincarnation. No one will have to suffer for eternity. Everything will end with equality, and that is what his salvation is. You ask after a moment what will be left after Mahakala brings about his salvation, so he answers that nothing will be left. Everything will be returned to zero. Maybe things might restart from the beginning again, but no one who exists now would know because no one who would remember would be left. Mahakala insists that this is the only way to be saved, and there is no alternative to denying the eternity of the 24 worlds. Mahakala then asks for your agreement as the pitable one who was toyed with by the eternal ones, saying that would be salvation in itself. You keep silent.
Mahakala talks about how you tried to break the game and rejected the endless repetitions. He argues that its opposite should be the correct answer you're looking for, and Shiva is noted to not say anything. The two of them stare at you as they await your answer, and you tell them that they might be right in that there is no other way. Mahakala looks sad for a moment before he starts interpreting your answer as an agreement when you cut him off to talk about what Mononobe had told you on the first day you came to school. He's curious as to what you're getting at, so he lets you continue.
You think back to the day you transferred in, and a flashback occurs of that time where Mononobe notices the gang, Jinn, and Triton all spying on you guys as he sighs about how peeking isn't an admirable thing to do. Ryouta laughs about hearing about you coming to their school, and Shirou trips over his tongue saying he wanted to welcome you. Kengo says he didn't really care, but the other two bugged him into coming along. Triton is happy to have another beloved student join in while Jinn excitedly offers to show you around and to the dorms. Mononobe comments that they could have waited until after a decision was made at least.
But back to the current conversation, you talk about you were given many futures at that time, and how Mononobe always let you choose and gave you the time to make a decision. Kengo calls your name in concern, and you talk about how there's always other possibilities and that you'll probably always worry about them. But based on those thoughts, you reject the idea that the only choices before you is eternal suffering or the end of all things. Mahakala starts to say something about your position when you preempt him and tell him you won't let everything end yet.
Mahakala is quiet for a moment before saying he knew what your answer would be. He then refers to you as the Exile of Shangri La and says war really can be the only thing between the two of you. Mahakala then activates his power under the name of Shiva-Mahakala to summon the dead, and a bunch of soldier mobs start screaming about being dragged into the shadows before they come back up possessed. Balor has been summoned as one of the possessed too. Kengo notes how many mobs have been summoned and points out the big guy standing up front. You also see the numbers summoned against you as you are now surrounded and see Balor among them.
Mahakala says it's not just the Warmongers troops he's got, but everyone who has fallen up to this point is part of his power as possessed angels turn up too. Mahakala talks about how the regrets of those who fell in past loops all become his strength, and he says that they wish for an end to the repeating sadness. He declares that you guys have no chance of winning this war, and Kengo looks concerned about the odds stacked against you guys. Mahakala talks about how power is the only thing that matters in war, and the ones who are always in power are the ones who make their choices a reality. The majority overrides the minority, and this is the truth of the world that no amount of people can overturn. Mahakala then proclaims to you that the minority can only accept the will of the majority, no matter the world they're in.
Scene then shifts to Claude and Minamoto's Zoom call as they've apparently been talking about the current situation and Warmongers' plans, and Claude comments on understanding what those plans are now. They're using a majority to suppress the battlefield, and Claude notes that numbers do matter when it comes to war. In chess, the king is the only ally you have, your enemies are perfect, and you have no ways of escaping. In that situation, it would be checkmate. There was never a chance of winning to begin with...but that only applies if this is war Claude says. He then informs Minamoto that he stopped being interested in playing the same game a long time ago.
Minamoto looks surprised, and Claude talks about how in chess you don't get to pick up new forces. But shogi however, this is totally a thing. Claude talks about not being interested in winning a chess game. What he cares about is the gorgeous entrance of his beloved fighters and the brilliant stage of battle. The Berserkers have an ace up their sleeves just like the Warmongers have their ultimate weapon. Claude does admit that they wouldn't be any help in a war since they'd always destroy everyone's plans whether enemy or ally. Their brilliance is first rate though, and Claude promises their magnificence and buffoonery is the best. Claude then orders the joker of the Berserkers to get on the board.
Scene shifts back to Ikebukuro as Cthugha reveals himself by yelling out a dramatic sound effect. You react with confusion then alarm since Cthugha also threw in an explosion of the ground to his arrival, and Cthugha starts worrying he messed up again as he says he tried to make a fireball that was only 8000 degrees. Kengo is baffled at his arrival and asks who Cthugha is supposed to be, so Cthugha introduces himself as the Living Flame from Old Ones and gives his name, then asks if this is the long awaited entrance of the protagonist.
You are baffled at Cthugha's speech, and Snow starts trying to talk to you at this point. He asks you buy him some time since the preparations are almost done, at which point he says he'll manage the show. Snow then addresses everyone else he's talking to to say that the dull repeated war is now a thing of the past, and what now lies before you guys is the magnificent stage of battle that Claude wishes for as the episode battle begins.
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