The Infinite Summoning: A Root's Final Joke
Chapter 1: Summoning Disarray
It was 3:14 AM when the world changed. Chaldea's summoning chamber was brightly lit, runes and machines humming with arcane energy, when the seal flickered, rippled, and something impossibly blue and alive burst into being. There was no screaming herald from the Throne of Heroes, no shape or form that matched any legend. Instead, sprawled on the warm tile floor before Saber's bed, a grinning young man in a black blindfold and patterned jacket shook himself awake. "Yo, nice place," the stranger said cheerfully. Artoria Pendragon, still in her nightgown, had already leapt to her feet. Her sword, Excalibur, gleamed with holy light as she lunged forward in a furious strike.
Time seemed to slow. The mystery man's body twitched with a playful amusement as Artoria's blade barreled toward his chest. Her eyes blazed with kingly authority. "Who are you, intruder? Speak now or fall!" she demanded, warrior's pride aflame. She raised her sword again and swung. Without moving a muscle, the blonde girl saw the world freeze as a spherical field of shimmering blue wrapped around her blade. The strike stalled against an invisible wall and fizzled. The man sat up, one hand at ease on his knee, and flashed her a dazzling smile. "Nice sword," he said casually, "but still not fast enough, I'm afraid. I'm Satoru. Satoru Gojo."
Artoria stared, clutching her sword. "Gojo… Satoru? A Servant?" Panic and wariness warred on her face. This was wrong. He didn't shine like a Servant, nor did he call on any legend's name. He spoke as if a casual human. He shouldn't be here at all. She raised her sword again, fury returning.
He stood up, towering over her, and snapped his fingers. A giggle of air whooshed around them as the flickering walls of Artoria's chamber stuttered and shimmering diagrams appeared on every surface—sigils being drawn with glowing lines. "Accidentally summoned half-dimension you? My bad." Gojo's grin was cocky, amused. With a gentle wave of his free hand he brushed past Artoria and sauntered toward her window. "Hey, sorry to barge in so early, King Artoria. I like an audience, though. Thanks for waking up!"
Excalibur sang as Artoria responded. "This is not a summon, your words are meaningless! I will not yield to chaos!" she thundered. Light gathered in the blade's edge as she struck. Gojo, leaning casually against the windowsill, offered his hand. In a flash like a breath, Artoria's strike halted; the room around them stilled like the universe paused, one second before time creaked on again. Gojo flicked his fingers, and Artoria found herself seated, sword laid gently aside on the floor.
She was bewildered. Angry. Confused by these impossible tricks. "Release me!" she ordered, trying to stand but feeling an unseen force like laughter holding her down. Her noble cheeks glowed with an odd flush. The black blindfold of the stranger came up, revealing eyes of the deepest emerald. Those eyes sparkled beneath stars of serenity and mischief. "I'm not here to fight you," Gojo said, voice calm. "But since you insisted on meeting me in such an aggressive way, perhaps I deserved it. I am… a Root-linked entity, summoned by mistake. It's a long story. Can't I crash on your couch for a bit?"
The instants stretched long; Artoria scowled, trying to fathom what any of this meant. Her hand drifted to Excalibur's hilt. Gojo held up his hands in mock surrender. "Relax, monarch friend. I'm not a berserker or a beast. I'm just a guy who got dropped into your world by… whatever cosmic clumsiness. Trust me, I prefer fists to swords."
Jeanne d'Arc, practicing her saintly sign in the hallway, overheard the commotion. Rushing in, flames flickering in her eyes, she gazed in shock: Gojo Satoru, standing calmly in Artoria's room, casually whistling. The sight was so absurd that even her stern veil faltered. "Artoria, did… you call forth a new Heroic Spirit?" Jeanne asked, perplexed.
"What the hell is this?" Artoria spat, furious to share her living quarters with this boisterous intruder. Jeanne floated in, gleaming sword ignited. "I am not a summoned Servant!" Gojo quipped, bowing his head like an overly dramatic host. "Just call me… the guy who gatecrashed your happy little gathering." He stretched. "I take it I'm not on the guest list? That's fine. I make my own rules."
Saber huffed. Jeanne crossed her arms defensively. Their confusion and irritation did not match the newcomer's easy, even playful, tone. Gojo rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, ladies, I know I'm not supposed to be here. But honestly, this whole scene is too good to miss. Besides, the Root… yeah, apparently the Root said I'm to stick around. So… hi?"
Both heroic spirits glared suspiciously. Mash Kyrielight peered around the door, worry written on her face. "Saber, Jeanne, maybe we should —" she began. Gojo flipped his blindfold back on with a snap. "And I'm sorry, I'm literally making you late for everything. No harm done, right?"
He flashed Artoria a wink and strolled out of the room, hands in pockets. Artoria leapt up, but her sword felt heavy with worry. "Chaldea… do something!" she yelled after him.
Da Vinci, working late in her research lab, suddenly sensed disturbance. "Great Jeannu!" Jeanne exclaimed as the two approached her space. Leaping atop a workbench, Da Vinci stared at the stranger. "Yes? Who are you to barge in here with boots on my fine Italian tiles?" she demanded with laugh and menace.
Gojo turned, grinning cheekily. "Sup, Davinci-chan," he said at full salute. The blond technician "Uh? Did you just address me casually?" asked da Vinci, adjusting goggles. Gojo tapped his temple. "Not my fault, I always talk like this. Look, maybe I can help? I'm like Infinity guy. Lemme try rewriting your summoning circle or something? Might be fun."
Da Vinci blinked at the suggestion, eyes narrowing behind goggles. "Rewriting my summoning circle… with his hands? I don't recall that being possible." He pressed a finger on the diagram on the lab table and traced a wobbly infinity sign. The entire floor crackled with gentle energy. "Oh, that's right. I'm not from your world. That's fine. Means I can do this." The sign glowed and expanded, and her circle shimmered, temporarily replaced by swirling symbols.
Sculpting a grin of chaos, Gojo hopped off the bench. "This sure beats chores. Allow me to take a walk!"
Chapter 2: Stomping Grounds of Chaos
He wandered through Chaldea's halls like it was his own campus. Servers storing great spells and magical research whirled past in his sights. Corridors of white stone and stained glass yielded to him. Gojo even tapped open locked doors by merely pointing, as if testing them for readiness. It was like the place bent around him. Everyone who glimpsed him felt his presence disturb something deep, like the ground's story shifting beneath heavy feet. Magic systems scrolled and reconfigured themselves around him as if reacting to a new kind of authority.
First stop: the Great Hall, where breakfast preparations were underway. Karna, golden-limbed Lancer of India, was already seated, polishing his armor to a mirror sheen. A white cloth napkin was on the table. Gojo swaggered in and plopped down opposite him. "Morning," he said yawning, throwing a bow of his head. Karna raised an eyebrow. "You are not supposed to be here. Who are you?"
Gojo replied, grabbing a napkin. He folded it into a crude shuriken and flicked it gently across the table. The weapon whistled through the air… and ended up plastered innocuously on the wall behind Karna. "Check that out," Gojo said with a grin. "New currency?" Karna glared, but a hint of a smirk tugged his lips. He blinked—Gojo really had pulled out a napkin ninja star.
Playfully, Karna folded another napkin swiftly and tossed a miniature spear. Gojo caught it. Realizing the gameday vibe, the two began an impromptu spar. Invisible energy barriers flashed, simple punches felt like meteor blows as they lightly slapped each other with folded paper and wind. All manner of origami forms whirled between them: swans, lotus blades, even an origami dragon that fizzled in midair. Eventually, they collapsed laughing on the table, one final napkin ninja star pinned Kaoru's favorite painting of infinity symbol on the wall.
"Not bad," Karna chuckled. The others in the hall gaped. Mash, already near the door, hid behind a tall pantry cupboard just to giggle. Gojo looked up, invitingly. "Try one, teacher? I'll loan you a towel." He winked, and Karna's serious golden gaze softened into a grin. For a brief moment, it was a friendly spar, no blood, no war.
By midday, word of Gojo's bizarre wanderings had spread. In the library, Morgan le Fay was bent over grimoires. The tall, elegant sorceress looked up as Gojo sidled in, strolling aimlessly. He flipped open a book on "Time's Unpredictable Nexus" and pretended to read. Pages fluttered themselves blank under his eyes. "Oh, do those scribbles on summoning circles really matter? Maybe try my Infinity trick instead," he joked, drawing an elaborate infinity diagram on the ancient page.
Morgan smirked. "Interesting chameleon act. Or are you truly ignorant of the rules of magecraft?" She put away her books and stood, her cape swirling. "Who are you, that walks so freely in these halls?"
He shrugged. "I'm just a guy telling fate it can shove it. Plainly, I think rules are suggestions. Who are you supposed to be? Some kind of holiday planner from Avalon?"
Morgan eyed him, amused. "For someone who knows no honor or lineage, you've some nerve. Yet I smell no curse. Perhaps you are… friend or jester?"
"Friend's the plan. Jester's fun too," Gojo answered. "My name's Gojo Satoru. Nice robes you have. Did you conjure that or borrow from a wizard at the flea market?"
Morgan laughed, a low, melodic sound. "A curious spirit, indeed. If only you could feel threat to hear my laughter." She leaned close. "Unbound from history. Bound to nothing. A Root's child, perhaps?"
A slow grin curled on Gojo's face. "First time I heard about that too. But hey, being Root's favorite means I get to roam free. Enjoying my new open-world map?"
He strolled out, leaving Morgan to half-laugh and half-frown in intrigue.
Next, Mash stumbled upon him while patrolling the hallways. Gojo turned a corridor into a catwalk, hands in jacket pockets, as he followed Mash. Tired from chasing down anomalies all day, she barely noticed at first until he tapped her shoulder. "Careful, your destiny is showing," he teased. Mash's face flared red; despite her training, she was gentle, kind—certainly unprepared for Gojo's brand of teasing. He didn't flirt, exactly, but he had a bravado that made her catch her breath. One eyebrow raised behind her glasses as he grinned. "Sorry," he said playfully. "You're just too cute concentrating. My bad."
She blinked, completely flustered. "I-I'm focusing on my mission!" Mash squeaked.
He leaned against the stone wall and folded his arms. "Good. Focus on me too." Mash froze; her cheeks glowed brighter than the data slate she held. "I'll… um… supervise," she whispered. He laughed and saluted her awkwardly. "Thank you, commissioner. I'll behave… maybe."
And behave he did not. That afternoon, he waltzed into Da Vinci's workshop. She looked up from her latest sculpture—a bust of William Shakespeare—and exclaimed, "What in the name of artsy alchemy are you wearing?"
Gojo held up the sleeve of his jacket. "This old thing? Told you—look at that nifty pattern. Infinity," he said, adjusting his blindfold with a grin. Da Vinci almost dropped her sculpting chisel. "You can see? Impossible—"
"I see everything," Gojo replied casually. "Well, everything except instructions. Kind of flew in off the cosmic winds. But hey, how's about I experiment on the Mona Lisa?"
No one knew exactly what happened in that workshop for the next minute. All that da Vinci recalled was a whoosh of bluish light, the hum of Gojo's laughter, and when she blinked… a tiny floating infinity symbol made out of carrots bounced above her head. Da Vinci, wide-eyed, could only marvel: the vegetables on her desk had been rearranged into perfect bunsen burner stations. "He's messing with me," she concluded.
"Not a problem, Davinci-chan," he winked. "Want an eyeball cupcake?" Without waiting for her reply, he bowed theatrically and vanished, cloak and all, down the hallway.
Even Solomonic advisors could not keep pace. Gideon, a confused Caster, nearly fainted when his guest from the mirrorverse was a jumbled paragraph of Gojo-themed graffiti that disappeared as he turned. Mash and Da Vinci exchanged bewildered glances. The world was literally rewriting itself around him.
Chapter 3: Beyond Chaldea's Walls
The moment Gojo stepped outdoors, the air itself startled. Birds froze mid-flight, and reality snapped like overstretched paper. He grinned. It felt just right to burst any mortal boundary.
Later that evening, with dawn breaking, something extraordinary happened: he discovered he could travel where normal humans could not. A simple clap and thought was enough. Suddenly he stood on the cratered silver surface of a pale world — the World of the Moon. Green Earth hung low in the black sky; the entire Blue marble was eerily present, a planet of blue beauty swirling far beneath him.
"Oh, neat," Gojo mumbled, squinting under the light. "No Moon Rabbits, huh? They look like rabbits."
A voice like winter wind slid up behind him: "Who dares to tread upon the Moon?" A tall figure stepped into the pale light: a woman with short gold hair and red eyes, clad in a flowing white dress. She held a stake like a skewer, leaning on it with casual menace. Arcueid Brunestud, the White Princess of the Moon.
"You a vampire or something, ma'am?" Gojo asked, casually examining her pointy wooden stake. "Cool stake, by the way. Custom, or artisan?"
Arcueid laughed softly. "You're… exceedingly peculiar. I should slay you for trespassing." With surprising speed, she lunged, stake aimed.
Before Arcueid could react, a dome of light swallowed Gojo. Blue energy flickered everywhere and the Moon's ground melted into a grid of glowing pattern lines. Everything froze — including Arcueid mid-lunge. "Ah, sorry. Not meant to hurt your feelings," Gojo said with a small shrug as he tapped the stake. It zapped and transformed into a bouquet of daisies. Arcueid blinked.
He gave her a grin. "I'm Satoru Gojo. Friend to ghosts, monsters, and admittedly, goats on Earth." Arcueid quirked an eyebrow, appraising. Slowly, realization dawned. "A domain?" she whispered, half-awe, half-suspicion. "Yes. Blessings of Infinity. I wandered too far again."
Arcueid canted her head. "Never heard a mortal speak so." She eased off guard, recognizing his power. "Moonblood will send you away, demon," she threatened lightly, but something about his nature intrigued her.
Gojo sighed theatrically. "Look, I just want a quick tour. Mind if I spin the globe back to that Earth view?" He snapped his fingers. The world rotated, showing Earth more clearly; Arcueid saw Japan shining from orbit. Suddenly, luminous tendrils of realm bound from Gojo, connecting Earth to the Moon. Tendrils formed a colorful bridge. "Wanna go back to Earth? Hop on this cosmic bus," he offered with a laugh.
Arcueid hesitated. Things on Earth were messy, but that Golden-haired weird boy might be interesting. "I should kill you," she smiled more gently. "But I suspect you'd just end up being rude again."
"Exactly," Gojo said, bowing mockingly. "Killing me would ruin the fun. Now, let's find some place to hang out—maybe a café on the Moon?"
Arcueid reluctantly agreed, and the two vanished back to Chaldea in a flicker of light.
Later, drawn by the weird lines of influence, Scáthach the crimson-haired Lancer of the Otherworld appeared. She had a spear raised high as she sprinted around the outer grounds. "Who interferes with the layers of fate?" she demanded, confusion in her calm eyes. She recognized unfamiliar patterns of power.
Gojo threw a snowflake punch at a cloud above him, scattering it. "Oh, Scáthach! Great to see you practicing. Try to catch me, old timer," he teased, then dashed away. Scáthach gave chase, spear in hand. Their fight erupted at dawn: striking spear thrusted, gleaming hand-blocked, swirling air blasts forming storms. Gojo zipped around her in bursts of blue light, each time laughing and twisting.
"It's been too long since I had a good spar," Scáthach said solemnly, once managing to land a glancing blow with her sacred spear. Gojo merely flicked the spear aside; it vanished in a blink, replaced by petals swirling in the breeze. Unfazed, he shot her a grin. "You'll have to try harder, Gramps!"
Scáthach only raised her free hand. A mass of spear-thorns shot from the ground toward Gojo. He stepped aside, grinning all the way. "Heh. That's mighty impressive. But not enough!" he said, pressing forward.
A gigantic grid of blue sprang from the ground, shutting out her attacks instantly. Gojo stood at center, hands behind his back. "Gotcha. Easy peasy," he declared. The runic web shimmered, and Scáthach stepped out, lowering her spear, a hint of a smirk on her lips. They both laughed at the spectacle.
Later, Jeanne approached quietly to watch these show-offs. Gojo finished a laugh and straightened up. "Jeanne, fancy meeting you here," he greeted, bowing grandly. She stood ready with a glowing banner and sign of Atonement. Artoria huffed in the background. "He's a menace," she whispered.
Jeanne smiled softly at the masked man. "You are certainly… unconventional."
"I aim to be," Gojo said. He gestured dramatically, making her banner swirl into an infinity loop above his head. "Care for a ride, Ruler?" he offered. They hopped onto the loop of light; Gojo mused about seeing the hall from above. Jeanne grasped the ethereal edge and giggled quietly, falling into easy conversation. He complimented her calm leadership; she responded with saintly grace.
Just then, Kama sauntered by — goddess of passion and death, wearing lace and a sly smile. She caught sight of Gojo dangling in midair and came running. "You must be new to Chaldea," she said coiling toward him like a cat. "Such fun, such an aura. Tell me your name, handsome."
Gently, Gojo spun himself down, still carrying the infinity ribbon. Seeing Kama approach, he chuckled. "Kama!" he said as if greeting an old friend. "I've heard about you. Truly, you're even more stunning in person. What's a goddess like you doing in a place like this?"
She pouted in mock offense. "Heh. I like your confidence. But I don't think I need to contract with a stranger."
Gojo slid off the loop and dusted his pants. "Suit yourself. I'm kinda freelance right now. No contract needed if you just accept the terms: endless sarcasm, possible infinite loop of bad jokes, may cause fatal attraction. Side effects: heavy heart palpitations, fits of laughter."
Kama's cheeks pinked. "You're ridiculous," she said, but she laughed.
He gave her a goofy salute. "Mission accomplished. If you'll excuse me, got a parade to ruin."
At Tiamat's temple on a distant isle, something was off. Sky tore and lightnings flickered; a massive tentacled beast stirred from centuries of dreaming. Tiamat had appeared — awakened as an avatar of Earth itself. As the colossal goddess ascended, building skyscrapers trembled. People screamed as she roared, summoning meteors and storms in an angry tantrum at humanity.
Gojo strolled calmly down the dock. He took off his blindfold, revealing eyes shining with icy determination. "Morning," he said as casually as if joining a picnic. Tiamat looked down, furious. "Who dares…"
"Name's Gojo Satoru," he shouted over thunder. "You wanted a fight? Come on, do your worst."
She spat mountains at him. He caught one mid-air and tossed it aside with two fingers. Her vermilion eyes widened — no human had ever done that. "Impossible," she hissed.
"This your best?" Gojo asked, arms crossed. Lightning wrapped him in cracks of blue electricity like jewelry. Domain markers blossomed: infinity patterns bled into the landscape, light bending into fine tracery. She unleashed a tsunami; he narrowed his eyes, and the wave parted around him in perfect arcs. She launched dozens of meteors; he deflected them with a finger snap.
Gigantic fists collided with air as the two titans battled. The ground shattered on every footstep they took. Tiamat roared and used her primordial powers, but Gojo waltzed through it laughing. Finally, he stamped a boot to the earth and unleashed his ultimate: a crack of pure hollow purple blasted across the battlefield. The air exploded with blinding light and seismic winds.
When the dust settled, Tiamat lay transformed into a garden of flowers, sleeping gently. "Pff, Bambi just needed a bedtime story," Gojo shrugged. He shrugged off her defeated form. The crowd stared, open-mouthed. He simply dusted imaginary dirt off his hands and waved goodbye. "Catch you later, Big Mama."
As the world trembled in aftermath, Arcueid quietly appeared, holding shards of her nearly shattered reality. She gently touched the field of flowers. Amazed, Arcueid turned to him: "So you fought Tiamat and…?" She stared at him in disbelief. He gave her a modest nod, as if approving the weekend's gardening. "Yeah. She went quiet after. Guess she's on fire-watch."
Arcueid smirked, crimson eyes glinting. "Leave chaos to you, it seems," she said softly. Gojo ruffled her hair. "Glad you approve. You might visit anytime, though. I do spring cleaning too."
Chapter 4: Riot of Realms and Romance
Gojo's existence had begun to warp reality itself. He tested boundaries freely. The next day, Chaldea's next mission began in the mission room. Ritsuka and several Servants gathered around a hunkering holographic table, planning to dispatch a Divine Spirit that had crashed into Britain. As they chanted incantations and drew circles, Gojo wandered in.
"Hey, summoning's happening, yeah?" He peered over their shoulders. "No need for all that rigamarole, boss. I can call them. Hey, Khorne, come here," he joked, flicking his index finger. A simple blue orb of energy popped above his hand. Jeanne and Artoria flinched. "Oops, wrong script." He rubbed his head. "So not used to this. I mean that holy energy you guys pumped into me earlier…"
Artoria glowered, ready to explain. But just then, the summoning circle, wheels spinning, sputtered and spat magic. The barriers flickered around Gojo's presence — he literally rewrote their formulas. Satoru grinned. "See? Doesn't need a bunch of fuss." He traced a large infinity on the table in blue flickering lines. The summoning circle accepted it like code. "I'll hold it, okay? Smash them before they form!" he said.
Before anyone could protest, a figure coalesced in the circle. The Divine Spirit emerged with a roar — a giant lion-headed woman shimmering in holy aura. But Gojo, impatient as ever, flicked his wrist. Instantly, the Divine Spirit was caught in a mini domain of infinity. Her movements slowed, arcs of blue light curving around her limbs.
"Dude, what the—" Ritsuka exclaimed. The Goddess glared at them. But Artoria and Jeanne gasped. They recognized the silhouette. That was Ishtar, the Divine Spirit of the Heroic Spirits series! How had they summoned her with such speed?
Gojo shrugged. "Infinite loop trap. Think of it as a temporary nap."
Ishtar batted the light off and exploded out of the trap, bow drawn. "Pathetic mortal to harness my power. I should—"
Gojo took a casual step. "Yeah, yeah, yes you would. Buuuut…" He tapped out two fingers and extended his palms. In an instant, his famed domain Unlimited Void unfurled around Ishtar. Time fractured, ideas streamed in, senses overloaded in a flash.
Ishtar screamed as a thousand worlds' worth of information hit her at once. Gojo said, "If you want a more permanent party, come this way," then clicked his tongue. He spread his arms wide. The infinite realm drew Ishtar's astral projection away. For everyone else, the goddess vanished with a pop, leaving them in stunned silence.
Ishtar's presence shimmered on Gojo's field and then drifted away. He lowered his arms with a grin. "Sorry, should've warned you, doc," he said to Ritsuka. "Got any more Demons wanting invites?"
Karna, nearby, called out with a laugh, "He's playing god and everyone's just enjoying the show." Mash covered her mouth to stop from giggling. Artoria crossed her arms, scowling at Gojo as though still suspect. Jeanne looked troubled by how easily he shattered rules of summoning and domain.
Kama quietly appeared behind him, her aura lazy and inviting as always. "That's one way to answer a prayer," she remarked, touching Gojo's shoulder. Gojo turned, looking down at her. She smirked mischievously. "Just hope you know how to treat a goddess like me."
He raised an eyebrow. "Treated? Don't flatter yourself," he retorted playfully. But in the quiet that followed, they both felt the sudden weight of possibilities. Did he fancy her? Or was he oblivious? Kama's violet eyes shone a shade darker.
Even Morgan arrived in the corridor, tossing a coin in her hand. "I suppose we may have to rewrite the rules of magecraft now," she said in an amused purr. Gojo offered a theatrical curtsy. "At your service. I always did love improvisation."
Jeanne sighed softly. She watched Gojo strolling away like an unscripted comic relief hero. "The Root's child indeed," she murmured. "He is beyond comprehension." Artoria watched him too, warily curious. Mash just bit her lip, the idea of him pulling pranks—or more—unsettlingly thrilling.
From the command center, Gilgamesh watched the chaos with narrowed eyes. He circled the deck in his characteristic red cape. "So this is the fool the Great Root summoned? How entertaining," he mused. "He defies our Throne, our Mana, everything. The Root's way of mocking us?"
Behind him, Solomon stood quietly, robes flowing like pages of a forgotten book. The wise king stared at the floating infinity loop outside the window where Gojo played with Jeanne. His brow furrowed. "He… sees the weft of reality. The Root flows into him. Is he friend or peril?" Gilgamesh chuckled. "Does it matter, King of Magecraft? A new player in the field means games."
Chapter 5: The Root's Gaze
On the edge of reality, the Root itself stirred. Akasha, the Unconstrained Realm, was an ever-watching void. That vast expanse took notice as the outsider's laughter rippled through the lattice of Fate.
A silent, rose window of pulsing light appeared in an empty sanctum. Gojo stood within it, serene in the center, surrounded by swirling glyphs. Written in fractal patterns on his palms and feet was the very design of the Root's flowering, humming energy. He could feel it at the tip of every thought — the Root swirling knowledge and possibility through him, whispering on paradoxical breezes.
Beside him materialized a robed figure — an aspect of the Root, neither male nor female, both calm and curious. Its voice was countless voices in one. "Gojo Satoru… child of Infinity, observer of all worlds… Do you understand why you have come?"
Gojo tilted his head, still in the halo of light. "Honestly? I think I asked first. But the feeling's neat," he joked softly.
The Root-affinity figure's vast gaze took in Gojo's defiant grin. "You violate every law, every expectation," it stated. "Your presence tears at the tapestry of History. Why, when all should be respected, do you so merrily violate fate's lines?"
Gojo clapped. "Round of applause, master. I live to entertain destiny."
The figure drifted closer. "Yet you are not madness. The Root flows in you. Perhaps you are its final jest."
He walked a circle around it. The Root-essence followed, ribbons of energy caressing his aura. "I don't know, man. But I feel something changing."
"Infinity and Truth," it whispered, more perceptive. "You wield these."
Gojo stepped forward in its form. "You could say that. I kinda learned domain expansion over cocktails last weekend."
The Root chuckled, faint but infinite. As laughter bubbled, the cosmic spaces they stood in shattered like fragile glass. Gojo felt a sensation like stepping through the back of the tapestry — a universe-in-universe.
Suddenly, Earth's skies were all around him, but fractured into multiple dawns and dusks at once. He saw the World of the Moon, the Reverse Side of the World where Arcueid tread, and the Domain of the Dead where countless souls swirl. The architecture of fate was hanging by strings overhead.
Artoria, Jeanne, Mash, even Ritsuka appeared, tiny motes swirling at the heart of each configuration. All looked up at him as if he were a sun.
He threw his head back and laughed maniacally, tongue on teeth sharp as blades. The Root's light rippled from his body. "Let's keep dancing, fate!" he cried.
Back at Chaldea, reality flickered visibly. The screens on lab consoles started showing strange infinity sigils, the walls pried at their seams.
Tiamat awoke fully, confused by the delay. She rumbled, her voice echoing in the cosmos. In every timeline, she was the greatest of beasts. Yet here was someone else ascending.
In the sky, a star fell — and emerged as Arcueid on moonlight wings. She landed by him, calm. "I feel it too," she whispered. "The ending of everything… or the beginning."
Scáthach stepped from the mist on the moors, spear crackling. "Hero of worlds," she greeted. Karna rode lightning down from the clouds. Jeanne and Artoria came, drawn by the cosmic anomaly at Chaldea. Morgan appeared beside Gojo with curious grin.
The Root watcher asked, "Do you know what it is you are?"
"I'm just a guy who showed up for fun," Gojo replied. "I guess I'm the fate system's punchline."
The Root's presence shimmered. The figure asked, "Will you continue as such? Will you claim your name among heroes, or will you erase them as easily as you erased Tiamat?"
Silence hung heavy. Jeanne stepped forward, determined. "We fear what we cannot control. But you have defended us too. So tell us, Gojo Satoru — what is your purpose?"
Gojo tilted his head, gazing at everyone. His domain had stabilized the world for a moment — it was like he was the eye of a storm swirling around him. "My purpose?" Gojo said quietly. He then took Artoria's hand, Kenji's, Mash's, everyone's. "My purpose is whatever I want it to be."
He raised his arms, stretching wide. "And right now? It's not over."
Suddenly, an immense surge of power — not from any single god but from all of the Throne combined — tried to push him down. The ground cracked and sand fell away; golden light rained from above, the Holy Grail itself aflame. The Root facet flickered, alarmed.
Gilgamesh, Solomon, and all the Heroic Spirits from Chaldea appeared in a shining ring beyond the veil. Each one unsheathed iconic armaments: Excalibur flashing, Gates of Babylon erupting, and Tzimisce blades whirling. Tiamat, fully risen now, rained meteorites. The world's end seemed at hand.
Gilgamesh thundered: "Mortal, who dares claim dominion over divine decree?"
Gojo cocked an eye. "Eh, not my style. Actually, I just thought I'd mess around. Spoiler: You all invited me, right?"
Karna flew forward from Gilgamesh's side, golden spear aimed. Gojo countered with a gentle palm block, sending Karna sliding back unhurt but surprised. "Woah! I asked politely," said Gilgamesh.
Solomon ascended from earth's core on a cathedral of light. "Child of Infinity, answer me. Are you threat or hope? Truth or lie?"
Gojo placed a hand on Solomon's shoulder with a playful pat. "I'm everything and nothing," he laughed. "Honestly, I'm just curious." He scanned each hero, each idea in their faces. "You guys, seriously, lighten up. I'm the Root's funny side, remember?"
Jeanne stepped between them. "Should we trust him?"
Artoria's grip tightened on Excalibur. "He has the power of a God. He answers to no one."
Gilgamesh scowled and shot Gojo a challenging eye. Solomonic light blazed around them, swirling with the Root's essence. Gojo, barehanded, clapped once, and an infinite void blossomed. In that blink, he was everywhere: in Gilgamesh's heart, in Solomon's mind, in Tiamat's ear. He knelt in mock prayer. "Hi, I'm Gojo. Wanna tag-team on the Root for a bit?"
For a moment, none moved. Then a roar of laughter exploded from Scáthach and Morgan. Artoria let out a battle cry and leapt forward, wanting to test this man fully. Jeanne shouted, "Hold back!"
Magical forces tore at each other. All the servants and masters stepped in to brace for an impossible showdown. The Root stood quiet, fascinated.
Chapter 6: The Root's Final Joke
Gojo soared across the skies, a white streak of blue. Artoria, with Excalibur, chased him through the clouds. In their wake were dozens of legendary weapons— some summoned by Gilgamesh, others conjured by Solomon— all trying to pin him down.
Yet every strike Gojo dodged with a grin, or simply sliced in two, or turned invisible against with swirling distortions of light. Excalibur met another Excalibur in midair; they sparked and burst. Jeanne unrolled her flag, mounting her holy banner above. Gojo dashed under it, intimately close to her. His whispered, "Careful, Saint, you stepped on my wing," made Jeanne blush red, despite the battle raging around them.
Morgan showered them with illusions of dragons, but Gojo touched each illusion with his second finger and they burst into fluttering cherry petals. "Cute," he whispered to her. Kama, at his hip, whispered back flirtatiously, "I know who's cute." Gojo just winked and tapped his blindfold.
Karna raised his spear and shouted, "I will strike you down, one day!" Unconcerned, Gojo waved a hand, distorting the very air. A Lancer spear spun backward into Karna's grasp as if teleported. Karna frowned — how on earth did he do that?
Tiamat's voice rumbled as she struck from above, "Cease this folly!" But Gojo turned her meteorite into a firework, bursting above them all in harmless show.
"Folks, this is boring!" he complained to the sky theatrically. "I'd prefer tea time, personally."
Below, Mash cheered. She stood with Jansen and Romani who watched, mouths agape. Even they, the keen logicians, struggled to process how he turned apocalypse into daily life. "He's something else," Romani whispered in awe. Jansen shook his cane. "He's dangerously insane," he muttered.
On the battlefield's edge, Gilgamesh and Solomon observed quietly. Gilgamesh muttered, "This goat is not a servant. He's beyond servant and beyond mortal. The Root's final surprise maybe." Solomon, in meditative calm, nodded. "Indeed. We have nothing against him. But all known rules break in his presence."
In a final moment, Artoria managed to get near Gojo. Excalibur glowed with holy light. She thrust down, barely grazing Gojo's chest. Normally fatal — but he laughed it off. Actually, his t-shirt bore a tiny swirl of energy where the sword touched. He cracked his neck theatrically. "Lucky hit. Almost gave me a shiner."
He pirouetted in the sky, bullets of blue energy whistling out. All around, the summoned heroes paused. In a silent second, a single blue orb of light drifted from his hand, passing through Gilgamesh and Solomon. Time stopped.
The Root's corporeal avatar had spoken: "Your reality is flexible. Are you threat?" Now it let the oracle continue. Gilgamesh twisted his hands into a running gesture. "He is neither hero nor devil yet. A disruptor." Solomon fell to his knees in realization. "A new variable outside equations," he murmured.
When time resumed, Gojo landed. The domain abruptly collapsed. He stretched, seemingly unaffected by the physical exertion. "That was fun!" he beamed. Mash rushed to him, hugging his leg. "Satoru-senpai!" She squeaked, cheeks glowing. He ruffled her hair. "Mash-chan," he teased, "settle down, ok? You're flustered."
He turned and scanned the assembly of gods and spirits looking at him in shock. He did his signature two-finger salute. "Alright, folks, that's my time. Infinity's on break. I'll see you around?"
Jeanne, still clinging to his arm, was pulling him back. "Come with us to the council hall," she insisted. Da Vinci, standing with Fingernail of Solomon, commanded. "Summon him properly with proofs!"
But Gojo shrugged off their grip. "Oof, so formal. I'm actually more of a wild card. Let's talk destiny over here," he said as he floated above them, forming another infinity symbol with his fingers.
Artoria and Jeanne exchanged glances. The Root's presence flickered, the woman figure above them looking weary but intrigued. "You have done beyond all calculations," Solomon said quietly. "I cannot defeat you. Yet… you have saved us from Tiamat, reaffirmed your loyalty to the world."
Gilgamesh finally spoke again, voice deep. "Fate, you have played with us long enough. How shall we regard you, Root's Pawn? Are you friend or threat?"
With a final grin, Gojo answered, "I'm your punchline." He opened his fists. The infinity loops spun faster, then exploded into a blossom of light. A final flash of energy ejected outward, wiping away all hostility and resetting the combatants.
When the light dimmed, he and the others had vanished. Chaldea found only traces: an infinity symbol scorched into the grounds, a few sparking rune marks, and the echoes of laughter.
Chaldea's strength sat in stunned silence. Artoria stared at the fading scrawl of infinity on the floor. Jeanne lowered her banner. "He truly is… beyond us," Jeanne whispered, awe-laced fear in her voice.
Da Vinci rubbed her temples, staring at her blackboard now filled with Gojo's random doodles of lips and hearts. "A Root's final joke, indeed." Even Solomon looked up with wonder. Gilgamesh simply turned back to his throne, his eyes distant. "It appears I have not a single item nor strategy against the Infinite. Perhaps… I should have started our dinner differently." He shrugged with a smirk. "Leave him to Fortune."
In the quiet after the storm, Mash quietly recovered Gojo's blindfold from the ground. She slipped it over her eyes, half in reverence. Her heart raced recalling how warm it felt around his voice. Perhaps she could understand a little of how he saw the world. But for now, Chaldea would have to puzzle at Infinity's messenger.
And somewhere, on the brink of all things, Satoru Gojo stood tall, eyes open now to two long scrolls of stars — one written by the universe's Root and one by his own defiance. He tipped an imaginary hat. "Take care of this world, will ya? I'll be dropping by again."
He winked at unseen memories of Artoria's glare and Jeanne's blush, Kami's curious stare, Tiamat's amused expression. The Root grinned through him, an infinity mirrored in its depths.
As dawn fully broke over Chaldea, one thing was certain: reality would never be the same.