IBHJ 1363

Shirou cut off the connection. His awareness snapped back into his real body just as the mud clone collapsed into raw ether, dissolving like smoke in the wind. A one-time trick, burned for the emergency.

Future Gaia stepped out from behind Arcueid, fingers brushing through her hair like she was still shaking off the sting. “I still need to finish syncing Cosmic Alaya with Alaya. Beyond that, the planet’s doing everything it can to back you up.”

Mordred gave a sharp nod. The others followed suit.

Without another word, Future Gaia rose from the Earth.

High above the stratosphere, surrounded by the nine UOs, she stood atop the shoulder of Cosmic Alaya. Her gaze softened.

“I’m counting on you, Alaya.”

The Giant answered with a nod. Its glowing, information-woven body began to expand—swelling past planets, past stars—until its silhouette dwarfed even the solar system itself.

With hands larger than worlds, it reached out, cupping the solar system like a fragile gem.

From the edges of space, sacred light shimmered. Nebulae bloomed in every corner of the sky, and threads of light burst from Earth’s core—then from Venus, Mars, Jupiter… Each planet joined in, their divine tendrils reaching out like nerves.

Photon threads flowed from Cosmic Alaya’s hands, one by one—touching the sun, linking to each world’s senses, then weaving into the Counter Force.

Future Gaia was pushing for something no one had ever attempted: a full convergence. Planet, Alaya, and Cosmic Alaya—fused into a single, unified system. If it worked, Gaia’s vision wouldn’t be just a vision anymore. It would become reality.

The process was grueling. Every planet lent its strength—yes, even Uranus, who’d always kept its distance. Venus coaxed it in with gentle persistence.

Alaya didn’t resist. It understood the stakes. Once under Cosmic Alaya’s protection, humanity would be safe from extinction-level threats.

But truthfully, it had always been waiting for this.

From the very start—from the moment the first spark of civilization reignited on Earth, from the moment Tethys reawakened the Counter Force—Alaya had felt it. A longing.

Because Alaya was never complete.

It had always been a fragment of something far older. And today, finally, it was going home.

…

Inner Sea of the Planet.

“So the king has gone off to war…” Vivian murmured, her voice drifting like a ripple across still water.

Merlin glanced her way. “He’s already abandoned the Pendragon name. You’re still calling him ‘king’?”

Vivian smiled faintly. “He gave the crown back to the Ideal King. But to me… he’ll always be my King.”

Merlin clicked his tongue. “He wouldn’t like you clinging to the past.”

“I am the past,” she said, brushing back her hair with a soft laugh.

A sigh slipped from Merlin’s lips. “Do you regret it? He chose Skadi’s card in the end.”

“I do.” Vivian rested a hand on the coffin beside her. The Eternal Coffin, sealed and silent. “But that just means… I was the last card he saved. His final trump card.”

Her smile didn’t waver, but her voice turned quieter. “So even if I miss him… I’ll stay here. Even if he crosses stars or climbs mountains—so long as he’s my king, I’ll carry out the role he gave me.”

Merlin turned, footsteps echoing as he left. “Let’s hope he never needs to play that card.”

Vivian nodded, watching him disappear into the mist.

“I’m heading to the surface,” Merlin called back. “The Lord of Salvation has stirred up the spiritual tombs. New species are mutating like wildfire, and Beast VII might try to slip in and cause trouble. Gilgamesh, Arthur, and Scathach are holding the lines, but I don’t like our odds.”

Vivian gave another nod, her gaze never leaving the coffin. As Merlin faded from view, she placed a gentle hand on the Eternal Coffin, then quietly sat beside it.

She didn’t say anything else.

She just sat there.

Like she had for a thousand years.

And for eternity.

…

Ancient Shu.

“‘Daoist cultivation’ isn’t some mystical cheat code,” Wuzhiqi said lazily, arms behind her head. “It’s just transforming physical effort into mental insight. Step by step. First, you do two hundred back handsprings. Then we talk.”

“Huh? Really? Got it, Master Wuzhiqi!” Morrigan beamed, already tucking her notebook away and getting into position.

She barely bent her knees before Hinako reached out and yanked her collar.

“Eh—? Why’d you stop me, Hinako?” Morrigan blinked.

“You absolute moron.” Hinako flicked her forehead.

“Nyah—ow…” Morrigan dropped to her knees, cradling her head.

Wuzhiqi, of course, was already snickering.

Hinako shot her a sharp glare. “If you mess with Morrigan again, I’m tearing down your whole temple, Wuzhiqi. Don’t think I haven’t figured out where you’re hiding that golden statue.”

Wuzhiqi’s grin twitched.

“Tch. Fine, fine.” She waved a hand. “You’re such a buzzkill. I only came along ‘cause I thought this group might be fun… but nooo, turns out it’s just unpaid labor. Honestly, I’d rather go back into the mountain.”

“You think you can ignore the Lord of Salvation?” Hinako asked, arms crossed.

“True, true,” Wuzhiqi said with a smirk. “I walk the path of harmony between man and nature. All must return to unity… before I transcend.”

Hinako’s face didn’t so much as twitch.

“…Okay, I’ll stop with the philosophy crap,” Wuzhiqi muttered, scratching her head. “You’re no fun anyway. Da Ji’s way more entertaining to mess with. Don’t worry—I hate those Root-born abominations as much as anyone. Honestly, if my body weren’t locked up in the Mountain Court, I’d be long gone.”

Hinako gave a dry chuckle. “You’ve only got yourself to blame. Out of all the places to raise hell, you had to pick that place.”

Wuzhiqi grumbled. “How was I supposed to know the ancient people of this land were maniacs?”

“Huh? Why do you say that?” Morrigan tilted her head.

Hinako jabbed a thumb toward Wuzhiqi. “You’re looking at an infamous monster. Old as dirt. One of our region’s most notorious demon gods. Back in the mythic age, she stormed into this land, caused all kinds of chaos, beat up a few tribal gods, got cocky, and then flooded Mount Tongbai for fun.”

“Hey, it was an accident,” Wuzhiqi muttered.

Hinako continued, deadpan. “Then came King Yu. Along with his companions, they crushed her, chained her neck with iron, pierced her nose with copper bells, and sealed her beneath the Huai River. Her body’s still locked in the Mountain Court.”

Morrigan's eyes lit up. "Wait, this is part of the Yu the Great flood myth? I had no idea King Yu was that impressive."

Wuzhiqi scowled. “It’s not that he was impressive. It’s that everyone in this place is insane!”

"How so?" Morrigan asked, genuinely curious now.

Wuzhiqi looked her dead in the eyes. “Every culture has myths. But only this one is fundamentally different.”

“Oh, you mean like their spiritual system? Where only purely good beings get to be called gods or immortals, and anything evil becomes a demon or monster?” Morrigan offered.

“Nope,” Hinako cut in, arms folded. “That’s the sanitized version. The rewritten stuff after the empire unified. It was meant to keep people obedient.”

“In the mythic era,” she continued, “it was just like anywhere else—bloodthirsty gods, twisted monsters, ancient chaos. What really makes this land different…”

She glanced toward the distant mountains.

“…is the role of humans.”