IBHJ 1313

"No! She can come back!" The Ideal King screamed, grabbing two holy swords and charging straight at her. Her eyes were bloodshot; there was no way she'd let Mordred ruin everything again.

Seeing the Ideal King rushing toward Mordred, Shirou, still suppressed by the Infinite halo, yelled out, "Don't try to fight her head-on! Mordred, get out of the way!"

But Mordred didn't listen. She didn't even try to counter-attack. Instead, she sheathed her sword and opened her arms wide, completely defenseless. With a sickening slash, the Ideal King's sword pierced right through her chest. Blood poured freely from the wound, but Mordred still managed to wrap her arms around the Ideal King who had just run her through.

The shocking scene left everyone frozen in place. Even Mordred's Grail was stunned, crying out desperately: Mordred, use me now! Without my power, you can't survive her attack! Stop being so stubborn! Use my power right now!

But Mordred didn’t respond to the Grail’s desperate pleas. Instead, she held the Ideal King tighter, blood flowing freely from her stomach wound. “I know you’re… lonely and in so much pain…”

The Ideal King froze, teeth still clenched.

"That loneliness of being conscious and intelligent, but only able to watch the Eternal Kingdom's story like some outsider. Never understood by anyone. Never able to truly connect. And that helplessness of being a Counter Force, forced to just stand by while the people you're supposed to protect head straight toward destruction. Nobody understands you. Nobody can even come near you. That must be unbearably lonely and incredibly painful, right?" Mordred asked softly.

"Why... why does it have to be you of all people..."

"Yeah. It's me of all people... the very person who destroyed the Eternal Kingdom is the one who understands your loneliness and pain. All you want is for everyone to be together again. But she can't come back. The Eternal Kingdom, that country, that history—it can't come back." Mordred's voice was gentle but firm.

The Ideal King snapped back to reality, shoving her away. "You're lying!" she spat. "She will come back!"

The Ideal King spun around, pointing at the nearly empty Holy Grail. "Look! The Holy Grail is almost completely drained. The Eternal Kingdom is about to return!"

"But take a look around you," Mordred said. "Do you see anyone you actually want to see?"

The Ideal King turned and scanned the area. UO with that blank expression. Arcueid suffering. Vivian filled with sorrow. Shirou looking worried. Merlin troubled.

The Ideal King seemed to falter, her spirit visibly shaken.

"Deep down, you already know the truth. She can't come back. Even if you create some brand new history, nothing changes. She can't come back because she's always been somewhere else."

"Where?" the Ideal King couldn't help asking.

"In your heart. And in mine," Mordred said simply.

"Heh..." The Ideal King let out a bitter laugh. "You're just like your mother, trying to sway me with pretty words? Give me a break! I don't want to hear any more of your nonsense. Just disappear, Mordred!"

The Ideal King raised her swords, bringing them together as they began to glow with a brilliant light that shot up like a pillar.

Mordred sighed to herself. She still hadn't managed to get through to the Ideal King.

She understood the Ideal King's loneliness and pain because she'd felt those same emotions herself. But the Ideal King had built walls around her heart that were even thicker than her walls.

Light flickered across the Holy Swords as they gathered power. Mordred knew she had no choice but to fight back if she wanted to survive.

"Wait, you can't win against her, Mordred!" Merlin shouted frantically. "Get out of there!"

The Ideal King's voice was calm and resolute as she prepared her attack. "Rest in eternal sleep—my home in memories."

Mordred slowly unleashed her Noble Phantasm. Her distorted sword, now infused with the Grail's power, came down first, sending a beam of energy straight toward the Ideal King.

Merlin squeezed his eyes shut, unable to watch what was coming. He knew Mordred didn't stand a chance. No one could win in a direct clash with the Ideal King—not here, not like this.

Everyone else turned away too. They all knew what would happen next—Mordred hadn't dodged, so she'd be completely obliterated by the Ideal King's holy beam.

Only Shirou kept watching, letting out a heavy sigh as something unexpected happened. Facing Mordred's incoming attack, the Ideal King slowly lowered her sword.

"W-what, wait!" Mordred's eyes widened in panic. She tried to pull back her sword, but it was already too late.

"Mordred..." The Ideal King closed her eyes just before a deafening boom shook the air. An endless flood of light completely engulfed her.

When the brightness finally faded, she was gone without a trace. Everyone stared at the empty space in stunned silence, too shocked to move.

"Wait—Mordred actually defeated the Ideal King?"

Everyone stared in disbelief. They'd all been certain that nobody here could possibly beat the Ideal King. Yet somehow, Mordred had done it.

Merlin walked over to Mordred and gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Well done, Mordred!" he said with a smile.

Mordred didn't respond. She just stared down at her sword in a daze. "Why... why did this happen?" she mumbled. "I killed her... twice now."

The Ideal King was gone, eliminated by Mordred's sword. Though the outcome was strange, they'd achieved their main goal, and everyone felt relieved.

But then—

"Guys, what's happening?" Arthur pointed at the Holy Grail in alarm. "The Ideal King is gone, so why is the Holy Grail still active?"

Saber's expression suddenly changed as something clicked in her mind. "We need to destroy the Holy Grail right now!" she shouted.

Everyone remembered what the Holy Grail really was. Arthur immediately released his Noble Phantasm, but just as Excalibur was about to strike the Holy Grail, a corrupted Grail emerged from distorted space and blocked the attack.

"I never thought that monster would just give up without a fight," said a voice from the corrupted Grail. "It's unbelievable, but I have to thank you, Mordred. Without you, I couldn't have broken free from that monster's control! Hahaha!" The voice of the Sixth Seat echoed with laughter.

The corrupted Grail and the Holy Grail seemed to connect with each other. A twisted light appeared between them, enveloping both, before they shot straight out of the Imperial Palace.

"That guy trying to restore his true form!" someone shouted.

"We can't let that happen!"

"After it! Now!"