IBHJ 1263

They had decided to rescue Shiki, but they couldn't rush into it blindly. Badon Fortress was positioned right at the gateway to Camelot, requiring them to plan their approach with extreme care.

The following day, Hans Andersen and the other writer Heroic Spirits finished creating several works they had been rushing to complete. To minimize the risk of detection, Shirou sent out Heroic Spirits with less noticeable signatures, as well as ordinary humans, to distribute these books in various locations.

Since Xuanzang had already departed, Ayaka and Kiara worked as a team this time. Laeticia, currently hosting the spirit of Jeanne d'Arc, also joined the distribution effort.

Later, Ritsuka tried to volunteer as well, eager to be part of the mission, but Shirou firmly refused. Her signature and aura were simply too powerful—if she went out, she'd be like a beacon in the darkness, impossible to miss.

"Tch~ So stingy," Ritsuka muttered with a disappointed pout as she walked away.

Watching Ritsuka walk away, Shirou shook his head slightly. Then his expression grew serious, his brows knitting together in thought. After a moment of hesitation, he went to find Orion and the others.

"You want our Grand Saint Graphs?"

Orion and his companions exchanged questioning glances before turning back to Shirou, who had just made this unexpected request.

"Yes," Shirou nodded firmly. Solomon had theorized that the existence of the seven Beasts was the key to unlocking the gate and releasing the Lord of Salvation. If that was true, then the seven Grand-classes that corresponded to these seven Beasts must also have significant meaning.

Having witnessed the Arrow of Akasha firsthand, he now understood the frightening power of both the Incarnation and the Root Monster lurking behind the gate. This understanding led him to try to complete Solomon's hypothesis.

"The Grand Saint Graph is just a larger vessel, so giving it to you isn't really an issue. But..."

The Grand Servants exchanged meaningful glances, each seeing the resolve in the others' eyes. Then they turned to Shirou with serious expressions.

"You must defeat all three of us first!" they declared.

Shirou pointed to himself in disbelief. "You want me to fight against all three of you?"

The three Grand Servants nodded together.

"No, no, absolutely not," Shirou quickly protested, waving his hands. "You three are heroes among heroes, Heroic Spirits among Heroic Spirits. I can barely hold my own against just one of you. How could I possibly stand a chance if all three of you come at me together?"

He had assumed these Grand Servants would simply hand over their Grand Saint Graphs to help him, especially considering how dire the situation had become for Pan-Human History. He never expected them to demand he defeat them in a three-against-one battle as a condition.

Grand Servants were truly Heroic Spirits among Heroic Spirits. While they couldn't compare to Shirou when he was the Eternal Emperor, they were on the same level as the normal Eternal King. Now, without even being able to connect to the Eternal King's records, he was expected to battle three Grand-level opponents simultaneously?

This seemed impossible!

Kirschtaria, who had been standing nearby, spoke up. "Eternal King, King Hassan and the others aren't just testing you. More importantly, you must accept this challenge. The Sleeping Holy King of legend... deep down, you already know why these Grand Servants have manifested in this world, don't you?"

Shirou fell silent. His eyes suddenly sharpened. "I would prefer to believe that the hostility I sensed from you all was directed at me, but... it's just as I suspected. Your malice is actually aimed at Ritsuka..."

His expression grew cold. His normally warm, fiery eyes became hard and sharp as swords.

After receiving the Grand Caster Saint Graph from Goetia, Shirou had sensed hostility from the three Grand Servants during his first encounter with the Incarnation.

He had wanted to believe that this malice was directed at him, because the truth was too cruel for Ritsuka.

The reality was that King Hassan, as Grand Assassin, had appeared at the first connection point not because of Goetia. Edmond Dantès had been guarding that connection point and had already fallen under Ritsuka's hand. So King Hassan's true target was his sister! He had come specifically for Ritsuka!

Because by then, she had already inherited half of the Beast VII.

"King Hassan manifested at the first connection point to eliminate your sister, but was ultimately prevented from doing so by Goetia's interference," Kirschtaria explained.

So the reason King Hassan hadn't moved against Ritsuka at that first connection point wasn't mercy—it was because Goetia had stepped in to stop him.

And while Goetia appeared to be participating in the "Council," he was actually operating under Solomon's orders, with Solomon being the Grand Caster at that time. Whether it was King Hassan, Orion, or the Roman ancestor Romulus—these three Grand Servants had temporarily abandoned their mission to kill Ritsuka and instead became her Servants.

Shirou wouldn't believe that Solomon's influence wasn't behind this strange arrangement.

Orion and Romulus remained silent, but King Hassan spoke gravely. "The evening bell of destiny hasn't rung yet for our Master. However, when that bell does ring, we will raise our swords to take the Master's head."

"Listen," Shirou glared at the three of them coldly. "You need to understand that threatening my sister means making an enemy out of me."

He understood their reasoning. The current Ritsuka was essentially a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment. For the sake of humanity's survival, constant monitoring and preventive measures were necessary. That explained why the Grand Servants had manifested. And Kirschtaria remained at Ritsuka's side partly to help the somewhat naive Ritsuka navigate complex social situations, but also to keep watch over her—preventing her from being completely consumed by the Beast and transforming into Beast VII.

Understanding their reasoning was one thing, but accepting it was something else entirely. Shirou would never allow it.

He could never stand by while someone important to him faced a deadly threat. This belief was etched into the very core of his soul ever since his first fall into the world reset. If he truly cared only about the greater good and embraced his kingly nature, he would have already allied himself with the Incarnation.

He stood against the Incarnation and the Eternal Kingdom to secure his own future. But what value would that future hold if the people who mattered to him were gone?

Would that still be the future he was fighting for?

No. That was absolutely unacceptable.

After a moment of heavy silence, Orion spoke. "If Ritsuka is completely consumed by the Beast nature, we must fulfill our duty as Grand Servants. There are three of us, Eternal King... do you really think you can stop us all?"

"Those who stand against me will perish by my sword!" Shirou drew his Alter Caliburn. "You're welcome to try!"

Despite his cold tone, Orion smiled. This was exactly the reaction he'd been hoping for. The humble, modest Fujimaru Shirou had disappeared, and in his place stood the sharp, decisive Eternal King.

"I am Rome's founder and the divine ancestor who stands as its protector," Romulus declared. "Our Master is my most beloved Roman. But if she threatens the safety of Rome as a whole, no matter how much it pains me, I must bring down the sword of destruction. So to prevent that inevitable day from coming, challenge us, Eternal King! Use every ounce of your power to break our destiny! We will show no mercy!"

At last, Shirou understood what this trial truly meant. It concerned Solomon's hypothesis and the three Grand-class Saint Graphs, but most importantly, it would determine Ritsuka's fate.

He gripped the Alter Caliburn in his hand and replied coldly, "As you wish."

The news that Shirou would be fighting to the death against the three Grand Servants spread like wildfire throughout Tír na nÓg.