IBHJ 1341

He had barely dozed off when—smack—a tiny, soft hand suddenly pinched his cheek.

“Who’s there—?!”

“Wah!”

Shirou’s eyes snapped open. Startled, he sat up just in time to see a small girl tumble backward, clearly just as surprised as he was.

She looked no older than four, with radiant golden hair and deep wine-red eyes. Her pale, cherubic face was frozen in timid confusion, as if unsure whether to cry or run.

“You... you’re—Arcueid?” he blinked in disbelief.

She looked exactly like Arcueid would have as a child.

“G-Gaia…” the little girl mumbled, her voice barely a whisper as she nervously backed away, then ducked behind a humanoid figure made entirely of light.

Shirou turned to the glowing figure and spoke with a mix of curiosity and caution. “Lady Gaia? What brings you here? Did something happen?”

Gaia crossed her arms, her tone sharp and not at all amused. “You’re seriously asking me what happened? Do you know what you and Tethys did to Uranus? He filed a complaint to the Star Council!”

“…What?” Shirou froze.

Then, as if on cue, a lingering psychic message stirred deep within his mind. It carried a familiar voice, light and mischievous.

——The old hag ratted us out. You’re on your own now. Good luck, Shirou. With love, your dear Granny Tethys.

He stared blankly at the air in front of him.

She left him behind. She really just dumped everything on him and ran.

“…That traitor. Unbelievable.”

Shirou’s face twisted as he looked up at the clearly furious Origin Gaia. Standing upright with righteousness, he pointed a finger and declared, “It was all Tethys’s idea!”

“…Huh?”

“I’m a kind, honest, upstanding guy. Everything that happened was her doing! That woman forced me to help her steal Uranus’s stuff! I was just a poor stranger in a strange land—what choice did I have? Please, O wise and powerful Gaia—”

Before he could finish, Gaia suddenly let out a pleased little “Aah!”

Shirou blinked. “?????”

“Say that last part again!” Gaia leaned forward, her eyes sparkling.

“…O wise and powerful Gaia,” he repeated, this time a bit unsure.

“Aah~!” Gaia let out a blissful sigh and clapped him on the shoulder. “No question about it—it was all Tethys’s fault.”

“…You truly have keen judgment, Lady Gaia.”

“Of course I do.” Gaia grinned, then promptly grabbed Shirou by the collar. “You get a pass. But come, we’re going to the Star Council. You still need to apologize to Uranus.”

“Wait, what?!”

Gaia didn’t respond. She just kept dragging Shirou along toward the Star Council chamber while the girl followed close behind, always sticking to Gaia’s side. Every so often, she would peek around Gaia’s body, sneaking shy glances at him.

Finally, unable to ignore the tension anymore, Shirou turned to Gaia and gestured subtly at the child. “Lady Gaia... who is she?”

Gaia’s expression turned proud in an instant. “Why, she’s my magnificent daughter—the King of the Moon, Moon-chan. Her form’s a little different from ours. She’s a hybrid of matter and information, born from a special cycle.”

She puffed her chest out in pride, then glanced at him curiously. “Wait, aren’t you from the future? You don’t recognize her?”

Of course he did.

No matter the timeline or incarnation, his relationship with the Moon King was never simple.

So this… was Crimson Moon during the Origin Era?

Shirou’s gaze sharpened slightly as he studied the child. Moon-chan shrank behind Gaia again, clearly sensing the change in his expression. Her wine-red eyes peeked out from behind Gaia’s body, unsure and cautious.

She could feel it.

Shirou didn’t seem to like her very much.

“Oh, that’s right,” Gaia said casually, as if just remembering. “In the future you come from, I must’ve been wiped out by that so-called Lord of Salvation.”

“What?” Moon-chan looked up at her in shock. Tears welled up in her big red eyes as she clutched Gaia’s arm tightly. “I don’t want Gaia to disappear…”

“Of course not,” Gaia replied with a grin, puffing up her chest. “I’m the greatest being in this entire universe. Who could possibly get rid of me? That future sounds like a bad joke. If this ‘Lord of Salvation’ ever dares to show up, I’ll shred him on the spot!”

“Uh-huh! Gaia’s the strongest!” Moon-chan wiped her eyes and giggled.

Shirou studied Gaia silently. Compared to the version he’d seen in that distant future, this Origin Gaia overflowed with life and self-assurance. Still, he knew all too well that confidence wouldn’t mean much against something like the Lord of Salvation. But for now, there was no denying it—she was a formidable ally.

Just as the thought settled in his mind, the ground beneath him shimmered.

“Huh?” he muttered.

A white hole opened at his feet. And before he could say another word, he dropped straight through it.

“Oh, come on. Not again,” he groaned.

He dropped through with a shout, falling straight into a strange new space.

The chamber was enormous, stretching endlessly in every direction. Stars glimmered like scattered jewels across the dark walls. Towering, luminous figures hovered in the emptiness, their forms grand and imposing as they silently observed him. Every so often, a low murmur passed between them.

Shirou felt his stomach sink.

This setup was never a good sign.

As he hovered in place, trying to get his bearings, the figures all turned toward him. Some watched with mild curiosity. Others narrowed their eyes.

And then there was one who looked like he might explode.

Shirou’s lips twitched.

Yeah. That one had to be Uranus.

At first, Shirou tensed, half-expecting Uranus to attack him right then and there. But when nothing happened, he let out a slow breath and started scanning the rest of the chamber. Just like Gaia said, this had to be the Star Council. Each towering presence was a planetary lifeform, born from the collective awareness of their worlds. Unlike the artificial simulations he’d seen in the future, these beings had been sentient from the start—thinking, feeling entities with their own will. Just like Origin Gaia.

That level of intelligence probably came from the Origin Lifeforms. They’d granted each planet a “Star Brain,” after all. Still, as Shirou glanced around the chamber and counted the gathered planets—excluding Gaia and Moon-chan, who hadn’t arrived yet—the numbers didn’t quite add up .

One was missing.

His eyes wandered across the room, quietly observing each presence. But from their perspective, it didn’t feel so casual.

This guy shows up, acts all relaxed, gives us that “hmm, how curious” look... Doesn’t even flinch under our spiritual pressure... And didn’t he steal something from Uranus? Yep, sounds about right. Gaia’s creatures are never normal. That unspoken thought echoed through the minds of the gathered planets.

The mood was starting to turn heavy when a new rift opened beside Shirou. Out stepped Origin Gaia, casually guiding Moon-chan by the hand.

“Oh my, Venus still hasn’t shown up?” Gaia tilted her head, then waved it off. “Eh, who cares. I brought the guest. Why’s everyone so quiet?”

The planets remained silent.

Eventually, Saturn shifted and looked toward Gaia. “So this is the future being?”

“That’s him,” Gaia said cheerfully. “Fujimaru Shirou. A physical lifeform, yes—but ridiculously strong. Even stronger than you, Saturn.” She shot him a playful wink.

The others immediately turned to look at Uranus.

Uranus let out a sharp snort and looked away, refusing to take the bait.

Watching the silent exchange, Shirou frowned slightly. He couldn’t help but wonder—had Uranus attacked Gaia’s Star Brain in the real history? But then he remembered something important. Even in the future, after drifting apart from the others, Uranus still helped them destroy the Emperor’s barrier.

That meant he couldn’t have been the one who started it.