IBHJ 1251

The Incarnation's fingers instinctively tightened around Gungnir.

Looking up, she saw nothing but deep sorrow in Scathach's eyes. Akasha Arrow was truly an Anti-Origin Noble Phantasm—even Chaos itself had to flee from it. Being hit by that arrow meant total annihilation. No exceptions.

"Has Eternal King... truly disappeared?" the Incarnation murmured.

Everyone around her—Ritsuka, Kama, Vivian, Mordred, Scathach, and Skadi—clutched their weapons tightly. Their faces showed grief and anger as they glared at her, but no one spoke a word. The connection between the Incarnation and Shirou had been made painfully clear. Whatever they felt—sorrow, hatred, or something else—they kept it to themselves.

Until the witch couldn't take it anymore.

"I can't stand this anymore!" she snapped, her eyes burning into the Incarnation. "Even as an outsider, I can't just watch this! Fujimaru Shirou created you. He's the reason the Eternal Kingdom still exists, and you killed him! I don't care if you're the Counter Force or the incarnation of the Empire—it doesn't change the fact that you're an ungrateful bastard!"

"I already gave him plenty of chances..." The Incarnation's eyes flickered with a storm of complicated emotions.

Zeus and the others stared at the witch in surprise. After seeing what Akasha Arrow could do, this woman—this Empire woman—had the nerve to talk to the Incarnation like that?

Was it because of some emotional connection? But what kind of relationship could she possibly have with Shirou?

The Incarnation closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, her face showed nothing. All emotion was gone. "Say whatever you want. You'll join him as another cornerstone for the kingdom's revival."

"That's not happening."

Everyone froze as Shirou's voice suddenly broke the silence. They turned to see him walking out of Akasha Arrow's light, completely unharmed.

"Shi-Shirou?"

Everyone stared at him in complete shock. Akasha Arrow had been powerful enough to make even Chaos run away, yet somehow he was standing there without a scratch.

He nodded to the group, then turned to face the Incarnation. Lifting Akasha Arrow in his hand, he said, "Sorry to disappoint you, but this arrow doesn't work on me."

The Anti-Origin Noble Phantasm—Akasha Arrow that was supposed to be able to wipe out absolutely anything—had failed to eliminate Shirou!

The Incarnation just stood there, stunned. Her grip on Gungnir unconsciously loosened.

"Of course!" Gaia suddenly exclaimed, slapping her forehead. "Shirou doesn't have a record in the Akashic Records! Akasha Arrow can destroy everything—even Chaos and transcendent beings can't resist it—but it specifically can't affect Shirou!"

Indeed, Akasha Arrow can't eliminate Shirou because he doesn't exist in the Akashic Records. As a transmigrator, he's essentially off the grid. It's the only special advantage he has from crossing over to this world.

Shirou nodded, turning the arrow over in his hand. "This arrow can't eliminate me. But now I'm curious about something—"

He slowly transformed his [Evil] into a mud longbow. He nocked the Akasha Arrow, drew back the string, and aimed directly at the Incarnation.

"—can I, as the Inheritor of the Vortex, use this same arrow to eliminate you?"

Everyone—whether they were from Pan-Human History or the Empire—was completely stunned!

This twist was absolutely mind-blowing!

"That's my Shirou!" Gaia's face lit up with pure joy.

They had all thought the battle was lost. Even Chaos itself had run away from the Arrow of Akasha. But then came this incredible reversal—Shirou not only survived the arrow's attack but turned it right back on the Empire's Incarnation!

Though the arrow belonged to the Incarnation, Gaia knew Shirou could use it as well. As the inheritor of the Vortex, he had every right to use it.

"Well done, Eternal King!"

"Y-Your Majesty—!"

The Pan-Human History forces were suddenly filled with hope. They looked at Shirou with excitement on their faces, eager for him to release the arrow. Meanwhile, the Empire's people nervously watched him, terrified he might actually fire the arrow.

The battlefield fell silent. All eyes turned to him, everyone waiting to see what he would do next.

Despite having the Arrow of Akasha aimed right at her, the Incarnation looked surprisingly calm.

"You can't use Akasha Arrow," she said with absolute confidence. "On this planet, I'm the only one who can wield it."

Shirou responded with a slight smile. "Let's make a bet, then. If the arrow doesn't work, we'll surrender. If it does work, you surrender."

Slowly, he began to release the taut bowstring, and the arrow started to glow with blinding light.

Watching this unfold, the Incarnation couldn't help feeling a twinge of doubt despite her certainty that Shirou couldn't use the arrow.

This was a Root artifact, even the Lord of Salvation couldn't resist its power. If Shirou really could use the arrow, even with the status of a Holy Spirit, she would be instantly destroyed.

Clik, clik, clik—

As he slowly released the bowstring, the Incarnation felt immense psychological pressure, while Gaia's smile grew wider by the second.

"You cannot use it!" the Incarnation repeated, trying to shake his confidence while also reassuring herself.

But just as Shirou was about to let the arrow fly, the Incarnation's face suddenly changed. In a desperate move, she hurled Gungnir straight at him.

Gungnir whistled through the air toward Shirou. His instincts kicked in immediately—two massive black arms made of [Evil] shot out from his back and clapped together, catching Gungnir between them.

After blocking the spear, he looked up only to see the Incarnation had transformed into a beam of light, already speeding away.

"Oh no you don't!" Zelretch's ether cannon descended from the sky, while Altera and Zeus seized the opportunity to launch their own attacks at the fleeing Incarnation.

They knew they couldn't match her power, but they only needed to slow her down for a moment. If they could buy Shirou enough time to shoot the arrow, it would all be over. The Incarnation understood this too—she blasted Altera and Zeus out of her way with both hands, then used the holy light surrounding her to tear through the magical energy flood from the parallel world as she fled.

Shirou raised his bow, aiming the arrow at the Incarnation's retreating figure.

"Do it, Shirou! Shoot her down!" Gaia shouted encouragingly.

If he killed the Incarnation and broke the empire's barrier, Gaia could stop wandering aimlessly in outer space.

But instead, Shirou lowered his bow and arrow. He then bellowed, "To Londinium!"

With Shirou having driven back the Emperor—the mastermind behind everything—the Heroic Spirits' morale skyrocketed. Together with Alaya's steel army, they caught the Empire forces off guard and successfully captured Londinium.

But knowing the Empire would eventually recapture Londinium anyway since they’re immortal, he gave the order to completely destroy the city. This opened a direct connection between the island and the mainland, giving Alaya full access to the area.

Once Gaia and Alaya had connected, he and the others quickly retreated to Tír na nÓg to avoid any counterattack from the Incarnation.

…

Back in Tír na nÓg, Shirou called Tiamat into a room, hoping to ask her about the Arrow of Akasha since she knew about the ancient civilization. But before he could say anything, Gaia burst into the conversation.

"Shirou! My dear Shirou!" she pouted. "Why on earth didn't you shoot that woman when you had the chance?"

He looked at her helplessly. There was no doubt about it—that silly golden retriever personality was now completely taking over her behavior.

Gaia had a point, though. If Shirou had actually shot the Arrow of Akasha at the Incarnation when he had the chance, everything would have ended right there.

But—

He held up the Arrow of Akasha in front of her. "Take a good look at this with those big eyes of yours."

As Gaia watched, the arrow in his hand gradually dissolved into tiny particles of ether and completely disappeared.

"Projection Magecraft?" she gasped.

He nodded. "If I had actually shot that arrow, it would have been the real disaster."

Why had the Arrow of Akasha seemed to respond to him back there?

The answer was simple—it had all been an act. From the beginning, it was just a performance that he had directed and played himself.

"Then what happened to the actual arrow?" Gaia asked quickly. She was far more concerned about that than his little trick.

"I'm not sure. It disappeared the moment it struck me.”

"Disappeared?" She was dumbfounded.