IBHJ 1183

This was the day that would sear itself into Empire history—when the unbreakable Sir Galahad fell not once but twice, when their impenetrable barrier crumbled, and now, as mortal might somehow managed to crack the Emperor's divine arm.

What were they seeing?

The interwoven lights pulsed with the weight of human history itself, surpassing normal limits to reach something truly divine. Even the Emperor's arm showed signs of breaking under this power, yet still it wasn't enough to stop this world-ending arm.

Despite its cracks, the Emperor's arm kept falling!

Everyone watched in horror as the inevitable approached—the Emperor's arm would fall, and with it, everything would end!

"For a second there, I thought they might actually stop His Majesty," Lucius exhaled, relief flooding his voice. "But I'll give them credit—they've come further than anyone could have imagined and even managed to push back Sir Galahad. But Pan-Human History... what's so special about a timeline soaked in tears and tragedy?"

He shook his head. Sure, Pan-Human History's resilience was impressive, but this was its limit. Now that His Majesty had stepped in, everything would end!

Shirou knew this too. His fists tightened as he wished desperately that he could manifest Eternal Emperor right now...

--"Father, you and the others need to fall back," a voice rang out in his mind.

It was Mordred.

--"Leave the rest to me."

Shirou spun around at her words and saw Mordred on the distant mountaintop, the Grail raised in her hands. Seeing this, his heart stopped. "No, Mordred! You can't—I won't let you!"

--"You can't stop me, Eternal King. You gave me life, but my soul, my will, my path... they're mine to choose."

"Think about your wish, Mordred! Freeing your mother from Alaya's hand—if you cross this line now, your wish will never be fulfilled!"

--"That's exactly why... I'm leaving the rest to you, Father."

"Mordred, wait—" But before he could finish, she severed their mental connection through the Grail.

As she held the Grail, watching the third Eye slowly bloom at its center, Mordred smiled softly. She'd spent so long fighting against her fate, desperately running from her ending, chasing dreams of a different future—and all of it had only led to the birth of the Eternal Empire.

The sight of the Eye brought back memories of that black knight from the Past Plane, how it had carried Shirou's feelings, protecting her at every turn. And suddenly she understood - everything she'd yearned for, hoped for, tried so hard to deny... it had never really been about freeing her mother from Alaya's contract. Her true wish had been simpler, yet somehow deeper: love in all its forms. A mother's love, a father's love, the love of friends and companions, even the world's love itself.

She had to smile at how selfish that wish really was. But thinking of everyone who'd touched her life—her mother, her father, her friend Kiara, her ever-worried Masters Shishigou and Mash, that sharp-tongued Gilgamesh, sweet clumsy Altera, and Gaia—she realized something precious. Their love had quietly filled the emptiness she'd carried from her previous life, healing her heart without her even noticing.

She wasn't that wild, bitter soul anymore, always running from her fate. She'd grown, changed, learned to see the world - and herself - with clearer eyes. Now she could face both her true self and her destiny without flinching.

"I won't run from you anymore," she told her Grail.

—What are you fighting for?

The evil will within the Grail probed her consciousness.

Yes, what was she fighting for? Why had she shouldered eternal infamy, brought down the Eternal Kingdom, and taken the lives of those closest to her? And now, what drove her to step through this gate?

The Grail had waited for this answer since the moment Mordred claimed it. Silent and watchful, it searched her heart, seeking the answer.

What truly drove her?

Was it for her mother? Her father? The friends and family she cherished? Those who placed their faith in her?

For what?

"For dawn," she answered softly. "For the future. For everything that seems meaningless." The protective walls she'd built around herself had melted away, dissolved by love. She gazed tenderly at the Eye. "Can you hear it? The sound of snow melting in my heart."

The Grail's three eyes blazed with blinding light, engulfing her entire body. In that moment, everything that was Mordred—her skin, her organs, her very Saint Graph—was burned away...

Blue flames consumed Mordred's body as strange and terrible runes appeared across her body. Even as the transformation turned her into something terrifying, her eyes stayed bright and clear, and while the blue flames raged around her body, the warmth and gentleness never left her gaze.

"Emperor—I was the one who gave you life and now I'll be the one to end it. This is my fate, and also your fate!" She lifted her burning sword and brought it down, unleashing waves of destruction against the Emperor's massive arm.

The pale blue flames struck with a thunderous BOOM, sending cracks racing like lightning across the divine limb. Splintering sounds filled the air as fractures spread from the Emperor's fist to its base.

Yet still the massive arm continued its descent toward the earth.

Floating in the sky, Mordred turned to Shirou. No words were needed - her look said everything: Retreat, Father. Your people need their leader.

Shirou clenched his fists, teeth gritted as he roared: "RETREAT!"

Merlin glanced at him, his gaze filled with pain, before he turned to relay the order. The army began their withdrawal.

"You won't escape that easily!" Lucius bellowed as the Specialized Combat Forces surged forward to engage the retreating Heroic Spirits.

With a wave of her hand, Mordred sent pale blue hellfire sweeping across the ground. Lucius and his forces fell back defensively, sensing that these were no ordinary flames and might be capable of burning away their eternity.

"Mordred—" Shirou cast one last look at his daughter silhouetted against the sky, then turned toward the portal.

She had always been his pride from the very beginning.

He'd wanted nothing more than to be close to her, but awkwardness and uncertainty had built walls between them. Now that those walls had finally crumbled, their time together was slipping away like sand through his fingers.

Was this the curse of the Pendragon bloodline?

Shirou didn't know. But he knew he couldn't let tears fall now, couldn't let emotion cloud his judgment. A father could weep, a man could show weakness - but a leader had to remain strong.

He felt the weight of leadership heavy on his shoulders, a burden he wished he didn't have to bear. But someone had to.

Mordred watched as Shirou and the others retreated, then turned to face the descending arm. Slowly, she spread her arms wide.

In that moment, the divine limb struck the earth.

"BOOM—!!"

The shockwave was devastating.

Islands, Apostles, the Empire's army, Galahad, Mordred... everything disappeared in an endless sea of holy light.

…

The army retreated to Tír na nÓg, where Shirou ordered everyone to rest and recover.

In the temple, a lone figure sat in silence.

Scathach, Skadi, Merlin, and the others exchanged helpless glances. None of them knew how to comfort their leader. As always, Shirou kept his emotions tightly locked away, never letting them show.

Unable to find the right words, they left him to his solitude.

"Shirou—"

He looked up to find Gaia standing there.

"Not now, Gaia. I just... I need to be alone right now."

"Mordred isn't dead."

"What?!" His head jerked up, eyes wide with disbelief.