IBHJ Chapter 990

The moment the black mud touched Sik, it exploded into action. Like a sentient blob, it rapidly expanded into a massive mud tide, engulfing Sik entirely. Before anyone could react, a portion of it split off, racing towards Sac who stood frozen in shock. In seconds, both of Shirou's companions were swallowed by the ominous substance.

"W-What is that?" Misaya gasped, her face pale as she clutched her chest in pain.

"I don't know," Shirou said, his expression serious. Anything connected to the Lord of Salvation was bound to be extremely troublesome.

"Ah!"

Suddenly, Misaya let out another piercing scream. Shirou whirled around to see more black mud pouring out of her body, forming a grotesque mass that slithered towards Cu Chulainn's feet. The Servant, still under Mordred's hypnosis, stood motionless as the mud began to creep up his legs, slowly swallowing him as if he were sinking into a treacherous swamp.

But this time, Shirou was prepared. With a thought, his mud transformed into powerful mud hands, reaching out to grab Cú Chulainn by the shoulders. With a mighty heave, the hands pulled the Servant free from the encroaching black mud.

The mud failed to absorb Cu Chulainn and, as if sentient, quickly returned to his already swallowed party members.

The mud didn't attack Shirou, perhaps because it sensed that he possessed something of the same origin, yet fundamentally different from itself.

"Raaaargh!"

Sac and Sik, now covered in the black mud, had changed. Their skin was gone, and they didn't seem like themselves anymore. They had turned into black monsters similar to Shadow Servants. They roared at Shirou and the others, grabbed their weapons, and charged.

They could sense that Shirou was the most dangerous!

Facing the charging duo, Shirou drew Rhongomyniad. With a swing of the lance, there was a loud metallic clash, and his immense strength directly repelled the two.

But seeing them transformed into these black monsters made his heart sink.

They were being controlled! But by what?

"It's my curse!" Misaya cried out in shock.

Shirou, of course, knew it was something within Misaya that had tainted both of them, leaving them vulnerable to control. But the crucial question wasn't how they were contaminated, but who was controlling them?

The answer was already clear.

The curse in Misaya wasn't from her father. It came from the person who summoned Arthur eight years ago. Someone whose pure white canvas had been stained by a virus called "love," twisting into something pathologically evil in its purity.

The source of everything that had trapped Shirou in endless resets, the prototype of all Type-Moon villains, the original vessel of the Lord of Salvation, and also one of the only two Princesses connected to the Root since birth!

This world was a copy formed from past memories. With Misaya and Cu Chulainn here, of course, there would also be...

"Manaka Sajou," he whispered, the name tasting like ash in his mouth.

As if in response to his realization, the two corrupted adventurers let out bone-chilling roars. They hefted massive hand axes and charged toward him.

Shirou stretched out his hand, and brilliant white light flickered between his fingers as if he had captured light itself. In an instant, the light condensed into a dazzling spear.

Misaya's eyes widened in disbelief. "Is that... a Noble Phantasm?"

Shirou lifted Rhongomyniad high to block Sik's giant axe. With a resounding clang, a tremendous shockwave caused the ground to crack like a spider web.

Sik was a level 8 beast-man. With the enhancement of Mooncell and the black mud, his strength, if converted to Servant parameters, should have been that of a Rank A Servant. But Shirou was no pushover either. While vampires didn't grow as strong as beast-men, inhabiting Artoria's body gave him an edge.

Gripping Rhongomyniad tight, he pushed back against the axe and planted his right foot behind him and twisted at the waist. The spear of light became a blur as he swept it horizontally.

There was a meaty thud as Rhongomyniad connected. Sik's malicious eyes widened in shock as he was lifted off his feet. The beast-man flew through the air like a rag doll, his massive form crashing into a distant wall. Stone crumbled and dust billowed up around him.

Sac unleashed a scream, her hands flailing wildly as they pulsed with an ominous black light. In an instant, the air around her crystallized into countless ice spikes, forming a deadly curtain that swept towards Shirou and the others.

Misaya's eyes widened in disbelief. "Is that... Magecraft from the Age of Gods?"

"Not Magecraft," he corrected. "It's fairy sorcery."

"What?" she was completely confused.

He gripped the glowing white spear tightly, thrusting it downward. As he did, his skin grew increasingly pale, and a thick, crimson aura began to spread out around him. It swirled and twisted like living smoke, forming a protective cocoon. The air grew heavy with the metallic scent of blood.

The ice spikes barreled toward them, sharp and deadly. But as they touched the bloody mist, something strange happened. A loud hiss filled the air, like water hitting a hot pan. The ice began to melt and break apart, dissolving into nothingness before it could reach its target.

Misaya's brow furrowed as she studied him. "True Ancestor?"

"Vampire," he corrected again.

Indeed, what he was using wasn't his own ability, but rather an exclusive skill granted to the [Vampire] class by the system.

At this time, Sik stood up again, roaring at him. Just as he was about to swing his hand axe at Shirou, a clear voice rang out.

"— Archer!"

"Don't order me around —"

The arrogant yet familiar voice had barely fallen when the next moment, the ceiling was covered with golden patterns, and countless swords rained down on Sik like a metallic storm.

Sik swung his giant axe wildly, the air ringing with the clash of metal on metal as he deflected sword after sword. But the barrage was endless, too numerous and too quick. Within moments, Sik was overwhelmed, pinned to the nearby wall by a forest of blades.

"It's that bookworm!" Misaya said through gritted teeth.

Shirou, still gripping his spear, turned toward the newcomers. What he saw made him feel a bit dazed.

In the distance stood a youth who looked strikingly similar to his original body, but with an air of naivety that seemed almost foreign now. The boy adjusted his glasses, confidently directing a golden Servant—undoubtedly Gilgamesh—to press the attack against the two adventurers.

There was no room for doubt. If his eyes weren't playing tricks on him, this was "him"—or rather, the earliest and most innocent version of himself.

After more waves of golden weapons later, a golden chain materialized from the air, binding the two adventurers tightly.

Shirou ignored the bound pair, instead looking with a complex expression towards the duo coming through the doorway.

It was a bespectacled boy, along with the shining golden figure of Gilgamesh, whom he had briefly encountered at the Shinjuku Connection Point.

"You're really getting bolder, daring to order me around."

Gilgamesh glared at the boy with round eyes, producing a golden chain and wrapping it around the boy three times, bundling him up like a dumpling. The boy was hoisted into the air, swinging back and forth like a pendulum.

The boy, dizzy from the swinging, cried out for mercy.

After seemingly satisfying his urge to torment his young Master, Gilgamesh finally lowered the boy to the ground. The younger Shirou staggered in dizzy circles before slumping against the wall, his face a sickly shade of green as he fought against the urge to vomit.

Gilgamesh stood with his arms folded, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Hmph. Disoriented after just a few spins? And you dare attempt to command me with such weakness? Your arrogance knows no bounds."

The boy, still swallowing hard, croaked out a feeble comeback. "This just proves... I have an excellent sense of balance. Most people... would have lost their lunch by now."

"Oh? Shall we test that theory with another round?" Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes.

Panic flashed across the boy's face. Desperate for a distraction, he turned his attention to the older Shirou, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Wait a minute... I thought my future self was supposed to be here. Why am I seeing Artoria Pendragon instead?"

Beside him, Gilgamesh let out a mocking laugh. The boy's clumsy attempt at changing the subject was painfully obvious. Did this fool truly believe he could be so easily misdirected? Still, the King of Heroes decided to play along, if only for his own amusement. He'd be an interested spectator... for now.

Shirou heard the boy's question and said calmly, "From your perspective, I am indeed your future self."

"Huh?" The boy was suddenly stunned, his glasses almost falling off.

Gilgamesh, ever the opportunist for causing mischief, placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and let out a booming laugh. "Well, well! It seems you've been harboring a maiden's heart all along. Congratulations, congratulations."

The boy's face flushed a deep crimson, a mix of embarrassment and indignation. He swatted Gilgamesh's hand away, sputtering, "You're the one with a maiden's heart! This... this has to be some kind of accident or misunderstanding!"

Rather than taking offense, Gilgamesh merely looked at the boy with an amused smirk, clearly enjoying his embarrassment.