IBHJ 1061

"Lady Sephyr, we mean you no harm! This is all a misunderstanding!"

White Titan's expression remained severe as she looked at the unarmed Shirou. "A misunderstanding?"

Arcueid's attack had angered her, even though it hadn't caused any real damage. Being attacked like that would make anyone angry, even someone as patient as she was. Still, she was willing to hear them out. She simply didn't want to hurt anyone if she could avoid it.

She could easily break free from this chamber if she wanted to. But she knew that once she left, Umbral Star's instincts would take over, forcing her to destroy Earth's civilization. That's why she had willingly remained imprisoned for over fourteen thousand years.

There was another reason, though. Shirou looked strangely familiar, yet she was certain they had never met. After all, she had destroyed everyone who had ever seen her.

Shirou licked his lips. "Actually, I'm your friend."

"Friend?" She shook her head. "I don't have friends."

"What about Ayaka and Artoria?" he asked.

"Ayaka... Artoria..." She frowned, the crystal on her forehead flashing red, yellow, and blue. Was her connection to Artoria that strong? Shirou felt a pang of jealousy but spoke patiently. "Altera, your Master is Ayaka. Artoria, the Holy Sword wielder, is your destined rival. And I'm your friend, Shirou."

"Altera—" Recognition flashed in her eyes. She focused on him, her gaze intense. "I remember now. You're Eternal King?"

"That's right." Shirou nodded, relief washing over him. She might not remember him yet, but at least she recognized Eternal King.

"Then you must be destroyed!"

Killing intent poured from her, her voice cold and sharp. The crystal on her forehead blazed a furious red. With a snarl, she lashed out at him, her hand a blur as it reached for his throat.

Shirou reacted on instinct, throwing himself to the side as her hand, massive and powerful like a titan's, slammed into the ground where he had been standing. He scrambled back, confusion and disbelief warring within him. She hadn't been this ferocious, even when Arcueid attacked her. Why this sudden, overwhelming rage now that she knew who he was?

"Unforgivable—!" Her eyes burned crimson, locked onto Shirou with icy killing intent. Both hands slammed down towards him like falling mountains.

He dodged frantically. "Wait! What are you talking about? We've never even met before!"

"Deceiving me, violating me, trampling me... unforgivable!" Her eyes blazed.

He stared, speechless. "This is a misunderstanding!" he shouted.

She didn't answer, but her attacks continued relentlessly.

"Shirou, look out!" Arcueid's demonic sword expanded, slicing through the air. But White Titan's hand swatted it aside like a bothersome insect.

"Arcueid!" Shirou, who had been desperately trying to reason with White Titan, saw Arcueid flung back by the blow. His expression hardened.

"This is too much!" He gritted his teeth. Reddish-black Evil Blossom erupted from his shadow like a geyser, engulfing him completely. Black light pulsed, and in a flash, he transformed into a monstrous giant, matching the White Titan in size. He threw a punch at her abdomen, the force of it creating a sonic boom.

She barely glanced at it, reaching out to grab his wrist. She twisted, pulling him off balance while stepping into his guard. She intended to use a shoulder throw to bring him down. Her free hand grabbed his elbow, preparing to use his own momentum against him. But the moment her hand made contact, concentrated curses began to eat away at her skin like acid, with a terrifying hissing sound.

Hiss hiss hiss

She recoiled as if she'd touched scalding water, releasing her grip and leaping backward. Mid-jump, she unleashed a blast of pressurized air that threw the giant back. She followed through with three more rapid-fire blasts, each more powerful than the last, trying to create distance between them.

The hissing from her palm continued. She looked down to see her snow-white skin scorched and blackened.

"As expected of the Eternal King," she sneered. "Your cursed mud is as foul and corrupt as your soul!"

"I can't pretend I didn't hear that." Shirou met her gaze, his expression hardening. "While Altera and I have a past, you and I are strangers. I'm willing to overlook you calling me foul and corrupt. But when you bully my friend, I have to draw a line."

He didn't care about insults directed at him; he was used to those. But harming someone he cared about was unacceptable. He had already lost too much across countless resets; he couldn't bear to lose anything more.

Hearing his words, Arcueid was moved. She hadn't been wrong about him. Even after all this time, he was still the same caring, protective friend.

"Such noble words!" White Titan roared, the crystal between her brows blazing a hellish red. "Is that how you justify disguising yourself as Artoria to toy with me, you perverted King of Britain?"

Shirou stared at her, dumbfounded. "Wait, what—?" His mind stumbled over her words. "Hold on... which one are you right now? Altera or the White Titan?"

"What's the difference?" she raged. "They're both me! When I heard Artoria say she wanted to be my friend forever, I was so happy...overjoyed. It was the happiest moment in tens of thousands of years. Even knowing Altera was just a dream, I wanted to embrace that fantasy. But in the end, it was all just your cruel game... Unforgivable!"

White Titan's eyes burned with killing intent.

Shirou finally understood. She had recovered Altera's memories and realized he'd been using Artoria's body to interact with her. White Titan gaining Altera's memories should have been a good thing, but why did it have to be these specific memories? Confusion warred with alarm as he saw her murderous expression. "Wait!" he shouted. "I can explain—"

"Save your explanations for whatever god you're worshipping, because I'm sending you to meet them!" she roared, transforming into a blur. In an instant, she was on him, her hands clamping onto the giant's arms.

The moment they made contact, the powerful curse of Evil Blossom erupted, burning her skin like fire.

Her hands hissed and smoked as the curse scorched her flesh, but this time she ignored the pain completely. Gripping the giant's arms, she heaved with all her might, throwing him over her shoulder. With a resounding boom, the giant crashed to the ground.

The impact left Shirou reeling, his vision swimming inside the mud cocoon. By the time he recovered, she was already on top of the giant, straddling its chest. Her hands reached for its head like striking snakes, fingers digging deep furrows as she tried to dig him out. Each grasp tore away chunks of hardened mud.

Seeing those massive hands coming at him, he panicked. If she pulled him out, he'd be completely at her mercy. He quickly reinforced the mud around the giant's head until it crystallized, making it harder than Earth's hardest rock. The shell around him thickened and darkened.

After several failed attempts to dig him out, her fingers leaving deep scratches in the reinforced surface, she grew frustrated. She rose to her full height, towering over the prone giant. She raised her fists high above her head and brought them down like falling meteors, putting her full weight behind each strike.

"Boom, boom, boom—"

The ground trembled with each earth-shattering blow. Shirou, trapped inside, was battered and dazed, each impact rattling his teeth and bones.

Seeing him being pummeled like this, with the White Titan sitting on top of him, filled Arcueid with fury. She raised her demonic sword and charged. "Don't bully Shirou!" she yelled.

White Titan turned to glare at her and said coldly, "This is between him and me. Know your place, outsider."

"Out...outsider?" The word hit Arcueid like a slap. For a moment, she stood frozen, mouth agape.

She ignored Arcueid, continuing to pound on the giant, trying to break it open and get to Shirou.

"Waaah! You're the outsider! You're the third wheel!" Arcueid wailed, charging forward. "I won't let you get lovey-dovey with Shirou! I haven't even played these advanced games with him yet!"

By the time Ayaka arrived, drawn by the commotion, the three were locked in a chaotic brawl.

"So...what exactly are you all doing?" Ayaka stared blankly at the wrestling figures.

"A misunderstanding," Shirou grunted.

"Murder," Altera snarled.

"Playing," Arcueid chirped.

Ayaka blinked. "????"

Koyanskaya covered her mouth, her slender finger poking Ayaka's cheek. "Now, now. This is clearly an... advanced form of bonding. Master, a novice like you shouldn't get involved."

Ayaka, even more bewildered, could only stare. "????"

What in the world was going on?