IBHJ 1060

The chamber holding the White Titan had been exiled to the deepest recesses of the Moon Cell system. Bound by multiple restraints, it drifted in isolation. Reaching it without the Moon Cell's command was nearly impossible.

But Arcueid now controlled the Moon Cell's core. Though she couldn't fully utilize its power, she could manipulate some of its systems, including transferring them all to the exiled chamber.

She pointed towards a distant structure. "That's where Altera is imprisoned."

He looked, and saw a massive void in spacetime. More than a chamber, it resembled the void left behind when the Moon Cell contained Velber 02.

His expression grew serious. He sensed an immense pressure emanating from within – the undeniable presence of the Vanguard of the Umbral Stars, an entity that ranked among the most powerful in the Type-Moon world.

Ayaka took a step forward, but Daji caught her arm. Ayaka turned, her brow furrowed in confusion.

Daji shook her head. "That eye has been watching you, but this path isn't meant for ordinary humans."

"Consort Daji is right." Shirou turned to address the group. "Arcueid and I will go from here. Wait here for us."

Daji smiled. "Calling me 'Consort'… you really do understand Eastern etiquette, Eternal King. But I prefer Koyanskaya. 'Consort Daji' makes me feel like a relic of the past."

He smiled back but said nothing.

Heaven's Corpse pointed at herself. "I'm staying behind too?"

He nodded. "They'll need protection. Manaka might show up, but with you here, I won't have to worry."

"Please don't jinx it..." Heaven's Corpse shuddered. "I'd rather not see her again..."

"Koyanskaya," Ayaka narrowed her eyes, "you mentioned an eye watching me. Whose eye?"

"Such a perceptive little master." Koyanskaya's smile grew sharper. "Have you forgotten where your dear sister came from?"

Ayaka: "..."

Ayaka's face fell. 'Did she leave something inside me?' The thought made her stomach turn. 'Is this how she plans to get to Mr. Shirou, just like she did with Tethys?' Her hands clenched into fists. 'I won't let her.'

"We'll stay here." Her voice was quiet but firm, eyes hardening with resolve. Until she knew what traps her sister might have planted in her body or soul, she couldn't risk getting too close to anyone.

Shirou and Arcueid left the others behind. He bypassed the Moon Cell's restraints and they entered the White Titan's chamber.

The chamber was the core of Velber 02. But Velber 02 had been severely damaged when Ultimate Ones shot it down, along with two other starships. It had lost much of its power and was now under the control of the Moon Cell.

The Moon Cell wanted to destroy Velber 02. But it was only an observation device, lacking the weaponry to do so. In the end, it could only banish the starship to the far reaches of the system, preventing the White Titan from destroying Earth.

But the Moon Cell hadn't anticipated one thing: before it could fully contain Velber 02, the starship had already projected its avatar onto Earth. Within the planet's Human Order, the White Titan absorbed magical energy and the essence of civilization until it reached maturity. It nearly destroyed Earth's Age of Gods before the First Holy Sword wielder defeated it.

At the Norse connection point, Odin, wielding the Runes of Wisdom, completely annihilated the White Titan while it was still in its infancy. He achieved this by merging with the Norse divinities. In FGO, Machine God Zeus made a similar decisive move, combining his power with other Machine Gods to destroy the White Titan before it could mature.

The remains of the White Titan that had nearly destroyed the Age of Gods formed ruins after its defeat. Archimedes, who learned about Atlantis and the Vanguard of the Umbral Stars from Plato's writings, was the first to discover these ruins. However, he was killed by an unknown assailant before he could take any action. Later, the Hun's Grand Elder found the location of the ruins in Archimedes' manuscripts and recovered a girl formed from the White Titan's remains.

This girl would become Altera, the Hun Emperor known as the Scourge of God, who dominated Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Shirou entered the chamber, his eyes straining in the dim light. He moved with caution.

Altera, in her human form, was usually gentle. But when she encountered Artoria, the destructive instincts of the White Titan took over, and she would become a raging force bent on annihilation. He wasn't sure what to expect from the White Titan itself. After all, Altera was to the Titan what a Servant was to its Heroic Spirit's true form – an echo, a fleeting dream. They were one and the same, yet entirely different.

A sudden sonic boom ripped through the darkness, shattering the air itself. Shirou's reflexes couldn't keep up with the speed - one moment empty space, the next, crushing pressure. He felt a massive hand close around him, fingers larger than buildings trapping him in their grip.

"Ah, don't grab me!" Arcueid cried out. She was caught too, pinned in the Titan's other hand despite her strength.

Shirou steadied himself and looked up. Towering above them was the White Titan, an enormous, rabbit-like being with glowing red eyes.

"Altera..." he breathed.

"Why have you come here, strange travelers?" the White Titan boomed. Despite her overwhelming presence, there was an odd gentleness in how she cradled them in her palms, like precious curiosities. Those crimson eyes studied them with a warrior's sharp assessment tempered by something almost... maternal?

Strange travelers? He thought. She doesn't recognize us—which means she hasn't accessed Altera's memories?

Understanding dawned on him. To the White Titan, Altera's life was nothing more than a dream. And how many people could recall their dreams in detail, besides someone like Gilgamesh?

"Put me down!" Arcueid snarled, struggling against the White Titan's grip. Despite her usual easygoing nature, she wasn't fond of being held like a toy.

Arcueid possessed immense strength. After countering Crimson Moon and taking his place, she had become the Moon's Ultimate One. Her power had grown exponentially—she could shatter mountains with her fists and topple islands with a single kick. She was a force of nature, capable of reshaping the planet. Yet, even this earth-shattering might couldn't break the White Titan's hold.

This was no surprise. The White Titan was a vanguard weapon designed to hunt down civilizations for the Umbral Stars. Fourteen thousand years ago, it took Saturn, leading all the Ultimate Ones, to destroy the three Vanguards and protect the solar system. Arcueid alone wasn't powerful enough to defeat one.

Crimson Moon, while the most perfect Ultimate One, wasn't the strongest. That title belonged to Saturn.

"You are dangerous." The crystal on White Titan's forehead pulsed a warning red, its light reflecting in her stern eyes. "I don't want to harm you, so don't force my hand."

"Ngh—!" Arcueid strained against the White Titan's grip, her face reddening with effort. With a series of cracks, her immense power began to force the Titan's fingers apart.

White Titan's expression hardened, though inwardly she was astonished. She knew the extent of her own strength, and Arcueid's ability to resist it was remarkable.

The Titan tightened her grip, fingers pressing down like mountain ranges. But Arcueid unleashed a sudden burst of power that sent shockwaves rippling through the air, breaking free. She drew her demonic sword and slashed at the hand holding Shirou.

"Arcueid, stop—!" he shouted.

But it was too late. Arcueid's sword struck White Titan's hand with a resounding thud. It didn't sever the limb, but the shock forced her fingers open, releasing Shirou.

Arcueid caught him as he fell. "Shirou! Are you okay? Did she hurt you?" Her brows furrowed with worry.

"I'm fine," he said, "But we might not be for long."

He knew Arcueid had acted impulsively out of fear. Anyone would. It was human nature. After all, when facing a weapon of interstellar destruction, who could remain calm except for those supreme beings at the pinnacle of existence?

Shirou looked up at the White Titan. The crystal on her forehead glowed blood-red, and his heart sank. Both Altera and the White Titan were easy to read, thanks to that crystal. It had three colors: blue, yellow, and red. Blue signified a calm and peaceful state, yellow indicated tension and alertness... and blood-red meant killing intent.

Even without the crystal acting as an emotion indicator, White Titan's icy expression made it clear that she was ready to attack. Her massive form tensed, the air growing heavy with killing intent.

"Lady Sephyr, we mean you no harm! This is all a misunderstanding!" Shirou exclaimed, throwing his weapons to the ground and raising his hands in surrender. He looked at her with an earnest expression.

He desperately wanted to avoid a conflict with the White Titan. With Archimedes, Manaka, and even Uranus observing them, a fight with a Vanguard would force him to use Eternal Emperor. The result would be mutual destruction, leaving them vulnerable to Manaka Sajyou.