IBHJ 1050

Sadness washed over Kiara. She would be lying if she said she didn't hate Demonic Bodhisattva, who had been determined to eliminate her. But hearing that Manaka had devoured her filled her with sorrow.

"Even if she absorbed Beast III, she shouldn't have the energy or time to hunt Tiamat." Shirou frowned. He knew Manaka's condition well. Though she had become the Queen of Evil, her existence was like Tethys—unable to remain in reality for long before fading away. Even with Demonic Bodhisattva's authority, she shouldn't have been able to capture Tiamat.

"BOOM—"

A massive explosion suddenly erupted in the distance. Terrifying mana pulsed like a bomb, shattering the surrounding dimensional barriers. They dissolved into black holes, consuming everything in their path. Not even light could escape.

"Over there!" He quickly summoned two enormous black wings, spreading them wide and launching himself towards the explosion.

Daji gently took Ayaka's hand. "My dear Master, perhaps it's best if we stay here?"

"Absolutely not!" Ayaka's expression hardened.

"Ah, I had a feeling you'd say that. It seems some things are unavoidable..." Daji sighed inwardly, then smiled at Ayaka. "Very well. However, do keep in mind that your sister harbors a deep resentment towards you. For your own safety, please stay close to me."

Ayaka considered this, then nodded. "Okay."

Daji smiled sweetly, stepping closer until she was mere inches from Ayaka. At this distance, not even Shirou could protect Ayaka if Daji had ill intentions.

Ayaka understood the danger, but she chose to trust Daji. She trusted her Servants implicitly. As a relic of the old world, she knew she held little value in this new era, especially to Chaldea, without them.

Shirou's body thrummed with immense mana pushing him to his limits. With a sudden burst of speed, he transformed into a black streak and arrived at the source of the dimensional disturbance.

Within the pitch-black rifts, where time and space had no meaning, damaged phantoms of planets floated in rows. Among them, a massive black vortex slowly pulled in a giant goddess.

The goddess was unconscious, most of her body already consumed by the vortex. Only her head remained.

Soon, even her head vanished into the black vortex.

Shirou watched the massive vortex, his brows furrowed. Without hesitation, he drew Rhongomyniad, sending a blinding tower of light crashing towards it.

Two black hands suddenly erupted from the vortex, reaching for the light. They seemed capable of manipulating pure energy, catching the tower of light and tearing it apart with ease.

A voice, smooth as silk and laced with amusement, echoed from the depths of the rift. "Well, well, well. If it isn't Fujimaru Shirou, and my dear, misguided sister."

She chuckled. "I presume you're here for Tiamat? Such a shame... you've arrived a little too late. There's not much left of her, I'm afraid. Just the head."

The black vortex churned, and countless dark hands erupted from it, pulling the remaining head down into its depths. The vortex then collapsed in on itself, solidifying into a pitch-black figure.

Ayaka, who had just arrived, saw the figure from a distance and shuddered. She recognized the figure as Manaka Sajyou.

Shirou frowned. Manaka's presence was much more solid now that she had absorbed Demonic Bodhisattva and Tiamat. She was closer to becoming the perfect vessel.

"Sister..." Ayaka's expression was a mix of emotions as she looked at Manaka. They shared the same blood, but their hearts felt miles apart.

Manaka's eyes settled on Daji. "My dear sister, you've come to see me and brought such a delightful gift."

Daji smiled sweetly. "Respected Queen of Evil, I have no intention of being consumed by you. I know about the conflict between you and your sister, but I am now her Servant. I won't let you harm my Master!"

Daji stepped closer to Ayaka and placed a hand on her shoulder. The gesture gave Ayaka some comfort, but Manaka's expression hardened as she watched Daji.

"What did you do to my other self?" Kiara demanded.

"What else? I killed and ate her." Manaka's lips curved into a smile. "She tasted quite good, Sessyoin."

Kiara's body went rigid. "Killed... and ate..."

"How strange. I removed her for you, yet here you are, looking so disturbed."

"I—I—"

"But never mind that. You should worry about yourselves. Without that annoying Crimson Moon here, Fujimaru can't become that powerful Heroic Spirit anymore, can he? You've grown weaker, and I've grown stronger." She gestured with her hands. "It's the perfect time to end this."

"You're welcome to try," Shirou said with a smile. He seemed completely at ease.

Manaka laughed. "Empty threats won't work on me."

He didn't reply, just watched her calmly.

Manaka frowned. She had surpassed her past self and reached a state of immense power, but his calm smile still made her hesitate.

She wanted to kill Shirou; he was the one who had killed her, and that debt had to be repaid. But because he was the one who had killed her, she was also extremely wary of him.

Looking at his composed expression, Manaka felt a surge of suspicion. He was tricky and deceitful, so she had to be careful not to fall into his trap again.

Manaka had only ever lost twice – once to Arthur, and then to Shirou.

She'd lost to Arthur because love had clouded her judgment. That defeat felt unfair. But her loss to Shirou was different. She'd been so close to winning, yet he'd somehow turned the situation around. Because of that, she both hated and respected him, and she was wary of him now.

"Why aren't you attacking?" he asked calmly. "Are you afraid of what I might have up my sleeve? Don't hesitate to call in your accomplice. The more the merrier."

"How did you know I had an accomplice?"

He smiled. "Absorbing Beast III wouldn't be enough to defeat Tiamat and Heaven's Corpse. You must have help, and that help is Venus, isn't it?"

Manaka let out a low chuckle. "As expected of Fujimaru Shirou. You never cease to amaze."

Suddenly, the projection of the planet in the distance exploded. Heaven's Corpse emerged, fleeing in a sorry state, with Venus, who looked exactly like her, in hot pursuit.

"Stop running!" Venus shouted.

"Only an idiot would stop running!" Heaven's Corpse retorted. She summoned several Angels of Destruction to hold Venus back while she made her escape.

She spotted Shirou and the others, and her eyes lit up. She quickly landed beside him.

Venus waved her hand, unleashing a blade of mana that instantly destroyed the Angels of Destruction.

As Venus moved to continue her pursuit, Manaka shot out a hand made of mud to stop her.

Venus stopped and glared down at her. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

"Wait here," Manaka said.

"We agreed not to interfere with each other!"

"I said, wait." Manaka smiled faintly.

Venus's breath hitched, and her aura flickered. Even she had to show some respect to the woman who had absorbed two major Beasts.

Venus gritted her teeth and landed beside Manaka, half a step behind. Her face was grim, and she glared at Heaven's Corpse with undisguised hostility.

Seeing that Venus had stopped chasing her, Heaven's Corpse sighed in relief. Then, looking at her enraged double, she said, "You're really brutal. Look at my arm. It's a mess! I'm still a part of you. Did you have to be so vicious?"

"You're the part I don't need!" Venus said coldly. "My only concern is what benefits Venus."

"As if you weren't the one who fell head over heels for Gaia," Heaven's Corpse muttered under her breath.

Venus simply glared at her.

Manaka smiled at him. "Fujimaru, if you hand over Beast V, I'll let you go today. What do you say?"

"I believe I'm the one who should be making that offer, Manaka," Shirou replied calmly. "If you hand over Tiamat, I'll let you go."

"Empty threats won't work on me," Manaka retorted. "Besides, I've already absorbed Tiamat. I can't just bring her back."

"Then you're not going anywhere!" Shirou declared.

He released his mana. Instantly, strange phenomena manifested in the dark dimension. A sea of beautiful flowers bloomed, their fragrance filling the air.

Manaka stared in shock at the unexpected sight. "That golden cockroach isn't even here," she thought. "How can he still transform into that Heroic Spirit?"

The sea of flowers grew denser, the blossoms swirling around Shirou like a living tide. His magical energy surged, filling the dimension with its oppressive weight. Manaka's heart hammered in her chest. "The authorities I absorbed from the Beasts... they haven't stabilized yet," she realized with a jolt. "I can't fight him here. Not now. I'll lose!"

Sensing Shirou's power growing rapidly, Manaka grabbed Venus's hand and fled.

"Fujimaru," she called out over her shoulder, "Next time we meet, it won't be this easy!"

With that, Manaka vanished.

Shirou withdrew his mana and let out a long breath. "It seems I won that gamble."

"Gamble?" Kiara turned her head, looking at him in disbelief. "Mr. Shirou, were you just..."

"Bluffing, of course," he admitted with a chuckle. "If we had actually fought, she would have killed us all."

Morrigan: "..."

Ayaka: "..."

"You really have some nerve!" Daji exclaimed, her exasperation evident. She had been so caught up in the moment, only to find out it was all a bluff.

"He really is the same person," Kiara murmured.

She recalled how, in the past plane, the other Shirou had tricked Demonic Bodhisattva by pretending to have Saver as his Servant. She laughed at the memory, but then she remembered Manaka had devoured Demonic Bodhisattva, and her face fell.