IBHJ 1049

Kiara followed his gaze and gasped. A mud sword protruded from Archimedes's stomach, blood blooming around the wound.

"But this won't kill you, will it?" Shirou countered calmly. The moment he saw Altera, he had launched the sneak attack, but Evil Blossom hadn't finished the job.

Archimedes grinned, seemingly unfazed by the gruesome injury. "I still have much to accomplish. Dying now would be terribly inconvenient."

Shirou's gaze swept over Archimedes, lingering on the star patterns that marred his skin. They were the opposite of Mordred's. He frowned. "Don't tell me you've completed the synchronization..."

"Indeed, thanks to the Council's generous assistance!" Archimedes nodded, his voice laced with a disturbing fanaticism. "It's unfortunate, though hardly surprising, that that two-faced vixen has already betrayed the Council. It seems she has no fear of facing the Council Leader's wrath."

Shirou arched an eyebrow. "You seem rather calm about this."

"Of course," Archimedes replied smoothly.

"Unless..." Shirou narrowed his eyes, "You intend to betray the Council as well."

Archimedes smiled, then broke off the mud blade protruding from his abdomen and threw it on the ground. He met Shirou's gaze. "I've achieved my objective; the Council has outlived its usefulness. In fact, they're becoming quite the obstacle!" He spread his hands. "When it comes to dealing with those meddlesome fools, it seems our interests align with Chaldea's. Let's cooperate, shall we? We can bring them down together."

"That sounds interesting, but I refuse." Shirou shook his head.

"Now, now, don't dismiss the idea so quickly. While everyone in the Council has their own agenda, the Council's true power is beyond imagination. Even the Velber fragments and my ability to synchronize with the Planet came from the Sixth Seat's support. Without cooperating with me, Chaldea's chances of victory are slim, even with your Eternal Heroic , the Reset One," Archimedes explained.

Shirou's eyes narrowed. So this man knew about the loop as well.

"Don't look so suspicious," Archimedes chuckled. "Saver's world reset is hardly a secret within the Council. So, please, reconsider my offer."

"There's nothing to reconsider," Shirou stated flatly. "I said I refuse. Hand over Altera."

"Is that so?" Archimedes sighed dramatically. "How unfortunate. I truly wanted to invite you all to share in this power. It seems this blessing will be mine alone to enjoy."

Morrigan let out a sharp laugh. "You think you can just walk away from us?"

"Pity my real body isn't here..." Archimedes smiled.

Real body? Morrigan's eyes widened in surprise.

"Actually, Eternal King, we're not so different, you and I. Similar experiences, similar personalities... Don't be so quick to dismiss me. Give me a chance, and you might find it's a chance for yourself as well. Chaldea can't take on the Council alone, let alone whoever is pulling their strings. We have common enemies and a need to work together. Think about it. I hope that earlier refusal was just a spur-of-the-moment thing, eh? And by the way, I've left you some small gifts." Archimedes smiled as his body gradually disappeared along with Velber 02.

"What the—?" Morrigan stared, dumbfounded. "No magical signature! How did he...? I have to—"

"Don't bother," Shirou interrupted. "It was just a hologram."

"A...hologram?" She turned to him, disbelief written across her face.

"Both Velber and Altera were holograms all along. The real ones are hidden somewhere else," he explained.

"A hologram..." She looked defeated. If it were magecraft, she could detect and see through it, but a hologram... that was beyond her. Holograms were a product of scientific technology, leaving no traces of mana or techniques to track.

And of course, most magi... were generally inept when it came to technology. Morrigan included.

After searching for a while longer without finding any clues, Shirou's group prepared to leave the Great Pyramid and rejoin Artoria and the others. But just as they moved, the ground suddenly shook, and terrifying trees erupted from the earth.

"Uranus?" Morrigan asked, her voice tight with worry.

"No, it's Yggdrasil's offspring."

He recognized the giant trees erupting from the ground – they were undoubtedly Archimedes's "gifts." Daji had clearly gone to the trouble of having Demonic Bodhisattva obtain seedlings cultivated from the World Tree Yggdrasil from the North.

"Yggdrasil... the World Tree from Norse mythology? That's a dangerous enemy!" Morrigan said, raising her guard. Dark energy crackled around her fingers as she shifted into a combat stance.

"The original would be, but an offspring? Hardly worth mentioning." Shirou shook his head, then projected Laevateinn. The legendary sword materialized in his grip, runes igniting along its length. With a casual swing that carried more annoyance than effort, endless catastrophic flames erupted from the blade. The fire spiraled outward in a torrent, wrapping around Yggdrasil's offspring in rings of destruction. The divine sapling's branches thrashed and twisted, but each movement only fed the flames until they consumed it completely, burning it down to ashes that scattered in the wind.

As the flames died down, Shirou dusted himself off, dispelling Laevateinn with a flick of his wrist. "He doesn't even know how to give a proper gift."

He turned to find Morrigan and Kiara staring at him in disbelief. "Time to go," he said.

"It's... it's already gone?" Morrigan's hand trembled as she pointed at the remnants of Yggdrasil's offspring, her voice filled with astonishment. She took a hesitant step forward, boots crunching on scattered ash. "Just like that?"

"Of course."

"But...how...?" Morrigan struggled to find the words.

He let out a small chuckle. "Even the real Yggdrasil would be reduced to ashes against Lævateinn, let alone a mere seedling. You're getting worked up over nothing, sis."

"Worked up...?" Morrigan's eye twitched. "Nothing?" she repeated faintly, hurrying after him with a dazed expression. Everything was happening too fast, so fast that even she couldn't keep up.

After leaving the Great Pyramid, Shirou headed to the altar to meet Artoria. With Daji's help, Artoria and the others had already subdued the Age of Gods magi led by the Archbishop.

"Good work, Artie," he said, waving to her.

She smiled and shook her head.

After they exchanged information, Shirou looked at the Archbishop and asked, "Where is Archimedes?"

Archbishop kept his eyes closed and remained silent.

Shirou frowned, about to press further, when Morrigan's expression suddenly changed dramatically.

"What's wrong, sis?" he asked.

Morrigan showed Shirou a friend message. Shirou's eyebrows shot up as he read it.

It was from Hinako.

— "All is well, do not return!"

Hinako's message was like a poorly disguised excuse - something must have gone wrong there.

Shirou turned to Mordred and Kiara. "Continue questioning the Archbishop," he instructed. He then gestured for Morrigan and Ayaka to follow him as he opened a portal back to the base of Heaven's Corpse.

Although Archbishop was cunning, Shirou trusted Mordred to keep an eye on him. With Ayaka accompanying them, Daji—the only unpredictable element—would have to follow. He felt confident that there wouldn't be any unexpected incidents and that his daughter and Kiara would be safe.

"We couldn't avoid it after all..." Daji sighed.

"Avoid what?" Ayaka asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Nothing." Daji quickly regained her composure and smiled at Ayaka. She moved closer and whispered, "Master, I'm a bit cold. Let's stay close."

"Alright." Ayaka nodded. Although she didn't understand what Daji was doing, she trusted her just as she trusted Arthur and Altera. Daji was, after all, her Servant.

"Such a sweet, good girl," Daji said with a smile.

When they arrived back at the base of Heaven's Corpse, they were met with widespread destruction—fallen forests, scattered fires, and scenes of devastation everywhere.

"What... what happened here?" Ayaka's eyes widened in alarm.

"Hinako!" Morrigan's cry was sharp with fear. "Hinako, where are you?!" Panic clawed at her. Hinako was more than just a friend. She and Hinako had been friends for over eight hundred years; they were incredibly close, and she was terrified that something had happened to her.

Shirou walked to the scorched earth, crouched down, and touched the black, lifeless soil. He frowned immediately. "Black mud..."

This wasn't normal earth. It was soil destroyed by something with the same source as his Evil Blossom.

"Manaka Sajyou," he clenched his fist. "This is her doing."

"Did... did my sister do this?" Ayaka was shocked.

"I can't believe she moved against Tiamat so quickly. With Heaven's Corpse and the God's Brain present... she shouldn't have had the time or the power to capture her." Shirou frowned and turned to Daji, his expression hardening. "You knew about this, didn't you, Beast V?"

Daji smiled. "She has assimilated and absorbed Beast III."

"Beast III? My other self?" Kiara gasped, her eyes widening with anxiety. "Did Manaka go after her?"

Daji nodded. "I haven't been able to sense my kouhai's aura for some time now. That woman has already hunted her down."

"But what about my other self?" Kiara asked, her voice trembling. "Is she alright?"

"How strange. She was determined to eliminate you, yet you're worried about her. What a curious girl." Daji paused, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "But since her Beast authority was consumed, my poor kouhai was probably eaten as well."

"E-eaten..." Kiara froze.

"Yes, eaten just like an eagle eats a chick," Daji confirmed with a nod.

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.