IBHJ Chapter 886

A flash of golden light materialized, revealing a green-haired man seated on a lotus platform before Gaia.

"It couldn't be...!" Arcueid instinctively recoiled at the sight of the green-haired man. She vividly remembered their previous encounter, where she had been thoroughly defeated. Why would Gaia summon him here? No, wait. If she was going to summon him anyway, why bother calling Arcueid?

The man, summoned by Gaia, calmly glanced at her before vanishing just as quickly.

Gaia turned back. "Let's go, Arcueid."

"Who was that?"

"I just needed to confirm his presence."

Arcueid frowned, clearly annoyed. "By the way, what's this 'vortex' you keep mentioning? I feel like I'm being led along by the nose."

Gaia replied simply, "It's Alaya's calamity."

"What?" she was taken aback. "Wait, Alaya's calamity? Shirou mentioned it before. Is it the Evil of Humanity? If it's something like that, I wouldn't think it'd make you so nervous as to launch a self-rescue mission."

"No, it's not the Evil of Humanity. It's the Vortex, the calamity of Alaya. Or, more precisely, the calamity that destroyed Alaya."

Gaia continued, "Alaya differs from me. I'm the will of the planet, responsible for protecting Earth. But Alaya is the will of humanity, responsible for protecting humanity's survival. So, as humanity grows and expands, Alaya's protective reach expands as well."

"If humanity becomes a spacefaring civilization, Alaya would evolve, ensuring its survival in space. In a way, Alaya itself is a system designed to facilitate humanity's space exploration."

Arcueid looked perplexed. "But how does this relate to the 'vortex' you mentioned?"

Gaia paused for a moment before replying, "A long time ago, a civilization on Earth developed space travel. To ensure their survival and further their space exploration, they used technology to create an artificial Counter Force system - Alaya. They placed Alaya's transmitters throughout the galaxy. Once activated and linked, these transmitters would form a cosmic Alaya, guaranteeing their survival in space."

"Uh... sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel," Arcueid commented, slightly bewildered. Cosmic Alaya... it was a lot to take in.

Gaia glanced at her. "It's not fiction, it's reality. Once the cosmic Alaya was established, the Heroic Spirits in the Throne of Heroes would also become cosmic beings. Their powerful Noble Phantasms would become capable of destroying planets with a single strike. But unfortunately, the cosmic Alaya was destroyed before it could be fully realized, and with it, that civilization."

"So, that's the 'vortex' you've been talking about?"

Gaia nodded. "That vortex destroyed the cosmic Alaya and that civilization. However, as they perished, they managed to seal the vortex within Akasha."

"But for the past two thousand years, human magi have relentlessly tried to enter Akasha and reach the vortex, despite the fierce monsters and Heroic Spirits that Alaya and I have placed in their path. Their constant attempts have allowed the vortex to gain more and more mobility. Although there's no concrete proof, I suspect the weakening of my main body's deterrent power is due to the vortex's influence," Gaia explained.

Arcueid was silent for a moment, then asked, "If the vortex were to reawaken, what would happen?"

Gaia shook her head. "I don't know. I don't know the vortex's purpose, or even if it has consciousness. But the destruction of this solar system is inevitable. Billions of years ago, when that civilization sealed the vortex, this solar system was already heading towards destruction."

"I see," Arcueid nodded.

Although she couldn't fully understand the horror Gaia described, she knew it would be best to prevent such a terrible fate from happening to this beautiful planet. 

Taking a deep breath, she looked at Gaia and asked, "What should we do?"

"First, we need to gather allies who can help me," Gaia replied.

"But if we're talking about allies that can help you... why don't we go to Fuyuki City and find Shirou?"

"I didn't notice it before when I communicated with him through Rhongomyniad, but Shirou carries the aura of that vortex. It's slightly different in nature, but the essence is the same. The vortex might try to pollute me through him, so I prefer to avoid contact. Besides, wouldn't it be awkward for you to reach out to him now?" Gaia explained.

Arcueid was taken aback, staring blankly at Gaia.

But Gaia had already turned away calmly.

Arcueid smiled. "Are you sure you haven't been simulating my emotions?"

"I haven't."

"Alright then, I believe you," she nodded, still smiling.

Gaia ignored Arcueid's remark and extended her palm. With a sharp crack, a door to nothingness opened before them. Gaia stepped through first, Arcueid following closely behind.

"Where are we?" she looked around. This space was devoid of anything.

There was no light, no basic elements, just vast emptiness.

"Imaginary Number Space," Gaia replied curtly.

Imaginary Number Space? This was another concept beyond Arcueid's understanding.

Sighing, she could now empathize with how Crimson Moon felt when he encountered magic for the first time. Aside from confusion, there was only bewilderment.

However...

"Why do I smell a woman I really dislike here?" Arcueid frowned.

Until now, the only women she disliked were Ritsuka during gaming sessions, and Sakura. But Ritsuka should be with Artoria now, and Sakura should be in Fuyuki City.

Suddenly...

"Aaaaaa——"

A bone-chilling shriek ripped through the void, so deafening it felt like the very stars themselves trembled. A chaotic storm erupted from the nothingness, bending and distorting the fabric of space around them.

Then, a pair of enormous, eerie eyes materialized in the emptiness, staring down at them.

"Calm yourself, Tiamat," Gaia said.

"Aaaaaa——"

——Leave, Gaia!

Though it was a chaotic cry, Arcueid surprisingly understood its meaning. It was telling Gaia to leave.

"What's wrong, Mother?"

In the void, a soft, weary voice questioned alongside the chaotic roar.

But this voice...

"Why does it sound so much like that annoying Sakura's?"

Arcueid looked up, and with her power as the King of the Moon, she easily saw a giant goddess and a girl trapped in a cage.

—Fujimaru Sakura!

"Hm? Wait, this voice... is that you, golden cockroach?"

Sakura, locked in Tiamat's cage, turned her head. Her vision wasn't as sharp as Arcueid's, but she sensed Arcueid standing beside Gaia.

Her eyes immediately narrowed.

"Aaaaaa——"

—Leave, Gaia!

"I need your help, Tiamat," Gaia said seriously.

Indeed, the helper she was searching for was Tiamat, who had been killed by the Mesopotamian gods and whose soul had been banished to the Imaginary Number Space.

However...

—Leave!

Tiamat's refusal was already within Gaia's expectations. She calmly replied, "I can give you a body and release you from the Imaginary Number Space. But in return, you must help me."

—Leave!

"Afterwards, I won't reclaim your body, nor will I banish you back here."

—...Really?

"Yes. But your Beast form cannot enter the physical world."

—I... need to think about it.

Even Tiamat had to admit, Gaia's offer was tempting. Banished to this desolate Imaginary Number Space by her own children, she had been tormented by the endless loneliness and isolation for ages.

She had wanted to leave for a long time. But she had no way out. So, when Gaia offered freedom, she was tempted.

As for her Beast form being unable to enter the physical world, it was a minor inconvenience. The real question was whether Gaia could be trusted.

After careful deliberation, Tiamat agreed.

The main reason for accepting the deal wasn't because of her own desire, but because her daughter, Sakura, had always wanted to leave. However, the outside world was chaotic and dangerous, and Sakura would be in danger without her protection.

"Your new body will be ready soon," Gaia assured her. "Until then, you'll have to be patient."