BCloud

IBHJ 1369

Once the initial shock of launch wore off, Shirou got a better look at the navigation AI. Silver hair, those eyes, that familiar presence—this wasn’t just inspired by Tiamat.

This was Tiamat.

Or at least, some version of her.

Great. He was literally riding around inside Sakura's adoptive mother.

If the present-day Tiamat ever found out about this, he'd have another name on the "people who want to murder Shirou" list. Right next to Venus, apparently.

The worm...

IBHJ 1368

Getting around space wasn't the problem. Sure, Shirou's human body would freeze and cook simultaneously out there, but his mud form could handle cosmic radiation and the absolute cold just fine. Same with his Emperor transformation.

The problem was everything else.

Space was too big. Too empty. Too quiet.

Flying through it felt like diving into an ocean trench where the only light came from distant stars that might've died a million years ago. Shirou had grown up with consta...

MMMS 104

As time passed, something shifted between the two on the balcony.

Morgan's queenly composure melted away, replaced by something softer, more vulnerable. The mischievous glint she'd been directing at Artoria faded completely as she lost herself in the moment.

Snap—the Mystic Eyes released their hold.

Artoria could move again, but she didn't. She stayed frozen on the couch, watching as Morgan's face grew flushed and dazed. Her own heart hammered against her ribs.

And t...

IBHJ 1367

Shirou followed Gaia back inside, watching her sink into her throne like she owned the universe. Which, he supposed, she kind of did.

A furious roar shattered the quiet.

"GAIA!"

The throne room doors exploded open. A blonde girl barreled through, her face twisted with rage that could've melted steel.

"Venus?" Shirou's eyebrows shot up.

She didn't even glance his way. Every ounce of her fury targeted Gaia, who looked about as concerned as someone watching paint dr...

MMMS 103

The sky stretched endlessly above them, clouds drifting without purpose. Morgan stood there breathing in the morning air, her expression peaceful but touched with something deeper—a sadness that seemed to weigh on her shoulders.

That solitary figure looked exactly like the one from his dreams.

‘So that's what it was.’ The realization hit him all at once. Why Morgan had appeared in 1994. Why she'd been holding something back from him this whole time.

Ryuuto's legs felt ...

IBHJ 1366

He stared at her in disbelief.

Did she just say... the Lord of Salvation don't exist?

His heart skipped a beat, a sharp jolt of unease rising in his chest. He tried to steady himself, but his voice came out shaky. "If that's true... then what the hell have I been fighting all this time?"

Gaia's words didn't just shake a foundation—they threatened to erase it.

"I brought these doubts with me when I traveled to the present," she said. "I couldn't understand what kind o...

IBHJ 1365

In the Age of Origin, Shirou's eyes drifted open. He was still sitting cross-legged at the edge of the Vortex Gate, legs stiff from however long he'd been out.

"Guess Gaia didn't lock me up after all." He pushed himself to his feet and took off toward Earth.

He was about to call out to Alaya for transport when a sweet breeze drifted around the corner. Before he could process what that meant—

Thump.

His face collided with something soft and warm. "Ow! Hey, watch where...

MMMS 102

When she was fifteen, Morgan was like a fairy by the lakeside—basking under the spring sun, straight out of a storybook. No worries, no doubts. Only curiosity for the unknown, and hope for tomorrow.

Morgan was the daughter of the great King Uther, who had unified the scattered tribes of Britain and ushered in an age of peace unseen in a century. Even the ancient superpower that once sheltered the British Isles—Rome—couldn't compare to the vibrant prosperity of Uther's kingdom. Eve...

IBHJ 1364

“In the mythic era,” she continued, “it was just like anywhere else—bloodthirsty gods, twisted monsters, ancient chaos. What really makes this land different…”

She glanced toward the distant mountains.

“…is the role of humans.”

"Humans?" Morrigan blinked.

"Exactly." Hinako's grin widened. "In every other mythology, gods are supreme. Humans grovel, pray, sacrifice whatever the gods want. But in this place If a god tries to wipe out humanity, humans str...

IBHJ 1363

Shirou cut off the connection. His awareness snapped back into his real body just as the mud clone collapsed into raw ether, dissolving like smoke in the wind. A one-time trick, burned for the emergency.

Future Gaia stepped out from behind Arcueid, fingers brushing through her hair like she was still shaking off the sting. “I still need to finish syncing Cosmic Alaya with Alaya. Beyond that, the planet’s doing everything it can to back you up.”

Mordred gave a sharp nod. The ...

MMMS 101

Artoria looked down, her cheeks pink as she turned away from him.

"…!"

The evening gown she wore was pitch-black silk, with a zipper running from her hips all the way up her spine. Now that it was completely undone, her back was bare to the soft light. Smooth skin like porcelain, delicate shoulder blades, the gentle curve of her spine. All of it belonging to the King of Knights.

Ryuuto's breath caught in his throat. He just stood there, staring.

No wonder she'd looke...

MMMS 100

As punishment for running his mouth in front of Her Majesty, Ryuuto had been given a new job—unofficial fashion advisor of Camelot.

Which, apparently, meant sitting on the edge of Artoria’s bed while she held up dresses for him like this was some kind of royal sleepover.

"Which one do you think suits me better, Master?" she asked, holding up two outfits—one in each hand.

In her left: a sleek black gown with a cool, mature look. In her right: a sky-blue off-shoulder dre...

IBHJ 1362

“I can’t believe it,” Shirou muttered. “That massive summoning circle… it was meant to call the Golden Emperor?”

He’d assumed it was just another ritual to pull something ancient from history. But this—this was the Golden Destroyer. A being from the Origin Era.

Maybe the Lord of Salvation had planned it all. Maybe it saw Origin Gaia coming long before anyone else. Maybe it set everything in motion—stirring chaos, turning allies into enemies, pushing Shirou to fir...

MMMS 99

In the park, Aoi's eyes widened slightly when she spotted Kariya. She'd known her childhood friend survived the Matou fire, but actually seeing him here in Fuyuki caught her off guard.

Just a month ago, he'd told her he was leaving the city for good. What he hadn't mentioned to anyone, not even her, was that he'd been searching for Sakura all this time.

For him to come back to a place that held nothing for him anymore... there was only one reason she could think of. He was worried...

IBHJ 1361

“Really though, that’s a first,” Venus said brightly. “Gaia actually lost. And to me, no less!”

She grinned like she’d just won the universe in a lottery—absolutely radiant, like toppling Origin Gaia had been the rarest treasure of all.

“Hmph. What’s the big deal?” Origin Gaia shrugged and crossed her arms. “If you can win, then I can lose. That’s just balance. Still, she’s a little rough around the edges. But hey, she’s being compared to peak me. The g...

IBHJ 1360

Time held its breath.

The newly arrived spirit giant caught Cosmic Alaya’s wrist mid-swing, stopping the arm before it could come down even an inch.

Of course it could. Because this giant… was also Cosmic Alaya. Just on different side. One that stood behind Future Gaia.

Right then, a wormhole flared open somewhere in deep space. Saturn roared through it like a war chariot, and on its back rode Arcueid and Altrouge, tumbling back into the solar system.

“We made i...

MMMS 98

"It's not about Mom!" she huffed, puffing out her cheeks. "If you really know about the Holy Grail War, then you should know who my father is!"

"Ah." His expression shifted slightly. "Tokiomi."

Rin's whole face lit up like he'd just said the magic word. "That's right! Tohsaka Tokiomi is my father!"

The way her eyes practically glowed when she said his name reminded him of someone else—his aunt, Ayaka Sajyou, whenever she gushed about her latest obsession.

‘Great. A...

IBHJ 1359

"...Been a while, big sis."

"What?!" Origin Gaia's eyes flew open just as the golden light slammed into her.

The impact sent her flying before she could even raise her guard. By the time she scrambled back to her feet, ready to strike back, the beam had already faded away.

"What was that supposed to be?!" She stood there, completely thrown off.

Staring at the gaping hole torn through Alaya's chest, Shirou squeezed his hands into fists. Venus had burned through her own ...

IBHJ 1358

As expected from the guardian of the cosmos. Even with only fragments of her true essence manifesting here, she'd taken a direct hit from his Noble Phantasm without so much as a scratch.

Shirou's hands curled into fists. The Grand Summoning Circle lay dormant, yet Origin Gaia had already crossed over from the Origin Era. Their greatest potential ally had become their deadliest enemy.

Nobody could have seen this coming. But it played perfectly into the Lord of Salvation’s hand. S...

MMMS 97

At the Einzbern castle's dining hall...

"What did Master tell you?" Morgan glanced at her sister, who'd just finished whatever mental conversation she was having with their Master.

"He said Irisviel wasn't feeling well yesterday, so he stayed out with her for the night." Artoria popped open her takeout breakfast box, looking perfectly content with the explanation. "They'll be back tonight, which means we're stuck here at the castle today."

"Hmph." Morgan's fingers traced laz...

MMMS 96

"Ugh..." Iri's chest tightened as jealousy flared hot and sudden. Beautiful? He called Maiya beautiful? Her mind raced back through every conversation, every moment they'd shared. He'd never... not once had he ever called her that.

Her lip quivered. The hurt was so sharp it felt physical.

But Ryuuto didn't see her crumbling expression. Maiya had already reached up, cupping his face in her hands... and kissed him.

Iri's breath caught. Those are Ryuuto's lips... The sight hit ...

IBHJ 1357

"What did you expect? She's Origin Gaia, after all," the Grail said, materializing beside Mordred with barely contained glee in its voice.

Mordred shot the Grail a sharp look. "Why do you sound so damn happy about this?"

"How could I not be?" The Grail practically vibrated with excitement. "Do you have any idea what we're looking at? This is Origin Gaia herself! The real deal!" It spun in a little circle, like a kid who'd just spotted their favorite celebrity. "Look at her, Mordre...

MMMS 95

Ryuuto liked to think of himself as a man of pure love. No, seriously, he meant that.

He'd been with plenty of women before, but he'd never made any of them unhappy. When it came to winning girls over, he never relied on hypnotism or mind-control spells or anything that would mess with their free will.

What was the point of cheating your way through the game? That's why, when Maiya suddenly showed up with a tied-up Iri, he was...

...completely unable to say no.

Because...

IBHJ 1356

If Gaia had called Arcueid, then she was definitely working on rebuilding the Cosmic Alaya.

"If Gaia can actually pull that off, it'll be huge for all of us—not just this solar system." Shirou's smile was small but genuine. He'd seen the Cosmic Alaya in action during the Origin Era. It wasn't technically a transcendent, but it might as well have been—like some kind of universal guardian deity. Unless you were dealing with something spawned from the Root itself, or that golden empero...

IBHJ 1355

In that split second of distraction, the Beast tore open another vortex and disappeared with Ritsuka in tow. Artoria lunged forward to intercept, but they were already gone—vanished into the swirling portal before she could even get close.

"Grrrooooaaarrrr!!"

Fou's howl shook the trees as the massive creature launched itself at Shirou, claws extended and eyes blazing with mindless fury.

Shirou's chest tightened. After the Eternal Kingdom fell, Fou had simply vanished. He h...

MMMS 94

“Lord Ryuuto… the wound’s already healed. I feel a lot better now.”

When Ryuuto stepped back into the room, he found Irisviel sitting up on the futon, her pale hair slightly mussed, eyes warm as she looked up at him.

“I’ve really caused you a lot of trouble, haven’t I? Honestly, I must be such a burden. You probably regret ever picking me up.”

“There’s no such thing,” he said, sitting down beside her and taking her hand without hesitation.

The two...

IBHJ 1354

"There you are, Ritsuka-chan."

Ritsuka's voice came out flat and deadly. "What did you think you were going to do to my Mash?"

Something flickered across the Beast's face. "I can't believe you're looking at me like that.”

"I asked you a question. What were you going to do to my Mash?"

"Mash doesn't matter. She never did. I'm here for you. My other half. We belong together."

Ritsuka started walking forward, slow and deliberate.

"Senpai, no!" Mash struggled...

IBHJ 1353

“Skadi’s already gone to Britain. Merlin and the others are with her. Vivian too,” Artoria said. “China’s holding for now—Hinako and her sister are stationed there. They’ve got support from the Spiral Manor, and Hinako mentioned a reclusive immortal friend who agreed to help.”

“As for here,” she continued, “Mordred, Kiara, and Kama are on their way back.”

Shirou exhaled slowly. “Then we’ve still got a chance.”

But his voice lowered.

“If ...

MMMS 93

Later…

Ryuuto and Maiya helped Irisviel into the manor.

As expected, the place had long since been abandoned. Dust coated everything. The air was stale. He guided them through a garden choked with waist-high weeds, then found a room that was only slightly less musty than the rest. A futon sat in one corner, still usable after a few quick shakes.

He laid Irisviel down gently.

“If anything happens to Iri… I’ll kill you.” His voice was flat, but the look he gave...

MMMS 92

“Iri? Irisviel? Heiress of the Einzbern family?” Ryuuto trailed after her, calling out as she stormed off in a huff.

The celebration had ended… poorly.

His so-called “proposal” had gone over like a lead balloon.

Artoria had raised her voice louder than ever. Morgan’s glare had turned colder than ice. Both sisters left the table, fuming.

He’d only barely managed to keep Irisviel from leaving too—by hugging her from behind.

“Lancer and Caster were...