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IBHJ Chapter 646
🕑 Added 2023-12-30 05:42:53 +0000 UTCIskandar could either use Ionian Hetairoi to wipe out the 300+ Assassins and stop this invasion, only to then be killed by Scathach. Or...he could watch his Master be killed, and then be eliminated himself soon after.
This was really a... brilliant plan!
It was just a pity he only realized it now.
Iskandar sighed. But there was no time for regrets. He activated Ionian Hetairoi.
His Noble Phantasm swept across the battlefield, wiping out the hundreds of Assassins. Only then did the Assassins finally realize Shirou's lies about leading them to victory and using the Holy Grail to help them split their personalities...
They had foolishly become pawns in the young man's clever schemes!
When Ionian Hetairoi dissipated, a God Slayer strike came straight for Iskandar as expected, taking his life.
"If possible...spare the boy...he won't be a threat..." were Iskandar's last words before disappearing with a sigh.
Waver trembled in fear.
At that moment, Shirou contacted him with an offer. He would let Waver live, but only if Waver made a contract to help him with two things.
Left with no choice against the threat to his life, Waver reluctantly agreed.
Late that night, Shirou brought Scathach to the Einzbern Castle under cover of darkness. Along the way, they encountered Berserker, who Scathach quickly dispatched.
As the sun rose on the third day, his ingenious plans had succeeded - in just two nights, he had eliminated five of the seven Servants. Now only Gilgamesh remained.
He led Scathach into the Einzbern grounds, where they invaded the castle. Moving boldly, they came upon Irisviel, who was pacing and fretting about Saber's absence. Before she could react, they seized her, binding the struggling woman to a pillar.
"I don't think you're unaware of what I intend to do here, Irisviel," he said. "You are the Lesser Grail, after all."
Iri's heart sank.
"The Grail has already been corrupted," he said coldly. "When this Grail War ends and it tries to manifest, all that evil inside will burst out. No one can prevent that now - you've become the fuse to set off the disaster. The fuse can't be removed, but precautions can still be taken. You're already rotten within, so just stay here and rot alone. Don't drag innocent people into this."
Shirou and Scathach left.
"Only Gilgamesh is left now, Shisho," he muttered as they walked.
"And how will we handle him?" she asked, eyes glinting with anticipation.
"Aren't you even curious about the plan first?" he blinked in surprise.
"I have faith in that clever mind of yours, Shirou," she smiled.
Bolstered by her trust, he took a deep breath. "Gilgamesh is doomed. By today's end, I'll have his death on my hands!"
Scathach smiled and reached out to flick his nose.
"Do as you wish, Shirou," Scathach said gently, smiling.
"Thank you for your help, Shisho."
Although he was desperate to survive, he was no ingrate.
If Scathach hadn't extended a helping hand, he likely would have lived a messy Holy Grail War, constantly brushing with death.
For the greatest pain was not physical, but mental torment - the agony of endlessly fearing demise yet being powerless to prevent it.
But Scathach's arrival had shattered that.
He was deeply thankful to her.
The world was no simple black and white, but a complex melting pot of diverse interests intersecting.
In such a world, all he wanted to do was protect himself.
No - all he could do was protect himself.
However, Shirou still possessed gratitude and a thankful heart. He wouldn't forget Scathach's kindness or the lifesaving grace she had shown him.
It was just that she was too powerful while he himself was too weak.
He might never be able to repay this kindness, this lifesaving grace.
So the only thing he could do was respect her principles and formulate tactics accordingly.
Fortunately, aside from assassinating Masters being forbidden, most strategic moves were acceptable.
This gave full play to not his abilities, but his ingenuity.
Only one enemy was left.
The last one.
If he killed him, he could live in peace!
Some may call it a waste to cross worlds yet not seek excitement.
But he disagreed - all he wanted was safety.
As long as he had stability, that was enough.
He clenched his fists.
The last one...
...
"Lady Skaði.."
"Lady Skaði..."
The woman sleeping on the throne furrowed her brows as she was stirred from her pleasant dream. Slowly opening her wine-colored eyes, she looked to see who had interrupted her slumber.
Before her knelt a young girl with pink hair, wearing simple white robes. Though slender, she had a heroic bearing about her.
"What is it, Hildr?" Skaði asked lazily, lounging across her gilded throne. She gazed down with cold eyes as if addressing a subject.
"The giants are attacking again, my lady," Hildr respectfully knelt before the ivory throne and reported.
A icy glint flashed through Skaði's eyes. Her slender fingers lightly drummed the gilded armrest as she considered for a moment.
"Let the people from Chaldea handle it," she finally said. "Don't they want to fix this 'connection point'? Fine, let them use their might to protect this godforsaken land."
"Yes, Lady Skaði!" Hildr nodded obediently. She hesitated, then gazed up and asked, "My lady...was it that dream again?"
"Hmph...I'm a goddess, I don't have silly dreams like those pitiful beings," Skaði scoffed. "But I suppose I was somewhat influenced by that other me...the one from the 'common history of man'."
"The Queen of the Shadow Land," Hildr murmured.
"Go relay my orders," Skaði said, waving a dismissive hand.
"At once, my lady!" Hildr nodded and turned to leave.
Skaði rose from her throne and slowly walked to the temple entrance.
Outside, heavy snow drifted down, blanketing the land in an unbroken sheet of white. The once vibrant Asgard had become a lifeless land of ice and snow.
The divine miracles of the gods were slowly fading away.
In the sky, snowflakes fluttered down around a strange black ring towering in the air, exuding an eerie presence.
"Hmph," Skaði huffed as she eyed the black ring, then turned to sit on her throne, which shone with rainbow light. Like a divine miracle, even the wind and snow from outside eased up greatly.
Nowadays in Asgard, the light of the gods grew dimmer by the day. Were it not for the help of allies from beyond, this realm surely would have already fallen.
Even she...
Was confined in this tiny temple, using the final vestiges of her power to keep the relentless winter at bay.
Skaði started pondering this question.
She wasn't sure when the dreams had started. She would find herself not as the goddess Skaði, but as Scathach, the Queen of the Shadow Lands.
In the dreams, she was helping some kid - whose name and face she could never remember - to fight in the Fourth Holy Grail War. But the thing was, she could never remember how the dreams ended. She would get to the part where the kid, with her help, had defeated all the other Heroic Spirits and won the war.
Only every time, she would wake up halfway through.
No, it should be said, she had forgotten what happened after that.
She only remembered helping that child defeat all the Heroic Spirits and obtain victory. Then she forgot what happened next.
It was just, just...
She vaguely remembered snippets of the dream.
Endless black mud pouring from the sky, submerging the world, dragging her down into the deepest darkness.
And the child who dug her out of that abyss... but the rest was a blur.
Oh.
That’s right, she also remember one more scene.
The child grew into a successful businessman, spending a fortune to assist the medical field.
"The higher one climbs, the greater their responsibility. The more one earns, the more they should share, or else sooner or later there will be retaliation. I'm no magus or hero. But I can contribute in my own way, leave my mark on this world."
That words stuck with her. As did the man's innocent smile.
Then...nothing.
The dream had no ending.
Or she'd forgotten the ending.
This was an absurd dream to begin with.
Brought about by the overlapping existence with that Queen of the Shadows Land from 'common history of man'.
She was a goddess, while humans were small and insignificant beings.
She embodied the relentless wind and snow, bringing nothing but suffering. Devoid of compassion, she understood only the bitterness of winter's chill.
But still...part of her wondered how that dream really ended. Did that kid get the peaceful life he wanted?
And what was his name again? Ugh, she can't remember...
Heh, doesn't matter anyway.
Skaði sank back onto her throne and continued her slumber.
Comments
Melegant
So a lost belt?
JeanMartin Freites
I am not sure what to make of all of this.
