IBHJ 1053 (Patreon)

Waves crashed against the shore, dragging Manaka onto the beach. She pulled herself up using the jagged rocks, her clothes torn and dripping. Each breath came in sharp gasps.

She touched her right shoulder, her fingers coming away red. She smiled, the expression graceful despite her tragic condition.

"I'll make you answer for this, brother." She pressed her hand against her wound. Despite her powers, despite knowing everything and being capable of anything, she wouldn't let this pass. She never forgot a slight—especially not after what Shirou had done to her.

The memory of Daji standing behind Ayaka with a threatening expression made her fingers curl into fists. "And that fox, using Ayaka to threaten me..." She shook her head. "I won't forget that either."

Manaka pushed against the ground to stand, then gasped as pain shot through her shoulder. Tears spilled down her cheeks.

"I used to wonder what pain felt like..." She wiped her face with her free hand. "Now I wish I didn't know."

Blood seeped between her fingers as she held her wound. Above her, the moon glowed red in the night sky.

Fujimaru Shirou would act soon - he must have learned about the God Warrior by now. In a few days, he'd find the God King. She needed to move faster than him, or she'd never get her answers. Gritting her teeth against the pain, Manaka forced herself to stand.

...

Shirou and the others returned to Sanctuary and continued to question the Archbishop about Archimedes. But he refused to speak.

The adventurers were furious when they saw Archbishop imprisoned. They initially wanted to rescue him, but after Shirou revealed Archbishop's hidden dealings, they were stunned.

They couldn't believe it. The Archbishop, who always seemed to prioritize the greater good, who appeared so kind and benevolent, was actually a hypocrite. A scheming, ambitious man.

"He manipulated us." One of the adventurers took a step back, his face pale. "All in the name of justice." Several others lowered their heads, fists clenched.

Shirou explained how the Archbishop had used adventurers even before the God King plan. He had them hunt down priests from an opposing faction to unify the church and establish his own power. He had even begun secretly hunting the Gandharans. Their divine eye, Shirou explained, was the key for priests who had lost their divine powers to regain them.

Archimedes's arrival seemed to embolden the Archbishop. He grew even more ruthless, ordering the complete destruction of Gandharan villages. Entire communities were wiped out, their bodies used to create the God Warriors.

He also abused his authority to gain access to the adventurers who had run out of resurrections and were being held in the resurrection pyramid. He secretly took them and transformed them into the factory-type organisms in Velber 02.

Archbishop justified all his actions in the name of the greater good, expertly manipulating everyone around him.

Some adventurers wept openly as they learned the truth about the Archbishop. They realized he had used them to commit terrible atrocities in the name of justice. One adventurer sank to his knees, his head in his hands. Another punched the wall, leaving a dent in the stone.

With Archbishop captured, Velber 02 relocated, and the God Warriors deactivated, the crisis seemed to be over. The bone spirits thankfully disappeared soon after, allowing people to breathe a sigh of relief.

But there were still pressing issues to deal with. Archimedes was still out there, hiding somewhere. UOs' judgment time was fast approaching. And the God's Brain, the key to the wager, was in Venus's hands. Most importantly, Manaka remained a threat, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to attack. For now, though, they needed to focus on the immediate problem.

"Stop it, both of you." Ayaka pressed her fingers to her temples, trying to ward off a headache as she watched Daji hold Hinako's head to the ground.

Shirou frowned. He knew there was bad blood between the two, but he hadn't expected them to start fighting the moment they saw each other. Daji, of course, was the one clearly dominating the fight.

"Master, that's not quite fair." Daji tightened her grip on Hinako's head. "I didn't want to fight. She's the one who seems determined to get beaten up."

Ayaka sighed, rubbing her temples. She looked at Daji with a mixture of exasperation and helplessness.

"Fine, fine." Daji released Hinako with a dramatic sigh. "I'll be the bigger person and forgive you." She looked down at Hinako. "But you better behave yourself from now on."

Hinako nodded.

But the moment Daji let go, Hinako drew her sword. "You villain!" she shouted, her face contorted with rage. "Prepare to die!"

She lunged at Daji, but within seconds, Daji had pinned her to the ground again.

"How cute." Daji grinned.

They all looked at the two women, realizing just how incompatible they were. It was like trying to mix oil and water.

Suddenly, Enkidu rushed in from outside, looking panicked.

"Enkidu, what's wrong?" Shirou frowned. "Did you find Archimedes?"

"No." Enkidu shook their head.

"Then what is it?"

"Just come outside and see!" she urged.

He followed her outside. The clear sky was now hidden behind a thick blanket of dark clouds. Sinister souls floated everywhere, devouring everything in their path, leaving a trail of decay and death.

"When did this happen?" He stared at the swirling mass of dark clouds, his brow furrowed.

"Just now."

"Anything else?"

"The lower land was attacked."

"Attacked?" He looked at Enkidu, his confusion growing.

"I just found out myself. The human main city is gone. All the NPCs are dead. Truly dead." Enkidu's voice was grim. "Their souls didn't go to the resurrection pyramid, and the system didn't send any notifications. Look, this is a video recorded by an adventurer."

Enkidu shared a video. Shirou opened it. He watched in alarm as a sea of evil spirits and animated skeletons consumed the human city. Mountains crumbled, and life withered wherever they passed.

"Those things attacked the lower land?" Shirou's frown deepened.

"Yes." she sighed. "If even Sanctuary couldn't withstand these monsters, no city in the lower land stands a chance."

"It seems Uranus is returning..." he murmured. "Or perhaps UOs are making their move against Gaia?"

He paused, lost in thought, then looked up at her. "Enkidu," he began, his expression hardening, "please bring your Master and come with me to the lower land."

"Why?" she asked. "Do you have a lead on Archimedes?"

He shook his head. "I'm taking Archbishop to meet an old friend."

...

Shirou brought Archbishop to the lower land and found Grandmother Enos. He explained everything about the God King's plans.

Grandmother Enos listened intently. When Shirou finished, she sighed and looked at Archbishop with concern. "So you still went after those foreigners, Moirae?" she pressed her lips together, her voice heavy with sadness. "Have you forgotten the words of our ancestors?"

"Of course not, Enos." Archbishop's voice was sharp. "But what do ancient precepts have to do with us now? If we can reclaim our world, our era, and those foreigners can help us achieve that, why shouldn't we use them?"

He glared at Enos. "As a former High Priestess, you must have known about the usefulness of these foreigners—the Gandharans—long before I did. Yet you did nothing. You watched as these invaders ran wild in our world, waiting for them to bring down their final judgment. Shouldn't we fight back? Shouldn't we take back what is rightfully ours?"

"But should we sacrifice innocent lives to achieve our goals?" Grandmother Enos pressed her hands together.

"For our own sake, why not?" Archbishop Moirae glared at her. "You and your followers are hypocrites. You use false pretenses to cover up the true nature of life. You use fake benevolence to restrict people's thoughts, and that is why people have become so weak."