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. Shirou could practically hear that sick, bone-deep laughter crawling through his skull.

Origin Gaia floated within Cosmic Alaya's chest cavity, tendrils of her consciousness reaching into the planet's neural pathways. She was attempting to hijack the entire planetary network—rewriting it with her will.

Thankfully Artoria had activated the [Emperor's Arm] early. Just like the Ideal King had once exiled Future Gaia, the barrier system had cut Origin Gaia off from planetary access. But now Cosmic Alaya had blown a massive hole through those barrier. The connection was reforming, and Shirou knew exactly what would happen next. Once Origin Gaia synced with the planet's sensory grid, she'd trigger a complete ecosystem reset. Every form of life that had evolved since her era would be systematically erased. Humans, fairies, even the mutated creatures that had adapted to this world—none of it would survive her idea of planetary restoration.

Shirou had to stop her. But how was he supposed to get through Cosmic Alaya? His gaze drifted to the gaping breach in the [Emperor's Arm]. Another Cosmic Alaya waited inside the planet. Mordred, Kama, and the others would have to handle that one. But if every UO combined couldn't even restrain a single Cosmic Alaya, what chance did they have?

He stared at Origin Gaia tucked inside that living fortress. There was one option left, wasn't there? The weapon he'd been saving, the one trump card that could end this nightmare in a single shot. The Akasha Arrow.

She'd seized his main body specifically to prevent him using his arrow. But he wasn't Shirou if he didn't have backup plans. If he really wanted to, he could fire the Akasha Arrow right now and strike her main body. But if he did that—everything would be over since Akasha Arrow could only be used once.

And if he used it on someone who was supposed to be their greatest ally...

Origin Gaia might be the enemy now, but Cosmic Alaya would lose her mind the moment that arrow hit her. The Lord of Salvation would probably laugh until his jaw cracked.

Actually, that bastard was likely already laughing somewhere, watching this whole tragedy he'd orchestrated unfold exactly as planned. Mocking every desperate move they made.

‘What now?’ Shirou's mind raced. ‘If I could just break through Cosmic Alaya's barrier...’ He clenched his fists. He did have a way to stop Origin Gaia. The problem was reaching her first. Right now, buried deep inside Cosmic Alaya's body, she was completely untouchable.

‘I can help you get through Alaya's barrier, Shirou.’

A voice whispered directly into his thoughts.

"Who—?" Shirou's head jerked up, eyes darting around the empty space.

‘You beat me up pretty good back in the distant past. Take a wild guess.’

The voice carried a note of mock resentment that made his chest tighten with recognition.

"Venus?" His eyes widened. "You're still alive?"

‘Why else do you think I was the only one at the South America Connection Point to get my personality split in half?’

Shirou went quiet. He'd pieced together fragments of the bitter history between Venus and Gaia, assuming both had been wiped out when the Golden Emperor tore through the Origin era.

But Venus had survived. And she'd witnessed everything. Including what he'd done to her past back then.

‘You looked pretty damn satisfied while beating the crap out of my past self.’ Venus's mental voice carried a dry laugh. ‘Ugh, whatever. That version of me probably had it coming anyway. I'm just... glad I got to see Gaia one more time before I disappear. But if we let her run wild like this, the only one who wins is the Lord of Salvation.’

A pause stretched between them.

‘Current Gaia's already seen what's happening here. She's racing back as fast as she can, but she won't make it in time.’ Venus's voice grew more urgent. ‘Shirou, you said if you can reach Origin Gaia, you can stop her, right?’

He gave a sharp nod. "Yes."

‘Then let me help you.’

The moment Venus spoke those words, the Venusian Blessing inside Shirou's body exploded to life.

Fire. Pure, scorching fire racing through his veins.

At the same moment, the planet Venus itself erupted in golden flames, blazing brighter than the sun until it looked like a second star had been born.

‘Honestly, I should thank you, Shirou. Ever since the Age of Origins ended, I stopped caring about everything. Countless invaders came for Earth. Even Crimson Moon managed to scheme against Gaia. But I just sat there watching. Venus's voice grew softer, tinged with old regret. Because deep down, I never accepted that this world was still Gaia's.

‘But that moment I had at the South America connection point... It was me finally letting go of who I used to be.’

Every Ultimate One froze mid-motion, as if struck by invisible lightning. Their heads turned toward Venus, now a burning golden star.

"Hey! Stop this—you'll burn yourself out and disappear!" Shirou shouted.

‘That future you described... I loved it. So please, make it real. Make it the future this place deserves.’ Venus's mental voice was fading, like someone walking away down a long corridor. ‘And if it's not asking too much... tell my past self something for me. Tell her to cherish every moment she still has with her big sister.’

The moment her words ended, every golden flame consuming Venus compressed, condensed, crystallized into a single golden spear. It shot forward like divine judgment itself—faster than dimensional laws should allow, crossing impossible distances in a heartbeat and driving straight toward Cosmic Alaya's chest.

But even that transcendent speed looked sluggish to Cosmic Alaya. It lifted one hand with casual indifference and caught the beam between its palms like snatching a firefly.

‘You might be the strongest among us, Alaya. But don't you dare underestimate Venus!’

The golden spear detonated.

BOOOOM!

The explosion tore through reality itself. Both of Alaya's hands simply ceased—not destroyed, not vaporized, but erased from existence at the information level.

The beam punched through, drilling straight into Cosmic Alaya's chest.

Crack! Crack-crack-crack!

Spiderweb fractures raced across Alaya’s supposedly indestructible armor. The golden spear bored deeper, heading straight for the Origin Gaia hidden within.