Chapter 288: Settling the Score with Kiara
Within the cyber world, everyone else had been swept away by Shirou and Ibaraki. After mastering the true use of his eyes, Shirou's strength had ascended to a completely different level.
Now, only Kiara Sessyoin remained, blocked by BB. Shirou withdrew his pistols and looked at the woman. According to his plan, he would rescue the shop manager, but Kiara Sessyoin had to be dealt with here. Having knowledge of the past of the "Black Archer" (EMIYA Alter) from a parallel world, Shirou understood exactly how dangerous this woman was.
Unlike other Heroic Spirits who lived in epics and myths, and unlike other "Beasts" who were often non-human entities—be they a collective of Demon Gods under a mythological king, a world-ending three-eyed cat demon, or high-ranking deities—Kiara Sessyoin was unique. She was a being who had transformed bit by bit from a modern human. Because she was most deeply influenced by the mortal world, she was the most adept at manipulating human hearts, making her exceptionally foul.
A former human who loved humanity, yet looked down upon it, viewing others as mere toys. In essence, she was no different from a real-world villain blinded by desire.
"If I had enough power, I could have saved you as well. I'm sorry," Shirou said in a low, heavy voice as he looked at her.
"Hehehehe... Hahahaha! You brat!" Kiara Sessyoin froze for a moment at the boy's words, then burst into laughter. Her well-manicured face contorted into a selfish, ferocious mask as she roared: "I don't need saving! All I want is pleasure! If I can't live happily, then I'll die happily!"
"But your wishy-washy talk is so irritating! I really want to gouge out your stubborn brains and give them a good wash. You're just playing a game of 'Ally of Justice.' Generally, people help others for the sense of achievement and the affirmation of their own 'noble' character. But you—you'll do it whether you feel pleasure or not. You do it simply because it is 'right.'"
"What is this old hag talking about! Senpai Shirou isn't like that at all!" BB retorted angrily.
Shirou looked at Kiara and spoke calmly: "You're wrong. It's precisely because I was changed that I will never let you hurt a single person in this world. If I were a colder, more decisive version of myself, I might have already sacrificed a few to save the many."
"But I have lived in this world for over ten years. I've encountered many things—family, friends. By now, I've grown to love it here. I don't want too many cruel things to happen in this world. So, I will bring everyone out safely, and their disposal will be left to the judgment of professionals. Now, leave the manager's body, Kiara!" The boy's eyes glowed with white light, his voice firm.
"So boring! So incredibly tedious! Why does a man like you have to be here? Do you intend to lock those criminals in prison like some Western superhero? Or are you saying that because I'm an obstacle, you're going to take me to some place where not a single person exists, where
no pleasure can be felt? I won't have it! I've only just begun here; I haven't enjoyed myself yet. Don't get in my way!" Kiara seemed to have been poked in a sore spot as she pointed at the boy and shouted hysterically.
The Kiara Sessyoin summoned by the manager was the Alter Ego version of the Beast, representing her as a woman who had experienced her student days in a certain world, retaining a portion of her goodness. However, fundamentally, she was still a fragment of a Beast. Even a tiny seed of evil could grow into a giant that destroys humanity.
Thus, Kiara was summoned to the manager. "Fickleness" was her nature. If it were just that, it would simply be a matter of lifestyle. A single woman and an unmarried man meeting at a bar and spending a passionate night together—if it's consensual, without scams or disease—isn't necessarily "evil."
But the problem lay with the appearance of the Holy Grail. While humans were exploiting the loopholes of Possession Summoning, Servants were doing the same to humans. Many Servants participated in the Holy Grail War simply to gain a new physical body. The system of Possession Summoning, born of this unique world, was a perfect shortcut for them.
The higher the synchronization with the host, the more satisfied the Servant. If it reached 100%, there would be nothing left to criticize. To increase their strength, humans would seek the Servant's approval to reach that perfect "100%" sync. In doing so, the human would undergo a qualitative leap, becoming a true superhero.
Conversely, if the synchronization wasn't enough, it was equally viable for the Servant to "guide" the human. While doing good is difficult, falling from grace is easier than one might imagine. An evil Servant needs only to guide their host toward evil. A desire-driven Servant needs only to guide their host to chase those desires. As long as the human remains loyal to their inner malicious thoughts, using desire to breed more desire, the synchronization rate will skyrocket.
Initially, the manager's synchronization was barely enough for a summon. But after that, through friends, she came into contact with other "Appropriate Subjects," and they began holding regular gatherings in Shinjuku.
There, she met the Yakuza-Police Inspector obsessed with power and money; the rebellious youth with a "chivalrous" spirit who chased freedom; and the mad researcher who viewed no one as an equal, living only for his work...
Naturally, there were even more people who were simply smug about their newfound power, using their abilities to take revenge on those who had bullied them, seeking wealth, power, and the luxuries afforded to a superior class. Engaging with these people inevitably invited a foul influence.
The Servant within the manager began to change bit by bit. A voice began to whisper in the manager's ear—a gentle, kind woman whispering for her to follow her heart and pursue
pleasure. Before she knew it, she had become a slave to pleasure, and even her body was no longer under her control.
If the person who had first summoned Kiara was a kind, pure girl, perhaps the current Kiara would still be a helpful, good Servant. But reality is reality; there are no "ifs." "Ifs" only exist in hypotheticals, dreams, or novels.
Now, at 100% synchronization, this Kiara Sessyoin was a fusion of human desire and malice. Though still in the early stages and far from her full strength, the signs of "beastification" were undeniable. Regardless, humanity could no longer understand her, and she could no longer coexist with them in peace.
"It's over," Shirou said. The fact that Kiara still needed to use followers was proof that her own strength was not yet great.
"Brat!! Don't think everything will go your way!" Kiara raised her hands, releasing a massive purple sphere of light. She gathered all the magical energy she had absorbed, intending to let it explode. The highly condensed mana was like a bomb; once detonated, everything within a hundred-meter radius would be reduced to rubble.
"Actually, right now I am incredibly grateful that I have the power to protect all of this." Shirou reached out, pointing toward Kiara.
White streams of light shot from the boy's hand, dancing like fish as they dove into the purple sphere and merged with it. The massive sphere shifted colors, thinning bit by bit until it turned a pale white, emitting a gentle glow.
The white sphere descended, enveloping the woman's body. Shirou was using the same technique she had used on others—an improved version reconstructed through his high-level Eyes of Creation. Using superior technique and deeper magical energy, he forcibly stripped Kiara's spirit from the manager's body. It was an irresistible process, just performed with a gentler touch.
"AAAAAAH! Stop! No!" Kiara resisted, clutching her head and screaming before collapsing unconscious to the ground. Behind her, the spirit of the nun in the white veil was dragged out by the white light.
"...I haven't even done anything fun yet! I haven't felt anything exciting!"
"It's a shame. But if you hold onto the idea of gaining pleasure by hurting others, I cannot allow you to step foot in this world—even if you're an Alter Ego instead of a full Beast," Shirou declared.
A projectile pierced the head of Kiara's spirit. The bullet released white lightning that coursed through the spirit's body. Like other defeated Servants, Kiara turned into starlight, and her remaining mana was sucked into the white light gate.
Where Kiara had vanished, two Holy Grails appeared. Shirou collected them and nodded to Yuigahama (Ibaraki) and BB.
It was over. The Holy Grail War started by humans in this world was finished.
Shirou had BB send the manager out, then contacted Da Vinci. "Da Vinci-chan, check this lady's condition."
Da Vinci smiled. "Mhm, already on it. Compared to the others whose Servants were ripped out by Kiara, her mental damage is quite light. She's just unconscious from the shock and fatigue. With some rest, she'll be fine."
"That's good. But what happens to the followers?" Shirou asked.
"If we leave them alone, they'll likely live in misery. So, I'm erasing the memories of the Servants and the Holy Grail for those with twisted hearts. For people with excessive desires, knowing the Grail exists is a curse. Of course, if there are suitable candidates to serve as protectors of this world, we'd welcome them. In short, leave the processing to us."
"I see. What about Zhou Meimei and her companions?"
"They've been settled at a nearby Chaldea-owned company. They're doing well, though a bit shaken up. They're strong-willed women, so they should recover quickly. I'm going to talk to them next. If you want to see them, I'll send you the address."
"Understood. I'll head over soon," Shirou agreed.
"Then that's it for now. We'll talk details later." Da Vinci cut the communication.
At this point, the network world began to decompose. At the edges of the sky, earth, and forest, fine square blocks began to fall away and vanish.
BB shouted: "Senpai! This is bad! Someone on the outside set a self-destruct system! The countdown is at five minutes! It's about to be formatted—get out of there quickly!"
"So there really was a group on the outside. I wonder if they've been caught... whatever. Yuigahama, let's go!" Shirou called out to the pink-haired girl.
"Wait a second! Can we talk for a bit?" Yuigahama pulled on Shirou's sleeve.
"Of course." Shirou nodded.
"Um... Shirou, welcome back!" Yuigahama said.
"Mhm. Long time no see. Did you have fun in Okinawa with everyone?"
"Yeah, it was great! Even though Yukino mostly just read books, we dragged her into beach volleyball, and after that, she got more serious about it than anyone else." Mentioning her friends, Yuigahama showed a cute smile.
"Ah, she is very competitive after all." Shirou smiled, easily imagining the scene. In that regard, Yukino was quite similar to Artoria.
Yuigahama laughed, then looked down, fidgeting with her fingers. "Um... are you busy the day after tomorrow? Can you come out to play? We could have a victory party or something! Yes! A victory party! Just for me and you! I was the only one left here for this battle, I was so scared. And you didn't come out to play with us at all during this vacation... are you free?" The girl looked at him with watery, expectant eyes.
Looking at the hesitant girl, Shirou felt she had indeed been through a lot. Being chased by a mob of muscular thugs for hours was a nightmare for any girl.
He smiled gently. "Mhm, I understand. I'll come out then."
Hearing the answer, Yuigahama broke into a radiant smile. "Mhm! It's a promise! Well then... bye-bye!"
The girl gave one last wave and pressed exit.
"Bleh!" Right before leaving, Ibaraki popped her head out and made a face at BB, who was floating behind Shirou.
"What's with that attitude! What is that brat doing! Making a face at me, her savior? Senpai, what was that about?" BB grumbled.
"Eh? Wasn't that for me? Well, she's a prankster who shows up at Halloween. Next time you see her, give her some sweet candy, and you'll get along fine," Shirou laughed.
"Hmm? Well, if that's the case, BB-chan won't be mad at a kid. So, Senpai, where to next? Ah!!" The purple-haired girl cried out, noticing something.
"What's wrong?"
"The Counter Force is contacting me. They can't interfere with this world freely, so BB-chan has to go meet them." BB said reluctantly, but she had to go. "Well, BB-chan is heading off for a bit. Can I come straight to your house afterward?"
"Of course. Stay safe." Shirou agreed. It seemed BB intended to move in with him. Given her personality, Shirou felt it was better to keep her close where he could keep an eye on her.
"Yesss..." the girl drawled her response. As she faded from the network world, she mumbled: "Senpai is like a mom. Though BB doesn't have a mom, I feel like this is what it's like."
Afterward, Shirou used the power of his Magic Eyes to transfer directly to the office building belonging to Chaldea.
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