Chapter 624
Accumulated over the years (what has been accumulated?)
He couldn't understand any of these things.
The ancient Magecraft created their own way of continuing on this planet even after the end of Human Order or after humanity abandons it are able to remain on this planet.
However, after witnessing Shirou's various skills, Tia Erskides realized that she could never replace humanity.
Shirou opened his phone's contact list and dialed a number.
"Flat! You've finally contacted us. What have you been doing all this time!?"
A roar, a mixture of rage and relief, came from the other end of the phone.
The boy knew that the owner of that voice was none other than Lord El-Melloi II, Flat's teacher.
Is it Waver?
"... Who are you? Where is Flat? Who are you? Why are you using his phone?"
Wait... that voice, who is it...?
"Your worst fears have come true, Flat has gone berserk."
Shirou looked up at the sky while on the phone. "But don't worry, I've already taken care of things on this side."
"Now you owe me another favor, Waver."
"..."
There was a long silence on the other end of the phone, lasting more than thirty seconds.
"You're not from this world, are you...?"
"You got it right. As expected of the famous detective from the Clock Tower, you saved me the time of explaining."
"You from Parallel World once begged me, 'If anything happens to Flat... at least spare his life.'"
Tia Erskides: "!"
Judging from the conversation between Shirou and Lord El-Melloi II, they had already noticed their own presence within Flat and had discussed countermeasures.
Lord El-Melloi II sighed, "It's truly unimaginable... that I, in Parallel World, would entrust my students' lives to someone else."
Shirou laughed and said, "Well, I'm quite surprised. I didn't expect you to survive the Holy Grail War without me... Gil spared your life."
But Kenshinnes doesn't seem to be as lucky as you.
"Wait! What do you mean by that?! Are you saying that... Kenshinnes is still alive on your end?! Hey! Is that true? Hey!?"
"In short, the message has been delivered. Hurry up and come to the United States to clean up this mess."
After saying that, Shirou ignored Waver's "Hello! Hello!" and unilaterally hung up the phone.
He tossed the phone back to Tia Erskides, who was lying on the ground.
"Wait... wait a minute!!"
The boy called out to Shirou about to leave.
"What's wrong?"
Aren't you going to kill me?
Shirou shrugged. "Because you made a promise with Waver. You're lucky you escaped with your life. Cherish it."
"I am Threat to Humanity... If you don't kill me now, I will continue to cause destruction--"
"Bang!"
Shirou delivered a soccer kick to Tia's head, sending him flying more than ten meters away.
He put his hands in his pockets and coldly looked at the boy rolling on the ground. "Excuse me, did you say anything just now?"
"... Ugh."
The boy scrambled to his feet, his half-face contorted slightly with fear as he covered it.
He has lost the courage to be Shirou's enemy.
"Flat is gone, and I... I don't want to live anymore!"
"Flat isn't dead yet. Whether he can wake up in the future depends on your efforts."
"..."
Tia Urskodes stared blankly as Shirou walked away, leaving her behind.
For some reason, the scene of Flat's first meeting with Shirou came to mind.
"Wow, that's amazing! So cool! Who is that?! They actually managed to forcefully intervene in the standoff between the golden and black archers!"
Who knows what would have happened if it had been any later? It would have unfolded just like a Hollywood movie!
And thanks to him, Mr. Jack was able to escape successfully...
He must be a hero from somewhere, able to remain unfazed even in front of those two!
"Calm down, Master... I feel terrible, like my insides have been drained..."
At that time, Flat was disheartened by Jack the Ripper's defeat to the Black Archers, but he quickly rallied due to the intrusion of a fourth force.
... A hero?
"He really does have a heroic feel to him," Tia thought to herself.
Can someone like myself become a hero?
Tia Erskides looked at Shirou's retreating figure with an expression of immense envy.
"Mr. Shirou!" "Mr. Shirou!"
Haruri and Tiné jogged over to Shirou's side.
Are you alright?
"Ah, I'm fine. It's almost time to wrap things up."
As Shirou said this, he looked towards the eye of the typhoon.
Soon, Gugalanna will enter the vicinity of Snowfield and fully restore the power of the Age of Gods.
The mere existence of the Bull of Heaven would cause severe damage to the human world.
At that time, Shirou will need to seize every second to "receive" Gugalanna.
But before that, he had something else he had to do: eliminate Alcides, this potential threat.
"Speaking of which..."
Shirou looked at Haruri and Tiné and asked, "After everything is over, do you want to come back to Uruk in the Age of Gods with me?"
"Huh?"
Tiné stared blankly, while Haruri blushed slightly.
"Well, there's plenty of time. You can take your time to consider it."
Volume 8: 389 The Rin x Luvia Shura Field That Cannot Be Avoided Even in Parallel World
In a hotel somewhere in Snowfield.
When Shirou came to check on Tsubaki Kuruoka's condition, he was suddenly called aside by Assassin.
"Project Aurora Fall...?"
He frowned slightly and looked at the young Magus mercenary who had provided the information.
Sigma nodded and continued to explain.
"An operation to annihilate everything in the city, including the Magecraft Foundation of the land, by dropping 'special warheads' from extremely high altitudes."
This was the response prepared by the higher-ups when they determined that "the Holy Grail War had become uncontrollable," in order to prevent further global disaster.
The time limit is forty-eight hours, which are likely used for covert preparations to be made.
Government records will only show that an unexpected catastrophe occurred...
An asteroid entered the skies above Snowfield, and the news would report it like this.
"To exterminate everyone in the city... that's just... utterly foolish."
The True Assassin's face, contorted with rage beneath his black hood, was clenched into fists.
"In short, this city is an incurable cancer for the United States government."
To minimize damage, the affected area should be removed before it spreads throughout the body...
"The people living in this city aren't diseased!" Assassin shouted excitedly.
"..."
"You're clearly an assassin, yet your nature is far too kind," Shirou and Sigma thought to themselves at the same time.
Shirou asked with a grave expression, "The credibility of the information source? No... isn't it necessary to ask?"
Although Sigma claimed that he obtained this intelligence from his superiors, how could he, being used as a pawn, possibly be informed of such a thing?
Shirou already knew of the Watcher's existence and guessed that the source of the information was "that thing."
Incidentally, Sigma claimed to Assassin and Shirou that his Servant was a Lancer-class Heroic Spirit, Charlie Chaplin.
Is this kid alright? Shirou thought to himself, speechless.
Assassin asked, "How can we stop this atrocity? Get all those who gave the orders—"
Sigma shook his head. "Killing them probably wouldn't stop it. Every era might be different, but now, once an order is given, even if the general dies, the soldiers will continue to carry it out unless they receive other orders."
Moreover... this was not a war commanded by a general; the command structure was very decentralized.
"It's simply unrealistic to expect to find and kill everyone, including the pilots who carried out the orders, within two days."
Another piece of information that Sigma did not reveal to Shirou and the others was that there was a Watcher in this Holy Grail War that even the Servant could not detect.
The Assassin who completely disappears into the Shadow is suspected to be one of Hassan al-Sabah's.
Given the True Assassin's background, it's best not to mention this matter.
"On another note, we don't even know the location of the commander who issued the order, or the bomber's takeoff base."
So what do you plan to do?
"If the battle cannot be stopped, I will escape this city with Tsubaki Kuruoka before the very last moment."
Sigma said this, looking at Shirou.
In his view, Shirou was the only one who could stop the "Aurora Fall".
The goal was not to halt the advance of the operation itself, but to use a more direct approach—to stop an attack capable of destroying the city.
"Shirou..."
The Assassin girl also cast an expectant glance.
But Shirou's subsequent head shake cast a shadow over her eyes.
Even if I manage to block the attack, the aftershocks of the explosion... shrapnel and debris will still cause damage to the surrounding area.
Shirou said, "There's someone more suitable than me to stop the 'Aurora Descent.' You can try asking him for help."
"Who?"
"Tia Erskides."
Shirou uttered the name of a person that neither Assassin nor Sigma had ever heard of.
After bidding farewell to Assassin and the True Assassin, Shirou returns to the streets to reunite with Tiné and Haruri.
Their immediate priority now is to find the stronghold of the Black Archers— Alcides.