Chapter 702
The only ones who remember what happened are Shirou, Gray, and Leinys, who witnessed the "Logos React" firsthand.
Even though she was caught up in the center of the incident, Gray's mother, who had briefly merged with the Corpse King, only felt that it was "like having a nightmare."
Shirou went to see Gray in the morning.
I thought she would be depressed for a long time, but the girl accepted reality faster than I expected.
Moreover, Gray seems to have mustered the courage to confront her mother.
"I know everything my mother has done for me in secret! Please don't play dumb!"
Gray's mother seemed to want to argue, but was overwhelmed by her daughter's imposing manner and finally had to admit her "evil plan."
As expected, this alone was not enough to get them to completely open up, but it was much better than before.
Although not now, one day, the mother and daughter will surely be able to understand each other.
As for the culprit behind this incident, "Logos React"
Having severed its connection with King Arthur's spirit, it now appears to have entered a phase of self-diagnosis and repair, a process that may take years or even decades.
The contract between Atlas Institute and the village appears to be set to continue.
The "Logos React" must be borrowed until King Arthur is resurrected or the ritual is deemed impossible to perform, and the Atlas Institute must not interfere with the ritual—after all, that's what the contract states.
The villagers, especially those who most devoutly believed in King Arthur, may have still dreamed of his resurrection, but that last glimmer of hope was shattered not long ago.
Shirou revealed his true identity to the villagers—the victor of the Fourth Holy Grail War.
He declared that the history of the Holy Grail War had come to an end.
In other words, even if they could gather the king's spirit and body, they could never obtain the king's soul.
Actually, the king has already been resurrected (in human form), but he has evolved a bit and transformed into a goddess... Let's not spread this around.
If the villagers found out, I don't know what they would do.
For Shirou, only one task remained in the cleanup.
"Ah, I found it! It's still here after all."
Upon entering the deepest part of the cave, Shirou is greeted by the Queen of the Blackmoa Cemetery.
Covered in strange masks and armor, the Corpse King stood there, exuding an aura of imposing power.
"..."
The masked girl remained silent for a while.
But she couldn't remain silent forever; she stared at the uninvited guest.
"What are you doing coming to a place like this now? Are you here to silence me?"
"The Spirit of King Arthur"
With the King Arthur resurrection plan failing and the Spirit Particle Calculation Machine undergoing maintenance, she has lost her purpose.
A true waste.
Lacking the support of "Logos React," she will likely be destroyed in the near future even if left unattended.
At the same time, she is the only one besides Shirou, Gray, and Leinys who knows the whole story.
From this perspective, if Shirou wanted to cover up the incident from the outside world, he shouldn't have waited for her to die on her own; it would have been better for him to personally confirm her demise.
Shirou said, "Didn't we not have a clear winner yet?"
Shirou once defeated the Corpse King who had merged with Gray's mother, but later lost to the Corpse King who was controlled by "Logos React". He finally won with Morgan's help.
So it's one win and one loss.
"Whatever happens, happens. Let's just say you won."
The masked girl said indifferently.
In the end, Shirou undoubtedly won; he stopped the operation of the "Logos React".
Shirou: "No, no, no, it's one win and one loss, so the decisive battle must begin now."
Corpse King: "... If you want to silence me, you don't need such a high-sounding reason, just do it directly."
Shirou: "No, you misunderstand, Corpse King. I have no intention of killing you; quite the opposite..."
Corpse King: "?"
Shirou: "It would be such a waste to die like this after finally gaining freedom..."
"Corpse King, don't you want to continue living?"
After a long silence, the masked girl spoke.
"... So that's how it is."
"Shirou Amamiya, you really are the man the rumors say you are."
In the scenario's world, the Corpse King briefly connected with the "Logos React," thus gaining access to information about Shirou collected by the Spirit Particle Calculator.
Although that might just be a case of loving the house because of its owner, Shirou wouldn't let the "spirit of King Arthur" go unchecked.
Do you want to save me?
The Corpse King stared at the boy's face and asked.
To save this being that isn't even a complete human being, but at best a calculated program—this is the goal.
"You can just take it that way, okay? Want to sign a contract with me?"
"I don't want to."
Without a moment's hesitation, the Corpse King coldly refused.
However, Shirou was not surprised at all; on the contrary, he looked very happy.
"That's right, I thought so too. Although you won't admit it, you're still pretty unconvinced, aren't you?"
Losing to me in the script world must have really annoyed you, right? You truly embody the "spirit of Artoria."
"... Hmm."
The masked girl let out a muffled groan.
Shirou seemed to sense a deeply humiliated expression beneath her mask—though she had no face.
That's correct.
As far as Shirou knew, Artoria possessed a competitive spirit stronger than anyone else's.
If the Corpse King truly embodies the "spirit of King Arthur" perfectly, then he would never accept defeat so easily after losing to himself.
"Come on, Corpse King... if I win again, you'll have to obey me."
As he said this, Shirou drew his black holy sword, which was wrapped in aurora, from the void.
"No problem. If you can defeat me, then acknowledge me as your master, and you can do whatever you want with me afterward."
The Corpse King responded fiercely, drawing his Black Holy Lance, which was accompanied by a storm.
Shirou assumed a fighting stance. "It's a deal."
The Corpse King curled his lip. "Hmph, if you underestimate me just because I'm only a third of my original self..."
" --Excalibur Morgan!!!"
"Wait... Shirou! I haven't finished speaking!"
Shirou disregarded martial ethics and directly unleashed his Noble Phantasm.
With the incantation of releasing the Noble Phantasm, a terrifying aurora bursts forth in a straight line, centered on the black holy sword.
Although the Corpse King reacted quickly, not only was she the one who attacked later, but the charging speed of her Noble Phantasm was also completely unable to keep up with Shirou.
Even if Shirou didn't get the first move, they were on equal footing.
It's likely that Shirou unleashed his Light Cannon the instant the Corpse King shouted "Holy Lance, pull the anchor!"
"... You win."
The Corpse King announced Shirou's victory not with his vocal cords, but by speaking in words, just as he had done at the beginning.
It wasn't that she didn't try, but that she couldn't—the inverted aurora pierced her lungs.
She lay down against the wall, a large hole burned through the center of her armor, and her mask was blown off, revealing a hazy, indistinct face.
"So you're still not convinced?"
"How could I possibly accept being defeated like this!"
"The Corpse King said excitedly."
She hadn't even finished charging her Holy Lance when Shirou ambushed and knocked her down; this can't be considered a fair fight.
"How pedantic, Corpse King... but that's what makes him so endearing."
"Snort."
The Corpse King's Spirit Origin reaction almost completely disappeared, but he still revealed intense anger.
Shirou didn't care about those things, and instead reached out his hand to her.
"Then, as agreed, sign a contract with me, Corpse King."
"... I see."
Although the Corpse King had many complaints in her heart, a promise is a promise, and she reluctantly grasped Shirou's outstretched hand.
The Corpse King's physical body gradually disintegrated and vanished, turning into golden specks of light.
At the same time, Shirou suddenly produced a Black Holy Lance covered with crimson thorns resembling fangs.
That's all,
King Arthur's spiritual framework— the Corpse King— as a Magic Crest replica of the Holy Lance Rhongomyniad, entered into a contract with Shirou.
"Then I look forward to your guidance from now on, Corpse King."
Shirou spoke to the Black Holy Lance in his hand.
Crimson lightning flashed in the dimly lit underground cave.
Then, after the crimson lightning faded, a figure appeared beside the boy.
She was a tall woman reminiscent of darkness and storms.
Her faded long hair and eyes, her cold beauty, were both noble and exuded a Queen majesty.
Her figure was very blurry, but even so, one could see overdeveloped, undulating mature limbs covered by jet-black armor.
Compared to Servant construct their physical bodies through magic, her existence leans more towards a spiritual form, her entire body appearing and disappearing as if shrouded in mist.
Image: "~~~", Location: "Images/1772986188-100430532-114552787. jpg"
The woman in black is none other than the reborn Corpse King.
Like Gray's companion "Add", the Corpse King also retained his personality.
No, she can no longer be called the King of Corpses (the spirit of King Arthur).
After signing a contract with Shirou, she, who was originally just a personality model, obtained her true Spirit Origin.
She made a contract with Shirou, becoming part of his Spirit Origin.
Therefore, it is only natural that she also shares the King Arthurian spirit base that Shirou possesses.
The result of this intelligence being uploaded to the Heroic Spirit Throne--
Although she never actually experienced that king's life, she was still Human Order as the new Artoria Pendragon.
Thus, she became one of the many dream scenarios (IF) of King Arthur, the Black Holy Lance, Artoria Pendragon (Alter).
Just as Vlad III (Berserker), the vampire Dracula, was born from the influence of fear legends and modern novels, she can be considered Shirou's original Heroic Spirit.
Incidentally, the current appearance of voluptuous mature women is a result of Human Order reasoning.
If Artoria uses the Holy Lance as her primary weapon for an extended period, "certain parts" of her body will experience explosive growth, a fact already confirmed by the Goddess Rhongomyniad.
On the other hand, it was also her pure competitive spirit towards that Holy Lance Goddess.
It has absolutely nothing to do with Shirou's own preferences or fetishes, really.