"Let me out!"
With a snap like a taut string breaking, the Beast couldn't restrain herself any longer.
"Out! Out!" she shouted in rage. "Do you know what's out there in the outside world? I'll tell you - it's filled with animals. It's hell. There's no place for you out there! Shut your mouth and stay put in my body! You'll experience supreme happiness there!"
"The world you left me in seemed happy, but none of it was real!"
"So what? As long as you feel happy, isn't that enough? Your desires will be fulfilled, your wishes granted - no more real-life troubles will bother you. In a paradise, what kind of person you are, what you want to do...none of that matters!"
"People you despise will vanish. Those you curse will perish. People you cherish will be happy. You'll have anything you wish for. Want wealth? Worshippers? That can all easily be done. The world will become however you want it. Because a paradise revolves around you!"
"Why remain fixated on the despair-filled outside world?" she shouted. "There's not one bit of joy or warmth out there! Not one bit! Anything you seek will be fruitless. Those you love will betray you. What you believe is falsehood. What you cling to...is but a joke!"
"I..." Kiara began.
"I'm afraid that's not how it works," Shirou interjected.
The Devil's Bodhisattva whipped her head toward him, glaring icily. "Shut up!"
"Telling me to shut up is useless. You're no bodhisattva, because you don't embody the compassion to save all beings, only the delusions and prejudices against the world. Enemy of Buddha, delusion!" Shirou said with a smile.
"Shut up!" she snapped through gritted teeth.
Shirou activated the skills he had copied - Wisdom of Dún Scáith, Valor, and Mind's Eye (Fake) - applying their effects to himself.
In that moment, his aura grew even more powerful, the light around him swirling like a whirlpool.
His gaze locked onto the area around the Beast's heart like an eagle's eye, saying: "I know you've hidden her there."
Her expression shifted slightly.
"Let this one strike open the road to your freedom, o fallen Buddhist trapped in egoism."
His eyes remained fixed on the area around her heart. Drawing endless information from Scáthach's records, his brain recalled Scáthach's one lethal strike. A divine light flashed in his eyes as a terrifying aura brewed within his body.
Torrents of mana poured into the Spear of Endless Light in his hands. The already dazzling spear's glow expanded greatly, like the dawn's light driving away the dark night.
A bright flare passed through his eyes.
The Spear of Endless Light in his hands was like the dawn piercing the endless night and chaos, fired from some fantastical, illusory Kingdom of Light. Tearing through the dark night and chaotic dawn, it rushed straight towards the Devil's Bodhisattva's heart.
"Boom boom boom boom--!"
The blast was like a beam of light piercing the Milky Way, shooting straight at the Devil!
Her expression changed dramatically, but in the moment before the spear of light reached her, an ominous smile emerged on her face, as if everything was unfolding according to her plan.
As Shirou watched the meteor-like spear surge towards her, he saw a grin spread across the Beast's face.
Not good!
His eyes contracted as he shouted in his heart.
Sure enough, the next moment, a crack instantly split open her abdomen, like the gates of heaven unfolding. The whirlpool within resembled a black hole in the cosmos.
With a "whoosh", the spear carrying a billowing, surging aura fearlessly charged into this void.
Then—
"Crack crack crack crack crack--!"
The shining spear was crushed into specks of light by the Beast's authority, like rays vanishing into a black hole, unable to struggle free.
The Spear of Endless Light failed to overcome the black hole. Its unleashed energy exploded outwards towards Shirou in a powerful wave.
His eyes contracted. He hastily took out Galahad's Shield but there was no time to activate its powers. All he could do was brace himself behind it.
"Boom!"
Like a muffled thunderclap.
The spear's recoil was simply too powerful. Though his will was firm as he held Galahad's Shield, barely avoiding being directly obliterated by the blast, his body still crashed onto a nearby asteroid from the sheer force.
"Thud!"
"Ugh--!"
Spitting out a mouthful of blood, searing pain shot through his back as several ribs shattered.
"Tee hee hee..."
Seeing his miserable state, the Beast finally revealed a delighted smile, saying: "Oh my, oh my, Mister Assassin...you look so pathetic now. What do you call this? Hmm...karmic retribution, am I right?"
"You said your heart is like steel so light will not vanish." As her abdomen finished stitching itself back together, she stroked her belly with satisfaction, amiably watching him. "But have you ever seen light escape from a black hole?"
Black mud surged from Shirou's wounds, mending them, though the lingering pain remained.
Clutching his chest, he raised his head slightly to meet her gaze, smiling as he said: "So the so-called Devil's Bodhisattva can mock others after all."
"Of course, you're the first to make me so disgusted," she gently smiled. "Now, that annoying spear is finally gone. What else can you do, Mister Assassin?"
He sighed. "To be honest, I have endless means against others, but I have no moves left against you."
Delight flashed in her eyes as she assumed that compassionate smile again on her face. Perhaps that too was her way of mocking others.
"Mister Assassin, what's happened to you?" Kiara's worried voice called out.
The compassionate smile faded from the Beast's face, replaced by disgust. Then her lips curled up as she said: "Your Mister Assassin is now covered in wounds by me. Oh dear...he's not far from dissipating now."
"No--!"
The Beast smiled. "Oh dear, what to do? As the guardian of paradise, instead of ferrying people from misery I am destroying them. Because you insist on coming out..."
"Don't...please don't do this. I, I won't come out anymore, so please don't..."
"See, isn't this better? The outside world is filled with malice. If you have regained your memories, then you must know what our fates were in the end, no? Devoured by desires, by animals that wanted to monopolize us, eventually killing us. The outside world is so cruel, a wilderness of desires where only rampaging animals exist. Yet the paradise is so comfortable, so warm - why must you leave? Isn't that so?" the Beast said with a smile.
"But, but..."
"Have you forgotten?" the Beast said flatly. "Who destroyed the organization? Who did all that? You can't wash your hands of it, Kiara Sessyoin! Do you want to keep living in a paradise, or face these issues head on?"
"I, I..."
"Pitiful me, foolish me, naive me...you still don't understand? The only one who truly loves you is me. Yes, I'm the only one who loves myself. I won't harm you - go to sleep in Paradise. Even if it's false, that is still wonderful. Your home is there, father is there too, and you don't have to become a Beast."
"Yes...I, I won't leave..." Kiara softly replied.
That's right. Father still exists in that world. Only in Paradise...
"Don't be deceived, Kiara!" Shirou clutched his aching chest as he stood up, speaking loudly.
"Mister Assassin..." Kiara's voice responded faintly.
The Beast glared coldly at him.
Shirou held his chest. "She's just afraid, afraid that you would come out from your cage. Don't be fooled by her honeyed words. Sinking into falsehoods denies what's real - it's merely self-deception. The wonderful is not fantasized but walked towards step-by-step! You still have a long journey ahead!"
"Even now you try to confuse that immature me?" the Beast sneered, "No matter your slick words, my father will never return. My old self is gone and can never come back!"
"And that's why you ended up like this," Shirou said. "You may be beyond redemption, but she still has hope!" He stood up straight, staring at her heart as he shouted, "The only reason you're afraid to leave this place is because you fear the unknown outside! Stop imagining - it's not as awful or wonderful as you think out there! All you see and hear is what she wants you to think! How much longer will you languish comfortably in your cage, Kiara?"
"A-Assassin...you're right," Kiara said. "I have to leave this place. I don't want to be caged here anymore. I'm going out - I won't listen to you anymore, my other self! I must see the outside world as it truly is!"
The Beast clenched her teeth, glaring icily at him. "Still interfering...a mere Grand Servant. Unforgivable!"
He calmly smiled, raising his head slightly to meet her gaze. "Grand or not, it's irrelevant. All I want is to open the road to your freedom!"
"What did you say?" she stared at him.
"You heard correctly," he said seriously. "My goal here isn't to kill or destroy you. What I want is to help you open the path to freedom!"
"Damn you...arrogant Heroic Spirit!" she glared coldly at him. "Don't forget, your spear has shattered!"
"Indeed, my spear is gone," he replied, "but my heart remains! Until the flame in my eyes goes out, I have not yet lost!"
Standing on the asteroid, facing the Beast, he continued solemnly:
"I will listen to the sorrows in your heart. I will help open the road to your freedom!"
"Don't be so arrogant!" the Beast yelled.
Arrogant! Too arrogant!
To say that to her, a Beast, to speak of such things!
To help open her road to freedom? Ridiculous!
"Without your spear, what will you use to fight me, Heroic Spirit?"
"I finally understand what I lacked," Shirou replied seriously. "I will show you a true lethal strike - a blow to shatter your sealed-off heart!"
Indeed. When his paradise collapsed, he finally grasped what a true lethal strike was. No wonder he could never unleash it before.
"Shishou...you truly...walk too far ahead of me," he whispered, glancing at the light enveloping Mordred.
What a pity.
He had hoped to chat with her this time...what a shame.
And there was Chaldea, the connection point...and the Evil God.
Sorry about this. You guys'll have to handle it yourselves now.
Because for the current me -
I can only focus on this!
Shirou's expression turned solemn. The whirlpool of light around him completely receded into his body.
"This is...!"
The Beast's expression suddenly contracted violently.