Chapter 274: The Demonic Bodhisattva Reveals Her Form
Jumping back from the memories, Shirou and BB continued their deep investigation, arriving at the core of the computerized space within the oil field base.
His rainbow-colored Mystic Eyes emitted a brilliant white light as he once again perceived the events that had transpired here.
In rounds of 128, Heroic Spirits were summoned as Servants to slaughter one another relentlessly within this space. The magical energy of the fallen was absorbed into the body of an entity residing within the celestial simulation room.
After Gudako and Meltryllis rescued Passionlip and defeated BB—unlocking the shackles within the hearts of all the Sentinels—the path was fully opened. Though they had paid a heavy price, Gudako and the two Alter Egos finally reached the celestial room, the source of power.
At the center of the base: the Celestial Simulation Room, the Animusphere System.
Inside, the monster hiding within the female staff member shed her human skin. A glamorous woman in a nun's habit and white hood appeared.
With a hand to her face, she spoke in a saccharine voice: "I am Kiara Sessyoin, a therapist serving this church. The woman chosen as a vessel by the Demon God Zepar. However, I am neither a Demon God Pillar nor a Demon God. I am one of the seven Evils of Humanity, the Beast of the 'Principle of Lust'—Beast III."
"Humanity's Evil?" Gudako asked, staring at the woman.
"...Yes, it is truly embarrassing; I found myself like this before I even noticed. I was a pathetic woman destined to have her body stolen by Lord Zepar and then vanish. But because of Lord Zepar's momentary whim, I became this. To think that I have now become this world itself," Kiara said.
"What a trial it has been. In the time that was stretched thin, I was besieged, destroyed, and discarded by Servants many times..." An alluring flush rose to Kiara's face as she spoke in ecstasy: "Ah... it is truly intoxicating."
Meltryllis stepped warily in front of the girl. "Gudako, don't be fooled by this woman!"
Passionlip puffed out her cheeks. "This world was built using this woman as its foundation. In another world, whether it was me, Melt, or BB, we were all absorbed by her. That's why we were plucked from her internal self and used as Sentinels here."
"Lord Zepar may have remodeled this world, but it lacked the ability to manage a cyber-space, so it had to delegate that to BB and the others. But none of that is necessary now. I won't lose to the rules of this place; even if I were caught in a Holy Grail War, I would find a way to survive. Everyone's hard work has finally reached the moment of reward. Please accept my heartfelt praise and gratitude."
Kiara Sessyoin raised her hands and began to clap slowly.
"Are you saying... you are a victim too?" Gudako asked, puzzled.
Meltryllis warned sharply: "How is that possible, Gudako! Get behind me! This woman exudes the scent of 'aphrodisiac flesh'; not a word she says can be trusted. Even when she tells the truth, she skips over all the critical details!"
"Kiara! You keep saying 'Lord Zepar' this and 'Lord Zepar' that! Where is Zepar now? You say the cyber-space is your body itself—how many Servants have you absorbed until now? The Holy Grail War has been held twenty... no, at least thirty times, hasn't it? For the sake of this, how many times have you forced the dead here to witness cruel dreams?"
Kiara said with a look of grievance: "Please do not blame me. It was the Demon God's command; a weak woman like me could only obey. It is true that I did cruel things to you and Lip..."
She paused, cupping her flushed cheek with one hand. With a rapturous expression, she licked her lips. "But... those Servants, slaughtering each other and destroying everything so wantonly... they were so delicious, so exquisite."
"I became obsessed with them; I couldn't help but get a little addicted. After all, as long as the corpses here aren't destroyed, they can be reused indefinitely. So... hmm... I think it's been over seventy times now. My apologies, I can't quite remember the ones after that..." Kiara smiled bashfully as she tried to recall the count.
Containers resembling coffins were arranged throughout the celestial lab. Inside lay 128 near-death bodies, placed in containers built with Chaldea technology and connected to power. Thus, the staff of the oil field base were being used as Masters in a half-dead state.
As Masters, they summoned Servants over and over to provide energy. This mechanism, originally intended by the Demon God Pillar to gather energy for itself, had ultimately fallen into the body of the woman before them.
"You... you monster! You shouldn't even exist in this world!"
Kiara accepted this as a matter of course, then looked at the human girl. "Ah, that is why I was exiled by the outside world and had to come to this offshore oil base. Gudako, it seems our pleasant chat must end here."
"Stop this system!" Gudako said seriously.
"My, my, my... after hearing what I've said, you still offer such a cute proposal? You truly are a kind child who believes in anyone." Kiara looked at the girl with some surprise, then continued: "But... unfortunately, there is no way now. Hehe... Hahaha!"
"Lip!" "Melt!"
The two girls launched their Noble Phantasms simultaneously at Kiara Sessyoin.
At that moment, the entire oil base shook violently. The sinking platform began to penetrate the mantle and outer core, invading the Earth's inner core.
The Evil of Humanity, Kiara Sessyoin, was attempting to promote herself to the "Brain Structure" of the planet. She wanted to turn the Earth into her own body, granting "salvation" to all humans at once by making all worries and pain vanish. Yes—by destroying all of humanity in an instant to experience the supreme pleasure of seven billion climaxes at once.
"Hahaha! Hehe!" Kiara laughed loudly as she pulled the girls into her Reality Marble, the realm of the Demonic Bodhisattva. The ground was made of cubes, lotus flowers bloomed everywhere, pillars stood tall, and auspicious clouds floated in the sky. She herself emitted a blinding golden light, like a Buddha.
Because she wished to bear and accept more desires, her body grew as massive as the oil base itself. Her long curly hair flowed freely, she donned a ceremonial gown of pink silk, and on her head grew massive, dark-pink horns of Mara—the horns of a Beast. She had transformed into a God.
Although she was weaker than her nearly omnipotent state when she seized the Moon Cell's authority, she was still a half-body of the Beast of Lust. As long as a being possessed desire, even a Saint could not harm her.
Because the Kiara of this world had her "goodness" suppressed by Zepar, she walked the same path as her alternate-world self. Her potential as a Demonic Bodhisattva was activated, and she was "summoned" via the records of the Moon Cell implanted into her parallel-world self.
While the Kiara of this world had received some salvation in childhood—having gone to school and received medical treatment—she hadn't originally realized the truth that "humans do not save humans." She had merely wanted to help people, without the ambition to become a Bodhisattva or a God.
The woman who wrote those diaries still had human thoughts.
But it was all too late. A woman born with the constitution of a Saint was destined to be assimilated by that Demonic Bodhisattva, becoming a woman of endless desire.
When she could control the Moon Cell, she wanted to be the Moon Cell. When creating a Singularity, she became the Singularity. Now, she prepared to become the Earth.
The Servants—summoned round after round, killing without ever meeting their Masters, with no victory and no end—were absorbed into her body one by one, turning into energy.
Kiara Sessyoin had completed her transformation once again.
Her "mercy" and "charity" were only for herself. If you begged her to let go, she would only hold tighter; your despair and frustration were the food that brought her joy. Before her, one must
not deny life, but showcase its brilliance—for she sought the pleasure of crushing that brilliance at its peak.
.
.
.
The battle against the Beast was entirely one-sided. Lip was blown away, and Meltryllis's small body was pierced. She fell to the ground, groaning in pain.
Kiara laughed loudly. "Hehehe, do you know your own worth now? Since you don't want to be a caged bird, I'll just pluck your feathers until they're gone."
"First... yes, I'll take your hands. Then I'll crush those legs you're so proud of." Kiara looked down at Meltryllis.
At that moment, Gudako stepped forward, standing in front of the purple-haired girl. Even though her body wouldn't stop trembling from the primal instinct of facing a natural enemy, she stood firmly before Meltryllis, glaring at Kiara with stubborn defiance.
"I see... it seems before that, I must destroy your most precious treasure. A mere doll dares to resist my punishment..." Kiara's gaze locked onto Gudako.
"No! Please! Stop...! Don't kill her! Let her go! Just this person, only this person, I beg you!" The fiercely proud Meltryllis screamed in a panic.
But Kiara Sessyoin was a woman who lived to trample the hopes of others.
POP...
Like a balloon bursting, brain matter and blood splattered across the floor. With just a gentle touch from Kiara, the girl's body dissolved.
Kiara smiled and spread her hands. "My~ how mysterious. To break with just a touch. This little lady was protecting you until the very end."
"..." Meltryllis knelt on the ground, her head hung low. But the proud girl did not give up.
"Lip! Do it!" the slender girl shouted, looking up.
"Yes! AHHHHHHH!!!" The thrown Passionlip charged forward.
Meltryllis leapt into the palm of Lip's golden claws and was hurled upward with the force of a Noble Phantasm. Simultaneously, she activated her own Noble Phantasm, flying upward at a speed exceeding the limit of light.
The girl in the blue ribbons soared into the sky, breaking through the barrier of time with absolute speed—all to change that person's fate.
"Not used to attack me? But to run away? How boring. Very well, flee wherever you like! Of course, you'll soon realize it is a meaningless act..."
At that moment, a portal of light appeared high in the space. A white-haired man stepped out, standing directly in the air. His long white robes fluttered in the wind as he looked down at Kiara Sessyoin.
Sensing the gaze of the uninvited guest, Kiara gave a meaningful smile.
"Just a larva... the stronger one is on the Moon in the other world." The white-haired man scanned the giant woman. Realizing she was not his target, he spoke with flat indifference.
"My, my? And who are you? A Servant? You don't seem like one. Are you a type similar to BB?" Kiara asked, seemingly interested.
The man said nothing. He looked at the ground where the girl with the ponytail had stood before turning into foam, then glanced toward Shirou—who was watching all of this as a bystander through his Mystic Eyes.
For some reason, Shirou felt that the man's gaze completely ignored him; it was looking directly at the BB residing within his body.
The white-haired man remained expressionless. He turned around and opened a portal of light, preparing to leave.
"So cold. Since you're already here, why not keep me company?" Kiara said coquettishly. She reached out a hand, manifesting golden light to seize the man.
In that instant, Shirou—who could only watch—suddenly felt a floating sensation of astral projection. His vision merged with the eyes of the white-haired man in the sky.
From a lofty, detached perspective, he glanced at the giant woman. The man didn't care about Kiara's attack; he no longer cared about anything in the world. Having no desire, he could not be hindered by love or lust.
A transparent wall appeared before the man, blocking the golden light. Then, a massive white blade of light, tens of meters long—a giant version of Mochizuki—manifested in the sky. He raised it high and swung, severing Kiara's reaching hand. Without a word, he turned and stepped into the portal, disappearing.
"Ugh... Ahhhh! It hurts! It hurts! Ha... Ah... Don't go... It's not enough... I want more..." The woman cried out, clutching her severed wrist as she tumbled through the space, her legs pressed together. Her hair was a mess and her face was flushed; she seemed to be entranted by the stimulation of the pain.
Once the white-haired man left and the portal closed, Shirou's vision returned to his own body. He felt a sharp, stabbing pain and clutched his eyes.
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