Chapter 263

"What exactly do you want to do?!"

Ignoring the furious expression of Red Archer, who looked like he wanted to pick a fight, Shinji shrugged casually and explained nonchalantly.

"What do you mean? I'm just tired of always giving him the answers. Besides, I'm not always in this world... this universe. Isn't it convenient to have you, the ally of justice, to step in at those times?

Also, although I didn't agree to it, I've been pestered by someone to find a way to save you, this double agent. Ridiculous, right? How could I know how to save someone who transcends the concept of time in this universe? So, you might as well stay and save yourself, young man."

"I don't want this outcome at all! Besides, this is just a fragment of my Heroic Spirit self! It's not even the complete me!"

Shinji frowned. "Are you implying that the complete you would beat me? Don't kid yourself! Even the complete you wouldn't change in size!"

"Shut up!!"

Red Archer was livid, wanting to punch the man in front of him.

What good is a physical body?! I wanted to go back and bring this feeling of release to my original self in the Throne of Heroes! Now I can't go back!

"Anyway, this wraps things up. Goodbye!"

Waving his hand, Shinji shouldered the gourd and prepared to find his next experiment. After all, it's better to test things a few more times.

"Wait, Matou Shinji."

Forcing himself to accept reality, Red Archer called out to Shinji, his eyebrows furrowed as he stared at Shinji's back.

"Who... are you? What is your true identity? Are you really Matou Shinji?"

Red Archer had long harbored suspicions. This Matou Shinji was completely different from the one in his memories. Moreover, the Archer Queen's words earlier had been somewhat unsettling. And after she disappeared, Shinji's behavior was noticeably strange until Red Archer found him.

Hearing the question, Shinji paused for less than a second before turning back, pointing a thumb at himself and winking with a smile.

"Didn't expect you to catch on. Yes, you're right! I am the reincarnation of a supreme being! That woman you saw today was just a minor subordinate in my past life! Haha! I'm amazing, right?"

"What?!"

Red Archer was taken aback, but then realized Shinji was just joking. Seeing Shinji standing proudly with his arms folded, Red Archer instantly understood it was a prank.

"Even that naive Shirou Emiya wouldn't believe such a lie!"

Shinji spread his hands and shrugged. "I told you my true identity, but you don't believe me~"

"No one believes that!"

"Well, I am Matou Shinji, even if I might be different from the one in your memory."

With that, Shinji turned and jumped off the roof, calling out excitedly.

"Lancer! Come out! I've got something cool to show you!"

Lancer burst out, angered by the insulting nickname. "Who are you calling a dog?! Just because we're related doesn't mean I won't beat you up!"

Before he could finish, Lancer was trapped in the amber gourd just like Red Archer, enjoying a rare black mud spa.

Two minutes later, looking at the joyful Shinji and the naked Cu Chulainn, Red Archer finally put aside his doubts about Shinji's true identity.

"Hey, kid, isn't that guy up there with just a cloak committing sexual harassment? That's not acceptable in society, right?"

Wearing a shirt and pants Shinji casually gave him, Lancer pointed at the roof and asked Shinji.

"Yeah, he might get arrested. Hey, Shirou, call the police! Tell them there's a pervert on the roof wearing only a red cloak!"

"Huh? Where? Where's the pervert?"

Running out to the yard, Shirou looked up and, seeing Red Archer with only a red cloak, his face darkened.

That guy can't be me!

I'm not that perverted!

Red Archer wanted to curse. He had instinctively tried to turn into spirit form to evade, forgetting he now had a physical body!

Seeing the crowd below, Red Archer considered opening his cloak and shouting that he was Shirou Emiya. But he gave up on that idea.

After all...

Shirou Emiya can be a pervert, but I can't!

...

Standing in the courtyard covered in thick snow, Illya felt increasingly upset as she looked at the incarnated Lancer and Red Archer. She had come to this parallel world, but her Servant was gone!

Everyone else's Servants were still here, some even with physical bodies!

Noticing Illya's sorrowful and pitiful expression, Shinji, not taking it too seriously but still out of kindness, took out a small bottle emitting a faint glow from his system space and tossed it to Illya.

"It can fight one more time. After that, he will disappear completely."

"This is…"

Looking at the faint glow in the small glass bottle, Illya felt a connection to herself.

"Berserker..."

Holding the bottle to her chest and tearing up, Illya looked at Shinji, who nonchalantly said, "It doesn't really matter. Shirou Emiya is still here to protect you. Right, Shirou?"

"Yes, if Illya needs help, I'll always be there for her!"

Shirou replied earnestly but then turned to Shinji. "By the way, Shinji, what do we do next?"

"Next? Go to Chaldea to get paid?"

"Chaldea? What's that?"

Shirou asked, looking puzzled, then became serious again. "I mean, what can we do for this world? It's still gradually heading towards destruction, right? Even if it's irreversible, is there anything we can do?"

"Pray."

"Huh?"

"Besides praying, what else can we do?"