Fate: I Will Eventually Become the Hero of Justice (Part 2)

Chapter 225

Shirou felt a wave of dizziness wash over him before he entered Arcueid's dream. Once inside, he took a moment to survey his surroundings.

The night sky was a tapestry of shimmering stars, while his feet stood upon a vast, seemingly endless field of vibrant flowers. In the distance, he spotted a grand and ominous castle, and could just make out faint sounds emanating from its walls.

He looked around but couldn't find Arcueid anywhere. After some thought, he decided to approach the ominous castle in the distance.

As he drew closer, he noticed that the castle appeared to be unguarded. Without hesitation, he made his way inside.

Once within the grand and spacious halls of the castle, he saw a crowd of elegantly dressed people milling about. They walked back and forth, seemingly preoccupied with their own affairs.

"The representatives of the Holy Church are coming."

"Are they here to negotiate?"

"Who is the representative?"

"Roa!"

"Roa? ... Oh, Michael Roa Valdamjong."

The group spoke as if they were unaware of Shirou's presence, but he understood that this was all part of the dreamscape Arcueid was trapped in.

Arcueid, hailed as the True Ancestor princess and the perfect vessel for the Crimson Moon, had a life filled with pain and nightmares. In the 12th century, she was deceived by Roa, also known as the Serpent of Akasha. He tricked her into drinking his blood, which triggered her bloodsucking impulse and caused her to slaughter her fellow True Ancestors.

The events of that nightmarish incident haunted Arcueid for the rest of her life, causing her to live in constant fear of her bloodsucking impulses. To suppress them, she had to use seventy percent of her power, and claimed to have never drunk blood since.

Moreover, she made it her mission to track down and eliminate each of Roa's reincarnations. With every successful kill, she fell into a deep slumber, only to awaken again when the next reincarnation appeared, continuing her relentless pursuit.

In 1994, Arcueid finally chased down Shirou.

It was evident that she was once again trapped in the nightmare of her past, reliving the events that haunted her for centuries. The people around her were clearly the True Ancestors she had unwittingly slaughtered.

Shirou maintained his composure and didn't comment or hesitate. He continued walking straight ahead, heading deeper into the castle.

It was clear that this was the Millennium Castle of the Crimson Moon, a grand and majestic structure that had been constructed using Marble Phantasm. After the Crimson Moon's defeat at the hands of the Second Magic User, the castle became the home of the True Ancestors, serving as their city.

After Arcueid unwittingly killed the True Ancestors, the Millennium Castle became a symbol of her captivity. Whenever she ventured out to hunt down Roa's reincarnations, she would return to the castle, locking and sealing herself in with iron chains before falling into a deep slumber.

As Shirou gazed upon the magnificent castle, he noticed that there were no chains binding Arcueid. It was evident that her dream had not yet reached the point where Roa deceived her into drinking his blood.

He had no desire to dwell on her tragic past. His sole focus was on helping her escape this never-ending nightmare and wake up. He felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility towards her, as she had sacrificed herself to save him on the path to the Root. Now, it was his turn to return the favor and rescue her from this torment.