"It started with a fire—a fire that took everything away."
Emiya Shirou quietly began recounting his past. His story wasn't at all what Esdeath had anticipated; no grand, epic saga or profound hatred shaped his life.
Instead, it was simple, mundane—so ordinary that Esdeath couldn't believe this incident was the pivotal moment in the life of the young man who had defeated her, the event that completely altered his destiny.
There was no war, no massacre, no hatred—only the quiet, everyday reality of life.
Could something so simple truly shape a person willing to sacrifice everything, even his life, for complete strangers?
Yet Esdeath didn't interrupt Shirou's tale. She understood that no matter how implausible it seemed, this was indeed the most defining moment for the boy before her.
As difficult as it was for her to grasp, she knew how deeply salvation could affect a person, just as it had when she rescued Liver from prison.
From the moment Shirou was saved by Emiya Kiritsugu, his path had irrevocably changed.
Those memories were forever etched into Shirou's soul, impossible to forget no matter how much time passed.
Reaching toward the night sky, Shirou clenched his fist, as if grasping something invisible yet precious.
"I want to become a hero of justice!"
Such naive words. Such laughable actions. A dream so distant it bordered on the absurd.
Justice?
To Esdeath, justice was both familiar and alien.
Seryu's ruthless battles on behalf of the Empire were justice. Esdeath's own merciless slaughter was justice. The meaning of justice had long since lost its original purity.
Justice was something written by the victors—that's what her father had taught her. Only the victor earned the right to proclaim their ideals as justice.
Yet true justice was never something merely written by the victor.
No matter how distorted or twisted interpretations might become, justice, in its truest sense, was something universal within the human heart.
No one would ever condemn the act of helping others as evil.
Shirou smiled—a genuine smile that affirmed his dream from the depths of his heart, recalling the gentle, happy expression of the man who had rescued him.
It was not a pure smile; it carried too many complicated emotions—determination, sacrifice, and unwavering pursuit.
Esdeath found herself captivated by that smile.
It was akin to witnessing Shirou's desperate struggle in battle, drawn in by the noble qualities radiating from him.
The pure, radiant glow emanating from Shirou made it impossible not to reach out, wanting to grasp it, even if only briefly.
Perhaps this was what her father had called a hero—the kind of person who only existed in the stories he once told her.
She harbored no romantic feelings toward Shirou. He was destined to be her enemy, someone she could never become.
"That's why you and I can never reconcile—we are destined enemies."
Esdeath fully abandoned her earlier thoughts of recruiting Shirou as a subordinate. A person like him could never change, never bow to her. He would forever stand against her.
CLANG—!
The silver reverse-blade katana clashed fiercely against a sword of azure ice, above the flickering flames on the sandy beach, beneath the boundless, starry night sky.
"I'll kill you, even if it takes every last bit of strength I have!"
"You won't have another chance to grow stronger!"
Shirou and Esdeath locked gazes, unknowingly breaking into laughter. Soon after, they sheathed their weapons.
A pleasant aroma drifted toward them on the gentle sea breeze, caressing their faces.
Over the fire, the roasting Danger Beast sizzled deliciously, dripping juices tantalizingly onto the flames below.
While they had been conversing, Shirou's special dish—"Roasted Strange Danger Beast"—had finished cooking.
Although he was still weakened, Shirou could now handle basic tasks.
Ever since he'd regained mobility, Shirou had taken over food preparation, while Esdeath took care of procuring ingredients.
Every time Shirou waited in the makeshift hut, he'd hear earth-shaking crashes from the forest, soon followed by Esdeath returning triumphantly with enormous creatures in tow.
However, merely roasting these beasts wasn't enough to make them genuinely delicious.
Thus, Shirou dragged his battered body, accompanied by Esdeath's protection, to forage various strange but flavorful herbs and seasonings.
Shirou himself wasn't quite sure how he'd managed it, but they had actually been living quite comfortably.
What did surprise Shirou, however, was Esdeath's astounding appetite. All their food ended up disappearing into her stomach, making him realize she was secretly quite the glutton.
Responding to Shirou's questioning gaze, Esdeath explained that powerful Teigu had considerable drawbacks besides inducing murderous impulses. The extensive use of her ice abilities drained her stamina significantly, forcing her to consume massive amounts of food. That was why she preferred close combat to simply attacking from afar with ice magic.
Such side effects weren't uncommon; for example, Akame often risked accidentally cutting herself while maintaining her Teigu, Murasame, potentially causing instant death. Compared to that, Esdeath's increased appetite wasn't much of a concern.
Esdeath herself didn't mind how she ate. But if a master chef was around, why wouldn't she take advantage and enjoy better meals?
Thus, without a shred of elegance, Esdeath tore eagerly into her "Roasted Strange Danger Beast."
Replenishing energy was paramount—who cared about table manners? After all, she'd eaten exactly this way back in her clan days.
And since Shirou was forever her enemy, Esdeath didn't care about displaying this unrefined side of herself.
Shirou felt a brief moment of speechlessness but quickly accepted it—after all, he'd seen plenty of equally voracious eaters before.
By now, Shirou had begun to wonder if powerful women universally shared a terrifyingly large appetite.
Kaori had been like that; after becoming a demon, her Blood Demon Arts alone gave Shirou countless headaches.
Akame was the same. Although they'd never fought, Shirou clearly sensed the piercing danger in her presence.
Esdeath, naturally, needed no explanation. They'd clashed four times already, and without Shirou specifically countering her, Esdeath would have completely dominated him.
...
"It's time to end this."
The next morning came swiftly. Shirou and Esdeath stood facing each other on the beach, locked in confrontation.
Holding his reverse-blade katana, Shirou pointed directly at Esdeath.
Esdeath had decided earlier that if they returned to the Empire, she would cut Shirou down without hesitation. But if they remained stranded here, she would gladly maintain their truce, continuing to live as they had.
Though only a few days had passed, Esdeath had already grown strangely accustomed to their routine—her hunting while Shirou prepared their meals.
Though her heart craved combat and bloodshed, these days had brought her an unfamiliar tranquility.
But Shirou couldn't allow that peace. Just last night, he'd sensed the approach of the door. Though he didn't know precisely when, he was certain it would arrive soon.
If Shirou left, and Esdeath somehow returned to the Empire rather than remaining trapped here, who could stop her rampage?
The entity that had brought them here could just as easily send them back. Shirou couldn't risk whether they'd remain trapped or whether Esdeath could escape on her own.
He had to eliminate her now—even with his broken, battered body.
"Is that so?"
Esdeath didn't hesitate further, immediately unleashing an oppressive killing intent. She had intended to wait until Shirou fully recovered before settling their duel.
She wasn't someone who took advantage of a weakened opponent.
But since Shirou had declared war himself, Esdeath wouldn't retreat. Murderous intent coalesced into palpable force.
Upon her forehead, markings identical to Shirou's Demon Slayer Mark appeared—except hers glowed an icy blue.
This was the unique resonance of the Demon Slayer Mark—when someone awakened it, others nearby might spontaneously awaken similar marks.
Without asking Shirou, Esdeath had quickly grasped how to activate the mark herself. Unlike ordinary marks activated by raising body temperature, Esdeath's version activated by sharply lowering hers, an insight entirely her own.
"Cough—!"
Without Avalon's healing, Shirou had barely recovered at all. Merely channeling energy caused agonizing pain, bones throughout his body screaming in protest.
BOOM—!
An ice-blue sword violently collided with a silver reverse-blade katana, unleashing devastating shockwaves that echoed far and wide.
"This is it—the final battle!"
Clenching his teeth, Shirou felt the muscles in his arm explode with agonizing force.