Chapter 62. Emiya, Is Your Noble Phantasm Stock Still Sufficient?
Abandoned church, backyard. This place had now become Shirou Emiya's exclusive "shrine of suffering"—or rather, his "leveling room."
BOOM!
Following a loud explosion, Shirou Emiya was sent flying like a tattered rag doll, rolling three and a half times on the ground before coming to a halt.
"Too slow." Alfia stood where she was, holding the book she hadn't finished yet, without even lifting her head. "The speed of your magic circuits is like rusty gears. In a real life-and-death struggle, no one will wait for you to finish an incantation as long as a foot-wrap."
"Cough... I know..." Shirou struggled to climb up, spitting out a mouthful of bloody saliva. Although he was being beaten to within an inch of his life every day, he could feel his body undergoing a qualitative change. It felt as if a "Combat Experience Pack" was being forcibly installed into him.
"Again." Alfia raised a finger. The mana in the air began to grow restless.
"Phew..." Shirou took a deep breath. He closed his eyes, Alfia's teachings from yesterday echoing in his mind.
"Do not imitate the form; imitate the intent."
"Compress the incantation into your breath."
He no longer silently recited the familiar "I am the bone of my sword." Instead, he concentrated all his mana and all his intent entirely on the "result."
In that instant, the world slowed down in his perception. The flow of the wind, the direction of the mana, even the angle at which Alfia raised her finger.
"Now!"
Shirou snapped his eyes open, his pupils shrinking like needles. He didn't open his mouth to chant. Instead, following his breath, he let out a roar from the depths of his soul.
Trace On!
Hum!
No delay. No wind-up. Almost at the exact moment his thought surfaced, emerald-green magic circuits covered his entire body. In his hands, a pair of black and white short swords—Kanshou and Bakuya—manifested out of thin air.
It wasn't "projection complete." It was "instant generation."
"Oh?" A flash of surprise crossed Alfia's eyes. Although it was only a 0.5-second improvement, in the eyes of the strong, that was the distance between life and death.
"Finally... you look a bit like the real thing."
She flicked her finger. A wind blade whistled forth.
"!"
Shirou raised his dual blades, precisely blocking the path of the wind blade's attack. Though he was still knocked back two steps, he didn't fall. Furthermore, the moment he blocked the attack, the twin blades in his hands instantly deformed and lengthened.
Overedge!
Massive feathered greatswords swept out, carrying a black-and-white sword qi that lunged straight for Alfia.
"Not bad." Alfia closed her book and shifted her body slightly, easily dodging the slash. However, a very faint arc curled at the corner of her mouth.
"What do you call this move?"
"Um..." Shirou dissipated his mana and scratched his head. "I guess it's called... [Projection: Instant Version]?"
"That sounds hideous." Alfia looked disgusted. "No taste at all. But... as a 'fake,' I suppose this is the limit."
She turned around and tossed a bag over. "Take it."
Shirou caught the bag and opened it. Inside were some rare magic stones and several pieces of high-purity "Mithril." Were these... materials for him to practice "Consumption" and "Analysis"?
"Um... thank you, Big Sister," Shirou called out tentatively.
Alfia's pace paused for a moment, but she didn't lose her temper this time. "...Get lost. For tomorrow's lunch, I want to eat that thing called 'Hamburg Steak'."
"Understood!"
Looking at that solitary, proud back, a surge of warmth rose in Shirou's heart. Although this "auntie" had a terrible temper, a heavy hand, and a venomous tongue, she was truly teaching him. In this desperate era, this "strict kindness" was exceptionally precious.
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Astraea Familia Residence, "Stardust Garden."
When Shirou returned to the residence dragging his exhausted (but excited) body, he arrived just in time for afternoon tea. It was called afternoon tea, but it was actually a post-training snack for the group of girls.
"Yo! Shirou! You're back!" Alise, holding a biscuit, was slumped over the table without any sense of decorum. "Did you go for 'special training' again today? Look at all that dust on you; you must have been beaten pretty badly, huh?"
"It's alright, I'm used to it." Shirou shrugged and walked over to the sink to wash his face.
"Emiya." Kaguya, who was wiping her beloved blade "Gokou," looked up, her black phoenix eyes scanning Shirou. "Your aura... has changed."
"Eh? Really?" Shirou blinked.
"Before, your mana was like 'water'—continuous but slow-moving." Kaguya stood up, her katana slightly unsheathed. "But now... it's become like 'fire.' Your explosive power is much stronger.
Want to... give it a try?" Kaguya revealed a bellicose smile. As the combat maniac of the Familia, she had a natural sensitivity toward becoming stronger.
"Kaguya, don't bully the injured." Ryuu walked over carrying tea. Though she said that, a trace of curiosity also lingered in her eyes.
"It's fine; I happen to want to test out a new move myself." Shirou wiped the water droplets from his face, his gaze becoming serious. "In the courtyard, we'll stop once a hit is landed?"
"Deal!" Kaguya jumped up excitedly. "The loser has to do the dishes for a week!"
"I'll take that bet!"
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In the courtyard. Alise, Ryuu, Lyra, and several other members gathered around, eagerly acting as spectators.
"Start!" At Alise's command.
Shua!
Kaguya's figure vanished instantly. As a Far Eastern fencer, her speed and quick-draw techniques were among the best in the Familia. In the blink of an eye, she had closed in on Shirou, her katana carrying a sharp, cold glint aimed straight for his shoulder (she held back).
Too slow, Kaguya thought to herself.
'If it were the old Shirou, he'd still be reciting an incantation right now, wouldn't he?'
However, just as the blade was about to touch his clothes.
Shield
There was no wind-up. A purple light shield (only the size of a palm) abruptly appeared in the path of Kaguya's blade.
Clang!
A crisp sound. Kaguya's blade was deflected. Although it only veered off by a few centimeters, in a duel between masters, that was a fatal opening.
"What?!" Kaguya's pupils shrank.
'Instant defense?!'
Before she could adjust her posture, Shirou's counterattack had arrived.
Sword!
A black short sword appeared out of thin air in Shirou's right hand, thrusting toward Kaguya's wrist at an extremely tricky angle.
"So fast!" Kaguya was forced to abandon her offensive, flipping her wrist to block with the hilt of her sword.
Bang!
The two separated. Kaguya retreated three steps; Shirou retreated five.
Total silence.
"You... you've got to be kidding..." The seeds in Lyra's hand dropped. "That Emiya... actually forced Kaguya-san back in close combat?!"
"Instant Projection." A glint flashed in Ryuu's eyes. "He omitted the incantation steps and constructed the weapon directly with mana. That technique... requires extremely high mana control."
"Again!" Kaguya's competitive spirit was ignited. She no longer held back, her katana becoming a silver storm that enveloped Shirou.
'Is this... Far Eastern swordsmanship?' Shirou darted through the shadows of the blades. Although [Mind's Eye (True)] could see the trajectories, Kaguya's variations were too numerous. Since defense couldn't keep up, then...
"Let's compete in speed!"
Shirou clapped his hands.
Barrage!
They didn't fire from the "Gate of Babylon"; instead, seven or eight floating short swords were generated directly around him. They didn't shoot out, but rotated around Shirou like satellites, forming an automatic defense grid.
Ding ding ding ding ding!
All of Kaguya's slashes were blocked by these floating swords. Although each strike shattered a sword, a new one would replenish it the next second.
[Unlimited Blade Works: Auto-Guard Mode]. This was a new application Shirou had realized after being abused by Alfia's wind blades countless times. Using the prediction of [Mind's Eye], he generated obstacles on the attack path in advance.
"Is this your 'version update'?" Kaguya jumped back to gain distance, breathing heavily. "What a... disgusting tactic."
"Thanks for the compliment." Shirou smiled, and the swords around him dissipated. "Shall we continue, Miss Kaguya?"
"I'm done, I'm done!" Kaguya sheathed her sword, looking annoyed. "Fighting you is like fighting a hedgehog; it makes my hands hurt. Let's call this one a draw!"
"A draw?" Alise jumped out. "Then what about the dishes?"
"Half each!" Kaguya said righteously.
"Hahahaha!" Everyone burst out laughing.
Watching this joyful scene, Shirou laughed along. Although he was in a dark era and surrounded by danger outside, as long as he was in this courtyard with these people... the world didn't seem so bad.
"Emiya." Ryuu walked to Shirou's side and handed him a towel. "You've become stronger."
"I was forced into it." Shirou wiped his sweat. "If I don't get stronger quickly... I won't be able to protect 'that promise'."
"Promise?"
"Ah, it's nothing." Shirou shook his head. It was his promise with the future. To protect the Astraea Familia and rewrite that tragic ending.
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Dinner time. Tonight's dinner was exceptionally lavish because Shirou had bought many good things on the black market (mostly bought as a byproduct of trying to please Alfia).
At the table, everyone scrambled for food while discussing the recent situation.
"I heard 'Gluttony' (Zard) has appeared on the 24th floor," Lyra said while gnawing on a chicken leg. "That guy has eaten several adventurer parties... he's a total monster."
"The main force of the Dark Faction is also gathering." Alise's expression turned serious. "Although the Guild has been suppressing the news, I can feel it... the day of the final battle isn't far off."
The Great Feud... Shirou ate his meal in silence. According to the original timeline, the Great Feud would be the turning point for the Astraea Familia. Zard and Alfia would respectively face Orario's powerhouses. And the Astraea Familia... would be lured into a certain trap.
'I must do something.'
Shirou gripped his chopsticks. Now, he had the combat power of a Lv. 3; coupled with instant projection and [Mind's Eye], he had no problem with self-preservation as long as he didn't encounter an outlier like a Lv. 7. But to protect everyone... it wasn't enough.
"Mr. Emiya?" Ryuu noticed Shirou's abnormality. "What's wrong? Is the food not good?"
"No, it's delicious." Shirou returned to his senses, looking at Ryuu's concerned gaze.
"Ryuu," he said suddenly.
"What is it?"
"If... I'm saying if." Shirou's voice was very soft. "If one day we face an enemy we cannot defeat... would you run away?"
"No," Ryuu answered without hesitation. "I am a member of the Goddess of Justice's Familia. Justice does not turn its back on evil."
"Even if you'll die?"
"Even if I'll die." Ryuu's gaze was so firm it was heartbreaking.
"I see..." Shirou sighed, then revealed a helpless smile. "What a... foolish elf."
"Who are you calling foolish?!"
"No one." Shirou stood up to clear the dishes. "Since none of you are running, I can only... stay and be crazy with you until the end."
He looked out the window at the pitch-black night sky. There, it seemed a pair of eyes was watching this place. It was the shadow of the future and the gears of fate.
'Come then, Great Feud' Shirou Emiya thought to himself.
'This time... whether it's Zard or that monster (Juggernaut)... I won't let you take a single person away.'
Because... I am Shirou Emiya. I am an Ally of Justice... who wants to save everyone.
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