Chapter 65. Hero Emiya is Upgrading Everyone's Gear in Orario!?
The morning in Orario did not bring its usual hustle and bustle. In its place was a suffocating, deathly silence.
Astraea Familia Residence, "Stardust Garden." The soul-stirring "Auntie's Room Inspection" (referring to Alfia's attack) from the previous night had left indelible scars upon this courtyard.
"Waaaaah... my flowerbed..."
"My training posts..."
"My secret stash for emergency funds..."
The girls looked at the devastated courtyard and let out tragic wails. Although the people were fine, half the house had been demolished. For the already cash-strapped Justice Familia, this was adding frost to snow—comparable to a total stock market collapse.
"Stop crying; out with the old, in with the new."
Shirou Emiya stood in the center of the ruins, holding a hammer and wearing a dust-covered apron (tactical equipment). Though his face was still somewhat pale (the aftereffects of mana overdraw), his eyes were frighteningly bright.
"Perfect timing. Since we're repairing the house, we might as well do a 'version update'."
"Version update?" Alise tilted her head, her red ponytail swaying.
"Shirou, are you saying... you're going to turn this place into a fortress?"
"No." Shirou shook his head, his gaze sweeping across every girl present. "I mean... updating your equipment."
He pointed to a pile of rare metals and magic stones at his feet, scrounged from the Guild warehouse, the black market, and things "liberated" during yesterday's chaos.
"Facing monsters of Alfia's caliber, your current equipment is no different from paper (it's harsh, but a fact). If you want to survive the coming 'Great Feud'..."
Shirou raised the hammer, a fanatical "Grind God" smile curling his lips.
"Then let me... arm you to the teeth."
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And so, the "Magical Modification" hour for the Astraea Familia began.
First Victim (Lucky Winner): Gojouno Kaguya.
"My requirements are simple." Kaguya held her beloved blade "Gokou" with a proud expression. "Sharp, lightweight, and capable of withstanding the instantaneous explosive force of my quick-draw. Most importantly... it has to look cool."
"Quite the list of demands, Princess." Shirou sighed and took the katana. [Structural Analysis] activated.
Material is average, forging technique is decent, but there are numerous internal hidden injuries.
For a Lv. 4 swordsman, this blade had indeed reached its limit.
"Trace On."
Shirou didn't reforge it; instead, he chose "Concept Enchantment." He forcibly recorded a magical circuit concerning "Speed" and "Slashing" into the blade. Prototype reference: Sasaki Kojiro's 'Bizen Osafune Nagamitsu' (though a fake of a fake).
Hum! The katana let out a crisp hum, and a faint green radiance surfaced on the edge.
"Here." Shirou tossed the sword back. "I've increased the 'Wind Attribute' mana conductivity and added the concept of 'Invisible Blade.' When you swing, the blade will become invisible for a split second due to high-speed vibration."
"Invisible?" Kaguya swung the blade. Ssh! The air was sliced, and the blade indeed vanished for 0.1 seconds. That 0.1 seconds, to a master, was the gap between life and death.
"Hmph, passable I guess." Kaguya sheathed the blade, trying to suppress the smile on her face. "For this, I'll help you do the dishes tonight."
Second: Lyra.
"Me! Me! My turn!" The Pallum girl Lyra rushed over holding a shield larger than herself. "I want something that can explode! Or transform! Ideally, something that can turn into a Gundam!"
"You're dreaming." Shirou ruthlessly shot down her fantasy. "Gundam is impossible, but I can satisfy 'explosion'."
He took Lyra's shield and embedded seven specially treated magic stones into the surface. The arrangement referenced the petal structure of [Rho Aias].
"This is a 'Reactive Armor' shield," Shirou explained. "When hit by a powerful impact, these seven stones will detonate in sequence, creating an outward shockwave to neutralize the enemy's attack. Simply put, use explosions to defend against explosions."
"Whoa! Sounds dangerous but so cool!" Lyra stroked the shield excitedly. "From now on, whoever dares to ram me, I'll blow them away! This is the romance of a 'Self-Destructing Infantry'!"
'No, that's absolutely not romance; that's a terrorist.'
Third: Ryuu Lion.
Ryuu held her wooden sword with some hesitation. "Emiya, does my weapon... really need a change? I do not kill."
"I know." Shirou looked into Ryuu's clear eyes. "But 'not killing' does not mean 'powerless.' On the contrary, to subdue an enemy without killing requires even greater power and skill."
He took the wooden sword. This time, he integrated the remains of the [Spirit Wood] and engraved [Reinforcement] and [Weight Manipulation] magecraft.
"This sword is light as a feather normally, but at the moment of impact, you can inject mana to make its weight increase tenfold." Shirou swung the wooden sword, making a heavy wind-breaking sound. "It's like... an invisible sledgehammer."
"Blunt force trauma, huh..." Ryuu took the wooden sword, feeling the natural aura within. "It suits me well. Thank you, Emiya."
Final Member: Captain Alise.
"Shirou, Shirou! I have a great idea!" Alise pointed at her longsword, her eyes sparkling with "Chunibyo" energy. "Can you add a flamethrower function to my sword? Or lasers? I've wanted to shout 'Excalibur' for so long!"
"..." Shirou facepalmed. This Captain was a lost cause.
However, since she was the "Scarlet Flower of Justice," he'd give her some "scarlet" power. Shirou sealed a high-purity Fire Magic Stone and a small concept of [Aestus Estus] from his circuits into Alise's sword.
"This sword can store your mana and release it as fire when you slash." Shirou handed the now crimson-red longsword to Alise. "It won't fire a beam, but it's no problem as a 'flamethrower.' Let's call it... [Guren no Ken (Sword of the Crimson Lotus)]."
"Oooooh! So cool!" Alise brandished the burning sword, striking an incredibly embarrassing pose. "The flames of justice shall incinerate all sin! Hahahaha!"
Watching this group of girls so excited over their new toys (deadly weapons), Shirou wiped his sweat and let out a gratified smile.
"This way, at least they have the power to protect themselves. Full equipment swap complete. Astraea Familia: Magical Mod Version (Fate Collab Version), present!"
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However, this joyful "preparation phase" did not last long. Because—that moment arrived.
"DONG——!!!"
A heavy, dull boom, like a war drum from the depths of hell, instantly shattered the tranquility of Orario. The ground shook violently. In the distance, near the city walls, a pillar of black smoke rose.
"That's..." Kaguya stopped her testing, her face turning solemn. "The direction of the West Gate?"
"Enemy attack?!" Alise extinguished her flames, her expression instantly switching to Captain Mode. "Everyone! Grade 1 Combat Readiness! Prepare to move out!"
"Wait." Shirou stopped them, his gaze fixed on that direction. [Mind's Eye (True)] was screaming. That was no ordinary enemy attack. That aura... that mana reaction so massive it made one suffocate...
"He's here," Shirou said in a low voice. "The monster... that wants to eat everything."
Orario, West Gate.
This was the area with the sturdiest walls, stationed with the elite troops of the Ganesha Familia. But now, it had become a field of rubble. The massive gate had been violently smashed to pieces, stone shards flying everywhere, and guards lay in pools of blood, their status unknown.
In the center of the ruins stood a "mountain."
[Gluttony]—Zard.
He still wore the tattered trench coat, holding the door-like cleaver [Ogre Killer]. He was still chewing something (likely the leg of some unlucky monster).
"Too brittle." Zard swallowed the food in his mouth and let out a dissatisfied complaint. "These walls... are worse than crackers."
Behind him was a dense army of the Dark Faction. Countless black-robed thugs and controlled monsters were pouring into Orario like a tide.
"Attack." Zard swung his giant blade. The mere wind pressure from the swing blew down a row of houses in front of him.
"Turn this city... into our dining table."
"UOOOOOOH!!" The Dark Faction let out a fanatical roar and charged into the city.
[The Great Feud]—Officially Erupted.
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"Frontline report! West Gate fallen! That monster... Zard is inside!"
"Movement in the North District as well! It's Alfia! She's bombarding the shopping street with magic!"
"A large number of Killer Ants have appeared in the South! Guild HQ is requesting backup!"
Inside the Astraea residence, intelligence flew in like snowflakes. Every piece of news was filled with despair.
"A pincer attack..." Alise gritted her teeth while looking at the map. "They want to swallow Orario in one gulp!"
"Where do we go?" Kaguya gripped her new blade. "West Gate? Or North District?"
"Ottar is dealing with Zard (original plot), and for Alfia... the Loki Familia will likely move out," Shirou analyzed calmly.
"Our current mission isn't to commit suicide, but rather..."
He pointed to the center of the map—the Industrial District.
"That's the mandatory path to the civilian shelters. If that place is breached, half the population of Orario is finished. And my intuition tells me... there's something fishy there."
"Fishy?" Ryuu asked.
"The main force of the Dark Faction is besieging the city, but one elite unit... has vanished." Shirou's eyes grew sharp. "They might be trying to destroy the foundation of Babel during the chaos, or... release something from the Dungeon."
"Then to the Industrial District!" Alise made her decision. "Astraea Familia, move out! We must hold that line!"
"YES!"
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Orario, Industrial District.
This place, once the gathering spot for blacksmiths and craftsmen, had turned into a sea of fire. Monsters of Zard or Alfia's level weren't visible here, but the enemies here... were more disgusting.
"Heeheehee... Burn! Burn!"
A group of Dark Faction members with torches and poison bottles were frantically committing arson. They weren't here to occupy, but to destroy.
"Stop!"
A green gale descended from the sky. Ryuu Lion. The wooden sword in her hand became a black sledgehammer (Heavy Mode), knocking an arsonist unconscious in one hit.
"Astraea Familia? Tsk, annoying!" The leading black-robed man spat. "Since you're here, don't think about leaving! Brothers, bring out 'that'!"
"That?"
At the leader's command, several giant iron cages were pushed out. The cages opened, and several deformed monsters dripping with green pus rushed out.
[Self-Destruct Species: Venom Slimes].
"Careful! Those are bio-weapons!" Shirou shouted. "Don't let them get close! They'll explode!"
"Leave it to me!" Alise rushed forward, her [Guren no Ken] bursting with dazzling fire. "Scarlet Slash!"
Boom! Fire collided with venom, making a sizzling sound. Although it blew the monsters away, poisonous gas began to spread.
"Cough cough... so stinky!" Lyra covered her nose. "These guys are too underhanded!"
"Don't inhale the gas!" Shirou clapped his hands. "$Trace \cdot On$! Projection—Industrial Fan!" (Actually a wind-attribute mystic code).
A gale blew through, dispersing the toxic gas.
"Leave this side to us; you guys go evacuate the civilians!" Shirou commanded. "Kaguya, left! Lyra, right! Ryuu, go to the high ground for cover!"
"What about you?" Alise asked.
"Me?" Shirou looked deep into the shadows ahead. [Mind's Eye] told him a "Big Fish" was hiding there. "I'm going to meet the... commander hiding in the back."
Shirou unsheathed Kanshou and Bakuya (now the enchanted version similar to Kaguya's) and charged into the sea of flames.
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Deep in the Industrial District, an abandoned smelter.
"So slow." A figure sitting on a furnace looked at the rushing Shirou and let out a bored sigh.
He wore a white suit (though it was dirty) and a mask with a smiley face painted on it. He was playing with several throwing knives.
Valetta. The brain of the Dark Faction and one of the masterminds of this operation.
"Are you... that 'Senji Muramasa'?" Valetta jumped off the furnace, tilting his head to look at Shirou. "That kid who supposedly cooks very well?"
"I don't just do cooking," Shirou looked at him coldly. "I also do 'funeral services'."
"Hahahaha! Interesting!" Valetta laughed loudly. "I heard you made a big scene on the 24th floor? Too bad you don't have a Nuclear Blast to use this time."
He snapped his fingers. From the shadows, a dozen tall, terrifying [Killer Ant Modified Species] emerged. These ants were clad in heavy armor and even embedded with magic stone bombs. A classic "Suicide Battalion."
"If they detonate here, the entire Industrial District will go up in smoke, you know?" Valetta sneered. "What will you do, Ally of Justice?"
"..." Shirou looked at the moving bombs and took a deep breath. Large-scale attacks were unusable. He couldn't trigger them. He had to... precisely pick them off.
"What a... terrible exam question." Shirou released his dual blades. In his hand, a jet-black longbow appeared.
"...You seem to have forgotten that I am a blacksmith."
"Trace On."
Countless tiny, needle-like magic swords surfaced around Shirou. They weren't meant for killing. They were for—defusing.
"[Unlimited Defuse Works]..." Shirou's gaze became focused like ice. "Starting work!"
Swish swish swish swish!
A rain of needles fell. Every needle precisely severed the magic stone fuses on the ants. This was Lv. 3 (SSS-rank Mana Control) micro-management!
"Wh-What?!" The smile on Valetta's face froze. "He actually... severed the mana supply? In an instant?!"
"Now, no more bombs." Shirou put away the bow, regripped his dual blades, and walked step by step toward Valetta. On that usually gentle face, a spine-chillingly "kind" smile was now plastered.
"Next... time to settle the score. About the time you set me up on the 24th floor."
"What... what do you want?!" Valetta took a step back, feeling a long-forgotten fear.
"Nothing much." Shirou raised the back of his blades (Non-killing Principle).
"I just want to treat you... to a Justice Iron Fist Combo.
GRIT YOUR TEETH!!
BANG!!!"
Accompanied by a scream, Valetta was sent flying, becoming the first executive to exit the stage tonight.
But Shirou knew. This was only the appetizer. The two terrifying auras soaring into the sky in the distance (Zard and Alfia) were the... true despair of this Great Feud.
"Wait for me..." Shirou looked toward Babel. "Even if I have to put this life on the line... I will protect this 'home'."
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