He felt the flames from the fire inside his soul. That was where everything truly began. The day he cast aside his name, his memories, even his very self just to survive even one more moment.
The Fuyuki fire wasn't just a tragedy to him, it was the signal for his rebirth.
Right now, this very moment, he wasn't Shirohito Takahashi, grandson of a world famous psychic Genkai.
He was Shiro Emiya, future hero.
He could feel the armor climb up his body and envelop him. It was uniquely suited for him alone.
In his hands were twin swords, Kanshou and Byakuya. The twin swords were never truly apart, drawn to each other like polar magnets.
He could feel the flames of the forge, the smell of steel, the taste of blood, the sight of countless blades and the sound of battle. This was the amalgamation of everything he had strove for his entire life since that point. Ever since he was reborn from that simple child into Emiya Shiro.
And yet he felt a profound sense of loss. As if his very ideals had been too great, even for him. Like everything he had geared his very power for had shattered under the pain of his mistakes.
Shiro didn't focus on that though. His opponent right now needed to be more than crushed...he had to be annihilated utterly, blood or no.
Standing before the older Toguro wasn't a rookie psychic with a lot of power...no, this was the Hero Shiro Emiya.
Shiro didn't give this foul cockroach a chance to observe his change. He wanted to end this fast so Yusuke could get to his job and avenge Genkai for the both of them.
I am the bone of my sword
Steel is my body and fire is my blood
I have created over a thousand blades
Unknown to Death
Nor Known to Life
Have withstood pain to create many weapons
Yet those hands will never hold anything
So as I pray...Unlimited Blade Works
Shiro's new mage crest and his natural circuits flared under the strain of his reality marble. This was what he had been trying to unlock through research...and yet it wasn't. The power was alive, but it wasn't at it's fullest peak. Something, he felt, was wrong with Archer's aria.
But for the moment it would have to do.
Everyone stared at the great gears that rotated lazily behind Shiro's body. The countless swords in the ground looked more like grave markers than anything else...and everywhere the smell of fire and steel existed.
It was...a hellish void.
"This is his reality?" said Kurama to himself.
Out of the group, only Hiei was undisturbed by the place. Then again, he was a demon who thrived in battle and flames.
"What...what the hell are you?!" shrieked Toguro.
"I am...a Sword," said Shiro calmly. This was not his full reality marble. This was just a parody of what it could have been had he never gone to Genkai's that day.
Shiro charged at the shapeshifting demon, and for the first time since he was human, the older Toguro felt a sliver of fear. Koto found herself in the unenviable position of trying to keep up with the fast paced battle Shiro provided the demons.
Every time a sword was taken from his hand or launched, Shiro merely made another. There was no escape from his relentless assault. Eventually, Shiro felt the time limit on the card starting to come close, so he decided a true game stopper was needed.
After all, there was no kill like overkill.
Shiro grabbed a gold and blue sword, radiating holy energy simply by existing. He knew this sword...it was the one that went alongside the sheathe still resting in his body.
He drew up to full height and began charging his attack.
"Ex...Calibur!" he shouted as he unleashed the sword's ability.
The older Toguro screamed in sheer pain as the holy energy collided with his soul, overwhelmed it utterly, then snuffed out his very existence without even pausing.
If he survived that, Shiro would be very surprised indeed.
Suddenly the world crash around him as the mock reality marble ended abruptly. Juri was shivering her shoes, but Koto enthusiastically declared Shiro the winner.
Shiro leaned against the wall for a moment while his circuits cooled off. No way could he fight with prana, not for at least a few days. He would have to fight using pure spirit energy if he had to, but any use of magecraft would definitely backfire horribly, Avalon assisting his healing or not.
Good thing Genkai had included training on fighting that way. He could do a weak spirit wave, though it was unfinished and could be considered rough at best. He noticed the younger Toguro looking at him with calculating eyes, like he had no idea what to think of the last remains of his human identity.
"You alright Shiro?" asked Yusuke.
"Fine. But I won't be fighting my normal way for a few days after that."
"What the hell was that?" asked Yusuke.
"My reality marble, or a version of it at least. A pale imitation of something I have yet to actually unlock. I think the aria is just off though."
"That was just an imitation?" said Kuwabara paling.
"A very poor one. I'm fairly certain mine will look similar, but the one who had that version was so full of regrets that it was nearly cloying. Like the very weight of his ideals was crushing him completely."
Koto announced that the tournament would be paused while they replaced the arena. After the showing Shiro gave, many of the demons were looking at him with a great deal more respect. So far he had won through simple tricks, like keeping his opponent out from the ring while Koto counted down, or taking advantage of the arrogance his opponent had to kill him without hesitation.
But the sight of even a pale imitation of his true reality marble...coupled with the knowledge of his heritage...well, Shiro wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he became a name to be feared after this was over.
Toguro had already insured that despite whether Yusuke won, Shiro would leave the island alive.
Shiro was laying down on one of the handy benches in the team locker rooms, mostly so Avalon would have a chance to heal the damage done by using all of his circuits, including the new mage crest on his back, for the first time in his memory. Yukina had shown up with Touya and started healing Shiro, since he was more worn out than Kurama or Hiei.
She looked absolutely horrified at the damage he had done just to kill the older Toguro.
"Your nerves are burning up and shot!" she said in disbelief.
"That's mage circuits for you. I may have overused my prana when I activated that sword," said Shiro without getting up.
Being around Yukina was helping out a lot...she naturally brought in a colder temperature, which was a boon considering his body was practically burning up at the moment.
"So let me get this straight. Every time you over use this...magic...of yours, your body starts to overheat like a kettle left on too long?" said Kurama.
"To be a magus is to walk hand-in-hand with death. Every experiment we do can kill us, and even a second-rate Magi like myself accepts that fact when we try to perfect our craft," said Shiro.
"...Would fever reducing herbs help speed recovery?" asked Kurama.
"Yukina's presence alone is doing a great deal. I might be able to move normally by the time Hiei wakes up," said Shiro.
"It also doesn't help that he only recently got that crest on his back, and his body is still adjusting to the change," said Zelretch.
"What?" said Yusuke in shock, looking at Shiro.
"Think like Genkai's spirit orb, only the rejection rate is much higher if you aren't blood related," explained Shiro.
That cleared up his confusion.
"Since you've entertained me this much, I came with a gift. Your next dose of potions!" said Zelretch.
Shiro made a grimace. It was clear that these potions didn't taste good...at all. He saw how Zelretch grinned at Kurama and informed him that Shiro had to drink it all without trying to get rid of it.
The mischievous thief took the hint and with the help of Yusuke and Kuwabara kept Shiro upright long enough to finish the potion. Judging from the look on his face it was beyond foul tasting.
"What is that stuff for anyway?" asked Yusuke.
"Standard potions given to recover from getting a crest. Better for him to take it when he's exhausted so he can't try anything and he's too weak to try and throw up," said Zelretch.
"Any chance I could get some of your potion recipes?" asked Kurama.
Zelretch smirked.
"Better yet, since Shiro insists on amusing me so regularly I'll be dropping by his home frequently until he ceases to be amusing. We can experiment with the old potions kit if Yusuke survives his fight," he said.
From his tone alone, Shiro knew that Yusuke would not only win, but that they would all live to see their homes again.
"Does anyone object if I sleep this off?"
No one complained, though Yukina opted to stick close to him and reapply a cool cloth to his head since his circuits were still burning hot.
When Hiei saw this image after he finally woke up, he had no issues with Shiro and his sister dating. Shiro was strong enough to suit his tastes, and he knew the boy would never hurt her.
Besides, with his suicidal sword style he would need a medic to back him up. He had only been able to stay awake long enough to see the pale imitation of Shiro's inner self before he had crashed from an utter lack of energy.
Shiro was at least able to stay awake long enough to see Toguro and Yusuke's fight. Though it was painfully clear to him that the creature that was once his grandfather was holding back.
Toguro didn't want to live anymore. He could have ended Yusuke immediately, but instead he chose to test the youth to his limits before allowing him to beat him.
With the knowledge that his daughter's child was not only alive but able to continue where he and Genkai had left off, he felt a sense of peace he wouldn't have had if Shiro hadn't appeared.
Genkai made a brief appearance, apparently dissatisfied with Yusuke's fighting skill, and finally he had the brains to release his spirit cuffs.
Since he had only been wearing them a quarter of the time Shiro had his first set, his power had only grown a little. The addition of Genkai's spirit orb was a boon, but Shiro could tell from where he was sitting with Yukina next to him (she insisted on keeping the ambient temperature around him cooler than everywhere else when she realized how it was speeding his recovery even remotely) that Toguro was playing Yusuke and forcing him to go all out before allowing him to kill the demon.
Shiro was going to force Yusuke to wear spirit cuffs the second Genkai got back. He was not going to let his idiot of a younger brother... (when did he start thinking of Yusuke as a younger brother?)... get killed because he was getting cocky!
Shiro was barely able to escape the soon to be destroyed stadium when it started to fall apart. He wasn't that confident in his spirit training to use it to blast holes...though he did somehow end up saving Sakyo despite his protests.
Sakyo wasn't evil, but if given the chance he might become a decent man eventually.
"Hey Obaa-chan," said Shiro when he saw Genkai.
Genkai, however, was focused on Yusuke and immediately slapped him upside the head.
"YOU MORON! Did you not notice Toguro was playing you the entire damn time?!" she yelled at him.
Yusuke looked like he had been slapped silly with a fish.
"You noticed it too?" said Shiro.
"Of course I saw it! Brief as it was! Toguro let you kill him!" said Genkai irate.
"Which reminds me...can you reapply the spirit cuffs on Yusuke?" asked Shiro.
Yusuke looked like a kid throwing a tantrum. Not only were they calmly informing him that his worst opponent yet had let him end his life, but that there was no way in hell he should have been able to end it.
Which was why he let Genkai reapply the spirit cuffs.
Genkai finally turned to Shiro.
"How are your circuits?" she asked. She had seen a brief glimpse of that parody of Shiro's reality marble.
"Still in pain, but Yukina's natural cold presence is speeding up recovery. I won't be fighting or using magecraft for another three days at least, if that," said Shiro honestly. She slapped him on the head, lighter than she did Yusuke. Shiro had at least known the risks and acknowledged them.
"So was what that freaking morpher said true?" asked Yusuke, changing the subject.
"About what?"
"Are you two related?"
"Toguro used to be my lover before he decided to become a demon. Our daughter wanted nothing to do with us, so we honored her wishes. She died shortly after giving birth to our grandson in a car accident. Shirohito Takahashi died in the Fuyuki fire, but Emiya Shiro took his place the moment Kiritsugu adopted him. Which reminds me, Shiro, you have an adopted sister on Kiritsugu's end," said Genkai.
"I do?"
"Illyasviel von Eiznbern, Kiritsugu's biological daughter. I had a nice long chat with the man while I was up there, once Koenma found where his soul had ended up. He seemed very surprised to find you were my grandson. He asked that you at least try to save his daughter from her family, since from what he's seen the girl's grandfather has turned her completely against her father and by extension you," said Genkai flatly.
"If what Zelretch was saying is true, I'll end up meeting her anyway during the war," said Shiro.
"A war that won't take place until around next year," she reminded him.
"I guess that leaves me some time to prepare for it," said Shiro evenly.