I don't own Fate/Stay Night or RWBY.
Note: This story contains spoilers for F/SN Heaven's Feel route. Continue at own risk.
Yang had lost count of how many White Fang she had beaten down. Another tried to sneak up on her by remaining in her blind spot, but gave himself away when he reared up with his weapon held above his head.
She threw a straight right into his face, following up immediately with a sweep of her leg and one final hit with her left that sent him face first into the ground. The man did not recover. All the while, bullets soared past, a few coming dangerously close to her head.
Screaming, she charged at another, dragging him off his feet as she slammed him into a wall hard enough to leave a spider web of cracks. A bullet missed her, but passed through her flowing mane of blonde hair, shredding several strands along the way. The man who fired the shot got one in return in the gut, and flew into a boarded up window, the only thing visible being his feet hanging limp out of the splintered wood.
Yang growled as she eyed the broken ends of her hair. The three others that accompanied that fellow joined him when a series of powerful, shotgun-enhanced blows knocked them through the concrete wall they had been standing in front of. It made her feel better, if only slightly.
She looked around, still seeing no sight of that one annoying woman. Her appearance had come as a surprise, even though on hindsight it made some sense considering that Torchwick, the one she had been with previously, was working with the White Fang. Yang had relished the opportunity for payback after their last encounter, but instead had been involuntarily dragged around and herded like cattle with a generous application of Dust explosives.
She had no time to even consider Ruby or her partner's situation; Yang herself been constantly kept on her toes, moving about nonstop to take down her attackers while avoiding the constant rain of hellfire. She could not afford to divert even a sliver of attention away. The first and only time she did she had been sent through a wall courtesy of a rocket propelled grenade.
Yang grunted in annoyance when the burst of automatic gunfire from a new wave of White Fang grunts forced her to take cover behind a tower of crates. The short woman had vanished after leading her into a cul-de-sac, where the blonde was left to fend for herself with little protection against the rest of the White Fang. She had fought her way out, slowly, gaining ground in an attempt to retrace her steps and find her team. She needed to regroup with Qrow, Ruby, Weiss… anyone from Beacon.
"Screw this."
Yang decided to take the risk, and during the next lull in the suppressive fire, she abandoned her cover. A running start led into a jump, powered by twin simultaneous blasts from her shotgun gauntlets. She soared, riding the force and landing with a fist into one of the startled grunts. Quickly straightening, she socked another in the cheek and unloaded a flurry of quick punches into a third. Her left hand shot out and grabbed the barrel of a rifle and wrenched it aside, opening the path for her right to incapacitate its owner.
Four down in another ten seconds. Not too bad, considering how her usual tactics were hampered by the less than ideal battleground.
The blonde picked up an empty crate and hurled it into the air. Punching, she shattered it with a single shot from her gauntlet. The wooden bits clouded the air, obscuring vision for another group of White Fang soldiers. Yang used that moment to reload before she engaged them. Once she was in arm's reach, it was smooth sailing, and the three men joined their unconscious comrades on the ground.
That was how Yang survived up to that point, by minimising blows taken while creating opportunities for herself. Her preferred method of finding the shortest distance to her enemies and beating the crap out of them was out of the question, unless she wanted an express pass to the next life when her recklessness was taken advantage of again.
She had to fight smarter. That was the only option now that she had no backup and no one to tell her what to do, as ironic as it might be considering that it was exactly what her partner had been nagging her to do for months.
An idea popped into her head. It was devious, underhanded, and probably even reprehensible if one were to ask her partner. But as more guns were trained on her position out in the middle of a wide passageway, and with no place she could take cover unless she wanted to lose all the progress she had earned, she made her decision. She did not like it in the slightest and just thinking of it brought a bad taste in her mouth, but if it kept her alive, she would find a way to live with it.
Reaching down, she snagged one unconscious man by the back of his uniform and hoisted him up, holding him as a shield in front of her in one hand, while the other remained free to shoot at the rest of the faunus fighters. She was banking on them being unwilling to fire on and kill one of their own, a suspicion that proved to be reality when the bullets halted and were replaced by strings of curses.
Slowly she advanced, keeping the human barrier between herself and the rest of the White Fang. Her eyes fell onto one of the empty, half-constructed buildings to her right. The front was covered in large wooden planks, stacked lengthways across the would-be entrance. In another time, it might have been a little office or coffee shop.
'Wait. If it was meant to be a shop, then there should be two ways in. One in front and a rear exit,' Yang realised with a smile. She had found her way out.
With a grunt, the blonde tossed the unconscious man at the group in front of her, dashing to her right immediately after while they struggled to catch him. Her fist broke through the old and rotting wood and she barrelled through and into the vacant building. Running as fast as her feet could take her, Yang bolted for the small door affixed to the back wall. She pushed it open and savoured the fresh air and lack of terrorists.
'Yes! It worked!'
Yang knew that her freedom would not last; her pursuers were still far too close for her liking and would run her down in seconds if she remained stationary. A couple of shotgun rounds fired back through the doorway confirmed it, echoing back in the form of pained groans when the shells hit their mark.
"Where on Remnant is everyone?" Yang muttered. Wide strides carried her down the empty road. After being exposed to the loud noise of gunfire, the relative quiet was borderline disturbing. She could still hear the faint sounds of combat elsewhere, which she used as her guide to find her way to the rest of her team. With any luck, she should run into a familiar face.
Powerful explosions suddenly shook the cavern, overpowering any other sound she could hear. Over the roofs emerged thick columns of smoke.
"That sounded like Shirou's arrows," Yang murmured, grinning. More explosions followed. "Sheesh, he's really going all out with those things."
Taking a left, she headed toward the explosion. Squeezing through a narrow gap between two buildings, she popped out the other side, just in time to duck beneath a spray of bullets from another pair of White Fang.
Yang grabbed the nearest one and slammed his head into the wall. When he let go of his rifle, she hooked it on her foot and kicked it into the second. She closed in and swept his feet out from under him when he tried to bat the gun away, striking him across the neck with her outstretched arm. He fell backwards, accelerated by her blow. Hitting the back of his head on the ground, he was out like a light in seconds.
She dragged the two unconscious men to one side and dumped them into large storage crates that sat about the place. Pulling several of them into a row, she hid behind them, exhaling slowly. The respite from all the fighting was a blessing, giving her a much needed breather and time to take stock of her remaining ammunition which was, unfortunately, depleting fast.
"Forty-five… forty-six… damn, only forty-seven left?" Yang murmured, cursing under her breath. That was just about half of what she had started with. Had she already used up so many? "Ah whatever. I'll find a way."
Getting to her feet, she cautiously peeked around the corner of the crate. When she saw no sign of activity, Yang rounded the corner, only to run face first into the person approaching from the other side.
"Hey!"
Caught entirely by surprise, she shrieked, lashing out with her fist and striking the man on the nose.
"Argh! Dammit, Yang!"
The blonde blinked, only then noticing the familiar scruffy man clutching his face with no White Fang mask in sight.
"Uncle Qrow?!"
0-0-0
A sword was a weapon.
As a weapon, a sword could be used for peace, to fight for an end to conflict and strife. A sword could conversely be used for war, bringing to an end countless lives in the hands of one who sought conquest.
A sword's purpose was many, dependent on its wielder. But regardless of its purpose, the means to execute it would always be the same.
A sword was meant to cut, to stab, to cleave. Whether for the protection of one or for the destruction of another, a sword's role would never change, for a sword, first and foremost, was a weapon – an object meant to injure and harm.
Throughout history, almost every sword that made its mark on human civilisation was forged for a purpose greater than itself. Few swords of renown were ever forged for the sole purpose of being a sword. But the sword held in the hands of Emiya Shirou, the Ten Thousand Cold Nights, was one such sword. It was brought into being simply for the sake of being the best at what a sword did.
The Juuchi Yosamu was a sword that cuts.
That alone was its purpose. Nothing more, and nothing less.
It was a unique existence – one that was based off the story of a meeting of two men that was a chronological and historical impossibility. Its owner was but a mere blacksmith, and with no heroic deeds to call his own, would normally never have been capable of being summoned as a Servant. In a different timeline, the Witch of Colchis would not summon the one known as Sasaki Kojirou, but instead brought forth an anomalous existence built around that false legend. So the Juuchi Yosamu came into being, its very nature a contradiction, until it was witnessed by the Counter Guardian and stored within his inner world.
The air hissed angrily when Shirou lowered the blade into a two-handed grip, assaulting all that were close with a painful, high-pitch whistle.
"Ruby, go and help Weiss," Shirou said softly. He did not turn, instead keeping his eyes entirely on the enemy before him. "I'll take care of this."
"Shirou…?"
"Go."
He heard a shuffle, followed by the dull crunch of boots on gravel. Shirou let the Juuchi Yosamu rest lightly in his palm, tip pointed down. Calmly, he started walking.
Adam Taurus was wary of his approach; the White Fang commander remained on the balls of his feet with knees bend, body tilted forward and hand never leaving the hilt of his sword Wilt.
Like a viper, Shirou struck, closing the remaining distance in a heartbeat.
"Tch!"
Adam countered with his quick draw, missing Shirou who interrupted his movement, digging his boot down and leaning back for just a fraction of a second while the red blade passed by harmlessly before his nose.
Blush, the scabbard-shotgun hybrid flashed, and Shirou sidestepped the slug. The trigger was pulled repeatedly, and Shirou continued to twist and spin, evading each and every shot while simultaneously moving closer to Adam. The curved Japanese blade swung up, bisecting the gun and leaving a clean cut at the cross section.
Adam Taurus stared at the half of the weapon still in his hand with mouth slightly ajar. To his credit, the faunus' immediate reaction was to growl and toss the ruined shotgun aside. He raised his left hand to shoulder height and flicked his wrist.
Swaths of gunfire started anew, all trained on Shirou's position. All ineffectual, for Shirou simply Traced another wall of swords that rendered the barrage as harmless as rain. He broke into a run, the swords scattering in all directions, each flying to their own target. Their aim was true, and none of the men who were struck down recovered.
Adam picked up a rifle from the bodies of one of his fallen men, wielding it as a replacement for his own, broken firearm. With careful aim, he pumped out short bursts of two to three bullets, running as he fired. A handful of White Fang that were not being pursued by Weiss and Ruby continued to provide him cover fire, allowing their commander to remain safely outside of the reach of Shirou's blade.
The tables had turned. Where previously Shirou had been the one cautious about striking at Adam lest he provided his opponent with the opportunity to charge up his Semblance, now it was Adam who kept his distance after experiencing first-hand the cutting prowess of the Juuchi Yosamu, having lost his own firearm to it.
Shirou stabbed and slashed, hitting nothing but air as the agile faunus weaved about. Even though Shirou was the one pressing on and Adam backtracking the entire time, little was being done to either party. The minutes passed, before he took a deliberate change in pace, stopping his attack and switching to a different strategy.
Adam Taurus was a good fighter, but one lingering habit of his was a strong and unconscious preference for melee combat, an influence of the overall style he learnt and practiced. So, when given an opening, he abandoned the safety of distance and went on the offensive at close range. It was both his best and worst trait, one that had got him through many an incident due purely to the difference in skill of the combatants.
From his side, Juuchi Yosamu rose. Shirou turned at the waist, channelling the momentum into the swing. It reached the crest of its upward motion, where it would snap down for a diagonal cut.
Adam disappeared in a burst of speed, reappearing in front of Shirou with one hand grasping onto the handle of the black blade, instantly arresting its movement. At the same time, Wilt stabbed at Shirou. It was aimed for his ribs, and a newly Traced Kanshou deflected it away in a shower of sparks.
The two grappled, each having the intention of bringing the other to the ground. Adam would not let go of the Juuchi Yosamu, maintaining a strong grip on its handle while angling the blade away from himself. Red and black meshed together as Wilt and Kanshou pushed back and forth in a contest of strength. Neither gave ground, and neither advanced.
Shirou's attempts at stumbling the taller man met with no success as Adam proved familiar with the kicks and leg sweeps aimed at destabilising him. He expertly shifting his own posture, maintaining balance every time Shirou tried to trip him up. Granted, unarmed martial arts was not Shirou's strongest suit, and the crude forms were likely easy to see through by a more experienced fighter like Adam Taurus.
They eventually separated when Adam lashed out with his foot, catching Shirou in the stomach. It did little to hurt him through his body armour, and Shirou retaliated by smashing his forehead against Adam's nose, a gasp of surprise and pain sounding from the taller man.
Shirou feinted high and went low, scoring across Adam's thigh with a clean cut. The potency of the Noble Phantasm showed itself once again, having made contact with flesh and drawing blood despite the faunus' Aura still present. The wound was a shallow one, and did little to hamper Adam's movements. It did slow him down slightly whenever he had to put weight on the leg, but otherwise was nothing more than a flesh wound.
Adam tried to circle around, his movements telegraphed and very clearly meant to get around to strike at Shirou's unprotected back. Subtly but intentionally, Shirou slowed his movement, allowing the faunus commander to get around him.
Digging his heel in while channellings more prana into his legs, Shirou spun about, catching Adam by surprise. Before he could react, Shirou had already scored another blow, this time across his flank, drawing blood for a second time. It was followed up with a flick that had the tip of the Juuchi Yosamu run across Adam's knuckles, splitting flesh and nearly causing the faunus to drop his weapon from the pain when they were cut down almost to the bone.
The routine continued, with Shirou getting in the occasional cut after deceiving Adam Taurus with deliberate openings in his guard.
With Weiss and Ruby systematically tackling the remaining clusters of White Fang stragglers still in the general area, Adam did not have the kind of supportive firepower at his disposal that he did when the fighting first erupted. So while he did continue to aggressively seek out the openings in Shirou's guard, it was tempered with a calculated carefulness, with Adam ready to retreat out of range at any time.
Shirou himself was no longer at his best, being in a position where he had to be careful about what he Traced. In terms of the extent to which he used his magecraft, that battle was the most intensive Shirou had participated in since the Grail War, and that was taking its toll on his body. To make his situation worse, the corners of his vision were starting to blur and fill with a red haze, a symptom of the Curse of Muramasa that was slowing invading his system. Were it not for his unique mind set and affinity with swords, he was likely to have already been overtaken by the weapon's bloodlust.
Shirou threw Kanshou at Adam with a backswing, Tracing its white companion right after.
Adam twisted his body and bypassed the circular saw made from the spinning Eastern blade. It curved around, undetected by the commander of the White Fang who busied himself with finding an opening in Shirou's guard. It was not until a warning was sounded by one of his men did he notice its return.
Adam turned, knocking it out of the air and continued with the motion, making a full revolution and returning to his initial position. He snarled, lunging forward with his weapon once he was in striking distance.
Shirou grasped the opportunity presented to him.
Wilt clashed with the Juuchi Yosamu, putting up resistance for but a second. The Noble Phantasm sheared through the red blade, reducing its length by a good third. It continued unobstructed, making contact with Adam's body when Shirou altered the downward slash into a forward thrust.
Adam dodged to the side at the final moment. His Aura flared up before it once again gave way to the potent enchantments the sword possessed. His quick action prevented the blade from piercing his chest as it was meant to. Instead, the tip of the black blade buried itself into his right shoulder, reappearing out his back.
Adam's scream of pain caused a lull in combat for all who were within hearing range, and for a moment, the sounds of battle were inexplicably silent as White Fang all around stopped whatever they were doing and stared at their leader in alarm and trepidation.
Wilt clattered to the ground. With the exception of the occasional twitch, Adam Taurus barely moved. He collapsed onto one knee after Shirou retracted the katana, flicking the blood off the blade with a sharp twist of his wrist. Adam's left hand clutched onto his shoulder, stemming the flow of blood even as his right arm hung limp at his side.
A manifestation of the unparalleled cutting power recorded in the blade's legend, the Juuchi Yosamu imparted the very concept of 'cut' on anything that contacted its edge. With the exception of objects or individuals with a sufficiently high magical resistance, anything that met the Japanese blade would inevitably find itself split in two.
Yet, it was only when the blade was impaled within another object did the secondary nature of its cutting ability become apparent. Unable to truly cut in the traditional sense, but still attempting to fulfil its purpose, the concept of being 'cut' would then spread throughout the object in a manner similar to a curse for as long as it remained in contact with the blade, slowly but surely cutting apart every aspect of the object from the inside out. It had done so to Adam Taurus, severing muscles, flesh, and nerves alike.
Since the very beginning when Shirou had brought forth the Juuchi Yosamu, that had been his objective. The minor wounds were all just a lead up to that. They conferred pain onto Adam, acting to dull his more rational side while stoking the flames of his anger. The commander had a very successful career, rarely ever meeting an opponent that could trouble him, and for a long time, he had taken pride in that. Shirou made use of that pride, hedging on the chance that when the pain from his accumulated wounds and the frustration of being on the losing end finally overwhelmed him, Adam would eventually slip up and make a mistake.
He did, and it had cost him.
"You… bastard," Adam gasped. His voice shook and was tinged with pain. "I'll kill you for this."
Shirou stared down at the injured man. "We both know that such a thing is now beyond your ability," he replied dispassionately.
He might not be dead, but with Adam's sword arm disabled, perhaps even permanently, the fight was as good as over.
That either was not apparent to the man himself, or he was still refusing to accept it as fact. Adam picked up Wilt in his left hand and, slowly, struggled back to his feet. His teeth were clenched, and sweat dripped down the sides of his face, but he stood straight. With sword in hand, he got back into a ready stance, unsteady as he was.
A series of explosions rocked the underground city square, a different kind from that which the White Fang had been using. Five familiar individuals rushed in, and it was all Shirou could do to smile grimly.
'Looks like they managed to handle the Paladins on their end,' Shirou thought.
Professor Port barked out orders, Ren and Nora nodding and breaking away to join with Ruby and Weiss. The old professor looked about, spotting Shirou and jogged up to him, Jaune and Pyrrha in tow. The blond and even his partner were clearly fatigued, but both remained alert, eyes constantly scanning the area for any other enemies.
"Good to see that you're still in one piece, lad," Port said, clapping Shirou on the shoulder, even as the other two students flanked him on either side, weapons drawn and aimed at the White Fang commander. He nodded at Adam, whose head turned to observe the newcomers, lips pulled down in a grimace. "And who might this fellow be?"
"Adam Taurus. He's the one leading the Fang here."
Jaune and Pyrrha tensed, while Port's eyebrows furrowed. "Is that so? And where is Huntsman Qrow?"
"We were separated when the fighting started. Both he and Yang were directed away from this area," Shirou replied.
The Beacon professor frowned. "That won't do. Mr Arc, take your partner and search for Ms Xiao Long. Qrow can take care of himself, so don't worry about him. Go!"
"G-got it!" Jaune turned and sprinted away, Pyrrha at his side.
Port hefted his axe. "Now, my boy, do allow me to assist you. I can see that you've done magnificently against this dangerous foe, but I believe that I can help tilt the tables further in our favour."
His very presence was already having an effect on Adam, who, judging by his body language, was a lot less certain than he had been only moments earlier. The wound in his shoulder remained open, with the reddish stain on his black jacket continuing to grow larger as the seconds went by. How Adam expected to fight with such an injury was beyond Shirou, but the man seemed determined to try.
Adam struck at Port with his broken sword, the Professor planting his feet in the ground and countered with a powerful swing. The bull faunus flew, landing on his back with a pained gasp. The bulky professor had not budged an inch, looking more bemused than anything else at the ineffectual attack.
Adam stood, but did not attack a second time. Slowly, he moved to reach behind him, and both Shirou and Port tensed when the faunus began to glow, his red hair alight with energy.
'He shouldn't have had enough for another strike. Wait, he picked up that much energy from Professor Port's counter swing?' Shirou thought with urgency. He raised his arm, preparing to intercept with the Juuchi Yosamu, preferably to cut down the faunus commander before he could execute his attack.
Adam struck the ground. The slash gouged out the earth, sending large clumps spinning into the air. Shirou leapt back to avoid losing his footing. Professor Port quickly following suit, one hand shielding his eyes from the cloud of sand and concrete dust.
"He's retreating!" Port shouted. "It's just a distraction!"
Adam Taurus certainly did not have enough energy stored up for an offensive strike. What Shirou did not account for was that the little he had could create a diversion of a magnitude to be effective, or that Adam would even choose to sacrifice that energy for a distraction.
Port took aim and fired. He failed to hit his target when a White Fang soldier threw himself in the path of the metal ball, taking the blow meant for Adam.
"Quickly! We must follow!"
The instruction was unnecessary; Shirou was already zipping past the professor, gaining ground on the faunus. He rounded the corner, and was stalled when he was met with more gunfire and explosives. Beyond that, Adam climbed up the carriage of a train, disappearing on board just as it started to move. The handful of men covering his escape jumped on one by one, the last of whom lobbed several grenades at the building Shirou was beside, sending a shower of stone and glass down on him and Port.
Bullets tore into the side of the train, and in his declining vision, Shirou saw Qrow along with the rest of his team and the entirety of JNPR appearing from another passage parallel to the one he and Port had taken, all aiming at the rapidly receding locomotive.
"Wheels! Keep aiming at the wheels!" Qrow shouted, reloading his weapon before emptying it in just as short a time. "We need to stop that train!"
"Qrow! What is the matter?" Port asked.
"Just shoot, dammit!" The Huntsman howled in response. "Those tracks lead to Vale!"
Port's eyes widened and his mouth snapped shut. He turned back and began firing with haste.
The last carriage dislodged itself from the rest, tipping over when a grenade from Nora blasted out the wheels on one side. It tore apart from a blast that consumed the metal structure. The rest of the train was a speck in the distance, beyond the effective range of even Crescent Rose.
"Shit!" Qrow swore, his anger somehow appearing to be directed at himself. It dissipated, leaving behind an expression of deep despair. "Too late. Not again."
"Qrow, what exactly is the matter with that train?" Port questioned, noting the worry on the face of the other Huntsman.
"The White Fang's plan is use bombs set up in the cars to blow up parts of the tunnel, before ramming the rest into the blockade set up at Vale. That's going to bring all the Grimm into the tunnel, before giving them a one-way passage into the city centre." Qrow pointed, face sagging with fatigue. "We need to contact Ozpin and Jimmy, have his troops ready once hell breaks loose."
"Not yet."
All eyes turned to Shirou, who moved forward with slow, uneasy steps. He raised his left hand. Bakuya faded, replaced by Archer's bow. He placed the Juuchi Yosamu against the bowstring and pulled back. The black katana reformed into a thin spike-like arrow, hooked barbs protruding along its length.
"Sacrificing everything. But never grasping victory."
Prana flooded the arrow, breaking it.
"Kid, you're never going to hit it," Qrow declared. "Don't waste your time."
Shirou did not respond, instead focusing solely on aiming at the distant target. The sea of red covered nearly his entire field of vision, and his brain swam with thoughts not of his own. But he persevered, temporarily turning his mind into steel to shut out the whispers calling for blood.
"What I seek is the resolution of all resentment," he whispered. "Severing bonds, fate, and karma."
He let go of the Broken Phantasm and watched it disappear down the tunnel. A violent explosion of air followed several seconds after, buffeting the ten students and Huntsmen and trailing off after the obsidian projectile.
"What the f-!" Qrow exclaimed, staggering about. "The hell is that?!"
It brought no small relief to Shirou's tired mind, for the encroaching bloodlust disappeared almost entirely once he was no longer in contact with the cursed weapon. With renewed vision, he peered into the darkness after the speeding arrow. He saw as it struck the last car, disappearing into it with no resistance. He could sense as it tore its way through the thin walls one by one. When it entered the front most car, Shirou gave the command.
The Juuchi Yosamu shattered, sending hundreds of small fragments in all directions.
All that the rest saw was a faint orange glow deep down the tunnel as the entire train disappeared in the largest explosion yet. The ground beneath their feet rumbled from the faraway detonation, pebbles and loose dirt shaking and bouncing. Shirou and the rest were then buffeted by the winds that flowed back through the tunnel from the rapid expansion of air caused by the explosion.
Shirou sighed, taking a step back and swaying slightly. Three pairs of hands reached out to steady him when he lost his footing and lurched forward. He gave a weak smile when the worried faces of his team appeared.
"Shirou, what happened to your eyes?" Ruby asked in alarm. "They're completely bloodshot."
"Just some… irritants that got to me. Nothing serious." None of his team appeared entirely convinced by his casual dismissal, each continuing to send him concerns gazes from time to time.
"Holy shit." Qrow shook his head slowly in disbelief. When he turned to Shirou, there was a hint of awe in the way he looked at the younger man. "How did you do that?"
Shirou managed a low chuckle. "Would you believe me if I said magic?"
Qrow gave a snort, but followed up with a grin. "Right. Nice try, kid, but magic ain't real."
"Good shot, Handsome," Yang complimented. In a whisper, she added. "Are you sure it was okay to show them your… you know, Phantasm thingy?"
"I didn't really have a choice. It was either that, or risk the lives of thousands of innocents if they do make it to Vale." He shook his head. "It's not worth the risk. And get ready. It's not over yet."
"What you do mean not over yet?" Weiss asked. "What's not over?"
Shirou pointed down the tracks. "I stopped the train, but the explosion opened up the tunnel regardless. The Grimm are still going to get in."
Weiss' eyes filled with understanding and dread. "They can't reach Vale because it's blocked up, so they'll go in the opposite direction instead. They'll come right here."
"We're all running low after dealing with the Paladins," Jaune noted after receiving a nod from both Ren and Nora. "We can handle some Grimm, but if it's a whole lot of them… that might be a problem."
Qrow opened his scroll and sent off a message, receiving a reply several seconds after. "I contacted Jimmy." When all he got were blank looks, he tried again. "The big guy from Atlas. Told him to send some of his guys as discretely and quickly as he can. In the meantime, we'll have to hold the fort until they arrive. No other option. Even if he can mobilise right away, it'll take them probably half an hour to get here."
"What about the White Fang?" Pyrrha asked. "We left most of them unconscious in the city."
"And where are they gonna go?" Qrow countered. "If they wake up and try to run, that's their problem. All that's going to happen is that they'll find themselves in the middle of nowhere in Grimm-controlled territory. We can't look after them and hold the Grimm back at the same time. That's suicide."
"But…" Ruby began, only to be cut off by Professor Port.
"Ms Rose, I know what it is that you want to say. I'm sorry, but your uncle is correct. The Grimm are coming, and by the sound of it, we have quite the fight on our hands." He paused to let her hear the increasingly loud shuffling and the occasional roar. "We have neither the manpower nor the time to protect the White Fang should they choose a course of action that endangers their own lives. We have to hold our own here, or by the time our reinforcements from Vale arrive, there might be no one for them to rescue."
Ruby looked sick to her stomach but did not argue. Instead, she cast her eyes on the floor and remained silent. Yang gently wrapped her arm around her sister's shoulders, while her other hand reached up to gently brush her hair.
"Wait a minute. Can't we just collapse the tunnel here?" Jaune asked suddenly. Once he had the attention of the two Huntsmen, he continued, pointing up at the ceiling above their heads. "This is built into the mountains, so if we can seal the tunnel on this end, we can stop the Grimm from getting in… right?"
Qrow scratched his stubble. "Yeah, that could work. But do we have enough Dust for that?"
Shirou had less than a quarter of a quiver of his Dust arrows left, with only two arrows being explosive in nature. Not anywhere near enough for that purpose. He made eye contact with Weiss, who shook her head. She lifted Myrtenaster, showing him its near-empty chambers.
There was still the option of Tracing a weapon with enough explosive power to bring it down. He could replicate what he had done with the building from earlier, using several mystic codes to destroy the foundations. Shirou analysed the structure of the tunnel, noting where the walls of hewn rock met the roof. If he struck there, there would be nothing to support the immense weight of the tunnel. That might be enough to collapse the entire thing.
He turned to his partner. "Ruby, I can manage it. But I'll need all of you to clear the area."
She looked up at him, confusion making way for contemplation. Ruby nodded. "Alright."
Shirou inhaled, releasing the breath with a slow sigh. Concentrating, he flooded his circuits with prana once more and ignored the pain that followed.
"Mr Emiya, what might you be doing?" Professor Port asked, casting his gaze on the teen.
"I'm doing as Jaune suggested," he replied. "I'm going to collapse the mouth of the tunnel."
The air around him was suddenly filled with a multitude of glowing daggers, every one identical to the other.
Jaune's eyes bulged, and even Qrow was momentarily speechless. Nora's eyes were shining.
"Everyone, back away into the city," Weiss instructed as she waved her hands.
"Kid, are you serious?" Qrow found his voice and gave the mystic codes a cursory, almost doubtful glance. "These little things are going to bring down the roof?"
"Uncle Qrow, get back." Yang pulled his arm and forcibly dragged him away. "Just watch, okay? He's got this."
The other nine moved towards the more built up area, their eyes fixed on Shirou as they went.
Confirming the locations on the walls, Shirou mentally reached out to the weapons. They shot off, embedding themselves into the rock and stone high above his head. Turning bright red, the daggers detonated in sequence, forming a chain reaction along the edge of the cave's ceiling.
A rumble started.
A stalactite fell, breaking apart on the ground. It was quickly followed by another, and another, before the entire ceiling appeared alive with how it was violently shaking. With no warning, it gave way completely. Rocks cascaded down, the force of which reverberated throughout the cavern in the form of a violent quake. Shirou made a hasty retreat, several swords appearing above him and sheltering him from the deadly rain.
When the cloud of dust dispersed, the train depot and loading bay could no longer be seen, buried as it was beneath a newly made hill of dirt that perfectly blockaded the tunnel that led out to Vale. Unless there were Grimm that could burrow through a good hundred metres of stone, they were safe.
When Shirou returned, he paused at the astonished looks he was getting from Port, Qrow and all of Team JNPR. "I believe the Grimm won't be a problem anymore," he said with a faint smile.
With the immediate crisis averted, the mood had lightened sufficiently that several other grins broke out amongst Team JNPR's members.
"I've seen a lot of things before, but almost nothing like that crap you just pulled," Qrow declared. "Seriously, I don't think I'll ever look at knives the same way again. I'm going to have nightmares of my steak knife blowing up in my face when I'm eating."
"Would you prefer it to be your salad fork instead?"
Yang laughed. "That won't work, Handsome. Only good kids eat their greens, and Uncle Qrow was never a good kid."
"I'm right here, you know?" Qrow groused before turning to Shirou with an irritable glare. "Always got a smart ass response to everything, huh?"
Shirou shrugged, an image of the Counter Guardian appearing in his mind. "I had a bad influence."
"Well if you ever see him again, you can tell him to go to he-drop into a fire," Qrow amended quickly after remembering that Ruby was right beside him.
"We already have," Shirou replied, smiling despite the resulting confusion on the Huntsman's face. Qrow would probably never realise it, but his choice of words was far too appropriate considering who they had been meant for.
"Wait. Those White Fang who were on the train, did they die?" Ruby asked, eyes wide as she looked at Shirou before turning to her uncle and Professor Port. "They're now stuck outside, and they can't get back in."
"If the crash didn't kill them, then the Grimm probably will," Qrow answered. "But then again, these kinds of tunnels always have emergency exits that lead up to ground level. They might get out through there if they're close to one. The difficult part starts after that, since Vale or any other settlement is a long way off. Their chances aren't exactly good."
Port brushed his moustache. "That's unfortunate. The commander of the White Fang was on that train. It would have been better if we had managed to capture him alive."
"I can get Jimmy to send his guys to search the area. They might find him if he managed to survive."
"That's a good idea, lad."
Weiss fiddled with her rapier restlessly. "I don't mean to interrupt, but what do we do now?"
"We round up as many of the White Fang as we can, and wait for the soldiers from Atlas to arrive," Port replied. After a moment's pause, he looked at Qrow. "Inform General Ironwood of all known entrances that lead down here, including the one we took. It's best if he can put some of his men at each of them. We can't guarantee that none of the White Fang escape, but we can at least minimise the numbers that do."
Qrow waved his scroll. "Already ahead of you, old timer."
The two teams made their way back, weapons at the ready in case any remaining White Fang soldiers decided to try and ambush them along the way.
"Ruby, are you alright?" Shirou asked. He could not see any external wounds, but considering that she had been fending off Adam on her own, there was the danger that she had suffered injuries of some kind.
"Oh, err, yeah. I'm fine. I'm not hurt." Ruby flashed a grin that even to Shirou appeared forced. She reached over and gave his hand a quick squeeze then turned away, staring into the distance.
"Leave Rubes to me, Handsome. I'll talk to her," Yang whispered to him, before sidling up to her sister while Weiss took her spot and fell into step beside Shirou.
The heiress turned slightly so she could look at him out the corner of her eye. "Thank you," she said with a tired smile.
Shirou looked to her. "What for?"
"The Paladin."
"Ah. You're welcome." Shirou stared at his partner, walking several pacing ahead of him. "You were with Ruby earlier. Do you know what happened to her?"
"That's…" Weiss paused, looking hesitant. "I think it would be best if we wait until we return to Beacon first. She will need some time before she's ready to talk about it."
"I… I see," Shirou accepted her answer, even as it made him worry for a different, and new reason. "Then let's discuss it again another time."
Weiss nodded with visible relief, before pursed her lips in thought. "Do you really think the White Fang on the train are dead?"
He let out a slow sigh. "I don't know how many of them have an Aura capacity large enough to survive a crash and that big of a Dust explosion, but I doubt many will make it out with Grimm in the area."
'Especially Adam Taurus.'
The faunus commander might have survived many harrowing battles in his time, but considering the injuries he sustained against Shirou, his chances of survival were significantly less than it would normally be for the man on a regular day.
Shirou sighed again. "Honestly, I didn't consider them at all when I sealed the tunnel. All I could think of was ensuring that we were safe."
What went unsaid was that even after knowing that their deaths were likely on his hands and his hands alone, he felt no regrets about the actions he had taken. Were he given the option to redo things, he would take the same course without hesitation. The safety of his team was paramount, outweighing anything else.
The white-haired girl shook her head. "I don't blame you. You only did what you thought was best at the time." There was a delay before she slowly continued. "And… and I suppose they knew what was coming, trying to bring the Grimm into Vale. They lived by the sword, and while I don't want to make light of death, I guess you can say that they died by it as well."
His head bowed in agreement.
"Qrow. You knew what the White Fang was planning with the train the whole time?" Professor Port questioned, to which the Huntsman shook his head.
"Not until about ten minutes ago." Qrow pointed at Yang. "After my opponent ran away, I found Firecracker. We went about hunting down any of the Fang we could find, and we kinda stumbled on their planning room. Walls full of maps and notes stacked everywhere. We underestimated their plan, Peter. Turns out, bringing in the Grimm was only just the starting act."
Port's grey eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"These guys we've been fighting? They're almost all from Mistral. The recruits they got from within Vale are hiding out inside the city itself. When the train breached the centre of the city, those inside were going to start separate attacks in all the different districts at the same time."
The students, except for Yang who had been with Qrow, all stiffened, having heard every word that passed between the two older men. The thought of an attack of that scale was terrifying to think of. The number of casualties would be immense.
"By the gods," Port whispered. "If we include the Grimm threat, they might truly be able to bring down all of Vale."
"Yeah. Why do you think I was freaking out so bad when I heard the train starting? And to think we almost didn't stop it." Qrow shuddered. He then looked over his shoulder at Shirou. "That reminds me. You still haven't explained what that sword-arrow thing that stopped the train was."
"That's…" He was about to answer when Weiss beat him to it.
"It was an experimental weapon we had created together," the heiress said quickly, shooting Shirou a look to silence him even as she skilfully weaved the lie for the Huntsman. "It uses a lot of high grade Dust to propel it faster than the average bullet while also having a function that lets it remotely detonate. But when we tested it, we deemed it too dangerous for normal use."
"Hmm." Qrow appeared to buy the deception. "And those glowing knives?"
"Daggers made of metals infused with explosive Dust. You know of Shirou's Semblance, so you are already aware that he can replicate weapons." Weiss' response was immediate and a little too smooth.
'Knowing Weiss, she had probably prepared it long in advance.'
"Yeah, but according to the records at Beacon, he made it sound like he could only copy those that he has on hand. So now you're telling me that the kid can copy any weapon he has seen?"
"Bladed weapons mostly," Shirou corrected.
Qrow rolled his eyes. "Like most weapons aren't also a dagger, sword, spear or axe. Well, whatever. You're the one who has to explain it to Oz when we get back, not me. None of my business."
They returned to the city square where Shirou, Weiss and Ruby had been preoccupied in the earlier part of the fighting, and came to a screeching halt.
The paved roads had been gouged out and covered in craters and bullet holes. Patches of the ground were black from where several of Shirou's fire arrows had landed. But that was not what caught their attention. A good third of the battlefield was littered in hundreds of swords of all shapes and sizes. Looking beyond, more could be seen sticking out of the walls of several buildings, some pinning unconscious White Fang soldiers to the concrete by their clothes like a bunch of mannequins.
Team JNPR, who had mostly been in another part of the underground cavern and were not present for the fighting that had occurred, naturally turned to Shirou. Port and Qrow did the same, the latter raising an eyebrow as he did.
Shirou dispelled the weapons, returning the landscape to a more normal appearance, at least for the standards of a battlefield. Not that it helped. They were still staring at him with that curious gaze in all their eyes.
"We have so many questions," Nora declared.
'Great. Now I'm never going to hear the end of it.'
"Look, if you kids don't mind, we're still on a mission here," Qrow interrupted. "Let's just do our jobs and be done with it. You can talk your mouths off once you're back in Beacon."
"Meh, spoilsport," Nora replied. "This is why you'll die single, old man."
Qrow shook his head as he walked on ahead, muttering under his breath the entire time.
The clean-up turned out to be expectedly slow. The unconscious faunus had to be bound securely, before they could be moved to the open square where they were assembled into groups that could be easily monitored. Often, the person they were transporting would regain consciousness, and in the extreme cases, had to be knocked out again when they became violent.
Pockets of resistance remained, with many only surrendering when Shirou quite literally shot the weapons out of their hands and the rest of the students surrounded the disarmed individuals. They too were subsequently tied up together with their compatriots in preparation for extraction by Atlas.
Shirou's nose pricked and he paused his work. Straightening, he looked around in no small amount of confusion. There it was again; he had encountered the distinct smell of freshly cut grass and ozone several times in the past few minutes, even when such a thing should be impossible in that barren, underground location. The answer eluded him for several moments, his eyes widening upon finally realising what it meant, and he instantly put up his guard, head darting about in suspicion and trepidation.
'It can't be. This hasn't happened before.'
There had been no indication of anyone else wielding the same kind of power he did, no sign of the supernatural outside of Aura and Semblances, both of which did not react to his ability to sense the presence of magecraft. As far as he knew, he had never met another person versed in magic of any sort during his time in Remnant. If there was indeed a magus in the area, then things could go very bad, very quickly.
Using not his eyes, Shirou instead reached out with his senses. It was a crude but fast way to pinpoint the source, but he was able to determine its general location without making it too obvious that he was looking for it.
The source of the strong magical signature was situated on the roof of a building to his left, unmoving from its position. That was as far as he got. There were no means of differentiating whether it was a construct or an actual living creature without actually getting close and observing it directly. From where he was, it looked just like the genuine article.
There was no guarantee he could deal with it alone, not with the condition he was in. So he decided to err on the side of caution.
Shirou continued to haul the unconscious man to where the rest were placed, and only upon laying him down that the redhead turned to where Qrow was standing, typing something on his scroll. With calm, controlled strides, he crossed the distance.
"Qrow, there may be another problem."
The Huntsman looked up with a start. "What problem?"
"There's…" Shirou stopped, considering the phrasing his message. "There's something that appears to be watching us nearby."
Qrow's eyes narrowed and he put the scroll away to give Shirou his undivided attention. "What kind of thing are we talking about? Where is it?"
"Directly behind me, on top of the building." Shirou did not turn to look at it, and neither did Qrow, who simply nodded.
"Go on."
"It appears to be in the form of a… a bird," Shirou said, remembering the small, black shape that he had seen out of the corner of his vision when he turned. Qrow stiffened, something else that Shirou did not miss. "But I don't think it's a normal one."
"How so?" Qrow questioned.
"It hasn't moved at all for at least fifteen minutes. It's been sitting up there the entire time, watching us, it seems. Also, there isn't exactly a lot of wild life here other than the occasional insect. Considering how difficult it is to get in, a bird isn't what I expected to find down here," Shirou elaborated before asking. "You know what it is, don't you?"
Qrow cupped his chin with a frown. "I might. I didn't see it for myself so I can't be sure, but if it's what I think it is, then it'd be best to ignore it. Unless it takes any action, we should leave he-it alone."
"Is it something we can take down together?" He looked to where the rest of his team were hauling still-living but unconscious bodies.
"With the ten of us? Pretty sure we can. But that's still a fight I'd rather avoid if possible. Some of you kids won't be walking away from it unhurt."
Shirou could agree with that. "So it's no threat as it is?"
Qrow shook his head. "Like I said, only if it makes the first move. It's… urgh, okay look, I can't be certain, but if it's that bird, then it's not exactly an enemy or a friend. Think of it as a neutral party. If we don't piss it off, it won't do anything to us. And don't go blabbing to the others about it. They don't know about it, right? Then let's keep things that way. Last thing I want is one of them to shoot at it and get us into something unnecessary. I'll deal with it after all this is done."
"Can you?"
The older man snorted. "Trust me, if it really is that damn bird, then I'm the best for the job."
Shirou wasn't completely convinced, but nonetheless decided to leave it to the Huntsman. He did seem to know what it was, even if Shirou could not confirm whether Qrow was aware that some kind of magecraft was in play. Regardless of the true nature of the strange observer, the normally drunk man was probably still the best to handle the situation. "Alright."
"Just finish grabbing as many of these White Fang fellas as you can find until Atlas gets here. Thanks for informing me, kid." Qrow waved him off, grumbling when he thought Shirou was out of earshot. "Damn. What the heck is she doing?"
'She?'
Shirou filed that away for further consideration and returned to his tasks with the rest of his team, but kept one eye on the suspicious bird-like thing that continued to sit on its ledge, watching the eight students and two professors from its beady eyes. Only when the troops from Atlas arrived to assist in removing the captured White Fang from the city, did it finally move, flapping its wings and disappearing into the darkness.
Just as Qrow said it would, the strange bird did nothing, leaving on its own without need for encouragement.
Worry continued to plague Shirou's thoughts, staying with him all the way back to Beacon. The appearance of that thing heralded a new problem that Shirou was not adequately prepared for, and never thought he would encounter in Remnant – the existence of magic.
0-0-0
One hand held onto the wall, providing much needed support. His legs were numbed; the steps they took coming with nearly no input from his brain and more from a mechanical routine. He could not remember how long he had been walking, but it felt like an eternity. Yet the darkness did not give way. Step after slow step and the tunnel still continued ahead of him.
He blinked away the sweat and blood that ran down his face. He did not wipe it off, for if he took his hand off the wall, he'd collapse. It did not even matter, since his eyes could barely be held open. He tripped on the uneven path, although when his face hit the ground, he felt no pain. After what had happened, his body had long lost the ability to feel something as insignificant as pain.
With herculean effort, Adam Taurus pushed himself up. Was it minutes or seconds – he did not know – before his back finally touched the wall, legs splayed out in front of him. Slowly his head turned to the side. He could still see the thick metal door in the distance, the solid steel bars acting as bolts securing it shut and holding back the Grimm. The remainder of Wilt was no longer in his possession, discarded when he needed his remaining good hand to close the barrier that would keep him separated from the black beasts.
His head nodded once, and his vision blurred. He was tired, so very tired. But he resisted sleep, no matter how tempting it was at that moment to just shut his eyes. He needed to keep moving. He had to get above ground, where he could get a signal out to his men in Vale. They would find him, patch him up, and he would resume his work once he had recovered.
His work… It was just one of many that remained unfinished. To find his missing partner, and then to create an ideal world where his White Fang would rule over the people of Remnant.
Adam's mind wandered, thinking back to happier, easier days. Everything had been good. He had been rapidly progressing through the ranks of their ever-growing band of faunus, his partner at his side the entire time. He had even been confident that Sienna would appoint him her right hand within the coming year or two with his record of success.
Then she disappeared. One night she was there, as she always had, and the next morning, she was gone. Everything was as it had been; nothing that belonged to her was removed. She alone vanished without a trace, along with her weapon that she kept on her person even when asleep.
No one in the camp knew where she went, or even what had happened to her. No one had witnessed her departure. She was untraceable as her scroll was still at her bedside table, where she always placed it before she slept. Adam had ordered a search that lasted days, ultimately coming up empty handed. She could have gotten lost or attacked by the Grimm and there was no way to tell. But he had to carry on, otherwise he would never attain that which he wished for.
Adam never did give up. Wherever he went, he would inquire about her, giving detailed descriptions of her appearance at every town and village. Even when the months eventually turned into a year, he refused to believe her dead, that she simply had an accident somewhere and was finding her way back to the White Fang – back to him. The alternative was too much for him to consider.
His lips parted, a hoarse groan forcing its way out. Blood followed.
Adam needed to continue moving. He had to regroup and find the rest of his men. Some had to have survived as well; he couldn't have been the only one. They failed there at Mt Glenn, but it was only a setback. He had faced setbacks before, and was never stopped by them. He would come up with a new plan, one that would finally convince the rest of his kind of the atrocities they were facing at the hands of humanity, and hopefully even convince the passive ones to take up arms.
He looked down. Why were his legs not moving? The fingers on his left hand dug against the concrete, pushing against the wet and slightly sticky surface and staining themselves a dark red.
His vision blacked out for an instant, and Adam panicked. He couldn't. Not there. He had so much left to do. In his feeble struggle against the weight of his own body, he toppled over, desperately pushing himself up to crawl on his knees and hand when he found himself lacking the strength to get onto his feet.
He could see it, the stairs that led up to the surface.
It was so close.
Adam inched along, stubbornly pushing his body to move in its weakened state.
"Bl…ake…"
His partner, the White Fang. It couldn't end like that. He had yet to truly accomplish anything with his life.
"My…" He coughed.
Adam blinked in confusion. Why was it that even with how the distance he had covered, the stairs remained as far away as before? He was still moving, wasn't he? He blinked, and the image he saw changed. It was only then that Adam noticed that he had come to face the wall, his body lying on its side. He had fallen over, and in his delirium he had not even noticed.
Behind the broken mask, his eyes widened as fear finally set in. His arm and legs twitched weakly when he desperately tried to recover.
"N-no… M-my… my…"
The sentence would never be finished, for with a quiet sigh, Adam Taurus breathed his last.
Extra Scene: An unexpected gift
Team RXSE shuffled into their dorm, dirty and tired. Bags were flung into corners, their contents ignored for the time being. Shirou settled into one of the chairs, finally allowing himself to unwind after the intense combat. There were sores and bruises from the times he had been struck, and by the way the three girls were wincing as they moved, they too had more than a few hard bumps.
Yang had jumped onto her bed and promptly fell asleep, while Weiss insistently ushered Ruby into the shower, the dog Zwei darting about their legs the entire time.
Shirou's eyes landed on the study table, and caught sight of a familiar parcel sitting there.
'Right. I left it there before we left for the mission.'
It was funny how easily the mind could lose track of things. He had been distracted by the mysterious appearance of the Xiao Long family dog, before turning his attention to Weiss, who had tried on the armour he had made for her. They then were called out to the main hall for the mission briefing, leaving him with no chance to get around to checking its contents.
Shirou eased aside the cardboard flaps and reached in, pulling out a smaller wooden box and laying it onto the table. Lifting the lid, he was greeted by a neatly folded red cloth. His eyes instantly sparked with surprise and recognition at the Shroud of Martin, as well as the triangular gemstone that sat on top of the holy shroud together with a folded piece of paper. Gingerly, he took it and flattened it out with his fingers to reveal the message it contained.
"I found these little baubles so I'm returning them. You won't be needing the cloth anymore, but it still works as a nice scarf. Either way, they were last in your possession, so you're technically still the rightful owner.
I thought you should know that after you destroyed the Greater Grail, the Association held a formal enquiry. The Einzberns had put up the Tohsaka and Matou representatives as the culprits for what they call 'the Grail War incident'. They were fairly determined to ensure that the two girls take all the blame."
Shirou frowned, eyes narrowing slightly.
"It was in such bad taste that I decided to step in. The dead should be left alone, not disrespected in that manner. You should have seen the faces on those stuffy old Germans when everyone in that room found out that their summoning of Angra Mainyu some seventy years ago was what caused the whole mess to begin with. In the end, the sisters were absolved of responsibility, and are even considered by the Association as the ones who helped prevent a disaster started by the Einzberns themselves."
He relaxed, letting his anger dissipate as it was replaced by gratitude.
"Speaking of sisters, I ran into yours."
Shirou sat upright, now giving the letter his full attention.
"She was in pretty bad shape when I found her. Probably only had a year to go. She had already made peace with things, and seemed pretty content with what little time she had left. Her existence is truly a strange one. Being a homunculus of the Einzbern with the memories of Justeaze, she is probably the only person in the world with an inkling of both the Second and Third Magic, however limited they are. Yes, I am aware that she assisted in the creation of a copy of my Jewelled Sword. It surprised even me.
With all that potential, I have decided to take her on as my apprentice. Of course, I can't let that go to waste in so many months, so I contacted a few fellows of mine who took a look at her. She has already undergone a few treatments, and it will take probably another six or seven before her condition stabilises. A full recovery is expected to take several years, after which she will be capable of freely performing magecraft with no risk to her health. Oh, and don't worry. Everything's going smoothly. She won't be dying on my watch.
Consider this as me returning the favour for pulling you into one of my own messes.
Remember what I told you, boy. Hold onto your wish and cherish the people around you. That world already has enough people playing hero. Just follow what you believe in. You won't go wrong.
I'm looking forward to your results.
Z"
Shirou slowly placed the letter onto the desk. Memories he had buried long ago resurfaced. Memories of the War, and all the people he had known. Seeing those faces and remembering his mistakes still hurt, but he found himself for once able to look beyond the pain they brought.
He reached for the pendant, his fingertips gently brushing its surface. It was a reminder not just of the War in which he had once lost his life, but also of Tohsaka Rin, who had saved him even when, as a magus and a participant in the War, she had not been obligated to.
Shirou turned back to the now-finished letter, eyes falling onto the final few lines.
He remembered that childish face framed in a curtain of white, standing beside the large, grey giant whose very existence threatened literally every other participant in the Holy Grail War. He remembered how they had slowly opened up over the course of the War, circumstance forcing them to work together. He remembered the smile she gave as she saw him off before the final confrontation in the chamber of the Greater Grail, weakened from helping create the Jewelled Sword.
He knew what would inevitably become of Illya if she survived beyond the Grail War; her death had been Archer's greatest failing after all. No matter what he did, there should have been nothing within the power of the man named Emiya Shirou to stop that tragedy on his own. But now…
In spite of the stinging in his eyes, Emiya Shirou found himself smiling.
Author Notes
Life has many coincidences. In the previous chapter's AN I said that I had wished for more scenes of Adam Taurus commanding the White Fang. Less than 2 weeks after that RT released an Adam Character Short. Such timing.
It was interesting to see some of my speculations regarding his combat style being confirmed, but I have to admit I was just as intrigued by Sienna. The way she uses a chain appears to be inspired by Chinese martial arts where the user spins a rope around themselves to build up momentum before striking with it. Somehow, that just makes me even more sad that she was killed off so quickly, since that is a combat style I rarely see in animated works or shows in general.
It was brought to my attention by a reviewer in the previous chapter that a Tvtropes page was started for this story. To say that it was a pleasant surprise would be a big understatement, because it was completely unexpected for me. The page appears to still be a work in progress, but I want to thank all those who spent time to fill in the content that is already there. I really appreciate it.
Quite literally, this is the first time Blake is mentioned by name in this story. To clarify, she was the only one that left the White Fang. The rest of her little group needed to stay in their various posts to gather information, while she had to have greater flexibility of movement in order to relay that information to people like Ozpin, something she couldn't do if she had stayed because Adam would naturally be keeping an eye on her, or have someone do so. Will there be more of Blake after this? Probably. The White Fang isn't going to roll over just because Adam is gone.
Adam dying was something I had planned from the moment it became clear that he would need to step in for the Mt Glenn incident. I replayed the fight with many different simulations and scenarios, but most end with him dying because, well, Shirou.
I'll elaborate a bit more on the official lore regarding the blacksmith Sengo Muramasa in a separate segment below this AN. It WILL contain some spoilers for those who are playing FGO in the American server as it has to do with a chapter that's beyond Babylonia. Unless you really do not care, I would suggest that players invested in the FGO story skip that segment entirely.
Lastly, yes, just like the food fight, the Extra Scene is canon to this story. It just happened that I couldn't find a good place to put it in these few chapters, or else it would have been part of the chapter itself. Oh well. And Illya isn't going to make an appearance. No one other than Shirou is going to pop into Remnant (although if you do want to read a fic where Illya does join Shirou in Remnant, there's one called Promise of Winter).
As always, thanks again for reading.
Sengo Muramasa
So according to the Shimosa chapter in FGO: Epic of Remnant (insert laughter here), Sengo Muramasa on his own does not meet the requirements to be summoned as a Servant. Instead, the only way for him to be summoned would be for him to possess the body of a suitable candidate and become a Pseudo-Servant, similar to Waver Velvet/Zuge Liang. The body he possessed was, as you might have guessed, Shirou himself.
In Shimosa, he was not shown to possess the Juuchi Yosamu, and instead forged a blade by the name of Tsumugari Muramasa, which was so powerful that it killed him upon using it. In the same scene, Amakusa Shirou referred to it as the "sword that came out of the Yamata no Orochi". It isn't confirmed what that meant, but there are two equally likely interpretations of this.
First is that he had surpassed his limits as a human blacksmith and made a genuine copy of the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi (also known as the Kusanagi no Tsurugi). The other is that it was meant to be figurative in speech, and that the weapon he created had transcended into the realms of the gods like the Kusanagi. While not being the same blade, it was considered on par with such a weapon. I personally lean towards the latter interpretation, but I'll wait until there is official confirmation of either hypothesis.
Hence why I mentioned in this chapter that the "Sengo Muramasa" that Archer encountered in a different iteration of the Grail War was a fake. Because he was summoned by Caster, the result was something similar to the summoning of Sasaki Kojirou instead of Hassan, and his existence as a Servant in that timeline became one that revolved around a fake legend instead of his proper history, depriving that version of his true abilities and weapons.
Juuchi Yosamu (Ten Thousand Cold Nights)
Weapon Type: Katana
Blade Length: 70 cm / 27.6"
Weapon Length: 98 cm / 38.6"
Rank: B
Known Users: Sengo Muramasa
Abilities
Imposes the concept of being 'cut' on objects that come into contact with the blade (passive)
If blade is embedded in an object, the concept of being 'cut' is instead transmitted via a curse-like affliction for the duration of contact
Curse of Muramasa: Inflicts a slowly increasing and uncontrollable bloodlust on the wielder over duration of use (passive)