A/N: Hey peeps, sorry this ones a bit late. Took me a while to get it down, and I had a bit of difficulty getting it right. With this chapter, we will begin to get along the lines of Shirou having to deal with Stheno, Euryale, and Persephone, as well as the beginning of their plans coming together. Not many reviews this time though, so instead onto the disclaimer:
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own 'Campione!', 'FATE', or any other franchise referenced or used, as they are the respective properties of their owners, creators, authors, and publishers. This fic is an AU of Marcus Galen Sands 'God Slaying Blade Works' with a heavy emphasis on 'WHAT IF' using references to other fics as used to the best of my abilities, the 'Harem Ending' route of Nua Realta, a meshing of canon lore from both franchises, and my own original ideas thrown into the mix every now and then. This is a FREE FANFIC of a FANFIC, meaning an UNPAID FAN-MADE FICTION of a FAN-MADE FICTION. If you aid to read this, then you got ripped off, and if you do not like it you do not have to read it. Nobody is making you.
And now onto the story...
Story Start:
God Slaying Blade Works: The King of Wrought Iron
Twenty-third Blade:Three Devil Kings, Two Fateful Encounters, and a Soul Eater's Highway to Hell
Two days after the Feast of Kings-Border between Austria and Italy
Shirou P.O.V.
I clashed my blade with the blonde sword idiot in front of me for what felt like the millionth time in the last thirty minutes alone since he blocked my path. To say that the Italian King of Swords was getting on my nerves was an understatement...I honestly didn't think anyone would possibly annoy me more than Archer, yet here was somebody doing just that with his antics and insults towards the very art of swordsmanship...go figure, he started to raise his magical energy in response to our latest clash to start preparing an even stronger attack...
"Come on Emiya! Let me have some more fun!" The laughter of this blonde sword idiot was really starting to get on my nerves. The guy then got into a stance I knew all too well as it was something similar to my own original stance, yet created through a proper, formal, and orthodox training in sword styles: a perfect Zero-stance...oh shit...his mystic presence...he wouldn't…
"I hereby swear, I forbid the existence of things I cannot cut! [Ripping Silver Arm]!"
...I stand corrected...he would and he just did...I watched as his sword arm simply coated itself in silver and his sword along with it...he really was going to...I could not help but groan at the sheer audacity of this idiot...no wonder Godou-san, Kranjar-san, and Blandelli-san had all each warned me against ever telling the guy I was coming…
"Here I come Emiya!" Salvatore Doni shouted with a very cheerful yet bloodthirsty grin as he gave a smile of excitement about fighting against me with a laugh that could only be described as innocent under different circumstances. I knew Godou-san said he was a battle freak from what happened between him and the Italian King after he became a Campione, but this was just plain ridiculous...he was worse than Cu, and that guy was somebody who would share a drink with you then fight you to the death the next morning. Salvatore Doni was a Root-damned cheerily smiling Berserker with how eager he was to fight me in addition to how simple-minded he was in this singular pursuit…
If I dodged, then the small town just a few miles behind me might get destroyed from his attack and everyone in it will die, but if I don't finish this fight quick enough, then the [Soul Eater] might get too far ahead and I won't be able to catch up to it before it has the chance to feed...I am SO going to strangle this damned battle freak when I finish with the [Soul Eater]; he isn't worthy of even becoming rust upon my numerous swords...
As I prepared myself for his attack, I could not help but think back to the events that led up to this moment, all while a single thought ran through my mind…
'...just how in the name of the Root could this have possibly happened…'
Emiya Manor-Day after the Feast
Shirou P.O.V.
"Okay, that most certainly helps..." I said into the phone with the Committee's representative as I finalized my preparations for my joint business venture with them. After explaining to them last night the specific features of the two blades necessary for them to track the [Soul Eater] and continue the possible business arrangements I spoke to them about when I dealt with the abomination, I decided to take the next day or two to rest and recuperate my body while getting a few things done in the mean time that wouldn't strain my still-recovering body. While I might be physically stronger than a normal Campione(if there even IS such a thing), [Xiphos]' power was far too strong for my body to handle at its current level of strength and durability. I wasn't kidding when I told Godou-san about possibly needing a few decades to try and get my body to the level required to wield that much strength without breaking it entirely in the process.
I just finally got the arrangements done when the call from the Dragoons stationed around Italy called and told me about a reaction from the blades that Reki had sent there with his Shared Dimensional Storage spell. Before he died, he had all the branches of the Dragoons stationed around the world to have at least a few members learn this spell for situations requiring them to send things immediately in an emergency situation just like this one. Reki's foresight is most certainly a boon, and I also knew making those two weapons would probably pay off at some point, I just didn't think it would be making its debut so soon after I made them. [Huntsman's Trail] and [Wolfhound's Fang] were a short sword and hunting knife pair I created using the key core concepts of [Gungnir], [Gae Bolg]. and [Hrunting] as the basis for these paired weapons.
The Short sword, [Huntsman's Trail], has the ability to mark a target that can be designated based on what the most unique trait of said target is, and can 'tag' it so to speak with a unique signature. It is but a simple short sword without any elaborate design or decorations, but with sturdier materials and enchantments that were indicating it was not meant for anything but actual combat and to be used in battle. It had a single edge with a slight curve and serrated part near the hilt up to half way to the tip of the blade. It also had a distinct dark gray leather wrap with a silvery white ivory hilt on the handle of the blade. The blade was almost entirely plain with the sole exception being the pommel, which was the only part with any sort of decoration in the form of a triangular Runic symbol for 'Eye', 'Hawk', and 'Death', causing those whom are 'marked' with the blade to essentially be 'marked for death with no escape'. It is this specific concept that makes it work in tandem with its sister blade.
[Wolfhound's Fang] uses the 'marking' inflicted upon the target to hunt the target to the ends of the earth and never be able to escape it. The marking in question is next to impossible to remove with only [Rulebreaker], some form of anti-curse or anti-magic, or death being the only means to negate it for those who've been 'marked' in this manner. The only other way to nullify the 'marking' would be to cancel it myself, but nobody other than me could ever do that. While its longer sibling blade has a rugged yet civilized look, the hunting knife truly looks like its name would imply. It was a bit of a long hunting knife with an angular blade shaped like a wicked fang, but with serrations along the blade's edge that is capable of ripping the target as it slashes to inflict some rather nasty wounds. Its hilt was wrapped in a black wolf fur and leather, with an ominous feeling of dread from the otherwise unusually shaped blade. [Wolfhound's Fang] also has a slight regenerative effect for the wielder, granting them a slightly enhanced beast-like sharpness to their senses and perceptiveness, and also a slight boost to physical ability, such as strength and endurance. Whenever it starts to 'smell' the trail of a 'marked' target, the blade will begin to react by vibrating and pulling in the direction of said 'mark' and get stronger the closer it is to the 'mark'.
These two weapons were what I had used to ensure that if the [Soul Eater] had somehow managed to escape, then I could continue to track it while I recuperated. I would probably be able to deal with it sometime tomorrow, once I can move enough to actually chase it down before it has the chance to feed on anyone else. Poor Renji is still upset about his friend, Arashi, dying at the hands of the [Soul Eater]. I found out that Arashi was simply a small-time petty crook who happened to run into Renji when he was having a hard time surviving without committing any petty crimes when he was younger. Renji found the guy and offered him a way to make a living by using his knowledge and expertise in a manner that could be of use to others and put to good use, but he had been ignorant of the existence of magic or the Moonlit World. For all intents and purposes, the poor bastard was simply an ignorant guy who got dragged into the supernatural, but was one of the unlucky ones whose luck was bad enough to not make it out alive of said encounter.
Reki was also even more pissed about it than I was about the [Soul Eater]'s existence. He immediately contacted the Dragoons around the world in all branches and made a request for their assistance. When he told them about what had happened to Arashi and Renji's current grief over his friend's death, they didn't have a single Dragoon in the world not step forward to help out. The Dragoons were all an extended family in a sense, and they take care of their own. And Reki and Renji were both something of the two eldest big brothers to everybody in the Dragoons' older and original members. Not a single person refused to volunteer, not even the younger members who didn't even know him prior to his resurrection. One of their family members needed help; they didn't need to hear anything more to be convinced to help after hearing that.
"...I'll be recuperated enough to continue tracking it tomorrow where you all leave off. Keep up the good work until I get there, but do not engage it under any circumstances. Nothing short of a God or a Devil King can approach this thing without fear. Keep me posted on any updates..." I finish up before ending the call, then I look down and with a great blush burning down my face as I say straight to the ladies kneeling between my legs…
"...and how long are you girls going to keep doing that?!"
Warning: The Following is a lemon. If you do not wish to read it then skip it.
Illya, Oda, and Caren were simply triple-teaming me with how the trio of fair-haired beauties were trying to get me off, and they weren't stopping while I was on the phone. If anything, they were doing it on purpose with the intent to try and crack my 'battle mode' I had entered to keep myself from getting flustered for the seriousness of the call. While Caren was massaging and trying to stimulate my heavily bloated and swollen coconut-sized balls, Illya and Oda were taking turns sucking, stroking, and trying to work me up.
I woke up this morning trying to get some desk work done while my body recuperated, but these three were trying to make it clear just how hot and bothered they were, though in Illya's case, I feel its more along the way the girl is having a hard time getting pregnant due to her homonculus half. Homunculi are by nature very difficult to impregnate, with Illya being something of a miracle child born from such a union between human and homunculus not helping much in that regard. As for Caren and Oda, the two were in such an obvious state of arousal after the display of power that I made with the help of [Xiphos]. They didn't even answer me, but I was having a hard enough time not being distracted during that business call, and yet-
"Oh shi-" I couldn't help but groan as I popped my cork, and Illya, Oda, and Caren all got covered in my rather large release. Caren and Illya then began to slurp at my steel-hard rod before Oda stood up, positioned herself over my hips, then sat down, using her weight to literally impale herself upon my arm-sized length as she straddled me and rode up and down while moaning wantonly and not giving a damn who hears her lust-addled begging to become my latest woman, even going so far as to beg me to empty enough to ensure she bore a child for me as well. Apparently, she really was dead serious about being my woman, though she made it clear she didn't mind being just a mistress or a concubine, so long as she wound up getting pregnant with my child as a result.
"Give it to me, my King, make this consort's womb yours, and mark me as YOUR woman..." Oda tightened enough around me to be almost painfully tight, though I was desperately trying to hold on enough to avoid prematurely unloading, but these three were not making it easy. Illya stroking and slurping at my length not inside of Oda was just barely on the verge of bursting the dam. It wasn't until Caren did the one thing I really did not need right now that made my eyes cross from the feeling: she squeezed my overly stimulated scrotum enough to cause my pent-up loads to explode out, right into Oda's very eager womb...and Oda's stomach bulged right before my right arm flashed, and a new symbol formed right onto her exposed stomach in the form of a shinobi kunai...oh shit…
"...not...finished...yet..." I said as my release did not stop for about the next three minutes, and the mark on Oda's womb finished branding in the form of a shinobi kunai with a shuriken backed behind it...oh damn…
"Congradulations Kuhoutsuka, you are now officially Shirou's concubine." Caren told Oda with a hint of mischievous glee and sadistic amusement, as Oda looked down at her swollen belly and the symbol marking her as my woman while she panted breathlessly before she passed out from the exhaustion with a happily tired smile on her face. The trio then proceeded to move and lay down in the bed after wiping themselves down. The trio had been in my room for the whole night and the whole day, and they would not leave without trying to drain me dry. I now had to deal with yet another child on the way now...I am seriously going to be having to deal with this, and Medusa is starting to show her signs of pregnancy, being almost five months into her pregnancy, and just as I thought, she's carrying twins...that's going to make it a bit of a predicament when those two are finally born…
End Lemon
Closing my eyes, I finally decided to try and take a bit of a nap and try to sort things out later when I wake up before I finally set out to Italy in a few hours…
*Phone ringing*
..at least that was the plan before my phone rang...looking at the caller ID, I was a bit surprised to see it was from Godou-san...what did he want at this time of night…
"...Godou-san...what is it? I was about to-"
"EMIYA-SAN! Please tell me you DID NOT tell Doni you were going to Italy! Please tell me you didn't!"
...okay, apparently he had apparently known something I didn't about the Italian King of Swords…
"Godou-san...I am basically going to his territory. It is simply proper courtesy to tell him that I would be in the area. Unlike Luo Hao, Voban, and to a lesser extent, John Pluto Smith, I at least plan to show the proper courtesy of letting them know I was coming ahead of time. The fact they didn't with you just shows how much disrespect they had for not telling you or me."
"King Emiya, you do not understand. The King of Swords, Salvatore Doni, is a complete idiot, and considered among the current Kings ranked as the sole true illegitimate child of Epimetheus: A MORON! Telling him you were coming is bound to end with a fight!" Blandelli-san suddenly cut in, and I realized Godou-san had me on speaker…
"Blandelli-san...while I may appreciate the concern, but I will not judge the guy just by what you say about him. I am not the type of person who judges others without knowing the whole story or without seeing them with my own eyes. I'll reserve judgment until I encounter him. IF I encounter him."
"King Emiya...with all due respect, I have met him firsthand, and I will tell you right now. You just set yourself up to fight one of your fellow Kings who just so happen to be a complete battle freak and an idiot savant with a sword...There is no 'if' about it: He will find you and he will fight you, consequences be damned."
"..." I had absolutely no retort to that. I couldn't really think about it, as I was too tired to properly be doing it right now. Dealing with paperwork all day and discussing business meetings via telephone was exhausting for me mentally. The only reason I even had done that without moving too much was due to my body's exhaustion and recuperation. Instead I simply said two words before hanging up. "Good night." Then I turned put my phone over to my bedside table, before it began ringing again...I just put it on silent before stuffing it into a drawer to dampen the noise of its vibrating. I needed the sleep for tomorrow...
The next day-Italy
Shirou P.O.V.
I was finally back in Italy for the first time in almost half a year since first arriving in this world, and I was most certainly not expecting such a VIP treatment from the local mages associations. I was told that both the Copper-Black Cross and the Bronze-Black Cross were both affiliated with both Godou-san and the Italian King, Salvatore Doni. Though the fact they felt the need to give me a limousine as my ride from the airport to the main branch of the headquarters of the Copper-Black Cross was simply going a bit too far in my opinion. Reki for his part was in somewhat agreement with me on this one, as he was being given similar treatment from the Dragoons whom were dispatched to greet us.
After we got there, I was told by the Dragoon Lieutenant in charge of the area that we were going to be brought to the scene where the [Soul Eater] had landed, as well as the scene where its latest victims were devoured. I felt anger bubble up within me at the fact it managed to feed on more poor souls, and Reki was not much better. After a few hours and meeting with Sir Paolo himself in a more extensive fashion as I told him about the [Soul Eater], what it was, and what it did, before telling him signs were spotted of its passing through Italy before heading to Austria. He gave his approval to give us a lift to the scene as quickly as possible. I didn't really speak with the man much, but from what I have been told and seen for myself, he is a man who would have had Arturia's approval as a knight for the way he carried himself and how he acted.
"Before you go King Emiya, a question, if I may..." Sir Paolo asked of me before I left, and I paused in order to see what he wished to ask before I continued with my task… "...I know you and King Kusanagi are friends and allies with one another, so I have to ask, how are things going between him and my niece?" That got me to pause a bit for a moment. Normally, I would not really speak of such things that weren't my business to tell, but I could clearly see that Sir Paolo was not asking out of political interest but merely as a relative, wishing to see his family is happy. He might not express it openly, but after living with both Arturia and Medusa, and thanks to integrated Archer's experiences, I learned how to read the little signs of emotion others may give off or try to hide...time for a compromise…
"While I cannot say for certain, for it is not my place to speak for them, but from what I could tell, they are most certainly close...and a very good couple. I honestly believe that Blandelli-san would be a good fit for Godou-san, as she can get him to do the things he needs to do, when they need to do them, while he can keep her rather...manipulative...tendencies in check..."
I told him, and he understood what I said clearly. He could tell I do not like telling things that are not mine to tell, but simply told things from my perspective without compromising my ideals and beliefs. He nodded, and I excused myself before heading out to the car to leave. As I left, I also received an apology from the man for what Blandelli-san did with that video to my school. I simply waved him off and told him its in the past and not to worry about it, that I had already long since forgiven her as she made up for it. As I got into the car after leaving the building to head to the site of the [Soul Eater]'s appearance in Italy, I suddenly got a call from Godou-san.
I was a bit annoyed at first, before I realized it wasn't a call, but a text message this time. I took the time to look at it, and my mind froze in complete shock of what it just said…
'Emiya-san. That idiot Doni is gunning for you. He called and said he got your message and now he's looking for a fight. Watch your back, he's an insane one to go up against. Godou.'
...okay, this might be a bit bizarre...I sent him a message stating that I was coming not to fight but to deal with a credible threat to anybody less than a Campione or a Deity. Why would he be so focused on fighting me with an honest to Akasha [Soul Eater] on the loose? Surely, he couldn't be THAT bad...could he…
"My King, the crash site for the plane the [Soul Eater] used is up ahead...there are members of the Witenagemont and a few medics from the Dragoons there up ahead helping tend to the survivors who were lucky enough to not draw its attention..." Reki's voice dragged me from my disturbing train of thoughts. Shelving the issue for now, I looked to the road ahead of me, and frankly, I knew it was bad. The town's buildings had a few fires still burning and there were even a few collapsed homes with embers still smoldering from the planes rather unplanned landing…
"Bring the car up to them Reki. I want to know what happened, and how bad it is. Once we know, I plan to have you and me both take the bikes we brought with us to follow the trail."
Parking the car on the outskirts and exiting, we met up with the people in charge. It was a Lieutenant for the Dragoons and a Medic from the Witenagemont who approached. After asking what happened and they told me, I felt it was most certainly bizarre…
"So you guys said it was a plane crash...judging by the wreckage, it was a private jet...what made you think it was the [Soul Eater] who crashed it?"
"The plane in question was registered under a shell company operating as a front for one of a Yakuza clan's branch family's smuggling operation..." The Dragoon answered my question, simply making me raise an eyebrow. That couldn't be it; there was more to it…
"While it most certainly would be strange, it's not entirely implausible. What else is there that makes you so certain?"
"...the entire shell company was abandoned without any apparent signs of the people ever leaving the building by force...just days before the Feast of Kings..."
"...oh..." I knew instantly what that meant...this plane was most definitely used by the [Soul Eater] as its getaway vehicle. The timing was just too suspicious to be a coincidence, not to mention the fact that [Wolfhound's Fang] was reacting to its presence having passed by within the past day. It was most definitely here, and its lingering presence is making the blade react. Turning to the Dragoons who arrived with me, I decided to give them an assignment from me to correspond with their reasons for doing what they do best. "Dragoons. Those of you who know first aid and medical treatments, help out here. Those who are better suited to physical tasks, help dig through the rubble for any survivors who can still be saved. Reki, you and I will continue to pursue the [Soul Eater]. If we find any more towns attacked on our way, we will let you know and send word back for continued assistance. Let's move people. The more time we waste, the more victims this thing will have to feed on!"
Everyone snapped to attention at my instructions. Reki simply nodded and walked back to the motorbikes we had on a trailer hooked up to the back of our ride. After getting them both down, he and I both revved them up and hauled ass right to where [Wolfhound's Fang] was pulling us towards...the border between Italy and Austria...oh shit, don't tell me the abomination is heading for-
"EMIYA!~"
I barely managed to avoid the sudden swing of a blade suddenly slicing through my bike and me along with it. The only thing that saved my hide was a sudden sense of danger and a quick use of instinctive mana burst to just barely dodge the blow. I just barely managed to jump off the motorbike before it was cleaved in two and burst into a molten pyre of burning metal as it exploded upon landing as I crouched in a defensive position. But when I turned my attention however to the other bike that just got destroyed.."REKI!"
Reki however wasn't so lucky, as his bike was totaled and he got sent flying with it. The only reason he didn't suffer death by halving was because the one to launch the attack was skilled enough to not cut anything he didn't wish to cut. Not only that, but the cut was done in such a way that Reki landed far enough away from the bike before it exploded into a fireball upon impact...there is only one guy in all of Italy who could just pull this kind of stunt off with his skill, given the history he has and not give a damn about angering a God-slayer in the process…
"What in the seven hells do you think you are doing, King of Swords?!"
The growl that came out of my mouth was not human at all. It was more like a metallic shrieking of a steel blade scraping against a steel blade, yet still somehow managed to resemble human speech that came out of my mouth. Frankly, this guy is just unbelievable. He attacked unprovoked, yet he doesn't seem to care about what he just did at all to Reki, who was just a human, even if he's a former undead, he's still a person, and this damned idiot hurt him without batting an eye at potentially killing him...
"Awe, don't be like that Emiya. I just wanted a friendly fight with you. After all, what other reason could you come to my country like this for?"
...huh? Did I just hear him right...I must have misheard. There is no way he just said-
"After all, you let me know you were coming ahead of time, which meant you must have wanted to test yourself against me. Isn't that right, King of Wrought Iron?"
...he really did...I cannot believe this-this…
"...true illegitimate child of Epimetheus..." I grumbled under my breathe at his actions, but he didn't seem to fully hear me.
"...huh? What was that Emiya?"
"...I said you are a true child of Epimetheus, you moron. Get out of my way. I don't have time for this, and you apparently did not even bother to listen to my full message either, did you." I didn't ask, I simply made a statement. The cheery smile he made didn't seem to fade in the slightest, yet his eyes had a rather obvious tinge of battle hunger to them...it's official: I owe Godou-san, Kranjar-san, and Blandelli-san an apology later for not listening to them…
"O blood of the evil dragon Fafnir, bestow upon me the fate of invulnerability."
...shit, this guy must really intend to fight me all out, if he's using that particular authority. I had read in the information the Committee had on him he doesn't like using it, so for him to use it against me, says just how seriously he's planning to fight me…
"Trace on."
Not even bothering to retort this time, the Italian King, Salvatore Doni proceeded to start attacking me again in earnest. Summoning two new weapons to test the waters with, I called forth a couple of swords I forged myself. Not really anything too impressive, at least until you get the weight behind them forced down upon you. These were just a couple of weapons I forged myself for training purposes, though they make good blunt-force weapons against those I either don't want to or cannot hurt using my typical bladed weaponry. The edges of these particular blades are blunted, causing them to only deal striking and smashing blows, rather than cleaving ones, though with some of the rather unusual techniques I know of, that's a mute point.
The ones I conjured were simply two copies of the same nameless training sword I forged myself to weigh quiet a lot, and could even deal blows only slightly less heavy than [Ayamari the Crusher] of the [Twin Clubs]. Given the fact that Doni has an authority capable of giving him a body with the strength and hardness of steel and the defensive power of a walking fortress, this is the best weapon for me to use against him. In a clash of sword against sword, we might have seemed even but the blades of my weapons showed obvious damage and the fact mine were blunted caused me to be in a slight disadvantage. The only reason they didn't completely break was due to them being of higher quality to his, therefore far more durable. Even so, this disadvantage was still there,so to offset any advantage I may have held against me I had to keep reforming them mid-battle to prevent them from shattering on me so easily.
It was a little trick I had discovered back during the Grail War that if I reformed my projections as they started to break, I could keep them from shattering and reverse the damage done to them in mid-combat, courtesy of the memories from Archer's battle with me...wait, no, that wasn't me, but my fragment...dammit, his influence from another timeline can be annoying to not get confused by it at times...shaking the thoughts away, I focused back on the fight before me.
I clashed my blade with the blonde sword idiot in front of me for what felt like the millionth time in the last thirty minutes alone since he blocked my path. To say that the Italian King of Swords was getting on my nerves was an understatement...I honestly didn't think anyone would possibly annoy me more than Archer, yet here was somebody doing just that with his antics and insults towards the very art of swordsmanship...go figure, he started to raise his magical energy in response to our latest clash to start preparing an even stronger attack right after my swords finally shattered from his last clash with them. In my humble opinion, they lasted quite well given the circumstances, and in some small corner of my mind, I actually felt a sliver of pride at them lasting as well as they did before breaking.
"Come on Emiya! Let me have some more fun!" The laughter of this blonde sword idiot was really starting to get on my nerves. The guy then got into a stance I knew all too well as it was something similar to my own original stance, yet created through a proper, formal, and orthodox training in sword styles, and based on my [tracing] his weapons, it was a perfect Zero-stance...oh shit...his raised mystic presence...he wouldn't…
"I hereby swear, I forbid the existence of things I cannot cut! [Ripping Silver Arm]!"
...I stand corrected...he would and he just did...I watched as his sword arm simply coated itself in silver and his sword along with it...he really was going to...I could not help but mentally groan at the sheer audacity of this idiot...no wonder Godou-san, Kranjar-san, and Blandelli-san had all each warned me against ever telling the guy I was coming. While I could see he wasn't really a bad guy, I just could not believe he didn't understand the severity of what was going on, or what he was keeping me from doing...
"Here I come Emiya!" Salvatore Doni shouted with a very cheerful yet bloodthirsty grin as he gave a smile of excitement about fighting against me with a laugh that could only be described as innocent under different circumstances. I knew Godou-san said he was a battle freak from what he told me happened between him and the Italian King after he became a Campione, but this was just plain ridiculous...he was worse than Cu, and that guy was somebody who would share a drink with you then fight you to the death the next morning. Salvatore Doni was the opposite and a Root-damned cheerily smiling Berserker with how eager he was to fight me in addition to how simple-minded he was in this singular pursuit, and therein lied my conundrum…
'...just how in the name of the Root could this have possibly happened…'
If I dodged, then the small town just a few miles behind me might get destroyed from his attack and everyone in it will die, but if I don't finish this fight quick enough, then the [Soul Eater] might get too far ahead and I won't be able to catch up to it before it has the chance to feed...I am SO going to strangle this damned battle freak when I finish with the [Soul Eater]; he isn't worthy of even becoming rust upon my numerous swords…
Okay...since this guy won't listen to reason, time to give him a lecture in the only language he seems to speak; the universal language of Berserkers everywhere: Absolute, overwhelming, violent force…
The sword idiot before me decided to swing his sword at me in a downward slash with the full intent of slashing me in two. I knew that the town was just behind me, along with both the Dragoons and the Witenagemont doing relief work for any survivors of the [Soul Eater]'s feeding on the locals after its crash-landing right in the middle of their small countryside town. I couldn't dodge this lest they get wiped out. I didn't have time to trace a new sword that would be able to withstand the force of an absolute severing sword, so blocking or deflecting is out. That leaves only one option left for me to utilize…
Reinforcing both my hands and arms to the absolute limit, I reach out using [Magic Blue] and mana burst to accelerate my speed to keep up with my accelerated mind and reflexes, and perform a sword grab that I would bet my whole mansion on this blonde idiot didn't ever expect me to pull off. Even if it was a sword of absolute severing, it still had to touch me with the edge of the blade to cut me. So I did the one thing he would not be able to cut me doing: I simply pulled a one-handed sword catch by trapping the flat of his blade between my thumb and my index and middle fingers in a vice-grip with my right hand, moved the blade out of the way, then proceeded to punch him with my other hand, as hard as I could. The blonde idiot, as there is no other way for me to describe this guy's level of stupidity in nearly enough adequate words, seemed shocked at how I countered him this time around.
There was a very satisfying crunch as I busted his nose and left him with possibly the mother of all headaches when he wakes up. Gazing over at Reki's unconscious form laying on the ground, I feel completely annoyed with this blonde moron...
After knocking him out and laying his ass out with a bloodied, broken nose and what has to be a rather nasty concussion, I simply sighed at the fact I am losing a full hour or two chasing the [Soul Eater] down to deal with his shenanigans. Now I know I owe Godou-san, Kranjar-san, and Blandelli-san each a massive apology for this one...I am SO never going to live this one down, I just know it…
One Hour Later
Doni P.O.V.
"...uugh...Rivera...did you get the plate of that fist that hit me..." I groaned out with what had to be the biggest headache I've ever felt in my life...I don't think I ever had a headache this bad even with a hangover before. The voice I heard in response though was not Rivera's, but somebody else…
"Well, looks like you're awake, you blonde idiot. I hope you're satisfied with yourself. Take a look around you and understand just what the hell you have done this time."
I suddenly bolted upright at that as I recalled what happened. It all came back to me now. Emiya sent me word he was coming to Italy. I rushed out to meet him, only to find him trying to leave the country without even bothering to meet with me...then the last thing I remember seeing after trying to fight with him was this big, dark-skinned fist flying straight at my-
"Where are we? What the heck happened to these guys?"
I was drawn from my trip down memory lane by the sight around me. I saw people laying on the ground, unmoving. They were rather pale and they gave off a rather nasty stench. I also could not help but notice how they gave off a hollow feeling of absolute emptiness…
"These corpses are the victims of the [Soul Eater] who I would have saved, had a certain blonde idiot not got in my way and kept me from chasing it down. Do you see why I am so pissed off with you right now, King of Swords?"
That froze my thoughts in their tracks. These are dead bodies...and they died...because I tried to fight Emiya...no..nononononono. I didn't want this to happen! This isn't what I wanted! I was just-
"Own up to your sins, Salvatore Doni. These people died because you kept me from chasing the monster that devoured their souls, the [Soul Eater]. Because of you, I had to waste a whole hour getting Reki back to the town you very nearly destroyed with that use of your authority. There were representatives of both the Dragoons and the Witenagemont performing relief work there for the survivors. I couldn't dodge it, or else they would have died. I couldn't block or deflect it in time, and I couldn't parry it either. The only way for me to counter it was to catch your blade then punch your moronic ass out."
...wait-a-minute, he just said he punched my lights out? Just how hard did Emiya hit me to manage to bypass my [Man of Steel] authori-wait...Oh no...all these people...I didn't mean for that to happen. I just really wanted to fight with Emiya, and these people could have just—
"And before you start saying these people could have fought back, these were just normal people ignorant of magic. They couldn't have dealt with a soul-devouring monster like what they were forced to deal with alone. You simply go around causing trouble in your single-minded pursuit for a simply pointless fight. You are a swordsman, but most of all, you are a KING, Salvatore Doni. Act like it. Or else the people whom you are supposed to protect like these, will suffer all the more for it."
Emiya simply turned around without another word and walked to a custom-looking motorbike with a seeming demonic appearance, revved the engine up and took off in the direction of what looked to be Hungary. I simply sat there for a few moments as the full weight of what Emiya revealed to me was, and all I could do was stare at the pile of bodies formed from the aftermath of this creature's passing. I know I am not the smartest guy around, but I wasn't really a bad guy, even if I still act based on my instincts for the most part...but if what Emiya said was true...then does that mean I was causing nothing but trouble this whole time? And his words…
'...these were just normal people ignorant of magic...They couldn't have dealt with a soul-devouring monster like what they were forced to deal with alone....You are aswordsman, but most of all, you are a KING, Salvatore Doni. Act like it. Or else the people whom you are supposed to protect like these, will suffer all the more for it...'
Thinking about it, Emiya's eyes were full of rage at me when he knocked me out earlier, but when he spoke to me just now, he just seemed full of disappointment with my actions. He was obviously fuming at me, but his anger had at least been controlled enough to simmer down enough to only seem to give me a look of irritated disappointment in me and my apparent idiocy. What's more, they way he fought...it was clear he was holding back. Not only that, he was apparently being subtle about it, but with his actions it was clear he didn't want anyone not involved with a fight to get dragged into one.
Groaning in frustration with myself for not seeing it sooner, I got up, grabbed the nearest bike still usable, and chased after Emiya. I know I am an idiot, but to think I didn't realize Emiya was a true warrior this whole time. A good warrior knows how to fight, but a true warrior knows when not to fight at all. I already knew it, but I am such an idiot after all to not see it sooner...now, how to find Emiya…
Scene Change-Voban's Mansion-Hungary
Voban P.O.V.
The nerve of this intruder! To dare murder off my servants like this, does this cretin not know how hard it is to find good, capable servants these days?! I began chasing this prey down. It attacked me, in my own home, murdered off my servants, and slaughtered the townsfolk in my territory. I might not have really cared for them all that much, but they were still my servants and my subjects. That made them my responsibility, and as such, this thing is dead the moment I get my hands on it!
Turning the corner, I finally catch up to the abomination, and proceed to start sending my flames at it, and using my authority [Sturm ung Drang] to obliterate it from the sky with lightning blasts to fry it like a piece of meat charred by an open flame of a bonfire to enhance the attacks from my fires and fry its body with lightening. Using my authority's [thermokinesis] to ensure it was thoroughly burnt to ashes. This intruder turned out to be multiple intruders, and it not only murdered my servants, it even murdered Lobos, the elderly servant whom was far more useful to me alive than dead. He was somebody whom would have been impossible to replace, as the man was truly a rarity in this day and age among servants. He threw himself at the aberration to buy his fellow servants a chance to escape, resisting long enough for me to see him being consumed by whatever foul entity gave rise to this thing.
As I was beginning to slaughter these bastards for their transgressions against me, I suddenly heard something that made me freeze in place as I sensed it coming...a motorbike...and the sound of some unusual spell words being chanted…
"...[Sword Barrel, Full Open]..."
...and was greeted to the sight of a young man whose visage I recognized at my newest adopted sibling. He had half and half hair of rust-red and ash-white, with dark caramel colored skin, and heterochromatic eyes: his left a molten gold and his right a steely silver. He wore a red cloth wrapped around his left arm in a fashion that made me think of some purpose besides fashion, with a blue and white shirt, black pants, black steel-toed boots, and a mantle over his shoulders reaching the small of his back with the emblem of a sword stabbed into an anvil encircled by a gear.
As soon as he said those spell words, a barrage of blades suddenly manifested into the air and rained down upon these intruders heads, encircling them in a manner that kept them from fleeing the area. His motorbike then proceeded to rev up their engines before suddenly the bike split into two with the wheels sprouting blades and shredding all the things attacking my domain. He simply gazed at these things and then looked at me with a softening expression before his next words actually gave me a moment to try to catch my mind up with what he said…
"...I am sorry I didn't make it in time Voban. I am Emiya Shirou, the Second King of Japan and King of Wrought Iron. I apologize for not sending word sooner, but I had to deal with a certain blonde idiot back in Italy getting in my way and could not send word ahead sooner thanks to that. It's too late to help the souls that have been digested by this thing, but it may still be possible to help those who've yet to fully be absorbed into it."
...what did he just say...so my servants could still be…
"...what do we need to do to save them. Good servants like them were hard to come by. What do I have to do?"
He let go off the weaponized bike he rode into battle on as they dissipated into thin air as he responded. "Its too late to save them and return them back into being human. Their connection to their flesh has been permanently severed, however there is a way to revive them with a form of pseudo-immortality by turning their souls into a perpetual motion machine, so long as their souls aren't fully digested yet. But if we kill this [Soul Eater]'s main body, which should be among these ones somewhere close by, then we might be able to revive the ones who can still be saved. I can use a combination of one of my authorities and a magic of mine to bring those ones back. We just have to find and kill its main body first."
"I see...so we slaughter every one of them until we find the main body and not let them escape, then we can bring some of them back..." I couldn't help the rather sadistically happy grin at that. This thing took what was mine. I was going to make it suffer for that…
"So long as they weren't absorbed too completely by it, then yes. The rest will unfortunately be beyond saving."
"Then let's execute this abomination."
I launch forward and begin my mass execution of these things…
Shirou P.O.V.
As Voban and I began cleaning house with these things, I already knew trying to kill this many at once would be tiresome. The [Soul Eater] had plenty of time to feed on enough people's souls to get the oppurtunity to make a small army of offshoots to throw at us. I could just carpet bomb them with blades using [Blade Works Iron Rain], but that would just not cover a wide enough area. I don't exactly have enough firepower with my usable authorities right now in this situation, so how-
"Clad in the steel of heroes of ages past, I hereby don my Regalia of Champions."
I suddenly felt these words coming to me and I felt the beginning of a transformation near instantly. I however, felt as though this wouldn't be a complete transformation, and the situation required power enough to carpet a whole area, and the words simply came to me just like the spell words for the authority in question…
"Thou who keeps the secrets and mysteries of the forbidden and the arcane arts, unleash thine mystic might upon thine foes, to arms!"
I suddenly felt like molten metal began to pour out from my being and form into a facsimile of a person, one clad in a lighter metallic armor, with the mantle I was wearing morphing to incorporate itself into the design of my attire along with the [Shroud of Martin] wrapped around my left expanding itself to combine with the mantle to form a red and white hood that almost looked tattered from battle and age. My arms held what looked to be bracers that were engraved with what looked to be arcane runes from what I could gather, with my pants altering itself to look like a pair of armored black pants and my boots had melded into it, giving me a form of attire that resembled a set of lightly armored battle greaves of black leather and steel plates. The holy shroud had merged with the mantle, giving it a red color with the embellishments in white, along with the emblem on the back.
I could feel my mystical abilities getting a slight overcharge at the cost of my physical abilities taking a slight dip, but felt mostly of little to no consequence, unless I was planning to fight with [Mordred] again in close quarter combat, I wouldn't have much trouble. I also could feel my mind's ability to think accelerated to the point I would give a super computer a run for its money. It would seem this particular armor was designed around magecraft and thinking things through quickly and thoroughly, rather than pure brute force...something I found rather helpful in this particular instance…
Using my new authority's power, I began to unleash flames and steel upon the area around me, turning the whole area immediately around me into an area of red-hot metal and molten earth. I made sure to keep those around me within the confines of a bounded field that kept the damage isolated to around me, with the blades fencing the offshoots in as the boundary.
As I glanced out of the corner of my eye, I saw how Voban even noticed my attacks and was steering clear of the area I was facing them in, while I used the blades I fired earlier to keep them from running away by corralling them into a single area. I was not intending on ever letting this thing get away from me again so easily this time. All in all, it only took the elder Campione and myself about thirty, forty minutes tops in total to slay these abominations and put their pilfered souls to rest...yet oddly enough, [Wolfhound's Fang] was still reacting to the [Soul Eater]'s presence…
"Looks like that was all of them." Voban said with a rather arrogant sneer, but I could see there was a bit of sadness in it hidden behind the disdain he seemed to radiate, though it would seem not even he notices this...I wonder...
Dismissing the [Caster Regalia], I turned to Voban to let him know, but before I could say anything, I was interrupted by a very unexpected sound...of a sword cleaving through the forest and [Wolfhound's Fang] suddenly went dead silent...oh you gotta be shitting me…
"Hey Emiya, I'm sorry for getting in your way earlier. But I-wait, why are you looking at me like that for?"
Before Voban could even begin to rage at him, I simply interrupt by stating in a perfect deadpan voice…
"...Salvatore Doni...you truly are an idiot savant...I was just about to say the main body was hiding somewhere nearby when [Wolfhound's Fang] went completely silent...I'm guessing you killed one of these things you found." I asked while pointing to the crumbling remains of one of the offshoots I killed.
"Yeah, I did...why?" the King of Swords looked a bit confused by my reaction, while Voban seemed ready to tear into me for my interrupting him, before my next words apparently left him completely dumbstruck by the implications of them…
"Because that one you killed was the main body we needed to kill in order to deal with it for good...and you just killed it without even knowing what it was, all so you could apologize to me for keeping me from hunting it down sooner..."
The deafening silence that suddenly filled the aftermath of that battle was broken by none other than Voban making a rather amused laughter of complete disbelief at the sheer amount of irony at the ludicrous thought. If the King of Swords hadn't chased after me to apologize for hindering my attempts to deal with the [Soul Eater], then it would have gotten away. And if Voban hadn't teamed up with me to deal with it, there was a chance one of its offshoots would have survived and escaped. Although I could tell Doni wasn't really a bad guy, he's just an idiot, and we all know what they say about how dangerous stupidity can be. As for Voban…
"Marquis Voban...I think you might not be nearly as bad a guy as you make people believe yourself to be."
The laughter in that instant was replaced with a fury I don't think even he was expecting to have… "And just what makes you say that, King of Wrought Iron." It wasn't a question, merely a demand, or an order. Instead of being cowed by it, however, I simply gave him a smile as I explained my reasoning.
"Evil is never born; it is created, Balkan Devil. You most likely are only an evil created through circumstance, as there is no doubt in my mind you are evil, but at the same time, you are a necessary evil, or as I would like to put it, a Lawful Evil. Despite being evil, you most certainly have a code of conduct and a sense of honor to adhere to your own self-imposed rules. But, even an evil individual will sometimes do good deeds upon another. You aren't completely bad, it's just what good you do have is mostly covered up by countless layer upon layer of years worth of anger, bitterness, hatred, and boredom. That is why Voban, you are not all bad, in my opinion...and I am only speaking the truth as I see it."
That got both the Italian and the Hungarian Kings to pause at my explanation. Then the blonde idiot turned to me and asked, "What about me Emiya?"
"...you would be a Chaotic Good...you never intend to do wrong, it's just...well..."
"Your stupidity tends to cause more harm than good."
Voban finished for me as he got my train of thought perfectly at that. While Doni seemed a bit off-put for a second by his blunt statement, Doni simply smiled a bit bigger as he realized I was being honest about it.
"What about you then Emiya?"
"True Neutral."
I didn't say another word as I moved forward, using what I could of the remains to try and revive the victims who could still be saved. This thing had eaten hundreds, possibly a thousand souls, yet all I could revive were simply the most recent victims, and even then, not all of them. Using the [Third Magic: Heaven's Feel], I brought them back by turning their souls into perpetual motion machines to fully resurrect them...but not everyone of them were revived...and one of them was in a weakened state...I noticed he was already dying to begin with, but felt saddened I couldn't do more for him. Voban, however, simply walked up to this elderly individual, and whispered a few words into his ears. Out of respect, I didn't eavesdrop, and the man simply nodded his head at whatever Voban offered him, before using another of his authorities…
"Like the star shining in the daytime...the light of Lykos reach even the heaven's!"
In that moment, the servant whom was moments from dying from whatever illness he had and after the damage caused by the [Soul Eater]'s erosion of his soul, was turned into a wolf, in the form of a divine beast. I had heard Voban had this ability before, but this was something I still couldn't wrap my head around having the ability to do, much less the fact that Voban doesn't do this often to others…
"Lobos...your loyalty to me which lives up to your name will not be unrewarded. So long as I live, so too shall you remain at my side as one of my cherished wolfs as a part of my authority, and my pack."
I simply smiled as I knew that Voban wasn't an unreasonable tyrant. There was no doubt he was evil, but he wasn't unreasonable, unlike that golden bastard or that fake priest. Plus, he's better in my opinion than Kirei, as he only fights those he feels are strong enough to give him some measure of joy to hunt and battle with. Grabbing the blonde idiot as I left, I simply switched places with the sword I left in the Dragoons tent to teleport back to if and when I needed to get back and check on things, all the while ignoring his questions of 'what did you do' or 'how did you do that'.
I walked up to Reki as he was finally up and about again, and using one last teleportation, sent both him and myself back to Japan without so much as a 'goodbye' to Doni, ignoring his outcry of disbelief as to how I was ignoring him. I was not going to deal with this idiot's blatant stupidity right now. I didn't need it right now. In my opinion, this incident was a complete failure. Hundreds of people died, and I could only bring back the majority of Vobans servants. The rest were gone, including Renji's friend, Arashi. Anything less than everyone coming out of this alive is a total failure to me. Walking to the dojo, I decided to work out my frustration by training my abilities to improve them and strengthen my body as much as I could...I didn't come out again until early the next morning...and I felt like something bad was going to happen soon...
Scene Change
Tokyo Subway Station
Third-person P.O.V.
A disturbance had been caused here by a God's descent upon the mortal plane, yet the local mortal mages never noticed, simply due to the fact that said goddess was being hidden by the intervention of a trio of other lesser goddesses. The scene was utter chaos as a riot broke out among those affected by this deity's divine aura. Had it not been for the intervention of [Persephone], [Sthenos], and [Euryale], then the local God-slayers would have caught wind of her presence.
"Let's go. We need to leave before the mortals or Zeus forbid, the God-slayers find out about this, and remember your end of the agreement..." [Persephone] told their newest divine ally, with a very irritated scowl marring her features at the Goddess's antics. She already knew this goddess had descended for such mundane and selfish a reason as a booty call, which was completely within her nature, but still...
"Oh stop being so stiff, [Persephone]. I will keep my word, so long as you keep yours. I simply wish for you to let me have my fun with your target once you're done with him." The Goddess simply replied with a rather carefree and sultry grin as she replied. [Persephone], for her part, knew better than to assume this goddess was simply going to keep it in her pants, after all she was famous for her trysts and her breaking her marital vows to those she felt were strong warriors in battle, both mortal and divine.
"I will stop being stiff with you the day you stop breaking your oaths of marriage to your spouses, [Venus]." With that, the quartet disappeared from the subway station, with the authorities none the wiser to their presence, and the local mages associations completely oblivious to their appearance as well.
Soon, their planning would come to fruition, and their actions would cause the chain of events that would later lead to a paradigm shift in the world...but they don't now this yet...
A/N: And that's the latest Chapter. Persephone finally begins to make her final preparations, and the Goddess of Love Aphrodite has arrived...we all probably know how well her trying to get into Shirou's pants is going to go. Before I go, here's a quick lore sheet for the weapons Shirou used, as well as the nature of the particular part of the Regalia of Champions Authority he used here.
[Cavalier]: The Demonic Ride from Hell
Type: Anti-unit/Mount Rank: A- Range: 1-35 Target: 1-5
This is a demonic weapon that EMIYA came across at some point in his duty as a Counter-Guardian when he was sent to deal with a Demon Outbreak that very nearly destroyed the world, and aided a certain group of Demon Hunters with strong ties to a famous demon to that world's history. This particular motorbike came into existence when one of them somehow created it by combining demon fragments with the destroyed halves of a motorcycle, giving rise to this demonic weapon. The ride can separate into two hand-held weapons, shredding anything that gets caught in the bladed wheels of this ride from hell.
[Nameless Weighted Training Weapon]
Type: Anti-Unit Rank: C++ Range: 1-40 Target: 1
This is simply a nameless training weapon that Shirou forged himself. While the blade is blunted to the point that all you could do was bash or smash somebody with it, it is enchanted with runes that increase the weight of the weapon, allowing Shirou to continue his typical routine and getting enough exercise to actually get some strength training done without having to go for days straight to see any results. It's also designed with a safety mechanism that can shift the amount of weight by flowing magical energy into it. The materials were good enough quality that they could actually withstand clashing with Doni's blade without breaking for a few strikes, but ultimately they would shatter without Shirou constantly reforming them as they started cracking to reverse the damage done.
[Caster Regalia]: Mantle of the Magi
This is the form of the armor that Shirou usurped from [Mordred], reflecting the form of a Caster Class Servant. In this armor, he gains an accelerated mind and reflexes, and his ability to use magecraft becomes increasingly easier for him, but he can only use magecraft he already knows, not any new ones that he has yet to learn. Since it has to do with his Reality Marble, this armor has an automatic ability to conjure fire and molten steel that Shirou can magically produce and control at will with this armor. It however, does come with the price of weakening his physical abilities, causing him a single rank decrease to all physical-related parameters. He's still rather strong physically for a Caster, but if he were to go up against an enemy who specializes in close combat that manages to get close enough to him, then he could lose easily. While wearing this particular Regalia, Shirou is capable of producing mystical traps and causing the area around him to conflagrate at will, resulting in anyone but himself who gets too close to be severely burned if not outright killed by the intense heat and the molten metal erupting from this particular ability, but he can only use this particular ability by marking the area ahead of time. Just like with his other armors, though, any damage he takes in this armor will be healed when he leaves it, but if the armor is destroyed while wearing it, then he will be unable to summon it again for a whole day or even up to three, depending on the severity of the damage done.
And that's the weapons and one aspect of Shirou's new Authority from his battle with Mordred. Next chapter, Persephone and her allies start moving their plans forward into their final stages before they act. Until Next Chapter, PEACE OUT!