The feeling of heat was painful. Looking around, scorched earth and ruined buildings were all he could see. The amount of smoke and ash obfuscated the view of the sky.

"All…..these people….." Death was everywhere—the smell. The putrid smell of burning flesh offended his senses. It was a scent that would etch its way into his young mind. A scent no one should smell, let alone a child.

He couldn't save anyone. Everyone he knew, his parents, friends, and town, were gone. It happened in a flash. He subconsciously locked those memories away not to go insane. Looking down at his hands, dirt and calluses covered them, the amount of rubble he moved searching for survivors being the cause.

"What happened?" The color on his face was slowly disappearing as despair set in. His young heart was beating fast, faster than it had ever done before.

"AHHHHHHHH!"

A bloodcurdling scream cut through all the destruction. There was no mistaking it. This was the scream of a man burning alive. His screams raddled the boys' mind.

"What do I do?" Shirou was at a crossroads. He has never been alone. He was scared and didn't know how even to move forward. His legs wouldn't budge, and the man's scream was still persistent.

He covered his ears and slowly walked away. He could feel tears rolling down his face as he walked. The saltiness entered his mouth. The screams never ceased.

As he walked, a hand reached for his ankle.

"A survivor?!" Happiness lifted his spirits. Someone was still alive; he wasn't the only one. Fear and shock contorted his features as he looked down at the hand. "What the…."

A charred, almost skeletal person was grabbing onto him. "Shirou~~" It wailed out. Other figures started emerging from the crack of the earth, wiggling their way to the surface. All of them were on a mission.

"Shirou, why didn't you save us?"

"Shirou, why did we have to die?"

"Shirou, why were you the only one to survive?"

"What about us, Shirou?"

They all crawled toward the distraught adolescent. Hundreds? No, thousands of wandering corpses.

"P-Please….I'm s-so sorry…." Their words still penetrated his mind no matter how hard he clutched at his ears. They struck his very soul.

They grabbed onto him, wrestling him to the ground. His strength was zapped from him. His mind and body were in a daze as they took hold of him. His eyes and face lacked emotions as he stopped crying altogether.

Before anything else could continue, Shirou woke up. His eyes shot open as he was gasping for air. Sweat dripped off his forehead as he looked around his dark room. After a few seconds, he allowed himself to calm down.

"It was another one of those dreams…."

No matter how long it's been, he never fully recovered from that night. It hasn't been as frequent, but it happens. However, sleeping next to Rin did help ease up the nightmares, but they never went away. She comforted him through it, which helped immensely. He grabbed onto Rin's magical crest on his left arm, almost as if getting some semblance of her warmth.

"I need to hold it." Shirou stretched out his hand, and a red pendant fell into his palm. It was Rin Tohsaka's pendant. He always kept it within Unlimited Blade Works for safekeeping. However, when he was anxious, nervous, or simply missing her presence, he pulled it out and looked at it. He held the pendant close to his heart.

After a few seconds, the pendant turned to nothingness.

He got up from his bed and went to the miniature fridge in the corner of the room. He grabbed a water bottle and greedily glugged it down in one go, water pouring down from the corners of his mouth.

"Ah!" Gratefully saying, wiping his mouth with his forearm after finishing.

Shirou took the empty bottle with him as he went to the window. "It's still dark out." He couldn't gauge the time, but knew no one was up. "Well, there's no way I'm going back to sleep; I guess I'll start preparing." He took one of the courtesy towels in the room and headed for the showers, throwing the water bottle out on his way there.

Magia Dragon Guild Hall, Guiltina

"Will my job request continue to go unfulfilled?"

The venerable old man sat alone at a table, trying to find solace by drinking. "At least this one managed to return home. But, unfortunately, the others weren't so lucky." He thought back to yesterday's interaction with the man.

Flashback Start

"I'm sorry, Elefseria, but this job is too much for me to handle. I barely made it out of the last skirmish. Suppose you can even call it that. I'm pretty sure it was only playing with me." Gildarts showed the man his rudimentary wooden prosthetics that had replaced his left arm and leg. "This was the best I could do. I'll need better prosthetics when I head back to Ishgar."

Elefseria gave a solemn nod. "I understand. Thank you for attempting the quest. I'm also sorry about what happened to you."

"There is no need. I knew the risks when embarking on this quest." Gildarts put his cloak back on and picked up his satchel. "I'll be heading back now. It's been three years; hopefully, the guild is still standing when I get back."

"Safe journey then. Also, the contract you signed still stands. Please don't tell anyone the nature of this quest."

Gildarts gave a half-hearted wave. "Ya ya, I know." Then, before heading out, he stopped at the door. "Listen, old man. I'll be frank with you. I don't think anyone will accomplish this quest. I don't know anyone who could take on those beasts, let alone five. It's a suicidal mission." With that, he left the oldest guild in history behind.

Flashback End

"Maybe I'm asking for too much…." He drank the last bit of beer from his mug. "I could use those weapons to take down the Dragon Gods, but it would be far too risky."

He has been cursed with knowing too much. His Law Dragon Slayer Magic allowed him to know anything and everything that transpired within the magical world. He knew the location of humanity's greatest weapons. So he reached out one more time using his Dragon Slayer Magic, hoping for new results.

"It seems they've stayed put, not budging. Well, except for one." Since fleeing from Acnologia, Selene has been hiding away and gaining strength on different worlds using her magic."The weapons are in the same places as well—WAIT!" He was getting a read on an anomaly he hadn't seen before. "Who is this?!"

His attention shifted to Ishgar. The person in question had weird magic; it was similar but not the same. The oddity went further when he couldn't look deeper. "Could this be one of Selene's goons?" The women did have a habit of wanting to cause chaos. Recently, she has even employed aliens to her ranks.

"I'll just wait and observe." Then, deciding against engaging this anomaly for now, he went on to go rest for today. "Hopefully, someone stronger will come along to assist me on my mission."

Early Morning, October 16, X784 Ishgar Magic Council Headquarters, Era, Ishgar

The sun rose slowly on the magical world's home of authority. A beautiful orange hue signaled the start of the day. Most people were asleep. However, Shirou wasn't like most people.

Shirou has been up for almost an hour. He had taken a shower, managed to make something to eat in the community area, and was figuring out an attire to wear. Although he usually wore casual clothing, he needed to rethink it when taking this upcoming mission. "I know the bastard would call me a copycat if he saw me, but this is probably the best armor I have at my disposal." The clothing laid out before him perturbed him to no end. It was as if he was looking at Archer himself. He could just imagine the smug grin plastered on his face. Yet, despite this, he couldn't allow his hate for the guy to blind him to an essential tool in his arsenal.

"It's strange that this flimsy piece of cloth can be so strong." Shirou grabbed the Holy Shrouds in his hand. Due to the unique nature of the clothing, they offered the wearer minor magical resistance and protection. Unfortunately, the one Archer had didn't have any Mystic Code or unique ability. "This will do for now."

Shirou could see the resemblance with his older self. It was almost like Archer's signature attire but with minor changes, like a red headband and no sleeves on the right arm. Archer did have a sense of style. He had to give credit where it was due.

After getting everything he needed and cleaning the room out, he stepped out and locked the door behind him. "Can't forget to give these keys back to the Chairman's assistant. I have to thank them again."

By the time Shirou was outside the barracks, The sun had finally appeared fully in the sky. It was a particularly perfect day. No rain clouds, neither too warm nor too cold. It was perfect. Looking around, life was bustling from every corner. Birds were chirping, and squirrels were running around searching for nuts. As he looked ahead, platoons of Rune Knights were lined up in formation taking roll calls and being assigned their daily jobs.

Shirou's lips curled into a smile. "It's beautiful. All of it." A pleasant feeling beamed from within. He rode this feeling back to the desk he was instructed to return to yesterday.

"Ah, Lord Emiya. I see you've beaten me to my desk. You're a punctual one indeed."

Looking to the side, Shirou recognized the assistant from yesterday. "Oh, good morning. It's better to be early than to be late. Here are the keys you lent me. Thank you very much. I can't repay the kindness you've shown me."

"Nonsense, you're much too nice. If only people around here had that work ethic. I see you're prepared for this upcoming mission as well." The assistant took the keys and swung around to their desk. After placing it in the drawer, it took out a stack of papers and began shuffling through them. "Arvid should be here shortly. I shall brief you first since you're already here. Everything I said yesterday still stands. Both you and Arvid will take a train to Fiore and get off at the port. You will take one of the commercial ferries to the Port of Bosco. That is where Tiberius was last seen. The Port is six miles long. Bosco is one of the largest exporters and importers of goods on the continent. Even if most of those goods are abhorrent and disgusting."

Shirou managed to catch the last part of the briefing, but before addressing it, a boisterous man came barreling down the hall.

"AH HA! I've found you!"

The man was larger than life. He stood well over six feet and had an imposing figure to him. Unfortunately, the only clothing he wore was pants and boots. His hairy bare chest and Magic Council pendant were out for the world to see. He had a hammer that was as tall as himself strapped to his back.

"I guess the hammer is his weapon of choice." Shirou's senses told him not to take this individual lightly. But, to be frank, he didn't even need his senses to tell him that. It was evident through his eyepatch on his left eye and the numerous scars that littered his body that he wasn't a newbie regarding combat.

"I was wondering if you would ever show up, Lord Arvid." The assistant chided. "I was just going over the logistics with Lord Emiya."

"Well, you see, I got caught up in a game of poker at the pub and lost track of time." He turned and addressed Shirou next. "So, you are going to be my new partner? Welcome aboard, whipper snapper. I hope that costume isn't just for show." He gave Shirou a slap on the back that inadvertently jolted him forward.

"You were at the pub this early in the morning? Why were you drinking when you've got an important mission to go on?"

"It's never too early to drink!" Then, seemingly, out of nowhere, two beer mugs appeared in the man's hand. "Meat and alcohol maintain youth."

"Where did he pull those beer mugs from?" Shirou wondered. The man was boisterous and full of life. But, although loud, he didn't seem like too bad of a guy.

"Right~~" Completely ignoring Arvid, the assistant gave the last bits of information to Shirou. "Everything you'll need is in this envelope. Tickets, the mission outline, pictures, and so on. You are set to go."

"Understood. We'll be off then."

"Farwell, I shall be back!" Arvid exclaimed as the duo made their way out of the Magic Council Headquarters. "So, let's get to know each other a bit on our way to Bosco. I'm Arvid; what's your name?"

"I'm Shirou Emiya. It's nice to meet you."

On a boat, Port City, Bosco, Ishgar

A muscular man was sitting behind his desk. He wore a nice tailored suit and was adorned with all sorts of jewelry. A lit cigar rested in his mouth as he took a puff. A scowl formed on his face as he scanned through a book in his hand. "What the hell happened to the last shipment from Fiore?!" He threw the book at the woman standing in front of him. The book landed in front of her on an empty page.

"I-I don't know, sir. Last we heard, Bora was apprehended by Salamander and the Fiore military. The boat full of women—"

"Shut the hell up!" The man slammed his fist on the table. The temperature in the room amplified. The place on the table where his fist made contact began to melt. His unbridled rage was barely being restrained while his eyes twitched in a fury. Staring close enough, one could even see magma flowing within the pupil of his eyes. His cigar even evaporated away due to the heat emanating from his body. "Do you think the dark guilds I supply want to hear these excuses? I promised Tartarus a shipment of people months ago. I can't keep pushing their deadline back."

Sweat was pouring down the woman's face. It was becoming unbearable to even be in the room. "B-But sir, why can't we just ask the King for more subjects? That should solve the shortage issue."

"That lousy King has become greedy. He is asking for a higher rate now. Bora was doing the transportation and supplying for us at a third of the rate." He began to calm down. In turn, it was cooling the room down considerably. He opened a small box on his desk and pulled out another cigar. With a snap of his finger, it was lit. "Bosco is the only country in all of Ishgar that allows slavery. So I can't get on the King's bad side, or we'll be out of business."

An alert halted the conversation between the two. "Sir, your communication lacrima went off. Someone is trying to contact you." The lacrima not too far from the desk began to shine.

"Don't you think I know that? So quit stating the obvious and leave. I'll call you when I need you." The man stood up and began walking to the lacrima.

"Yes, sir." She left immediately, not waiting a second longer.

"Yes? What is it?" Addressing the person on the other side of the device.

"You should be a lot nicer since I'm about to help you greatly, Tiberius."

"Oh? What can you help me out with, Crawford? Explain it to me! You are no longer on the Council when you fumbled that Etherion incident."

"You fail to realize I still have people on the inside. I know everything that goes on. Just like I know, two Enforcers sent by the Council will be visiting you." Crawford calmly explained. In derision, he added. "I didn't give you this heads up to be friends. You better come through with that shipment. The King of the Underworld doesn't like to be short-handed. So for your continued good health, I advise you to hurry." The communication link was cut, leaving Tiberius alone.

Tiberius grabbed the lacrima and crushed it in his hand. "Who does that fat turd think he's talking to!" The temperature in the room once again skyrocketed. "Lisa!" His booming voice vibrated the walls, even rocking the boat a bit.

The woman came running back into the room as fast as she could. "Yes, sir!?"

"Have my men ready by the port. If any ship is seen, have them destroy it. I'll visit the King. "

On a commercial ferry, Fiore Port, Ishgar

"At this rate, we should be there in no time." Arvid turned to his partner. "This calls for a beer break." Sitting on the ship's deck, he pulled out a beer mug and started chugging.

"Where does he keep pulling those out from?" Shirou broke out from his momentary perplexed state and decided to ask his partner a question. "What can you tell me about Bosco?"

"I mean, what's there to say? It's another country. It's very similar to Fiore. They are in a nice geographical location, making them the biggest hub of imports and exports. They're the only country left on the continent that keeps the institution of slavery alive."

"Are you serious?" His tone was as sharp as steel. "So that's what the Chairman's assistant was disgusted about."

Arvid nodded. He took another swig from his beer mug before replying. "The King wanted to keep it going. The Kingdom makes too much money from it to stop, he says. He's a shitbag. That much is certain."

"How has this been going on without people stopping it?"

"The Magic Council doesn't care about anything that doesn't involve magic or guilds. They certainly don't want to get involved in local politics. Everyone else is either profiting from it, is too weak to do anything about it, or doesn't care."

"The amount of suffering those people are going through…." Shirou didn't know the first thing about abolishing slavery within a country, but he made up his mind. "Before I leave Bosco, something will be done about this."

"Also, don't worry about my drinking. Once we arrive in Bosco, I'll stop. I may be an alcoholic, but I'm a professional alcoholic, god dammit!" He pounded his fist into his hand with convection Shirou had never seen his partner with before.

"I don't think that makes it any better."

Arvid stood up to get a nice stretch in. He threw his empty beer mug to the side. As he stared out toward the front of the boat, he excitedly roared. "AH HA!" He sprinted toward the front of the ship. "We've arrived. I can see the port from here."

Hearing the news, Shirou also stood up. It was like the assistant said, hundreds, if not more, ships were lined up, loading and unloading cargo. The port stretched for miles.

"So, how do you want to go about this? We know he's somewhere in this port, but that doesn't narrow it down." Shirou walked toward the front of the boat and looked at his partner. On the other hand, Arvid was staring straight ahead, not paying Shirou any mind.

The man was far more experienced than himself. Being in this field for almost two decades, he considered Arvid taking the lead the most logical way to conduct the mission.

"I feel we won't need to do much searching." Arvid began taking his enormous hammer off his back, grasping at the hilt with both hands.

"Do you know where they're at?" Shirou cocked his head to the side. "Does he know something I don't? He wasn't even there for the debriefing?"

Arvid shook his head. "I just see a cannonball approaching, so I assume they know we're here." As the cannonball neared the ship, he swung his hammer and connected it with the projectile, sending it back toward the tower it was fired from.

"How did they know we were coming?" They were on a commercial ferry and weren't wearing any Magic Council clothing. There was no reason they were spotted so quickly.

Numerous other canons went off in rapid succession. They didn't care about casualties or the innocent people onboard. Their objective was to kill them before they even arrived at the shore.

"Trace on!" Shirou reached out to the nothingness, and a black bow appeared in his hand. He fired arrows at the cannonballs approaching, blowing them up mid-air before they got close to the ship.

"What's going on? Why are they firing at us!?"

Chaos erupted on the boat as passengers ran further back, staying a safe distance from the Enforcers destroying the projectile being thrown at them.

"Captain, keep the boat moving forward! We'll keep your boat safe!" Shirou called out as he fired an arrow at one of the towers, causing it to implode.

"Aye, Aye!"

"This is starting to get fun! Earth God Slayer's Judgement Fist!" A massive rock fist flew toward another tower, completely decimating it, along with the proximity.

"So his hammer isn't the only weapon he has." Seeing Arvid's display of magic from his peripheral, Shirou continued firing random arrows, destroying what was left of the canons.

After the duo was done, collapsed towers and rumble littered the once-pristine port. Arvid placed his hammer on his back. "HAHAHA! Well done, partner! You were a sight to behold with that bow of yours."

"You did well, too, Arvid. Swinging that hammer the way you did takes some ridiculous strength."

Slapping Shirou on the back, he replied. "That, my boy, it does. Now let's see if we can continue this party, shall we?"

Shirou regaining his balance nodded at his partner. "I'm going to have to get used to him slapping me, aren't I?"

The passengers rushed off the ship as the boat finally reached the dock. "Thank you so much! You saved our lives!" The Enforcers were drowned in praises and appreciation.

"No need to thank us, we're just doing our job. Hurry, I feel this place won't be safe for too long." Arvid began pushing the people along. Shirou simply gazed at the smiling and grateful faces of the people he had saved. A warm feeling caused his heart to flutter.

Once the boat cleared out, the two made their way off. "We'll need to capture one of them to get information on where to go." Arvid made his way toward one of the collapsed towers, and gunfire rang out. Before the rounds could land on the unsuspecting Arvid, Shirou intercepted, slicing the bullets with his twin blades.

Off in the distance, a platoon of riflemen was stationed and ready. They rested by the rooftop of a building overlooking the port.

"Well, we found some people who can show us where to go."

"Ah, that's true! Let me bring them down to our level. Earth God Slayer's Quake!" a vibration was sent through the ground toward the building. Almost like it was full of dynamite, the building came down with little resistance.

"On it!" Shirou flooded his legs with mana, running off toward the ruined building. He moved so fast that Arvid couldn't even perceive it.

"Hurry up! We need to leave before they get here!" One of the men was pulling his ally out from beneath the rubble. Before he could finally free his comrade, Shirou appeared behind him. He landed a kick to his back, sending him to the ground.

"No harm will come to you if you show me where Tiberius is." He pointed one of his twin swords at the man.

"S-Sure, just don't k-kill me….p-please." The man raised his hands in a defensive posture. He slowly arose from the ground. "Just f-follow me. I'll show you." He didn't need any more convincing to go along.

Arvid slowly ran up toward his partner. "Ah! I see you got one. Now time to quickly wrap this mission up."

The two followed the man around a few corridors. As they walked around the stone roads, few people could be seen. "I guess the sound of cannon fire could've scared them into staying indoors." A few minutes passed, and the two continued walking. Shirou's senses continued to nag at him. He couldn't quite place it, but a foreboding sense washed over him. He looked at his guide for a few seconds, trying to gauge him. "It didn't take much for him to turn….." However, the sight of a woman caught his attention.

The lady looked to be in her mid-thirties. She looked disheveled, and her clothes had a slovenly appearance to them. A bucket was in her hands, shuffling side to side. It was apparent the bucket had some weight to it. Before Shirou could say anything, the woman collapsed.

"Hey!" Without thinking twice, he rushed over to assist her.

"Shirou. what are you doing?" Arvid called out. It wasn't wise to approach random people on the road, especially in a hostile area. He has seen his fair share of traps that were similar to these.

"It's okay. It'll only be a minute. Just stay with our friend for now."

Going against his best judgment, he relented. "Just hurry up, my friend. It's not ideal to be out in the open like this. I can't see a damn person." Using his one good eye, he looked around. "I'm not falling for another ambush."

As he approached the woman, he saw bracelets around her wrists and ankles. Bruises littered her body. "She's probably a slave." He stopped short of getting too close; he wanted some distance just in case. "Hey, lady, are you alright."

She looked up and wrapped her hands again around the bucket. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bother you. I'll be leaving now."

Shirou got a glance at what was inside. "Rubble? Why would she need that?" He blocked her path and got straight to the point. "Are you a slave?"

"...yes." Replying in a hushed whisper, she gazed down.

"There's something more to these bracelets." He could feel the magic coming off of them. "They must be the reason they don't flee." Grabbing one of the twin blades, he slowly approached.

The lady quickly backed away. "W-What are you doing?!"

"I'm going to cut those off of you."

"N-No! They will blow up if you do. They have a seal; only the master can remove them."

"A seal? I have something that can break a seal. Do you trust me?" Without wasting a second, his Kanshou and Bakuya blades dissolved into nothingness. Shirou stretched out his hand to help her up. "Please, let me help you."

The women looked at the man, awestruck. From the look in his eye, It was almost like he was begging her. It was almost comedic. She couldn't tell which of them was actually in need of help. Nevertheless, she could sense she was in good hands. Plus, what more did she have to lose? She accepted his hand, standing straight up in front of him. "Okay…."

"Trace on." A distortion in time and space occurred in Shirou's right hand. A weirdly jagged blade with an ominous color scheme appeared. "I just need you to stand still for me. Don't be alarmed." With a single gesture, he stabbed the sword into the bracelet, a slight electric reaction occurred, but all four bracelets on her limbs deactivated.

"Wha—but how?" She didn't even know how to react. The seals were rumored to be indestructible and irremovable. No magic could be used to remove them. The only way was through a key that the slave's master possessed.

"There, you're free now. I'd advise you to hide away till my partner and I take care of this mess." Shirou looked at Rule Breaker before sending it away. "Actually…" He thought of a plan. "How many enslaved people do you know?"

"Ummm." She thought about it for a minute before replying. "I know my master has almost a dozen."

This verified what he assumed. "Take this then. Free as many people as you can."

"You can't be serious? That dagger seems valuable; you can't just hand it to me. You don't even know me? Why are you being so kind?" This is the first time she has encountered someone so selfless and heroic. It was like meeting an alien. Who was this person? Was he some sort of saint?

"Why does there need to be a reason to save others?" He handed the blade over to the awestruck woman. His words left her in a daze. "This is Rule Breaker. All magic is rendered ineffective against this dagger. It'll help you get those bracelets off your friends."

Almost like a statue, she didn't budge. She didn't even hear what Shirou was saying. "Why does there need to be a reason to save others?" Those words kept bouncing around in her head. "What am I supposed to do now?" This was the first time, in a long time, that she was free. A million thoughts were running through her head. She was so perplexed she couldn't even thank her savior.

"Shirou, we need to go! We can't dilly-dally here any longer." Arvid had a hand on their guide, dissuading him from making a break for it.

"I'm coming." He turned around and began walking away.

"What's your name? Who do you work for?" She cried out. She wanted to know more about the man who granted her freedom, who filled her dark life with a beam of light.

"My name is Shirou Emiya. I work for the Magic Council."

"Thank you…." She began weeping. "I-I will n-never forget this." She fell to her knees and continued crying. Rule Breaker was on the floor next to her. This act of kindness caused her catharsis.

"You're welcome." Shirou returned to his partner.

"That was a neat trick. How many toys do you have in that bag of yours?"

"Too many to count."

Arvid looked somewhat impressed. "Do you think it was wise handing off a powerful weapon like that? What if you never see it again?"

"It will return to me as soon as I stop giving it energy. Plus, I can make a replica of it if I need it anytime soon."

"He can make copies of his weapons? Interesting." The answer was sufficient enough to curb the man's worry. "Well, we should continue on our way." He gently nudged their prisoner forward. "Hurry up and continue."

As they walked away, the sound of crying became fainter and fainter. A smile slowly grew on Shirou's face.

"W-We're almost there." The man stumbled along as they approached a massive warehouse. "Lord Tiberius should be right inside."

"This is a trap." At first, he was only getting hints of it. However, the closer they got, the killing intent got stronger. This feeling and his quick flip to assist them confirmed his suspicion. "Are you leading us to a trap?"

"Uh!" The guide started getting nervous. "How did he know?!"

Arvid looked between the man and his partner. "How do you know it's a trap?"

"Let's just say I have a gut feeling, which is rarely wrong." Kanshou again appeared in his hand and pointed the tip at the back of the man's head. "You're wasting our time. Where's Tiberius?"

"If you want to see him, you'll have to get past us."

Shirou looked back at hundreds of uniform-dressed soldiers. They weren't like these randomly dressed men. He could get a gist of their strength by simply staring at their weapon. "Some magical source powers their weapon." He turned his sights to the other side and saw they were completely encircled.

"The Bosco military? Why are you getting involved in this." Arvid looked at the men with a severe expression. "Does Tiberius have this much pull in this country? This can get real nasty real fast."

"That's none of your concern." One of the men, who had a golden centurion helmet, stepped forward. His attire showed that he was the highest-ranked official in the group. "I'd advise you to get back on a ship and leave. If not, I'll throw you into the dungeon."

"We're on a mission from the Magic Council. Our authority trumps yours."

"Does it look like I give a damn? Leave or die!" He pulled his sword out. On cue, all the soldiers pointed their magical weapons at the duo.

"W-Wait! Let me get out of here first!" The guide tried to run past the Enforcers but was instantly punched by Arvid. The force of the punch sent him through the warehouse.

"That's what you get for tricking me." He reached for his giant hammer on his back and grasped it. "Now, you gents. I'll show why you don't cross paths with the Magic Council. Are you ready, Shirou?"

Shirou let out an exasperated sigh. "As ready as I'll ever be." Bakuya apparated into his other hand, once again dual wielding.

"Fire!" The man brought his sword down. A hail of magical rounds started to be unloaded onto the two Enforcers. Being encircled, the attacks were coming from all sides.

"Earth God Slayer's Divine Judgement!" Arvid brought his hammer down to the ground. Upon impact, the earth struck and began to launch massive pieces of rubble toward the men. Dozens, if not hundreds, of boulders were fired at astonishing speeds. The attack alone eliminated a third of the military presence.

"Trace on!" Out of nowhere, swords began appearing and levitating around Shirou. They were fired in rapid succession upon command, almost like a machine gun. They cut through the air at speeds the soldiers couldn't keep up with.

"What in the world!" The commander was looking on in shock. His enormous force was being cut down drastically by the second. He fully believed his men could compete with these monsters.

"Get out of my way!" Arvid coated his hand in rock and delivered a swift jab at one of the riflemen, quickly sending him flying. Two other riflemen shot at Arvid's exposed chest. However, before it could make contact, a sort of rock armor covered his chest, defending against the attack. He swung his hammer and smashed the pair into the ground.

Shirou, on his side, was quickly dispatching his adversary. His superior speed and swordsmanship made the adversaries a non-threat. He disarmed them and kicked them to the side.

"I'm getting out of here!" The commander made a run for it. "We'll need backup to take those two monsters on!"

"Get back here!" Arvid and Shirou said in sync as they ran off behind him.

Throne Room, Royal Palace, Bosco, Ishgar

"I fail to see why this should be my concern. The Enforcers are here for you. So why should I care?" The man was stout and wore a golden robe while sitting on a throne. He looked to be in his mid-forties and had graying hair. A sash wrapped around him as he was being fed grapes while having his feet massaged by female slaves.

Tiberius looked irritated by the sight of the man. "This fool isn't taking this matter seriously." He calmed himself down before trying to appeal to reason. "If I fall, we will both lose substantial profits. You need me."

"Ha! That must be the funniest thing I've heard all day." He waved off his slaves, signaling them to stop. He got off his throne and began walking. "You need me more. I can always find another merchant who will continue your business after you. Maybe the next one won't be so cheap."

"You know I give you a fair price. If I didn't know any better, maybe you're running out of people to sell. That's why you are hiking up the prices."

"HAHAHA!" The King let out an insane laugh. It was so spontaneous that it even caught Tiberius off guard. "You should give up being a slave merchant and be my jester instead. Look down there!" He pointed at the window of his Throne Room. "Those people walking around. Those are unending resources. They'll breed and continue to be sold. I'll never run out of subjects. I raised my prices because a little birdy told me you've got men in Fiore rounding up women to be slaves. You went behind my back! When I allowed you to conduct your business here, I specifically told you to buy only from me."

Before the men could continue arguing, the Throne Room doors swung open. A guard stormed in, profusely sweating. "Sire, units of the military have been eliminated. One of the commanders is running back here with two Magic Council members in hot pursuit."

Tiberius smirked at the news. "Now, this fool will have to step in."

"WHAT! Why did he engage them in the first place?! And, more importantly, why is he running back here? He's leading them to me!" The King began scratching his head furiously. "AH! Imbeciles surround me!" He turned his ire toward Tiberius. "You better fix this! I'll lend you, General Maximus, as support. He's the strongest warrior in my military. The two of you, plus my men already outside, should be enough to eliminate those two dogs. After that, I'll blow things over with the Magic Council. However, they need to be killed now."

"That is all I'll need. I'll be on my way."

Entrance to the Royal Palace, Bosco, Ishgar

"He's leading us to a palace!" Shirou looked at the magnificent architecture. It radiated in the sunlight due to the gold being encrusted into it. It didn't surprise him that the king of a slave empire would live in such a place. It was a given.

"Open sesame!" The commander shouted, hoping swaths of military personnel would come out to save him.

"Well, we no longer need him anymore. Earth God Slayer's Judgement Fist!" A massive rock fist flew toward the back of the running commander. The fist lifted and rammed him through the gate, breaking through without trouble.

As the gate barreled, swaths of soldiers exited, firing weapons at the intruders.

"God damn it. How many of these bastards are there?"

"Trace on!"

Shirou drew a shining silver sword. This item caught Arvid's attention. "What the hell is that?" He could feel the heat and power of the blade as soon as it appeared. Everyone within the vicinity could. The soldiers halted their attack and took an instinctual step back; they could tell this wasn't going to end well for them.

"Excalibur Galatine!" With a swing, a string of powerful flames whispered off the blade, eviscerating everything in its path. The one attack pushed the battalion-sized element of troops. Although nowhere close to full power, the heat was too much to handle. The flames burned and felt as hot as the sun.

The one attack melted the entire front of the allure, completely vaporizing it. The attack even reached the palace itself, rocking the area. The heat was even melting off the gold from the palace's walls. With one swing, the approaching army was no more.

"I can't keep this out for too long…." Although he's gotten stronger since the Grail War, projecting powerful Noble Phantasm still took a lot out of him. Excalibur Galatine was the sister blade of Excalibur. As such, it required a lot of mana to use. "I guess I must thank that gold bastard for this one." Then he thought about it. Most of the weapons he currently has within his Unlimited Blade Works came from Gilgamesh. He traced hundreds of them during his last fight in the Holy Grail War.

"Well, that took care of that." Arvid was baffled. "That sword, though? That was something else." He has been with the Magic Council for nearly two decades and has yet to experience magical power of that level before. It was like he was standing directly in front of the sun.

Arvid heard rumors about Shirou around the Magic Council before he even arrived. Tons of Rune Knights flocked to the pub after work to socialize and gamble away. Many were up in a buzz at the newest Enforcer applicant. Stuff ranging from his Requip magic, to the fact he defeated fifty Rune Knights, to Chairman Doma being impressed with him during the interview process. Something that rarely happens. He didn't take any of the rumors at face value. But now, it seemed the stories didn't do him any justice. He thought the kid was a prodigy and would be akin to an upstart or brat. However, that's far from the case.

"We need to get moving! Let's end this!" Shirou dashed past the now demolished gate. Arvid followed closely behind his partner, taking his hammer out and having it at the ready.

"Not so fast, you two!"

From the smoke and rubble, two men appeared. One had blonde hair and looked to be in his thirties. He had on a nice suit and was lavished with jewelry. The other looked like a roman general and swung a long gold spear to his side. Not much could be seen from him as he wore a golden mask. However, from the way the two were walking, they seemed skilled.

Tiberius looked around and witnessed the destruction the duo caused in their wake. "Did these two cause this?" There were men littered everywhere. Some had severe burn marks; others were running away. They no longer had the morale to continue fighting the Enforcers. "So much for the men being of any help."

Arvid and Shirou recognized the well-dressed man from the photo they received from the Chairman's assistant. "Ah! You finally got brave and came to face us, eh Tiberius?" Arvid mocked and, in derision, added. "We already mopped the floor with a few hundred of you lackeys. Now hurry up and come with us quietly."

"Do I look like an idiot? I know why you're here. I'm as good as dead if I reveal any information on the Balam Alliance. I rather take my chances fighting you lot and relocating." A burst of warm air flew off the man. Red incisions appeared all along his body as magma slowly poured out. His body began resembling that of a magma floor. "You shouldn't take me so lightly. There's a reason the Balam Alliance trusts me with their secrets after all."

The man next to Tiberius was eerily quiet. He was not having moved from his current spot, even though he was the closest to Tiberius. It was evident that the heat didn't bother him.

"Well, looks like we got to do this the hard way then. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Shirou firmly grasped his Noble Phantasm, readying another attack. "Stay back, Arvid! I'm going to take another swing with this!" Arvid didn't need to be told twice. Seeing what the sword was capable of, he didn't want to be caught in the crossfire. If anything, he felt back for its new victims.

"I'm going to do one more of these. I still need to keep enough in my tank just in case of any surprises." Shirou didn't want to deplete all of his mana using Excalibur Galatine. Instead, he needed to be strategic. Hopefully, this next swing could eliminate his enemies in one go.

A burst of flames erupted from Shirou's silver sword. The intensity and heat put Tiberius' magma to shame, and the temperature in the vicinity became a lot warmer. The soldiers who were still in the area screamed out in agony.

"NO! NOT AGAIN!" They cried out as they collected everything they needed and ran. The courtyard became barren except for themselves and their opponents. Before Tiberius could question anything, a chant from Shirou readied him to action.

"Excalibur Galatine!" With a single stroke, a horizontal beam of flames was launched at his enemies.

General Maximus could tell this was an attack that must be avoided at all costs. He knew there was no chance of surviving something of such magnitude. Tiberius, on the other hand, had something in mind. Confident that a fire attack couldn't kill him, and wanting to experiment with his powers, he courted Shirou's spell to put him in his place.

Momentarily taken aback, Shirou stood still. "Is Tiberius so self-deluded to believe he can take Excalibur Galatine head-on?" Excalibur Galatine returned to Unlimited Blade Works, waiting to be called again. The temperature in the area started to go down due to the sword's absence.

Maximus jumped with all his strength, flying above the attack thrown at him. Tiberius put his hand on the ground and prepared his defense. "Magma Eruption!" A deluge of magma cracked open the earth and formed a wall against the advancing fire. However, like paper, Excalibur Galatine cut right through it.

"WHAT!" Tiberius' most formidable defense failed. "I have to try to absorb it, or I'm dead! The magma wall was able to slow the momentum and intensity." Using his right arm, he created a blue shield of absorption, attempting to cull out the flames. However, he soon realized it was too much for him. "FUCK! How powerful is this attack?!" His right arm began to disintegrate from the heat of the attack. If he didn't hurry and absorb the spell entirely, he would die. This was the first time in his entire life that he felt the sensation of burning.

As Maximus returned from his high jump, he saw Tiberius' predicament. The attack had been halted, but he was now in the middle of it. He couldn't allow his ally to die this quick. He wasn't in the position to take on both Enforcers at once. So reluctantly, he would save Tiberius. Stabbing his spear into the ground, he got into a sumo stance and thrust his right palm forward, aiming at Tiberius. The air palm made contact with Tiberius, flinging him to the side and pushing him through the wall.

As Tiberius exited the absorption shield, the attack stopped being halted and made its way through. An explosion erupted from the area where Excalibur Galatine made contact. Due to the magma wall, and a chuck of it being absorbed, the blast was minute in size from the last one.

Feeling an attack coming his way, Maximus brought his spear out to defend against it.

"I will be your enemy!" Arvid said as he slammed his hammer on Maximus' outstretched spear. The force of the blow brought the general to his knees and cratered the ground where he stood.

As the two fought for dominance, Shirou brought out Kanshou and Bakuya. He could sense Tiberius was still alive, and the twin blades were the only weapons that didn't require a lot of mana to sustain and attack with.

Right on cue, rubble from the damaged wall was pushed aside by the wall. From it, a battered and disheveled Tiberius walked out. He was bloody, bruised, and his right arm was missing. "That bastard—I could've died…." He didn't suspect the attack to be so powerful. He allowed his short-sightedness to get in the way; now, his arm was gone.

The temperature in the area was slowly going up. Tiberius was seething. The rage searing within him was burning hotter than his magma. His eyes were burning a shade of red that hadn't been seen before. His left fist was coated in magma as he sprinted forward, attempting to punch through Shirou's chest and kill him.

Shirou defended himself with his swords, bringing them up in an "x" formation and blocking the magma fist. He pushed Tiberius' fist to the side with his blade and delivered a mana-reinforced kick right to the chest, sending the man back.

"GAH!" Tiberius got on his knees as his chest caved in from the impact. Blood was leaking from the sides of his mouth. "You'll ….pay…." Not relenting for a single moment, he got up once again. Like a man possessed, he unleashed an onslaught of magma fists out of his left hand. Caring neither for foe nor ally, all he wanted was to destroy his enemy.

Maximus pushed Arvid's hammer away with his spear, delivering a swift kick to the chest to create distance. Following up, he struck with dozens of spear thrusts, moving faster than the human eye could perceive.

"RGHH!" Managing to move out of a few, he got cut by a couple of spear thrusts. "I've had enough of this. Earth God Slayer's Divine Judgment!" Smashing his hammer into the ground, dozens of boulders launched at Maximus at astonishing speeds. Maximus parried a few with his spear, managing to break them before making contact.

In the confusion, Arvid flanked the man, swinging his hammer and making contact with Maximus' backside. "Take this!" The broken bones could be heard as Arvid made a clean hit on the unsuspecting general.

Before skirting off, the general regained his bearing, using the spear to stop being sent off further. Audible huffs and puffs could be heard as he straightened himself up. He began spinning his spear in his hands as magical energy poured into it. Once he stopped, he pushed forward with all his might, quaking the ground beneath his feet. "Breaker of Storms!" Maximus shouted out as he lunged at Arvid.

"Fuck that! I'm not getting hit with that!" The amount of magical energy flowing off the spear was concerning. "Earth God Slayer's Rock Wall!" A massive slab erupted from the ground, separating him from the incoming attack.

However, it did little to deter the attack. Maximus pierced through the wall and jabbed the spear into Arvid's left pectoral region.

"AH!" Arvid held the spear, halting it from going in further, but Maximus was using his strength to drive it in. The two men were in a deadlock. "I need to loosen his hold, or it'll pierce through me!" Dropping his hammer and using his now free hand, he grabbed the general by the throat and applied immense pressure, attempting to crush his windpipe.

As the two men continued their battle of will, Shirou was tired of dodging magma fists. He deflected one with Kanshou and threw Bakyua at Tiberius. The man sidestepped out of the blade's path. "What were you trying to accomplish? Did you honestly believe that sword was going to hit me? Now, you lost your weapon!" He began charging up another magma fist, but Shirou interrupted him.

"These swords are twin blades. They will always return to the other if they're thrown." He gave the man a clue and waited to see if the realization would dawn on him.

"Return? WAIT!" Tiberius turned around to see where the blade was to dodge, but it was too late. The sword pierced into his abdominal region, turning his white dress shirt red with his blood. "FUH!" Blood spurted out from his mouth as he struggled to keep standing. His eyelids were becoming heaving, and it was difficult to simply breathe.

The twin blades disappeared, including the one protruding from Tiberius' stomach. "It's over. Give up and come quietly."

Blood continued to seep out from the laceration. He could feel himself getting weaker and weaker. He lost too much blood and his magical reserves were low. Was this how it was going to end? He built an empire, and now he was going to die. "I'm not dying like this…." He turned toward Shirou and gave him a look sharp enough to cut steel. "I would never let a government dog like you take me down. If I go down, it will be on my terms!"

Using his only hand left, he jumbled through his pocket; his breathing was more ragged and noticeable. After a few seconds, he pulled out a red button. "Either you let me go, or I press this button and blow up every slave in the radius."

Rage contorted Shirou's features. "Are you that selfish that you'd threaten to kill everyone just to escape? You're despicable scum!"

"Of course! I'm more valuable than these lowlifes. Now hurry up and let—" Before finishing, he began coughing up more blood. "Fuck!" He began swaying side-to-side before finding the strength to stand upright.

The sound of marching cut through everyone's battle. Looking over, hundreds, if not thousands, of civilians came into view. Shirou looked at all the people; however, one, in particular, caught his attention. "Is that….."

It was the woman Shirou freed using Rule Breaker. She had returned with almost every slave in the city behind her. "Shirou, It's me! I heard you were at the palace, and I've come to give you back your dagger. I went around and freed all the slaves in the city." All the enslaved men, women, and children had weapons in their hands. They didn't come just to give him back his dagger. "We've also come to overthrow the corrupt King. He's been profiting off of our suffering for years. Getting fat and living in luxury while we work until we die. It ends today!" The entire crowd roared out as they moved closer and closer to the palace. The revolutionary pointed her dagger at Tiberius. "Don't think we've forgotten about you. Many of our countrymen have disappeared and been sold off so you could make a quick buck. Our vengeance will start today!"

Arvid smirked at the display. "It seems Shirou was right to help out that woman when he did." He found a newfound resolve and dug deep within himself. "You've lost Maximus. It's all over!" He applied even more strength to his chokehold. As more force was added, Maximus' resolve began to break. Seeing the revolutionaries at the palace shattered his sense of strength, and his hold on the spear started to waver until it was gone.

Lifting the man by the throat, and choke slamming him to the ground, Arvid reigned supreme. He pulled the spear out and threw it to the side. "For attempting to kill me and impede an investigation, you'll be punished." He grabbed his hammer, which wasn't too far, and lifted it above his head. "Goodbye, may you find peace in Valhalla."

The last thing Maximus saw was the hammer coming down onto his face, then, nothing.

Taking a few seconds to breathe, he breathed a sigh of relief. Looking around, destruction and chaos plagued everything. Arvid finally walked over to his partner. "That bugger nearly did me in. Where is Tiberius?"

"He is experiencing mob justice." Shirou began tending to some of his wounds with healing magecraft. Although he didn't get too injured, it was best to always be in tip-top shape. After he was done, he began healing Arvid's spear wound.

"Healing magic? He possesses a lost art?" The more he was around Shirou, the more intrigued he became. He wanted to get to know him more when they wrapped the mission up. "Thanks. Well, there goes our chances of bringing him back alive."

"He wasn't going to come willingly. Plus, even if we did bring him in by force, he would've died on the way. The injuries he sustained were life-threatening, and beyond what I could heal. The people should get their justice."

"I suppose it's for the best. Where's the mob now, and did you get your dagger back?"

"They went further into the palace. And yes, she did give it back. I think we should go assist them as soon as we can." As Shirou was about to head toward the palace, Arvid placed a hand on him.

"Woah, hold on there now. We can't get any more involved at this point. We've got a mission, and we need to see it through."

Shirou was baffled at his partner. "What do you mean, we're involved in this. The King has attacked us."

"That's true. They did engage us and were in the way of our investigation, so it was inevitable to fight. However, king slaying is another matter altogether. The Magic Council wouldn't want a part in this. It will cause an uproar and international conflict. Remember—" Arvid pointed at the pendant around his neck. "We represent the Magic Council. We've done all we can; let the people handle the King." Arvid began walking away.

Tightening his fist, he was starting to regret joining the Magic Council. "What he's saying makes sense. It still feels wrong, though." He looked back at the palace. "There's no way those guys can take on all those soldiers within the palace."

"Remember Shirou." His partner called out to him, taking him out of his thoughts. He looked at Arvid, who was still walking away. "I said that people can't see us doing irresponsible things. I never said we couldn't help from afar."

A smile started to grow on Shirou's face. He understood what his partner was insinuating.

With the revolution

"We are pinned down! We can't move any further!"

The mob created a small fort in the stairwell. Dozens of soldiers were firing magical rounds at them. It looked hopeless. They weren't mages and didn't possess magical weapons of their own to combat. Just an hour ago, they were slaves. Now they are up against trained soldiers.

"Where are those two Magic Council guys? We need them!"

"No!" Everyone looked at their leader. "Shirou has done more than enough. We need to fight for our freedom. We need to get it through our blood and sweat. We shouldn't rely on outside help to do it for us. We are capable!"

"Samantha. Can't you be serious? We are pinned down. What can we do?"

"We'll find a way."

"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"

Multiple explosions rocked the palace, sending vibrations throughout.

"What is that!"

Behind the rebels, the front wall of the palace came down, granting a clear shot of the Bosco soldiers. Within a few seconds, arrows pierced the soldiers blocking their way, dispatching them with relative ease.

"The path is clear! Keep advancing!"

The rebels went further up the stairwell, collecting the magical weapons along the way for more strength. However, one stayed back, gazing at the area the arrows were shot from. "Shirou?" She couldn't quite place her finger on it, but had a feeling it was him that just assisted them.

"Samantha, hurry up!"

"Coming!" She looked back one more time before continuing. "Thank you for everything. Bosco will never forget the kindness you've shown."

Tiberius' Boat, Port City, Bosco, Ishgar

"How can you see, let alone shoot from this far?"

Finding Tiberius' boat was easy. After the duo asked around, they pointed right to it. A few of his men were on board, but they were dispatched. However, they took the whole boat instead of ransacking what was inside and leaving. Tiberius wasn't going to miss it after all.

"I'm an archer. It's what I was made to do. The better question is, how do you know how to drive a boat? Especially with one eye?"

Arvid gave a slight chuckle. "Where I'm from, you aren't even a man until you drive a boat. Plus, you learn to adapt to the eyesight thing pretty quickly. I hardly notice it."

Shirou shrugged and headed to the front of the boat, next to his partner.

"Hey Shirou, do you mind if we talk a bit? I know we introduced each other and all, but I wanted to ask you some stuff. We just went through hell, so I think we've gotten pretty close."

"Ask away. There isn't anything interesting."

"Where did you get those weapons from? They seem extremely powerful, especially that sword." This was the only question that kept pestering him. Weapons of such power would've been known. However, he didn't recognize a single one. Did Shirou buy them? But from where? Did he collect them from people?

"They're weapons I've come across throughout my journey. It wasn't something I just stumbled on." Shirou was trying to keep the answers short and sweet. Over-explaining would only serve to expose him.

"Where are you from? Are you from Ishgar?"

"No, I'm foreign."

Arvid was getting the hint. "He'll open up eventually."

"That magic you're using, where did you learn it? It's fascinating." Shirou decided to ask some of his questions. He still had a lot to learn about the world. It was best not to prolong his ignorance just in case questions were asked.

"Ah! Do you like it? It's a lost art. It's called Earth God Slayer Magic. It's one of the ancient slayer-type magics. Gran Doma gave me the book containing the magic. I remember he gave one to this girl named Sherria Blendy; she's from the Lamia Scale guild."

Shirou recognized the name of the guild. "Lamia Scale? That's the guild Jura is from?"

"Oi, you know a Wizard Saint? That's impressive. They're like unicorns, you never see them."

"No, it's nothing like that. We talked for a bit in the lounge area. He was a nice guy. I hope to see him again." Shirou did enjoy the conversation he had with the man. To say it was informative would be an understatement. "What are slayer magics?"

"They're lost magic that allows the user to slay the creature the magic is named after."

"So you can slay a god?"

Arvid shrugged at the question. "I've never tried. There are dragon slayers as well. Slaying magic is practical as it allows the person to consume external sources of their element to restore their body and magic."

Shirou cocked his head. "So you can get stronger if you eat dirt?"

Arvid chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "Believe it or not, yeah. I know it's crazy to think about, but trust me, I was there too. However. It does replenish my reserves and stamina."

"It's a pretty useful ability. As long as he's in an area with his element, he'll always be fine." The magic between his world and this was completely different. It was like night and day.

He sat down on the ship deck and leaned against the boat. He looked around, and the sky started to darken from the sun setting. "It's been a long day." Shirou depleted a lot of mana. The amount of projection and reinforcement he had to do was more than he was used to. The last time he had to do anywhere close to that was during the Holy Grail war.

It didn't take too long for the Enforcers to get to their destination. Tiberius' boat was the epitome of luxury and travel, being able to cut the length of time it would've taken by half. "Fiore Port is up ahead." Arvid could see the port incoming and began adjusting the boat to fit within the dock. "We'll leave the boat at the dock and have the port security look over it till the Council sends their investigation unit out to collect evidence."

Shirou agreed with the plan. He began walking to the side, waiting for the boat to come to a complete halt before getting off. The dockmaster was already there to greet them. Arvid made his way off and began waving toward the dockmaster. "Hey! Get some men to watch over this boat till the Council comes to commandeer it."

"Right away, but you best make it quick. I can't have y'all hogging up that spot for too long." The dockmaster signaled for a few security personnel to come over.

"All we've got to do now is head back and give our report. Y'know, it went a lot smoother than I thought it was. Once the military got involved, I thought we were done for. Having you there made it easier" Arvid slapped Shirou's back. "We make a good team!"

"Thanks, Arvid. You're great yourself."

As they walked from the port, heading toward the train station, specific conversations caught Shirou's attention.

"Did y'all hear about Fairy Tail's recent Fantasia Parade?"

"I heard it was great, but there was some fighting before. Like, the guild was having an all-out brawl in the streets."

"Y'know how Fairy Tail is? It was probably a pre-show type thing."

"Fairy Tail?" Shirou remembered being compared to one of their members. "Erza Scarlet? Yeah, I think that was the name. She is said to have similar magic to my own." He turned towards his partner to try to get some more details. "What's Fairy Tail?"

"They're a guild that's centered here in Fiore. They're very powerful, but they can be a rowdy bunch. They know how to put on a show and party. I've gone to their Fantasia Parade a couple of times."

"A guild? So they're similar to Lamia Scale?"

"Yeah, but Fairy Tail is considered the strongest guild in Ishgar. They've got many big-name members like Makarov, Gildarts, Erza, and Laxus." Arvid pulled out a beer mug and began drinking. "It's been a while since I've had a sip." He began chugging down the entire mug in one go.

"That's what he calls a sip!?"

After he was done with the mug, he continued. "They've been on the Magic Council's radar for a while. They cause a lot of destruction, and complaints about them have been piling up by concerned citizens."

"To be fair, we wrecked the last place we were at."

Arvid nodded slightly. He couldn't deny they did smash up the port and palace. "That's true, but we were facing off against a mega-conglomerate and government. So I say we have some leeway. Fairy Tail destroys a city when they take out the trash."

"Are they that destructive?" Shirou took a moment to ponder the information he was told. "So, is Fairy Tail the strongest guild in the land?"

"No. They're powerful, don't get me wrong, but there are plenty of guilds up north that'll put them to shame. A recent one that I can think of is a guild of dragon eaters."

"Dragon eaters! Like, they eat dragons?"

"That's what I've heard. I don't doubt it, though. There's some crazy stuff out there if you travel out of Ishgar."

The duo approached the Fiore train station. After showing their ticket and getting on the appropriate train, they began their journey back to Era.

"Bring me all the meat and ale you've got on board! My friend and I are celebrating!"

"I'm so sorry for my friend. Please forgive us." Shirou began apologizing to the people around him as the duo received incredulous looks. "Arvid, calm down before we get kicked off!"

"I'd like to see them kick me off!" The man barked as he shoved a chicken drumstick in his mouth.

He gave up trying to tame his partner and sat back in his seat. On the way, Shirou was deep in thought. Everything was just so surreal. The countries, the people, the magic, all of it was so bizarre to him.

"Fairy Tail? I wonder what they're like."