[EMIYA SHIROU]

[THE GAMER] [LV 47 - 19.000/46.000]

[HP: 4700[MP: 35[MC: 27[ST: 920[SP: 6] [STR: 50[DEX: 50[INT: 50[WIS: 50[CHR: 102]

[ATK: 100] [DEF:100]
The return trip to the cave that served as home base was uneventful and devoid of hostile encounters. He still took his sweet time as he threaded cautiously to avoid falling into ambushes.
That the group of Oni he ran into earlier knew of him meant that Shuten-Doji had told them, so they would naturally be on the lookout for him.
Being cautious was paramount. Hard to kill did not equal to invincible and Shirou reminded himself of this fact constantly.
He arrived at the cave late that afternoon, glad to see that the protections he had left hadn't been breached.
Which was weird, now that he thought about it. Shuten Doji knew of this place and even if she hadn't been inside the cave she should have at least sent someone to check it out, right?
It didn't make sense that she hadn't, unless there was more going on than he knew. He wasn't sure if that was good or bad, though he knew he'd find out sooner or later.
He opened the Boundary Field at the entrance and walked through.
"Oh, you're back," said a familiar voice.
"Matsumoto-san," he greeted. "How… how are you?"
"I'm fine," she replied. "Thank you for asking."
"O...Okay. That's good. Uh, about last night..."
"Hah-ah!" she said, cutting him off. "I don't talk shop unless I'm doing business. Are we doing business, Shirou-kun?"
"Uhm, no. I'm… I'm good for now."
"That's it then. Now, if you don't mind I'm going out for a bit. I need some sunshine."

"Are you sure? It's not exactly safe out there."
"Don't worry, I'm not exactly defenseless and I'm not going far."
"Alright then. Just… give me a shout if anything happens."
"Will do," she agreed and then passed him by without a second glance.
Shirou didn't say anything, but it was obvious that things had changed between them. Matsumoto used to he quite cheerful even at inopportune times. Now, while not at all hostile or resentful, she was much more closed off.
He was fairly certain that her change in attitude wasn't because he had hired her services, but it was more likely to be blamed on how the night had played out.
In truth, he had tried to hold back as much as he could but it wasn't an easy thing to accomplish. Once he got into the act he had the strong impulse of going all out. Instead of diminishing, it only grew stronger the longer he went at it.
Not that Matsumoto had complained. In fact, she had enthusiastically demanded for more, so that wasn't just him. However, that lapse in self-control seemed to have wounded her pride. Perhaps she detested that a beginner like him was able to match her?
At least, that's what he guessed it was. Matsumoto was clearly very proud of herself, her beauty and her sexual skills. For a brat like him to match her through the night must have been quite the blow to her confidence.
Not that there was anything he could do about it, even though he would have to hire her again later that night. This time he would just have her get him off once. That way he would meet the requirement of Lilith's "blessing" and be done with it for the next twenty-four hours.
That was pretty much the only limitation he could impose on himself.
[br]
"Oh, Emiya. There you are. How did the your exploration go?" asked Velvet upon seeing him.
"There's been some development. I learned of the Oni base of operations and I acquired a few useful trinkets."
"Indeed?"

"Yes. I got a weapon with a strong Anti-Human component off the body of a stronger Oni, but more importantly I found the fragment of an Anti-Oni sword."
Shirou handed over the aforementioned items for Velvet to examine.
"Hmm. Are you sure about the properties of these objects? I can't detect anything peculiar about them"
"Absolutely. I have an affinity of sorts for weaponry."
"An affinity, you say. Well, I suppose that the Anti-Human weapon would serve you better than a broken Anti-Oni one."
"Unless I can find the other pieces," he objected "I have the knowledge to reforge it, I just need the proper tools. This one was being kept into a shrine at the village like a relic. I'd be willing to bet that the other pieces are kept in a similar state somewhere on the island."
"The villagers would probably know more then," Velvet concluded. "Though I must confess that I've stumbled upon a temple of sorts in a cave below this one."
"Really? What was in it?"
"I didn't dare go inside without backup."
"Uh. That was probably smart. Let's see if the women know something more about it. Then we'll organize an expedition either way."
"Sounds like a plan. I'll start making our preparations, you take care of gathering informations."
"I'm on it," Shirou agreed and promptly made his way towards the women.
"Mikoto-oneesan," he called out.
"Oh, Shirou-sama. I'm so glad you're back safe and sound. Were you able to find anything? How… How was the village?"
"... Not good. What was left standing by the Oni has been destroyed by the passage of time and the fury of the elements. I'm sorry, there's nothing for you there anymore."
"I.. I already knew that but I… I had hoped."
"I'm sorry. The only thing that was left standing was a shrine in which I found the fragment of a weapon. Do you know anything about that?"

"A shrine, Shirou-sama? Were you able to get inside?" she asked.
"Yes, why? Wasn't I supposed to?" he asked.
Rather than answering, Mikoto reached out for him and pulled his head into her bosom in a gentle and comforting embrace.
"Uhhh? Oneesan?"
"It must have been rough for you, has it not?" she asked while she rubbed his head gently.
"I… I'm not sure what you're talking about," he said, flushing beet red.
"Only those who have lost their mothers during childhood have ever been able to step inside the temple, Shirou-sama. All others find the aura of the sword too overbearing to get close."
"...oh," he said in understanding.
"Such a brave young man. I'm sure your honored mother would be very proud of whom you have become."
"T-Thanks," he replied.
He didn't feel flattered. He did not recall his birth parents but he'd never believe that anyone who perished in that fire could ever be proud of him. For that reason, he didn't like her praise. It stirred that pool of guilt and self-loathing that persisted at the bottom of his consciousness, driving his every action.
Of course he knew that other people could not understand, so he said nothing. He wallowed in guilt while Mikoto stroked his head, unaware of the pain she was provoking in him, taking his silence as her cue to continue.
"A-Anyway, Oneesan," he said after a while, squirming out of her arms, "do you know the whereabout of the other pieces of this sword?"
"Oh, I'm afraid I can't be of help. All I know is that the sword was broken a long time ago, and that the shards were hidden in different places around the island as a way to ward off the return of the Oni."
"That doesn't seem like it has worked very well."
"That's not the case. In truth, the Oni couldn't get close to the shrine. We took shelter in its proximity when they first arrived, but they merely besieged us until we were starving."

"I see. Yes, it would have been strange if the pieces of a broken sword were more powerful than that. Still, at least now I know they are all somewhere on this island. I only have to look for them."
"Do you know how to reforge it?" she asked.
"Yes, I'm a fair hand as a blacksmith. So long as I can gather all the pieces and with the right tool, I should be able to restore it to its former glory. I reckon that if a single fragment was able to keep the Oni away, the entire thing would be a much better deterrent."
"I trust your judgment, Shirou-sama. The sword had been wielded by the hero who chased away the Oni long before my grandparents were born. Legends say that it was a thing of great power."
"Yes, that's what I'm betting upon," he agreed. "Thank you, Oneesan."
With that said, he regrouped with Velvet, who was done getting ready.
The other Magus had discarded his coat, tied his hair in a long ponytail and rolled up the sleeve of his shirt while Volumen Hydrargyrum coated his left forearm like an ever-shifting mercurial gauntlet. At his waist he had a belt upon which several glass tubes filled with unknown liquids hanged.
He had the vibe of a professor turned adventurer.
"Ready, Emiya?" he asked
"As ready as I'll ever be," he replied.
"Right, then. Let's get going. The cave I told you about is this way."
They both went into the opening and disappeared in the darkness within, closing the Boundary Field in their wake.
[br]
"So, the entity possessing Miss Mikado is called Shuten-Doji?" asked Waver as he ducked to avoid a stalactite.
"That's what the Oni I interrogated has said before I killed it," replied Emiya, who didn't have to dodge the obstacle overhead in light of his diminutive height.
"If I'm not mistaken, that's the name of a relatively popular character in Japanese folklore, is that correct?"

"To be honest, I'm not really sure. I think I heard about it before, but Japanese myths are often absorbed and transformed for consumption in modern media. Even the sword, Dojigiri Yasutsuna has come up in different literary works, but I'm fairly certain that the real thing is in a museum in Tokyo."
"That's not necessarily the case," said Waver. "I speculate it's that same sword from this enclosed timeline. Both are the real thing, though I suspect that this Singularity is born from the myths that surround the island of Megijima."
"You mean this is a Noble Phantasm?"
"Technically, if my theory is correct, this entire world is something akin to a Noble Phantasm. A legend crystalized outside of time. I doubt that a fragment of that legend would suffice to classify as such by itself, though its power might equate to one. We will know for certain only if it's actually reforged."
"That's… pretty amazing," Emiya said in shock
"I suppose, though it's be far from an unique occurence. There are still some Noble Phantasms around in our world as well. The Fraga Clan for instance possess one that's inherited through their bloodline. More importantly, it's still up to the wielder to draw out its power."
"Oh. Well that makes sense. It's not the weapon that makes the warrior, is it?"
"Indeed, although it will still make some difference when used. Noble Phantasm aren't mere trinkets. Oh, here we are."
They stood in front of the Torii where Waver had decided to stop his exploration the last time.
"... there's something further down," said Emiya. "I can feel it."
"Something like what?" asked Waver.
"A presence. I don't know who or what it is, but it's there and it's very powerful. We should tread carefully."
"Wouldn't have it any other way," agreed Waver, mentally preparing himself to fight for his life.
"Are you sure you want to come along?" asked Emiya. "I can go in by myself if you prefer."
"Why? Are you afraid I'm going to stab you in the back?"

"It's not that. It's… if we both die in there, then there won't be anyone left to protect the girls and rescue Mikado-san. Matsumoto-san isn't defenseless, but I don't reckon she'll be able to leave the island on her own."
Waver examined the diminutive Magus with a look of incredulity
"... are you an idiot, Emiya? Why are you worrying about the life of others when you are about to walk into potentially lethal danger?"
Emiya shrugged, like it was no big deal.
"I'm a Magus. I signed up for walking with death, but they haven't. Are you saying that you don't care what happens to them?"
"Not to the point where I'd lower my chances of survival for their sake, which is precisely what I'd be doing if I'd let you go inside on your own, Emiya."
"But-"
"Look, I don't know what's wrong with your head and I don't particularly care to find out, but the fact is that you are our best shot at getting back to our world. Hence, it's every little bit in my interest that I go in and come out with you."
"Well, when you put it that way," Emiya replied. "Whatever happened to rolling with it in case of my unexpected death?"
"Please," scoffed Waver. "Killing you is on the agenda, but that's no reason to make things more complicated for myself. There's a time and place for everything."
"Fair enough. Alright then. I'll go in first and you watch my back."
"I have a better idea. I'll send Volumen Hydrargyrum ahead and you'll watch my back. There no need to take unnecessary risks for either of us."
"Sounds good to me," agreed Emiya. "Let's do this."
The mercury-like Mystic Code dripped from Waver's forearm into a blob at his feet. It then scurried away into the darkness ahead of them, past the mysterious torii, but it remained connected to its owner by a silvery thread that circled around his leg.
"The path seems clear of dangers," he reported. "Let's follow."

They both stepped past the torii, advancing deeper into the cave. As they proceeded the walls became smoother, the passageway larger. Then they arrived at yet another torii, beyond which the ground was paved.
Volumen Hydrargyrum had stopped at this point .
"There's a Boundary Field here," said Waver.
"What type?" asked Emiya.
"It seems to keep people from getting through, but my Mystic Code is able to pass. Apparently it only stops living beings."
"Is that so? I wonder…"
With those words Emiya approached the threshold where the invisible wall was impeding their advance and stepped right through it unhindered.
"That wasn't supposed to happen," said Waver in mild disconcert.
"No, it's like the Boundary Field around the shrine where I found the fragment of the sword. I went right through without even realizing it was there. Actually, I'm pretty sure it's not a Boundary Field at all."
"It's not letting me pass," said Waver, as he pushed with his hand upon an invisible wall.
"Mikoto-san said that the power of the sword lets through only children who have lost their mothers at a young age."
"This is troubling. If it isn't a Boundary Field, I don't know how to begin unraveling it. Unless… Emiya, please give me the fragment in your possession."
"Sure, but why?" he asked, handing it over.
"If this barrier is truly an effect of a shard, then I might be able to use another piece to counter its effects."
Holding the fragment over his head, he pulled a flask from his belt and dripped the contents upon it, letting the liquid fall into his mouth.
"What… what are you doing?" asked Emiya.
"Imprinting the aura of the sword onto a neutral substance and assimilating it into my body. Don't worry, it should be harmless."

"Should?"
"There is no such a thing as guarantees in this line of work," he replied. "Alright, it should have taken effect."
He stepped forth again, and this time he managed to advance, though it was much like pushing himself into a dense liquid.
"It worked!" Emiya exclaimed.
"So it would seem, but it won't last more than a few hours. I'd rather not be inside a place that rejects me so strongly when the effect runs out. I would probably be violently expelled in a random direction, or all directions at the same time. Either way it would be a bloody mess. Literally."
"Yeah, that doesn't sound good. Let's hurry up."
They ventured forth, even though every step Waver took came at a great effort. Of course, being a Magus meant being used to much worse than that, so he didn't really show his discomfort. As they advanced, the walls of the cavern were slowly replaced by brick walls such as those of a castle, to the point that they weren't sure they were still underground or just in a corridor without windows.
Eventually their journey came to an end. In front of them stood a cage of thick wooden bars interlocked at a ninety degrees angle. The square holes were big enough for an adult man to crawl through with ease, therefore it was meant to hold something much, much bigger than a human being.
Beyond it, they could both hear the slow breath of its prisoner.
"This doesn't look good," said Emiya.
"It certainly doesn't," agreed Waver. "Here's a question for you. Is the occupant of this cell watching over the fragment, or is the fragment keeping the prisoner inside the cell?"
"We have to find out either way, don't we?"
"Fortunately, we have options. If you keep watch I can extend Volumen Hydragyrum and scan what's in there. Careful, I won't be able to move at all in this state."
"Don't worry. Nothing will get through to you," Emiya promised
"Hm," he acknowledged and made his Mystic Code extend a tendril through every hole of the cell, Running on the floor, walls and ceiling equally.

Inside the cell, there was a bed of piled up cushions that together were as big as an entire room, surrounded by lit candles that cast a flickering light all around, although with how big the room was, they didn't even manage to illuminate the walls.
Upon the makeshift bed, however, did not lay the humongous creature that they were expecting to find, but rather a small, female looking figure with long blond hair and sharp red horns as well as clawed hands and feet.
It was sleeping, curled on itself in a show of frailty that belied its true nature, but even unconscious the power it radiated was staggering.
"There's an Oni up ahead," he reported. "A powerful one at that."
"How powerful are we talking about?" asked Emiya.
"Even dormant, more than that Shuten-Doji. The readings are off the charts."
"Did you find the fragment of the sword?"
"It's not in there, but there's another corridor on the other side of the room," he replied.
"Can you get it from here or do we have to go inside?"
"I'm afraid it's the latter. Volumen Hydragyrum get progressively weaker the further it gets from the control stick in my possession. Scouting is fine but moving anything other than its own weight is not on the table."
"Do you think it's going to wake up on the way in or out once we're coming back and got our backs to the wall?" Emiya asked.
"How lucky do you consider yourself to be?" Waver asked in return.
"Worst case scenario it is, then."
"It seems like we are likely minded. In any event, let's not tempt fate and go in as quietly as possible."
"Uh, about that… I'm no really good at sneaking around," said Emiya.
"Are you getting cold feet on me now?"
"It's not that, it's… wait. Ugh, I have to put this thing on."
He took out a skull necklace from his interdimensional storage and he put it around his neck, making Waver frown.

"What are you wearing that thing for?" he asked in disgust.
"I took this thing off the Oni I fought earlier today. It should conceal my presence somewhat."
"That doesn't make any sense… How would that. Wait. It… it works?" Now that Emiya had worn that ornament, it was like a light had been turned off, and it was only then that he realized that the kid normally had an impressive presence. "Weird, how's that possible?" he asked, referring both to his unusual aura and the way he had suppressed it."
"It's a cursed object worn by an Oni. Just like the sickle is Anti-Human, so is the necklace."
"That's… remarkable," he replied, though he wasn't at all convinced by this explanation. There was more going on than Emiya let on, though prodding a Magus for his secrets was an uphill battle.
"Yep. Alright, I'm going to take the lead this time."
"Suit yourself. If anything happens, our priority is getting the hell out. If that Oni wakes up I'll have Volumen Hydrargyrum run interference but if the readings are anything to go by, it'll buy us a second or less."
"Trust me, I don't plan on hanging around more than strictly necessary. Come on now. Let's get this done with."
[br]
Shirou ducked under the bars and came out inside of the cell. Although he couldn't see this new threat with his own eyes, yet, he was close enough to feel its power.
He had been extremely lucky in finding that particular ornament. The moment he put it on, he received a prompt that all of his Charisma-related buffs had been temporarily denied although the Stealth and Assassination skill trees were still locked.
That was fine though. He couldn't grind them at a sufficiently fast pace to make them useful now. He was content with not being a beacon in the night. As long as the Oni slept he didn't need to conceal his presence, he just had to not do anything to wake it up.
The two of them, with Volumen Hydragyrum clinging to its master, proceeded closer to the resting place of the Oni until they were near enough for Shirou to see it and read its name upon its sleeping head. Her sleeping head.

[Ibaraki-Douji] [Lv. ???]

Although she looked like a young girl, not much older than Shirou himself, she radiated a presence that didn't match her age. Shirou briefly wondered if that was how he felt to other people, though that wasn't possible.
This terrible, beautiful creature dwarfed him in every way that mattered. He knew out of instinct that he wouldn't be able to match her under any circumstances. Yet, despite knowing that she could probably turn him into a bloody smear on the wall, Shirou felt more attracted than afraid.
There was an elegance to her. A sense of royalty that Shirou had never experienced before. A raw vitality that he wouldn't know how to explain. Not that he had any intention of trying to explain it. If she woke up, he'd be dead.
Still, her image was firmly burned into his mind, still lingering in front of his vision even after he turned his eyes away and continued further.
With every step he took he fully expected her to wake, but she never did even when they arrived at the opposite end of the cave, where another set of bars stood to impede the passage.
He didn't really understand what was the point of such an obstruction. Clearly if they could go through so easily then so could she. Unless of course it wasn't meant to keep her in at all. However, if the purpose of the cell wasn't keeping its occupant inside, he didn't know what else it could be for.
Then again, he was and had been flying blind for a while now. He had preemptively given up on explaining anything that wasn't strictly relevant to getting back home.
They both let out a breath of relief when they safely got outside of the cell and away from the slumbering Oni.
"That went better than expected," said Velvet in a hushed tone.
"Yeah, I thought she'd wake up any moment and tear us apart. You weren't kidding about her power level. I felt my existence being denied just from being close from her. I reckon I wouldn't survive even half a second against something of her caliber. I mean, I couldn't even keep up with Shuten-Doji and they clearly aren't on the same level…"
"Agreed, so let's not get into a scuffle with this creature any more than we have to. I suggest we find the fragment of that sword and then cave in all access routes to this place. That was if she ever wakes, she would have at least to make some noise to get out, and that would give us a bit of warning."
"You think that collapsing the tunnels won't wake it? I'm not sure the risk is worth the benefits."

"Hm. I don't think that she's experiencing a normal sleep. If the coming and going of the Oni on this island is a recurring event then chances are that it's simply that the time of her awakening hasn't come yet, though that's merely speculation on my part."
"I'll defer to you about this matter," replied Shirou. "You clearly know this stuff better than I do."
"Thank you for acknowledging it. Let's keep pushing. The fragment of the sword can't be too far away now."
Shirou nodded and the two of them continued on their way.
[br]
Back in the cell, the Oni known as Ibaraki-Douji stirred in her resting place. She turned on her side and her nose flickered. Her eyes cracked open briefly and she sniffed the air. For a moment she had the impression of having smelled a human of all things, but there was no way that any of those weak and frail creatures would dare intrude in her chambers.
Maybe she had imagined it because she was hungry? Perhaps she should get up and find herself a snack before getting back to sleep? She considered it for a while, but she was still more sleepy than hungry. With a huff she turned on the other side and a moment later she was fast asleep again.
The time of her awakening was drawing near, but it wasn't quite there.
Not just yet.

[XXX]