Chapter 2: An Assassin, A Celtic, and a Swordsman

Shirou looked around the area he was in, an infinite ocean surrounded him while he was seated on a hill of swords, rather swords that he could trace, Ajuka had shown him and had him copy with his magic. Shirou had been here before, when he had first started training in his magic, which was around 5 years ago. He had begged Ajuka and Zira to train him until they had finally relented and began to train him though they soon discovered that Shirou had absolutely no talent for any devil magic except for the basic spells such as Teleportation and Familiar binding.

-8 years ago, the beginning of his training-

"Shirou while you are able able to cast the basic spells that every devil is able to do from a young age. You have no talent or even ability to cast any devil magic such as elemental attacks and this is because of what Humans call Origin and Element. While us devil's are not bound by such things which limits our magic, only that it takes years sometimes even centuries to develop an individual magic. Take the Power of Destruction as an example, it took Zekram over a century to construct that power and now it has bought the bael clan into prosperity but if a human had an Origin of destruction and say an element also of destruction, they would be able to, if they practised their magic, able to destroy things much the same why in a decade or so." Ajuka informed a young Shirou was was around 9 years old who listened with interest.

"So what does that have to do with me, I'm a devil so shouldn't I be able to use any magic" Shirou asked with a downcasted look on his face.

"That's the thing, you have an Origin and an Element, in fact you have a duel Origin which is quite rare in Human magicians." Ajuka informed him as his eyes lit up with interest. "Your Origin is both Sword and Creation and your Element is also sword."

"What does that mean?" Shirou asks his adopted father who seemed to think about it before he patted Shirou's head affectionately.

"It means that you have a talent for magic around swords and creation but thats all you have talent for but i will do everything i can along with your mother to help you take your magic to its limits." Ajuka told the young boy who looked up at him with admiration and joy.

- Back to the present -

That was when his training had begun and while most of the Devils his age had been well into their training as they would of inherited their clans own magic. He had soon learnt that he could create weapons as long as he had the right materials around him which led to him being able to enter his inner world, or 'soul' as Ajuka liked to call it. Every weapon he had seen or created himself was stored in his inner world though he had no idea why there was a vast ocean full of swords around him, like he was forgetting something but he did not pay it much mind, not yet at least.

On the hill he was currently sitting on there were numerous blades that he had seen throughout his training such as Kanshou and Bakuya, the married swords which he had used during the many training sessions with Karna. He had been taken around the Imperial palace in china where the blades were stored for show to the general public once a year. Zira had taken him on that day and he had to admit, the swords looked from his first glance as a pair of sad swords and once he learnt about their history from analysing them, he had to agree with the feeling the swords gave off.

The next sword he had was a Katana he had made with the help of his mother and it's only ability was that the wielder could ride the wind when using this sword. The rest of the weapons were normal swords and spears that he had seen but they did not have any special abilities.

Shirou sighed before he closed his eyes and woke up back in the underworld in his room in the Astaroth mansion. He sat up in his bed and looked towards the clock in his room which read around 6am. This was around the time Shirou woke up usually everyday so that he could help the kitchen staff with making breakfast, much to his families insistence he not bother with such a task.

Shirou stretched as he got up out of bed before he went to shower and get dressed before making his way down towards the massive kitchen in the Astaroth mansion. As he walked through the halls of the mansion he was greeted by the various maids and Butlers in which he replied with a greeting and a soft smile. He was known around the mansion as a kind individual who always helped people with their jobs if he could as ever since he had been brought here by Ajuka and Zira, the servants had been nothing but kind and helpful to him so he sought to repay them any way he could within reason. A bump to his shoulder bought him out of his thoughts before he felt himself fall onto his ass when someone had pushed him.

"Out of my way disgrace" A male voice voice called out as Shirou looked up to see Ajuka's brother, Diodora standing over him with a face contort in anger as he looked down at shirou like he just like the floor beneath him. This had been going on ever since he had arrived, with Diodora, even though he is younger than Shirou, continuously bullied and picked on him whenever he could. Shirou didn't fight back at all as he saw this as an opportunity to get stronger and he had throughout the years of Diodora's torment he had gotten stronger by pushing his body and magic to its limit and it had gotten him to high class the same time as the Young Devil Heirs even though they were born with a natural ability to use their clans unique ability.

Shirou did not retort rather he just picked himself up and walked past Diodora as the girl next to Diodora, who he had only just noticed, looked at him with a blank look on her face. Shirou's vision flashed as the girl looking at him suddenly had purple hair and a red ribbon tied in her hair, giving him the same blank look. As quick as the vision came it faded but Shirou was left with a disgusting taste in his mouth and a heavy urge to impale Diodora with one of his swords right now but decided against it and headed down to the kitchen to help with breakfast.

-At Breakfast-

Shirou was slowly eating his meal next to his mother at the massive dining table without saying much as he listened to his Grandfather and Grandmother discussing something that he did not think was overly important until his name was mentioned.

"Shirou dear how do you feel about the Sitri Heiress?" His grandmother asked him as he finished his mouth full before turning towards his Grandmother.

"She is a good friend, it's helpful when she can help me with my studies." Shirou answered honestly with a smile. He had hung out with Sona ever since he had begun his studies as the Sitri clan had taken him in for his education on the request of his mother, who had good relations with Sona's mother. He had his educational lessons with Sona and Her mother, who taught them all they needed to know along with proper decorum and etiquette.

"Well how would you feel if she was to be married to a person she did not want to marry?" Lord Astaroth, his Grandpa asked him after he gave his answer to his Grandma.

"Well shouldn't she have a say in her marriage?" Shirou asked them curiously as a snort was came from Diodora which caused Shirou to look towards him.

"Your naivety is absurd what you don't understand is in our devil society, Female devils are treated like breeding stock to make more powerful future devil's." Diodora explained with a smirk on his face. Shirou turned towards his mother and Grandparents for confirmation who only nodded at Diodora's statement.

"Then i'd do what i could so that she could be able to live how she wants" Shirou replied without hesitation as he felt a hand lightly grip his shoulder.

"Even if it meant you'd have to marry her?" Zira asked her son softly as she watched his expression.

"If that would be the only way, then yes i would." Shirou answered immediately without hesitation.

"Well don't worry about it for now my Grandchild, She is not in such a predicament as of yet and your only 15 so it will be some time before she is put into an engagement." Lord Astaroth informed Shirou as breakfast was finished up.

Everyone said their farewells and went of to do whatever business they had planned for the day as Shirou and his mother went to see what Ajuka was doing but before they could leave the Astaroth estate Ajuka appeared in the dining room with two girls by his side that looked a bit older than him.

"Hey Shirou, I have found the first two members of your peerage. I'll let them introduce themselves." Ajuka informed Shirou as the two ladies stepped forward, one of ladies was dressed in a formal suit, stood around just taller than Shirou, and had magenta coloured hair.(Look up Bazett Fraga McRemitz from Fate) The other lady was much shorter, around just over half of Shirou's height, maybe taller and was wearing a formal attire that seemed to be easy to move in and judging by the sword he could see and analyze, she was an assassin. (Akatsuki in her Round Table Uniform from log Horizon)

"My name is Akatsuki, my Lord. I humbly request to be in your peerage. My family has been in service to Lord Beelzebub since he was a leader of the New Satan faction and i wish to serve his son." Akatsuki informed Shirou as she knelt down in respect. Shirou looked at her in shock as she must know that he was not Ajuka actual son, only adopted yet she still wanted to serve him.

"Ah well if you say something like that, it would not be fair to decline your service. Welcome aboard Akatsuki-san and please call me Shirou, my lord just makes me feel old" Shirou told Akatsuki who smiled and nodded as Shirou looked towards the other lady, who had magenta hair.

"Yo kid, the names Bazett Fraga McRemitz and i volunteered to join your peerage to help solidify ties between the Celtic and Devil factions. Pleasure to meet you" The magenta haired women, who introduced herself as Bazett, informed Shirou who smiled at her.

"Pleasure to have you here Bazett-san" Shirou stated to Bazett as he quickly went to get his evil pieces before returned to the two older girls about to join his peerage. For Akatsuki he had to use 4 pawn pieces to reincarnate her and he had to use his two rooks in order to reincarnate Bazett which surprised him as that would mean she was either powerful, or had immense potential to grow and become stronger. As Shirou completed the ritual which began his journey as king, once again an image appeared in his mind briefly once again, of a blonde king standing on a hill, their army standing proudly behind them. This was the start of his kingship, and for some reason, he wanted to make this image of a king proud.

A/N:Hello thanks for reading this chapter of Lord of Swords! What were your thoughts of the chapter and is there anything you would like to see in the future? Also would you guys like a short chapter that showed the battle between Karna and Grayfia to decide the strongest queen?
Also with Ajuka reincarnating Karna, this has come at a cost to Ajuka which will be told further on in the story.
Make sure to leave a review and thank you all again for reading this chapter. This story is far from over.
ALSO before i go, thanks to LioPryo7890 for being my Beta reader for this story.