Disclaimer: I don't own Fate/Stay Night or Campione. They belong to their writers Kinoko Nasu & Takedzuki Jou

xxxShirou's POVxxx

Now then, it seems I was able to rattle them a little with some of the revelations about me. I still get embarrassed every time I remember about mine and Luo Hao's one night stand. The truth is, with her being a Campione, the aphrodisiac would have been flushed out of her system in an hour or two. I have no idea why she decided to continue with our 'activity' despite that but I do have my suspicions. During our fight, she seemed to become happier and happier to the point that her smile would have captivated most mortal men in the vicinity which was enhanced several times over with her beauty. Fortunately, I'm not like most mortal men so I was able to concentrate on the fight. To think this all started because I was sparring with her cultists and was soundly beating them without breaking a sweat. Of course this is because I was wearing clothes that were heavily inscribed by runes that relies on the mana in the air to keep them activated in long periods of time. It was basically Archer's armor that was thoroughly modified by Bazett and Rin to increase the wearer's stats to even rival mid-class Servants. And thanks to this wonderful world's ridiculous amount of ambient mana and lack of interference from Gaia I can keep the runes activated for days and still not use up all the mana in the air. Back in my original world this option would have only been feasible for half a minute before all the mana and my own od was used up. That's how much prana the runes consume. In the end, the project was abandoned due to the ridiculous prana consumption, but I kept a copy stored away in my Reality Marble just in case it might come in handy. Hey, even being able to be on par with a Servant-class enemy for half a minute can be a boon. Now though, my 'insurance' from back then are paying in dividends ever since arriving in this world. Anyway, Luo Hao had witnessed my prowess in battle and decided to test me. The resulting carnage of the mountain was because she decided to use some of her more destructive Authority and me using some Broken Phantasms to even the playing field. It was during this time that I saw her face full of happiness like a benevolent princess. I wasn't fooled though, I'm already used to women smiling so sweetly which becomes wider and wider the angrier they are. The only difference is that Luo Hao really was becoming happier, unfortunately the happier she becomes the less she tries to hold back and the more dangerous she becomes. At the end of our battle I was contemplating on using my Reality Marble when suddenly we ended up on top of each other due to exhaustion. We had our 'real battle' after that (As in finding out who was the dominant partner. Yeah, we fought over that too. In the end I relented, just like every time I had sex with sexually deprived overpowered women).

I can still remember her soft supple body rubbing against me and-

NO! Bad Shirou, bad Shirou. I'm already married to about a dozen beautiful women. Stop thinking about the sex with a beautiful tyrant whose curves are-

DAMNIT! Stop thinking about that already! There's much more pressing matters right now. Like Godou becoming a Campione and starting to amass his own harem of powerful beautiful girls….. Guess it runs in the family.

Fortunately, I have already learned to multi-task my thoughts, so even when I'm thinking about something else I was able to follow Godou's explanation on his current situation.

A relatively normal person thrust into a fight he has no idea even how to win but won regardless of the stacks against him. Check.

Starts to attract strong women to his side (while being completely oblivious about it) by showing his manliness and caring side during epic battles. Check.

The women by his side are willing to share him with each other but will still compete to get his attention. Check.

…Yeah, it definitely runs in the family.

After finishing his explanation, Godou slumped back in his chair and lets out a satisfied sigh. Guess it's been hard on him. Can't blame him though, he wasn't trained for this.

"So, have guys reciprocated your feelings with each other in bed yet?" The moment I finished this sentence Godou choked on the coffee he ordered just a while ago. Hey, we're in a café it would look suspicious, not to mention rude, if we went in and didn't order anything.

"SHIROU! We're just friends! Don't say something like that!" Godou started to protest but having been in this kind of situation myself before, I knew better.

"I don't think the girls would agree. From your explanation, those girls would go to hell and back for you and you them. That's not just something casual friends would do." This situation is so similar to me and my wives that I'm certain about my conclusion.

"But-"

"No buts, Godou. Those girls have bared their hearts to you. You need to answer them one way or another. Otherwise you'll just end up trampling their hearts."

At this, Godou looks lost while looking at each of his girls. There was a look of horror on his face like he was presented with an ultimatum and whatever choice he makes will end up hurting someone dear to him. Not a good situation to end up in. Seeing him like this, I decided to throw him a bone.

"Look, it's not like you have to decide now. I'm sure the girls are willing to give you time to sort out your feelings. Right, girls?"

"Of course, in fact, I don't think any of us would mind if he decides to choose all of us." The one who answered this with such confidence is Erica, the current Diavolo Rosso. The other two just looked down with their faces red sneaking glances at Godou when they think he's not looking.

xxxErica's POVxxx

This has been a day full of shocking revelations. Despite his sincere lecture to Godou (Which I'm glad he did. Now Godou should be more active in trying to develop a relationship with all of us. But just in case, I should try to subtly steer him into creating a harem. Of course, I will be his foremost lover in the harem. I will not tolerate any other conclusion) I'm still skeptical of his ability to face off against Campiones and surviving in one piece, not to mention his opponents were the current oldest and most experienced Campione in this age. That said, I wonder what happened in his battle with Marquis Voban? He was able to avoid the topic because we were too occupied with the thought of him having his 'kinky night' with Her Eminence. Which is why I felt that I should call him on his lies. But if Mariya's reaction is any indication, her Hime-Miko instincts is probably telling her that this... person... is telling the truth. As unbelievable as it seems, it looks like he really was able to match the current two oldest Campiones. This thought goes against everything I know of about Campiones and Heretic Gods. The only way that he would have been able to survive those battles if he was able to...defy...fate...Wait a minute.

"Shirou, are you a Campione?" Campiones are born when people with extreme luck are blessed with miracles on top of miracles, enough that they are able to defeat a Heretic God, thus usurping their Authority. It might be possible that a new Campione was born without people realizing it if their battle occurred in a place secluded enough that even the Witenagemot's sphere of influence might not have reached. The odds of this happening is extremely low though, but it's not impossible.

"If you're asking whether I've killed Heretic Gods then, yes, I've managed to kill two." I knew it! So he is a Campione. No wonder he was able to-

"If you're asking whether I've become a Devil King, God Slayer, Rakshasa Raja or Campione as you put it by usurping the Authority from said gods though then, no, I'm not a Campione."

Huh? That...doesn't make any sense. If he was able to defeat a Heretic God then he should have usurped their Authority. What is he playing at? Is he trying to sow confusion in our ranks? I should calm down if that's the case. It wouldn't do to fall for his tricks by being blinded by rage or other emotional outbursts. For now, I should let him explain himself. It's possible that the circumstance of his killing a Heretic God was not judged by the Mother of Campiones to be good enough to elevate him to be a Campione.

"Care to elaborate Shirou? How could you not have usurped any Authority after defeating a Heretic God?" I was able to calm down enough to reassert my confident personae. It wouldn't do for me, the current holder of the title Diavolo Rosso, to keep being swept in this person's pace after all.

"One of my trump cards is capable of killing any Heretic God in one shot if hit, but it seems it was at the price of not bestowing any of the normal benefits when one is able to defeat a Heretic God in the usual fashion." Shirou said this like he was talking about the weather. On the other hand, I was able to keep myself from showing anymore embarrassing side of myself with great self control. Good thing I braced myself for more outrageous claims just in case he drops another bomb in our 'interrogation' of him. The only movement I made at that declaration is a small twitch of my right eye. Sadly, Lily, Yuri and Godou didn't seem to have done the same. Lily hasn't realized that she dropped the strawberry parfait that she ordered a while ago while her whole body was frozen. She looked like someone who was ready to eat something with a spoon from a glass except without the aforementioned spoon and glass. Yuri was also frozen like Lily, though fortunately she already set down her glass of iced lemon tea before Shirou dropped the bomb on them. Godou wasn't any better, the coffee he was drinking spilled all over his pants after his hand loosened a little from the cup's handle. Just like Lily, he hasn't noticed it yet. All three of them had a flabbergasted expression on their faces. It was Lily who recovered first, though she seemed outraged.

"Y-You jest! How could you have the ability to be able to defeat a Heretic God in one hit? I have never heard of something more preposterous! Even Marquis Voban who has defeated several Heretic Gods within the span of a few weeks has never made such a claim! How could you, a simple mage, even dare to proclaim such a thing?" She said this while standing from her chair and slamming both her hands on the table. She sounded almost hysterical and she even forgot to lower her voice. I can't blame her, I was sorely tempted to do the same thing. It was only reminding myself that Erica Blandelli is someone who always acts with grace and confidence that's keeping me from doing so. Still, I was really coming close to performing my own emotional outburst. Perhaps I should make a tactical retreat before I embarrass myself in public which will destroy the image that I've been always trying to keep. However, Shirou's 'interrogation' hasn't finished yet. I get the feeling that he can prove his claims quite easily if a Heretic God manifested right this instant by showing us what this one hit K.O. trump card of his really is. What's puzzling me is if it's so powerful, why didn't he use it against Marquis Voban and Her Eminence Luo Hao? Is there a condition for it to be used? If so, I better find out before he decides to use it on Godou. They might be brothers but that still doesn't guarantee that they won't be enemies in the future. History has depicted siblings fighting to the death if there is a conflict of interest. Why would this be any different?

Come to think of it why is he nonchalantly revealing all this crucial information to us? Is he that confident of his abilities that he regard our own as insignificant? If he has enough power to fight against Campiones and Heretic Gods despite being a simple mage, that might be possible. However, the way he talked about us being Godou's 'partners' is in direct contrast with that assumption. He didn't think that we were insignificant. Far from it. He regarded us as equals and has no problem entrusting Godou to us, which means he is trusting us not to stab him in the back with everything that he has revealed to us. I sighed internally. If he is trusting us this much, as an honorable knight, I should do what any knight who lives by upholding the code of chivalry would do. Show him the same amount of trust and respect he has shown us.

"Lily, calm down. You're making a scene in public. There's no need for such outbursts, it's unbecoming of a Great Knight." My words seem to have reached her for she sat down looking ashamed of herself for losing herself like that. "Now, can you explain what this secret weapon of yours that can kill even Heretic Gods in a single hit, Shirou? And why would it prevent you from becoming a Campione if you used it to defeat a Heretic God?" Hopefully, there won't be anymore revelations that is more shocking than what he has already revealed. But considering how today's... events... has gone I highly doubt it. Shirou looked like he was contemplating something before starting to answer.

"The weapon I used is known as the Black Barrel. It's a weapon that imposes the concept of death upon beings that doesn't have them and rends them apart from the inside out. The damage done is relative to how much magical power they have. The stronger they are, the more damage they receive. And since Heretic Gods are beings made of magical energy, the damage from being hit by the Black Barrel destroys them so thoroughly that nothing remains. The Black Barrel is literally an Anti-God class weapon." For once, during the entire conversation Shirou seems serious in his explanation. Everyone seems to be in deep thought at this point.

So this... Black Barrel... deals damage relative to the amount of magical power a being has. That would explain why it can kill a Heretic God in a single hit. Just as Shirou says, Heretic Gods are beings with enormous magical powers so this weapon is the ultimate bane of their existence. But why would using it prevent him from becoming a Campione? Let's see, at the beginning of his explanation he says that the Black Barrel imposes the concept of death upon beings that doesn't have them? Is there a connection? Before I could expand on this thought, I heard Yuri start to mumble and finally seems to have realized something.

"Imposes the concept of death...not becoming a Campione...Heretic Gods are born from myths...C-Could it be? No, that can't be possible can it? Being able to destroy something as abstract as that. I-It's just not possible!"

"Mariya, did you figure something out?" Godou asked. He seems excited somehow.

"N-No something like this can't be have happened. Please ignore it. I can't have been right!" Yuri seems panicked for some reason.

"Mariya Yuri, if you have figured something out you should share it with us. We'll be the judge of whether you are right or wrong in your assumption." Lily tries to persuade her to reveal what she has figured out.

"B-But-"

"Yuri, come on. The worst that could happen is you're wrong and we find some flaw in your reasoning. What's the worst that could happen?" I try to persuade Yuri again, this time with logic and reason

"Haaaah. Alright." She finally gave in.

"If we assume that Heretic Gods not having the concept of death is what allows them to return to the mortal plane after their defeat again and again by returning to their myths, the Black Barrel's ability to impose the concept of death upon them will actually kill the God instead of them returning to their myth. And since the God is dead the Authority of the God also no longer exists which is why defeating Heretic Gods in this way does not yield any new Authority to the one who defeats them, thus not allowing them to become a Campione. The essence of the God needed by Pandora, the Mother of Campiones, to give birth to a new Campione no longer exists. In other words, the Black Barrel doesn't just defeat the Heretic God, it destroys the very myths which gave birth to the God in the first place." Yuri finishes her explanation while having the look someone has when they are afraid whether their discovery is true or false.

I was completely stunned. Is this true? Her logic has several flaws. How could something as abstract as myths be destroyed, for instance. But, somehow the words to refute her won't come out. If this is the reason using the Black Barrel to defeat a Heretic God doesn't allow Pandora to give her blessings to give birth to a new Campione, then it does make a lot of sense. But how can something like this be achieved? After all, myths will continue to be born as long as humans exist. Destroying the myths themselves can't be possible can it?

Before I could ponder on this piece of information any longer, someone arrives that forced us to halt our thoughts on this matter.

"Shirou-nii, you're finally back!"

It looks like Shizuka has just arrived, coming back from her friend's birthday party. Well, at least I don't have to announce a strategic retreat.

A/N : Due to popular demand, I will be trying to create longer chapters in future updates. However, do note that this will cause updates to be slower than before. Possibly a week or more between updates.
In the mean time, I would like to have my readers to review & give heavy critics to my fic. Depending on the consensus, I might rewrite a few chapters. Suggestions are also welcome.
Well, until next time.