This chapter took me a bit longer than expected. I bet the next one should come a bit quicker, though, since now I know where I want to take this story. All support and constructive criticism is appreciated.
"Almost got it..." Damian had spent the past few weeks in his secret workshop, hidden beneath his bedroom. He had painstakingly constructed the space using reinforcement and alteration magecraft. It all began after he retrieved his family's ancient grimoires from his old home, and he needed a place to safeguard them and conduct his magical experiments in solitude.
"And... done. Now, to test it out. But before that..." Damian carefully applied Reinforcement magic to his body, well aware of the dangers. It was common for magi to sacrifice their lives to pursue their experiments. With a sense of cautious anticipation, he lifted the mystic code he had just completed and pulled the trigger to activate it.
"Oh, Sh-" a deafening explosion cut off Damian's exclamation of frustration. The mystic code had backfired, propelling him violently across the room and slamming him into a nearby wall. Fortunately, his pre-emptive Reinforcement magic had saved him from losing limbs.
"And... it blew up. Again! Damnit." Damian cursed, glaring at what was now little more than a heap of shattered remnants, which he referred to as 'placeholder 39.' After a series of failed experiments, he had long stopped bothering to name them, resorting only to numerical labels to track the theories he tested when crafting mystic codes.
"The good news is, thanks to my mystic eyes, I know exactly what went wrong the moment it failed," Damian mused. His distinctive mystic eyes granted him invaluable insight into magical phenomena. "I'm getting closer to success with every failure."
With unwavering determination, Damian meticulously noted the specifics of what had gone awry. Each failure he made provided another piece of the puzzle. He studied his notes carefully, his mind brimming with theories and adjustments.
Once more, Damian gathered the necessary materials and began anew. This time, there was a sense of cautious optimism in the air as he delved into the intricate world of magecraft, driven by the belief that each failure was a step toward his goal.
While Damian didn't care about Kiritsugu's ideals, he deeply appreciated his methodology.
A few years ago, Kiritsugu put him through the 'unbearable torture' of disassembling and reassembling various firearms repeatedly, often while blindfolded. The relentless drills had etched the inner workings of firearms into his memory to the point where he could reconstruct them using alteration magecraft.
This unique skill set that Kiritsugu taught/forced upon him served as the foundation for an idea that had lingered in Damian's mind long before his reincarnation into this world. Being a magus with the ability to harness the power of the Five Great Elements and hailing from a family renowned for crafting magical armaments, he possessed remarkable proficiency in Reinforcement magic, Structural-based magic, and Runecraft.
In terms of RPG video games, Damian's character build could be described as a magic crafter with close combat capabilities. He excelled in up-close engagements but was disadvantaged in mid to long-range combat. Yet, he aspired to overcome this limitation by crafting his own unique magical armaments—a firearm capable of shooting enchanted bullets, just like Kiritsugu's Thomson Contender.
This idea became an obsession. Damian envisioned the perfect fusion of magic and modern weaponry, modern tools to complement his magus abilities, enabling him to bridge the gap between close combat and long-range encounters. As he continued to experiment and refine his runic bullet designs, he inched closer to realizing this ambitious goal, his determination unwavering despite the many setbacks and fiery explosions in his hidden workshop.
Kiritsugu had entrusted him with his Thomson Contender and the remaining Origin bullets. Yet, Damian realized that the limited number of bullets and the absence of a way to replenish them made it impractical to rely on the Thomson Contender as his primary weapon. He relegated it to a backup, acknowledging its invaluable potential but saving it for special occasions.
Determined to create a firearm that would not be constrained by the limitations of ammunition supply, he began crafting his own handgun and a unique set of magic bullets that would harness his magus abilities.
After much deliberation, Damian settled on a Magnum Revolver as his weapon of choice. Its formidable stopping power and simplistic, no-frills design appealed to him. The revolver's user-friendly mechanism made it an ideal choice for a beginner like himself, ensuring reliability in the heat of combat.
Also, out of all the handguns he could think of, it was his favorite.
"This time, the problem wasn't the bullet but the gun itself," Damian muttered to himself, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Even if I reinforce it, it can't handle the backlash of the magic bullets, causing it to either fail to fire or blow up in my face. I need to refine the material to improve mana conduction."
He meticulously reviewed his notes from the previous versions, analyzing each detail of what went wrong. Every misfire and every explosion served as valuable lessons in the pursuit of his vision.
He set to work once more, wielding his alteration magic to create an improved version of the Magnum Revolver. This time, he incorporated the refinements and adjustments, correcting the flaws that had plagued his earlier attempts. As he honed his craft, the gun gradually transformed into a testament to his unwavering determination, representing not just a weapon but a symbol of his relentless quest for perfection.
"And now for the bullets," Contrary to the gun, creating magic bullets was the easy part. In fact, he found gunpowder was surprisingly easy to make. A quick search on the web on how to make them and a trip to the chemical store for the ingredients were all he needed. Such tasks were particularly straightforward for a magus with Damian's specific skill set.
"I bet there are more than a few mages who work part-time as arms dealers or something for a quick buck." Damian chuckled at the notion. Then he realized that it was a very realistic scenario and that Kiritsugu spent his life hunting mages like that, and suddenly, the idea wasn't so funny anymore.
With a firm resolve, Damian cast aside the weight of his somber thoughts and concentrated on the task at hand. He mixed alteration and runecraft seamlessly, infusing the assembled ingredients with the magical essence of his desires. Crafting the magical bullets was a matter of precise artistry, and Damian was confident that this time, it would work.
"All right. Now, it has to work," he muttered under his breath. The magnum and its magically charged bullets were complete, meticulously refined to eliminate the defects that had plagued his earlier attempts. Damian knew precisely what had gone wrong in his previous experiments and was determined not to repeat those mistakes. He loaded the gun and took aim at a reinforced target dummy.
"Placeholder 40, don't fail me now," Damian said, his voice filled with anticipation as he pulled the trigger.
"Hmmm. What to make," at around the same time, Shirou and Sakura were in the kitchen making breakfast for everyone.
"We have rice, miso soup, some cucumber, and potatoes so that we could make some vinegared dishes." Shirou pondered as he opened the refrigerator. "Illya and Fuji-nee will wake up in half an hour, so we should make something before then."
Sakura, wearing an apron, made a shy suggestion, "Senpai, if I may, let's go with Western dishes this time. We've had Japanese food for the past week, so we should do something different to spice things up. Also-"
Shirou interrupted her with a knowing grin, "Illya asked you to make pancakes, didn't she?"
Sakura blushed at how easily Shirou saw through her. "What? That's not... it's just... It's her favorite meal, and... and Illyasviel is going through tough times because of... of her father's passing, so... so I think we should, umm... indulge her a little. That's all."
Shirou nodded in understanding, his warm smile conveying his agreement. "That sounds like a great idea. But you don't have to help me every time. I can make breakfast myself. You should go relax by the living room and have some tea."
"Yeah, I know. I can never thank you enough, Sakura. You've been such a good friend to my little sister." Shirou said, his gratitude shining in his eyes as he smiled sincerely.
Sakura's cheeks reddened, and she looked away modestly. "Oh... I didn't do much. If anything, you should be thanking your brother, not me. I probably wouldn't even be here if not for him."
Damian was no expert on grief. Illya suffered the most from Kiritsugu's passing, while he suffered the least. But he knew enough that loneliness and isolation were the enemy when it came to dealing with it. He, Shirou, and Taiga spent as much time as they could with Illya, and when that wasn't enough, he told Sakura of their situation and asked her to visit as much as possible.
Though Sakura deeply worried for Illya and cherished the opportunity to spend more time with her, she remained conflicted about intruding on their grieving process. She wasn't sure if she could truly be of any help during their difficult times.
Naturally, Damian didn't give a damn about her hesitation, so he handed/shoved a duplicate key to their home in her hands and then brought/dragged Sakura to their house without even bothering to hear her answer.
"I know," Shirou sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I wish I had thought of that. Damian is a lot more thoughtful than he let on, you know? I swore to my dad that I would protect her in his stead, but I couldn't do anything."
Sakura shook her head, her eyes filled with reassurance. "That's not true. Please don't say that, Senpai."
Her comforting words brought a warm smile to Shirou's face. "Illyasviel always tells me that you two are the best siblings she could have asked for and how lucky she is to have both of you in her life. She says she wouldn't know what to do with herself without you."
Shirou's eyes lit up with gratitude and relief. "She did?"
Sakura's expression shifted from her earlier warmth to sudden guilt. "Oh, gods! You weren't supposed to hear that. She actually told me this in confidence. Please don't tell her I told you that."
Shirou chuckled softly. "Don't worry, Sakura. I won't say a word. Actually, It's nice to know she feels that way." Shirou gently places a hand on Sakura's shoulder. "Thank you, Sakura. I'm really glad to have you here."
"S-senpai. I"
"Hmm? What are you staring at each other for?" Taiga asks as she enters the living room, ruining the moment as if it came naturally to her and making Shirou and Sakura yelp in surprise.
Taiga raised an eyebrow with a sly grin. "Hmm? What are you staring at each other for?" she asked as if it were the most natural thing in the world to interrupt heartfelt moments. "Hehehe. Oh, I'm sorry. Am I interrupting something? With the way you were whispering so closely to each other, it looked like you two cozying up to each other."
"F-Fujimaru-sensei! /Fuji-nee!" Taiga watched with smug satisfaction as all the blood rushed to the kids' faces. "You know that's not what we were doing! Damnit, Fuji-nee, stop saying such ridiculous things with a straight face!" Shirou protested in mortification, his empathy extending to Sakura.
"Stop saying what?" Illya yawned as she walked into the living room, causing another startled yelp from Shirou and Sakura. "What were you guys doing, being so loud this early in the morning?"
"Nothing!" Shirou and Sakura said in unison, their voices a bit louder than they intended.
Taiga tried to explain, "Illya, you're not going to believe this. Shirou and Sakura have been co-," but Sakura quickly cut her off.
"Had just finished making breakfast," Sakura interjected before Taiga could make things more awkward than they already were. "So, let's dig in before the food gets cold, shall we?"
"You guys are being suspicious. What were you say—oh, are those fluffy pancakes topped with whipped cream, bananas, and strawberry syrup?" Illya completely forgot her suspicions, her mouth already watering at the beautiful sight before her.
"With a side of French toasts and omelets. We know how much you love Western meals, Illya," Shirou joined in, relieved to have changed the subject before things could escalate further.
"Illya, you're not going to believe this. Shirou and Sakura have been co-," Taiga tried to say before Sakura cut her short.
"Had just finished making breakfast," Sakura interrupted before Taiga made things more awkward than they already were. "So, let's dig in before the food gets cold, shall we?" Sakura said in a breath as she sat Taiga and Illya down around the table and set the dishes they'd prepared.
"You guys are being suspicious. What were you say—oh, are those fluffy pancakes topped with whipped cream, bananas, and strawberry syrup?" Illya completely forgot her suspicions, her mouth already watering at the beautiful sight before her.
"With a side of French toasts and omelets. We know how much you love Western meals, Illya," Shirou joined in, relieved to have changed the subject before things could escalate further.
Illya was poised to indulge in what she considered high-class cuisine fit for gods and emperors when Taiga intervened. "Hold it, young lady. It's only proper to wait until the whole family is present. Where's Damian? He's usually up by now."
"Right here," Shirou was about to respond, but Damian entered the room, abruptly ending the conversation. He looked like someone who had just narrowly escaped a nuclear explosion, with blackened and torn clothes, bruised face and arms, and a thoroughly displeased expression.
"I," Damian began, thinking to himself, 'My project of making a magic gun finally worked, but the blast radius of an 'Ansuz' bullet was way worse than expected.'
Of course, he couldn't reveal the truth about his magecraft experiments, so he decided to offer a more conventional explanation. "I tried making homemade fireworks for fun. It didn't go so well."
Damian then joined the others at the table, seemingly unfazed by the morning's mishap, and started enjoying the breakfast as if nothing had happened.
Inside, Damian congratulated himself, thinking, 'Nailed it.'
"Sweeet. We're having Western meals for breakfast. I could use some real food after the crappy morning I had," Damian remarked casually, disregarding Taiga's appalled expression.
"I know, right?" Illya enthusiastically joined in, eagerly anticipating her Western breakfast.
Shirou, however, reminded everyone of the traditional custom. "We're supposed to say 'itadakimasu' before eating," he pointed out, his brow furrowing. "Wait, what do you mean by 'real f-'?"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY 'HOMEMADE FIREWORKS,' DAMIAN!?" Taiga roared with fury, flipping the table with all her might that would have sent the food scattering all over the living room if everyone else hadn't already picked up their plates in time.
They managed to react on time only because they were all used to Taiga's outbursts by now; it was a common occurrence in the Emiya household.
"Whoa! Watch the omelets, Tiger-nee! Just because we let you freeload off of us doesn't mean you can waste our food. Especially when Shirou makes us real food!" Damian protested, clutching his share of the meal protectively.
Shirou attempted to interject once more, "Oi, Damian, what do you mean real-"
"First of all, I told you not to call me Tiger. Second, I'm not mooching; I'm looking after you guys. Third, SHUT UP!" Taiga's roar cut Shirou off once more.
Taiga continued her scolding, her anger palpable. "What in the world were you thinking? Handmade fireworks? You're lucky you didn't blow off your fingers. Scratch that; WE are lucky you didn't burn the house to the ground! What kind of comedy strip do you think you're living in? It's not even funny!"
For once, Damian found it difficult to argue back because, while Taiga had no knowledge of magecraft or the real reason behind his actions, her concerns were technically valid. The entire house would indeed have gone up in flames if he hadn't reinforced his secret workshop with his runes.
Damian pondered to himself, 'Maybe I should have thought of a better excuse,' realizing that his explanation might have been a bit too careless in hindsight.
"Calm down, Tiger-nee, I wasn't trying to be funny. I was just... experimenting. Beside-" Damian attempted to explain, but Taiga cut him off with an even louder roar.
"EXPERIMENT MY FOOT! AND I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME TIGER!" Taiga's fury peaked, and she caught Damian in a sleeper hold.
"Guys, help! She's gone crazy!" Damian pleaded, struggling to free himself, only to realize with growing terror that Taiga's strength seemed to have multiplied when she was furious.
Illya decided to take charge of the situation. "Shirou, Sakura. I think we all know there is no stopping her when she gets like this, so let's finish eating in my room until this blows over," she suggested, her tone betraying her amusement.
Shirou readily agreed, "Yeah, I feel sorry for Damian, but he brought this on himself. Let's save ourselves before we're next."
Sakura chimed in with a mock apology, "I will pray for your soul, Damian," clapping her hands together in a pretend prayer.
"You traitors!" Damian managed to choke out the word as Taiga's grip tightened even further. "What kind of friends and family would leave me to die in the Tiger's maw?"
Taiga's eyes flashed with a bloodlust that rivaled a berserker's as she seethed, "Say that again. SAY TIGER AGAIN! I dare you. I double-dog dare you. Say tiger one more God damn time."
Illya couldn't help but comment, "You push the tiger button, brother. There is no saving you." She barely suppressed a burst of hysterical laughter as she made her exit.
Sakura added an almost convincingly tearful apology, "Oh, Damian. I'm so sorry I didn't get to know you better," before following Illya.
Shirou concluded with a dramatic farewell, "We'll never forget your sacrifice, Damian. May we meet again, in a better life," before exiting the room as well.
Damian was left alone, still caught in Taiga's unrelenting grip, as his family retreated to safety, leaving him to face the full force of Taiga's wrath.
'Yeah, I bet we will. I bet I'll reincarnate as an overpowered slime this time so I can kick your… crap, I'm passing out.'
And indeed, Damian did pass out. After a few minutes, Taiga realized that she might have gone too far. She frantically tried to wake him up, shaking him and calling his name repeatedly. When Damian finally woke up, she profusely apologized for choking him out. But true to her nature, she immediately switched gears and started harshly scolding him until his ears bled.
Overall, that's how their lives went on after Kiritsugu's passing. Taiga had stayed true to her word. She became their legal guardian and surrogate sister, determined to support them in any way she could. She still occasionally argues with Damian, but the rift between them has closed; their relationship is now akin to siblings who often jab at each other.
Sakura became a regular presence, sharing daily activities like chores, cooking, and laundry. Over the passing months, the five of them grew closer, evolving into a surrogate family. Illya was still sad and frustrated over her parents' passing, but thanks to the love and care of what she now considers to be her new family, her mood was slowly yet steadily improving.
Their life wasn't perfect, but everything went fine, and their life was peaceful and carefree.
Until it wasn't.
At the same time, a hidden figure was surveying the Emiya estate. A mercenary spellcaster who was paid exorbitant amounts to capture the last remaining heirs of Kiritsugu Emiya.
Custis Pendleton had never forgotten nor forgiven the Magus Killer, Kiritsugu Emiya, for killing his brother and ruining his life. The fact that Kiritsugu died before Custis could exact his revenge only intensified his madness.
His grudge had simmered for fifteen long years, and now, the only means he had to slake it was to capture Kiritsugu's children and make them suffer the maximum possible pain in the hopes their accursed father hears their screams from the depths of hell before giving them an excruciating death.
As much as he would love to go storming off to Fuyuki half-cocked and end the Emiya bloodline for good, he refrained from doing so. He was mad, not stupid. Launching a direct attack in the open might alert the Second Owner of Fuyuki, and while he held no fear of her, her interference could complicate matters and worsen his standing within the Mage's Association, which was already precarious.
Furthermore, Custis recognized the myriad of unknown variables surrounding Kiritsugu's children. While they may be brats, they were the Magus Killer's brats. He couldn't predict what sinister magecraft or secrets Kiritsugu might have left behind for them. He had no doubt that they were as monstrous as their father. One Magus Killer was a threat; three more would be nothing short of a cataclysm.
For these reasons, Custis chose not to take the unnecessary risk of pursuing them himself. Instead, he decided to hire a mercenary to capture Kiritsugu's heirs and bring them to him.
Jace Franklin, the American mercenary chosen by Custis Pendleton, was a spellcaster with no background nor ties to the Mage's Association. He had a compelling need for resources to upgrade his magical craft and equipment. Over the course of his career as a freelancer, Jace had built a solid reputation for his meticulous approach, which included leaving no traces of his involvement, eliminating witnesses, and always completing his jobs.
Custis hired Jace through an intermediary and provided a substantial down payment via a middleman to ensure that nothing could be traced back to the person who hired him if something went awry or if Jace was captured and interrogated.
"You don't stop at killing a poisonous snake. You track down its nest and crush the eggs," Custis conveyed to Jace through a communication spell. "Kiritsugu spent years honing his skills hunting our kind, and those are years they don't have. Yet."
Custis emphasized the urgency of the mission, saying, "Do not tarry. The more time passes, the more dangerous they are bound to become. They will never be as weak as they are now. So, bring them to me. And. Do. Not. Fail. Me."
After hanging up the call, Jace couldn't help but snicker at the situation. "Gods, I love working for rich idiots with a mad grudge. So rich in resources, so poor in rationality. It's always so easy to make rip-off deals out of them."
"With the reward I'm getting, I should be fighting an army of vampires, not a bunch of brats."
Jace Franklin, the seasoned spellcaster and mercenary, examined the powerful bounded field that encircled the Emiya estate from a safe distance. He was astounded by its effectiveness, musing to himself, "Still, that's a damn good bounded field if I ever saw one. They have a dampening effect that not only prevents mana and sound from leaking out but also prevents me from eavesdropping from the outside."
He continued his assessment, recognizing that this bounded field prioritized secrecy over security. Breaking through it wouldn't be too challenging, but getting inside undetected was likely impossible. Jace acknowledged the skills of the late Magus Killer in erecting such a formidable defense.
Little did he know that it was Damian who had continually enhanced the field with his runes ever since rescuing Illya from the Einzbern Castle. Damian had learned about bounded fields by studying the Einzberns' defenses through his mystic eyes and how to exploit their vulnerabilities from his father, Kiritsugu.
The secret upgrades and the extensive knowledge he had inherited made the Emiya estate's bounded field an imposing obstacle for anyone seeking to infiltrate it.
Despite this, Jace felt confident that he could simply walk in and defeat them, even from within their bounded field, but he didn't make it this far into his career by being reckless and arrogant. He knew next to nothing about his targets or their magecraft. His mad employer made it clear that his job must be done discreetly.
For now, he'll observe them carefully, learn their daily routines, their habits, and hopefully their magecraft. Once he requires enough information, he will ambush them discreetly and quietly, capture them one by one, bring them to Custis, and get his pay.
He could easily guess what the mad magus had in store for those kids, but he didn't care. As far as he was concerned, no sacrifice was too great for his desires as long as he wasn't the one paying for them.
As they made their way to school together, Damian grumbled, "That woman should not be legally allowed to be a legal guardian to anyone."
"You brought it on yourself, Damian. I don't know why you keep trying to get a rise out of Fuji-nee," Shirou pointed out.
Illya chimed in, nodding in agreement. "Yup, repeatedly calling her 'Tiger' was practically asking for trouble. I thought you had a death wish."
Sakura offered a more empathetic perspective. "Please, don't be too harsh on her, Damian. Fujimura-sensei can be a bit... intense. But her heart was in the right place."
"Yeah, right," Damian couldn't help but scoff. "And choking a kid is supposed to be a form of discipline? That's more like something straight out of a sitcom. Who does she think she is, Homer S-"
Suddenly, Damian cut himself off and turned to glare in a seemingly random direction. 'What the hell was that?'
"Damian? What's wrong?" Illya and Sakura looked at him in confusion.
Damian remained silent, his eyes locked on that same general direction with such focus.
"Shirou?" Illya tilted her head in confusion.
Shirou, too, had stopped and was staring in the same direction as Damian.
"Damian, that was…" Shirou whispered to Damian, not wanting to worry Illya or Sakura, who seemed to have noticed nothing.
"Yeah, I felt it, too," Damian whispered back, frowning.
For a brief moment, they all sensed a faint surge of mana and an unmistakable feeling of killing intent. It vanished almost as soon as they noticed it, leaving them almost questioning their senses.
Almost.
"Should we," Shirou started.
"Not yet." Damian scanned the surroundings for a few more seconds before giving up. He couldn't see anything or anyone suspicious, and that eerie sensation didn't return. "We might have imagined it, but let's keep our guard up for now."
"Mind sharing?" Illya tapped her foot in annoyance at being left out.
"We'll talk about it later. Let's keep going," Damian urged, leading the way with the others, his senses heightened and on full alert. He remembered their late father's words while musing about who would be after them and why. In hindsight, it is obvious. Kiritsugu did warn them that someone from his past might come back to bite them. He didn't know who might be after them, but he was determined to be ready.
"Those kids have sharp instincts. Not bad." Jace remarked, hidden in the shadows. Jace observed their reactions with a twisted sense of excitement. The wave of killing intent they felt had indeed come from him, intentionally. To him, this was the most thrilling part of his job. While he was a professional, he enjoyed giving his prey a small taste of what was coming. To make his prey feel stalked, hunted, and trapped. They were walking on borrowed time.
"Alright, kids. Let the games begin." His sinister intentions loomed over the unsuspecting group, setting the stage for a dangerous and thrilling encounter.
End Notes: In case you're wondering, Jace Franklin is an original character I totally made up. You'll find out more about him in the following chapters.