Fate/Bonds Beyond Humanity

There is a segment here that explains some differences between magecraft and spellcasting… be nice please.

6- Travellers from Distant Lands

Airports were always full of people, going in and out, either arriving or leaving. Ready to go to distant lands or to happy to see family after a long trip. One thing there was plenty were chairs, with the flux of people that is a necessity.

Sitting on one of the many chairs was a man dressed in a gray suit with black briefcase at his feet. He looked relaxed, just having a normal day while waiting for his plane. If anyone noticed him and paid enough attention they would call him unremarkable.

With black hair and a shaved face, he looked normal. A man that was just waiting for his plane and when the time arrived he began to move for the gate until he accidentaly pumped into someone. "I'm sorry." The man appologized imediataly.

"It 's fine. My fault." Replied another with brown hair and after trading pleasantries they just kept moving, nothing unusual. Accidents happen.

Arriving on the plane the man checks his ticket and finds his seat, it wasn't 1st class but it was his preference. He ends up sitting at the side of an old woman. "Good morning." He salutes.

"Good morning." She answered back with a smile. There was a grandmotherly air around her and with a head full of stuffy hair she looked the tipical grandmother. Upon noticing her new companion was trembling a bit she asked. "First flight jitters?"

"Yes." The man answered back with a smile. "I usually work just in the region but my office gave me an offer I couldn't refuse."

"And where are you going?" She asked him and he replied without missing a beat.

"Japan." Their conversation was interrupted by a flight attendant. She was a pretty thing with a red bun on her hair and a uniform that filled her nicely.

"Excuse me, sir." The attendant approached with a smile. "But you need to store the briefcase. If you want I can do it for you."

"No, no problem." If anything the person looked embarrassed that he forgot about it before he got to work, getting up and placing the case inside the compartment above the seats. "Just… 'first flight jitters'."

The older lady smiled while the attendant let out a giggle, a normal man has normal problems and they were not going to criticize him for forgetting such a thing.

Inside the briefcase there wasn't much, some clothes, toothbrush, some pairs of socks, normal stuff.

And a skull like mask.

…..

There was a shift in their class, it was started happening in the last few weeks without much fanfare, to anyone paying attention it was sudden but expected since the events of the 'exposition class' as it was being called.

While almost none of the projects managed to get a positive reaction from their teacher, Waver Velvet had been impressed and gave full grades to only one person and that resulted in the transformation in the classroom.

Since everyone there was aware of the supernatural there was a hierarchy around the place, a classical one where blood and money spoke more than personality and looks. Everyone was trying to build connections and shape alliances with their peers, not for anything grand or nevarious as of yet but for teenager's stuff like making friends. It didn't matter where they all came from, none was ready to stay paranoid with each other constantly.

But the social games start early and blood and money can be easily surpassed if one has talent. When everyone is in the same arena competing for the same things the ideal blood can mean very little when the talent on play is overwhelming and the full benefits of the right family are just not present.

That was what Matou Shinji noted the last few weeks. In the magus society blood is important because the best families usually have more money and a bigger probability of the descendents keeping and even expanding their magic with their own research, it becomes extra relevant if magic circuits enter the equation.

In that case the Matou family started having problems in his father's generation, the man had to become a spellcaster because his circuitry was useless for magecraft and his son, Shinji himself, had to accept his limitations and also become a spellcaster. The blue haired teenager wanted to be a maugs, he studied for it, practiced and even managed to get in contact with his ancestor, who had left them for a long time now, but failed at every turn.

Then he decided to become the greatest of spellcasters, he put in the work and effort until bore fruit. He was confident in his skills even if he wasn't the magues he wanted to be.

On Kuoh he was the king, at least for the first week. Since he had money and a good name, the biggest magi family in Japan, he managed to get some followers, he had the best position among the humans of his class, if not the whole school, and was sure he was getting a pact with one of the heiresses in Kuoh, he was the 'best magician' of Japan after all.

But things didn't go as planned. Not getting an answer on the pacts was fine if everyone else had failed too. 'The one who got a pact is a nobody.' He thinks while glaring at Emiya Shirou, the redhead was surrounded by his allies, a devil, a hanyou and the newest additon, Tohsaka Rin. The others students were stumbling themselves, trying to get his attention, much to the anger of the heir of the Matou.

When the classes started the previously unknown magus was just that, unknown. As in not a single one of his contacts in Japan knew who was or that he was a magus to begin with. They had gone to the same school together for years and Shinji had no idea at all since the redhead didn't act like a magician, didn't appear in the same circles nor had an important name. That changed quickly after the first day when Emiya became known as the guy who got a pact with the Gremory heiress and everyone wanted to know who was the guy, his lineage, his magecraft, everything.

Japan was floating with requests for information on him and some people were willing to pay top dollar for it. Shinji didn't care, many didn't, thinking that Rias Gremory was using the pact as some form to keep a 'boytoy' around. In the minds of the majority a magus that came out without story, family or resources was less than useless.

Then the class where they should show their projects happened and he was not useless anymore. Emiya Shirou went from the bottom of the social ladder to the top in the span of an hour. Any idea that the guy didn't deserve the pact died then in there and the scalpel he made before was, without a shadow of a doubt not a fluke.

The following week Shinji watched as people started to flock towards Shirou, everyone wanted to be part of his inner circle, and he had one even if he himself didn't notice. A representative of the devil he had a pact with, a hanyou, a rarity outside of Kyoto and now Tohsaka Rin.

Shinji can't forget the conversation he had with his father about the girl's family.

…..

"What do you mean the engagement is off?" He was mad at the news and his face showed it, his father however couldn't look more uninterested while drinking some wine a servant just gave him.

In contrast to the Tohsaka household, the Matous lived in luxury, their mansion having at least 10 people at every moment at their beck and call. Of those, only 2 others knew about magic, they were the personal servants of the 2 Matous and they were from lower families of magicians. Assistants in anything they required.

"It means it is 'off' as you put it." The man takes a sip of his wine before turning to his only son. "The Tohsaka family officially apologized and canceled the engagement: you are not to marry Tohsaka Sakura in the foreseeable future."

"But why? How?" Shinji was sure that the marriage was set in stone at that point and that wasn't changing without some drastic reason.

"Apparently Tohsaka Rin wrestled control from the family." The head of the family said before taking another sip of his wine.

"What?" Shinji was sure his ears heard wrong.

"It is just as I said: the eldest daughter of the Tohsaka family is now technically the head of the house. She kicked her father out of the position." The man continued to drink his wine, wishing for peace.

Unfortunately for him, his son had no intention of leaving with just that. "Is that even possible?"

"Yes, it is." Byakuya easily said. "If you want, all you have to do is find a sponsor or prove that you can do more for the family as its leader than I."

Shinji immediately took a step back at the declaration. "Then… Tohsaka has a sponsor?" His father noticed that the focus of his son's thoughts was not in what he expected.

"What is the problem, Shinji?" The apathy on his father's tone was the one thing the son picked out.

"What is yours? You are treating this like nothing! This is an insult to our family!" Unimpressed, the older Matou says.

"No, it isn't. There was a change of management and the actual head decided to cancel the acords of the previous one. She even sent some gifts as an apology." He points to the bottle of the wine he was drinking. "A rare wine from the XIX century. Preserved with magic once it reached the maximum flavor."

That explained why his father is in such a good mood. "And you just accepted it?"

Finishing his cup, the elder Matou motions for the maid, his personal assistant, to refill it again. It would be the last glass of the wine. "What is the problem Shinji? The real problem?"

While it was true that the teen cared about his family name, the parent knew him well enough to know that wasn't the real reason. Shinji was proud of his name, there was no mistake on that, but the indignity that he was showing was strange if it was just for the family.

The way that his father was looking at him annoyed Shinji to his core. "She is mine." He finally says. "Sakura is mine, promised to me for years now. With her I shall bring the Matou back from the pit you let it fall."

"Bff… HAhaha!" Byakuya did something he hadn't in a long while. He laughed. "Yours… Shinji… did you have a crush on the girl?" The silence and the red face the boy made just made the man laugh harder. "Boy, nothing is stopping you from courting her. The difference is that she is under no obligation to say 'yes' to anything."

"Her sister hates me." The man just laughed again and after motining for more wine and taking another sip he shrugged.

"And that you can fix. Just figure out why and fix it." That wasn't enough for Shinji it seems. "What now?"

"It is her duty to marry me! For the sake of our families!" Shinji declared.

Finding his son's attitude weird the older magician just said. "Stop being a boy. It's done and there is nothing you can do about it." The dismissal delivered Byakuya started to leave. "I will be in my workshop, don't bother me."

'You will be with your mistress that is what.' Technically the older man could marry again but Shinji didn't like the idea, not one bit and he made his displeasure known more than once.

The father didn't care, the only reason he didn't take his assistant as his wife was because he prefered a lover and to avoid a fight for succession of the Matou name. Last time it happened his brother was kind enough to leave and he knew Shinji wouldn't be that kind if his potential sibling showed interest.

While Byakuya may be alof most of the cases he actually cared for his son and if he had another child he would prefer they didn't enter the moonlit world of if they did they were not to fight and die for the sake of a tradition he started to hate.

With his father gone Shinji decided to make plans, he first needed to figure out who Tohsaka's sponsor was.

But once he finds out who they are he is going to make them pay.

The answer pretty much fell into his lap the next day of classes. Where before the girl stood isolated and without friends she was now part of the inner circle of Emiya Shirou. Just looking at the redhead made Shinji's blood boil.

Before, when Matou was the 'top dog' he was surrounded by other magicians that respected his position as the heir of the most powerful family. Now Emiya had that position since any family backed by the Gremory clan is backed by it's most famous member, the actual Lucifer, even if indirectly. The love the older brother has for his sister is well known.

Shinji watched as those who worm their way into his circle abandoned him and tried to approach Emiya when he said he wouldn't. It's not like he could either way. Every time he tried to approach Tohsaka looked at him and smiled a cocky smile he hated. In Shinji's mind she already must have told Emiya hundreds of stories where he is the villain. Something that she could easily do since she was using him to get closer to Gremory.

It didn't matter anyway, Shinji has plans, he can be patient and in his mind the Tohsaka problem was already being solved.

Afterall, Tohsaka is not the one with the pact and once Emiya is out she will have to crawl back to his good graces.

….

An elegant woman with blond hair dressed in a green jacket, sport sunglasses, form fitting pants and with a bag that cost more than a house stepped out of the first class flight she had booked. By her figure and posture everyone that looked at her thought she was either a model or actress.

Following her was her loyal right hand man, a big burly individual that looked young with a suit too tight for his size carrying her luggage, at least 5 bags in each arm with no difficulty. He had short blonde hair and a scar on his face going from his forehead to his chin.

"Tell me about Japan, Igarius." She spoke in greek. Her voice was sharp, not from someone delicate but from a commander.

"I am sorry ma'am. I have never been here before." He lowers his head in apology, taking the failure personally.

"Tsk. That is not why I asked." The woman didn't actually look upset about the answer she got and just shook her head and changed her approach. "Just tell me any detail you have."

"From what I managed to find the city we are going to is a metropolis in the making." He couldn't say much for the country itself but he already did some digging on their destination.

"What was the name again?" She wondered while they planned their next method of transportation. It was just a matter of renting a car, usually easily close to airports.

"Fuyuki, ma'am." The man said while they found a place to rent a car. The attendant there spoke his usual routine and soon enough they found something to the woman's taste.

Once they secured the vehicule the man offered to drive only to be rejected, as he knew he would. There were few things his boss liked more than her job and it was to race at full speed. "You have the hotel's address?"

"Yes, ma'am." Was the shift answer followed by the address. He was always there for her, his whole life, out of gratitude and respect. "It isn't that far from here, if you go full throttle we will arrive in a couple of hours at the latest."

"Good. I hope our client has a good reason to drag us to this end of the world. If not I shall kill them myself." She declared while accelerating, the man holding himself for dear life in his seat. "Huh, we are going to need a faster car."

The car itself was not special or anything, it was small, compact and not the best model since it was expected that one or other tourist could damage the mercadory. But inside the car were a huntress and her companion going into a job.

In one of the the bags, one jumping around while the driver pushed the engine to its limits, was a white bow and arrows.

…..

"Just a little bit now." Akeno told herself while trying to fill the gem on her hands with mana, it was an amethyst, perfect for lighting base spells and was crafted from her own hands to absorb the best output possible from her. "Slowly, slowly, patience."

Akeno was using white pants and a top with a shirt to cover most of her assets but at the same time leaving plenty to look at.

The gem keeps glowing more and more and Akeno knew she was doing it wrong. 'It shouldn't be glowing that much.' Thinks Rin as she watches her 'apprentice' on her fist attempt on jewelcraft. Or at least to fill a gem with her mana and use it at will.

Rin was using her favorite combo of clothing: a red long sleeved shirt and a black mini skirt with long black stockings.

If one thinks about the process for long enough, they would realize that the jewel is just a substitute for magic circles. A well versatile and practiced spellcaster can make magic circles for different kinds of spells with different equations on their mind. But that takes time and practice, something the majority won't have time for.

A magus doesn't need circles unless they were planning something a bit larger or complicated that goes beyond their normal capabilities. Their circuits made sure the spell was executed if they knew the basis, the words and/or the methods of the spell itself. There is also the use of catalysts and mystic codes where the creator or a person with a certain degree of skill can use spells with barely using their circuits or using them constantly but in such a way that wasn't a problem.

But the creation of a mystic code is a hard process, the most skilled magus can make one by themselves with time but it could still take years depending what they wanted to make, even if there were geniuses around they were not everywhere. That was one of the reasons why it may take generations of a family line to complete a mystic code.

Jewelcraft is a bit different. Since it is about storing and reutilization of mana in different forms and containers it can actually last for a long time, if the creator of the jewel wants they can make one that can be used by everyone just as easily as a battery if they have a good enough jewel.

It didn't help when one of them just breaks apart because something was done wrong. "Urgh." Rin groans as she watches the amber break.

Akeno just blinks and stares at her hands for a second. "Maybe… jewelcraft is not for me."

"Come on now, it was only the… tenth attempt?..." Both black haired girls just look to one another. "Yes… maybe it isn't."

"I want Shirou-kun as my teacher back." The Queen says to the third person in the office, who was working on some papers.

"And I said he is busy." Rias knew that if Akeno asked Shirou would give her some of his time but at that point the King had no intentions of allowing it for that single reason alone. "Besides, Rin is competent enough. She just needs to stop going for the things that work for her and you two can work from there."

The red haired young woman was using a dress with a shirt and had a jacket to the side if she wanted to use it. Her collars were mostly different shades of red.

The magus shudders at the glare that the devil was giving her, if only because she knew why Rias was in a bad mood and it had to do with the pile of documents she had to sign, review and direct to the proper parties, most of them coming from the Tohsaka family.

"Your family accounting is a mess." Was what Rias had said after the first day when she started working on the papers. Three days later she was still at it and hating every second of it. In the present she just says. "Jewelcraft is not worth it anyway."

"It is worth it when you have the revenue to keep up." Was the defense that the Tohsaka chose to go with.

"Maybe. But it is not advisable." Rias then drops the stack of papers she was holding. "Do you have any idea how messy your family situation is?"

"Really bad?" She shoots in the dark.

"Salvageable?" Akeno gave her pitch.

"In between these two." Rias said with a sigh. "I mean… your family had no means of profit. At all. You have the means to stabilize your fortune once you get it but… well… times changed. Even some of the older devils know when they need to start hiring accountants."

The pureblood devil was already working and tried to stave off a headache. "Want me to get you some tea?" Her best friend asked, worried.

"Yes please." With the Queen leaving Rias decided to tell Rin the news. "There are bad and good news here… which one do you want first?"

"The bad." She decided wishing to get the worst out of the way.

"Your family is lazy to anything other than magecraft, at least when it comes to finances." The redhead decided to be blunt. "There was no plan or security besides the money you already had, some patents and no investments… either someone was confident of hitting the 'Root'," the devil said making quotes, "or your family didn't make a plan and instilled that bad habit on your father of only thinking of magecraft."

"I never met my grandparents." Honestly was the best policy in this situation, especially since Rias was the one checking and cleaning the mess.

"Sorry about that." Rias said softly while Akeno came back with her tea with cups for both herself and Rin as well. "Thank you Akeno."

"No problem Buchou."

"And the good news…" Rin tried to look for positives in the situation.

"The bad news isn't done yet." If the devil's face at that moment was unimpressed. "The main issue is that your magecraft costs too much and you have no return or another source of profits in enough of a way to at least keep things stable. I honestly didn't know where to begin at first and even had to send a message to my brother for help."

Rin was shocked and terrified. 'That means that Lucifer himself saw my situation.' Part of her was ashamed while another part was relieved since there is an argument that the devil himself would be a master of contracts and loopholes.

If Rias had something to say about the whole situation was that she didn't want to call her brother. She moved to the human world to get some independence… however there is a thing about daunting tasks teaching humility and once she saw the amount of work she would have to do and the things she would have to learn to even start helping Tohsaka she decided to ask for help just this once.

"After he talked with some friends to get something going we managed to make a plan to help the Tohsaka family with a plan to, one day, make profit." Rias then dropped the bomb. "90% of your salary is going to go for that as much as it will be to get your family out of the pit of debts it fell into." Rias then gave Rin a smile that could only be called gentle. "Pretty much… you are going to be working for me for the rest of your natural life."

A small cloud of depression appears over Rin's head. "Ara, ara Buchou. That was cruel of you." Even if she said that the vice-president had a smile that said otherwise.

"It's the truth." Rias shrugged her shoulders. "Without outside support the Tohsaka family has no way of leaving that hole. They aren't like the Edelfelts who also use jewelcraft but supplement their magecraft by using it to do mercenary work. Previously the Tohsakas had nothing and we are building it from scratch."

"So… the salary I will receive... " The fact she would get a salary passed her head entirely and she just wants to know the condition it was in.

"Is going to be severely reduced, yes. To the point that you will be able to take care of any needs for your family," 'Mostly because I'm being nice here' Rias thinks to herself, "but the jewel thing? That is going to be reduced."

"How much?" Rin asked, afraid.

"That is up to you." Informed the devil. "The money is yours. If you want to starve to practice your magecraft that is also with you. Or you can ask Shirou for any leftover materials after he tries them." There was a warning in her tone to not abuse her fellow redheads' kindness.

"Don't worry about it." Rin didn't intend to anyway. "I just have to figure out how to work with what I have."

Besides, what would she do if she rejected Rias now? With the devil's help she is now the head of her house, her sister was out of a marriage that neither really felt comfortable with and by working for Rias she gets a lot of stuff she wouldn't otherwise.

But the method that Rias was using to help her was purposely leaving Rin into a situation that the debt was transferred to Rias, there were slower and safer methods but there is no devil who would go for those if they can help it since they were getting an unconditional ally with the alternative.

'I didn't get my own workshop however.' Unlike Shirou, whose products are also Rias' following their contract, Rin's own work is going to be her own. With that condition the redhead devil had no need to build her a workshop or help her with anything if she didn't want to.

Of course she could ask but her pride didn't allow it since Rias is already doing a lot for her in return for a job that wasn't demeaning and secured her family situation. "Turn that frown around Rin. There is good news." The devil said interrupting her train of thoughts.

"Sorry." Now Rias was frowning.

"Don't apologize. I painted a sad picture for you but if you want to avoid it again learn economics. At least enough to keep yourself afloat in the big market if you decided to keep using gems."

Akeno decided to give her own 2 cents. "Also learn to use a computer." Rin stood rigid on that comment and started to blush uncontrollably.

"Akeno… that was cruel. Everyone has a weakness." Rias said that in trying to be gentle but after giving a laptop to RIn and seeing it go into flames half an hour later didn't paint a picture of confidence for her and technology.

"I don't know…" The reincarnated devil smiled. "Maybe she is cursed." It was said as a joke but everyone could believe that.

"We can check on that later!" Rin really wanted to change the subject. "Please, give me the good news."

With a smile the heiress acquiesced. "The good news is that it was salvageable. While your father was not the best guy on the job he did try to keep stuff in control. It would be worse if he was a man spending a lot on wines and other stuff but he was responsible. He just sucked at business."

"It's not his fault." Rin said while letting out a sigh of relief. "Magus is completely focused on the goal to reach the Root and my father focused a lot on that." 'And in preserving the image of their family.' But Rin was not going to say the last part.

"Considering everything I am sure that if you work hard enough you may be free of any debts in this century, at the latest." The information didn't mean much to a devil but the comment from before was absolutely right, if Rin didn't play smart she was going to be in Rias' hands for the rest of her lifetime with her descendents possibly entering in the equation.

And all that was with Rias being kind since she could have not given any advice and just let Rin dig her family's grave deeper and deeper until the Tohsaka belonged to the Gremory for eternity.

"Either way, you two should go back to your lesson. I still have…" Rias interrupted herself, looking at the paperwork. "... some work to do here. The good thing is that once it is done I won't have to mess in the Tohsaka Problem for at least a decade." She looks at Rin after saying that. "After all, you will learn this."

It wasn't a question, RIn is going to have to learn this stuff anyway and Rias would find someone to teach her the basics in a time that won't interrupt her job for Rias, not only lessons for Akeno and help for Shirou if the other magus requests but also anything that the red haired devil decide to request.

So far nothing much, help in writing some stuff, cleaning the dishes once or twice when no one else could, taking care of the place once Rias actually got called for a deal. Nothing that Rin wasn't willing to do and the magus was fine working, if anything it made her feel like she was earning her keep.

Returning to the sofa and the small table Akeno then asks. "So… jewelcraft is out. What is next?"

"Depends on what you want to do." Rin said with a shrug. "Now that you have the basics down we just need to find a path for you to follow. It can be pretty much anything since magecraft is versatile but once you pick a path you better stick to it until you are a master."

In actuality Rin offered to teach jewelcraft because it was what she began to study her whole life. But there were many categories of study of magecraft that Akeno could choose and since she was a devil she could change her mind on a later date with little to no harm.

"But the basics are really done?" Asked the older girl.

"To be fair, we can't expand on your repertoar until we know what you want to do. And even then I can't teach much outside of jewelcraft and boundary field creation, the first is what I work on and research into while the second is something that, together with hypnosis, all magicians should know a little."

A little because there are those who specialize in both other fields, hypnosis is more useful in normal people since anyone with mana could defend themselves while the study of boundary fields could be one of the most complicated fields of study. All of that was explained to Akeno previously but she was not sure what she wanted.

'I don't want to go for the Root as most magus want.' The Queen thinks to herself with mirth. 'If I want to do something it is better if it is something useful.' After weeks learning the basics of magecraft the fact that she was on the last step excited her but also was frustrating since she didn't know what she wanted.

Last step relatively speaking even if she didn't go all in on research it still would be an endeavor of years to master her path.

"I still have not learned the mana transferred ritual." Akeno thinks out loud, sure that Rin would hear.

And hear she did from how red she got. "And you are not learning from me unless the world is ending and it is for someone I actually like."

"Oh, so there is a chance." Unlike the King, the magus is not used to Akeno's teasing and once again she falls into the trap. The Queen doesn't need to know what the ritual was, the fact that Rin did and hesitated was enough for her.

"It's not like you could do what Shirou does." Rias' comment was successful and the twin tailed haired magus nods in thanks when she notices Akeno changing her focus.

"And what is Shirou-kun's research?" Curiosity on her tone, the reincarnated devil wondered.

"Technically it would be, and I'm using terms of the Clocktower by the way, the study and use of rare materials. That or mineralogy… mystic code construction?" Rin shakes her head showing her own confusion. "Honestly he is kinda living the magus dream, unlimited material for research and to do anything he wants is the best thing for many short of reaching the Root itself." Snapping her fingers in realization, the magus said. "There is a thing you still can do what you think. I can teach you reinforcement."

"But didn't you already...?" Rias couldn't help but ask.

"Not to perfection I didn't." Was the reply.

"Will I be able to use it on food then?" If she could cook on the same level as Shirou but whenever she wanted, Akeno would be a happy chef.

Unfortunately Rin deflated a bit at that question. "That is… more advanced than even I can do…" She was pretty much admitting that her reinforcement isn't perfect.

And once again they returned to an old point of contestation. "I want Shirou-kun as my teacher back."

"Can you two develop advanced reinforcement by yourselves?" Rias offered an olive branch to Rin.

"We can. Akeno is still at the basic level and while I can be considered advanced… Emiya still has us beat." It hurted her pride to say it but she felt it needed to be said. "I mean, how the heck did he use it on food of all things? How? I know you can reinforce something for a while but enough to cook it and serve it is just out of my expertise."

Rias lets out a sigh, while she is losing her manga reading time, regardless of her work because she wants a break, it didn't change the fact that she didn't want to stop her friend's progress. If the devil had to guess how Shirou did the food trick… she didn't need to and could just ask him.

But it was magecraft, something she can't learn and that simple fact stopped her from pointing that out and instead went with an alternative that would help both the other girls out and was also a correct answer. "Then, instead of going all out on research, shouldn't you both focus on perfecting the basics?"

"If every magus always focused on the perfection of anything out of their research then there never would be any progress." Was Rin 's argument. "But if Akeno wants to, sure, no problem. She is not a researcher anyway."

The youngest of the group wanted to argue that there was no point in exploring reinforcement, that it was considered a dead end or 'complete' in terms of magecraft, not being possible to perfect it any further.

But a small voice on the back of her head stopped her since Shirou did show something she never knew was possible and, in consequence, unexplored.

It was going against most of her knowledge and anything her family knew about but that was fine, it was exciting and she wouldn't deny that if there was another way to explore the reinforcement spell she wanted to learn it.

"I can work in reinforcement for myself." The one with a ponytail said. "Growing familiar with magecraft is all I need to get better with the spells. The fact is… I still am not used to it."

Learning a whole other system of magic was not easy and it spoke of Akeno's talent that she managed to get good enough at it to be said to have mastered the basics to an extent that Rin felt that she now needed a focus of research.

"Maybe you two are rushing." Rias pointed out. "How difficult was it really to learn magecraft? Maybe it was actually easier because you had previous knowledge of magic."

Both blackhaired girls look to each other as the memories of the last few weeks enter their minds.

Surrounded by piles of books Akeno was trying to study them all. "Why does this circle have to be made with blood?"

"Because blood is a strong conductor to mana." Rin said something that for her was basic.

For the devil it was too. "Yes, but why? Can't they just use paint? Using blood can disrupt the flux of mana that is going to pass by it. Even the blood type can make a difference."

"That is why this kind of circle is rare even in magecraft." She said grabbing a book to show her instructions how to make a proper circle. "See! You just have to add some blood to paint and you are ready to go."

"But whose blood?" Both looked at each other in silence.

A human-like doll made of rock is blown apart. Akeno had her hand extended with the other holding her arm. "This is weird."

"What?" Rin asked while setting up another target.

"When I use magic usually I feel a bit empty the more I use it. There is always a feeling that something is being spended or used." Checking her hand Akeno shrugs. "Instead of just using something I feel…" She didn't know how to say it.

"Hot?" Was offered.

"I was trying to find a better word but yes, hot as well." Usually she would be teasing with such comments but this was serious.

"The air is full of mana, that is why anyone can use magic. With practice." After placing a third doll down she looks at her 'apprentice'. "But magecraft uses mana much more internally than externally. By using your circutis you create a path for mana to flow through you, we channel it internally and that is dangerous."

"Huh?" She then starts her routine again, slower this time, hitting the first doll before asking. "How dangerous?"

"It is heat passing by the equivalent of magical nerves. There is a limit." Stopping to think for a bit Rin then comments. "Well, to humans. I don't know how that would be for you." Another small blast later the magus made another addition. "You are lasting a lot more than I would for the energy you are spending."

Not only was Akeno using a lighting spell, she was using it in the same way that Rin would use the most basic curse. It was not like that at first and most of the dolls were broken but not completely destroyed but it still shows that Akeno can use more magic than her even if Rin had 30 extra circuits from her family crest.

Then the devil relaxes her circuits and instead creates a magic circle in front of her hand to shoot lighting with. The attack struck again and the damage done was considerably bigger but Akeno had some thoughts on that.

"Which one is better?" Rin asked directly, no rodeos. If the scholars of the past were right then she knows the answer already but it never hurts to confirm it. That was ignoring the fact that since Akeno was a devil her circles worked a bit differently than a human's.

"Making a circle uses more mana and time but it is easier." As expected for a devil, magicians need to make equations making the process slower but even with just imagination and their core doing the heavy lifting they still need some time. "When I use my circuits… It is like I am the circle. Just more direct and using less mana…"

"But is it weaker?" The idea of a circle was to create a focus and magecraft changed the focus eliminating the circle to kickstart the spell in the magus.

"Maybe. But more focused? Still not sure." Then she goes for her circuits again. She can feel the heat of her circuits, how they strain from the hours of effort and protest giving her more. Fortunately there was a solution. "Spark up." The aria allows her self hypnosis making her go beyond and to make her circuits work harder.

Rin tried to explain that she didn't need to speak her aria out loud everytime if she practiced but she insisted on it since it helped her concentrate.

After another round of lightning went out destroying more targets and Akeno wasn't stopping Rin decided to end for the day. "Okay! That is enough!" But she was ignored, after a couple more targets turned to dust the Queen just started to shoot into the air. "Himejima! Stop!"

"But it kinda feels good you know." The older girl's face was red. Rin didn't dare to ask why.

Pegasus feathers, bones of manticora, a tooth from an ice giant from the north and the venom of a basilisk. These were some of the materials that were given to Emiya Shirou in the attempt of perfecting his blades, objects extremely difficult to procure for their rarity or the danger of tangling with mythological monsters that could kill squads of prepared men with ease.

And most of them were worthless, Rin could see why Rias got them even if they were not proper for the making of weapons. Rituals, sacrifices, catalyses, there are many aspects of magic that could make use of such materials… and Shirou had no idea how to use most of them but Rin did.

So once her fellow magus said that he didn't need any of that and some other stuff she jumped of joy, gave him a hug, surprising all present, and started to move them for her temporary workshop. She doesn't have her own workshop on the school grounds but was allowed her own room to work with.

Except the place was not half as safe or useful as a real workshop but her hands were tied. Rias monitored all the items she got from Shirou and didn't allow her to take them out of the club just in case he changed his mind, which could happen.

"Oh pegasus, the ruler of speed both in the land and the skies." But until he does call for them back she can use them as she sees fit, even exhausting them if she wanted. "Channeling both properties. Initiating process of mana actualization."

Empowering jewels with mana was something easy for her to the point she could equal it to breathing but with such materials she can get more spells ready. The emerald that she was working with was letting out a green and brown hue and Rin could feel the spell inside growing in strength.

It wasn't a complicated set up with the feather and the gem on a small circle on a table and Rin sitting in front of them with her hands open, one above each material, and her eyes closed while she worked with her circuits shining from time to time.

Watching to the side, Akeno could only observe the project in silence. She could see the mana leaving the feather and joining with the stone as Rin kept speaking in german. The only reason why the Queen knew she wasn't using japanese was by lip reading since devils didn't need to learn how to speak other languages thanks to their magic.

A shame since some spells worked better in other idioms and learning them without knowing proper pronunciation was a foolish endeavor when a mistake could lead to death. But she could still watch, Rin could be using japanese to do the ritual but since the best language would be greek that would hurt the result either way since she didn't know greek she started to use german thanks to her familiarity with that language was good enough to compensate. It certainly was closer to greek than japanese was.

After ten more minutes just concentrating on the process, the once white feather now was gray like ash and Rin lets out a deep breath. "It is done." Almost like it waited for her to say it the feather turns into dust, completely disappearing leaving only some remains behind, remains that are worthless.

Approaching carefully, Akeno grasps at the gem and admires it for a second. Not only was it full of mana only detectable by tact but it was also more beautiful than before, almost like the quality of the gem had been elevated ten times over its original form. "Can I keep this?" She asked with a teasing smile.

"No way in hell." Rin said after taking a long sip of water. "Do you have any idea how much I had to haggle for this one. And the work I just did." Yes, Akeno did. That was the point.

"But aren't I your apprentice?" The question came as cheeky as they could go.

"Then as my apprentice I say," Rin grabs her gem out of the devil's hands, "get your own material."

Smiling, Akeno replies with a shrug.

"No, we're good." They say in unison making Rias realize that she is going to have to find other things for Rin to do.

"Okay… Rin, since your lessons with Akeno are over," the King motions to the paperwork. "time for me to give you a crash course of economics and other stuff you will need to know to work for me."

"Fine by me. At least I can get a break from this pervert." Akeno didn't deny the accusation, instead her smile grew while Rias only replied.

"Just… get a chair and get over here." The red haired devil really misses her manga time and can't wait for her break.

…..

"Ah, the smell of the sea. Best thing in the morning." Said a man with long messy hair and a goatee. He had the marking of a growing mustache that he keeps trimmed, a long coat and baggy pants. He was not using a shirt exposing his trained body.

He was in a ship arriving, a huge one filled with containers, specialized in cargo transport and wouldn't have it any other way. The captain arrived at the deck where he was admiring the view. "We will arrive in Fuyuki in a couple of hours."

The captain looked to his 'stowaway', it was the only thing he could call the strange man who paid a considerable amount to travel with them, even doing some work around the place out of preference and starving out the boredom.

"Great! Say, is it true that japanese school girls walk around with miniskirts?" Excitement colored the man's tone.

"Depends on their school I suppose." The man said with a shrug. "Uniforms vary depending on the policies of the place."

"Ah! It is up to lady luck then? I like my odds." The stranger said with a bigger smile.

"You said you have business here right?" The captain spent quite some time knowing the man, him and all the crew really. Everyone was curious about such a person.

"Oh yeah! I was hired for a job!" Again that strange person takes a deep breath.

"But why go on a ship?" To be honest that was the question the captain wanted to ask for days now. "Wouldn't it be faster to travel by plane or something."

The man spate on the deck. "Keep those metal birds away from me. Men weren't made to fly." Then the smile came back. "But there is no better place than the sea."

That was a comment that the captain could agree with. In his sixties he only didn't retire because he liked the sea and had no one at port waiting for him. "Hope you aren't getting into trouble because of this."

"What? Nah, it will be fine." The man was all smiles. "Me and the other guys got a month or so of warning."

That was pretty much when their trip began. "Cutting a bit close, aren't you?"

"They called a lot of people for a job; 'come to this city in Japan' and some other shit. If the money wasn't good I wouldn't even bother."

"Oh? How much?" The captain's curiosity was rewarded.

"Minimum pay was promised to be the equivalent of 1.000.000 in american dollars." The captain almost hit the deck at the information. "'Pending negotiation upon hearing the job attached to the message."

"You aren't…" The older man hesitated. "You aren't going to do something illegal are you?"

"Not planning to. But for that kind of money?" The man lets out a sharp whistle. "Probably."

And they both knew that the captain could do nothing about it. The way the younger male was confident was telling enough and the difference between that man and the usual sailor was clear for any to see. This is a man ready to kill.

In reality the captain didn't want to accept such a man into his ship but his experience told him that if he refused someone else would accept and end up dead because of it. More than once on the trip the experienced sailor wanted to call the police or something in one of the ports they stopped but knew that this person couldn't be just arrested on a 'feeling'.

For a while they traveled normally and the captain made sure to make himself available in case the man ever got bored and tried anything. Nothing awful happened. If anything the guy compensated even more for his stay by working.

But the 'feeling' was still there. An animal instinct screaming that the man before him was dangerous for some reason. "Well… good luck with that." As far as the older man knew his problems ended once the man reached his destination, he already considers he saved some idiot's life and he wasn't willing to risk himself any more than necessary.

"Hey! How long are you guys going to stay on port?" A bit of sweet fell from the captain's forehead at the question.

"Just a couple of days…" He wanted to lie but was afraid to try.

"Well that is great! Maybe we can go back together! I really have no other place to go for a while."

Denying was an option, the captain thinks he got enough good will with the man that he would be spared… something. He was still not sure what but every instinct told him he was already safe.

"We will stay for a week or so. It is the time the cargo will be traded by a new one." It wasn't charity but fear that ruled the offer. 'Better stay on this guy's good side.'

He hadn't done anything to the crew yet and if he was happy to just travel in a ship then that was just fine to the captain.

"Perfect! If I don't show up don't wait on my account. I may decide to see what this country has to offer." The affirmation came while the man moved to his 'quarters' to get his stuff.

He hadn't entered with much either way, just a sports bag with clothes and anything that he carried on that coat. And the man caught a glimpse or two of the weapons on it but that was not what worried the captain.

Once the man was gone the captain started to pray, something he hadn't done in decades, and he did for any god that could hear.

The 'stowaway' didn't hear the prayers or anything like that, he jumped out of the ship into the port and started walking, on his belt was an old style pistol, emitting an aura of power.

…..

Stoic, that is how the three ladies sitting together on the table and eating Shirou's food were called for their peers. A teacher, a high school student and a grade schooler were eating more than anyone else.

They were Leysritt, Setsuna and Koneko and the trio shared an appreciation for food that would be unhealthy to normal humans and maintained the best poker faces that many would see in their lives. Arguably any of them would be able to clear a casino if they bothered to learn the games properly.

But that didn't matter to them, most of what they wanted was just to finish the food. On weekends Shirou took to himself the task of cooking, with some prompt from everyone else that could admit he was the best cook around, and for the three with the biggest appetite he made a point to start making banquets or all they could eat buffet at least once per month.

Today was one of these days and technically everyone in the club could partake on it but the trio had the literal biological advantage of turning all food on energy. They still need to use it later for something but that was no problem since all of them could be active if they wanted to.

The three were dressed with clothes good for exercise, Liz looked like a typical gym teacher in blues and whites, Koneko was using shorts and a shirt with cat paws pattern around it and Setsuna had a teal t-shirt and jeans.

Once all the food was finished the three let out sighs of satisfaction together. "Shirou food is the best." Liz said, receiving nods from her companions.

"Indeed." Setsuna followed.

"Delicious." Was Koneko 's contribution.

The three of them felt at peace, bellies full and satisfied they just stayed on their seats for a while. There was little need for words between them and they enjoyed each other's presence for a little before other stuff they would have to do got in the way.

"I wish that I could eat this food everyday." Koneko decided to break their small moment with a comment that none of the others could deny. "I envy you Liz."

The teacher sat straighter. "One of the many benefits of being part of the Emiya family." And she was proud of that, preening like a peacock. "I was there when Shirou was learning how to cook. My sister made sure he always did his best and learned a variety of dishes." That was an understatement since the thing that Sella was most proud of was to serve her family and if Shirou was going to do it then he would have to meet her standards or not do it at all.

The only reason he was allowed was because Irisviel wanted a girl's night out and the father of the family almost burned the house down trying to cook. Shirou never forgot that and the mother loved to remind her husband of that when teasing.

"Can I move with you?" The small girl's question surprised the maid and she looked at her. That was a mistake, the petite devil was giving her the 'doe eyes' at full force. "Pleeeeeease?"

For a second her walls cracked and she was ready to say 'yes', it was a testament of her stoicism that she stopped herself for a moment and that moment was enough to consider a reasonable answer. "You will have to talk with his mother."

That was the safest thing Liz could say that wouldn't upset the devil and eliminate her responsibility on the topic in question. Koneko knew that she was about to get a 'yes' but she underestimated Liz's ability to get other people to do her job… mostly Shirou but in this case the matriarch of the family was the best option.

With a small nod Koneko agreed to the terms, mostly because she knew Akeno had the woman's phone number and she was going to try and call later.

Meanwhile, hearing the discussion Setsuna sighed. 'I wish I could ask for that but it would be unbecoming of me.' Koneko could get away with that kind of stuff because to all effects and purposes she was accountable only to Rias and the pureblood would probably agree with the idea.

The black haired maiden of the trio was accountable to her father and if she tried to do something like that he could be upset… She was not born back then but she heard stories of what her father could do when he was upset. Villages in the 'old times', as he liked to call them, were raised for one reason or another.

Sure later in life he relaxed, more because Japan eventually entered in an era of peace and yokais had to band together to survive once they were the only enemy left to fight. But exterminators, his fellow yokais, specialists and fighters from all the country and the mainland beyond knew not to mess with Seshomaru.

As one of the leaders of the actual Yokai Faction he was serious and composed but from what his favorite attendant and her guardian in Fuyuki, Jaken likes to say, his power didn't diminish with age, it grew with his experience.

To his daughters he was severe, never cruel, direct to the point that if they were doing something that displeased him he would walk straight to them and explain in detail why they should stop. He would allow them to make mistakes of their own but never hesitate to put his foot down when he felt he should.

When Setsuna was leaving to find her own path his instructions were simply, 'don't leap, think and then do,' said in a stoic manner that let it clear that if she 'leaped' he would personally drag her back to Kyoto and she knew for a fact she couldn't win that fight.

Asking to live with a boy for food definitivally counted as a 'leap before thinking' kind of thing and she can't even start to think on what he would do to Shirou… thinking of her father took her to think about the rest of her family, usually conversations and other activities would stop her but the trio still at the table after breakfast just stayed silent.

The first person that she thought about directly and without a tangent was her sister; Towa. Like Setsuna, Towa is also a hybrid and her older twin sister by just a couple of seconds. The white to her black both are pretty much opposites.

Where Setsuna is dedicated to her training and a bit too formal for her own good, Towa is more easy going, always trying new things, things that Setsuna also got to try. Since in case of an emergency it was decided that Towa was to be the heir and replacement to their father their dynamic changed.

With the decision, her easy going sister found herself being placed with duties that she had to study a lot to get used to while training to raise her youki, the energy of youkais, and her youjutsu, the magic of youkais.

Setsuna complained to her father about it and the only thing he had to say was that she had a choice: stay here and take Towa's place if she wanted or leave and learn more to prove him wrong.

It was only her elder sibling that convinced her that she should leave and 'spread her wings'. They even fought on that with the black haired girl losing that match.

Trying to remember better stuff her mind goes to her mother, Rin. It was funny for her that she met a girl with the same name but she didn't make any comments since both women couldn't be more different.

The Rin from school is abrasive, proud and ready for a fight if needed while her mother, her mom, was the kindest person that Setsuna ever met in her opinion. It was her that explained to Setsuna that her father, the mighty Seshomaru, was worried about something and that was making him react preentivally.

"Setsuna?" Hearing her name she snaps out of her thoughts and looks to Koneko. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am fine. Thank you Koneko." The smaller girl gives her a nod. They shared a camaraderie that she didn't expect to find outside of Kyoto, both in their appreciation of food and the fact that Koneko is a former yokai.

"She was enjoying the post food daze." Liz was, obviously, still in the state of bliss that Shirou food was able to induce in most people.

"I was just thinking about… some stuff?" Koneko accepted the excuse easily.

"Like?" Liz asked. Usually she is more lethargic but fulfilled as she is now the question came out easily. "How to get more food?" It was a phenomenon that everyone on the club couldn't understand but some had theories of how much more active the woman was after eating a lot.

The fact that the follow up question came back to the topic they all shared appreciation of actually helped Setsuna. "Well, it did startle me considering that I couldn't do the same thing Koneko did and request to live at your house." Admitted the hanyou. "After that I started to think about my own home back in Kyoto."

"Why couldn't you?" Liz felt she was on a roll today. "You can come too if you want. Irisviel-sama will probably approve. All you have to do is ask."

What was unsaid was that Irisviel will probably approve them both in the hopes that Shirou gets into a relationship with them as fast as possible but that wasn't the maid's problem. As long as she has a roof on her head, her family safe, food on the table and stuff to pass the time she is a happy camper.

"That is not the question of the matter. A young woman and young man living together like that is undignified unless they are in a relationship." She spoke with a certainty that most people would find problems disagreeing.

"Weren't you and Shirou supposed to go on a date?" Once the question left Liz's lips it was enough to snap Setsuna back making her recoil once she realized something.

"I still owe him a date!" Nodding to herself the hanyou gets up and moves out of the kitchen quickly. "How could I forget for this long? I am a fool!"

The white haired duo looked at each other and the younger commented. "She forgot it until now?"

"Yes." Now that the meal was done and some time passed Liz reactions started to go to her usual level of excitement. It was always fascinating for Koneko to watch the transition, the personality didn't change but there was much less effort in doing things even if the maid still had a considerable level of vitality in her.

"Should we do something?"

"No." She had a feeling that Shirou got it.

…..

The place of the meeting was in a hotel, a 5-stars place that spoke of the money being invested to the ones invited. To enter one needed to have some identification but the guests had received a keyword to give to the receptionist.

It was obvious the man was hypnotized to not ask questions, he just guided the guests one by one. The most recent arrival was the man in a coat and goatee, he reached the top of the hotel. It was truly luxurious with a table with plenty of the food and plates to serve themselves, at least five butlers and maids to take care of any needs and a widow with a view that made anyone on the ground look like ants.

Looking to the center of the room he could see three people on a table, the blonde stunning woman was the one who caught his attention more. "Hello beautiful!" She looks at him unimpressed and turns around to drink some wine while a man that was at least a couple of heads bigger than him gets up and glares.

"I would request that you don't start any violence here." The third person on the table said, the man looked like a noble, also dressed in a suit but appeared less athletic than the others, with short blonde hair and a smile that spoke of experience on matters of diplomacy. On his chest was a brooch that looked like a butterfly. "My master didn't invite you all here to fight after all."

"Your master?" The man in the coat asked and in a couple of seconds snapped his fingers. "You're a devil? Shit man, that explains the money."

"Mind your manners ruffian." The big man talked. He already didn't like the new arrival. The woman stayed silent but raised an eyebrow at the deduction of the new arrival. Deciding it wasn't worth it she says.

"Let it go Igarius." In an instant the woman's voice calmed him down. "We are here for a job and we shall act as professionals." Hearing the instruction and with a nod the huge man sits back again.

"What's wrong big fella? Can't fight without the missus' permission?" The taunt got no reaction. "Zhe. Fine then. Can I get something from the buffet?"

"It is there for you all." Was the reply with a small smile and the man with a goatee started to serve himself.

"It is just us?" Asked Igarius, resigning himself to the fact he will have to share a table with the unpleasant person.

"We invited some more people but if they don't show up they lose their chance." The reply was cold but absolute.

"Their 'loss is our gain' as my Ma loved to say." The man proceeded to sit down and eat, not caring about what the others thought. His fork and knife moved fast as he shoved most of the food into his mouth. "Hmmmm. This is so goooooooood."

A couple of minutes passed and the host looked at his watch. Only one of the guests was eating the food it was provided with both who got there earlier not touching anything besides the woman drinking some wine and even then it was just a cup.

Either way he had no time to wait anymore. "It is a shame but looks like the 3 of you are the only ones that came. With that I suppose it is time to speak about the job." Once he knew that he had everyone's attention the host continued. "I can tell that you don't know each other personally but I believe that you may know each other by reputation. After all we made a point to call the best bounty hunters and mercenaries that money can buy."

"Watch your tongue fool." The woman warned with a glare. "I am no lowly mercenary. I am a huntress and you will treat me as such."

The man nodded in acceptance. "Of course, forgive me lady Selene."

"Selene? That Selene? The 'Last Huntress of Artemis' one?" The table shook as the hired gun smiled. "Damn! I thought you would be a thousand years by now. You don't look a day past 30." Once again the big man raised to his feet but the guy just kept talking. "And I thought that you huntresses kept only the company of women. Why are you with a man? Wasn't that forbidden or something-"

"The next time you talk about me out of turn," Selene interrupts the individual, killing intent emanating from her in waves and enough to cover the whole room, "It will be your head. Job or not." Then she directed her attention to the corner of the room. "You should stop hiding behind that disguise."

She was talking directly to one of the butlers and his reaction was immediate. He nodded his head. "What gave me away?" The butler in question started to approach the table, surprising everyone but the woman.

"Your mannerisms were fine, your posture excellent and the act of hypnotized butler was on point." The woman admitted. "But, unlike every other human here who is hypnotized on this floor you have mana running around your body. Enough so you could fight it off."

"I see that the senses you are famous for are in point Huntress. That was something out of my control since I am already as suppressed as I can be." The man places his hand over his face, the whole body of that person starts to change.

Now he was not dressed like a butler or even a normal person. They, for none was sure of anything with how the person was dressed, was covered from head to toe with a black coat, it looked like it had seen better days but it still guaranteed that no information passed to anyone about the person.

The only two things outside of the cloak were a skull mask on the face and the hand that was black as the darkest night and retreated to inside the cloak once the reveal was complete. "This will suffice?" The male voice asked the woman who nodded.

"I will not insult one called 'Old Man of the Mountain' by asking you to take off the mask."

"A HASSAN? HERE?" Spitting his food in shock, the man with the goatee looked shocked upon his arrival. "You gotta be kidding me! You called this bunch too? An assassin from profession, trained since being a brat!" Looking around he can't help but ask. "Is there anyone else?"

Between a huntress that is older than the millennium and a member of an organization that was even older was enough to speak of the quality of the meeting. "I will have to ask Miss Selene to inform us of that." The host admitted. "I had no idea that Mister Hassan was here."

"There is no one else besides us and the hotel staff." The assassin said while sitting down at the table. "The floor is completely secure, with boundary fields on the whole floor to stop anyone that doesn't come here escorted by someone from the staff."

"Yeh, then how did you get in?" The other man asked almost like a fanboy while beassing with his small beard.

"I have my means." He said with a shrug. "Before I believe I suppose I have to ask the host a question…"

"What can I help you with, Mister Hassan?" The assassin's hand moved fast and a knife was pointing to the butterfly on the chest.

"What makes you think anyone here will accept anything from you since you don't even present yourself to us." The butterfly started to move and emity more mana.

"Calm down Mister Hassan." The voice didn't change, neither the attitude, if anything the person in front of them looked completely uninterested for someone with a knife pointing to his chest. "I do this for my protection and nothing else. If you want to meet me in person we can do it once the contract is complete."

"It is still quite arrogant of you to think we will accept such conditions." Selene said, her tone even. "I care not if you hypnotized this poor fellow but it bothers me that you are afraid of meeting with us." After a second of silence she concluded. "If this is some sort of trap, know that I will personally hunt you down."

"Now calm down blondee." The man finally finished his food before saying. "If you read the whole message then you know he has good reason to be cautious." Looking at the assassin, passing the same message made Hassan react, with all the calm of the world, just lowering his hand and staying motionless after that.

"Thank you Mister Edward." The man accepted the thanks. "As the previous message stated all of you are invited for this job that can be both profitable and satisfying in equal measure."

None reacted to his comment, neither impressed or interested. If nothing else by the look on their faces, those that could be seen, they just wanted him to get to the point.

"Besides the monetary reward, most of the people on this table have a grudge against one Emiya Kiritsugu." Upon hearing the name Edward made a ugly face, Igarius almost broke the table with his bare hands and while Selene had no visible reaction her eyes looked sharper than before.

Only the masked man showed no reaction but then he would be the only one that may not have had an encounter with the famous Magus Killer. The rest had and by their reactions it was possible to see some real hatred.

"Yes, you said you had a way to find the bastard." Edward glared just thinking about getting the man he hated the most.

"Allow me to explain the job." With a snap of his fingers a magic circle appeared on the table, dropping some files and pictures. "This is Emiya Shirou." He shows everyone the picture of the redhead in his school uniform. "Actually a student of Kuoh, a magus of some ability and someone that I very much want to be rid off."

Just hearing the surname, even in the japanese traditional use, was enough for everyone to pay close attention to the picture. "He looks nothing like that man." Selene speaks with scorn. "None of the facial features match, the hair is also wrong-"

"He looks too bright to have anything to do with the bastard." Edward says with anger. "Explain it and fast or else…"

The person talking using the hotel employee was now sure he made the right decision. "This is his son."

The mood in the room shifted, from rage to confusion in the blink of an eye. "You sure about that?" Edward asks directly.

"We found enough evidence to support that." Most of it supports the contrary but it doesn't matter to him. "He is also becoming somewhat of a problem. My associate," and now everyone knew that there was another person behind this, "also wants to get rid of him. Two rabbits, one stone."

Many considered the situation, the whole of it, suspicious. Emiya may be a common name in Japan or not, but their benefactor didn't hesitate to admit that they had an interest in getting rid of the red haired boy.

"I accept the job." However, before questions could be asked, someone accepted without hesitation. Things got even weirder when the skull mask looked to be smiling. "It will be a simple job of capture and extraction with minimal interrogation."

"To think that the Hassans got reduced to simple mercenaries." Selene said with disdain. "Is this how you respect the legacy of your people?"

"My organization had to evolve to survive." It wasn't defending his actions, he was explaining his reasoning. "If one doesn't adapt they are left behind and disappear, as it happened to your sisterhood." Now the woman couldn't hide her reaction and fury was visible on her face but the assassin didn't show any concern. "Besides, Emiya is an individual of interest and all manners of investigation need to be pursued. If the boy has nothing to do with the man I am sure our employee will compensate me fairly."

The mouthpiece didn't show any reaction to the declaration but the few moments in silence was enough to know that the person behind him was deliberating. "Of course." Was said after a few moments. "I can double-"

"One hundred million if he has nothing to do with Kiritsugu Emiya." Cutting before the offer could be made, Hassan laid his terms at the table for all to hear. "I don't like harming innocents, it is against our Code to mess with the balance and if this is just a grudge this is the minimal fee to guarantee that I don't go after you and your devil associate."

When a minute passed and no one spoke anything they knew that Hassan was right, there was a devil involved. "A devil and a magician?" Selene throwed out there to see if there was a reaction. There was none since the mouthpiece face just kept itself still like a statue.

"Hey! If it is for that kind of money I'm in!" Edward declared, slamming his fists on the table. "Real Emiya or not, that is too good of an offer and too easy of a job!" No one could deny that.

"If that is the money then I accept it as well." Selene said, finding little choice since she does need the money for her own reasons.

Once again the mouthpiece stayed silent, there was some deliberation from the other side of the line and even if the guests couldn't see they knew that there was a debate happening. "Only one." He finally said while everyone waited for him to elaborate. "Moving that quantity of money is problematic in both sides of the discussion. Everyone needs to file taxes, even the devils."

That some of the table would disagree for various reasons but Hassan nods. "Then we have an agreement." He moves to the files and swipes them to read before returning them. "Do I have a time limit?"

"The sooner the better but there are other devils around and it would be better if they didn't notice anything." Undoubtedly it was the devil speaking now.

"He is a magus so he must have some defenses," Hassan observed, "but the deed will be done in a few weeks at the latest. The homunculus that he lives with is probably a combant and maybe even bodyguard. Further observation is necessary."

'He is talking too much for a Hassan.' Selene observed and she was sure the others caught on that too. 'Is he trying to intimidate the competition?'

Because he made it into a competition by basically changing the terms of payment in such a way that everyone would have to fight for it or be faster than the others. There is also the argument that they could work together… there was just no reason. Selene gets the files and can agree with the assassin's assessment.

'The threat level of this guy is minimal, a magus that apparently only uses projection is not dangerous at all. Add to the fact that he may be the son of that man and there may be more than we can see and the price makes sense.' Unfortunately for her, besides the homunculus, she couldn't see anything else that could be a problem and she didn't like that. "Why do you want this human dead again?"

Edward nabs the files after Selene lets them go while the mouthpiece replies. "Besides being a magus he managed to make a thing that can be problematic to me and my family. That is why I needed to 'outsource' this. To make sure me and mine have an alibi."

Now things started to make sense to those present on the table, by revealing his self interest the devil had got some 'trust' on his motives. "That didn't say for certain he is the son of the magus killer." Edward said, throwing the file to the ground. "But I will do it… for the money. And if he is, BONUS."

Now the devil knew he was not dodging easily on paying the 'winner' of the small race, worst even he may have also to pay the rest later and he moving that many funds will bring out questions if he is not careful. He needs to get some control back from the situation. "If you want to work together I can still pay the amount and you all can split it."

There, he made the offer. If he got lucky they would work together and- "I have no need of that." Hassan, the one that should be the most cautious, just threw away any attempt and hope of working together with everyone else. "I shall take my leave."

And with just that, the most recent 'Old Man of The Mountain' gets up and starts to leave, his form changing to one of the butlers he was previously.

"Ha! The race is on oldman!." Edward declares jumping to his feet to leave as well.

With just the huntress and her assistant present the two saw no point in staying and started to leave as well. "Did you get us some accommodations?" When she received no immediate response, Selene just decided to go. "Forget it anyway. I don't think I can trust this place."

Off the duo went to get their own accommodations while the hypnotized staff dropped to their knees and lost counciency, the mouthpiece being the last one as the butterfly on his chest started to move.

It took flight, back to its master.

…..

Shirou found many benefits to his pact with Rias but the thing that he finds himself more particularly happy with were the people he managed to meet thanks to it.

Rias herself was caring and gentle, if he needed anything he could ask for help and she would get it on the snap of her fingers. She also was someone that Shirou respects since she always saw to the end what she wanted to do and helped Rin even if she didn't need to… even if Rin became her secretary but nothing in life is free and that was fair.

Akeno… likes to tease, maybe a bit too much in his opinion, but he enjoyed her company and liked to help her make tea. She still wants to learn reinforcement from him but that would only happen once Rin finished the basics with her.

Speaking of Rin, a person Shirou barely had any contact with in his old school even if that changed more in the recent days, she was dedicated but sometimes he thinks she didn't like him very much.

Setsuna was a person he technically knew outside the club and even now she was looking for a club of her own or thinking about staying on the ORC. Either way he is going to give her his full support since she is also a good friend.

Koneko was the one he could get along with the most since she acted a lot like Liz and both loved his food and since he liked cooking it was win-win there.

The last one was Kiba and the only other male of the club gave Shirou something he found himself lacking previously. Someone to spar with swords that was more skilled than him.

Steel clashes as both males of the club try to push back against each other, both were using european style swords, bastard swords that need both hands from both fights. One of Shirou's most recent creations versus another of Kiba's sacred gear's products.

It was a competition of strength and skill since in speed they both already knew that Kiba had Shirou beat but at the same time Shirou wasn't using reinforcement on himself since if he did he would be the superior one in the confrontation.

The rules for victory were simple, the adversary just had to admit defeat and be thrown into a position that they would be killed in a normal situation or was inescapable by their own means.

At the moment the two were into a struggle, trying to push the other back or get an opening. The rules stated that, besides the previous established limitations both could use whatever they wanted to destabilize their adversary and win.

Around them, in the same fields they spared the first time and some others after, were swords all around. Most of them were Kiba's making until the Knight had managed to make a sword to counter Shirou's. Counter in the sense that it didn't break against the first swing like all the others.

"What is this sword's deal?" Kiba finally asked. Usually it was the other way around with them, Kiba breaking Shirou's swords after a couple of encounters but this time it was the reverse.

"Wanna guess?" Shirou then relaxes his arms to unbalance Kiba, following up with a swipe of his leg, aiming at Kiba's feet.

The blonde may be unable to use his full speed but he is still fast enough to jump back and avoid the attack only to have to block Shirou's sword once again, being thrown back a bit more until he turned and ran for one of his fallen swords.

"Waterfall." Upon shouting the name of the blade, Kiba makes a fast water jet that Shirou had to dodge. "It is heavier than the rest. Is it gravity?"

"Nope." The redhead launches himself directly at Kiba who tried to redirect the water to try and get Shirou but failed since the human slided closer and threw a side attack that the devil was forced to block.

Both were using one hand but Shirou had both momentum as the attacked and the advantage of his sword's magic that Kiba hadn't figured out yet..

Forced to drop his sword the blonde made another one, lighter this time tried to get Shirou still on the ground. "Trace on." Shirou also makes another sword, two in fact since he dropped the only real sword he had in this fight.

Once again a stalemate but this one was different. Instead of competing on strength like before this time the two were trying to pass by the other's guard with speed and both blades.

Kiba's still retained their european design, just being shorter while Shirou's was using scimitars with bronze handles. "I know this one." Kiba commented.

Indeed he did and once they clashed again Shirou's swords started to vibrate. Again and again when the two swords hit Kiba's more and more they started to vibrate until both separated and Shirou threw the scimitars to the ground and they blew up.

Shirou gets back to his bastard sword. It was silver in plenty of places, including its handle and the blade looked pure white. Kiba still didn't know the trick, he couldn't tell if the appearance was something that Shirou changed or the material it was made with.

EIther way Kiba remade the sword he started with and got ready as Shirou charged again until he stopped.

The explosion of his scimitars had made a hole, not that big but enough that going into a straight line would involve jumping and leaving him open to Kiba's counter. It was a little deep but trying to pass it without jumping would also leave him open to attacks and into a worse position.

The distance itself was enough that a small car could fit there with some effort. There were only two choices: go around or jump.

Shirou decided to go around but with his usual smile Kiba started moving in the same direction, avoiding the red head since their positions were now inverted. With a frown Shirou tried again only for the same thing to happen with Kiba stopping at the exact same time.

With a grunt the exercise was repeated a third time and the human was starting to grow frustrated. "Stop running."

"I am a Knight. Running is my thing." It was clear of what he wanted. Since he didn't yet know what was special about Shirou's sword he wanted to make it a non factor by placing him into a difficult position to defend himself.

Pity for him that they allowed other kinds of magic in the fight. "Trace on." On his left hand, knives start to show up. Kiba raises his sword and when the new blades are thrown he is prepared.

Deflecting was easy, Shirou could only make four at a time and throw them. This was another instance of repetition where Kiba had already done this more than once since that was the best method that the human had to do damage to him at a distance.

As far as Kiba knew anyway since they did that routine more than once Shirou threw a curve ball and launched a smaller surprise. It came from the same direction and Kiba blocked like the knives. "A shuriken?" He asked unimpressed.

"Saw this in an anime, Liz's favorite. I just need to get the timing right." Making four more shurikens, the red head tried again but his spread of mana was bad.

"You sure what you are trying is going to work?" The blonde asked with his usual smile.

"Only tried this in a controlled setting." Practice makes perfect but he had little practice on what he was attempting to do. Maybe if he used both hands or tried to focus more he would be more successful but it was a process he needs to work more since he just finished the original a few days ago.

And that meant abandoning his sword, the only thing keeping Kiba away since he was hesitating in caution to the ability it may have but the moment that Shirou discards his sword then Kiba would go in hard to at least force him to get away from it and force him to trace a copy that will make him run out of mana.

That his shurikens will make him run out first because he was both making them and trying to trigger them mid-flight was already as much as he was willing to throw away at that point.

'This isn't working.' Shirou decided to stop to catch his breath. 'Kiba is just blocking everything and I'm accomplishing nothing with this. If the new idea is not working time to go for plan B.' He really didn't want to go for plan B. "I am the bone of my sword."

Once again the devil got ready in case Shirou tried something already knowing that the longer aria meant he was using more energy. Kiba expected a sword of some kind, something with more firepower than the redhead uses in general.

Instead of a tool of attack he did something he never had before, Shirou made a shield. It was big enough to cover his torso, had no emblems and it was round, the type it was used by hoplites.

"Okay, that is new." Admitted Kiba. "We are allowing shields?"

"We never said we couldn't." With that Shirou charged and jumped the small hole he made.

Seeing no choice Kiba fell back choosing to not underestimate the shield. Once Shirou had crossed the small hole he surprised Kiba again by flinging the shield and forcing him to jump the side leaving himself open for a frontal charge from Shirou who was right behind his shield.

"Sword Birth." Like an aria, calling the name of a sacred gear helped the user to use it more extensively, either by more application of mana or by doing something he wasn't used to. In this particular instance Kiba also tries to make a shield by surrounding himself with swords.

They pop from the ground not going any higher than a small fence but enough for Kiba to feel safe. Shirou stops himself with his own sword by hitting it on the fence and Kiba tries to disarm his opponent to end the match, feeling his reserves running dry after his own stunt.

Holding his own sword firmly, the human stops the other sword and tries to do the same. They returned to the previous setting of trying to overpower one another but this time with many swords stopping them from advancing directly.

"New trick?" Shirou couldn't help but ask.

"Kinda." Kiba admited. "Decided to try that after the last time. Felt I needed some defense."

That was the thing the Knight liked about their spars, their styles were alike enough that once the physical factor stops being a factor it becomes a competition of creativite that both felt it was a great place to test their skills.

Shirou was at a constant disadvantage in this kind of arena, having to prepare previously and being unable to make new things on the fly but the ones he made are good works, good steel born of hard work and numerous tentatives.

Kiba was the opposite, he can adapt easily but most of the work is shoddy and basic most of the time and unless he already has something he knows it works already he needs to trust his sacred gear to do the heavy lifting.

The problem that the two face is the opposite of the other's. Shirou's swords are not perfect but they don't need to be since they had a strong base build by someone who understood them into a deep level while Kiba's swords were perfect but limited since the focus was on the ability they need to have, those always powerful enough that the constitution mattered little and made they inherently superior.

Both realized that after the first couple of encounters, Shirou's swords would break first because Kiba's were just more powerful and when the magus tried something the Knight could just adapt, forcing the human to build a better base for his own swords.

Kicking the side of the swords on the ground Kiba takes more distance. 'Really wish I could use my full speed.' He barely finished the thought and Shirou was already on him, sword raised for an overhead swing.

Blocking the first three attacks the sacred gear user makes another sword, a familiar one. "Wind Monarch!" The barrier of wind blocks the fourth strike and Kiba goes for a counter.

But his crouched position was bad and Shirou managed to get away again just enough to go for a stab and press on the barrier. He had seen enough of that sword to now know one or two weaknesses.

The first was that to keep the barrier going Kiba needed to pump mana into the sword, he had no choice if he wanted its power to be active to any of his weapons. Thanks to the weight of the new blade Shirou could easily clash it against the wind and keep it there by steading his position.

Now Kiba was in a dilemma, if he didn't keep the barrier going Shirou was in an ideal position to attack while he hadn't recovered yet, every second that passed his mana got lower and he still didn't know the trick of the redhead's sword yet.

Deciding that offensive was the best defense this time Kiba dropped the shield and focused into a counter that Shirou saw coming. Both ended up with wounds, a cut to Shirou's leg and one in Kiba's arm.

'Good thing we aren't on our uniforms.' Shirou mused. A new pair of jeans was way cheaper than Kuoh's uniform. His short sleeved red shirt also was one of many.

Kiba was using clothes that looked a lot like the uniform with just a change of colors, black to the button shirt instead of white. Neither came with clothing they were unwilling to lose after all.

Once again the two swords cross each other's path this time Shirou was on the defensive with Kiba using both the swords on his hands to try and get the magus on the ground or disarm him.

Showing his patience Shirou choses to focus on defense. While going for a stead retreat, that lasted until he was back to the small fence of swords. "Got you now!" Kiba goes for two vertical swings, leaving his front exposed since he knew Shirou wouldn't go for it since it could be dangerous to the devil.

The magus proves him wrong and hits him there with the blunt of his sword. "Need a break." Shirou asks when Kiba fell down because of the surprise attack.

"No. Am good." He gets up while moving his arm a bit. "Can't believe I forgot about the side of the sword."

Shirou decided to give him an observation. "I think you are a bit single minded during the fight." Was what he said.

"I was sure you would panic since you were trapped." Were because the redhead got to use Kiba's blunder to move to the side and away from the fence.

"You really are still not good with two swords." Nodding at that the blonde threw both swords away and made a new one.

"You still haven't used that sword's ability yet." Kiba decided to prob.

"Who said I didn't?" But Shirou's question shook him a bit.

"Really wished that I could go full speed." The sword that Kiba was holding now was another two sided bastard sword but this one was purple and was emanating some smoke of the same color.

Not knowing what the blonde was planning, Shirou removed one hand from his sword to make something to use. That was what Kiba was waiting for and he swung his sword. "EVIL MIST!"

'Poison?' Shirou thinks in a panic and reacts fast, making a copy of "WIND MONARCH!" He unleashes the power of the winds as fast as he could but while he managed to dissipate the purple cloud he also lettered himself open to Kiba who didn't hesitate to attack and managed to cut Shirou's arm before he parried the rest and tried to counter by aiming at Kiba's chest with the green sword of wind.

The blonde gave out his usual smile and pressed his attack with his single sword, this time it was Shirou that was trying to fight in a position he was not used to. Even if he did train with two swords he never managed to do it right, mostly because he only made one or two swords that actually worked as pairs.

Deciding to not be pushed around anymore he used the same trick his adversary did a couple of minutes ago and made a wind barrier to get some breath. Unlike Shirou, Kiba's sword had not the proper weight to deal with that and the blonde retreated once again.

"What happened… with chivalry?" Shirou asked almost without breath. He undid both the barrier and the sword by making the latter disappear.

"What? I did nothing wrong." Kiba commented with a smile.

"You sent a poison cloud at me." Getting his second wind Shirou holds his sword properly once again.

It was then that he noticed that Kiba's smile had changed a bit, he didn't know why but it looked different. "It was no poison, just purple mist."

"What?" Using structural analyses Shirou's eyes focused on the sword on the devil's hand and its properties. "Colored smoke? Really?"

"Well, you use a lot of tricks to get away or attack from a safe distance." The smile was still there while he explained. "I decided to try one to reduce the distance."

The purple sword was, like all its brethren, perfect. No flaws, no defects, no impurities. Its magical capabilities were low with a focus on resistance and to let out the 'Evil Mist' with the command of its owner, the 'mist' just being a cloud tinged in purple.

"You used to be so pure." Shirou started. "Did I corrupt you?"

Joining the banter, even if he knew that Shirou was stalling, Kiba decided to reply. "A human corrupting a devil? That would be funny." He even let out a small laugh for good measure. "But it was a thing you and Setsuna pretty much smashed on my head day one."

"Sorry." He felt a need to apologize only for the devil to shake his head.

"It is fine. That just means that I won't fall for it when an enemy tries to pull off a fast one." Now that Shirou's breathing had completely normalized, Kiba charged again.

Even with the short time of rest Shirou managed to parry the initial strike, moving his sword horizontally to block the vertical attack. Both tried to push each other again but this time there was little contest with the redhead's sword being pushed aside and him having to retreat again to avoid damage and defeat.

The problem was that Kiba was not letting him go, everytime he blocked or paired the devil was already following up with another strike and Shirou knew he was going to lose, there was just little he could do at this point but stall since he used most of his reserves.

'This is frustrating.' Shirou can't help himself but think. 'I can't believe I fell for highsight Kiba would never use poison and he doesn't even know how to make any… can his swords even make such a thing.'

He knew that Kiba's sacred gear created demonic swords but the definition of demonic was something he failed to work around at the moment, failing to remember that his friend wouldn't do anything too underhanded.

The conflict lasted a few more minutes and a few dozens of cuts between them until Shirou lost his balance on his right foot and fell to the ground with a sword to the neck. "I win." Kiba announces.

"Yes… you did." Shirou replied with a smile and relaxed. Kiba offers him his hand which he took.

The two moved to a tree where they left some water bottles and had a nice shade. Together with the bottles there was a small case where EM resided but Kiba ignored it for the moment. The first thing Shirou did was fall on his back on the ground and lay there while Kiba got some water and threw a bottle at him which Shirou caught.

"Thanks." The redhead sits and almost drinks the whole thing.

"You were really thirsty." Kiba observes while Shirou finishes his bottle.

"Can't deny that." And with that Shirou closed the bottle and laid it to his side as he closed his eyes and enjoyed a small breeze and completely ignored the wounds he made during the training.

The swordsman of Gremory did the contrary and soon he sat down in the shade as well but on his hands was the healing scalpel and made a small incision on his hand. He could feel the wounds healing, there weren't many but they were there until they weren't anymore and Kiba took a look at his hand not even seeing the small thing he did. "I still don't get how the wound you make also heals when you take the blade out."

"Residual magic." Was the explanation Shirou was going for. "It has left overs from the mana you used on the rest. If you didn't use the spell it would be a simple scalpel. Albeit a very durable one."

Offering the small tool Kiba asks. "Need some help?"

"You alright?" The question came out instead of a direct reply. "I can wait until I get back to my workshop. None of these wounds are enough to be dangerous, just let me rest for a bit." Kiba gave out a sigh and stabbed him. "OW!"

"Stop being considerate and say when you need help." Knowing the redhead's disposition, Kiba just shrugged and used EM anyway. "Just say when you need help."

Letting out his own sigh Shirou says. "Thank you."

Then the Knight's eyes landed on the white sword close to Shirou. "You never got the chance to use that thing's deal." Shirou laughs at the comment.

"This thing's deal… is no deal." When the blonde looked at him confused and waited for the red head to continue he decided to say something since his friend still had his eyes closed.

"Can you elaborate?"

"Nah, I can use it next time." Shirou said with a small amount of sass, almost daring Kiba to try again.

"I could ask Buchou. I know you make a point of telling her everything you work one." It was a principle that Shirou felt was necessary.

Yes, they have a pact and she doesn't need him to report every single thing, the girl herself said that he can just tell her what he felt was important or not. He disagreed since she was technically paying for the whole thing and maybe he does end up making something that could be useful. Her perspective was that all he needed to do was give him materials and trust his judgment but could agree that he had a point.

A system needed to be made because she didn't want any more paperwork and Shirou didn't need to report every little thing. About the materials they decided that once the magus had gone over everything he would tell her what worked, what didn't and if there was something else he wanted to try in a different way. With the number of stuff he still had to try, that could take the whole year.

In return Shirou would tell her his successes like he did before by just walking in and showing her and letting her try. If she sees something useful there she will inform him. The structural analysis sword was a success and they could be made without him using the spell while 'EM' still is having some difficulty to get going.

Since they already had one that was possible to mass produce with bigger quantities of mana and steel all that they needed was to either reduce the mana cost or improve the process. When break hits Rias plans to talk with someone else about it, the best scientist in the Underworld and ask his opinion.

But Kiba is right, if he wanted to he could ask for Rias to tell him and he didn't know if she would. "Okay, fine." Shirou sits down again. "I wasn't lying, you know. That sword doesn't do anything special."

"But…" Because Shirou wouldn't have used that blade if it didn't do anything.

"But it is special." Motioning to Kiba to give him the sword, Shirou holds it horizontally. "It is made with wyvern's bones."

"But didn't Buchou said that she couldn't get any dragon material." Shaking his head the magus replies.

"Dragons and wyverns are different. Dragons are like masses of mana made of flesh and bone while wyverns are lesser versions of them." Shirou chuckled. "It isn't even a competition and yet are the wyverns that aren't the ones almost extinct. Mostly because the dragons were too strong for their own good and got screwed." The redhead could appreciate the irony.

"'Too strong for their own good'?" It was the first time Kiba had heard of this.

"Yes it is kinda sad even." Shirou lost his smile while thinking. "Wyvern aren't half as powerful or smart as a dragon can be but they were less aggressive and could work together. From what I read you rarely see two dragons together while you can find arms of wyverns in the Underworld."

"But aren't dragons more powerful?" Having heard his share of legends about dragons Kiba can't keep the confusion out of his voice.

"Oh yeah, way more to the point of absurdity. If this sword was made from a dragon you can bet it would be another thing entirely." Shirou lost any mirth on that. "But power isn't everything. Dragons were lonely creatures and the few that are left are under the protection of the last strong dragon around and, to quote Rias, 'If we try to get anything from a dragon we would have to pass him and his master. We have no chance of that.' At that point she offered the wyvern bones saying that most people ignored that but it was something to work with."

Passing the sword to the Knight Kiba takes a good look at it. If anyone asked him he would say that it was a perfect sword, well balanced and from experience in trying to break the thing it was certainly durable. "And how good would a dragon's bone sword be?"

"From research I could say it would be anti-dragon at minimum." Shirou lays his head to rest again. "The fact that their basic thing is literally to fight each other is the saddest part and explains why beings so powerful are in danger now. From what Rias told me there are less than 30 dragons around and they still are not cooperating enough without Tannin, the strongest dragon alive, being there to stop them from fighting over nothing."

The name sounded familiar to Kiba. "Wait! Isn't that the Queen of Mephisto?"

"Yep." Shirou confirms. "He is not even a full dragon anymore being reincarnated and all but he is the only one that is doing something on that front."

"Maybe it would be different if the Heavenly Dragons were still around." The Knight's comment got a look of confusion from Shirou.

"Heavenly Dragons?"

"The strongest dragons of the world… mostly because the truly strongest dragons are otherworldly beings. But they were so powerful that they could fight God and win one on one."

"And… What happened to them?" Shirou was curious on where such beings should be.

"They fought each other, destroyed a lot of stuff and then got sealed into sacred gears." The magus couldn't believe what he heard.

"You are kidding me?" When Kiba said nothing else Shirou sighed. "Why were they fighting?"

"Nobody knows… maybe their sacred gear holders do but in general." The Knight shrugs. "No idea. And that was the end of the Red Dragon Emperor, Ddraig and the White Dragon Emperor, Albion." Shirou felt that he had heard the names before.

"Aren't those the names of the legendary dragons from England? How it goes again…" After a few seconds Shirou snapped his fingers. "Y Ddraig Goch, The Red Dragon, The Welsh Dragon and the Red Dragon Emperor of Domination, his rival was the White Dragon Albion Gwiber, the White Dragon Emperor of Supremacy. They fought each other constantly to see who was truly the strongest."

"Pretty much on point." Kiba was impressed.

"My mom had some books on them." Shirou almost admitted that he thought they were a myth but considering he was speaking with a devil… "So they are in sacred gears too?" For some reason there was something nagging him on the back of his mind about that.

His friend didn't notice and continued. "Two existences that could compete with gods and win those were the Two Heavenly Dragons. During their fight they ended up in the middle of the armies of the Three Factions of Christianity… they fought two against millions, including the original Maous and God himself."

Since they were sealed the result was obvious. "They lost." But Kiba shook his head.

"Depends what you consider lost. Yes, they lost their bodies but they caused so much damage that the victory of the factions could only be called phyric." Stopping for a sip of water Kiba drops the last important information about the event. "It was there that the original Maou found their deaths."

It took a second for Shirou to process what was said, the fact that the dragons were so strong that the guys that decided to challenge God and the big guy himself together with their armies… "Phyric indeed."

He could almost see the devastation that such beings could cause on his mind's eye, the destruction of cities by their passing, the flames consuming everything, death every place he would look-

"Shirou?" Kiba's voice snapped him of his thoughts.

"Are their users dangerous?" Because if they were, Shirou was going to make an anti-dragon sword as soon as he was able.

"Depends. Usually they are just dangerous to each other since whatever grudge the dragons had passed to their hosts." Sounding unsure, the Knight amended. "I will have to ask someone else about that."

"Please do." If they didn't cause problems it was fine for him.

"They did cause Pompey." And with that the red head decided to make a dragon slaying sword… somehow. Shirou could see them killing every magician that tried to get their blood or kill them.

"Please tell me it was a joke."

"Either themselves or their hosts… by accident." That was terrifying to think about. "Their hosts are really powerful since they have the dragons inside their sacred gears, both of which are Longinus level." Kiba then stops for a bit. "But back to the original point, what does that sword really do?"

'He really wants me to forget all that?' Shirou really felt that there should be a pamphlet saying what was or wasn't dangerous on the supernatural. "It is just a strong sword, really hard to break and nothing else right now. A work in progress if you prefer."

Since wyverns were inferior to dragons there was no point in making swords or anything from them if a dragon was inherently superior. After that most of the weapons were empowered by rituals and a lot of other stuff that Shirou was still learning and that could enhance the materials in such a way that the bones were not suitable.

"Couldn't Buchou ask for Tannin's blood or something?" Good suggestion from his part.

"No, he won't give it." Because Rias had already tried. "It is something that I would have to get by force to not insult his pride." And Shirou is in no hurry to challenge a dragon.

"What about the shield?" Shirou was impressed with how many questions he got Kiba to ask today. "You never used one before. I thought that you only made swords."

That put another smile on Shirou's face. "No, your sacred gear just makes swords. I can technically make anything if I have the blueprint."

"But…"

"But making shields costs a lot of mana… I mean more than make ten or twenty swords combined." Kiba raised an eyebrow to show his disbelief. "I'm not joking here. That was a gamble that I didn't want to make but found no other way to get to you. Should really work on that."

"Then it was-" Shirou interrupted him.

"It's a metal disk that can be used as a Shield. I made it based on the shield of the Greeks because it could be smaller but I could have gone for a more detailed viking/scandinavian design or even a more medieval one without highlights." Shirou chuckles again. "At least it was a good first attempt. It worked but it just cost too much since I am a sword."

HIs origin was just incompatible with the use and creation of shields, yes he can make them but either he needs a shield that was really good or it was best to do what Kiba did and place a lot of swords between him and the opponent. All he has to do is figure out how to do that…

Perplexed by the explanation but understanding that the red head was trying something new, Kiba gets another two bottles of water, gives one to his friend and sits by the trunk of the tree to relax for a few minutes.

Later they would go for their duties, Shirou would go back to work in the forge and test different materials for a few hours before working with steel and try to figure out different ways to apply magic while Kiba is going to be summoned for pacts to raise his prestige and get some money.

Unless it is in school the two of them don't have much contact but they respected each other's skills and both benefited from training, even in classes they tended to work together with their other two friends on assignments and homework… even if Shirou didn't have any from Waver he still had from his other teachers.

Speaking of other teachers he remembered talking with Taiga just the other day and how her main class was doing much better now that both Isseis had stopped being aggressive with each other, having reached some kind of compromise she wasn't privy about.

Shirou is happy for his old friend and could only hope that the peace he managed to find with his counterpart will be long lasting and don't cause any issues. He really should figure out a way to spend some time with his old friend but it was normal for people to drift apart in these cases where they don't have a place to meet anymore.

Once again he felt a nagging feeling on the back of his mind, he was forgetting something, something… important? Shirou wasn't sure but it was nagging him for the second time and interrupting his rest.

'If it's important I will remember sooner or later.' Coming to that conclusion Shirou manages to relax again. The wind was nice and the summer is getting there soon. Usually that didn't mean much to his family, less now that they were more apart than ever.

So far he got only four letters from his sister, he still doesn't get why she can't leave the Clocktower for a few minutes to go to a cyber cafe or something or even get a phone borrowed from somewhere.

But following the letters she is fine, working a lot but Illya is a hard worker when she wants something. Unfortunately that means she can't get back to Japan yet. His parents… he still hasn't talked with his father but his mother sent him her regards and wished him well while saying they may be too busy to visit anytime soon.

But they still had time to settle whatever they were doing, same with Illya and that filled him with hope. "SHIROU!" He heard someone calling and turned to see Setsuna approaching in a hurry.

"Something wrong?" The redhead was on his feet in an instant with Kiba not far behind.

"We forgot our date." Only for the magus to grow confused while the Knight lets out a chuckle and relaxes again.

"Setsuna, I already told you that you don't need to worry about it." The girl just shook her head.

"No, we are doing this." She gave him a fierce look. "I made the bet. I gave my word and my father would be sorely disappointed if I didn't keep it."

That and the fact that if things go well she can actually move in with him without any one being able to complain with the excuse they were dating. Shirou would welcome her anyway even if just temporarily, he liked to cook and sometimes he feels that his house is a bit empty, however there were not enough rooms anyway which would stop both the ideas. But Setsuna didn't realize that since she never had been in his house, she was thinking about being able to eat Shirou's food until he really got into a relationship with someone.

Seeing the resolve in his friend's eyes Shirou decided to bite the bullet. "I never had a date before…" Part of him was ashamed in admitting it but with a blink Setsuna said.

"Neither did I…" Both just blink and look at each other not knowing what to do.

"Should we… Should we go now?" Shirou asked while scratching his head.

"I… weren't we going to try and mix my magic with your forge today?" Then she looks to the sky. "It also is getting late."

While there is an argument that they could have their date at night both still wouldn't know what to do.

Taking pity for his friends, Kiba decided to intervene. "You guys could take the week to figure out how you want this date to go." When both looked at Kiba he smiled again and said. "If you don't know you can do some research or even ask. I am sure that the internet has some suggestions or you can ask the other girls from the club?"

"Have you ever been on a date, Kiba?" Shirou asked, hoping that his friend could help him.

"I have been invited to some but never had the time." With that last comment the blonde starts to make his way to the club. "Just make sure to plan something and go on a day you two can spend together. I am sure you will figure something out. You two are friends anyway and what could possibly go wrong?"

Not having reason to disagree they both would go on their date next weekend.

…..

This is the part where I say that I found little to no references of wyverns in the DxD universe, I may be wrong but most of the time there are just dragons and different kinds of dragons. And about the dragons being worse here than in there it is simple, greedy mages plus less stronger dragons around to shift the balance.

Dragons are lonely creatures in legends and the DxD universe kinda gives them too much leaway. They are supposed to be aggressive, even if they are smart they are territorial and while they are strong not all of them can defeat armies, especially well prepared ones with the half a dozen or so weapons that can kill even the bigger dragons.