"It looks like it's the end for us," the fallen said, staring at the ceiling of the confinement chamber in which she and Raynare were currently held. It had been about two hours since Dohnaseek and Mittelt had left, so Calawarna was trying to collect her thoughts. But no matter how you looked at it, their chances of rescue were infinitesimally small. They were captured, the cell blocked their magic, there was no one to call for help, and relying on mercy was downright foolish. The woman was a realist and understood that most likely, they would both die.
"Have you... met him?" a quiet and hoarse voice came from the figure lying next to Calawarna, leaning against the wall with her back. It was Raynare.
"Yes. As soon as I found out you were with him, I rushed to kill him. That's how we met," the fallen one sadly smirked. "But he's not strong enough. So he won't be able to get here."
Hearing this, Raynare simply chuckled softly.
"Not strong enough? Is that what you think? You underestimated him, Caravaika."
"I told you not to call me that! Anyway, he barely managed to deal with me, and that was purely by chance. But I admit, his magic is very peculiar."
"His magic reflects his essence," Raynare closed her eyes. "You remember my special gift, right?"
"The 'Judge.' The ability to look into someone's soul. Such a rare power... hardly more than a couple of beings like you in our entire race. Did you use it?"
"Yes, and what I saw and felt that evening is difficult to put into words. I saw... a terrible fire that was destroying everything in its path; people were slowly dying and calling for help. Flames were everywhere; it was as if I saw hell... and a boy walking through the rubble. He was crying and ignoring all pleas for help from those around him, just moving forward. Then, I see him collapse on the ground, unable to move any longer. That day, he seemed empty inside and ready to die. His hand reached out to the moon that was visible in the smoke, and then it fell lifelessly. But at the last moment, someone caught it. A man who was shedding tears and had a joyful expression kept saying 'thank you.' That day, he was saved, and on that same day, in his soul, those barren lands devoid of life were born..."
"What are you... you know, everything you just said doesn't match our gathered information. According to our data, he has never undergone such trials."
"I know what I saw. And back then, during our meeting, I could barely contain my emotions. I could not even bring myself to attack him properly, I just did not want to. I thought that if I pretended to want to kill him, he would back off, and it would all end. But this guy is an uncompromising idealist. That's why he will definitely come here."
"He said he wants to save you."
Raynare hugged her knees and buried her face in them.
"What a fool he is," she said with a smile, tears streaming down her face.
POV Shirou.
I was slowly descending the stairs of the second floor of the Occult Research Club building.
"So, what do we have?" Ddraig lazily inquired.
"For now, neutral relationship with the devil faction of this school and a tense situation with the fallen. I'll visit the church tomorrow night. If other fallen cross the line, I'll... I'll make sure they can't harm anyone anymore."
"What about that nun you met earlier today? What will you do with her?"
She only arrived in the city today and most likely knows nothing about the local church. Moreover, considering that the church is abandoned, someone from the fallen called her here, but it's unclear how. After all, organizations like the Vatican and other Catholic centers vehemently protect individuals with such Gears, and they would never let go of a talent like Asia. Not only did they send her alone, but they also didn't provide her with any guidance. What if the Catholics have no idea about her movements at all?
"What do you mean?"
"Well, she might have escaped, or they might have exiled her. Perhaps she simply didn't reveal her abilities and left so effortlessly. Regardless, she's not my enemy. And as soon as I free Raynare, I'll decide what to do next."
"As the host of the dragon, you are free to do whatever you want. It's your privilege. Even if you decided to besiege Hell and stand against the current Satan, I wouldn't stop you, even if you ended up perishing."
"Why?"
"Dragons value freedom greatly and will never willingly part with it for anything. We are too proud for that. And since you are my host now, your decisions are, in a sense, my decisions too. Enjoy your freedom, partner; not everyone can afford it."
After these words, the dragon fell silent once more. Right now, he was expending a lot of energy to adjust the boosted gear and change its initial form. This would undoubtedly make its future application easier.
Meanwhile, I left the territory of the Occult Research Club and headed home.
The clock showed one in the morning. I leisurely walked along the main road, passing by the lampposts dispersing the surrounding darkness. My body wasn't tired from the work of the day, but my mind needed rest. Although not many events had occurred today, each of them left many unanswered questions. Devils suddenly appeared and tried to recruit me. I was surprised by Rias Gremory's fervent words about family and protection, but I couldn't be completely sure. Fortunately, we ended up on friendly terms. If they had all suddenly attacked me in that clubroom... I would have definitely escaped, but I wouldn't have walked away unscathed.
With these thoughts on my mind, I made my way home and finally reached my house. Upon entering, I saw that Kuro was already waiting for me at the doorstep, curled up in a ball. When she heard the sound of the closing door, she opened her eyes and stared at me with her little face. I slowly took off my shoes, picked her up, and carried her into the living room. Approaching the window, I took one last look at the bright moon in the cloudless night sky. I remember often sitting like this with Kiritsugu when I was still a child. I witnessed the last moments of his life. And in those final moments, he regretted not becoming a hero of justice, someone who had to save everyone, regardless of circumstances.
"Then I'll become a hero of justice in your place," I said that night. I had always admired his efforts, even though he couldn't save everyone. I found it unfair that some people survived while others didn't, and that partly drove me to embrace his ideal. On that day, my empty life finally gained a new purpose.
Hearing my words, he smiled one last time and peacefully passed away.
In the night sky, there was a sudden, barely noticeable flash of light. Out of pure curiosity, I looked in that direction with my magical sight, but due to the great height, I couldn't make out anything. In the next second, events unfolded at an incredible speed. A dim purple barrier covered the area around my house and the immediate surroundings, and the flash in the sky rapidly approached my home. The speed of this projectile was extremely high, and there was catastrophically little time to react to this attack. The magical assault (it couldn't be anything else) was dangerous, and it would easily engulf the entire house if I didn't do something.
I freed my left hand by activating my magic circuits and, skipping almost all the projection steps at the maximum speed I can, formed Ajax's Shield and directed it towards the living room. The shield was far from perfect as only one layer of a closed barrier successfully formed. At the last moment, I slightly jumped. In the same instant, a massive explosion engulfed my house.
POV Shirou. The end.
"Did it hit?" Mittelt, hovering in the air, asked her colleague Dohnaseek, who was peering at the city below them.
"Bullseye. The whole house was blown away by the explosion. The attack pierced the roof, then the second floor, and only then did it detonate. Even the foundation didn't survive. To survive something like that, you need to be at least on a level of a high-class which is not something this guy is known for."
"Yeah, it was a big bang. I didn't even know you could combine the spears of the fallen to increase damage, and that the strike speed would also increase."
"You still have a lot to learn. But enough chit-chat. I won't believe he's finally dead until I see his corpse or remains. Let's descend."
"Yes, yes," the fallen angel grumbled and began to descend. However, before she could even start, she heard her partner's shout.
"Look out!"
Mittelt only had time to turn her head when something struck her right wing. She didn't have time to notice anything before that something literally tore her wing off completely. The girl screamed in intense pain and began to fall rapidly.
"Damn!" Dohnaseek managed to dodge at the last moment, avoiding the hit. He only briefly saw what had tried to strike him. It was a black arrow. But he wasn't allowed to admire the sight. He had barely avoided one attack when another hit him. The blow grazed him and left a good mark on his chest, tearing his cloak to shreds.
At that moment, the fallen angel decided to quickly descend to join Mittelt and attack the survivor together. Not wanting to waste time, he rushed towards the ground, noticing in the process that the girl had managed to land safely even with one wing. He also spotted a rapidly moving shadow that, in just a few seconds, jumped towards the girl and forcefully slammed her into the wall, then, picking her up, disappeared into the darkness of the alleyways.
The fallen felt... uneasy. Perhaps he had underestimated his opponent slightly and had lost his partner in less than five minutes since the start of the operation. This made him involuntarily consider the possibility of retreating if things took a turn for the worse. However, it also led him to think that if he could complete the mission alone, he would undoubtedly earn a place in his master Kokabiel's personal army.
However, there was no one nearby to tell him that this was pure nonsense. The fallen one landed neatly near the road and looked around. There were no traces of Mittelt nearby, only the dent in the wall created by the efforts of that shadow. Behind him, he heard someone running, so he quickly turned and armed himself. The sound of footsteps drew nearer, and after a few seconds, a guy with red hair emerged from around the corner.
"Emiya Shirou," Dohnaseek said in a strained voice, looking at the slightly out of breath and disheveled Emiya.
"So, you're the bastard who blew up my house?!" he angrily shouted. Twin blades appeared in his hands.
And the showdown… or to be sure - a duel began. Emiya charged forward, swinging his blades, but Dohnaseek spun his lance of light and diligently parried all the attacks, feeling the pressure from his opponent. Strike, lunge, block. Under the furious attacks that came like rain, the fallen angel gradually retreated. The redhead's level of skill turned out to be much higher than fallen angel had imagined. Emiya, on the other hand, held nothing back. Strike, strike, a sudden lunge, and then, with a slight jump, he crashed down onto the lance, causing the asphalt under the fallen's feet to crack slightly before he was sent flying back, crashing into someone's car.
"Just how strong is he?" Dohnaseek stared in amazement at Emiya. He couldn't believe that an ordinary human could easily overpower a fallen angel without even using his sacred gear. But Emiya could. Common fallen like Dohnaseek didn't even measure up to the weakest servants - assassins. They could only surpass casters in physical strength and defense.
The fallen didn't take his eyes off Shirou. Yet, he didn't notice the moment when the blades in his hands were replaced by a black bow. An arrow instantly slid off the string and shot towards its target. In response, the winged being hastily raised his hand and created a protective barrier. The arrow collided with the barrier and immediately exploded, but the barrier held. Before a smile could spread across the fallen angel's face, a new explosion resounded, followed by another and another. Emiya systematically released arrow after arrow, giving the winged one no respite. After the fifth arrow struck the barrier, a deep crack appeared, after the seventh, part of the defense simply crumbled, and after the tenth, the barrier finally collapsed, sending the fallen one flying several meters, eventually throwing him out of the embrace of the bent metal of the car he crashed into before.
Dohnaseek made a painful crash on the asphalt. His hat had long since fallen off, and his clothes looked even worse than before. They were all torn, and the sleeves were completely absent. Blood was running down his face and chest.
'It seems I've miscalculated; I need to get out of here!' he panicked. Using the last of his strength, he created another protective barrier and tried to take off. Rising a few meters into the air, he created two spears of light, splitting them into smaller duplicates and began hurling them at Emiya, simulating a barrage of fire. But Shirou wasn't standing still and, with a swift movement, darted to the left, taking cover behind a building. Having exhausted his supply of spears, Dohnaseek shot out of the battlefield like a bullet and headed towards the church, leaving his companion behind. He figured she had probably already died, and his own life was more valuable.
The barrier collapsed, and Emiya quickly emerged from behind the corner, taking aim at the fallen one. From this distance, it wouldn't be difficult to target and hit him. The arrow took flight once again and, after a couple of seconds, struck the target directly. However, the impact once more hit the barrier. Seeing that his life was still in danger, the fallen began maneuvering in the air and, as a precaution, descended to the level of the buildings to use them as safe cover. Shirou decided to stop firing, fearing accidentally hitting someone's home.
The black bow slowly disintegrated into numerous blue particles, which immediately faded. Lowering his hands, Emiya looked with regret at the burning remains of his house. Now he had nowhere else to go and nowhere to spend the night, and Kuro had already disappeared as soon as they found themselves outside.
"The second fallen angel probably escaped too. Damn, I've had enough of this! Today, I'll wipe out their nest completely! Wait for me, Raynare!"
Emiya was about to move, but then he remembered that he was standing on the road barefoot. He decided to inspect the remnants of the house in search of any surviving footwear.
A mysterious silhouette swiftly darted through the dark alleyways like water through pipes. Seeing a dead end at the end of the alley, the shadow threw someone into the wall with all her might. It was fallen angel girl she had picked up a few seconds earlier, the girl harshly collided with the concrete wall and, spitting blood, fell to the ground.
"You fallen angels have truly gone too far, nya. You dared to burn down my kind master's house. How will you pay for this?" a threatening voice echoed, and two golden eyes with vertical pupils stared at the small fallen from the shadows.
"Put it on my tab, you bitch!" the fallen girl spat out, trying to get back on her feet. But she was in excruciating pain, not just from the impact.
For a moment, the fallen one thought she could discern a satisfied smile in the darkness.
"I'm so glad for the opportunity to finally stretch my legs," she said. "Sitting by myself and lounging on the couch all day won't help me get back in shape."
The figure finally emerged from the shadows, sporting a rather menacing grin. Fanged teeth were clearly visible on her face.
"Y-you...," Mittelt stammered, breaking into a cold sweat. Her eyes widened, and her pupils constricted in shock. She never expected to encounter "her" here. Fear gripped the fallen angel.
"My master is very kind. I doubt he could calmly shoot you with his bow," she continued. "That's why I love him so much. But, it doesn't apply to me."
Sensing the danger emanating from those words, Mittelt extended her only surviving wing and attempted to take flight. However, "she" instantly leaped and, in one swift motion with her claws, severed Mittelt's wing. Along with the wing, a part of her arm was also cut off. Failing to gain altitude, the fallen crashed to the ground once again, letting out a cry filled with pain and suffering. Blood continued to flow from her shoulder.
"Shut up, humans are sleeping," she calmly lifted the fallen girl with one hand, gripping her throat. She enjoyed playing with her prey.
"I never thought I'd die at the hands of one of Hell's most dangerous criminals," the girl barely managed to utter while being choked.
"You should have thought twice about attacking him. For his well-being, I wouldn't hesitate to kick Satan in the rear," the unknown one said proudly and resolutely.
"Who is this Emiya Shirou, if he managed to tame such a monster? Did we ever have a chance of success from the beginning?" thoughts raced through the fallen one's fading consciousness. With each passing second, her throat was squeezed tighter.
When the girl finally went silent and her eyes closed, she relaxed her fingers, and the lifeless body fell to the ground.
"Your life is too small price to pay for the home where I was welcomed with love and care. But most importantly, he is safe, nya. I don't think my involvement is needed any further."
The speaker began to leave the alley at a leisurely pace but stopped after a few seconds. A small blue flame appeared on her hand, which she tossed over her shoulder without looking. The blue flame fell to the ground and seemed to ignite with renewed strength, gradually engulfing the alley. The fire consumed the fallen angel's body, and the unknown person continued to walk.
POV Shirou.
As I expected, all the footwear got burned. Those Fallen! Do they have any regard for proper procedures? They eliminate whoever they want, don't care about others' lives, and use them as living shields! I should have gone to that church from the very beginning and organized a celebration of goodness and justice there!
What am I going to tell my parents when they find out?! Hell! There'll be such a commotion! Mom's hand is heavy, and Dad will confirm it. I can't even think of any options right now. But all of that can wait for later. Right now, the church is a priority, and I need to get there as quickly as possible. And damn it, what our house done to deserve this?!
To avoid getting into trouble, I evaded the police and firefighters who soon arrived at the house, and, barefoot, made my way to the "faith and service to God" sanctuary. Thanks to the reinforcement, my legs were still intact, not worn to the blood. I was currently on the roof of one of the buildings, gazing into the distance. As far as my vision sees, there is absolutely no magical protection in the vicinity or on the church itself. That makes my job easier, even though everything looks rather suspicious. I've grown used to expecting a trap at the most inconvenient moment. But whether there's a trap or not, I don't care. I'll go there and do what needs to be done.
But my vision was caught not only by the church and its surroundings. Not far from me was an unremarkable two-story house. And it was at the entrance to this house that I briefly saw long, golden hair and a familiar head covering. In a second, the door closed behind the visitors. I was astonished. Right before my eyes, I saw Asia. How? What is she doing here, especially so late at night? What is happening?
"Are you going to keep staring over there and building suspense?" yawned Ddraig. "Or will you go and find out everything? She's not in the enemy's lair right now, it's your chance." I just nodded and began to descend to the ground.
Approaching the house stealthily, I initially wanted to knock on the door, but realized that would be quite foolish. As soon as I got close to the door, all my senses screamed for caution. I felt that something was off, the surrounding atmosphere seemed to thicken and become viscous. But the most noticeable thing was the distinct scent of fresh blood.
Nevertheless, I resolutely turned the doorknob, unafraid of being discovered. The door turned out to be unlocked, further confirming my suspicions. It was dark in the hallway, as in the rest of the house. Only a very faint light was noticeable in the living room. That's where I headed. After a few steps and a right turn, I saw a room furnished with a couple of sofas, a small table, and other furniture. Candles lit by someone provided the dim light. Just a typical room, nothing unusual.
Or so I thought until I looked to the right and stared at the wall.
A human, a man. His body was nailed to the wall with stakes driven into his hands and feet, resembling... a cross. An inverted cross. The poor man's face was contorted in a grimace of pain, and blood flowed from his body, forming a puddle beneath his head. Multiple puncture wounds and signs of beatings were also visible on his body. Most likely, he was tortured, and then nailed to the wall while still alive. Not for information, but rather for amusement. But why?
Right above the corpse, on the ceiling, there was an inscription. Probably written in blood. "Punishment for sinners."
Seeing such a sight, my body didn't flinch, but my mind was boiling.
"Oh! We have guests!" I heard a voice. In the corner of the room, a man was sitting on a chair. Due to the darkness that concealed most of his body, I didn't notice him immediately.
The figure stood up and emerged from the shadows. It turned out to be a young guy, ash blond, and apparently a foreigner. I think we were about the same age. A joyful smile played on his face, as if he were intoxicated. He was dressed in clerical attire.
"Exorcist."
"Wow, you guessed it! Well, buddy, you must be a genius!" This sadist sarcastically smiled. "I think, for the displayed... hehe, intelligence, you deserve a small reward. I'm Freed Sellzen. To acquaintances, I'm just Freed, and to close friends - old man Freed, or simply Freedy, however you like!"
Is he insane?
"Did you kill this man? Why?" I stared intently at this unholy man.
"Huh? What do you mean, why? Man, you astonish me. This scum made contracts with devils! He was a terrible sinner, so I... did that."
So, was he trying to summon someone from Gremory's peerage?
"Do you think this gives you the right to do such things?" I pointed at the body of the unfortunate man, never taking my eyes off Freed. To this, the priest smiled again.
"Oh! Without a doubt, my best work! I even shed a tear during the creation of this masterpiece. Did you like it? I certainly did!"
This guy is a psychopath. I used to think Kotomine was no walk in the park, but it seems there are even crazier church servants out there. Why does the church always seem to attract the deranged?
Nevertheless...
"Trace on."
"Oh, it seems our conversation has come to an end? Well, it was nice chatting with you, my unknown friend," the exorcist grinned and pulled two silver .45 caliber colts from his coat and pointed them at me. "So? What are you going to do against my little darlings? Please, amuse me!"
"Well, since you insist…" I lightly tossed an object in Freed's direction. A small blade shard, the size of a finger, gleamed in the darkness, catching a small beam of moonlight. I tried to find cover as quickly as possible. In the end, I just hid behind the nearest corner.
"What's this…"
POV Shirou. The end.
On this quiet night, in one of the peaceful streets of the city, a sudden and powerful explosion occurred. An unremarkable house was literally torn apart from the inside, as if an artillery shell had hit it. Nevertheless, the entire right side of the house remained intact. Moreover, the nighttime tranquility of the city was intermittently disrupted by various curses from a certain unholy man who dared to, as they say, "play with fire." His salvation remained a mystery.
POV Shirou.
Well, it was a fun meeting.
"Damn it! What in the vaginal torture... felt like it exploded as if hit by a tank shell?! Can you hear me, you piece of shit?! Don't you dare go anywhere and let me collect my thoughts! First, I'll get up, then I'll find you, and then I'll stick these guns up your ass and empty all the rounds I have! If you survive that, you'll spend the next couple of months walking squatting and dropping holy shit into your pants! You bastard, bugger! No, I changed my mind! It's better if you come over here and bend over so I don't have to bother!» He really lost it... I think I may have gone a bit overboard.
Carefully peeking out from behind the corner... and I'm left speechless.
I blew up half the house. Apparently, I miscalculated the amount of prana for such a small blade fragment. So, instead of a small explosion like a grenade, there was a full-blown broken phantasm tier explosion. Thankfully, the blade fragment was small, or I might have taken out neighboring houses as well.
Meanwhile, in the backyard, Freed laid. He was quite battered and wounded. Half of his cassock had burned, and his white pants had turned gray. Blood trickled down his face, and he clenched his right eye shakenly. Honestly, I didn't expect him to survive such an explosion at all. How much do you have to push these holy men to make them this resilient?
"Wow, did you like it? I did." I shouted. My goodness, have I learned to mess with my enemies' heads from Tohsaka? I've never done anything like this before.
In response to my words, immediate gunshots rang out, and I had to quickly jerk my head to avoid being hit. He's actually a pretty good shot.
"Oh my God!" A voice sounded nearby. A few meters away from me, in the doorway, stood Asiya, her eyes filled with shock as she watched the result of our encounter with Freed. "Shirou...san?"
The girl didn't know how to react to everything she had just witnessed. So she simply stared at me in amazement, as if seeing me for the first time. Then her gaze fell on the very wall where a man's body was pinned.
"Stupid! Don't look!" I tried to rush out of my cover to grab her and get her out of here, but I was too hasty. Freed managed to get ahead of me, and now he had a gun pressed to Asia's head.
"Father... Freed?" The girl's eyes were literally overflowing with shock. She slowly turned her head and looked at the fake priest with confusion.
I didn't dare to move, so as not to provoke Freed. You never know what someone like him might come up with.
"So, you're Emiya, huh? What a twist! So, you took down the Dohnaseek boss and the rest? Well, that's interesting. I must admit, we met under unusual circumstances. Should've just put a bullet in your head right away, but fate had other plans," Freed said menacingly. He wasn't smiling anymore.
"You better stay calm," I tried to influence him somehow. However, I was sure it wouldn't work, but I couldn't just stand by. Asia's life was in danger.
Meanwhile, a little further away from us, a red pentagram appeared. I recognized that emblem immediately. The Gremory family. The whole peerage emerged from the red glow. The tension escalated to new heights. What did they want here?
"Oh dear, we've got a real emergency here. Who could have committed such an atrocity to our client's little house?" Akeno feigned shock as she looked at the rui…minor damage to the building and then at me. My apologies, that was all me.
"Exorcist. I don't like this smell," Koneko said briefly.
"Yeah, looks like a tough night, Emiya-san," Kiba chimed in, standing with his sword poised.
"We came to find out what's going on, but we never expected to run into you here, Emiya-kun," Rias approached me and, after confirming that I wasn't injured, gave a stern look at the fake priest. Oh, it seems Freed is in trouble.
"So, all the devil rejects from the city are converging here, or did a sewer leak somewhere? I smell something foul! But that's not important. You'd better not make a move, or I'll blow her brains out. Damn, always wanted to say something like that!"
Meanwhile, other exorcists teleported to the building. Apparently, Freed's reinforcement had arrived. He started moving towards them, never taking his eyes off us. Most likely, he wants to leave with her. Retreat to the church on the hill.
"Yuuto..." Gremori raised her hand, and Kiba tensed. You didn't need to be a genius to understand the order she wanted to give. In the end, priests and devils were enemies.
"Stop!" I stood next to Rias. To save Asia's life and peacefully part ways with the devils, I had to go to extremes. "Let them go; it's for the best."
"Shirou?" the deviless looked at me questioningly. She genuinely couldn't understand why I was stopping her.
"Oh, you know, this option suits me just fine. So fasten your seatbelts; I'm outta here!" Freed declared triumphantly and hurried towards his people, who didn't rush to interfere. Reaching the teleportation circle, he handed Asia to one of his followers. After that, a small blue pentagram appeared on his ear, and he continued speaking, but not with us anymore. "Boss? Hey there, how's it going? Fine, I guess, happy for you. How bout ya? Yeah, almost got blown up. And you'll never guess who! Yes, it's Emiya. Boss, you're like a telepath! Want me to convey something? He's right here. Yes, we have a nun. Yeah... okay, I'll handle everything, don't worry."
"President?" Kiba was still awaiting orders and remained ready. He was prepared to charge into the ranks of exorcists at any moment and turn it into a bloodbath.
"Stand down for now." Rias looked at me, lowered her hand, and reflexively adjusted a strand of her crimson hair, and I felt a slight relief.
"Hey, scum!" Freed addressed our group again, particularly me. "Our boss invites you for a visit. Be a good boy and don't make him wait too long. Otherwise, we can't guarantee the safety of Asia-chan and those other two. Until then, they're safe. Adios!"
Freed was about to make his escape when, at the very last moment, he turned around and received a shot from my Gandr to the head. At that moment, it was all I could do.
"That's for taking Asia as hostage." I said as the exorcist disappeared. The teleportation circle vanished, and I was left alone with the Gremory clan devils.
After that, Rias turned around and gave me a significant look.
"Now, Shirou-kun, you'll tell me everything in great detail."
Occult Research club. The old building of Kuoh Academy, serving the sole purpose of one club, as well as the base for one of the devil factions overseeing their controlled territory.
It had been about an hour since I parted ways with Asia. During that time, the Gremory group and I had relocated here, allowing me to catch my breath and borrow Kiba's sneakers. Now, finishing the tea offered by Himejima, I concluded my story.
"...and that's how I ran into Freed. And then, you already know the rest," I said, my gaze shifting to Rias, who had been listening to the whole story.
"Understood. I...I don't even know what to say in my defense. Forgive me if you can, Shirou. It's because of my carelessness that you nearly lost your life. It's frightening to imagine what would have happened if someone else had been in your house. I genuinely apologize," the deviless spoke sincerely. At least, I believed she did. During my time in England with Tohsaka, I had been taught how to detect lies, and with my heightened senses, this ability had only improved. But I was not infallible. Deception could still elude me; it just required a greater effort.
"Alright, that's in the past. I have no reason to be angry with you. Everyone makes mistakes."
"But I'm curious about what you intend to do next?"
"That's obvious. Now I have no other choice but to go there and sort everything out."
Kiba, who was sitting next to me, choked on his tea. Himejima began to smile again, her cheeks slightly reddening, and Koneko... continued to devour her sweets. Is this a strange reaction? Did I say something wrong? Rias herself sat on the couch with her mouth slightly open. What's going on?
After gathering her thoughts, she spoke:
"I'm afraid it's not possible right now, Emiya-kun. This meeting could provide a pretext for the Fallen to start a new war. The leaders have been on edge for a long time. Not to mention that it's an obvious trap, and there will be plenty of exorcists with Fallen Angels there. If you go, you'll just die," she said coldly.
I had a response for her.
"Whether it's a trap or not doesn't matter. I have to save Asia. If I'm a human, then the devils can stay aside regardless of my actions, right?"
"Are you willing to risk your life for someone you've just met? Are you going to dive into hell for a girl you've known for less than a day? Are you out of your mind?"
"I made a promise to myself. To help those in need. Even if my life is filled with selfishness and hypocrisy, I won't give up. I will live by this dream."
Thus steel is my body and fire is my blood.
"It's not right!"
"A desire to help someone can't be wrong," I smiled.
Rias' eyes filled with surprise. I had simply expressed my thoughts as I always did. The very opportunity to help someone was a reward for me. I filled the emptiness in my heart with this sense of self-satisfaction. I believe that by saving others I can save myself. Archer denied such a theory, but not me. All of this was a stage I had already passed. This whole situation had partly arisen due to my mistake. That's why I had to act before someone suffered because of my error, whether it was Asia or Raynare.
"Shirou, you..."
Akeno, who had been standing behind Rias, suddenly stepped forward and turned her gaze towards her friend.
"President, please allow me to go," she requested, maintaining her smile.
Shock travelled through the room. Kiba's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and Koneko froze with a pastry in her mouth! What. Is. Going on?!
"Akeno," Rias was equally shocked. "What..."
"Please, President," she persisted.
"What's wrong with all of you?! Haven't you heard me?! If anyone finds out about this, we'll all be in deep trouble! Covering up such an incident will be incredibly difficult!"
"If I go, you don't have to worry about information leaking. No one will escape. Besides," the girl gave me a fleeting warm smile, "I can't ignore a junior in trouble. We all must help each other in tough times."
"To hell with it!" Rias wearily placed her hands on her face. "Do as you please, but make sure no exorcist leaves that little church. At least in a sane condition. After that you can shift the blame onto someone else if needed. I authorize you to go, Akeno. Those fallen won't be a match for you, my strongest piece."
"Understood. Let me assist you, Shirou-kun."
"Are... Are you involved in battles?"
"You don't have to worry about that." the girl chuckled darkly, looking out the window toward the church. Faint electric sparks ran along her hand. "I'll demonstrate it to you at the first opportunity."
"Thank you very much." I bowed and, along with my unexpected companion, headed straight for the enemy's lair.
Tonight was special. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky. Everything was illuminated by the moonlight and was within sight. And it was just the two of us, walking along the deserted street, slowly making our way up the hill.
"I could teleport us closer to the church. Shirou-kun, did you decide to take a walk?"
"Not at all, Himejima-san. I just need to focus."
"Please, don't be so formal with me. I would be very happy if you just called me by my name." she coquettishly smiled. To be honest... she is very beautiful.
"O-okay... um... Akeno-san?" I had no choice but to look away from her gaze.
"Yes, that's much better. But I hope in the future you'll call me even more intimately." she was delighted.
"I wanted to ask. Why did you want to come with me? I thought devils wouldn't benefit from it at all."
The girl paused for a moment.
"Your words inspired me." the deviless finally replied. "You spoke so confidently about your duty and dream. About the desire to help those in trouble. You're willing to make selfless acts like a true hero. And that heroism is very... appealing. As I listened to you, a fire seemed to ignite in my chest. Your words reached my heart. That's why I decided to help you." she finished.
A hero, huh? If only you knew that it's not that simple.
All this time, we continued our way to the church. Meanwhile, I kept replaying Freed's words in my head, which wouldn't leave me alone. "And those two as well." Most likely, I shouldn't expect any help from that fallen angel, Calawarna. If they've exposed her, they've probably captured her as well, and she's now being held in some prison cell.
"Akeno-san, besides Asia, there are two other prisoners I'll need to rescue," I cautiously began. I had just made the decision not to lie to potential allies, and it was better if Akeno learned about this in advance.
"Oh? And who are they?"
"Two fallen angels."
The girl stopped and looked at me in a strange way. I simply waited for her response.
"Aren't they the ones who tried to kill you twice?" she asked.
I sighed wearily.
"Yes, they are."
"You're simply astounding me today, Shirou-kun," she said a couple of minutes later. "I don't really like fallen angels. You could almost say I hate them. However, I won't go back on my words. Whatever happens, I'll help you. But beyond that, you'll have to handle it yourself. Let's not linger."
And Himejima continued forward without waiting for me. Phew, I thought this stage would be more challenging. In the worst case, she could have just turned around and gone back to the club. But I had been honest with her, and that's probably why she still planned to help me.
The church on the hill brings back memories. There was a similar one in Fuyuki. It makes me cringe a bit. If a tall priest in a black cassock comes out right now and says, "Rejoice," I'll draw my swords on the spot. But fortunately, that can't happen, of course. It's all because of today and the events that have passed. My imagination is running wild. I've been attacked twice, my house was blown up, and to top it all off, my cat is missing. But that creature is really smart. Once I'm done here, I'll go look for her. She's probably waiting for me near the ruins of my house or in the vicinity. So, what was I... right, the building was nice, but the priest was a letdown. And that reminds me I've wanted to do one thing for a long time, but the opportunity never presented itself.
Akeno and I calmly reached the square in front of the gates. To the left, there was a view of the dark night forest, and to the right, the nighttime Kuoh city. After that conversation, we didn't exchange a word. There was no need for it. Now that I am almost at my goal, I won't stop for anything.
"Do you have a plan, Shirou-kun?"
"Please set up a barrier. I think we've been detected already," I said, looking at the massive church door, and I activated my magic circuits.
"Understood," the girl folded a few seals with her hands, and the space around us changed. The established barrier covered not only the church but also the surrounding area. I looked at the devil behind me in surprise. Her magical power was very high. In the Mage's Association, they'd kill for her abilities. But I've seen even more powerful ones. Medea is almost impossible to surpass.
"I'll go ahead, and you, Akeno-san, be my support."
"I have no objections. It's an excellent opportunity to witness your abilities," she licked her lips with anticipation. This girl... she's toying with me. Get a hold of yourself, Emiya. Inside this building, there are people you're obligated to save. And for their sake, I'll exert all the strength I have.
Well, let's go.
"Trace on," my familiar words put my brain into battle mode. A slight prick at the back of my head. My senses and emotions under control, and the flow of prana warms my entire body.
A sword appears over my right shoulder. Just an ordinary projected sword. A force of will, and it fills with energy, transforming into a broken phantasm and takes flight. Reaching the gate, it explodes like a bomb, with a deafening roar, sweeping away the remnants of wood. I stride inside casually, paying no attention to the fact that the smile has vanished from Akeno's face. It's replaced by astonishment.
"How... what kind of magic is this? I've never seen such manipulations before," she said, sounding wary, and a few seconds later, she followed me.
Entering inside, we are met with a prayer room shrouded in darkness. Only the moonlight seeping through the windows provided some visibility. At the far end of the room was an altar with candles and a large cross, a meter high. Benches are neatly arranged on the sides, and a red carpet ran down the center. However, the statues of saints on either side of the cross had been inexplicably destroyed. That was the only thing setting this room apart from any other.
Suddenly, a sound echoed through the hall and even rang in my ears. The clapping of hands. A figure emerged from around the corner, revealing its presence. I immediately became wary. It was Freed Sellzen. However, his face had a slightly... unhealthy hue.
"You finally made it, Suicidy. Heh heh, you bastard," Freed began to chuckle faintly. This guy still exuded madness. He must not be allowed to leave. It's uncertain how much more harm he can cause.
Then it finally dawned on me.
"You look kind of sluggish, Freedy. Are you feeling under the weather?"
"Under the weather? Under the weather, you said?! Yeah, damn it, I'm feeling a bit unwell! Thanks to you, you scum, my ass spent a whole hour hugging the toilet! Can you even imagine the humiliation I went through?! Oh, I've remembered those delightful moments for a long time to share with your corpse!"
"Akeno-san, please don't interfere. I can handle this myself here." I glanced at the girl behind me.
"Well, since you're so sure, I just can't refuse you. Please, make his rotten mouth shut up, Shiro-kun. Forever." her eyes gleamed dangerously and she took a few steps back.
I'm ready. If it's for the sake of saving Asia, Raynare, and Calawarna, I must... take his life... then I will. It's all for a brighter future.
"Well, have you already said your goodbyes to your ass? I'm coming!" he joyfully shouted and pulled a pistol from his holster, along with some hilt, he rushed forward. In an instant, a beam of light emerged from the hilt, taking the form of a blade. It was a sword. A quick glance from me was able to assess this sword and gather all the information about its abilities and composition. It was a standard weapon of the Vatican's exorcists, the "Blade of Light." Such a weapon had enhanced piercing abilities against devils and worked on the mana of the church's wielder. Freed obtained this blade after killing his mentor with his bare hands and taking the sword from his corpse. However, the sword itself was a weak weapon against me. I had access to much more serious weaponry in my Reality Marble. I didn't need to copy it.
Kanshou and Bakuya appeared in my hands. Without wasting time, I rushed to meet Freed. Before our clash, he extended his hand with the pistol forward and, without aiming, fired several shots. It was easy for me to dodge four bullets, and, arriving in front of Freed earlier than he expected, I firmly planted my right foot on the ground and, fixing my position, swiftly swung the swords, tracing a cross in the space. But Freed managed to put up a block with his sword and pistol, hoping to defend himself, but something unexpected happened. The force of the blow shattered the floor beneath our feet, and the priest, like a twig, was blown backward, plowing through several benches along the way. The blond crashed into a column in his path, causing the column to audibly crack.
"Bah!" blood sprayed from his mouth, and he probably lost concentration. However, his gaze quickly returned to normal. "What strength is this?! Have you been gobbling up steroids or something?"
In the next second, Freed had to hastily dodge to the side. The place where he had been sitting was now filled with swords. Realizing that the pistol wouldn't help him, he tossed it aside and gripped the hilt of the blade of light with both hands, then rushed toward me once again. And I, having shot off about a dozen swords which the exorcist dodged, prepared to block the blow. Our swords finally met, creating a loud clang that drowned out all other sounds in the hall. Finally entering close combat, I didn't waste any time and with my left hand holding Kanshou, I redirected his blade to the side. At this moment, Bakuya was already swinging towards his neck, but the acolyte managed to surprise me. He blocked the strike with his right hand. The sound of metal clashing echoed. I noticed that under his sleeves there were metal plates. That would not help him. Because I also realized that, I was moving faster than he was. A step with a pivot to the left, and the blade attempted to reach his head but met a block. However, I was waiting for this. At the moment of the block, surprise flashed on Freed's face. Before being thrown back from me, he managed to see my left leg striking him on the side. The priest was once again thrown away from me, this time towards the small steps in front of the altar. After that strike, I'm sure something inside him must be broken. I'm confident about that.
"Scum... not bad at all. But I certainly can't die here. I've always managed to find a way out, even from the deepest anus that fate could throw me into! Remember this, you piece of crap! Next time, I'll definitely dance on your grave! Goodbye!" the defeated exorcist bounced farther away and leaped onto the altar. In his hand was a small black sphere, which he immediately threw down. Upon reaching the floor, the sphere cracked open and created a flash of light that briefly blinded us. I quickly threw my twin swords, but as it turned out, Freed had already escaped. He most likely used an item that allowed him to move to a specific location quickly.
"Damn, he slipped away. What now?" I once again scanned the room for clues to the whereabouts of the fallen angel or Asia. They are definitely somewhere here, but where?
"It was amazing, Shirou-kun. This exorcist couldn't do anything against you. It seems you've won my heart." and once again, there was a hint of passion in Akeno-san's voice. I'm happy about that, but it's not the right time. "By the way, if you're interested, I sense a surge of magical energy beneath us."
Under us? Of course! A dungeon!
Seeing the reaction on my face, Akeno approached the altar. Her hand sparkled, and with a single motion, she blew away the altar as if it were made of rotten branches. Approaching her, I saw a secret passage that had been hidden right under the altar all this time.
"A secret passage in a place like this. That's such a cliché," Akeno chuckled.
"Let's hurry," I replied and quickly began to descend the stone, stepped staircase.
At the end of this descent, we encountered a fairly tall wooden door. The closer we got, the more anxious I became. It was a bad feeling. Intuition was screaming at me to "hurry," and I had learned to trust it fully. As if to confirm this, a painful scream came from behind the door. My heart skipped a beat. It was Asia's scream.
On the move, I summoned two swords above me and thrust them into the iron hinges, then with a powerful kick, I sent the door flying a dozen meters, clearing a path for myself. Akeno and I both rushed into a spacious hall right beneath the church. A large room predominantly dominated by the color red. And at the end of this hall, like a martyr, was chained...
"Asia!"
"You're too late, Emiya Shirou. The ritual is complete. And now, I have the power to crush you and finally fulfill the mission entrusted to me by Lord Kokabiel."
Next to her there was the fallen angel who participated in the destruction of my house. Freed called him Dohnaseek. Along with that, dozens of exorcists had gathered in the space between him and me, drawn by the sounds of the door being broken down and my cry. They all armed themselves in unison but didn't rush to attack. They seemed to be waiting for orders.
"What have you done to Asia?! Answer me!"
"All I needed was her Sacred Gear, the 'Twilight Healing.' With it, my wounds will heal almost instantly, and my power and magical strength will increase exponentially. Then I will kill you and deliver your corpse to the Lord. A good plan, don't you think?" The fallen angel smirked coldly.
At that moment, Asia screamed again. A small green flame shot out from her body and gently descended into Dohnaseek's palm. With my magical vision, I saw two silver rings within that flame. In a second, the fallen angel clenched his hand, and the rings disappeared.
"You got what you wanted, so release her!"
"Oh, of course. She's no longer needed. You can take her." He snapped his fingers, and the chains on Asia's body shattered and fell off. She fell lifelessly to the floor and didn't move.
"Shirou-kun, this is bad! If the sacred gear is removed from its owner, they will surely die!" Akeno warned me. This was the last straw. My consciousness was filled with disgust and hatred for the figure with black wings.
I took Himejima's hand and pulled her closer to me.
"Don't move," I said in a calm and icy voice. That is how I was right now.
"What are you..." she was surprised.
I controlled my anger and sighed.
"I am the bone of my sword..."
"Kill him," the fallen one frowned, and in the same instant, as if a massive force, the exorcists rushed forward to crush me.
But I was prepared for this.
Above my head, dozens of swords appeared, each twice the size of a normal one. With each passing second, there were more and more of them. They were all directed at the crowd of exorcists.
"Full-scale sword barrage."
All the swords, with their blades turned, surged forward, mercilessly attacking the enemies in front of me. Holy swords, demonic swords, noble phantasms, and even weak imitations of swords. All kinds of weapons ruthlessly assaulted.
It was like a carpet-bombing. Under the rain of an endless array of blades, even the best of the exorcists couldn't do anything. Painful cries and shouts of fear. That's all the people managed to utter. And were they even people? Anyway, it didn't matter. All that was left for them was to die.
But I wasn't aiming for Dohnaseek, and for only two reasons. Asia lay next to him. And... I just wanted to kill him myself.
Sixteen seconds. That's how long the sword strikes continued in the vast hall. The floor was covered with embedded blades, almost filling the space in front of us. And beneath these blades, the exorcists lay still.
Akeno couldn't tear her bewildered and simultaneously awed gaze away from this field of death. As for the fallen angel, his jaw naturally dropped. But I didn't have the time or desire to assess their condition. I rushed straight towards the large cross, where the girl lay motionless. Seeing my approach, the fallen angel twitched slightly, but quickly composed himself, creating a spear of light. He pierced the roof above our heads and flew outside. But I knew he wouldn't escape. Akeno-san's barrier wouldn't allow him to do so. And as far as I could tell, he didn't possess the items to bypass this condition, unlike Freed.
Finally, I reached her. I reached Asia. Kneeling down before her, I gently turned her onto her back, supporting her head with my hand.
"Shirou...san?" She struggled to open her eyes. Her breathing was very weak.
"Save your strength. I'll think of something," I said, looking into her weak eyes with only one thought in my mind. I gently lifted her body and ran resolutely to the first floor.
"Go ahead, Shirou. There are a couple of unfinished business here," I heard behind me as I reached the stairs, a deviless heading towards a few remaining exorcists.
Returning to the first floor of the church, I gently laid Asia on one of the benches. I maximized my magical chains with prana and seized the fleeting opportunity to initiate another tracing.
I began doing what I did best, giving form to what I had in my mind.
"Trace on! Internal structure - analysis. Composition - analysis..."
"Well, what are you trying to do?" The fallen angel sat nearby, watching my actions with curiosity. But I didn't care. Even if he wanted to attack, he wouldn't have the chance. "The death of a host without a gear is inevitable, no matter what you do."
"Shirou-san... thank you for coming. I was happy to meet someone like you. I'm glad to finally have a friend," Asia said.
"No more words! You won't die!" I said, delving into the depths of my consciousness where everything I had ever created was stored. I had seen them before, numerous times, and their blueprints were permanently imprinted in my brain.
I lifted the silver rings from the hill of infinite blades.
"Set... perfect fake healer." My hands were enveloped in green radiance, which began to descend upon Asia.
"Oh will I be damned," I heard Ddraig mutter.
"Impossible! You copied the sacred gear? Who are you?!" The fallen angel leaped from his seat. His face displayed deep shock, but I was distracted by something else.
Asia's condition was not improving.
"Even this doesn't help?!" I cried out in desperation. An overwhelming sense of helplessness washed over me.
"You truly are... an amazing person, Shirou-san," she continued to speak. "Thank you for everything. I truly... was happy..."
She smiled at me, then sighed and closed her eyes, going limp.
I continued to try to heal her. But nothing happened. The girl in my hands didn't miraculously come back to life. She continued to rest on the church bench... with a faint smile on her face.
My efforts had absolutely no effect.
There was no magic that could bring the dead back to life.
A powerful surge of emotions washed over my mind. Like a balloon, the flow thudded heavily inside, roared and expanded. Nausea came, but my stomach was empty. If there had been anything left in there, I would have emptied it all at once.
Asia Argento was dead. I couldn't save her.
And it was all because of me. I had triggered the beginning of all these events. It was my fault.
But there was one more person who was also guilty of this.
Dohnaseek.
He was also to blame for all of this. He invited Asia to this country. He used her to gain easy power. He used her to lure me here.
I must...
"Trace on."
The rings left my hands. In their place, a crimson spear adorned with grapevine patterns appeared. A beautiful and deadly weapon with perfect balance. Wounds inflicted by it cannot be healed. Gáe Bolg – the spear of piercing death. The noble phantasm of Cú Chulainn, the Hound of Culann.
I rose from my knees and locked eyes with the fallen. In the same instant, I changed my stance, fully replicating the Lancer's position. Prana surged into the spear, causing it to glow even brighter and create a small trail from its tip. Seeing such a monstrous flow of prana, Hound of Dohnaseek's expression changed from surprise to horror.
"This is no joke anymore…" he panicked. Leaping further away, he spread his wings and hung in the air. He began forming his most powerful barrier he was capable of. He put all his strength into it and, summoning his spear of light, finally launched an attack.
A spear was coming towards me. In response, I...
"Gáe Bolg!" ...threw mine. Thanks to its perfect balance, the throw was made with jeweler's precision. It struck the fallen angel's spear without him even noticing and dissolved it. It continued its flight. In his last moments, primal fear froze on my opponent's face.
The crystallized mystery struck right into Dohnaseek's barrier. For a moment, there was a gleam of triumph in his gaze. But just a second later, a spear pierced his chest with a rather juicy and satisfying sound, hitting him right in the heart.
His body was propelled with the force of a throw worthy of perhaps the greatest hero of Greece. With his body, he broke through the wall above the now non-existent doors and fell directly onto the square at the entrance. Work is finished.
I looked at Asia again. Her happy and serene face. She's gone. Why? Why did she have to die? Is it fair? Some people survive, and others don't. I could never accept this. Even with such power, I couldn't save one single girl. I strived to protect everyone, even at the cost of my own life. But I always ran into an invisible wall. The impossibility of saving everyone. Because of that, I always... felt an emptiness inside. Is it really impossible? Is a world without suffering impossible in any of the countless worlds? Will attempts to create such a place always be doomed to fail? I refused to believe it. That's why I relentlessly pursued my goal. And here it is, the result.
At the spot where I pierced Dohnaseek, a faint radiance appeared. From above, a green light slowly descended. I easily recognized Asia's Twilight Healing in it. It gently descended... onto the outstretched hand of Rias Gremory, who had just appeared. Behind her stood Kiba and Koneko, and Akeno-san, who had been watching me for a long time, approached her friend. The entire Occult Research Club was here.
"Let's return it, Shirou," she offered as she approached me. In response, I just weakly nodded and, taking the rings from her, placed them on her fingers. It was all I could do for her right now.
"We can bring her back to life," Rias whispered.
These words echoed in my head like a drumbeat. I looked at the devil with a disbelieving gaze. Seeing my disheartened look, she explained:
"I think it's not too late." In her hand, a chess piece appeared.
The Bishop…
"That's right. A bishop stands as a barrier for its family and everything it holds dear. If you don't mind, I can resurrect her as a devil, and she will live as my precious servant," she smiled.
"I agree! If she can live, nothing else matters! Please, do it!"
Gremory approached the blonde and placed the figurine on her chest. After reciting the activation words, she filled it with prana. The nun's body was covered in a red pattern, and the figurine dissolved without a trace. After a few seconds, her hand twitched almost imperceptibly. I was completely bewildered. I had never seen anything like it before. Meanwhile, Asia opened her eyes. She looked around with disbelief, and then her gaze fell on me.
"Shirou-san…"
Approaching her, I looked into her face. Two small tears appeared on my cheeks. I smiled, remembering that day.
I memorized this face as if it had just been saved. A joyful face. This moment changed everything. Weakness, on the verge of death, turned into a strength that wanted to live. After that, I never left my father. I will never forget his face, and he will forever remain in my memory. Yes, someday, if I can smile like Kiritsugu, I will find my salvation.
Seeing the nobility of the devil who saved a church servant from death, I was immensely grateful. On this day and night, I was saved once again. Saved by the girl with crimson hair.