Arc 2: Chapter 3.5

"This is the moment you've been waiting for! Now Kuro Usagi will start the finals of the main gift game of the Rise of the Fire Dragon celebration: Duel of the Creators!"

The crowd in the coliseum shouted.

"I, Kuro Usagi, the exclusive arbiter of Thousand Eyes, will moderate and preside over this game!"

"Oh yes, Shiroyasha... What gives you the right to make nothing unvisible under Kuro Usagi's skirt? Isn't that style of fanservice very old-fashioned?"

"Hmph. That someone as impressive as you does not understand true art..."

"What?"

"True art needs your imagination of the unknown, it demands that you seek the mysterious. Yes, the best art is that which exists in your own universe within you."

"You say 'the universe inside me'?"

"The contents of a young lady's skirt are the same If you take a look, all she gets is vulgar panties, but if you can't see, it's art!"

"Is it art if I can't see anything?!"

"Let us verify these truths, and witness the moment when the miracle occurs here."

"Shiroyasha."

"Yes."

They pulled out binoculars to see Kuro Usagi's foul.

"E-east..." Sandora Doltrake didn't know what to talk about Shiroyasha and Izayoi's conversation.

"Don't look at them. They will only be infected with stupidity." Mandra Doltrake

"Hell...! Let's watch Kasukabe's game and they're ..." Asuka put her hand to her head getting tired of Izayoi and Shiroyasha's stupidity. Until she saw the little fairy eating on her legs. "Rattenfänger... The Pied Piper of Hamelin... Could this little girl have something to do with the Demon King...?"

"Asuka."

The fairy's voice interrupted Asuka's thoughts.

The little fairy showed a big smile and raised her snack to give it to Asuka.

"Thank you." Asuka brought the snack she received to her mouth. "It will be fine. That's just not possible."

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"The only thing I recommend is that they do not receive the attacks of the angels."

Hearing those words, they began to fight with the angels.

Esdeath using his incredible ice abilities, tried to lock one up, but unfortunately he was easily destroyed.

Izayoi with his superhuman strength knocked one down, but did no harm.

Kurumi with his flintlock gun made a hole in the angels' eyes only to see how it was easily restored.

Shiro saw how the cuts he made with his sword didn't make any difference as it did with Sengo as well.

"You damn madman, these angels are restored in the blink of an eye, we don't do any harm."

"There's a reason they're at the top of the Bible." Sengo responded to Izayoi's claim.

Bam!

A loud blow from Sengo connected with the angel who was sent to the ground.

"If they want to kill one they must work as a team."

Kurumi and Shiro used their abilities quickly before the angel escaped.

Bang!

Kurumi's shot froze the angel preventing him from moving or making any movement.

Shiro with his swords began to tear the angel to pieces.

Esdeath froze the pieces of the angel as much as he could and then destroyed it into small particles.

First Angel dead...

"That's very boring!"

Izayoi fiercely lunged at the nearest angel to strike him several times.

"Ugh."

His attacks were repelled by the angel.

"I'll eliminate them by myself!"

Izayoi brought his hands forward where a small shiny pillar then appeared.

"Die stupid angels! Aurora Pilar!"

The small creation of the pillar grew so large to the point that it surrounded the entire pocket dimension where the angels dwelt.

A loud explosion had rumbled throughout the world of Little Garden, shaking land, sky, and sea. Everyone felt the loud explosion that had been caused by the Aurora Pilar of the teenage girl named Izayoi Saigou.

Sengo surpassing the Third Cosmic Speed for the salvation of his daughters as well as Esdeath, had escaped from the pocket dimension of the angels that was eliminated.

"Father...!" Shiro watched in amazement as Sengo was injured. Part of his back, chest, and entire left arm were charred.

"You don't need to worry about that, Shiro."

Shiro decided to obey his father's words, but still felt remorse for seeing him hurt.

"Izayoi Saigou... interesting."

Sengo looked at his wounds with fascination.

"Aurora Pilar is a type of "Other Cosmology", a secret technique of the pantheons of the Gods to build their own worlds (universes) and it is a technique that I have not yet managed to perfect. And this little girl already has one in her possession."

The cosmology Sengo wished to achieve was the weakness of Azi Dahaka and himself because of the darkness of Angra Mainyu.

Cosmology of Zoroastrianism.

Sengo had spent more than a century in achieving this cosmology, facing failures time and time again.

"I can't let myself be influenced by feelings of envy now." Sengo put aside his emotions to look at an option. "Is she what I have sought?"

For three centuries I have been looking for what is acclaimed by humanity, [Hero].

Sengo had no way of confirming if that girl will be the [Hero] who will manage to stab his heart and end his miserable life.

"Dad, your wounds need to be tended to!"

Kurumi, overly worried, took out her gift card that contained a multitude of magically stored things. Among them, there was a small vial of green liquid that she dropped on Sengo's charred parts. Upon contact with the liquid, Seng's charred skin began to regenerate rapidly, replaced by new, healthy skin.

"Huh, thank you very much, Kurumi," Sengo said in a calm voice. Although she didn't care about the scars on her body, she wasn't going to complain about her daughter's actions.

"Your name was Esdeath, right?"

She just nodded, still on the ground, staring at the sky where a vortex created by Izayoi was spinning hard.

"Have you seen anything similar to what your partner did?"

"No, it's the first time I've seen anything like this," Esdeath replied, staring at the show above her.

Esdeath didn't remember witnessing a feat of this magnitude before. He thought he knew the limit of Izayoi's [Aurora Pilar], as he had seen this ability in action a few years ago. But now, looking back, he realized that Izayoi's [Aurora Pilar] was still growing... And she couldn't afford to be left behind in his shadow.

The vortex in the sky began to slowly fade, dissipating into nothingness.

"I told them it was boring to eliminate the angels as a team," Izayoi said, walking around with a small smile of arrogance on his face.

Izayoi's smile of arrogance disturbed Esdeath's mind.

"I can't be left behind!"

His emotions were wildly altered, as was his mind. For nothing in the world, she could afford to be left behind and in the shadow of Izayoi Saigou.

She saw how Izayoi continued to get stronger, she had to do the same.

Its ice specialty... it had to reach another unimaginable level.

"Izayoi Saigou, tell me, are you planning to become a hero...?"

Izayoi raised an eyebrow at the question.

"No, I just want to become someone strong. I have nothing against heroes, but it's not my style. I want to follow my hedonistic and wild side, always looking for a fight against a strong opponent."

As he spoke, he began to crack his bones, signaling that he wanted to keep fighting.

"Hahahaha!" Sengo laughed. "It's the first time I've met someone like me. Well, it's decided."

"What is decided?" asked Izayoi, curiously.

"You came to the past to keep growing, right?"

Sengo also looked at Esdeath, who was still caught up in her own negative emotions. Sensing Sengo's gaze, she nodded.

"Are we going to fight now?" asked Izayoi, visibly excited.

"Don't worry, we will fight somewhere else. Follow me."

They began to mobilize following in Sengo's footsteps.

Before leaving, Sengo said something to Shiro and Kurumi who disappeared instantly.

"Izayoi Saigou, what I have to do now is teach you how I fight so that you can see my weaknesses. This week will be enough for you to achieve that."

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I was in my room, recovering from the injuries I received in the recent fight or what they call this world Gift Game.

A Gift Game orchestrated by the community of [Grim Grimoire Hamlin], where the leader is a girl with short purple hair and red eyes.

This world is a headache.

A 12-year-old girl was conspiring with a community called [Ouroboros] to attack the [Salamandra] community led by another 11-year-old girl.

Seriously, how can they let little girls do dangerous things.

Black Percher was different from Sandora Doltrake, one was the representation of the "Black Death" known to the whole world and the catastrophic outcome and end of millions of deaths where she herself said that she was the embodiment of the 80 million evil spirit that were created during the epidemic.

The 80 million spirit was the souls of the dead that occurred from the epidemic. This world brought this little 12-year-old girl who wandered aimlessly through Europe and coming to Asia to turn her into a [Demon Lord], this world is a headache. Innocent people are turned into vile villains without any justification.

Emiya Shirou was fighting with himself, he couldn't figure out why this world is half managed, because a 12-year-old girl who suffered in his life was turned into a [Demon Lord] where [ Demon Lords] are considered vile villains that must be eliminated.

"Shirou..." Saber's voice stripped away her thoughts.

"Know."

Shirou smiled calmly at her so as not to make her worry about the injuries she has right now. His body was bandaged, visible by the bandage on his arms.

He had barely recovered from the injuries caused by Alicia, but he still decided to participate in the Black Percher Gift Game to help the innocents who could be injured by this attack on [Salamandra].

"We should talk, Shirou."

Shirou worried to see Saber showing his concern as well as helplessness, it was certain that the conversation would be the same.

That he began to care about himself, without sacrificing himself for others.

It is for this reason that he was hurt: he always put his life on the line for others.

"I'm sorry, Saber. But you can't help me change that. That's who I am."

Saber's fists squeezed tightly. Shirou noticed her reaction, but she knew that she couldn't change her mindset, even seeing the sadness in Saber's eyes.

He got out of bed and asked: "Do you know where Leticia is?"

Saber loosened her fists and replied, "I saw her in the kitchen. Why are you looking for her?"

"I have to ask him something. Something caught my attention when Black Percher spoke of [Ouroboros] wanting to free two [Demon Lords]. Leticia's face darkened when she heard that. I would like to know why he reacted like this."

"I hope it's just that, Shirou. Do not seek any more danger to your life." Saber said with concern evident in her voice.

Shirou left his room without answering Saber, he went in search of Leticia and had a small flashback.

"They should be careful, this group wants to release them." Leticia's eyes darkened with sadness. Shirou realized that as did two other people.

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Leticia was in conflict with herself.

I didn't know what to do now, a community called [Ouroboros] wanted to release the biggest threats from Little Garden, and the worst thing is that they are moving at this moment incognito, no one knows what they are doing at this time.

He poured himself a black coffee in his cup and then drank it and calmed his mind from the sour taste of the coffee.

That relaxed his mind a little.

"This is the reason why Canaria spoke of Sengo's confidence in being released in the future..."

He walked gently to the seats in the dining room where the moonlight was falling, where he began to contemplate the beautiful moon illuminating the night.

"Tell me Leticia-chan... will you be prepared to kill Sengo in the future?"

That question from Canaria was constantly repeated in his mind, causing him to be conflicted again.

It was kill or be killed.

Now at this moment there was an option to choose from. I couldn't continue to doubt what I had to do. He had already doubted for several centuries where he could not kill Sengo in the past, he cannot continue to repeat that same mistake.

"I need to prepare my mind and heart to kill him..."

"Kill him...? Who are you talking about, Leticia-san."

Leticia was surprised to see Emiya Shirou standing at the door.

"Emiya-san... next time knock on the door to know you're here."

"He had, but his mind was elsewhere from what I see."

Leticia sighed, assuming that he was right if she didn't hear the knock on the door.

"Mm... and that brings you to this place."

"I want to know something."

Leticia sighed again, assuming the reason for her arrival to look for her.

"Then what do you want to ask?"

Shirou was shocked, but quickly calmed down.

"I'd like to know who are the [Demon Lords] that [Ouroboros] is trying to release."

Leticia was not surprised by that question, she had already thought that was what Shirou was looking for.

"Even if I ask you why you want that information, it would be useless to hide it when [Ouroboros] is more likely to succeed in freeing them." Shirou, understanding that she would tell him the truth, sat down to listen to her better.

"They are four Demon Lords who are sealed. Two centuries ago, many communities participated to achieve this. The seal still works today... but it seems that it will be destroyed by [Ouroboros]."

"Where are those [Demon Lords] sealed?"

"... Two are sealed on this earth."

"Huh?"

"As you heard, two are sealed in this land of [Salamander], and the other two are sealed in the moon." Leticia glanced sideways at the moon that she had previously admired for its beauty. "They are: Azi Dahaka, Sengo, Kurumi and Queen. They belong to the [Absolute Evil] community, led by Azi Dahaka. They are the terror of Little Garden."

Shirou was hesitant, but he couldn't afford to hesitate now.

"There is a way to eliminate them..."

"There is, but their biggest fear is not Sengo, Kurumi or Queen. His fear falls on Azi Dahaka for his special Gift, one that can eliminate anyone's reincarnation cycle if they are killed by his claws. No one, including me, dares to confront Azi Dahaka up close; it is certain death. I want to go on living too, Emiya Shirou."

In Emiya Shirou's eyes, life is very precious. But... when it comes to his own life, not so much. That's why he would be willing to sacrifice himself to save everyone.

Shirou swallowed. "And the other Demon Lords?"

"Kurumi and Queen are easy to deduce. Just follow in Sengo's footsteps. While Sengo was complex at the beginning..."

"Huh?"

"The only ones who know what Sengo was like at the beginning are his own brothers. We, who did not belong to that family, saw several facets of Sengo, until one lasted for a thousand years. But then it changed. It was rumored that he had several conversations with Jesus from the Bible, and thanks to him, he had that change that lasted more than a hundred years, until he changed again and returned to his old facet."

"A hundred years?"

"Yes, it was a hundred years of peace for Little Garden. In that century... I got closer to him and we had a daughter..."

"Alice, right."

Leticia nodded.

"The only way for Little Garden to regain its peace... is with the elimination of [Absolute Evil]."

"There's no other way for them to change..." Shirou's gaze went to the ground.

"There is none. For Sengo, death is necessary to have a change." Leticia's eyes were empty. "It's the same for the rest of [Absolute Evil], only death can change them."

"You told me that you changed when you met Azi Dahaka..."

How would Sengo's story have unfolded if he hadn't met Azi Dahaka?

There was no way to prove it. In any case, they would have met at some point.

"I realize that you have a lot of appreciation for Sengo. Is there any way to save him?"

"Sengo enjoys and longs to fight to the death. Trying to save him would be an insult to him. So, Emiya Shirou, don't try to stop him or save him from death; There is sure to be a war very soon."

"So there's one option left, right?"

Shirou's question was the same for Leticia where she had conflicted what to do with Sengo.

"Let me ask you this Emiya Shirou."

A moment of silence flooded the room where Shirou waited for Leticia's question.

"Will you be willing to kill Sengo at the cost of your life?"

"Yes."

Shirou did not hesitate, he was willing to sacrifice his life in order to eliminate a great threat that disturbed the peace of this world.

"I see." To Shirou's surprise, Leticia's eyes were tinged with sadness and loneliness.

"Your tenacity is amazing, but I'd like you to think of yourself. To give an answer without even hesitating is a sad thing. Eliminating Sengo does not concern you, and you do not belong to this world. It's better that you don't do something stupid and get into this matter that only concerns us Little Gardeners."

It seems that Leticia had already decided what to do: kill Sengo.

Shirou only watched her as she walked away from the dining room, leaving him alone in the dark room. Only the wind flooded the room.

"I want to ask you something, I know you hear me." Shirou began to talk to himself inside. "I want to become stronger so I can kill you. And to achieve this, I need to strengthen myself. So enter me, to fulfill your wish to die."

"Heh." Shirou looked at his own image in front of him in surprise, only differentiated by his height and the thuggish attitude he had seen a few times while growing up and fighting with that kind of person. "It's the first time someone has asked me that way to train him."

He appeared in front of Emiya Shirou.

[Demon Lord] Rey Oni Sengo; Age: 1500+.

"I want to see that determination when training you, show me that you are the [Hero] I have been looking for to end my life."

Shirou saw Sengo's change in attitude, this was serious for the Demon Lord.

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Sengo looked at what Esdeath did in surprise. She had created an ice dome in which he was locked next to Izayoi Saigou, a space where only she could move, as if it were her territory where her own laws were imposed.

"It's impressive. She has created a dome in which she has frozen time," Sengo observed.

What Sengo saw was just that: an ice dome. There was nothing inside, not even a pillar of ice freezing Izayoi. Esdeath was moving smoothly toward Izayoi, who was frozen in mid-air, as if time for her had stopped at the mercy of Esdeath, who was taking advantage of that moment to attack.

"Now, Esdeath has taken his ice specialty to another level, one where no one can beat it."

Izayoi Saigou and Esdeath had broken their boundaries, overcoming many monsters that were only at the top. The ice dome that Esdeath created had a radius of 30 meters, and the question now was whether he would be able to expand it even further and take it to another level.

It was something Sengo would have to find out while they remained in Little Garden's past.

"The only thing I can think about is how happy I am to meet them. The future is promising."

A wild smile appeared on Sengo's face as he imagined what he had always longed for.