[EMIYA SHIROU]
[THE GAMER]
[LV 28 - 1000/27000]
[HP: 2800][MP: 35][MC: 27][ST: 920][SP: 12]
[STR: 45][DEX: 47][INT: 50][WIS: 33][CHR: 102]
The return trip from the harbor was without incident, and besides the brief feeling of being watched it was entirely uneventful. However, it wasn't until they made it back to the Red Light District that Shirou and Saeko could let their guards down a little.
Soul Society wasn't exactly a tight-knit group, but like any organization they needed rules that they enforced strictly. One such rule was that fighting wasn't allowed within their home base. Beyond the barricades, it was everyone for themselves, but inside them violence wasn't tolerated.
Of course, fights among members were rare even outside. After all, it was generally easier to kill ten monsters than then a guy who could kill as many. The risk/reward ratio wasn't really favorable in that regard, therefore, most fights among members of Soul Society were a product of personal grudges, rather than a misguided attempt at making an easy profit.
However, it all could change the moment one showed any weakness. In the Mirror World, it was generally better not to run into a colleague if you were wounded or somewhat impaired, because there was no law other than that of the jungle out there.
Of course, there were also groups of people that trusted each other with their backs, and they could be very dangerous to solo hunters.
Fortunately, Mirror Fuyuki was big enough that it became progressively more difficult to run into someone the farther away one went from the home base.
Also, monsters got tougher as well because they had the opportunity to grow older and stronger, so it was rare that anyone would risk compromising their fighting ability over a small profits.
Essentially, everyone was wary of almost everybody else, but the general situation made it unwise for hunters to fight among themselves.
Upon arriving, Shirou headed immediately towards the blacksmith shop, which was situated accessible through a door in a narrow alley between two buildings.
The entire place had been modified to suit its new purpose, and Shirou wondered how long it would take to the real world to superimpose its image back on this area if it was no longer used.
Months? Days? Did the perception of the humans who lived in the Reverse Side freeze the current state of things in place?
It certainly was a peculiar phenomena, and a sad one as well. It seemed that the world itself could not escape the influence of humanity, no matter how deep into itself it burrowed.
He shooks those thoughts aside, and got on with his purpose in that place. Delivering the Fishman scales he had acquired.
Following the sounds of metal hitting metal, he eventually found himself at the forge, in front of which sat a man hammering away at a blade in the making.
[Hitakata Tetsu]
[Arcane Blacksmith]
[Lv. 45]
He was a burly looking man with arms the size of Shirou's torso.
He didn't pay them any mind, but Shirou knew he was aware of their presence from the way his shoulders shifted at their approach. Saeko made to call out, but Shirou stopped her with a movement of his hand.
She looked at him quizzically, but then she understood that he didn't want to interrupt the craftsman at work. Shirou had an unrivaled understanding of swords thanks to his own aligned Element and Origin, so he was perfectly aware how sensitive a process the forging of a blade could be.
They waited, and waited and waited. Shirou and Saeko both knew the value of patience, so they didn't say anything, although for different reasons. Saeko simply deferred to her boyfriend's judgement when it came down to blades, but Shirou's eyes were glued on the scene playing out in front of his eyes.
[As result of a special action a new skill has been created]
[Basic Blacksmithery - Lv. 1]
[Description: The ability to shape metal and other materials into weapons, armors and assorted tools.]
Shirou didn't pay the prompt any mind. By this point, he had figured that any activity related to a blade would activate its associated skill tree, but more importantly he was absolutely captivated on a personal level by what he was seeing.
It was like his own blood was running hotter, as if the process of making a sword was inherently more in tune with his nature than the idea of wielding it. He had no clue why, but he would not miss a single moment of this show to the point that he was reluctant to even blink.
[Basic Blacksmithery has reached Lv. 2]
[Basic Blacksmithery has reached Lv. 3]
[Basic Blacksmithery has reached Lv. 4]
[Basic Blacksmithery has reached Lv. 5]
[Basic Blacksmithery has reached Lv. 6]
[Basic Blacksmithery has reached Lv. 7]
[Basic Blacksmithery has reached Lv. 8]
[Basic Blacksmithery has reached Lv. 9]
[Basic Blacksmithery has reached Lv. 10]
[...][...][...]
[...][...][...]
[...][...][...]
[...][...][...]
[...][...][...]
[Basic Blacksmithery has reached Lv. 100]
[Basic Blacksmithery Lv. 100 has changed into Intermediate Blacksmithery - Lv.1]
[Intermediate Blacksmithery has reached Lv.2]
[Intermediate Blacksmithery has reached Lv.3]
[Intermediate Blacksmithery has reached Lv.4]
[Intermediate Blacksmithery has reached Lv.5]
[Intermediate Blacksmithery has reached Lv.6]
[Intermediate Blacksmithery has reached Lv.7]
[Intermediate Blacksmithery has reached Lv.8]
[Intermediate Blacksmithery has reached Lv.9]
[Intermediate Blacksmithery has reached Lv.10]
[...][...][...]
[...][...][...]
[...][...][...]
[...][...][...]
[...][...][...]
[Intermediate Blacksmithery has reached Lv. 100]
[Intermediate Blacksmithery Lv. 100 has changed into Advanced Blacksmithery - Lv.1]
[Advanced Blacksmithery has reached Lv. 2]
In that moment, the blacksmith stopped working and the prompt onslaught ceased as well, causing Shirou to blink several times in a row to shake himself out of the almost hypnotic trance he had fallen into.
"Are you alright?" Saeko asked worriedly.
"Eh? Oh. Yeah, I'm fine. I was just... captivated."
Saeko tilted her head quizzically, but understanding flashed quickly through her eyes. She knew of his alignment, so she could draw conclusions that were mostly correct.
"Did you just...?"
"Yes." he replied hastily, putting a clear end to the conversation. Shirou knew that Saeko was aware of just how quickly he could acquire sword-related skills, and he hurried to stop the conversation before it even started. It wasn't something that could be discussed openly for a number of reasons.
"So, what do you youngsters want from this old man?" the blacksmith asked, turning to acknowledge them for the first time in nearly a hour. "I'm not taking any work right now, so you can see yourselves out."
"We're not here about that, sir. Rather, we are here to complete our own work." Shirou explained. "You put up a request for Fishman scales, right?"
The blacksmith blinked at Shirou's question, almost wondering what he was talking about.
"That old thing? It's been two years already. I had completely forgotten about it. Why?"
"We've got those scales right here, if you are still interested." Shirou replied.
"What? This better not be a joke. Show me."
Shirou put a hand into his pocket and covertly retrieved a couple of scales from his Inventory, handing them over to the eager blacksmith.
"This is actually the real deal, huh?" he said after examining it against the light for a while. I didn't think I'd actually see the day. You got any more of these babies?"
"I've got the twenty on your request and then some. Plus a few that aren't exactly in mint conditions."
"Take them all out. Make it fast, boy."
Saeko bristled at the blacksmith's tone and attitude, but a glance from Shirou told her that there was no point getting upset and she quickly deflated.
This time, Shirou went for his backpack, since taking that much stuff out o f his pocket would have given away that there was something weird at work and he already got enough attention to last him for a while as it was.
He took out the all the scales he had from his inventory. He had more than twice the required amount of undamaged scales to complete his Quest, and at least three times that much in scales that ranged from chipped to burned.
The blacksmith examined them with a critical eye for a long time before slapping his knee in approval.
"Well, I'll be damned; this is actually what I've been looking for. Yes, these will do nicely. I'll take all of them except those badly burned ones. I'll give you the full price I asked for the ones in perfect conditions. That's twenty five Cores times two. I'm giving you half that price for those that are less than perfect. Deal?"
"Actually, sir... if I could make a counter offer?" Shirou proposed.
"What counter offer?" the blacksmith frowned. "That's a already a good price for stuff I didn't ask for and I ain't got more Cores to give out anyway."
"That's fine. What I had in mind would actually save you some money. Rather than paying me for the extra scales, would you be willing to consider giving me some space in your shop and lending me your tools?"
The blacksmith looked at Shirou like he had grown a second head. Then he burst out laughing.
"Hahahahaha! Brat, you've got some guts asking a blacksmith to share his workshop, I'll give you that much. Anyway, no. I don't need amateurs making a mess of things and I'm not looking to take an apprentice either, so forget about it."
"Then I'm lucky that I'm not an amateur at all." Shirou replied confidently.
"Look kid, I can take a joke but don't push it. Now take your damn Cores before I change my mind about it."
"How about a wager, then?" Shirou insisted. This was an opportunity he couldn't just pass.
"You are starting to get on my nerves, boy. What wager?"
"I'll forge a blade here, in front of you, and if you can say on your honor as a blacksmith that it's amateur work then not only I'll stop bothering you about it, but you also won't have to pay me for a single one of these scales." he proposed. "However if I do manage to make a sword to your satisfaction, you'll pay for everything and you'll let me use your place and tools whenever and however I want."
The blacksmith looked at Shirou like he wanted to make a hole through his skull by staring at him. Shirou had called him out on his honor as an craftsman, demanding to have his own skills judged. If the blacksmith refused, then he either meant that he had no honor or that he wasn't confident in his own skills.
It was a slap to the face, plain and simple.
However, it wasn't an offer without benefits. The blacksmith wouldn't lose anything either way. Either Shirou would make a fool of himself and the blacksmith would have saved himself a great deal of money, or in the most unlikely case, Shirou would succeed and the worst that could happen was sharing his shop with someone somewhat capable.
"Alright. You've got yourself a deal, boy. Let's see if you can put your money where your mouth is at."
Shirou smiled. He had already things in the bag.
[br]
Shirou gathered the tools and the materials he needed to create a blade. Hammers, tongs and pliers.
His brain had just acquired a lifetime worth of blacksmithing experience in a single dump and it was firmly lodged into his brain. It wouldn't have been so neatly organized if it wasn't for the Gamer Eyes, he knew that much.
However, he also knew that Mystic Eyes or not, he would still have felt that same heat rushing through his veins. There was something about creating a blade that sang to him, tugging at an unseen chord inside his soul, an effect that the prospect of wielding a sword just didn't have.
Ultimately, Shirou did not like violence. He could fight as much as the situation called for, muster the resolve to kill as he had already done, but there would always be a part of him firmly against it.
But, making a sword was different. Just watching it happen under his eyes was enough to make him fidget in place, wanting to do it himself.
Perhaps this was his calling in life, or it would have been if he hadn't already chosen to walk a different path.
Still, it beckoned to him and there was no such a thing as an useless skill in life. He saw an opening with the resident blacksmith and decided to take it. He might have acquired all the knowledge he needed to make himself a blade, but he wouldn't have known where to start from if he had to make his own shop, not to mention the cost involved.
This was a prime opportunity, so he embraced this knew springwell of knowledge and started working earnestly.
The heat of the forge did not bother him. In fact he could very well say that he found it comforting. The weight of the hammer in his hand felt just right and the resistance of the metal while he shaped it was every little bit like he imagined it would.
He soon fell into a trance as he worked, quickly forgetting why he was doing it, fully absorbed in the act itself. His hands moved as if they had their own will, their own purpose. He breathed the searing air from the forge as if it was fresh mountain air, welcoming the sparks that collided with his skin every time he struck the metal as if they were the caresses of a cherished lover.
Time ceased to have meaning until the last drop of the hammer finalized his work and the completed blade rested on the anvil.
[Advanced Blacksmithery has reached Lv. 10]
Shirou blinked. He had completely missed the all the prompts between level 2 and now. Indeed, his calling for forging blades run much deeper into his soul that even the Gamer Eyes.
He took the blade he just made, and examined it. It wasn't anything special by any stretch of the imagination, just a hiltless katana. However while the blade itself was nothing exceptionally when looking at it from the viewpoint of a Magus, it was still an object superb craftsmanship.
Shirou wasn't one to toot his own horn, ever, but he couldn't lie to himself and say that it wasn't a work of art. He could almost feel something akin to pride swelling inside his chest, but it quickly deflated.
Perhaps, in another life, he could have been an excellent smith, he could have found a purpose in that.
Not in this lifetime though.
"Fuck me sideways with an iron poker." the blacksmith said, gaping at the sword in Shirou's hands.
It wasn't, by far, the best sword he ever saw. He was obviously capable of doing much better. However it wasn't something anyone would have expected from someone as young as Shirou.
In fact, Shirou didn't know, Tetsu the Blacksmith was more than twenty years older that Shirou was in that moment when he had finally managed to do work of that level.
In any case, Tetsu definitely couldn't say that it was the work of an amateur, not if he wanted to look at himself in the mirror the next morning and call himself an honest blacksmith.
"Well, sir? What's your judgement? Do I get a passing grade?" Shirou asked cheekily.
"A passing grade he says," Tetsu snorterd, "The nerve of kids these days. Fine, your work is above that of an amateur. Barely so. Here's your damned Cores, like I promised." he shoved a pouch in Shirou's lap. "Come by the shop and disrupt my routine whenever the hell you feel like it, brat."
"I assure you that my presence won't bother you at all."
"We'll see about that. Now get out of here. I've got stuff to do and I need to clear some space for your scrawny ass."
"Yes, sir! Thank you for your kindness!" Shirou said enthusiastically. "I promise you won't regret it."
"I already did it, midget." he grumbled as way of farewell. Shirou left his spot at the forge and went outside with Saeko in tow. "Now get out."
[br]
They walked outside in silence, but Saeko never stopped exhamining Shirou, just like she had while he worked.
"Sorry for making you wait on me." he apologized as soon as they were outside.
"Don't worry about it. I liked watching you show off."
"Wha- I did not show off." he protested.
"How would you call it what you did back there, then?"
"Seizing a chance? I mean, it's not like I stole from him, right?"
"Didn't you?" she asked. Her tone wasn't accusatory, per se, but Shirou knew what he was getting at.
"Is watching and learning the same as stealing, just because I can do it in the blink of an eye instead of years?" he asked back.
"I suppose not," Saeko sighed, "but it's more than a little unfair."
"I never thought of it like that." he admitted. "Sorry."
"Oh, Shirou. You don't have to apologize to me of all people. You have given me far more than what you could ever take, and I know for a fact that you'll do the same with anyone you come across, if they give you the chance."
"Thanks." he said as he looked away to hide his blushing face; a gesture that made Saeko smile.
Her boyfriend could do many astounding things, but taking a compliment with a straight face was not one of them.
That was fine though. That adorableness made for a good contrast to his precocious manliness. Honestly, she never even dreamed of finding a man that could tickle her instincts as a mother, as a woman and as a warrior at the same time, and who would also accept her love her back despite her rotten heart.
So what if he could learn anything pertaining swords with a glance? His absurd talent was just another reason that made him worthy of her affection, especially because of how he used them.
Lesser men would simply have to put up with it. Actually, they should feel honored if Shirou found something worthy being used by him in their repertoire of skills.
Saeko's feeling for Shirou teetered on the edge of worshipfulness. In her eyes, the only wrong thing he could possibly do was pushing her aside the way he had done by not telling her of his circumstances with the enemy Magus.
Although she didn't realize it herself, Saeko's affection had already reached the point where she would do just about anything he asked of her, with the most notable exception of putting her safety before his own.
Ironically, that was exactly the only thing that he would ever demand of her, and she knew it. Needless to say, that noble sentiment, while making her upset, served only to deepen her feelings for him.
Ubenknowst to the both of them, Yoruichi's estimation had been completely correct. Busujima Saeko was heads over heels for Emiya Shirou and it was only bound to get worse.
"We should probably get back now." she said, changing the topic. "Dawn is just in a few hours. I don't think that we are going to get much sleep after all."
"Actually, that's not necessarily the case." he replied, scratching his cheek.
Saeko tilted her head, wondering what he meant by that.
To the best of her knowledge, time was not relative. She would find out in short order just of lacking her knowledge was in that department.
[br]
Returning home from the Reverse Side took them about a hour, since there weren't any public transportation so early in the morning (or that late into the night).
By the time they made it there, the sky was already starting to brighten from the impending dawn.
Usually, around that time they would both be already up and preparing for the day, if they had bothered to go to sleep at all.
"Do you mind if I take a bath first?" she asked as they stepped inside. "Doing my hair takes a lot of time, I'm afraid. I would ask you to join me, but I believe we won't get anything done at all if you do."
"Probably," Shirou agreed, blushing, "Although time isn't going to be much of an issue in a moment."
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"You'll see."
With a quick check of stats, Shirou noticed that he still had 15 MPs left from their jaunt against the Fishmen. Much of what he had consumed had gone into Reinforcing the Molotovs they used, his sword and his own body. He still had a little amount left, and while the night had proven itself to be fruitful in terms of Mana Cores acquired, Shirou wasn't so casual with their usage that he would consume one until his current MPs were close to zero.
The first thing he did was close and lock the gate.
"Trace On." he declared.
[Nerve Circuit Creation: Success]
"Sealing Boundary Field: Activate."
[Sealing Boundary Field: Success]
[MP -5]
"Fortress Boundary Field x2: Activate."
[Fortress Boundary Field x2: Success]
[MP -10]
The air around the Emiya household shimmered briefly in hexagonal patterns that soon vanished without a trace. The Fortress variant was a Bounded Field that he had unlocked at level 25 of the skill tree. All it did was creating an invisible dome through which nothing could pass without shattering it first.
It was far from impenetrable, but an enemy would have to expend a great deal of energy trying to get through, giving anyone inside plenty of warning and time to prepare.
it would generally last one day unless breached and its strength would vary according to how much Mana was put into it upfront, in implements of five MPs up to an unknown maximum, which in Shirou's case was thirty-five, because that was how much Mana he could give in a single session.
In this sense he was extremely fortunate that he had accidentally developed the [Nerve Circuits] skill, otherwise his maximum output would have been the same as his natural Circuits, which capped at twenty-seven.
By putting up the Fortress Boundary, his MPs reached zero, but all he had to do was pop a Mana Core into his mouth for it to go back to full.
[MP +35]
"Alright... Time Altering Boundary Field x9: Activate."
[Time Altering Boundary Field x9: Success]
[MP -34/real-time hour]
The air around the house seemed to become as dense as liquid lead for a moment, before snapping back to normal all of a sudden.
A time altering Boundary Field took a hundred MPs per day for each increment starting at twice the speed of the real world. With thirty five MPs to his name, Shirou could hold it for seven real-times hours at twice speed, or for one real-time hour at nine times like he did just now.
At that setting, an hour outside the Boundary was worth nine hours inside it. Granted, he wouldn't have Mana to spare to practice Magecraft at that setting, but if he went to sleep at the six hours mark, his Gamer body would restore all of his MPs to full, which in turn meant he could keep it indefinitely. He could accelerate it even further, but that would either require him to sleep more often or consume Mana Cores, so the overall efficiency would start to drop.
"W...what was that?" Saeko asked, steading herself.
"I put up a Time Altering Boundary Field." he explained. "Nine hours in here equal to only one hour outside. We should be leaving for school in about three hours. That means that we have as much as twenty seven hours to ourselves if so we want."
Saeko's eyes widened at his explanation.
Twenty seven hours compressed into three. That was over an entire day worth of extra time.
A day during which she had no particular duty to uphold, be it academic or otherwise. She did not recall having so much leisure time since her childhood.
A day she would have to spend with her boyfriend, at his place, without any form of adult supervision whatsoever.
A boyfriend, she recalled, whom she thought prudent giving additional girlfriends because she couldn't possibly keep up with his superhuman sexual stamina on her own.
Saeko wondered if she would get out with what she passed for sanity intact.
Her knees trembled a little, mostly in anticipation but also dread.
"You know," he started saying with a contrived look on his face, "as much as I like doing that with you, I was kind of hoping we could do something different for a change."
Saeko's face went up in flames, having her perverted thoughts seen through so clearly.
"Growing tired of me already?" she said as a mean to shift the attention from herself to him.
"Don't even start." he told her flatly, fully conveying what he thought of that. "It's just... it's going to be years before I can take you out on dates. In the meantime I don't want our relationship to be just about training and sex, as much as I like both. I don't think you'd want that either."
"I..." Saeko hesitated, sighed and composed herself before answering. "You are right, I don't want us to be only about that either. I'm glad you think so as well. So... what did you have in mind for us today?"
"For starters, let's both get cleaned up and eat something. You go ahead and take a bath first while I'll get started on breakfast. Then we'll decide together."
"Alright," she agreed, "I like that plan. Thank you, Shirou."
Shirou nodded in acknowledgement.
"Making breakfast is going to take a while so take your time in there." he said as turned towards the kitchen.
Saeko laughed. "If you spoil me this much, I might just move here permanently."
"If you are trying to deter me, you are going about it the wrong way." he told her before disappearing in the living room.
Saeko shook her head and went into the bathroom.
Honestly, would he very stop surpassing her expectations?
Perhaps she should take a page out of Taiga's book and step up her own game, otherwise it would be too late to do it so once he had left her in the dust.
But, in what way could she possibly improve? Taiga could pit herself against Saeko and grow stronger that way, but against who could Saeko pit herself in turn?
A name came to mind, but it made her mouth twist unpleasantly. Still, what alternative did she have?
None came to mind.
[br]
Outside of the Boundary Field time flew normally for everybody else save for one person.
Fujimura Taiga struggled back towards the Busujima dojo after having spent the night fighting undead spirits.
Saeko had thought her capable enough to fend for herself except during the full moon, and she had not been mistaken.
On an ordinary night, she'd be hard pressed to stumble upon ten wraiths, and with her current grasp of the Busujima style she could take care of them on her own.
Even so, it was not easy or without risks. One mistake and she would die. However, that was the nature of the Moonlit World and Taiga had decided to step into it of her own volition. Saeko could have stood by her for additional protection, just in case, but that would have defied the purpose of the exercise.
She needed to learn how to fend off for herself. If she couldn't even do that, how was she supposed to support someone else? She would end up being dead weight and drag everybody down with her.
Therefore, she accepted the risks of exorcising spirits on her own. She was fine with it.
What pissed her off was that Saeko had gone to Shirou, allegedly to watch his back, but she had failed to return at dawn. Part of her was worried that something bad had happened, but her unfailing instinct as a woman told her that the two of them were having fun on their own.
Of course there was nothing she could do, except stomping angrily on her way to the bath. She had to get cleaned up, eat breakfast and then leave for work. She barely had any time to get everything done that she couldn't waste it to fume in jealousy.
If she wanted to be next to Shirou, she had to become strong enough. That was the only possibility.
She put aside her grudges and jumped into the bath after cleaning her body with cold water. The steaming hot bath eased the soreness out of her muscles, but she couldn't afford to soak there for too long.
She got out quickly and dried her body, tossing the towel around her shoulders before making her way through the house completely naked. There was no risk of being seen by anyone so far up the mountains, and the only other resident was a woman who was currently absent.
She walked to the kitchen, where a premade breakfast waited for her., but she stopped when she caught something moving with the corner of her eyes, through the small gap left open by the door of Saeko's room.
For a moment, she thought that Saeko had returned without her noticing, but a closer inspection revealed that the room was empty. She did however realize what had caught her attention.
A full size mirror, resting against the wall of Saeko's room. She had seen the movement of her own reflection, and mistaken it for someone else.
It couldn't be helped, now that she looked at herself better.
She had always been fit, thanks to an healthy amount of physical activity and an intense lifestyle. However, in the past few weeks she had been training and fighting non-stop. The result were quite evident.
Every single muscle on her body was visible under the right light. There was nothing unfeminine about her, but she was now sculpted like a true warrior. One would expect that to detract from her beauty, but if she had to be honest with herself, she was smoking hot.
That had to be Saeko's trick. That, and those cow-like udders.
"Shame I can't do anything about that." she lamented cupping her breasts. "Doesn't matter, Shirou liked them well enough. Hehehe. Damn!"
She smacked her forehead. She didn't have time to waste. She was already running late.
She left Saeko's room and went to get her well-deserved meal. Saeko had better turn up in class later, otherwise she'd storm Shirou's place, consequences be damned.
She closed the door of Saeko's room firmly behind her as she exited.
Therefore, she didn't see the world reflected in the mirror as it rippled, nor did she see her own image persist upon the glass long after she had left, smiling wickedly and licking her lips.
A time of trials was at hand.
XXX