Chapter Two "Hero Monarch"
Shirou groaned as consciousness slowly returned to him. His head throbbed with a dull ache, the result of his soul and mind merging with his counterpart in this world. Memories of two lives clashed and intertwined, creating a confusing tapestry of experiences.
As he blinked his eyes open, adjusting to the stark white ceiling of what appeared to be a hospital room, a translucent blue window materialized before him.
[Welcome, Emiya Shirou. Alaya thanks you for your service in protecting the Human Order. Your actions as the victor of the Fifth Holy Grail War, preventing the birth of Angra Mainyu, and your crucial role as the Master of Chaldea in averting multiple extinction-level threats to mankind have been recognized. The rewards for your deeds has been calculated.]
"Is Alexander up to his game shenanigans again?" Shirou grumbled, recalling the countless times the King of Conquerors had turned Chaldea upside down with his gaming obsession. From organizing impromptu chariot races in the corridors to convincing half the Servants to participate in elaborate, week-long strategy games, Alexander's enthusiasm for play seemed to know no bounds—and apparently, neither did his ability to rope others into his schemes.
Shirou shook his head, trying to clear the fog from his mind. This System window seemed eerily reminiscent of one of Alexander's more elaborate pranks. He remembered a particularly chaotic week when the King of Conquerors had somehow convinced Medea and the many other Caster-class Servants to join in on his mischief. The combined skills and knowledge of several Casters created an Singularity within Chaldea that ran on game logic. It had taken daysto sort out the mess, with some Servants still insisting on "leveling up" their skills for weeks after the prank had been dismantled.
"This can't be real," Shirou muttered, half-expecting to see Alexander's grinning face pop up at any moment. He shook is head and chuckled, "Not when the King of Conquers is an entire timeline away."
The door to Shirou's hospital room swung open, interrupting his contemplation of the mysterious System window. A woman who looked strikingly similar to Arturia burst in, her face etched with worry, followed closely by individuals who bore an uncanny resemblance to the Knights of the Round Table, Merlin, and Morgan.
"Shirou!" Arturia exclaimed, rushing to his bedside. "You're awake! We've been so concerned."
A man who could have been Gawain's twin stepped forward, his usually stoic face softened with relief. "You gave us quite a scare, my friend. How are you feeling?"
Before Shirou could respond, Merlin chimed in, his eyes twinkling with that familiar curiosity Shirou remembered from Chaldea. "I sense something different about you, Shirou. Care to share what's troubling that mind of yours?"
Morgan, standing slightly apart from the group, fixed Shirou with an intense gaze. "Indeed. Your aura has... shifted. It's as if you've undergone a profound change."
The men who bore striking similarities to Lancelot and Tristan exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of concern and intrigue. Shirou found himself overwhelmed by the sudden influx of familiar yet subtly different faces, each radiating a unique blend of worry and curiosity.
"I... I'm not sure how to explain it," Shirou began, his eyes darting between these familiar strangers and debating how he should approach the topic.
Arturia placed a comforting hand on his arm. "Whatever it is, Shirou, we're here for you. The Camelot Guild stands together, always."
As his guildmates gathered around, offering words of support and encouragement, Shirou felt a strange mix of comfort and disorientation. These were faces he knew, voices he recognized, and yet they weren't the same people he had fought alongside in the battle for humanity's survival. The memories of Chaldea clashed with the new set of experiences flooding his mind—memories of joining this guild, of struggling together as E-rank Hunters.
Shirou paused to carefully think about how to explain his situation as if he talked carelessly then they might treat him as if he was pulling a prank or at worst that he had gone mad.
"I think," Shirou said slowly, choosing his words with care, "that I might have experienced something... unusual when I was injured. It's as if I've gained a lifetime of memories in an instant."
The Morgan, her eyes sharp and calculating in a way that reminded Shirou painfully of her Chaldean counterpart, raised an eyebrow. "Memories? Of what, exactly?"
Shirou hesitated. How much should he reveal? How much could he reveal without sounding completely insane to these people who were his friends, yet strangers?
"Of another life," he finally said, deciding that a partial truth was better than an outright lie. "A life where we were all... different. Where we faced challenges beyond anything we've encountered as Hunters."
The silence that followed Shirou's revelation was palpable. Arturia was the first to break it, her emerald eyes filled with a mixture of concern and determination.
"Shirou," she began, her voice gentle yet firm, "can you tell us more about this... other life you mentioned? How is it different from our world?"
Shirou took a deep breath, steeling himself for the conversation ahead. "It's... complicated. In that life, we weren't just Hunters. We were heroes from legend, summoned to fight in a grand battle for the fate of humanity."
Gawain's brow furrowed. "Heroes from legend? You mean like the stories of King Arthur and his knights?"
"Exactly like that," Shirou nodded, noticing the way Arturia's eyes widened slightly. "In fact, Arturia, you were King Arthur."
A collective gasp echoed through the room. Lancelot stepped forward, his usually calm demeanor shaken. "That's... that's impossible. Arturia is Arturia, not some legendary king."
"I know it sounds crazy," Shirou admitted, "but in that world, many of you were the legendary heroes. Gawain, Lancelot, Tristan – you were all Knights of the Round Table."
Morgan, who had been silently observing, spoke up. "And what of me in this other life, Shirou? Was I still Arturia's half-sister and rival?"
Shirou hesitated before answering. "Yes, but it was... more complicated than that. Your relationship was shaped by centuries of myth and legend."
Merlin, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, suddenly clapped his hands together. "Fascinating! Tell me, Shirou, in this other life, was I still the greatest mage in all the land?"
Despite the tension, Shirou couldn't help but chuckle. "You were certainly one of the most powerful, and definitely the most troublesome."
"Some things never change, it seems," Tristan murmured, a hint of a smile on his usually melancholic face.
Arturia raised a hand, calling for order. "This is all very intriguing, but Shirou, you mentioned challenges beyond what we face as Hunters. What did you mean by that?"
Shirou's expression grew serious. "In that world, we fought to prevent the incineration of human history. We traveled through time, fixing distortions in the past to save the future. The enemies we faced... they were gods, demons, and forces beyond imagination."
The room fell silent once more as the weight of Shirou's words sank in. It was Gawain who spoke next, his voice filled with a mix of awe and disbelief. "And you... led us in these battles?"
"I did," Shirou nodded. "I was what they called a Master, working alongside Servants to save humanity."
"This is... a lot to take in," Lancelot said, running a hand through his hair. "How do you know these aren't just vivid dreams from your injury?"
Shirou closed his eyes, focusing on the memories that felt as real as the hospital bed beneath him. "They're too detailed, too consistent to be dreams. I can remember years of experiences, battles, victories, and losses. And..." he hesitated, looking at each of his guildmates in turn, "I remember all of you, not just as fellow Hunters, but as those legendary figures."
Morgan stepped closer, her piercing gaze fixed on Shirou. "And now? How do you see us, Shirou? Are we those legendary heroes to you, or the guildmates you've fought alongside as a Hunter?"
It was a loaded question, and Shirou chose to remain silent on the topic as he was still in the process of sorting through an entire lifetime of memories of this world's version of Shirou Emiya.
Arturia reached out, placing a comforting hand on Shirou's shoulder. "Whatever the truth of these memories, Shirou, you're still our friend and guildmate. We'll face this mystery together, just as we've faced every challenge."
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the group. Merlin, his eyes twinkling with that familiar mischief, grinned broadly. "Well, I for one am excited! Imagine the adventures we could have if even a fraction of what Shirou remembers is true!"
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Gawain cautioned, though there was a hint of excitement in his voice too. "For now, we should focus on helping Shirou recover and understand what's happened to him."
As the conversation lulled, Tristan spoke up, his usually melancholic voice tinged with amusement. "You know, it's rather ironic that Shirou's memories align so well with our... unique situation."
Lancelot nodded, a wry smile on his face. "Indeed. It's been the subject of many jokes among us, hasn't it? The fact that we all share names with Arthurian legends, save for Arturia herself."
"Not to mention," Gawain added, running a hand through his golden hair. "Remember when we first formed the guild? People couldn't believe we weren't putting on some elaborate act."
Morgan chuckled softly. "It does seem like an extraordinary series of coincidences. Even I must admit, the similarities are... uncanny."
"We've often joked about being reincarnations of those legendary figures," Merlin mused, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Perhaps there's more truth to that jest than we realized."
Arturia shook her head, a mix of exasperation and fondness in her expression. "And yet, I'm the odd one out. Named after the legendary king, but lacking the... regal bearing, shall we say?"
The room filled with laughter, easing some of the tension that had built up. Shirou found himself smiling, despite the confusion swirling in his mind. The camaraderie among his guildmates was a balm to his troubled thoughts.
"Shirou," Arturia said, once the laughter had died down, "these memories of yours... do you think they could be connected to the strange coincidences surrounding our guild? Could there be some greater meaning behind it all?"
Shirou pondered the question. "I... I'm not sure," he lied as he decided there something would be revealed a later date. "But I can't help but feel that there's something more to this.."
He was very pleased when the group sported a serious look as if they were pondered the strange coincidences surrounding their guild and what he had said. .
"Wait," he said, sitting up straighter in his hospital bed. "I think I might know why we're all so similar to our legendary counterparts. It could be related to something I remember from my..." He hesitated for a moment. "Something called Alaya."
The others exchanged confused glances. Merlin leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. "Alaya? Shirou, you've lost me."
Shirou took a deep breath, organizing his thoughts. "In my other memories, there was a concept called Alaya. It's... well, it's complicated, but essentially, it's the collective unconscious will of mankind to avoid extinction."
Arturia's brow furrowed. "The collective will of mankind? That sounds almost mystical."
He resisted the urge to snort given the Great Cataclysm that had brought forth that supernatural that had never existed on Earth.
"Alaya," Shirou started, "controls the Counter Force – a safety device of sorts, to prevent humanity's extinction. "
Gawain leaned forward, intrigued. "And how does this Counter Force act, exactly?"
Shirou's expression grew serious. "In various ways. Sometimes it empowers individuals to face threats. Other times, it can even summon Heroic Spirits – legendary figures of myths and legends – to deal with particularly dangerous situations."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room. "But here's where it gets interesting. Think about our current situation. Monsters suddenly appeared, immune to conventional weapons like firearms and explosives. They can use mana and perform supernatural feats that humanity had never been capable of before. By all accounts, we should have been wiped out."
Lancelot's eyes widened. "But we weren't. Because..."
Others in the room had similar looks of surprise and dawning realisation.
"Because Hunters appeared," Shirou finished. "People who could suddenly harness mana, who could fight these monsters on equal footing. Doesn't that strike you as convenient? Almost as if..."
"As if some force was empowering individuals to face this threat," Morgan concluded, her voice barely above a whisper.
Shirou nodded. "Exactly. In my other memories, this is precisely how the Counter Force would act. It wouldn't directly intervene…" He stopped himself from mentioning Counter Guardians as that would only distract his listeners. "But it would provide humanity with the tools needed to survive."
Merlin stroked his beard thoughtfully. "So you're suggesting that our abilities as Hunters, our very existence, might be the result of this... Counter Force?"
"I whole-heartedly believe it is true," Shirou nodded. "The timing is too perfect to be mere coincidence. The monsters appear, and suddenly humans develop the exact abilities needed to combat them. It's as if the collective will of humanity manifested these powers to ensure our survival."
Morgan, who had been listening intently, spoke up. "That's... a fascinating concept, Shirou. But what does this have to do with our current situation?"
"Well," Shirou continued, "in my other memories, there was also something called the Human Order – the common sense of man, the framework of humanity. It was what the Counter Force sought to protect. Maybe we are reincarnations of the legendary heroes?"
Tristan stroked his chin thoughtfully, ignoring Shirou's jest. "If this is true, it raises some troubling questions. Are we truly ourselves, or are we being shaped to fit predetermined roles?"
The room fell silent as the implications of this theory sank in.
Shirou pinched his nose. Whenever Counter Force was brought up, it was like opening Pandora's box… He snorted when he thought about that example when he had dealt with several Singularities and Lostbelts involving that very thing before he dismissed such idle thoughts.
Arturia was the first to break the silence, her voice firm and resolute.
"Whether or not this theory is correct, we are who we choose to be," she declared. "Our choices and actions define us. We may resemble legendary figures, but our story is our own to write."
Merlin clapped his hands together, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "Well said, my dear! And what an exciting prospect this is. If Shirou's theory is correct, we're not just Hunters – we're living embodiments of humanity's will to survive!"
"This is all well and good," Gawain interjected, "but it doesn't explain why Arturia is the only one among us who doesn't share a name with her legendary counterpart."
All eyes turned to Arturia, who looked slightly uncomfortable under the scrutiny. "Perhaps," she said slowly, "it's because I'm meant to forge my own path, separate from the legend of King Arthur."
Shirou really tried, but he couldn't help but crack a smile. It was hard to tell if the King Arthur of this world had been a male or female, but that didn't matter really. Arturia was Arturia, no matter which timeline, but the Arturia before him clearly wanted his support.
"What if King Arthur was a female in the first place, but had to conceal it for some reason…" He replied ambiguously.
"How was Mordred conceived then?" blurted Merlin.
Shirou stared at Merlin and resisted the urge to slug a punch at Merlin for making such an outrageous statement. This wasn't the Merlin that he knew, well the Male Merlin, at Chaldea. So he wasn't responsible for that fiasco about how Arturia had temporarily been male for a while.
An awkward silence fell over the room as everyone seemed to sense Shirou's reined in intentions until Gawain broke it.
"Shirou," he coughed, his brow furrowed in confusion, "if what you're saying is true, and we are somehow connected to these legendary heroes... why are we so weak?"
Lancelot nodded in agreement. "Indeed. We're E-rank Hunters, struggling to make ends meet. If we truly have the souls of such powerful beings, shouldn't we be S-rank at least?"
Arturia leaned forward, her green eyes intense. "Gawain's right. In your memories, you say I was King Arthur. A legendary ruler and warrior. But here, I can barely hold my own against a low-level monster. How do you explain that?"
The Master of Chaldea pinched his nose. They did have a good point. This was normally not how Counter Force operated. If it was going to use a Heroic Spirit then they would appear as a Servant, or at least as powerful as an S-ranked Hunter at the very least.
"I... I'm not sure," he admitted.
Merlin stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Or perhaps," he mused, "It's really coincidence that we have the same names."
"No, you are-!" Shirou stopped mid-sentence as he saw the clearly amused responses.
"You are not saying we are reincarnations of Arthurian legends right?" Merlin asked with a bemused smile.
Shirou couldn't help but chuckle at the half-joking, half-serious responses from his guildmates. Their reactions were so reminiscent of the Servants he knew from Chaldea, yet uniquely their own.
"Well," Gawain said with a grin, flexing his muscles, "if I am the reincarnation of the Knight of the Sun, perhaps I should start working on my tan. Can't let my legendary self down, can I?"
Lancelot rolled his eyes. "And I suppose I should start eyeing every married woman I come across?" he quipped, earning a playful swat from Arturia.
"Don't you dare," she warned, though her eyes sparkled with amusement. "Legendary or not, I won't have my guildmates acting like scoundrels."
Tristan strummed an imaginary harp. "Shall I compose a ballad of our E-rank struggles? 'The Knights of the Round Table: From Legends to Losers'?"
Morgan, who had been quiet, spoke up with a smirk. "If we're embracing our legendary selves, perhaps I should start plotting to overthrow Arturia's leadership of our guild?"
"You can try," Arturia shot back with a grin, "but I warn you, my Excalibur might be a rusty D-rank sword, but it's still sharp enough to deal with usurpers."
Merlin clapped his hands together, eyes twinkling. "Oh, the possibilities! Shall I start predicting the future? Or perhaps turn someone into a dragon? I'm sure there's a skill for that somewhere in the Hunter's Association database."
As the banter continued, Shirou felt a warmth spreading through his chest. They might not be same Servants he had fought alongside, but their counterparts seemed very much the same in appearance and personality.
"Alright, alright," Shirou said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Legendary heroes or not, we've still got a long way to go before we can-"
[New Class Unlocked: Hero Monarch]
O O O
Several Years Later
Jinwoo Sung stared around him as he walked down the streets of Seoul. If the changes that his family had all Awakened and Hunters were surprising that what he had discovered leaving his familiar, yet alien, home then the streets were shocking and baffling.
His senses were on overdrive to take in what appeared around him. The most troubling aspect was how his instincts to gauge the mana around him as habit of fighting monsters was triggering his body to be alert when there was no danger. The powerful mana presence he constantly detected, which normally meant a powerful ally or enemy, kept mistaking them for something they were not.
Intellectually, Jinwoo understand from the partially processed memories of his past(?) self that what he was detecting was not the result of powerful living entities, but powerful mana batteries (for anything using B-rank or below mana crystals) to the powerful mana reactors (that were powered A-rank and above mana crystals) that had completely replaced nearly every source of power source. If finding that revelation was baffling the other thing he kept constantly seeing really hit home how different the past had become.
The term Awakened had been synonymous for Hunter, at least to the timeline he had known before using the Cup of Reincarnation to rewind time. To Awaken was reserved for that the lucky percentage of humans had gained the ability to produce and use mana, and thus become Hunters. That clearly wasn't the case anymore when everyone walking in the street around him seemed to possess mana and knew how to use it in a limited manner.
"Brother, what's wrong?" asked Jin-Ah at the seemingly impossible sights that was causing Jinwoo so much surprise.
"How much mana do you have to possess to be considered an E-rank Hunter?" Jinwood responded with a question of his own then his listed a range of numbers that he remembered E-rank Hunters should possess.
"Brother, are you still immersed in that 'incredibly realistic alternate Earth' that you told me about after we finished breakfast?"
"Something like that..." Jinwoo smiled arkwardly as he recalled how Jin-Ah had brushed off his answer that had come from a different Earth from the one that he currently found himself in.
"Sheesh, Oppa... You are really stubborn in continuing in that role-playing..." Jin-Ah complained.
Jinwoo blushed and was grateful that his past(?) self had been a very serious method actor, preparing for a fundraising charity play. The play was set in a world eerily similar to the Earth he had left behind. At least that gave him an excuse to ask seemingly common sense questions about this new altered Earth without rising any suspicion.
Jinwoo was lost in thought, still grappling with the strangeness of his new surroundings when he felt a familiar presence. The shadows began to coalesce around him, forming the distinct figures he had grown accustomed to. One of them, Igris, stepped forward with a respectful bow.
"My liege," Igris intoned, his voice carrying a weight of authority and loyalty. "This world feels... altered from what we recall."
Beside him, Beru clicked his mandibles thoughtfully. "Indeed, my king," he added with a tone that mixed curiosity with concern. "It is as if this Earth bears memories that do not align with our own."
"Do you sense any threats?" Jinwoo inquired, masking his unease behind a calm facade.
Igris shook his head. "Not immediate ones, Sire, but the differences are unsettling."
Beru nodded, antennae twitching slightly. "We should remain vigilant. Whatever had caused this change may caused more changes that we are unaware off."
Jinwoo nodded, feeling a reassuring strength from their presence. Despite the dissonance of this new reality, having his shadows by his side provided a semblance of continuity. He knew he could trust them to navigate the challenges that lay ahead.
Jin-Ah watched the shadows with a mix of exasperation and awe. "Oppa, your serious dedication to this method acting is something else," she remarked, half-jokingly. "You've even managed to get your shadow summons involved in this whole act!"
She crossed her arms, observing the shadows as they stood or floated around Jinwoo. "But I have to admit," Jin-Ah continued, a hint of admiration in her voice, "they've become so much more intelligent and stronger. It's like they're S-ranked creatures now."
She laughed lightly, shaking her head. "No way, right? They must just be A-rank creatures. I mean, come on, there's no way they're actually S-rank... right?" Her voice trailed off as she considered the possibility with a playful skepticism.
Jinwoo chuckled softly, appreciating Jin-Ah's light-hearted perspective amidst the confusion he was feeling. Having his sister's humor by his side made the altered world seem a little less daunting.
He paused for a moment, a flicker of temptation crossing his mind. The truth of his power, the sheer magnitude of his Shadow army, would shatter Jin-Ah's undestanding of the world. He knew that with just a thought, he could summon an overwhelming force capable of subduing not just Korea, but potentially the entire Earth.
The idea of revealing this truth to Jin-Ah was tantalizing. He imagined her reaction, the mix of disbelief and awe that would surely follow. Yet, he quickly dismissed the thought. The world was already altered enough, and the last thing he wanted was to add to the chaos by unveiling such a formidable power.
Instead, he simply smiled at Jin-Ah, choosing to keep the truth hidden for now. "Let's just say my shadows have their own secrets," he replied cryptically, leaving her to wonder about the true extent of his abilities. Jinwoo knew that some truths were best left unspoken, at least until the time was right.
"Really?" asked a voice that for some reason seemed familiar to Jinwoo.
"Arturia-ssi, what a surprise to see you here! Aren't we supposed to meet up in an hour's time for the upcoming Raid?" Jin-Ah replied casually.
Jinwoo frowned as he wondered why the figure seemed familiar to him. That could wait, as he carefully accessed the tall and busty, green-eyed, blonde woman. She felt more powerful than any S-ranked or National Level Hunter. In fact, some of the Monarchs he had fought and killed seemed weaker than her, which he found really unlikely. For a moment, he considered if he was staring at one of the Rulers' vessels that he hadn't met.
"How would you like to be addressed?" asked Arturia Pendragon, one of the most powerful currently active Hunters and also known as King of Knights. "Would it be Jinwoo Sung or the Shadow Monarch?"
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