Hi! Lugal kug-ga here! I am a long time reader but a first time writer.

Imma say this now, I own nothing of the originals portrayed in this fic, I'm merely making an iteration.

And should you see some similarities with other fanfic Authors, it might be because I've…. copied it. Or took some parts of their works and incorporated it in mine. So, credits to them.

Enough of the boring A/N and onwards to the story.

I've committed to finishing this work, should it stop updating for a year, I've probably self deleted. So, sit back, enjoy, and review!

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Chapter 2.

A battle of ideals. That's what it seems to be.

To him, a battle in order to undo what is the past that would be the future, a mistake. But to that past, it is in order to prove that the future and ideals, in which even if it is but a fake, was never a mistake.

…

He could have easily ended it. End the existence of the one named Emiya Shirou. Yet why? Why did he bother to fight his past fairly? But, it feels like he would lose something more fundamental if he did so.

….

He lost.

Maybe it was the hope that everything that he did was never really a mistake. Heh, after all this time does he still harbor Hope? Hope, that maybe, the man named Emiya Shirou before him will never repeat the same mistake he had done. And hope that the answer he arrived at will bring his own salvation.

Transforming into a spiritual form, preserving what little magical energy he has left in order to observe if that answer would survive over the course of the war. Or merely die and prove that he was right.

…

He got his answer.

The boy even managed to take one of the king of heroes arm.

Using the last of his remaining magical energy, he aimed his bow, hitting the king of heroes between the eyebrows. Good thing the boy heard his warning or he would be a corpse joining the king of heroes from being absorbed by the grail.

…

Bidding Tohsaka Rin goodbye, he, as a servant, ceased.

…

Back 'outside', he stood, motionless. Despite at the same time currently observing several iterations of the grail war in which he was summoned as an archer. He saw countless timelines, in which Emiya Shirou died, whether by his hands, or another even if his master erased his memories and made him forfeit the war. But this particular one has the most impact, it was one where he remembered the forgotten past amidst his eternal existence. The dream long forgotten, the ideals long abandoned, and the promise under the moonlit night buried under endless suffering, and his self imposed hell. even if just a glimmer once more resurfaced.

Here, in One of the few possibilities in which Emiya Shirou managed to survive the Fifth Holy Grail War. Here, he saw the answer.

…

Another possibility, where Emiya Shirou managed to save Sabers heart, which he failed to do in life. Here, he sacrificed his life in order to buy time for his master and the boy to escape, taking 6 Berserkers' lives with him and hoping he took the 7th with that last attack; he didn't know if the boy managed to survive till the end. Here he saw Dream.

…

Another, he saw Emiya Shirou abandon his own ideals, one which he couldn't do in life. The boy did so for the sake of saving the girl he loved with the same determination as when he aimed to be an ally of justice. Here he saw choice.

Choosing to save the boy, he cut off his left arm. After saying goodbye to his master, he ceased. Hoping for this Emiya Shirou to be able to 'save'.

…

Taking a deep breath, he turned to look up at the expected scenery of gigantic steel cogs floating in the sky of his reality marble. Instead, what he saw was the imitation of a serene night sky full of shining stars. Light amidst darkness, just like how he now found a glimmer of light in the never ending darkness of his existence as a counter guardian.

…

After that, he stopped seeing more of the grail wars, meaning he hasn't been summoned into another yet. But his duties as a guardian continued.

He modified the formula that was engraved in his body, that instead of absorbing and erasing, he turned it into unity and possibility.

This would make him the only 'One' yet 'Many' at the same time. And like how Kaleidoscope is the only 'one' , this grand formula is the only one. As his reality marble is infinitely close to 'true magic' and the grand formula is integrated in his whole being, making the formula into a grand mystery in and of itself, in which only 'he' is able to use.

…

Countless time have passed yet again, but this time he finished everything. The only thing left is to activate the ritual.

He stood with an outstretched arm, and spoke his aria.

"Trace..on!"

Magical energy condensed and proceeded to rush into him, the raw mana being absorbed at a fast rate, the engraved formula in his circuit transformed nerve, automatically converting it into an energy he could use.

He felt so full of power, he felt bigger, he felt omnipotent. But he ignored it, for it was but an illusion caused by the condensation of mana.

After a long wait, his whole body seemed like it was a ball of energy.

Usually this act of his would have elicited a reaction from the counter force, but he's already contracted to it, the world would have summoned every beast of its disposal in order to get rid of him. But he's not on 'earth' but 'outside'.

"I am the bone of my sword"

Lived as a sword, existed as a sword and finally became a sword.

"Steel is my body and Fire is my blood"

In life disregarding his own wellbeing in order to save as many as he can with fervor of a blazing Ideal.

"I have created, over a thousand blades"

He gathered resentment, suspicion and hatred due to his way of life, as an Emiya and as an ally of justice.

"Unknown to death, nor known to life"

Contradictions he is, seeing every life equal, yet their death, he puts on a scale. Living only for others and not for himself, for the selfish intent of wanting to save everyone.

"Have withstood pain, to create, many weapons"

Every life he took, every life he failed to save, every suffering he caused, he blamed himself. Accepting it as his punishment. More training, more knowledge, and more weapons, just so he could at least save just one more life, just so that no one has to cry.

"Yet, these hands, will never hold anything"

Yet despite everything, he failed. After everything, he couldn't bear the weight of his borrowed Ideal.

…

But now, it's different. Now, he had his answer.

"So, as I pray"

The past can never be changed, but that doesn't mean the future cannot. Not changing what was but what would be.

"UNLIMITED BLADE WORKS!"

With his final declaration, his inner reality materialized.

A world of unlimited blades amidst a barren land and gigantic steel cogs hanging up in the sky.

Yet, something was different, before, everything was filled with rust, yet now, every blade, every cog, they glimmer like polished steel.

….

….

…..

The ' 「」' , It is also referred to as the "Outside of the World," as opposed to the World and its Reverse Side. Existing outside of time, it stores and archives information of all possibilities and events, past, present, and future, of creation. It is the place from where all Souls, including those of Heroic Spirits recorded on the Throne of Heroes, originate from and to where they return after death.

The ultimate ambition of a Magus. The First Magic and Fifth Magic were the result of reaching the Root, while the Second Magic, Third Magic, and Fourth Magic were meant as a means to reach it.

There are various methods used in attempts to reach the Root, usually involving reaching the pinnacle of a certain concept. There are also methods meant to reach it through manipulating certain systems, such as the Holy Grail War as a way of making a hole to it. Once a route is used, it is closed for good upon becoming established. If one isn't entered, it can be left until someone does claim it, thus closing it off for good.

Seeing the Root, touching it and then managing to understand it will completely erase the meaning of "impossible", granting what some would describe as "the capabilities of God".

But, Those who have touched it directly have never returned to the world. Those who have managed to touch it cease to exist on the spot, as their human souls are either going back to "where they came from", becoming absorbed into the Root, or something similar. The exact details are unknown. But, a few exceptions existed.

Some believe that it is possible for those who end up there "become God" in a sense, so there is no reason for them to come back. Or they cannot come back because "being God" isn't truly such a wondrous event as one may think. Both those who succeeded and failed touched it and couldn't return to the world. It may be that they told people about it because the first person to become God wanted companions out of loneliness, or that their work on that side was so massive that they needed other companions.

…

Technically, he is a heroic spirit. Should he only exit the 'world' he's currently in, He would return to the throne and become a complete heroic spirit, though his living body would be erased, becoming one with the primal force of the universe.

So, he 'ate' it. The 'world' or the 'bubble of space ' is a full world in a sense, courtesy to the Kaleidoscope. It is the same as with the kaleidoscopes observatory, which is also located 'outside'. 'Eating' made it so that his existence became a world itself. He became a 'singularity'.

His status as a heroic spirit. Would mean he would 'return' to the throne of heroes. Should he step out of that .

His status as a Counter guardian. Which wouldn't hopefully turn the counter force against him.

His existence as a world, albeit a fake one. Should preserve his living body and not be erased. It should also hopefully, buy time from the red shadow for him to delve deeper in the '「」'.

And finally, engraving and changing his very existence into a 'world'. Yet a 'man', at the same time.

Making a mistake here would be erasing the old world for the new one. He doesn't want that. That is why, the existence of Emiya Shirou, shall become a collective, yet separate at the same time. Making no major Alterations of the whole.

….

He succeeded, almost suspiciously so. No altercations, no interference, nothing.

His face scrunched up at the situation, he came up with several hypothetical answers, yet not being able to confirm it. Analyzing his body, or existence to be exact, resulted with no abnormalities.

True to beliefs, he truly did become a God. A God of his own world that is. which is birthed from his own existence.

A world of endless blades stretching beyond. Grass started sprouting in the once barren wasteland of rust and ashes, stars glimmering in the dusk lit sky, and gigantic steel cogs floating above the horizon. An after effects of absorbing the 'world bubble'.

He succeeded, huh.

His musings were cut short as he felt several beings materialize a few distance in front of him.

"...fuck!"

He cursed, now knowing why he succeeded smoothly, he was allowed to.

As they were in his world, he knew who they were and what they were. They were one existence after all.

One is a Red Dragon towering over a four storey building, similar to the depictions of western ones, though a lean one, quadrupedal, with wings like they could cover the sky should it stretch, razor sharp teeth and claws. Currently it seems like he's in a hibernative state, and won't be waking up anytime soon.

One looks like an elf depicted in some media, long ears, flowing red hair, and eyes like molten gold. Reading it, he is not an elf but a high elf. According to its knowledge, they are one of the five immortal beings, and would become a spirit after their physical body expires. the gods modeled the elves after their image. And it seemed he still retained some of his previous memories as a human similar to the dragon. And that he was currently looking around in confusion.

One is a seemingly ordinary boy, who looked exactly what his younger self looked as a 16 year old, though it seemed like his soul is much older, but he seemed to have forgotten his past life's memories, and lived as an ordinary highschool boy without inheriting Kiritsugu's ideal. Which is a good thing in his own opinion. He seemed anxious and constantly looking at his companies and the surroundings. And is behind the last person.

Standing in front of the kid, a man in his early 20's with a business suit, looking exactly what he would have been should he choose to live a mundane life and never experienced the side effects of his magecraft. It seems he lived as a lawyer and a private detective in public. But a hardcore gamer at home. Heh, even living as a mundane, Emiya Shirou at its core didn't change. Though it seemed he died and got reincarnated…incarnated? In another world?……future?

…

…

As he appeared before them, they finally took notice of him.

".. Archer!" The long ears traced the married blades, kanshou and bakuya, their lifelong companions; he took a stance, ready to attack when needed. It seems he could still associate his current appearance to that of his archer counterpart. Intriguing.

Emiya stopped a few earshot from them, their two human versions seem to be content being a bystander in this.

"What are you doing here?! Where are we?!" He asked, almost growling. Well, he understands his animosity, and the long ears have the right to do so.

" … in my world." he answered curtly as if that was enough for an answer. The two humans seemed confused by that answer though the older one managed to hide his, but the long ears understood.

"And what are we doing here, are you here to kill us?" He spat with an unhidden disdain. The two humans were startled by the statement and looked at Emiya with cautious gaze, the older one took a stance, ready to defend the younger one who looked agitated by that statement.

Emiya just shook his head.

"No." He denied. " And you would have been already if I wanted to." The long ears just scoffed.

" You were the ones who appeared here. That means you desire to be here." He looked straight at them. "you wouldn't be here if you did not desire to be, either for power, a chance to escape from what you currently face, or you've died." At that the long ears became quiet.

Clicking his tongue, he dematerialized his weapons and remained silent though clearly still suspicious. Emiya now turned to look at the two human versions of him.

"Um, excuse me sir. But I—" Emiya cut him off.

" Stop with that tone, it's disgusting." At that the man clearly sagged and the kid looked at him with worry.

"I–my apologies, but can you tell us what is going on? Where are we? And are those ears and that dragon real? And are you a God? You've mentioned this is your world." At that he looked at the long ears standing quietly with crossed arms and the slumbering dragon then finally at Emiya. As expected of a detective. Seems like he already has a conclusion of his own, though not on point sadly.

".. like I said earlier, you are in my–no, my world. And yes, they are real and yes, magic is real. You are here because you desire to be. like your desire for power, in order to survive your current predicament or desire something of the sort. And…yes you could say I'm a God of this world." At that the man became excited.

" Does that mean you can grant me powers? " He asked, approaching excitedly and almost prostrating in front of Emiya.

" I can, technically I'm a God. I can do anything in this world." He answered. Then even long ears twitched at that and paid attention.

"Then can you –" "please grant me powers!" He was interrupted by the kid. Who's now bowing in front of Emiya.

"Ho, and pray tell, why should I do that?" He asked with a mirthful and condescending tone.

"I–I just want to be of help, and for everyone to able to go home." He said in a choked voice, and expression of frustration.

"I can't fight as I am now, I'm too weak, I would just be a burden to others, I just want a power so that everyone would be able to go home."

" So you're fine with leaving the people who summoned you to die? Leaving them in that world to die a worthless death? Betraying them?" He asked in a heavy tone.

The kid felt the unseen pressure, a pressure that he felt would kill him should he answer wrong.

"I..I–no! I will help them!"

"Oi, asshole! He's just a kid! And he seems to just have been aware of the moonlit world, leave it." Said the long ears. Interrupting him.

The kid sat down as the pressure disappeared, his legs clearly trembling. Emiya shrugged and dropped the issue.

"Well, it's your choice what to do. So? What power do you need? You've already been able to use magic after your summoning. It seemed the ritual used for your summoning seemed to have altered your body. What more do you need?"

"Wait what?! This kid got summoned? Like in those isekai novels?" The man questioned but got ignored.

"I– it's, but I have useless skills." his voice became quieter at the end of his sentence. At that Emiya sighed.

" Is that what you think?"

" I mean! I only got reinforcement and projection. even my status is lower than the average, that a child in that world could beat me." He might have gotten more comfortable talking with them, so he started opening up and saying his thoughts.

Who answered him was not Emiya but the long ears, sighing.

" they're not useless, here look." He projected a sword and handed it to the boy.

"Wah! Heavy!"

"That is a projection." Long ears stated, different from his attitude with Emiya, he's more gentle with the younger him, teaching him like a big brother should.

"Uh, isn't projection just an illusion? Every time I used it I just managed to create an image that's only useful to distract opponents."

At that, long ears shook his head.

" No, you're just using it the wrong way–hey your hands!"

"Huh?" Looking at his hand their younger self started to disappear.

"Wha! What's happening?!" he panicked.

"Calm down, it seems like you've begun to wake up." Emiya stated.

"But, that means! Will I be able to return here again?" He asked in a panicked voice.

" Don't worry, you can return whenever you want to, just sleep and your desire will do the rest."

At that their younger counterpart calmed down,

"Then I'll be back tonight! Thanks nii-chan."and as if coming to a realization.

"Ah! I'm Emiya Shirou, what should I call you?"

At that Emiya became quiet for a few seconds, contemplating what answer to give, but after a few seconds, he smiled and answered.

"Emiya Shirou, but you can call me Archer like the long ears over there." Scowling at the nickname, the long eared one introduced himself.

"You can call me Aesir, or mapple child(Kaede), I was once Emiya Shirou."

Despite his confusion at the situation, the older human also introduced himself.

"My name's Emiya Shirou.. wait, huh?"

"Huh, but I'm –!" he disappeared before he finished his question.

….

Everything was quiet as the youngest disappeared. Only the breathing of the ignored sleeping dragon could be heard.

But the silence was broken by the only human among them.

"..so can anybody explain to me what is happening?" Both Emiya the heroic spirit and the high elf looked at the human Emiya.

And Emiya, ignoring the look Aesir is giving him, approached the man.

"Oi, Archer, what are you trying to do?" Stepping in front of him, he inquired.

"What? He wants answers, I'm just trying to give it to him the fastest way without having to go in length to explain everything. You've already experienced it didn't you?" Smirking, which irritated the long ears, he stopped a hairs distance from him. After a long staring and glaring, Aesir finally stepped aside. Emiya just grinned at that.

"What's happening?" The man asked, clearly nervous.

"Don't worry, it's just a transfer of memories." Raising his right hand, with his index and middle finger outstretched, Emiya touched the man's forehead.

Unable to properly process the sudden intake of information, his eyes rolled back and he fainted, and Aesir managed to catch him before falling. Then the man also began to disintegrate into blue particles meaning he's returning to his own body.

….

After the man disappeared, a long silence ensued.

"... what happened to you?" questioned Aesir breaking the silence.

Of course, Emiya knew what he was referring to, their first experience wasn't really that of an amicable kind. Well, he's still the annoying Archer, but, with less bite than in the past.

"... I got my answer." Saying so with a slight smile.

"...Is that so?" At that he looked away and at the dragon.

" …now, let's get this over with." Saying so after he's done looking at the dragon, he approached Emiya, who merely scoffed and raised his hand, touching Aesirs forehead and transferring memories.

" Guh!..so.. that's what you did!" Holding his head, he stumbled backwards.

"Yes, do you resent me now?" He said with that annoying grin.

Taking a moment to speak amidst the unending headache.

"...no…I guess it's also the reason I'm what I am now." At that he started to disappear as well.

"Heh, if you say so."

After Aesir also disappeared he turned to the only remaining being.

Looking up at the towering creature with furrowed brows, looking at its history, and sighing at the end.

" It seems like, even if I could change what I am, I can't change my luck." Shaking his head. " Though I suppose, you are necessary for the future of humanity." He only wondered why even here it still sleeps.

Further away from Emiya and the dragon, a swirl of blue energy manifested and dispersed, seemingly covering the whole world of unlimited blades; these happened unnoticed by the owner of the world itself.