A/N: And the Grail War begins!
Chapter 5: Hidden Dangers
Xx—Emiya Residence—xX
Naruto woke up to the persistent rumbling of his stomach, loud enough that it startled him awake. Groaning, he stretched, feeling the knots in his muscles unwind from the relaxing day yesterday. The morning sun filtered through the curtains, bathing the room in soft light, but all Naruto could think about was food.
"Guess relaxing doesn't fill the belly," he muttered, tossing his blanket aside and hopping out of bed.
He did all of his morning routine and headed downstairs.
The scent of breakfast wafted through the Emiya household, where Shirou, Sakura, and Fuji-nee were already seated at the table. Shirou glanced up from her bowl of rice and offered Naruto a warm smile as she placed another serving on the table.
"Morning, Naruto. You look like you're ready to eat the whole kitchen," she teased, eyes glinting with amusement.
"Oi, don't underestimate me!" Naruto shot back with a grin, plopping into his seat as he picked up his chopsticks. His movements were fast, almost comically so, as he began shoveling food into his mouth as if he hadn't eaten in days. Shirou chuckled softly and shook her head, while Sakura watched with a gentle smile, her eyes filled with that familiar warmth Naruto had come to expect.
Fuji-nee sighed dramatically. "Naruto, you're going to eat us out of house and home at this rate."
Naruto swallowed a mouthful of rice and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "It's called appreciating good food, Fuji-nee!"
The rest of the table erupted into soft laughter as Naruto leaned back in his chair, finally feeling satisfied. It was a normal, peaceful morning, filled with easy conversations and warmth. But even as he enjoyed the calm, Naruto couldn't ignore the strange, nagging sensation that had been creeping up on him since yesterday—a distant but unmistakable pull at the edge of his senses. He tried to brush it off, focusing instead on the quiet breakfast with his new family.
Xx—Fuyuki City—xX
-Homurahara Academy-
Naruto's playful energy had returned to full force, and he was already up to his usual antics. The day seemed ordinary enough, but Naruto's mischievous streak couldn't be contained for long. His targets? None other than the infamous Perverted Trio.
During recess, he spotted them gathered in their usual spot, whispering and sneaking glances at some of the girls in class. A smirk spread across Naruto's face as an idea formed. With a quick hand sign, he created a single shadow clone behind the trio. His clone worked swiftly, perching a bucket of cold water precariously on the doorframe above them.
The moment one of the boys opened the door, the bucket tipped over, drenching all three of them in icy water. Their screams of shock echoed through the hallway, sending the entire class into fits of laughter.
"Naruto!" the trio yelled in unison, shaking their fists as they stood there, soaked and sputtering.
Naruto grinned, pointing his thumb to his chest proudly. "That's what you get for being creeps!"
Issei, the student council president, walked by at that moment, raising an eyebrow but offering Naruto a knowing smile. "Another masterpiece, Naruto-san?"
Naruto puffed out his chest in mock pride. "Just doing what needs to be done." Issei chuckled as he continued down the hall, leaving Naruto basking in the success of his prank.
After school, Shirou and Sakura had archery practice. The two girls waved goodbye to Naruto as they headed off toward the range, leaving Naruto free to investigate the strange power he had been sensing since morning. It was faint, but the pull was there—something unfamiliar yet unmistakably dangerous.
'It's time, Naruto. That power isn't something we can ignore any longer,' Kurama's deep voice rumbled in his mind, breaking the silence.
Naruto nodded, his expression turning serious. He casually slipped out of sight, disappearing from the main road as he headed toward the distant pulse of energy. Every step he took seemed to draw him closer to the source, and with each passing moment, that sense of unease grew stronger. Something was coming. Something dark.
Shirou's POV
Shirou wiped the sweat from her brow as she packed away her archery gear, her thoughts wandering to the events of the day. Beside her, Sakura was unusually quiet, her normal smile more subdued than usual.
"Shirou, is everything okay?" Sakura's voice cut through the silence, soft but filled with concern.
Shirou hesitated, biting her lip. "I don't know… Something feels off."
Before Sakura could ask what she meant, the distinct sound of metal clashing against metal echoed through the air. Both girls froze, their eyes snapping toward the direction of the noise. Shirou's heart quickened, her body tensing. The rapid pace of the clashing was unnatural—far too fast for any ordinary human. It reminded her of the speed she had seen Naruto reach during his training, but this was different. This was something else entirely.
"What… is that?" Sakura whispered, her voice barely audible as fear crept into her tone.
Shirou narrowed her eyes, her senses on high alert. "I don't know, but we should check it out."
Ignoring the worry etched on Sakura's face, Shirou took a cautious step forward, moving toward the alleyway where the sound had come from. Her pulse pounded in her ears as they approached the corner. The air around them seemed to thicken with tension.
As they turned the corner, Shirou's breath caught in her throat. Two figures stood locked in combat, their movements so fast that she could barely keep up with them. One wore a flowing red and black dress, wielding two short swords—one black and one white. The other was a man in a blue and silver bodysuit, expertly spinning a glowing red spear. Every strike sent sparks flying, and the sheer force of their battle made the air hum with power.
Shirou's mind raced. She had watched Naruto train with his clones before, but this… this was beyond anything she had ever seen.
"These aren't normal people," Shirou muttered under her breath, her eyes glued to the fighters. The man in blue crouched low, his spear glowing with an eerie energy as he prepared to strike again.
"We should leave," Sakura urged, tugging on Shirou's sleeve.
But Shirou couldn't tear her eyes away. 'If Naruto were here, he'd jump in without a second thought,' she thought. But something held her back—was it fear? Or the unsettling realization that this fight wasn't one she could intervene in?
Before she could make a decision, the man in blue straightened suddenly, his sharp gaze locking directly onto them. Shirou's blood ran cold as his red eyes narrowed.
"Who's there?" he barked, his voice low and dangerous. The energy from his spear faded slightly as he stood at attention, his entire presence radiating suspicion and deadly intent.
Sakura tugged harder on Shirou's arm. "Shirou, we need to go!"
Panic surged through Shirou's body. Without a word, she grabbed Sakura's hand, and together, they turned and bolted down the alley. Their footsteps echoed off the walls as they ran, their hearts racing with fear.
Naruto's POV
Naruto arrived at the edge of the city, where the dark energy felt strongest. The buildings around him seemed abandoned, the streets eerily quiet. His hand instinctively reached for the kunai strapped to his thigh, his senses on high alert as he scanned the area. The pulse of energy in the air was thick, almost suffocating. It felt ancient—dangerous.
'This power… it feels familiar, but it's not like chakra,' Naruto thought, frowning. He took a slow breath, letting Kurama's presence simmer in the back of his mind.
'It's magic,' Kurama murmured. 'Looks like the Grail War is starting early this time.'
Naruto's eyes narrowed, his mind flashing back to Kiritsugu's warnings. "Is it because Kiritsugu tried to destroy the Grail last time?" he mused aloud. The old man had done everything in his power to stop the Grail's corrupting influence, but perhaps it wasn't enough. Perhaps the Grail's malevolent power had only been delayed, not destroyed.
Naruto's grip on his kunai tightened. Whatever was happening here wasn't good, and his instincts screamed that danger was closer than ever. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he sensed a dark presence nearby.
"Guess I'm not the only one interested in this place," Naruto muttered, his body tensing in preparation for whatever—or whoever—was coming next. His eyes darted around the shadows, searching for any sign of movement.
Shirou's POV
Shirou and Sakura sprinted through the narrow back alleys, their footsteps echoing in the otherwise silent night. The fear from earlier hadn't faded—instead, it was intensifying. Shirou could feel the heavy, oppressive energy of the man they had seen. His presence was still too close.
Suddenly, without warning, Sakura shoved Shirou hard, sending her tumbling to the side. Shirou blinked in shock, barely regaining her balance before she saw it—a spear, gleaming red, thrusting through the space where she had just been standing.
The man who held the spear was tall, clad in blue and silver armor. His red eyes gleamed with a deadly intent that made Shirou's blood run cold.
"Hoooo," the spearman crowed, his voice filled with amusement. "You've got good reflexes, girl, to push your partner out of my spear's way."
Shirou glanced at Sakura, who stood panting slightly, her eyes locked on the spearman. This wasn't luck. Sakura had seen the attack coming and reacted before Shirou even realized what had happened. But how?
Lancer, as the man was known, grinned, clearly impressed. He hadn't expected these girls to dodge his attack. He had deliberately slowed his spear thrust, leaking enough killing intent that most normal people would freeze in fear. But these two weren't normal, were they?
"Well now, this is interesting," Lancer mused, his gaze flickering between Shirou and Sakura. "You two aren't ordinary people, are you? Not in a world as complacent as this one."
Unbeknownst to Lancer, both Shirou and Sakura had been trained personally by Naruto. Though he hadn't been able to teach them magic, Naruto had ensured that they were physically capable of handling almost anything. After Kiritsugu's death, Shirou inherited his magic circuits and crest, and Sakura's naturally high magical capacity made her equally formidable. Together, they were far from ordinary.
Lancer's smirk widened as he assessed them. "What's your name, girls?" he asked, more curious than anything. Even if they were about to die, he wanted to know who they were.
Shirou steadied herself, taking a deep breath. Her heart was pounding, but she wasn't about to go down without a fight. She narrowed her eyes and offered Lancer a small, shaky smirk. "Emiya Shirou."
Sakura, calm despite the tension in the air, spoke next. "Emiya Sakura."
Lancer chuckled, tightening his grip on his spear as he prepared for another attack. "Well, Emiya Shirou and Emiya Sakura, you can call me Lancer." His red eyes gleamed with a cold, deadly light. "I'm sorry, but you won't survive the night."
The atmosphere around them grew heavier as Lancer's aura flared, a malicious energy radiating from him. "I hate to kill such beautiful girls," he mused, his voice dripping with mock regret, "but you know how it goes—dead men tell no tales and all that." He paused, his tone darkening. "Curse the fact that you were born with no power or luck."
Shirou's smirk, though shaky before, solidified into something more menacing. Her orange-ringed eyes—an odd side effect of her connection with Naruto—gleamed with confidence as she glanced at Sakura. The two exchanged a brief look, an unspoken understanding passing between them. They were ready.
"I won't die here," Shirou said, her voice gaining strength, "nor will I die tonight."
Sakura stepped forward, standing beside Shirou, her gaze locked on Lancer. The two girls moved with purpose, their training evident in every motion.
Lancer raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by their defiance. "Heh, you think you can survive against me?" His voice dripped with amusement. "Then why don't you try?" His grin widened as he crouched low, spear at the ready.
Shirou's malicious smile grew. "If you think you can kill me, then come on and try."
Lancer's eyes gleamed dangerously. "Here I come!" he roared, launching himself at Shirou with incredible speed.
But Shirou and Sakura were ready.
A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger! For those wondering about who Naruto was sensing, it's not Gilgamesh or any of the other servants in the war. As for Shirou inheriting something from Naruto, you'll have to wait and see what it is. Hope you all have a great day! Don't forget to leave a review—I read through all of them, even though there are so few!