Reenacting a legend

by davido747

In a world in which humanity never parted ways with the Gods and became the dominant species, an unexpected variable enters to disrupt its delicate order. After regaining his memories as the nameless hero King of Fakers, Emiya Shirou will have to teach this world why humans cannot be underestimated, and show them all what means to be a real hero.

16. Chapter 15: Kyoto, the city of war

Hey there! Not much to say here. For the people who somehow ended up in this chapter first, I recommend you to go back one chapter as this is the second chapter of a triple update, or else you'll be quite lost.

However, if you've already read that chapter, I recommend you to prepare some good OSTs, because the action already starts in this chapter. In fact, I strongly recommend any iteration of the Emiya Theme. You'll see why.

Without further ado, let's begin!

Disclaimer: I don't own any right over Type-Moon, the Fate Franchise, High School DxD, or Honkai Impact 3rd.

---

"Oh, look! We've finally made it!" Motohama exclaimed the moment their first destination for that day came into view.

Kiyomizu-dera was definitely one of Japan's best architectonic gems. The red gate surrounded by two colossal Deva sculptures and Koyasu pagoda towering over the other buildings was one of the best reasons. However, the reason behind the bespectacled boy and his bald friend's enthusiasm was more because they finally walked up the climb leading to it. Even if it wasn't as harsh as Fushimi Inari, they still looked like they were about to faint.

As for the others, well... Let's just say that a place with a famous attraction said to help people with their love life was bound to catch the eye of a group of teenagers.

"Well, let's go to the Jishu sanctuary right away!"

"Wait, should we leave the main attraction for the end?"

As the girls discussed what place to visit first, Shirou's eyes scanned the place until she finally found three familiar figures, all dressed as shrine maidens. Kunou and Rin were happily chatting to pass the time, while Mei, while still paying attention to their conversation, looked more like a guardian.

And what he meant with "guardian" wasn't caretaker, but a bodyguard. She had brought Doujigiri Yasutsuna with her, a decision Shirou approved given what happened yesterday. Not just that, but her left hand was resting on the back of tachi's handle, and having it point forward rather than having it hang behind her.

It was a subtle gesture that displayed familiarity with the weapon, and readiness to unsheathe it at any moment. It was doing the trick, making the people around them subconsciously avoid them despite most likely thinking the weapon wasn't real or that she was some sort of actress hired to enhance the atmosphere of the place.

She didn't take long to notice his gaze, he made it quite obvious, and the dangerous aura around her disappeared as she smiled and waved at him. Her gesture also helped the two kitsunes in disguise notice their presence and immediately rushed to meet them.

"Greetings, Shirou-sama, everyone! You came here right on time."

"Hello there, everyone. These new faces I'm seeing must be the other friends you mentioned."

"Glad to see you here, everyone. As we decided yesterday, we'll give you a special tour."

Their greeting surprised everyone aside from Shirou, but they immediately greeted them back. Of course, that familiarity left Matsuda, Motoyasu, and Kiryuu utterly confused.

"Wait, since when do you guys know these beauties?" Matsuda asked with a surprisingly respectful tone despite how he was obviously admiring the views, but on the Motohama case...

"Wow... I never thought I'd ever run into a pair of lolis so adorable." The boys whispered those creepy words, but almost everyone around them heard them due to their superior senses. And the way he was panting as if he were a thirsty man in the middle of the desert wasn't helping.

Mei's eyebrows trembled, and while she kept her polite smile, her hand returned to her tachi's handle, and even rattled it as a warning sign. Kunou and Rin didn't see the perversion in those words, so they just ignored it. Asia, Xenovia, and Jeanne didn't understand the term, Irina and Issei sighed, and Shirou narrowed his eyes to Motohama.

"Damn it, I forgot he's a complete lolicon."

"What do you mean, lolicon? Rin and Kunou are actual 12-year-old girls, not drawings or pixels!"

"Don't look at me. You know I'm on the side of busty girls. But his preference might be already warped beyond repair..."

""Kya!""

However, as Shirou and Issei argued, they overlooked the actual pervert who had no restraint. The Youkai Princess and her attendant let out surprised yelps when a certain bespectacled girl suddenly wrapped them in a tight hug.

"Ah! So cute! When did you meet them, Emiya?"

"Hey! Don't act so close, peasant! I won't tolerate this lack of manners, even if you're Shirou-sama's friend." Kunou tried to admonish her, but it had the opposite effect.

"Aw~ She even talks like a sheltered, little princess! It's the best!" Kiryuu then shifted her gaze to the pink-haired kitsune in disguise. "Are you also a little Ojou-sama?"

"No, I'm actually Kunou-sama's attendant."

Shirou couldn't help pinching his nose's bridge. Hiding their animal traits was good and all, but not acting like regular kids defeated the point.

Luckily, she desisted shortly after before one of them had to intervene. It remained a mystery if she came to her senses, was satisfied, or Mei's looming figure made her back down.

"At any rate. These are Raiden Mei, Yae Rin, and Kunou." Shirou introduced them, with each girl bowing when their name was pronounced. "I met Mei-san for the first a week ago while I was... hospitalized, and since she's a local, I asked her to give us a tour. We met these two little ladies yesterday as well, and they offered to guide us as well."

"Exactly. We'll give you the best tour you'll ever get!" Kunou spoke with unwavering confidence and puffed her chest.

"I'll have to admit, you definitely have some good taste, Emiya," Motohama whispered to him as if implying they shared the same tastes, which gave him goosebumps. He had to quell the thoughts of just knocking Issei's friend out again.

"We should start as soon as possible. Given all the places you want to visit today, our schedule is quite tight."

They agreed with Mei's suggestion and walked deeper into Kiyomizu-dera.

The first stop was, of course, the famous Kiyomizu-dera fall. Even if looking at the cliff itself might give people vertigo, the sights from the platform were just as impressive as the ones from Fushimi Inari.

"This is the famous Kiyomizu-dera fall. It's 13 meters deep, and it's said that if one were to jump and survive, their wish would come true." Kunou explained with enthusiasm that didn't fit at all the fact that she was talking about literally jumping off a cliff for a vague rumor.

"D-did anyone actually jump?" Asia asked with a pale face, to which Rin replied in the same tone as her mistress.

"Lots of people, in fact. Given that this is a place that worships Kannon-sama, it had some merit to it. But I think not that many died."

"Given the dense foliage, it isn't that hard. As long as you know what you're doing and don't fall head first, you should be fine. And it's been legally prohibited for centuries." Mei added in an attempt to calm the building's worries.

"Even though... it's always terrifying to see what lengths can people go to make their wishes come true..." Xenovia commented more to herself, but it came loud enough for everyone to hear.

If Shirou was being honest, jumping off a climb wasn't even that high on the list of things he's seen others do to accomplish their goals. The Holy Grail War as a concept was already hard to top, not to mention the entire Human Order Incineration incident.

The next stop was the waterfalls that gave the place its name. Legends say that the water here has therapeutic properties, and maybe it was true at some point if it was actually blessed by a divinity. But as of now, Shirou would say the chances were more tilted to having an indigestion by drinking unprocessed water.

The third and final stop was the Shrine dedicated to Okuninushino-Mikoto, a God of Love... or it should have been if there weren't that many people already there. The gist of it was crossing the distance signaled by two love stones with your eyes clothes. It wasn't that hard, but the queue was quite long, so they had to settle for a fortune-telling stand near it.

The three guides watched with some amusement the different reactions they had to their fortunes. Both Matsuda and Motohama managed to get really bad fortune much to their dismay, Jeanne stared horrified at her bad fortune, Xenovia, Irina, and Kiryuu drew good fortune, while Issei and Asia outright got a "you'll find your soulmate soon or you already have".

It wasn't something they should take seriously, given that there was no clairvoyance involved, but Kunou was carefully waiting for the reaction of...

"Huh?"

She let out a voice when she failed to notice a familiar mope of auburn hair among them, and realized he was actually standing next to them with his arms folded. He looked more like a parent watching his kids have fun from a distance.

"Shirou-sama, don't you want to know your fortune?" She asked, and while Mei and Rin also widened their eyes realizing he was there, the golden-eyed boy looked away with a troubled expression.

"No, I'm not interested in that kind of stuff. I don't need a fortuneteller to know I have horrible luck."

That left them more confused than anything, and he was already receiving stingy looks from Irina. But Shirou wasn't doing that. The low chance of getting something that isn't bad fortune was actually concerning, as nonsensical as it seemed.

"Well, let's be on our way then. The bus should arrive in five minutes." The heir of the Raiden clan guided them with almost pinpoint accuracy.

However, seeing the looks she received when she entered the vehicle with her tachi was amusing in and of itself. A certain blue-haired, former exorcist understood her well. And speaking of her...

"Wait, for real? This place isn't made of silver..." Xenovia commented with visible disappointment as Ginkaku-ji came into view the next morning, which caused the rest of the group to either laugh or look at her concerned.

Maybe visiting Yasaka's palace and the brief glance at Kinkaku-ji had created unreasonably high expectations for her, but they couldn't blame her. The place was literally called the Temple of the Silver Pavilion.

While Asia had to hug Xenovia to cheer her up, Kunou and Rin were already giving them a summary of the place's story.

"Well, the original plan was indeed to cover it in silver. After all, it was inspired by Kinkaku-ji, and its purpose was the same, a place of rest and solitude for the Shogun. However, that never came to be, and there's no concrete reason for it aside from rumors of them running out of money."

"In fact, one of its later owners became a Buddhist monk. That's why now it looks more like a Buddhist complex filled with gardens rather than a luxurious villa."

That said, it didn't take them that long to visit all the place had to offer, and this time walked to the next tourist attraction. The renowned Temple of the Golden Pavillion, which was indeed covered in real gold.

Just that already made it an impressive sight. All tourists made sure to take plenty of pictures, and they were no exception. They could even see stars in Xenovia's eyes.

They made sure to visit all the gardens, souvenir stores, and even a tea house. It was a blissful time, with the two little kitsunes guiding them with big smiles on their faces, and the usual antics among the church quartet and the perverted trio, with the unofficial fourth member instigating them.

Mei had decided to let the two little girls take the role of guides and stick more to her role as a bodyguard. She was constantly on guard, keeping an eye on their surroundings just as much as her protegees, and that made her painfully aware of how Shirou seemed removed from the group despite everyone's efforts.

He too was on guard, ready for an incoming attack, most of the time. And when he was engaging in the conversations and activities, he was only paying them half mind. He looked more pleased seeing his friends have fun than engaging in the fun himself, as if he knew he just didn't fit there despite trying.

It was a familiar feeling for her, even if the reasons behind it couldn't be more different. As an heir from an old, influential family, on both the mundane and supernatural side, most of her interactions with other people have always been just as shallow and filled with ulterior motives.

That's why she treasured the memory of her first regular conversation with someone who wasn't a highborn. And she had been waiting for a chance to bring it up to the golden-eyed boy.

That opportunity arose when the group started to queue up to leave their offering and sound the main shrine's bell, and Shirou once again stayed behind. Even better, Kunou and Rin had joined the main group, leaving the two of them alone.

Now, the only thing left was working up the courage to bring the subject. She knew the boy beside her wasn't one to start a conversation unless the subject involved food or weapons, so she would need to be upfront.

"Umm... Shirou-san..." She made a pause to see if she got the boy's attention, and when she heard him hum, she continued. "I've been meaning to ask... but do you really not remember me? We actually met way before this mess, when we were around eight years old."

"Huh?" The surprised voice he let out was definitely not a good sign. "Really? Sorry, my memories of those years are a little foggy. I was... dealing with a trauma. I was caught in an accident at the age of six, and I don't remember anything prior to it."

Mei widened her eyes for a moment. She wasn't sure if it was because he just dropped that personal fact on her, or his casual tone.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring such memories..."

"No, you couldn't know, and I've already come to terms with it."

He reassured her, or at least tried, but his neutral tone disturbed her a little. He might not be traumatized in the most common sense of the world, but she could now connect some of the dots about his peculiar personality, now and eight years ago.

"Well, speaking about our first meeting, your father and mine had a meeting for some kind of business. Emiya Kiritsugu was actually one of ME corporation's best clients, so when he told my father he'd be bringing his son, my father decided to bring me as well."

That was enough to get the golden-eyed boy thinking with furrowed brows.

He was aware of the ME corporation's existence and his father's relationship with it. It was pretty much Kiritsugu's go-to when it came to buying drones and the different gadgets they used to get an edge during their missions as mercenaries. Even if the enterprise didn't deal with actual weaponry, their technology was on par with the military, which was always several years ahead of the one allowed to the public masses.

Now, while what he told Mei was partially true, there was also the fact that the memories before the human called Emiya Shirou and the nameless hero fused properly felt like second-hand records to his current self. Searching through them took more than he would have liked, but he did remember a certain occasion Kiritsugu brought him on a business trip so that he could get familiarized with that department.

And there was a little girl. One with the same eyes and hair as the beauty beside him, but way more timid and reserved. Their conversation was awkward, to say the least, with none of them having topics to share, but the girl still insisted on not letting it die.

"I think I remember." Shirou saw how those brief words caused his companion's heart to skip a beat. "I'm surprised you remember it so well. We hardly had an entertaining conversation."

"Yeah, it was almost a monologue on my part but... it was a breath of fresh air seeing a new face in a long time and being able to drop all formalities and not care about etiquette and social standings." She turned around so her blue eyes met directly with his golden eyes, and offered a soft smile. "Even though you haven't changed that much in appearance, you've improved on that department, Shirou-kun. You just need a little push now to get you rambling."

"And you definitely changed, Mei-san. You blossomed into a beauty that is no longer just as socially awkward as me, but also has found more people who don't hold you on a pedestal."

His shameless compliment got her a little flustered, but she nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Sakura, Rin-chan, Kunou-chan, and even Yasaka-sama herself. It's quite ironic I found most of those people among the Youkai, the supposed enemies of Humanity according to the Five Great Clans."

A slight frown adorned her features and her hand went to her Tachi's handle on reflex. "That's my reason to stand by their side, regardless of my clan's will. Even if my clan were to be as traditionalist as them, I'd still choose to fight alongside them."

"I see. People like Issei, Asia, and Serafall made me see that supernatural species are just like us humans in that regard. Putting aside our different definitions of common sense, at the end of the day, it's up to the individual what kind of person they are." He made a pause, and his face suddenly turned serious. "If I'm being honest... I used to think of all supernatural creatures as enemies, to the point that killing them on sight without asking questions."

His confession caught her off guard. And that was still just a partial truth. If it wasn't because he had been utterly confused about his presence in this world after regaining his memories... Kuoh City would have been cleaned up in a matter of da-

He cut off that dark thought. It wasn't the first time he had pondered about that, but it still felt revolting thinking about what might have happened under different circumstances.

"I assume that was because of previous experience. Was it what you and your father Emiya-san dedicated yourselves and used our tech for?" She asked carefully, still giving him the benefit of the doubt.

"Not exactly. The old man and I were indeed mercenaries, but we just stuck to mundane matters. Unlike me, Kiritsugu was never aware of the supernatural. As for the reason behind my bias... it's a complicated and long story."

He made a pause, but quickly resumed the explanation. There was no choice to be made. If he were to add one more person to the list of relationships based on lies, he would throw up for real.

"Let's just say I happened to regain memories from a past life. A past life spent fighting supernatural creatures that were literally mankind's enemies by virtue of existing."

Mei blinked owlishly. Of course, the people around him had already come to terms with it because it was the only way to explain his quirks, but springing that on someone just like that...

"...?" Yet, her next reaction was holding her head as if she got a particularly strong migraine. "Are you okay, Mei-san? I know what I told you might sound crazy but-"

"No... if you ask me, it isn't that weird..." She managed to pull herself together, although her breath was still in disarray. "People say my affinity to lightning was somehow inherited from Minamoto-no-Raikou-sama and Gozu Tennou, and it explains a lot of things..."

She offered him a reassuring smile, or at least tried. "By the way, how is your father doing? He suddenly stopped contacting my father... Has it something to do with your situation?"

"No, Kiritsugu passed away months ago. He unfortunately... ended up paying the bill for smoking that much."

Raiden Mei was now outright biting her lips. That was the second landmine she stepped on in minutes.

"But don't worry, I've come to terms with it as well. Let's not make this conversation just as awkward as the first one we had."

That managed to raise the mood a bit, and Mei immediately redirected the conversation to more mundane topics. They lost track of time until a familiar voice brought them out of their bubble.

"Hey, lovebirds! Are you coming or not!" Kiryuu called them out, with a deliberate choice of words to not only trigger an embarrassed reaction from the two teenagers, but also spark interesting reactions from the group around her.

Just as a way to defy her, Shirou made sure to react as stoically as he could, and the same could be said of Mei. He could see a slight flush on her cheeks, but she seamlessly adopted her professional persona and walked up to the front of the group with Kunou and Rin.

"Sorry for the distraction. Let's resume our tour, shall we?" She gave the two kitsunes a sweet smile, and while Rin seemed too eager to continue, the Yokai Princess was squinting at their guardian.

It didn't take long for the pink-haired girl to notice it, and a sly expression overtook her face, one so disturbingly similar to her older sister's when she decided to be a tease that it almost threw Mei back.

Meanwhile, Shirou blended with his classmates, not as seamlessly as he hoped. Issei's friends were already cursing under their breath and saying he was already hitting on another beauty, which wasn't that far from the three judgmental stares glued to his figure.

"Shirou, what were you talking with Raiden-san?" Issei decided to jump the gun and ask in an attempt to defuse the awkward atmosphere, and Shirou answered casually.

"You could say we were catching up after a long time."

"Wait, don't tell me. She's a childhood friend you never mentioned?" Everyone widened their eyes upon hearing Issei's guess, and Irina brought her hands to her mouth. That was a really disturbing parallel, but Shirou immediately denied it.

"No, not even close. We just met once when we were kids, and we would probably have gone on with our lives without ever hearing of each other again. But I guess fate willed our paths to cross again."

While that managed to ease the tension for the most part, Irina could still feel her body tense. If you asked her, that was one of the most common synopsis for romantic comedies.

---

They decided to finally take a break for lunch and went to visit a couple more tourist spots. The day ended on a peaceful note, with no sudden attacks or anything remotely close. Neither on their side nor on the reverse Kyoto.

That might have seemed a good thing, but for people who knew their way around war, it was all but. It meant the Five Great Clans were regrouping, and forming an actual plan rather than just going around picking up fights like an unorganized gang.

So, when the veil of the night fell over the mystical city, a certain figure clad in black combat armor and a red cloak soared through the buildings in complete silence.

Shirou had waited for the twin-tailed maou to fall asleep for sure, and taking advantage of his servant attire, he just jumped out the window without having to take time to dress. Even if Serafall told him to relax during the day, she never said he couldn't go on night patrols.

Or at least that's what he chose to believe to soften the guilt.

Regardless, he doubted he would run into anyone, but getting familiarized with the city's layout was easier this way, and he could also look for possible locations where Yasaka was being held. Serafall told him their best clue was looking for places where the leylines were dried or outright unstable since restraining the Nine-tailed Fox would require grand-scale spells.

However, destiny once again defied his expectations when he picked up a supernatural presence.

It was unrestrained, but it didn't feel like a fight was about to break out. To his senses, it was the equivalent as if someone had just lighted a flare and waved it at him.

"An invitation?"

That was the conclusion he inevitably arrived at. The question now was if he should take it.

The red knight approached it cautiously, eyes peeled trying to find whoever was flaring their energy from a safe distance. Unfortunately, when he was finally able to pinpoint the location, it happened to be in a dark alley.

Even with his enhanced eyesight, he couldn't discern more than a vague figure, who was definitely waiting for him specifically. Despite their energy being wicked in nature, it wasn't that... menacing? Aggressive? Even if he was used to standing beside literal maous, his senses were still sharp enough to pick when a presence was disturbing due to the nature of the target, or due to their actions.

If he had to say, this one in particular stood in a middle ground. And there was also the fact that they were under no cover despite the shadows obscuring their visage. They were making themselves an easy target for an archer like him, which conveyed their lack of intention to ambush him.

But, this could also be a really elaborate plan to lure him. He wasn't a perfect radar, so there could also be more people hidden in that alley, concealing their presence behind the one flaring unrestrained.

The red knight pondered it for some minutes, testing the figure's patience at the same time. But in the end, he ended up jumping from his vantage point to the alley's entrance. Unlike the figure apparently, he did need to sleep.

With the distance crossed, he was able to get more details about the figure. They were wearing a cloak that hid their face, but it wasn't loose enough to hide their body's curves. It was definitely a woman.

"Fine, I'll take the bait. What are your intentions for luring me here, Ms. Shadow?"

There was a brief silence before the figure spoke up in a voice that rang some bells for him. "You can think of me as an information dealer. And I want to make you a proposal, Shirou-kun."

He almost raised an eyebrow at that excessive familiarity when she referred to him. Just that already was enough for him to be close to discerning her identity, but he decided to focus on her words.

"I'll at least hear it. Whether I'll accept or not... we'll see." He left that clear and moved his hands into a half-closed position. If whoever this was knew him, then she should know it would take a split second to project a weapon and cleave her in two.

"Fair." However, the cloaked figure ignored it and continued with an amused tone. "I'll get right to the juicy stuff then. Have you wondered why there has been zero activity from the Five Great Clans today? Well, they are getting ready to launch a full-on assault on the Yasaka's castle tomorrow night. And let me tell you, they aren't planning to take prisoners at all. Rescuing their lost girl is just an excuse."

Shirou's eyes widened. "What the... Regardless of the amount of resources and manpower available to them, they can't just put together an attack of that scale overnight, almost literally. Either they plan on just throwing whatever they have at hand, resulting in a half-assed attack, or..."

"They've already been planning it for a long time, yes." The figure completed his assumption with her lips curving into a smirk visible despite the hood. "The recent kidnapping was just a trigger. Their hatred for Youkai runs really deep, and the absence of the mighty Kyubi emboldened them."

"So... you're telling me this so I can warm everyone and avoid the tragedy?" He asked, with some skepticism. What did she gain from that? Did she have a grudge against the Five Great Clans?

"Not exactly. You and I want to see the best outcome, right? But that would only solve one of your problems."

"Well, yes. There's still the Hero Faction and Yasaka's disappearance..."

The cloaked figure nodded. "You already can tell those two are the same problem. In fact, both kidnappings are their doing. A way to set up tomorrow's conflict. And thankfully, one of the factions has already dragged you into it as well. That is the stage Cao Cao and I have been working towards."

That caused the red knight to immediately frown and let out killing intent. "You're working for Cao Cao?"

The figure waved her hand, once again with amusement rather than caution. "Not at all. I've been leaking some information to him through a third party, a person they can trust, unlike me. However, we have the same goal in this unique occasion."

She then leaned forward, and whispered her next words, making sure only he would hear them just in case.

"Cao Cao will make his move tomorrow night as well, bringing both hostages. It will be a great opportunity to kill two birds with one stone."

That was more than enough to convey the full message. That... certainly made things easier for Shirou. Knowing both his targets were coming at him, springing a trap would be simple. He just had to decide how to proceed. But before that...

"Okay, if what you say is true, we can put an end to the conflict way faster than I expected. But do you really expect me to trust a not-so-shady cloaked figure just like that?"

The figure put a hand over her chest. "You're hurting me, Shirou-kun. I thought we were already deeply intimate, nya~"

That last verbal tick she let out on purpose finally made everything click in Shirou's head, Before he could say anything, she pulled back her hood, revealing a beautiful face he was indeed familiar with. More than anyone would suspect since they had only met a couple of times.

But due to recent events, Shirou pretty much knew most of the important events in her life... and she most likely knew him to the deepest level. Just like Koneko, the repeated cycle of dreams they experimented with inevitably brought them closer than any long relationship could ever.

"Even if you don't trust me, trust the intentions of the one who sent me to lend a hand. After all, she's one of the most innocent creatures in this world."

The red knight pursed his lips. He couldn't refute her words. The girl in front of him has done questionable things, even if he now knew the atrocity that started everything was, in truth, an act of love. But he had no choice but to trust her. Not just because he trusted the one who sent her here, but because he was indebted to her.

"Fine, let's work together then and think of a plan."

The girl showed him a dazzling smile. "Fufu, I knew you'd understand. However, let me clarify something. As much as we'd like to, you can't warn everyone about this. If you guys somehow stop the Five Great Clans dead on their tracks with no casualties at all, Cao Cao will notice something is off and most likely hesitate."

"Yeah, he won't make a move unless both sides are busy killing each other..." The red knight said grimly.

He brought a hand to his chin as he thought of a way to create a favorable situation with as less casualties as possible. His expression started to turn sharp and disturbingly stoic, unconsciously biting his lip to the point of drawing blood, as he came to terms with the fact that "the fewer casualties" would still be way more than they should.

In that case, there was only one kind of plan he could come up.

"Okay, this is what I'll do..." Now it was his turn to whisper into her ear, something she seemed to take pleasure for reasons that eluded him.

By the end of it, she clasped her hands behind her back and put on a smile with a hint of nostalgia. "You're still as suicidal as ever, Shirou-kun. But I see a big hole in that plan. I can get behind you roping the maou into this, but do you really think she'll agree to it?"

He adverted his eyes, not having thought that through. "I'll convince her..."

---

Next morning...

"ARE YOU NUTS!?"

Yeah, she definitely didn't approve of his plan. Fortunately, the room was surrounded by sound-muting spells. Otherwise, that shout would have surely woken up the entire hotel.

The maou stood there, with her hands resting on her hips and her blue eyes were piercing his skull. Even though she wasn't exactly a morning person, given that she had just woken up and was still in her nightgown while he had already finished his morning routine and was ready to go, her body was filled with energy the moment her brain processed his words.

"Okay, I know that my usual modus operandi of high-risk high reward might take aback most people, but I swear I'll put my life on the line to protect-"

"That's not the point!" She immediately took down his attempt to negotiate. "Of course, I know you'll put everyone else's safety above yours! But that's the problem! You're going to use yourself as bait! That might not be as suicidal as using your Tsumukari, but it comes close. I told you I was coming here precisely to make sure you didn't do something stupid, and you went and dropped this on me."

The twin-tailed maou bit her lips and clenched her fist. "Did all my words just go in one ear and out the other? It's one thing to be stubborn, but you just-"

"Serafall." Shirou cut her with a really serious tone. Furthermore, he doubled down and put his hands over her shoulders, which caused her to let out a surprised yelp. "I decided to tell you about this plan because I'm putting all my trust in you. I know we can make it work and solve everything in one night. But I need you to trust me on this. Can you do it?"

Her cheeks got a little flustered due to the lack of space between them, but she kept her serious face. "I trust you, Shirou-kun. I trust you just as much as I trust Nahida. We're in this together. It's just... it worries me that the plan you deemed the best action course was acting as bait. But you at least asked for my help. That's an improvement, I'll give you that."

"Does that mean..."

"Yes, we're doing it. I'll tip Azazel so that they are ready to intervene as soon as possible. However, are you really sure you can take on that many people with considerable power? I know you're really good when it comes to one-on-one fights, but..."

"Don't worry, Serafall. As I am now, when it comes to combat power, you should remember my status as a servant. The strongest kind of familiar, summoned to fight entire wars."

Seeing his confidence, she couldn't argue with him. Emiya Shirou had no pride, so when he spoke of his combat prowess, it always came as objective facts.

"Okay. I guess I'll get to see just how powerful a Heroic Spirit is. But bear in mind I'll come rushing to your side once my part is done."

At that moment, all tension left Shirou's body, and a smile formed on his lips. However, he saw Serafall's lips furrow as if she were gathering the courage to say something more. But then...

"Hey, Serafall! Are you already up!?" Azazel's voice from the outside put a premature end to their conversation.

Even if the guy didn't barge in, which would have gotten him beaten up, Shirou retracted his hands as if he had been touching a stove.

"Huh?" Or so he tried, but Serafall caught his arms a pulled him closer to give him a kiss on his cheek.

This time, however, she didn't retreat immediately and kept looking at him in the eye with her trademark smile. "You should get going. Enjoy your last break before all normalcy is destroyed. We'll iron out the details later."

She gave him a wink before raising her voice and addressing the man at the other side of the door. "Give me a sec, Azazel!"

With that, she rushed into the bathroom, and judging by the cacophony of sounds coming from it, Shirou was sure he was witnessing what Issei's friends called "speedrun" in real life. And he knew she of all people would actually pull it off.

That aside, the golden-eyed boy had to shake his head to pull himself together. How did she think he could relax if she kept pulling that on him? Doing just whatever she wanted and ignoring all the walls he erected between them...

That kind of incredibly upfront tactic was just his weak point. Because it could only be performed by the kind of woman that could truly pull his heartstrings.

He silently opened the door and walked into the hallway. Azazel looked at him with a little bit of surprise, and on the other hand, Shirou was surprised to see Rossweisse was also there.

"Oh, it's you. I know Serafall isn't the kind of woman to take long dressing up, but she taking just seconds would have been nuts." The General Governor threw that comment with his usual carefree tone but then paused to take a good look at Shirou's face. "Oh? Did we interrupt something, Shirou-kun? It's rare to see you all flustered."

"Huh?"

It was the former Valkyrie who let out a gasp. The boy in question didn't show a visible reaction, but the way his golden eyes glared holes into Azazel's for a moment was more than enough to confirm his suspicions.

"Nothing out of our usual teasing."

"Is that so? Well, I'll just let Serafall do her thing then."

"W-what do you mean, Azazel-sensei!? Shirou, what were you and Serafall doing!? Nothing p-perverted, I hope!"

Shirou made sure to raise his eyebrow slowly and dramatically at her. "We were just talking."

With that said, he left to search for his group in hopes of clearing his mind.

---

Oh boy, how wrong he was...

"Tenryu-ji is one of Kyoto's five principal zen temples, ordered to be built by the Shogun Ashikaga Takaji as part of Rinzai's Buddhist school."

"Its main attractions are the gardens, the main buildings that form the temple, and the Hatto hall. It's said there are even the tombs of two emperors here."

While Kunou and Rin were giving their tour, Shirou could barely follow behind with a poker face that would definitely get him far in a casino.

Telling Serafall about his plan made him feel at ease for once, but now, he had to add to his feeling of not fitting here the fact that he was withholding the horrors that would happen that night from the three locals.

It wasn't just the fact that he was knowingly sacrificing people he didn't even know, once again falling back to using twisted mathematics to measure losses and gains. Kuno was already under massive stress due to her mother's disappearance, and Rin was still an innocent kid, but war was about to kick down their door.

As for Mei, the thought of tipping her off did cross his mind. In a really subtle way, of course. Just a, "Stay alert tonight. Their inactivity can't be a good sign." If he had a good read on Sakura, they might even be prepared without him saying anything.

However, despite staying at the group's back with him, the raven-haired girl seemed... afflicted? Sick?

He couldn't agree on a way to describe her current behavior, but she wasn't paying that much attention to the two kitsunes and was instead lost in her thoughts. Her hand was still ready to grab her Doujigiri's hilt at any moment, almost eager if you asked Shirou. And he caught her throwing some side glances at him from time to time, as well as grabbing her head as if she were suffering from a migraine.

What could have happened to put her in this state?

"Enemy ***** kill ***** destroy ***** enemy."

"Kuh..." Raiden Mei couldn't repress a grunt as once again that voice in her head writhed around like a rabid beast trying to break free from a cage.

And that was almost literal. The headache she felt made her think for a moment there truly was something trying to split open her skull from the inside out. She was starting to lose track of time and even her surroundings.

Her body moved erratically, not responding to her commands as it should. It seemed like something else was trying to take control of it, and their commands were getting mixed with hers. But the most disturbing part was the intent filling her body.

Pure enmity towards the golden-eyed boy.

Yesterday's backlash when Shirou revealed his status as a reincarnated soul that retained his memories seemed just a gentle flick in comparison.

"That's a lie. Souls can't retain information when they return to the ********* ****."

Her blue eyes almost widened. The seemingly random and rageful voice decided to answer her directly. But that only made it worse. In a moment of distraction, the pain came back two-fold, and her hand shot toward her Tachi on its own.

It took a colossal effort to stop it. She knew it wasn't just Shirou who was in danger. If it wasn't because of her strict training as a swordsman from a young age, her mind would have crumbled long ago, and her body would have become a raging demon.

Why did it suddenly turn so aggressive? Up until now, she had only heard it a few times which could have been easily dismissed as intrusive thoughts. Really disturbing ones, but nothing that out of the ordinary. Now though, it was clear there was... something inside her head, speaking with her voice.

She felt like throwing up despite being in the middle of a crowd. The feeling of something akin to a parasite eating away at her was horrifying.

But most importantly... why was it so obsessed with the auburn-haired boy?

"That thing isn't human. I don't know what he is, but he definitely doesn't belong to this planet."

"What..." Unfortunately, none of what that thing was saying made any sense to Mei, and the pain wasn't helping. "Guh..."

She could only hold on with all her willpower, even though she didn't see an end to this. The voice in her head didn't miss the chance to try and make her feel her efforts were utterly futile.

She found herself biting her mouth's interior more than once just to keep her consciousness from fading, and she could feel her shrine maiden outfit drenching. It was a wonder how no one noticed it.

"...-onee-chan?"

"...ei-san!?"

At some point, familiar voices pierced through the pain clouding her mind, and she finally felt clarity. She was now alone with the two kitsunes, so it seemed that the lack of Shirou's presence helped calm the thing down.

"Oh, I guess we're done for today?"

She asked more to herself than anything. In her agony, more than six hours had passed with her walking around and even eating on autopilot. The feeling assailing her now was close to jet lag.

It took some effort to convince Kunou-chan and Rin-chan that everything was fine, but before they started heading home, she noticed something in her hand. It was a piece of paper, crumpled and drenched, but she could still read what was written on it.

"Be ready for tonight? Huh?"

---

It was already midnight when a certain princess decided to call it a day. Just as the two days prior, she had spent a good amount of time diligently studying the next locations Shirou-sama and his friends would visit the next day to give them the best possible tour.

Even if... well, getting Shirou himself involved was actually a challenge. But she wasn't giving up. While their school trip would end in a couple of days, Shirou, Serafall, and Azazel would stay as many days as needed to resolve the crisis, so time was on her side.

She doubted she would be able to fall asleep due to her eagerness for tomorrow's tour, but Sakura-onee-chan was already making a scary face when she told her to go to sleep.

Kunou was about to get into her futon when she realized she had forgotten to close her room's curtains. Reverse Kyoto had almost zero light pollution, so the amount of moonlight entering through the window could rival the sunlight in the morning-

"Huh?" Wait a second, that didn't make sense. Even with a full moon, the light entering her window should have the same "color" sunlight... or more like... flames.

A chill ran down her spine. That could be a lot of things, but her mind immediately imagined the worst case. And she didn't have time to dismiss the thought as eerie sounds reached her ears.

Her legs moved on their own despite the increasing fear invading her body, and she took a quick look through the window.

"...!" The image that greeted her would be forever burned into her mind.

The familiar and peaceful streets of Reverse Kyoto had been turned into literal hell. The simple houses were now burning to the ground, and the air was filled with horrifying screams and the scent of blood.

She could barely distinguish the figures of humans storming the buildings and persecuting Yokai through the street, and it was already enough to make her feel nauseous. It was wanton cruelty. Violence for the sake of violence. The image was almost the same as when Oni gangs assailed Kyoto during the Heian Era.

Tears threatened to spill, and no matter how much her body wanted, she couldn't make a sound due to the lump in her throat. The way her emotions gave a 180 in the span of a few seconds left her in a momentary shock, almost like a physical whiplash.

However, her upbringing as the next leader of the West Yokai Faction helped her pull herself together, at least for the time being.

"Sakura-onee-chan!" If there was someone who could handle the situation in her mother's absence, it was her.

Even if the pink-haired kitsune was most likely already organizing the evacuation and defense, Kunou knew she would only be safe beside her, and maybe she could help in some way-

"Kya!" Just when she turned around a gave a couple of steps towards the door, something crashed through the window, leaving a sizable hole in the wall and sending her tumbling.

Once her momentum died down, she turned around, and her heart skipped a beat. Of all the things... the same brute that gave her a beating a couple of days ago was the last thing she wanted to see. He was standing there, looking down at her with a really disturbing smile.

"Kehehe. I don't know how Ouryuu got the tip about your location, but they were damn right." The Shinra Clan's heir cracked his knuckles as he slowly approached her. "Now, let's see if that ice bitch is so haughty and mighty after I show her your mangled body!"

Kunou gritted her teeth and rose to fight back. Even if she knew she had no chance, she wasn't going down without a fight-

"Hey, I thought I had beaten the thought of harassing children out of that thick head."

A sudden third voice made them freeze as if someone had hit the pause button. It was a familiar voice for both, but it brought many questions.

"You-" The white tiger could barely raise his arms before a red blur emerged from a corner of the room and smacked him away with a massive stone slab.

The figure of the red knight that once saved her landed once again between her and the danger, letting the massive axe-sword fade into light specks, as well as an ornate dagger he had been holding in the other hand. Mixed emotions filled her heart. Immense relief and gratitude for her hero to have come to her aid, and confusion as to how was he already in her room.

"Hurry, Kunou-chan. You aren't safe here. Hold still and make sure not to bite your tongue."

"What- waaaaaaahhhh!"

Before she could even think of a single word to say, she was swept into his strong arms, and the next moment, they were already soaring through the night sky at neck-breaking speeds. The cold wind splashing against her little figure contrasted with the warmth of her protector, and coupled with the feeling of vertigo, caused her to instinctively cling to him with her entire being.

It happened so fast that she didn't notice the two figures that barged into her room just a moment later.

"Kunou-sama!?" Yae Sakura felt her heart stop for a moment when she didn't find the princess in her room, but did find the hole in the wall leading to the exterior.

Behind her, Mei also paled while visualizing the worst-case scenario, but due to her less agitated state, she caught the figure of the red knight in the distance carrying someone with six fluffy tails.

"Look, Sakura!"

"After them!" They were already far enough for her to not be able to recognize the red knight, so the kitsune's first reaction was to grip her katana and get ready to burst forward. However, the raven-haired teenager grabbed her by the arm just in time.

"Wait! Are you sure we should leave the castle!?"

"They can hold on their own! Look closely. Kunou-sama's presence is drawing the attackers' attention like moths to a flame."

Before even the last word left her lips, Sakura's figure had already disappeared in a blur, while lightning covered Mei's form to help her reach the same speed.

They ran through the burning roofs, ignoring the chaos around them and cutting whoever was bold enough to try and stop them. Mei, in particular, had to ignore the cries calling her "traitor", with a part of her rationalizing that these murderers weren't different from the Oni she had been trained to deal with.

It didn't take long to catch up to the "kidnapper", and the sheer absurdity of the scene in front of them gave them pause. It wasn't just the identity of the kidnapper that surprised them, but what was he doing.

"Get him- argh!"

"Kill the prin- gah!"

"Shirou-samaaaaaa!?"

Swords of all shapes and natures flew in all directions to take down all the incoming attacks and skewer the assailants rushing at them. The Youkai princess was suddenly tossed into the air, and before even landing, the red knight projected his black bow and an "arrow", and fired it at the white tiger that tried to ambush them. The point-blank shot cracked his Touki barrier and knocked him into the dirt road.

The red knight then landed and rolled into a shooting position, perfect to fire a volley of twisted swords at the overgrown roots that tried to catch Kunou. As if he had eyes on his back, he jumped just in time to avoid a rock pillar that crashed where he had been and flipped in the air while knocking another "arrow" on the bowstring. With a metallic screech, the projectile was fired right at a young, blonde boy they recognized as this generation's Yellow Dragon.

Without even looking if his shot landed, which it did, hitting the Nakiri heir right on his solar plexus and cracking his Touki as well, the red knight flipped back just in time to catch Kunou.

The entire exchange took just a few seconds, but it must have felt like an eternity for the princess. She even started firing fireballs in random directions in her panic, which actually helped fend off some of the attacks.

Sakura and Mei finally snapped out of it and rushed to join the fray, Frozen Naraka and Doujigiri Yasutsuna making quick work of the Five Great Clans lackeys.

They ended up arriving at a wide square, and the red knight suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. He wasn't fazed at all by the three heirs and their entourage surrounding him like vicious wolves but was a little surprised when both swordsmen landed by his side.

Their presence served as a deterrent, preventing the enemies from jumping at them, while Kunou felt even more reassured.

"Shirou-sama, what is the plan," Sakura asked with a professional tone, to which Shirou replied casually.

"Nothing complicated. Kunou, please, clench your teeth once again."

The princess nodded, getting herself ready mentally for what the red knight was about to do, putting her unconditional trust in him.

After waiting a second, to everyone's surprise, Shirou suddenly tossed her up with all his might. But this time, he made no move to attack, and instead, a blur with bat-like wings flew over them and caught Kunou in mid-air.

The blur stopped for a split second, letting Mei and Sakura recognize her as Serafall donning her magical girl outfit.

"Well, now that Kunou is safe and all the enemies have been lured out to one place, we can get to-"

The red knight's explanation was cut short when a small silhouette crashed against the flying maou. Serafall was able to block the surprise attack, but the strength behind it shot her down from the sky with Kunou still in her embrace.

"That was..." While Shirou's surprise was brief, being confident in Serafall's skills to handle the unexpected shortcoming, Sakura was outright hysterical. Her purple eyes shone in recognition, and rage filled her figure. "Nurarihyon! Shirou-sama, Mei, I'll leave them to you! I deeply apologize, but I must settle a score with that bastard!"

She didn't even wait for an answer before rushing in the direction Serafall fell. And as if her presence had been what held them back, multiple figures made their way into the square.

They were Youkai of all kinds, but their almost visible blood thirst and sinister expression immediately set them apart from the innocent citizens who were being slaughtered. Those demons had come here with the same intentions as the humans and immediately attacked them without hesitation.

"What's the meaning of this?" The young boy clad in crimson armor leading the group of humans asked with equal surprise as his underlings had to divert their attention to defend themselves from the Youkai.

The square soon became a bloodbath even worse than before, with both sides trying to kill each other. However, the three heirs couldn't move a muscle to intervene, as their eyes were still locked with the red knight and the black-haired swordsman's.

They knew the moment they lost sight of them, they'd be mercilessly attacked.

The three combatants remained still as the world around them crumbled and turned into a nightmarish hell, as if they were trapped in an isolated bubble.

"Aren't you going to help Sakura-san, Mei-san?"

"No. Just like her, I have a score to settle with those three."

The red knight asked casually, once again implying he could take on everyone in the vicinity by himself, but Raiden Mei insisted. Her head was once again throbbing just by being near him, but she could make do by redirecting the "thing's" rage towards the three heirs in front of her.

She herself was already livid, which showed in the way her cold expression matched the red knight's almost like a mirror.

"Those must be Youkai from the East Faction. I guess the information of our attack must have been leaked." The Azure Dragon theorized, which gave their leader a pause.

"Tch, we can't afford to lose the momentum now. If that's the case... Raiden Mei!" The Earth Dragon raised his voice to address them. "What do you think of a truce to deal with this third party? If you help us, we might consider-"

His attempt at negotiation only served to increase the hostility of the two even further. The White Tiger by his side also seemed pissed off he even considered that. And then, the red knight addressed him with a low tone that sent chills down his spine.

"Kid, you should have thought that before starting a one-sided bloodbath. Right now, the only thing you can negotiate is if we send you packing in one piece or just your heads."

"That's more like it! Come at me then, smart-ass!" Byakko taunted as his body started to turn into a humanoid tiger.

With no option left, Seiryuu and Ouryuu unleashed their trump cards as well, making their bodies exhibit the draconian features of their respective Sacred Beasts. But the boost in power didn't faze the two warriors in front of them in the least.

"Trace on." Kanshou and Bakuya were projected into his hands while Mei took a stance really similar to the famous Hira-Seigan, with lightning enveloping her sword and light armor. "How's your teamwork?"

"Not that good."

"That makes two of us. Do your thing and I'll figure out something."

The Raiden heir nodded at the red knight's words, and with a burst of speed, she closed the distance between them and their enemies in a beat. The Yellow Dragon didn't fall behind, though, and matched her speed enhancing his body to its limits with Touki. But the moment he deflected the first attack, he felt something was really wrong.

"Huh?" It wasn't just that the electricity bypassed his Touki and numbed his arms. It felt nothing like the divine lighting Raiden Mei was supposed to have inherited from Gozu Tennou, but rather... a really eerie curse.

To make things worse, the red knight wasn't just keeping Byakko busy. His comrade was pretty much just tanking hits from those Chinese swords however he could while their support could barely help due to those flying swords destroying all the plants around.

He had a vague idea of the red knight's identity, and he wished he was wrong, but all evidence pointed at him being the man who took down a God.

The ground around him started to shake as he prepared to unleash all his might from the start, and Seiryuu followed his example as plants started to overflow the battlefield.

It was their only gamble against the God Slayer and the Lightning Queen.

---

"Eyes up, everyone. For Serafall to send just an "SOS", things must be really bad." The General Governor commented as he waited for everyone to cross the gate leading to Reverse Kyoto.

The fact that none of them looked sleepy and was fully focused was a bad sign as well. Everyone could sense that something was wrong with just the atmosphere. Azazel himself is gripping his artificial Sacred Gear tightly.

The forest was deep, but even then, the sight of the sky lit up in the color of flames was enough to send chills down everyone's spine, regardless of their age and experience.

"Quick. I also received a distress message from Suzaku. Most likely, we're facing the worst case." Tobio was also there, which helped the fallen angel ease his tension.

The Longinus wielder was wearing the standard Grigori combat uniform and a black cloak over it, which gave him the appearance of a Grim Reaper. That was something he only wore for killing.

Aside from Tobio, the only one who could be considered "mature" was Rossweisse, who was also clad in her Valkyrie armor, and that was treading a fine line. Azazel had faith in the young generation that was following him, but he feared what they were about to witness might make all their previous experiences look like walks in the park.

He wished they could have at least brought Griselda to help commanding everyone in the thick of it.

"...!" Gasps of surprise were heard as they finally walked out of the forest, and Azazel's worst fears were confirmed.

Calling the view in front of them "hell" wouldn't make it justice. More so given the underworld they visited was such a peaceful place.

The Reverse Kyoto whose time stopped and retained the beauty of yesterday now became the purest definition of a nightmare. All the buildings being consumed by the fire were just the tip of the iceberg. The once peaceful streets were now literal rivers of blood.

It wasn't just a horrible battle to death between Youkai and humans. There were also Youkai pillaging the place and killing each other. The sounds of the flames, the screams, the explosions, and the blood gushing out combined to produce the most harrowing cacophony most of them had ever heard.

Most of them forgot their biological necessity of breathing, beads of sweat forming on their forehead, but one of them reacted oppositely.

"What the- did the geezers just lose their mind!? Azazel, I'll go ahead and look for Suzaku!"

"Wait-" A pit formed on the fallen angel's stomach as he saw Tobio's figure disappear amongst the pandemonium,

"What should we do then, Azazel?" Rossweisse beside him asked, putting a massive effort into keeping her professional façade.

They needed instructions. A purpose, if you will. Or else, they'd get consumed by the view. The urge to help was there, but in this situation, they couldn't think of a way to do it. This wasn't a situation in which defeating an entity or defending from an attack would put an end to it.

Azazel didn't waste more time and brought a finger to his ear to activate the communication spell they had prepared beforehand.

"Serafall, Shirou-kun, does anyone copy me!? I've already arrived with the support team!"

The next moment, his ears were assailed by the sound of battle. On one side, he heard the sound of blades clashing, and in the other, the sounds of explosions and ice shattering.

"I'm currently beating up the Five Clans' heirs. Serafall might need a hand though." The red knight replied in his usual stoic tone, which was already a sign he had everything under wraps. But that last part...

"Yeah, Shirou-kun's right." The twin-tailed maou didn't take long to answer, and hearing her ragged breath gave him chills. "Azazel, I need you here ASAP. I was evacuating Princess Kunou and ran into an unexpected problem. Does the name Nurarihyon ring a bell?"

"The leader of the East Yokai faction? Wait, don't tell me-" The General Governor's eyes widened upon realizing what was happening, and cold sweat started to cover his body.

In rough estimates, both Yasaka and Nurarihyon could be said to rival the current four maous in terms of individual power.

"Exactly! And his a real pain in the ass! Sakura and I can't fend him off while protecting the VIP. I need you to take her away, be it to the real world or the palace if you manage to keep it safe. I'm not sure what's the current situation there, but the original plan was for the civilians to take refuge there. After that... let's hope cutting both sides' heads is enough."

"Understood." Azazel cut off the communication and turned around to address both peerages and the Emiya residence group. "Listen up! I'm going to help Serafall. Issei, Rossweisse, you're coming with me. As for the rest, first and foremost, head to the palace and help with the evacuation and protection of the place. Once the situation is under control, you might go help either Serafall or Shirou-kun. And most importantly, remember this. Don't hesitate to use lethal force. Be it human or Youkai, if they show hostility, they are your enemy. It's you or them. Am I clear!?"

""Yes!""

There was still some hesitation among them, but the first ones to immediately rush into hell were the three former executors. Their experience in extermination missions against more human-like targets helped them keep their wits better. Kiba and Tomoe followed them closely, and seconds later, the entire group disappeared among the chaos, yet sounds of battle intensified as they cut their way to the palace.

On the other hand, Azazel was already speeding through the air with his twelve wings in the direction he felt Serafall's overwhelming presence alongside other two presences of similar magnitude. Rossweisse followed him while carrying Issei, much to the latter's dismay.

He still couldn't fly that well with his devil wings, and he didn't want to activate his Balance Breaker too early to conserve energy.

Thankfully, it didn't take long to find them. It was the section of the city that, instead of being covered in blood and flames, it had been turned into a frozen wasteland.

"Rossweisse-san! Throw me!"

"Huh!? What are you say-"

"Just do it!"

The Valkyrie decided to comply despite her confusion. She had not been present during the terrorist attack at Kuoh Academy to know Issei was taking this move from his Sensei. Just that, instead of a cool finisher, in his case, was going to be a diversion most likely.

[Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker!]

"Promotion: Rook!"

[Welsh Dragonic Rook!]

He was immediately promoted to the evil piece with the most physical qualities after donning his scarlet armor, making it adopt an even bulkier form. He didn't bother to deploy his wings, and just ignited the thrusters on his back while harnessing magical power in his right fist.

After a brief moment, he soared through the sky like a falling star, he aimed at the unfamiliar figure near Serafall and Sakura. He looked like a short, old man with a gourd-shaped head and wearing a kimono. He didn't look threatening at all, but Issei was more than aware by now that looks could be deceiving in the supernatural world.

"...!" The Yokai leader seemed to notice his incoming attack due to his overflowing energy, there was no longer a reason to remain stealthy.

"Welsh Dragon Iron Fist!"

He proudly announced his movement with a mighty roar as his fist came crashing down from the heavens, making Ddraig a little proud.

---

Some minutes before...

Serafall let out a heavy breath that turned into a vapor cloud. Her tongue then moved to make a "Tch" sound when she saw more images of the annoying geezer appear around them.

She was back-to-back with the pink-haired kitsune, who was taking the same stance as Mei with her katana raised beside her head, parallel to the ground and with its blade pointing upwards. Kunou remained between the two, clenching her fist and biting her lips due to the feeling of powerlessness assailing her.

This was truly the worst opponent they could have encountered while escorting a VIP. The current Leviathan was confident she could take on any maou-level opponent on her own, more so with Sakura by her side since their elements matched and her fighting method was similar to Shirou's.

But, against an enemy that specialized in stealth and illusions despite their immense power... things got complicated quite fast. The frozen hell around them, filled with Yokai-shaped sculptures was just a result of their wide area attacks in hopes of catching such sneaky opponent. No need to say that their efforts so far bore no fruits.

Fortunately, she now knew they only had to buy time for a little more.

"Hmph. To think you could use your illusions and hypnosis to something other than sneaking into someone else's house and living like a parasite."

Serafall widened her eyes for a moment. Of all the people, she didn't expect someone like Sakura to start trash-talking. She wasn't complaining, though. Serafall had been planning to do it herself.

"Oi, don't go around exposing an old man's little pleasures like that." The old man-resembling monster retorted in an almost joking tone, with his various images speaking one after another to make things even more confusing. But then, his voice became eerie. "Unlike a certain defector who ran away to play house with her sister and waste her talents, I do have to manage the Youkai most of the time."

Serafall could hear the sound produced by Sakura gritting her teeth. That low blow definitely got to her. And that was also a curious piece of information about her past the guy just casually dropped out of spite.

Fortunately, Kunou seemed to be aware of it or didn't give it that much importance, as she just kept glaring at their enemy.

"Heh. I guess you now have to lift a finger now that there isn't someone to do your dirty work thanks to empty promises."

"Empty promises? I think you're mistaking your expectations for actual promises, kid. Now, even if it's for old time's sake, I think it's a waste to kill you off. Step aside already and hand over that brat. She isn't even your sister."

"She might as well be, geezer."

"On that note, why do you even want to kill Princess Kunou? Why did you come here for war?" Serafall finally decided to cut into the conversation, sharpening her senses to spot any weakness that might arise while Nurarihyon spoke.

"Isn't that obvious, devil? Both my enemies are weakened and trying to kill each other in one place. What kind of fool would pass on such an occasion?"

"Don't try to reason with him, Serafall-sama. I doubt he even remembers why he hates Yasaka-sama so much."

The twin-tailed maou looked sideways and gave the pink-haired kitsune a confident smile. "I know. I just needed to buy a few more seconds."

The old Yokai raised an eyebrow, but just a second later, his eyes widened as he looked up into the sky.

"Welsh Dragon Iron Fist!"

The Red Dragon Emperor came crashing down on a specific "clone", and to their surprise, Nurarihyon actually jumped out of the way in the last second, giving away that it was the real one.

The subsequent explosion raised a lot of vapor and dust, dispelled most of the illusions, and shattered the Frozen Youkai. It provided a perfect window for Azazel and Rossweisse to land beside them, surprising both kitsunes.

"Rest assured, Princess Kunou. I'll personally escort you to safety."

She nodded and let Azazel lift her in a princess carry. However, before they departed, she threw a glance at Sakura. "Sakura-onee-chan! Make sure to beat that jerk to a pulp!"

The warrior maiden couldn't help but smile, breaking her stoic mask for a moment. "Don't worry, Kunou-sama. With this much help, things will be over quickly."

"Confident, aren't we?" A gust of wind generated by Nurarihyon's sheer power blew away the smoke and vapor, revealing his figure unscathed.

"Well, time to go, princess!" Azazel immediately took flight in the opposite direction, and the perverse Yokai raised his hand to fire some kind of spell.

However, he had to redirect it at an incoming barrage of magic blasts courtesy of the All-Father's ex-secretary.

"Tch. So you got the entire Three Factions involved, huh? I guess you truly casted away your identity as "Forget-Me-Not". Very well, as you insisted, I'll put these old bones to work."

The disturbing aura around the Youkai leader grew further before his figure blurred and became dozens all around them. Just that this time, they all attacked at once rather than playfully attacking a few at a time. Both Serafall and Rossweisse had to create barriers around them to block the onslaught, even if more than half of the attacks were just illusions.

"Rossweisse-chan, tell me you have a convenient spell to dispel illusions!"

"I'm currently working on it to counter Xenovia's Excalibur, but these illusions are just on another level!"

"Don't worry! I think I can tell which one is the real one! Or at least, the general direction!"

The three ladies looked at the Red Dragon Emperor as if he had grown a second head, but didn't comment on it. Without a better plan, there was no harm in letting him try.

And Issei wasn't bluffing. He used something akin to Shirou's reinforcement, but distributed the energy provided by the Boosted Gear in a more focused way.

He had to discard his vision as it was the most affected by the illusions, and his eyes didn't border clairvoyance as his Sensei's. With that, he relied on his hearing and instincts to detect which attacks were real and judging by their trajectory...

"Wait... huh?" His plan had been sound, until he realized Nurarihyon was literally running circles and jumping around them to make it absurdly hard to pinpoint his position.

Yeah, maybe Sakura and Serafall had already tried it and just gave up.

"Screw it! We're doing it the good ol' way! Dragon Shot!"

The Red Dragon Emperor fired a red beam in the general direction he predicted their enemy was going to be, racing the ground, Youkai, and buildings alike.

"Heh, that was close, boy." Most likely by pure luck, they saw the real Nurarihyon step out of the attack's way. He shot a disturbing grin at them before disappearing among the illusions...

"I won't let you." Or that's what he intended to do if it wasn't because Sakura appeared right next to him the next moment. She moved so fast it seemed as if she straight-up teleported.

Flash step. A technique that consisted of taking footwork to the highest level. There was only one person Serafall knew was capable of it, and that was Sirzechs' knight, Okita Souji.

And with the same finesse and skill, the pink-haired kitsune swung her Frozen Naraka several times in a single beat, leaving a web-like, azure pattern of cuts. However, the Yokai that should have been slashed to pieces managed to weave through it with impossible grace, and even retaliated by hurling his tensed hand at Sakura's head.

"Kuh!?" The subsequent confused voice didn't come from the kitsune, but the old man as a cutting ice wave crashed into his side.

His small body was flung away for the first time, and before his momentum died out, more ice waves came from Serafall's wand turned into an ice sword.

"Haaaaahhh!" She finished the barrage with a big downward cleave that smashed to pieces the mountain of ice that formed around their enemy.

There was a pause as the vapor faded away, and the figure of the East Yokai leader emerged with his clothes tattered and bleeding all over his body. He opened his mouth to say something, but someone beat him to it.

"Promotion: Knight!"

[Welsh Sonic Boost Knight!]

The Red Dragon Emperor's armor took on a slimmer form while the thrusters on his grew in size and potency, propelling him at blurring speeds. And just an instant before he crossed the gap between them.

"Promotion: Rook!"

[Welsh Dragonic Rook!]

He quickly shifted from one promotion to another, making use of their strengths to maximize the force behind his fist. The red gauntlet smashed into his opponent's chest, who barely raised his arms in time before getting blown away like a ragged doll. Just the impact caused a sonic boom that destroyed the ground, and Narurihyon crashed into a house, causing it to collapse.

"Haaah..." Issei let out an exhausted breath and brought a hand to his chest.

Changing promotions in quick succession and forcing his Balance Breaker to adapt to them was still too taxing for him, even more than using the Boost function. However, he wasn't done. He knew that guy wouldn't stay down with just two attacks, and they couldn't let this drag out.

"One more time... Promotion: Bishop!"

[Welsh Blaster Bishop!]

The armor returned to its usual shape, but a pair of massive cannons sprouted from his back, and his energy skyrocketed before pouring it into the cannons. While he charged the attack, Rossweisse was also bombarding the place Nurarihyon landed with a myriad of spells.

"DRAGON BLASTER!" After a few seconds, a massive red beam was fired, covering a big portion of the city before a massive explosion shook the world.

"Kuh..." The dead silence left by the explosion was interrupted by Issei's exhausted breath as he collapsed to one knee. He had to put his entire being into not falling flat on his face and pass out.

[Partner, I don't think your body can handle another combo like that. Even with a quick change between two promotions, you'll most likely faint after some minutes. And you shouldn't use the Welsh Blaster Bishop at all.]

"Yeah... Bishop really isn't my thing..." That attack was by far his strongest, the closest he could get to the Longinus Smasher, but he could tell that was still quite far.

With trembling legs, he rose again and fell into a stance as he focused on the aftermath of the explosion, just in case his attack didn't put down the geezer for good. He noticed his three comrades landing close to him, also ready for any sign of the enemy. And then...

"What... You have to be kidding me..." Issei felt as if someone splashed him with cold water.

Nurarihyon did emerge from the wreckage wounded, but... he wasn't that much worse than how Serafall's attack left him.

"You pack some punch despite your age, Red Dragon Emperor. I guess the legends hold some truth."

The armored devil couldn't tell if the Youkai leader was mocking or praising him due to his nonchalant tone.

"The energy of that attack was too dispersed, Hyoudou-sama."

"Sakura's right, Issei-kun. That geezer's youjutsu is even more advanced than Kuroka's. But don't get down on yourself. You still managed to wound a maou-class opponent."

Those words were meant as advice and to cheer him up, but Issei had to wonder. Did he improve, or was Sairaorg even tougher than this monster?

"Allow me to take it from here. Serafall-sama, Issei-sama, Rossweisse-sama, you should go help Shirou-sama." Sakura stated as she lowered her stance and sheathed her blade, getting ready for a quick draw.

The atmosphere around them became even colder, and five tails started to materialize on her back. She was clearly gonna unleash her ultimate technique, the pinnacle of her swordsmanship. Something like Shirou's Triple-Linked Crane Wings, that much Issei could tell.

Nurarihyon himself was also getting ready to take it on, a dark miasma covering his body and his eyes giving off an ominous glint.

Would her ultimate technique be able to pierce through his spells?

BA-BUMP!

""...!"" Before any of the presents could move a muscle, a feeling of something being off assailed them.

It wasn't an enemy attack, but something even more disturbing. The entire world around them started to feel wrong, as if something was changing it. And their questions were answered when a purple haze quickly flooded the place- no, the entire city was engulfed.

Every single entity in the city rushed to cover their nose and mouth by reflex, in case it was poisonous, but just a few seconds later, it dispersed as quickly as it came.

However, even if the scenery around them, the devastated Reverse Kyoto, didn't change in the least, pretty much everyone could tell this wasn't the same. It felt... fake.

"This is... the Myst Longinus!" Serafall's eyes widened in realization, but it didn't help the others' confusion.

Only Issei had heard of it, as it was the one that created the artifact Diodora used to imprison Asia, but he didn't know much about it. But the maou didn't have to explain, as a voice only a few recognized was broadcasted across the entire city through magic.

"Good night to everyone, be it Youkai from the East or the West, or humans. I apologize for interrupting the battle, but I considered it was time to advance it to its next phase. My name is Cao Cao, leader of the Hero Faction, and we are here to finally make our stand and usher in a new Age of Man!"

The now-identified Cao Cao made a pause after his bold claim to let it settle in before continuing to speak with a more ominous tone. "And for that, I've brought a really special guest that will help us force the Gods and higher beings to finally notice us, and then fear us!"

"ROOOOOOAAAAARRRRR!"

Cao Cao's words were followed by a chill-inducing roar that came from Kinkaku-ji. There, much to everyone's astonishment and horror, emerged a massive figure. A monstrous fox of the same size as Fenrir, covered in golden fur and waving nine tails behind her.

There was no room for doubt. It was the legendary Kyuubi, said to rival even the Dragon Kings, that had disappeared a couple of weeks ago. And there was definitely something wrong with her, as she started to wreak havoc in a berserk-like state.

"MOM! What did they do to you!?" Kunou shouted as she desperately tried to get Azazel to bring her to Yasaka's side. "Please, Azazel-sama! Take me to her! I need to talk to Mom!"

"Don't even think about it! She's most likely being controlled with a spell!" The General Governor immediately shut her down.

With them trapped inside a pocket dimension, the option of escaping went down the drain. He could only take her to the castle and hope that spot remained safe for the rest of the battle. And even that plan seemed really unlikely as he looked below him once more.

"Those... Don't tell me..." Another group of beings had joined the skirmishes in "Reverse Kyoto's" streets, and it could arguably be considered the worst by far.

Literal monsters straight up out of horror movies were ruthlessly attacking everything in sight with terrifying precision. They weren't acting on predatory impulses or on plain animosity, neither sought pleasure in the bloodbath. Even if their "faces" showed such emotions, they attacked more like machines programmed to exterminate living beings.

"Those bastards brought Annihilation Maker as well... They really mean business, huh?"

With a beat of his wings, the General Governor accelerated towards his new destination. It took him just seconds to reach the place, and landed in the safest spot, near Asia.

"Kunou, be a good girl and stay here safe. Everyone, I brought the princess here! Keep the good fight just a little longer!" His words received nods as everyone was too focused on fending off the new swarm of monsters flocking the place with most people like a moth to a flame. But Azazel wasn't done with that. "Saji-kun! You're coming with me! I need you to use your Dragon King transformation to hold back the Kyubi!"

"HUH!?" The blonde teenager froze in mid-action upon hearing that, which almost got him a nasty bite by a monster if it wasn't because Tsubasa had his back. "Do you really think I can hold back that thing!?"

"I don't know, but someone has to do it! I'll get you reinforcements!" Azazel then turned on his comms spell and spoke to it. "Serafall, do you copy!? What do you say if I take over your fight with Nurarihyon and you go fight the Kyuubi!?"

"Azazel, you know I'm not that good at holding back, especially if I have to fight a Kaiju!"

She left her words hanging, waiting for a certain red knight to say something, but there was no answer. Knowing him, it was hard to imagine he was so hardly pressed he couldn't even spare a moment to talk, so it was concerning.

"Fine, I'll see what I can do without freezing the entire city and everyone in it, but get your ass here quickly!"

"On it!"

"Whoah-" Azazel immediately grabbed the Sitri pawn, not giving him a second to say goodbye to her allies, who could only nod at him before focusing on the battle at hand.

And when things couldn't get worse, the monsters made way to several figures Xenovia and Jeanne recognized. And the latter immediately frowned and tightened her grip on her trusty rapier. A towering man wearing bronze armor over his gakuran, accompanied by a man clad in wizard robes, and a third one with black hair tied in a short ponytail and wearing sunglasses.

"Heracles, Georg, Connla... Have you come here to brainwash me again?" She spoke with venom dripping from her voice, to which the heir of Greeze's greatest hero grunted.

"I am simply here to make sure you don't interfere in Cao Cao and Emiya Shirou's dispute. Although, I would be lying if I said I'm not curious about what's become of you under that man's guidance, Jeanne."

Those calm words didn't reduce the tension in the atmosphere a bit, and the way the magician behind him seemed to have his spells ready wasn't helping. His presence was already confusing, and most of them assumed he would be the one controlling the Kyuubi.

Did they just let that monster rampage without any form of control?

Xenovia let go of Excalibur's handle and summoned Durandal on her right hand in preparation. Irina also stepped up and pulled out several Black Keys and infused them with her holy element. The rest of their comrades kept an eye on the situation and were ready to intervene if necessary.

They all stood in silence until the third member of the Hero Faction spoke up. "Heh, if you ask me, we're here to kill a bunch of traitors to humanity! Balance Breaker!"

The moment he let out those taunting words, his shadow moved as if it were a living being and clung to his body to form something akin to armor. And it wasn't just his shadow. All the shadows formed by the fires around them started to mold into weapons sprouting from the floor.

An intimidating sight, but for those three in particular, they couldn't be more familiar with that kind of attack.

"If you're going all out from the beginning, then don't mind if I do so myself!" Both of Xenovia's holy swords erupted in radiant light that vanished all shadows before she swung them. The figure of the three men disappeared before a massive explosion shook the entire battleground.

"Hey, Xenovia! Give us a heads up if you're gonna go nuts!"

"At least she cleared most of the monsters."

They heard some of their comrades complain, but they were more focused on the fuming crater in front of them.

"...!" Without any warning, Heracles' figure emerged from it, his Balance Breaker already unleashed and aiming a rocket punch right at Jeanne, who had to block it with her banner.

Even if the divine protection of her flagship was more than enough to block such an attack without unleashing its true name, the force transferred to her muscles made her grunt in pain. However, she held strong before the next part of the attack.

Multiple spells rained upon them like meteors, not caring about Heracles' presence due to his magic resistance. But Irina didn't let her take it all upon herself and flew into the sky with her golden wings.

"Take this!" She threw the overcharged Black Keys at the magician, which had the same effect as a carpet bomb.

At the same time, Xenovia took her place, and attacked Heracles. Or so she tried, but Connla emerged from the shadows beneath their feet and blocked her attack with a literal shadow sword.

This wasn't going to be an easy fight. Shirou made it look easy when he took on the executive three members of the Hero Faction, but they didn't have his magic resistance, and the enemies' coordination had improved now that the shadow user was taking Siegfried's place.

---

Slash. Cut. Cleave.

Raiden Mei swung her Doujigiri Yasutsuna in a trance. Her movements were reckless, yet still retained her practiced precision. If she was being honest, she even had lost sight of the enemy in the middle of the battle, and was fighting almost on auto-pilot as she was more concentrated on not losing to the "voice in her head".

Her lightning power ran rampant, uncaring if they hit an ally or foe. She could only hope Shirou didn't get caught on it.

She couldn't even tell how much time had passed since the battle started. Her body, flooded by her "divine power", was in overdrive, barely feeling any fatigue from the frantic assault. But in the mental departed, she felt like she had fought for an entire day.

"Raiden Mei-san! STOP!"

Finally, a sudden voice yelling at her allowed her to snap up of it. Her stable breath quickly turned into a mess, and her pupils contracted as she took in the scenery around her.

The square they had been fighting in was now a literal pool of blood, littered with corpses of Yokai and humans alike. The wounds on them varied, but most of them had been but apart and burned from the inside out, a mark of her power.

She wasn't new to bloodying her hands. Even if Japan's mundane side is one of the safest places in the world, its supernatural side might as well have never left the Warring States period. What left her shocked was that she killed so many people and her brain didn't even register it.

To that she added the apocalyptic sight of the Kyuubi fighting against a black, serpent-like dragon and Serafall if the blizzards countering Yasaka's fire breath was anything to go by.

Fortunately, among the carnage, she noticed a couple of bodies that were still breathing. The White Tiger and the Azure Dragon. They had been sturdy enough to survive, but by the looks of it, they wouldn't hold on for long. And had she not snapped out of it, her blade would have finished the job for sure.

After finally processing the situation, she finally addressed the voice that called her name. It belonged to a girl of similar age, with raven hair tied in a long ponytail, red eyes, and clad in a shrine maiden outfit adapted to combat. Aside from the eye color, she looked a lot like Akeno.

"Himejima Suzaku-san?" Her voice came out as questioning due to her unstable mind, but her presence there wasn't a surprise. The fact that she was accompanied by Tobio was a sign that she was on their side, or that's what Mei would like to think.

It didn't make less awkward the situation. Most likely, among the people she slaughtered, there were people Suzaku considered acquaintances at the very least.

However, after making sure Mei was in her right mind, the two Himejimas shifted their eyes to someone else. The Raiden heir followed their gaze and found a familiar red knight, standing tall among the corpses and covered in blood.

He had just grabbed the principal heir of the Five Great Clans by the collar and lifted him up. Ouryuu was still conscious despite the clear beating he received, and was looking back at Shirou's cold eyes with a mixture of helplessness and... remorse?

"Hoh? Are you now starting to realize the stupidity you committed? Now that the true culprit of this mess has appeared and it's too late for all the victims?" The red knight spoke with venom in his voice, and the heir gritted his teeth.

"I know... But what were we supposed to do? You wouldn't trust your enemy's word just like that."

The grip on his collar tightened. "You knew the location of Kunou's room, yet you guys still started a shameless bloodbath. There's no excuse. Even if you didn't take the decision, you still led your people to battle instead of doing the right thing."

"I'll take responsibility, damn it! I just... didn't to lose someone again..."

The two stayed in silence, and Shirou's expression softened... a little. "Hmph. I won't be the one to pass judgment upon you. I'll leave that to Mei-san and Sakura-san." The red knight released his grip, letting the boy unceremoniously fall on his butt, and shifted his focus to somewhere else.

The most logical thing to assume would be that he was going to go help subdue the rampaging Kyuubi. However, his golden eyes weren't set on that battle, but rather, on one of the streets leading to the square.

The atmosphere grew heavy with just the way he squinted his eyes and started to emanate hostility, and then, several figures entered the scene.

The one leading the group was a man a little older than Shirou, wearing an eye patch over his right eye and carrying a silver, Holy Lance, followed by a younger boy clad in Greek-inspired armor, another gray-haired man of Japanese features, and a cloaked figure.

"Yo! It's been a while, Emiya Shirou."

"You certainly took your time, Cao Cao."

The red knight and the Holy Spear wielder greeted each other like old friends despite the hostility dripping from their figures. However, that didn't even register in Mei's mind, as her blue eyes were fixed on the Japanese youth accompanying the Hero Faction's leader.

"Tsuna? Wha... What are you doing with those terrorists!?"

The stoic man closed his eyes for a second and rested his hand on his sword's hilt before answering. "I'm doing the same as you, Mei. We both sought means to solve the current predicament and arrived at opposite ends."

"What kind of way to stop a war is this!? The "Hero Faction" is a group of belligerent terrorists whose purpose is to kill all supernatural beings! There's no way you thought they would help in this matter!"

It was Tobio who retorted with righteous anger. It didn't take a genius to deduce that it was that man's contribution that helped set up this battle by pinning the blame for the kidnapping on the Raiden Clan and the West Yokai faction by extension.

But Raiden Tsunayoshi didn't show any remorse, nor did he decide to answer Tobio's question. Moreover, he drew his Onikiri Yasutsuna in preparation, forcing Tobio and Suzaku to prepare their weapons as well, a black scythe and a bird shikigami covered in flames respectively.

The Greek armored boy gritted his teeth after watching both his seniors not deny their claims and drew a pair of sword and shield.

"At least, we're trying to do something. To usher in change."

"There are forms and forms for that. And yours is outright inhumane." His already half-hearted claim was shot down by Suzaku's vicious retort.

As for the fourth, cloaked figure, the golden eyes that shone beneath the hood met for a moment with the red knight's. Not a single word or gesture was exchanged, not that it was necessary. Despite the unexpected addition of the East Yokai faction, things still played out as they planned.

It was time to end this. Shirou's gaze returned to Cao Cao, who was still showing a confident smile.

"Since we're both on the same page, let's settle this, Emiya. Right here and now, we'll decide the fate of the Hero Faction, and most likely, the fate of the entire human race."

His words seemed hyperbolic and nonsensical. To decide something as grandiose as "Mankind's fate" with a battle between two individuals. However, that was pretty much history repeating itself. All of the wars through human history could be narrowed down to a conflict between individuals with different values and ambitions.

As long as individuals exist, fighting will be the only possible cycle of growth. There was no need to exchange more words or arguments.

"Shirou-san, let me assist you-"

"No, this is between me and him." The red knight immediately denied Tobio's help with an icy voice that dropped the temperature in the vicinity. "If someone intervenes, I'll treat them as an enemy as well. I don't care if it's the Grigori in its entirety."

"What are you say-"

"Well said, Emiya! Let's get down to business!" The Chinese warrior made the first move with absolute confidence, lifting the patch to reveal an anomalous eye.

""...!"" Every person that met his gaze let out surprised voices as their bodies were assailed by a horrifying feeling.

Their entire body became rooted in place, unable to move a single muscle. No matter how hard they tried, it was impossible for them to close their eyes or avoid looking at that singular eye... while they felt their blood starting to thicken and their feet turning into stone.

"Medusa's eye!?" It was the most logical conclusion to arrive. The question was, how in the world did Cao Cao get his hands on something as rare as that?

And then the pieces fell into place in Tobio's mind as he looked at the boy wearing Greek armor... and that shield that could be used as a mirror. That had to be the descendant of the hero Perseus, and most likely possessed the Sacred Gear passed down through that bloodline, Aegis Mineralization.

His pondering was interrupted by the sound of an explosion, and he was quick enough to see the red knight literally blow away the curse with a mana burst before rushing at Cao Cao with his twin swords.

The Chinese warrior brought up his Longinus Spear to block a cross slash from Kanshou and Bakuya, and the force behind the attack sent him skidding back. After that, the two disappeared in a burst of speed, with the clanging sounds of their blades echoing throughout the place.

With Medusa's eye now longer pointed at them, Tobio, Suzaku, and Mei were able to catch their breath and pull themselves together. Unfortunately, the reprieve was short-lived as Watanabe-no-Tsuna's flaming sword clashed against Raiden Mei's sword clad in lightning.

"It's been a while since we had a spar session, Mei."

The raven-haired girl grunted while she locked eyes with him defiantly. "There's no time for this nonsense, Tsuna!"

"We do have time until a victor is decided. After that, cleaning things up should be simple."

The two members of the Raiden clan disengaged their blades before starting to exchange blows. Both their techniques were sublime, reaching the realm thought to be only shared by the legendary swordsmasters from the Warring States and Edo periods.

On the other hand, the Himejima teenagers were having a messier battle. Perseus had opted to immediately don another family treasure, the Hades' Cap of invisibility, and as the name suggested, he became completely undetectable while he attacked them.

Not even Tobio's Sacred Gear, Canis Lykaon, which took the form of a massive black dog with red eyes and carrying a black sword in his jaws, seemed to be able to sniff out the Greek warrior's location. And in the Vermillion Bird's case, she couldn't just cover the battlefield in her hellish flames since that cloaked figure was countering her spells with advanced Jouyutsu, and because the other three heirs were still around.

"Well, well, let's have a little fun, little bird~"

While Suzaku pursed her lips at the blatant provocation, Tobio found that voice somewhat familiar. Even if when he had to narrowly block the attacks from an invisible foe.

None of those battles mattered for the two men clashing swords and spear. The two men kept trading blows while paying little to no attention to the scenery around them, and everyone or anything that tried to intervene got cut to pieces.

From an outsider's perspective, the battle might seem just a repetition of the one they had months ago. A battle of wits and skill in equal measure, where both opponents tried to outmaneuver each other by reading the other's movements further ahead. Or in other words, a battle between Cao Cao's talent and rapid growth in a world hostile to Sacred Gear wielders, and the Counter Guardian's wealth of experience and dedication to achieve his ever-distant dream.

"Tch." Or that's what it should have been,

The Chinese warrior found himself getting annoyed as the fight went on. It wasn't because of the frustration derived from not being able to pierce through the red knight's defense despite his advantageous weapon. That much was to be expected. He was fighting against someone who spent his entire life fighting against unfair opponents, walking alongside death, and clawing victory from the narrowest of chances.

Cao Cao was also withholding the use of his Balance Breaker, which would turn the tide of the battle in his favor. Conversely, Shirou refrained from using his Projection Magic and was sticking to pure swordsmanship. This clash felt more like they just bashing each other mindlessly rather than a proper clash of wills.

They say that two men can understand each other while trading blows, but right now, the only thing Cao Cao was able to decipher was that the man in front of him had changed from their last encounter. The stoic face and the hostility were the same, but what was behind it was different.

In their first fight, Cao Cao sensed a genuine will to prove him wrong. There was a fire in those golden eyes that spoke of someone who never gave up on the path they'd chosen. But now, the red knight seemed to be fighting more out of a sense of duty than anything, like an assassin tying loose ends.

And that pissed Cao Cao off. How could that conviction that destroyed the "Hero Faction" he created disappear just like that? He slayed a God to save the world from Ragnarök just a couple of weeks ago. That isn't something a human can pull off with a half-hearted will, so what could have happened?

After another heavy swing with both married swords, Cao Cao let himself slide through the concrete and... dropped his stance, resting his spear's butt on the floor. That left the red knight still for a moment, expecting him to finally unleash his Balance Breaker.

But instead, the Chinese Warrior spoke. "Is this truly everything you want to show me, Emiya? How much time do you plan to hold back while all your comrades fight for their lives?"

The red knight's eyes widened for an instant, but then he snorted. "Do you seriously expect me to break out the big guns right from the start?"

"That's not what I meant, and you know it. I created this whole situation just to have a chance to see your conviction once again. Your reason to fight, to pursue that childish dream of yours. I wanted to measure up to it and decide what path would lead to a better tomorrow! So why? Why aren't you showing it to me, Emiya!?"

His honest words left the red knight speechless. And after a moment, he lowered his arms and showed a small smile.

"Heh, I guess I ended up letting so many unnecessary thoughts cloud my mind that I lost sight of what truly matters. Trying to settle this with a regular fight was wishful thinking. Even if I wouldn't dare to say we can decide humanity's fate, the path for tomorrow should be forged with a proper resolve."

As the red knight spoke, the Chinese warrior could feel the trepidation feeling his body. He could see that flame rekindle in those golden eyes.

"Now, better than swords and fists, allow me to show you my conviction in the truest sense."

The red knight let go of Kanshou and Bakuya's hilts, commanding them to disappear after hitting the floor. With a heavy sight to get ready, he brought his right hand close to his heart and ignited all his magic circuits in preparation.

Cao Cao was right. Regardless of his inner turmoil, it had been inconsiderate on his part to not give his all in this fight. If he truly wanted to change the "Hero Faction" into what he had in mind, that was the bare minimum.

So, he would take it a step further, send all reservations to the wind, and strip down his very being. Something he had yet to do even with the people he considered truly close. In fact, he had been ignoring their words through the comms, and that would stay the same for the next minutes.

It was natural to feel nervous, but the moment the next words came out of his mouth, his mood changed radically.

"I am the bone of my sword."

The moment the first line of his aria was uttered, magical energy started to leak from his circuits and filled the place. For any magically-attuned being in the pocket dimension, it was a grandiose display, akin to turning on a massive beacon.

"Steel is my body, and fire is my blood."

"I have created over a thousand blades."

All fights halted to pay attention to the spell being casted. For most magical beings in this world, casting was completely unnecessary and was even looked down on. For the humans who imitated devils, these kinds of long aria spells were just inefficient due to their need to reconstruct the formula from scratch. It was better to bring the spell prepared beforehand, or have several people cast it.

However, not even Cao Cao, his opponent, thought of attacking to interrupt such a long incantation. The Chinese warrior, more than anyone, knew that he would miss out on something really important if he did so.

"Unaware of loss,"

"nor aware of gain."

"Withstood pain to create many weapons, chasing an ever-distant dream."

The spell they were witnessing went beyond anything this world has ever witnessed. It wasn't just that the immense amount of magical energy was setting up a border around both Shirou and Cao Cao and rewriting reality. The very spell was a poem about the caster himself, and despite that, each line of the aria held enough weight to clash and bend the world around. A world created by one of the most powerful Sacred Gears registered to date.

The reactions of awe were only natural. Even the Kyuubi in her enraged state stopped for a moment to look in the red knight's direction.

"I have no regrets. This is the only path."

The red knight used the aria to connect to himself. Even if what he had to do had not changed, he would fight this battle with the resolve to save everyone he had in his world. The only thing left was to cast its true name with determination.

"All my life was... Unlimited Blade Works!"

He swung his arm and illusory fire shot forth from his feet to create the border. From the outside, it looked like both figures disappeared inside a dome of flames, but on the inside, the world broke and reformed.

All of Cao Cao's senses were overloaded. He thought he was used to this kind of experience thanks to Georg, but the sense of facing something so alien was overwhelming.

Once he finally managed to open his eyes, he was met by a wasteland devoid of life. A lonely hill set in a perpetual twilight, and filled only with steel. From the rust haze covering the sky, to all the swords with their blades sunk in the ground.

They were of all kinds and origins. From European longswords and Arabian scimitars to Japanese katana and Chinese Zhanmandao. From mundane swords wielded by nameless soldiers to legends of the highest caliber that shaped human history.

It was a mesmerizing sight for someone who aspired to be like one of those legends. Even a copy of his Holy Spear was sitting among them. He could even feel some envy swelling up in a corner of his heart.

But at the same time, this landscape also reflected an inescapable and gloomy truth about all those renowned myths.

"This place is..."

"Reality Marble." The red knight answered Cao Cao's hanging words, drawing his attention to him.

He was there, standing alone at the top of the hill. A place almost as barren as the rest of the wasteland, with just some grasses half-buried in the dust. The red knight held his back straight with his red cloak dancing with the wind, but his arms were lowered, and his eyes closed with his chin pointing slightly downwards.

"A place where fantasy and reality clash. Nothing is here and everything is here. This is the pinnacle of magecraft. A forbidden spell that lets the user reshape the world around them and project one's inner world. My magic never consisted in creating swords, but creating a world that contains infinite swords."

Shirou then opened his golden eyes to stare straight at the Chinese warrior with a stern gaze. "This is the answer I arrived at after living my entire life as a sword. I spent my entire life helping others, never seeking any kind of reward, and in the end, I died alone on this hill of blades. I gave my life to miraculously stop a calamity humanity wasn't ready to face, and the world moved on, to the point history forgot my name."

"A graveyard, huh?" That was the conclusion Cao Cao arrived. All those words, despite their majesty, looked like tombstones in his eyes. "But in that case... How? How can you still push on even after such an ending?"

An ironic smile formed on the red knight's lips. It was an obvious question. Knowing that all his life amounted to nothing in the big picture, how could he still remain firm in his ideals? A great number of heroic spirits back in Chaldea faced that question for different reasons, and came to different conclusions. And in his case...

"The best way to explain it I guess would be "hope"." Cao Cao's eyebrow shot up, but he refrained from speaking as he saw the knight's hand move to rest on the pommel of a golden sword resting beside him.

And the moment the Chinese warrior's eyes landed on that sword, he could no longer take his eyes off it. It was a simple broadsword of average length, with no elaborate ornaments, and lacking the overwhelming presence of the other legendary weapons around. However, a sense of warmth invaded his body just by looking at it.

This feeling... it was hard to put into words. The best Cao Cao could think would be that just by looking at that golden sword one would feel everything was going to be fine.

"Even if we couldn't turn the world into a better place, there are still people who will carry our legacy and keep on fighting for what is right. Despite all of humanity's faults, there will always be someone who strives for a better tomorrow. Even in the darkest moments, people will still hope for a better tomorrow. I'm sure of that, regardless of the world. And that's why I believe humanity doesn't need to actively declare war on the supernatural. We will leave them behind on our way to reach our happy ending."

The red knight then drew the sword. Its blade emitted a flash of light that illuminated the world and cleared the rust haze covering the twilight sky. As Shirou expected, his true noble phantasm had yet to reach the zenith of its power despite having strengthened his Spirit Origin back to shape.

But it would suffice for this battle. Cao Cao's awed expression assured him.

"That's..."

"This is the hope I glimpsed at the end of my life. A very special weapon unique to this world, and the miracle that allowed me to defeat the Beast of Calamity. Say..."

Cao Cao found himself at the other end of that blade. No, that wasn't entirely true. The nameless sword was being pointed at his Holy Spear. And that made his body shiver with a strange feeling of anticipation.

"Why don't we settle this comparing our miracles? Can this man-made miracle surpass what must be God's most precious gift, crafted from the very weapon that killed his son?"

His hands gripped his Holy Spear's shaft tightly, and a ferocious smile formed on his lips. "I could have never thought of a better way to decide the winner! Let's settle this, Emiya! Balance Breaker!"

The Chinese warrior immediately unleashed his Balance Breaker, summoning the seven treasures around him before rushing at the red knight, who mirrored him. Their blades clashed with renewed vigor, confident smiles present on their faces rather than cold facades.

The red knight's swordsmanship didn't present any opening despite switching to a different weapon. Just like with the married blades, he was one with that sword. But Cao Cao didn't let the stalemate drag on this time and immediately started to use his treasures.

"Assaratana!"

He first tried to teleport around to throw Shirou off, but he quickly realized that it was impossible. Cao Cao was inside a projection of his inner world, so it was only natural that he could feel his presence at all times.

"Gahapatiratana!"

The Chinese warrior then summoned a legion of puppet knights. Trying to overwhelm an Infinite Creation of Swords with numbers was futile, but he had been expecting it. He readied his Pearl Treasure for when the swords rained down on him and his knights and redirect them at Shirou... but that never happened to his surprise.

"...!?"

The red knight instead drew a flame-shaped sword and used it in tandem with his golden sword to smash through the artificial creations like a breeze. It was a mesmerizing sight the way those seemingly mismatched swords danced through the air with the same synchronization as Kanshou and Bakuya, creating a chaotic yet effective style. Light and fire attacked relentlessly, leaving no opening despite the apparently inefficient a flashy moves.

Something the Chinese warrior learned after all his creations were demolished and he was the one on the receiving end. Those swords truly felt like two halves of a whole.

Cao Cao was quickly overwhelmed. In regular circumstances, he would have been inevitably crushed by the barrage of attacks. But he found himself drawing energies he wasn't even aware of to fight back with the same ferocity.

""HAAAAAAHHHH!""

The two opponents roared as they brought their human bodies to their limits. Light and fire clashed against holy light, creating flashes that would have made it impossible to witness the battle. If the red knight was one with his swords, then Cao Cao noticed it was his Holy Spear that was allowing him to push further. The weapon itself seemed to be reacting to the nameless sword opposing it, and answering by unleashing more power than ever.

He wasn't sure if True Longinus wanted to deny that sword, or if it wanted to test it and measure up to it just as Cao Cao. What he was sure of was that he had never been so synchronized with his Sacred Gear. Others might consider achieving a Balance Breaker, a personal variant at that, to be the ceiling one could aspire to, but he was sure there was more to them, Longinus class or not. Divine artifacts with the trait of evolving alongside the user could always aspire to more.

Unfortunately, the difference in their bodies started to show and Cao Cao started to fall behind, not only from Shirou, but his own weapon. The physical gap between a modern human body and one from the first century wasn't something easily closed, more so with magic enhancing both to their absolute limit.

Noticing this, the Chinese warrior decided to make one last push.

"Cakkaratana!" Using one of his last trump cards, Cao Cao infused his Holy Spear with the weapon-breaking treasure and thrust it with all his might.

The three weapons collided, but unlike last time, a huge impact shook the barren hill and the Chinese warrior found himself crashing and rolling down the hill. After a few seconds, his momentum finally died, and he looked up, and his eyes widened for a second.

Both swords were still in the red knight's hands, completely intact.

"It would be really sad if humanity's hopes and dreams could be shattered just like that, don't you think?" Shirou answered his question before he even voiced it, and at that moment, something clicked in his mind.

Every description of that sword Shirou provided had been literal. That weapon truly was a crystallization of humanity's hopes and dreams, forged by this Infinite Creation of Swords.

As that realization settled in his mind, the True Longinus started to shine even brighter. He was confused at first, as he was sure not even his strongest treasure would be able to defeat that sword, but then, the realization hit him.

"Could this be..."

There was little room for doubt. The Holy Spear conveyed its intention to him on a subconscious level. For the first time, it would allow him to use its strongest technique, something similar to the Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing's Juggernaut Drive.

The anti-supernatural trait the spear acquired by being bathed in Jesus Christ's blood was just a secondary effect. The real gift God gave to humanity by turning this weapon into a Sacred Gear was, of course, the power it inherited from the Miracle Worker.

"O' Spear. The true Holy Spear which pierces through God." The Chinese warrior didn't waste a second and started uttering the chant to activate it.

The red knight immediately answered by letting go of Aestus Estus to hold his golden sword with both hands upwards and started chanting as well.

"Behold, the beautiful dream everyone thinks of..."

The two weapons started to shine so bright they might as well be two miniature stars. The next clash would decide the victor, so they made sure to pour everything into this strike.

"Suck the ambition of the King of Domination sleeping within me and pierce through the gap of blessing and destruction!"

"The hope to reach a better tomorrow, where no one has to cry!"

"You. Announce the will, and turn into a glow!"

"Together, our light shall pave the path towards the stars!"

"TRUTH IDEA!"

"PER SPEM AD ASTRA!"

The two ultimate techniques were unleashed, and the golden light of the Nameless Sword of Promised Salvation took on the holy light of the Holy Spear of the Setting Sun. The clash shook the entire world of infinite blades, and both figures were lost in a literal sea of light.

Despite both attacks being purely conceptual and not destructive in nature, the collision between two miracles sent ripples through the fabric of space.

It was said that the technique called "Truth Idea" was literally a manifestation of God's will, and therefore could only be unleashed when it aligned with its wielder. A will that lived on even after He died, watching over the humans he so loved.

In that case, the victor couldn't be more obvious. What is a one-time man-made miracle compared to the will of the most renowned God, famous for His numerous miracles?

It was truly a foregone conclusion. Because that small miracle woven through mankind's hopes and dreams was what God wanted to see the most in this world, but unfortunately never could.

"Guh!" As such, the one who grunted as he felt how his body was getting pushed back was Cao Cao.

Even if the Chinese warrior refused with all his might to yield, his very weapon's will was decaying with each second. And even if that wasn't the case, this was still a bad match-up. While the Holy Spear embodied the concept of killing gods in a literal sense, that nameless sword that embodied the hopes and dreams that lead humanity starward also represented how humanity left behind the Gods on that road.

In the end, after what felt like minutes of struggle, Cao Cao's figure ended up disappearing in the golden light. But rather than pain, a comfortable warmth enveloped him as images of better times crossed his mind.

They were... few, to put it mildly. Abandoned by his parents and constantly persecuted due to his Sacred Gear, the number of people he met who didn't want to take advantage of his power was far and between.

"What a miserable life..."

The Hero Faction had started as a family for discriminated people just like him, but it became warped as his ambition and thirst for revenge consumed him. Although he truly believed in humanity's potential, his desire to change the world had been born out of spite.

Such emotion, regretfully, would never be able to overcome the eternal cycle of violence.

Once all light vanished, Cao Cao appeared kneeling down, with his body relaxed and completely at peace. He didn't even react when the red knight closed the distance and pointed a sword at his neck. The same sword that singlehandedly defeated Gram and smashed to splinters all the other swords Siegfried had been using.

"Well? Have you made your decision?" The red knight asked with a gentle tone, and the Chinese warrior grunted.

"What's there to decide? The victor takes all, and the loser steps down the stage. I'll leave the Hero Faction in your hands, so what are you waiting for."

Shirou's lips thinned. "Is that what you truly want? While I do want to make some changes to your organization, kicking you from the position of leader was never one of them."

Those words took Cao Cao by surprise. "What? What was the purpose of this then?"

"To make you see the faults in your path so you can rectify it, of course. Making up for our errors is our specialty as humans. Besides, a ghost from the past like me shouldn't be the one to guide humanity."

"Even then... after losing this fight, I'm pretty sure the True Longinus acknowledges you as a better user..."

"I doubt it. That Spear might have acknowledged my victory, but it still chose you to enact its will. And if you're referring to me being some kind of saint or something, forget it. I've killed way more people and supernatural beings than all of you combined. Heck, I'm not even from this world, so I'm pretty sure I'm not eligible."

"You're not from this world? Hmm... well, I guess it makes sense. That sword of yours would have never been able to be forged in this world. The humanity in your world must be the one that left the Gods behind." He took the revelation really well. Shirou guessed that the lack of a deeply personal relationship between them played a part.

"That doesn't mean it's impossible in this world. It will just take longer since the Gods can still exist in the human world despite the lack of faith. So..." Shirou let Merodach fade away, leaving his hand open for him to take. "What will you do? Will you continue to fight to make this world a better place and atone for your sins, or will you give up? If you really feel like you can't get up, I won't make the same mistake I made with Loki, and grant you a proper mercy."

The black-haired boy remained still, looking at the red knight's hand until he finally smirked and took it.

"I guess it would be unfair of me to take the easy way. Very well, let us do it your way then. The Khaos Brigade was already falling apart anyway, so from now on, the "Hero Faction" will join you in your alliance with the Three Factions."

Shirou answered with a smile that mirrored his. "That was a temporal arrangement until we defeated the Khaos Brigade. While we will keep an amicable relationship, we will be an independent organization."

"You really don't like the name "Hero Faction", huh?"

"Too pretentious. The title of "Hero" is something earned through your actions. But we'll think of a new name later. Now, we need to stop the mess you caused."

"Naturally. Although some of the more loyalists might need a more physical convincing."

With that, Shirou finally commanded his reality marble to collapse and return them to the real world. Or the one created by Georg in this case.

""...!""

However, surprise and horror immediately assailed the two humans the moment their eyes visualized the landscape around them.

The fake Reverse Kyoto... was no more. Only a wasteland remained there, almost as if a meteorite had struck the place. The very atmosphere was heavy, to the point it felt oppressing physically. And in the very epicenter of the destruction and blood, there was...

...an unexpected figure.

She was there, basking in the destruction she caused. Someone who felt so alien in this world that it sent chills down their spines.

And then, she turned around to look at the red knight specifically and gave him a twisted smile.

It was as if she had been patiently waiting for her lover, and was now overjoyed to see him.

---

And that's it for this chapter. Quite a painful cliffhanger, isn't it? But you can find out in a moment, if you want and have the time.

As I said in the previous chapter, I'll leave my closing thoughts for the next chapter. But I know what you're asking yourself. The awaited deployment of the Unlimited Blade Works and the battle between Shirou and Cao Cao already feel like a conclusion, so what could be awaiting after this last twist?

Oh boy. Get ready, because the real Kyoto Incident has just started. Those familiar with Honkai Impact can already imagine what's to come, but I hope even they are caught off guard.

Now, I'll see you in a moment!