"That's not right. Think carefully—there should already be relevant information in your head." Shirou reminded her helplessly. It wasn't easy to summon a Servant so suited to her, so nothing had better go wrong.
"Ah! Now that you mention it, after that light sucked me in, I really did hear someone telling me something!" Yuihama pressed a finger to her temple and tried hard to remember, countless pieces of information flooding into her mind.
"I see, so we're magical girls who have to save the world and defeat monsters? Eek, I'm already a high school girl, and becoming a magical girl feels kind of embarrassing." Yuihama scratched the back of her head sheepishly.
"Well, you're not exactly a magical girl. It should be Servant possession... Whatever, as long as you like it." Shirou sighed helplessly. Was this actually the normal reaction of an ordinary twenty-first-century high school girl?
"Ah! Isn't that Mash? Yahallo~! Do your best!" Yuihama greeted her with a smile.
"Yahallo~! No, that's not it, senpai! Senpai! Stop chatting! Come help already!" Mash complained.
Mash, standing at the front, was caught off guard by the monster's sudden change in direction. The instant the Soul Eater brought down its massive paw, its tail swept sideways instead.
"Whoa!" Mash hurriedly raised her shield to block. She was knocked back several meters by the tremendous force, sliding into the wall.
"I'm fine..." Mash pushed herself upright against the wall. Fortunately, at the instant she was struck, she deployed Glory and Steadfast Snowflakes, which strengthened her defense. Together with the Shielder Class's naturally formidable defense, she barely managed to endure it.
"Don't worry about me! Shirou-senpai, think of something! This monster needs Senpai Yuigahama to deal with it!"
"Eh? Ehh! Me?" Yuihama Yui pointed at herself in surprise. She had never expected that her first transformation would come with such an important task. Could it be that she was actually the heroine?
"Don't be so surprised. Rather, you're the only one who can do it, right? Think carefully—the Servant inside you can cut down a monster with that kind of evasion speed!" Shirou retorted. Otherwise, why had he summoned her in the first place?
"I can, but... I think I'm supposed to have two more swords. That's so weird. Did I forget them at home when I left?" Yuihama lifted her tail and searched behind herself, but no matter how she looked, there was only one sword.
It seemed this was due to compatibility again. When compatibility was insufficient, the power of the Servant summoned through possession was also reduced.
"If you have those two swords, can you cut it down? What are they called?" Shirou asked.
"Mm! Great Pass Chain and Small Pass Chain! Believe me! A girl's sixth sense is super accurate!" Yuihama made a sideways V-sign and nodded with a cute smile. She somehow seemed more boisterous than usual, more like the so-called high school girl.
"Ah, you are cute. But can we save that conversation until after the fight?"
Shirou offered the compliment without hesitation. Yuihama had always been pretty, but now, paired with canine beast ears and a fluffy tail, she felt incredibly fresh. She combined the three adorable elements of a high school girl, a samurai girl, and a beast girl.
Under that visual stimulation, the girl's cuteness became even more pronounced, her ability to draw the eye rising severalfold.
"Ehehe~! Really? Really, I'm cute..." Yuihama smiled smugly, her face slightly red.
She had indeed gained a lot of new knowledge in her head, but a voice within her body kept advising her that a high school girl was cuter when she was a little silly and adorable. Compared with a dignified, imposing female, a clumsy, soft girl would definitely be more popular with boys.
If he had time, Shirou really wanted to sit down and admire her properly. If possible, he even wanted to pet those beast ears; they looked like they would feel nice. But if he kept dawdling now, he had a feeling a certain shield girl would smash him with a shield as large as a dining table.
In fact, Mash in front of him was already glaring at him with wide eyes.
"Yuihama! Leave the weapons to me. I'll leave dealing with the monster to you!" Shirou quickly said.
Amber-gem-like light flickered in the Youth's eyes. His Magic Eyes connected past and future, crossed the subterranean sea, pierced the vault of the heavens, and even reached a distant other world, searching for information on the Noble Phantasms related to the girl before him.
The Gal Heroic Spirit Girl
The amber-gem-like Magic Eyes pierced through time and space. High above the heavens, far removed from the mortal world, lay a mysterious realm above a magnificent sea of clouds. Vermilion and purple city walls rose there, alongside jade towers and jeweled palaces. This was the world of gods and Buddhas, the dwelling place of Maitreya. Through his Magic Eyes, he saw a young girl—the beloved daughter of the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven, a renowned Princess of the Fourth Heaven, Tusita Heaven, within the Realm of Desire.
Loved by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas since childhood, she had been granted countless treasured swords.
After the girl grew up, she received the mission to turn Japan into a demon kingdom under the command of the heavenly gods and was sent down to the mortal world.
The girl descended upon a mountain range in Japan during the Heian period, in the late Tang dynasty. The mountain was called Suzuka, and she claimed it as her territory. Thus, she became known as Suzuka Gozen.
As the daughter of a demon king from the Buddhist realm, the girl was kind at times and cold at others. She drove away evil men who entered the forests to hunt recklessly, slaughtered bandits who invaded the land and caused havoc everywhere.
Those who had witnessed her splendid and powerful figure praised her beauty as something beyond the mortal world and called her a heavenly maiden.
The bandits and evildoers driven away by her called her an evil demon.
Had nothing unexpected happened, she would have remained there for several years, waiting for the right moment to turn the island nation into a demon kingdom before returning to the Heavenly Court to report her success.
But fate toyed with her, and she met the one person she should never have met.
Near the end of the Three Kingdoms period, one branch of Emperor Xian of Han's descendants fled overseas and crossed eastward to Japan. They took root on the island, and among their descendants emerged an exceptional man. Later, he expanded the Yamato people's territory, conquered Emishi, Hokkaido, and became the first Sei-i Taishōgun in Yamato history to truly wield real power and achieve the greatest military merit. Later generations called him Sakanoue no Tamuramaro.
When he held supreme military authority and could have raised an army to establish himself at any moment, he chose to retire from military life. During a national crisis, the Emperor of Yamato invited him back, and he turned the tide to suppress a rebellion. His life was filled with legend, so later generations honored him as the God of War.
The girl and the young Sakanoue no Tamuramaro adventured and traveled together, punished bandits, exterminated evil creatures, and slew demons. She fell in love with him, and thus the tragic ending was sealed...
Shirou witnessed scene after scene from the girl's life and saw the tragic end of this girl in love. Holding Kenmei-ren, the paired sword of the one she loved, she fought her fated duel against Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, the God of War, and ultimately fell in a pool of blood.
Thus, the evil demon who had sought to harm all living beings and turn the island nation into a demon kingdom was slain beneath the God of War's blade.
Was it the result of the girl's evil deeds, or should the lover's cold-hearted cruelty be condemned instead?
The truth had long been lost to the passage of time. Only the girl's sorrowful love song still spread through the world.
As the heavenly maiden Princess, daughter of a divine being, she should not have become a Servant. Yet she carried a certain regret in her heart and retained an attachment to the human world, so she possessed a girl of the present age as Suzuka Gozen.
The amber-gem-like Magic Eyes heated up. The data they understood seemed to burn. The knowledge and concepts grasped by gods, Buddhas, and demons—beings who transcended humanity—were beyond the limits of the human mind. Even gifted people capable of using them could not analyze or explain them.
For example, Goldbach's conjecture was often simplified into the question of whether 1+1=2: every even number greater than 2 could be expressed as the sum of two prime numbers. For thousands of years, people had naturally accepted all kinds of mathematical theorems without understanding their explanations. Some still could not be proven, while others seemed meaningless even if they were proven.
The realm of gods was forbidden territory for humanity, yet the Youth's Magic Eyes forcibly transformed what they observed into knowledge that humans could barely comprehend and poured it into his brain. The stimulation coursed through his nerves like an electric shock, producing sharp pain.
Tremble! Tremble! The Youth's body, strengthened through Servant possession, connected to the source of magical energy. The FGO system linked to the Holy Grail and flashed with light, supplying him with the enormous magical power he required.
Analysis complete! The Youth's mind received every detail of the process by which these two swords, forged by a Bodhisattva, had been created. He understood the forger's ideals, replicated their materials and craftsmanship, and imagined their greatest possible power.
Finally, through magecraft, he completed a Noble Phantasm closest to the real thing, constructed from the fantasy within his Inner World.
A golden flash appeared in the Youth's left hand, while a silver flash emerged in his right. Sword blanks formed and gradually transformed. Starting from the exquisite hilts, they extended outward into blades and edges. Finally, scabbards formed and slid directly over the swords, while long tassels fluttered in the wind stirred up by magical energy.
The golden and silver swords fully appeared in the Youth's hands. Shirou raised both hands, held the two swords reverently, and offered them solemnly to the Fox-eared girl.
The instant the Fox-eared girl saw the two swords, her expression changed. Her blue-gold eyes became solemn and imposing.
Without a word, the girl extended both hands and accepted the swords, then nodded to Shirou.
Her demeanor completely changed from before, becoming cold and awe-inspiring, like a Valkyrie who held life and death in her hands.
"Since we're here, let's make a real mess of things." The girl drew the first sword. As its edge left the scabbard, the entire blade blazed with dazzling golden light.
"This is Great Pass Chain, a treasured sword forged by one of the Four Great Bodhisattvas. When it is drawn, it is like the wrath of Vajra!"
The sword radiating golden light floated from the girl's hand, split into two, then four, and continued multiplying. They formed layer after layer of circles, spinning above the girl.
The abandoned shopping mall was illuminated by the revealed golden light. Hundreds of divine weapons flew into the air, forming an ever-spinning circular sword formation.
The girl drew the other silver sword.
"This is Small Pass Chain, the wisdom sword forged by a Bodhisattva. Whoever draws it may borrow the wisdom of a Bodhisattva."
Blessing of Wisdom!
For a brief moment, the girl received the blessing of a Bodhisattva's wisdom. With that great wisdom, she could control even hundreds of katana with perfect precision at once.
Her mind became clear and swift, and her use of Noble Phantasms rose to another level. Even the Demonic Beast that moved so fast only afterimages remained appeared to move in slow motion within the girl's golden eyes.
The girl swung down the final sword in her hand, Kenmei-ren. "Fall!—Tenkiame!"
The circular formation of golden swords in the sky spun rapidly. Golden light flashed, cold glints stirred the wind, and the interior of the abandoned building was soon enveloped in golden streams emitted by the sword edges.
The monster racing across the ground had nowhere to evade. The first katana pierced it, freezing it in place. Then the second katana pierced through its hind leg and nailed it to the ground.
The third blade, then the fourth, fell one after another.
The monster's body was pierced by hundreds of swords, skewered like a hedgehog. The Soul Eater let out one final wail before dissolving into black mist.
"That's great! Shirou-senpai! Its reaction has completely disappeared." Mash said with an excited smile.
"Huh?" Shirou only felt his eyes heat up, and the scenery before him became somewhat blurry. He covered his eyes with a hand.
"Shirou-senpai! What happened to your eyes? Let me see!" Mash cried out as she ran over.
The girl was startled at the sight. The Youth's pupils had turned crimson and were filled with bloodshot veins.
"Are you all right, senpai? I'll treat you right away." Mash said nervously.
"I'm fine. I just need to rest for a while. It's probably because the Noble Phantasms I projected this time were a little too high-grade." As he spoke, Shirou simply sat on the ground and closed his eyes to rest.
He had experienced this in his previous life as well. If he overused magecraft to strengthen his eyes, there would always be some side effects.
He had suddenly projected two Noble Phantasms forged by a Bodhisattva. Though the system of Bodhisattvas differed from that of gods, both were extremely high-level Noble Phantasms. In his previous life, he would have been unable to accomplish it.
But now, relying on these Magic Eyes capable of analyzing everything, he had broken through the limits of mortals and made the impossible into manifested fantasy.
"Thanks, Mash. I'm really fine. I already feel much better now." Shirou smiled softly with his eyes closed. As long as they had dealt with that troublesome Demonic Beast, it was enough. His eyes merely felt hot; it was nothing serious.
Let's Go on a Date with the Fox Girl
"Senpai, do you feel better now? If you need to, you can lie on the shield and I'll carry you home. No, we should still go to the hospital!" Mash crouched down, leaned forward to look at the Youth's face, and pushed his shoulder as she asked anxiously.
"Please don't!" Shirou complained as she was pushed from side to side. "And Mash... even if you give me defensive protection, my eyes won't recover."
"Mash, calm down." Yuihama could no longer stand watching and stepped forward to pull the increasingly close Mash away. If she let it continue, Shirou's face was about to sink into that pair of marshmallows.
"Shirou, let me take a look. I have some experience with Magic Eyes. Just sit there and don't move. Leave the rest to me." Yuihama reached out, held Shirou's face steady, pulled open his eyelid with her thumb and forefinger, and leaned in to inspect it carefully. Though his eyes had become red and bloodshot, he had merely overused them. It was like sore muscles after overexertion, not a serious problem.
"..." Shirou had one eye pulled open. The only part of the girl's face he could see was very close now. Since his eyes were half-closed, his sense of smell became more sensitive, and he could smell a faint fragrance coming from her.
Through his half-open eye, he could see the girl carefully examining it for him. Her expression differed from her usual playful cuteness. It was a rare expression he had never seen before, carrying a different kind of charm.
Neither the boy nor the girl felt any ripples in their hearts at that moment. It was more like a patient simply being examined by a nurse.
Yet there was also a sense of warmth. Somehow, it felt like it would not be bad if this could continue forever.
After inspecting him carefully, Yuihama said, "Mm... You're not injured. Just let your eyes rest properly."
"Is that so? That's great." Mash finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"I told you I'm fine. My eyes aren't that fragile." Shirou spoke with his eyes closed. The Magic Eyes that had been reborn alongside him into this world were not so fragile. If anything, every use made them feel a little stronger than before.
"Honestly, you should take better care of yourself. What if you really injured your eyes and your vision got worse?" Yuihama gently stroked around his eyelids with her fingers, massaging the Youth's eyes.
"Thanks, Yuihama." Shirou closed his eyes and felt the gentleness of the girl's fingers, clearly sensing her concern for him.
After resting for a while under the girl's massage, Shirou's eyes indeed recovered.
"Hey, hey, then it's time to grant my wish now, right?" The girl's voice suddenly changed in tone, becoming more frivolous and improper. Mm, it felt like those willful, thoughtless gals wandering Shinjuku's streets at night.
"Huh? You're so close!" The moment Shirou opened his eyes, he saw a pair of blue-gold eyes. The girl's face was only a few centimeters from his, and he could feel her breath.
Shirou hurriedly leaned back. Only after creating some distance did he take in the full sight of the girl's face, which now wore a mischievous smile.
Long lashes, pink lips, and a lovely face—she was undoubtedly the friend he knew. But her aura had completely changed, becoming more mature and glamorous.
The girl bent down and continued closing in. She lowered her legs and straddled the Youth directly, leaning down to maintain eye contact as Shirou kept falling backward.
Until Shirou lay flat on the floor with nowhere left to escape. The girl planted both hands on the ground and pinned him down as though against a bed, lowering her head until their noses nearly touched. Her eyes stared deeply into his pupils.
"Mm-hm. I didn't get a good look inside earlier, but you really do have beautiful eyes. If you keep training like this, maybe one day you really will reach the realm of gods and Buddhas." The golden-eyed Fox-eared girl spoke with a meaningful smile.
"You are...?" Shirou asked doubtfully. The Yuihama Yui he knew dressed fashionably, but she was actually pure at heart and could never do something like this.
"Me? I'm cute Yuihama Yui plus Suzuka-chan in parentheses~! Right now, I'm in a state where the Servant side is more dominant." Suzuka Gozen made a sideways V-sign with both hands beside her face and acted cute.
Because the body's host had apparently become too embarrassed and wanted to hide away, she simply came out and took over the body. Since the Servant was currently in control, the girl's eyes had turned golden.
"Then what about Yuihama?" Shirou immediately asked.
"Possession summoning is about merging the soul with the host, right? I am Yuihama, and Yuihama is me. It's just that the Spirit Core of Servant Suzuka Gozen has taken the initiative for now. Got it?" the Fox-eared girl asked.
"Is that how it works?" Shirou looked at Mash.
Mash nodded. "Yes, Shirou-senpai. Pseudo-Servants are very special existences. Demi-Servants like me are exceptions. Some, like Zhuge Liang, have the possessed body's personality take the lead. But Ishtar and Ereshkigal are led by the goddess's Spirit Core, though they are influenced by part of the possessed person's personality. Senpai Yuigahama should currently be closer to the latter state."
"I see." Shirou nodded, finally understanding the logic behind it. A portion of Saint George's Spirit Core also resided in his body now. Saint George was a knight of noble character who upheld his faith. If Shirou did anything that violated the Servant's beliefs, their compatibility would decrease.
If he wanted to use a Servant's power to commit something wicked, Saint George might forcibly seize control of his body. He might even control that body and make it kill itself.
"Well, this world is unusually special, so even Servant summoning is very different from other worlds. Since you understand, can you grant my wish now?" the Fox-eared girl asked.
"Mm, sure. What do you want me to do?" Shirou agreed readily. Through his Magic Eyes, he had witnessed the sorrowful past of this heroic spirit girl, toyed with by fate. From the bottom of his heart, he wanted to do something for her.
Of course, it would be even better if I could pet her ears and stroke her tail while I'm at it!
"Then let's go on a date!" Suzuka Gozen smiled playfully, winked one eye at the Youth, and stated her request.
"Huh? Is your wish to find a new love?" Shirou asked in surprise. It felt as though he had been too self-indulgent and thought too much earlier.
In fact, the Yamato nation still passed down many versions of stories about the girl as a heavenly maiden, dancer, and thief. They told legendary tales of her traveling with the God of War and punishing evil while helping the good. But who knew that Suzuka Gozen had actually only been a young girl yearning for a heart-pounding romance?
Suzuka Gozen rolled her eyes at Shirou. "Is that not okay? I'm undergoing high school girl training right now. Why else do you think I became a fox high school girl? A Miko is nice too, but if you want to fall in love, you've got to be a high school girl. And with these fluffy fox ears and tail, my charm is basically unbeatable now, right?"
The Fox-eared girl then curled her hands into cat paws, blinked flirtatiously, and asked in a sweet voice.
The girl's golden eyes possessed a strangely captivating charm. These were the charming Mystic Eyes held by a heavenly maiden Princess, and Shirou hurriedly looked away.
Before you continue