Monster's Unexplained Hatred
At the critical moment, Asuna arrived and unleashed her Noble Phantasm, saving Shirou.
"You weren't hurt, were you, Shirou-senpai?" Mash asked nervously, raising her shield in front of Shirou.
"Ah! I barely got away with my life. Thanks so much, Asuna, Raikou." Shirou touched his chilled neck. A moment ago, his head had nearly been separated from his body.
"If you want to thank me, I'll give you the chance later. For now, let's deal with this enemy. It looks like one or two Noble Phantasms won't be enough to kill him!" Clad in a yukata, Asuna held the treasured blade Dojigiri Yasutsuna. It crackled with electric light as she fixed her gaze on the enemy ahead.
The man who had been blasted away by the vajra had lost half his body. Black mud poured from the gaping hole, making it look as though countless writhing earthworms filled his body. With the Holy Grail supplying him with magical energy, he quickly restored himself to human form.
"Is that really a Servant?" Asuna frowned at the eerie black figure.
"Class analysis unknown. This condition is strange. It seems as though both his body and mind have been corroded by something. There's also an enormous magical energy reaction within him. It has been confirmed to be the Holy Grail!" Xiao Da said as she flew over, conducting her analysis.
"Seriously? Is that a corrupted Holy Grail?" Shirou frowned. It brought back unpleasant memories.
"No, the Holy Grail's reaction is normal. It is this Servant's own condition that has undergone some kind of change," Xiao Da said as she continued scanning him.
"I see. Still, we can't just leave a dangerous guy like that alone." Shirou projected a bow and arrows.
When he looked at the blackened Perseus, the other man looked back at him.
"Next time, I'll definitely kill you, Emiya!" The black man's broken body continued repairing itself within the black mud. Having temporarily lost his ability to fight, he could only glare at Shirou, endless hatred blazing in his eyes, before vanishing through the black hole.
"What the hell was that about?" Shirou watched the black man flee. If the red-eyed monsters from before could be explained away as berserk or insane, then the rage in that Servant's eyes was the fury of someone who wanted to grind him to dust.
Could those earlier monsters and that Servant have all been after him? No, though. The Emiya he had mentioned was not Shirou himself, but the Shirou Emiya Mash had been searching for.
At that moment, Xiao Da projected a hologram. Da Vinci had apparently arrived after receiving the notification.
Da Vinci said, "Just as I thought, there is some reason behind this. In fact, according to my investigation, Emiya had already disappeared from Chaldea before the world changed."
"Emiya-senpai?" Mash asked.
Da Vinci nodded and continued, "Mm. In other words, the reason Emiya vanished may well differ from the other Servants who returned because the world's magical energy became unstable. We cannot rule out the possibility that he is connected to this incident."
"No, the way he looked at me was like I had killed his parents. Did that Emiya do something unforgivable to him?" Shirou asked.
"Emiya-senpai would never do something bad like that! He and Shirou-senpai are very similar people! Even if he never says it, he always makes delicious meals for everyone and takes care of Gudako-senpai and me..." Mash refuted emotionally.
"I know... Thanks, Mash." Shirou reached out and stroked the underclassman who was desperately defending another world's version of him. If it were him, he would not commit evil deeds. But if it were for the sake of justice...
"There are too many unanswered questions. If the black mud on that Perseus is the black mud we know, then this will be troublesome." Da Vinci voiced the worst-case scenario.
"The black mud that corrupted Ushiwakamaru?!" Mash cried out in shock. Back then, even with a goddess's help, they had struggled greatly against the endlessly dividing Ushiwakamaru. In the end, Kaizō, the Servant who had borrowed Musashibo's name, had sacrificed himself and used his Noble Phantasm to perish together with Ushiwakamaru.
Da Vinci smiled and waved her hand, denying it. "No, that can't be it. It is probably some other kind of corruption. If that Emiya had done something that made the son of a monster like that come after him in anger for revenge, he would have already become a Servant standing at the pinnacle of the Hall of Heroes."
"The exact reason remains unclear, but one thing is certain. He is the mastermind behind this attack on Chaldea. As long as we find him and defeat him, we can resolve Chaldea's current crisis," Da Vinci said.
"Really? That's great! Once we solve this, we can bring Gudako-senpai and Fou back, right?" Mash asked delightedly.
"No, don't be so impatient, Mash. Let's deal with what is in front of us first. Gudako is doing well over there, so don't worry." Da Vinci tried to persuade her, though she felt that things were not so simple.
"Okay, then let's find that corrupted Servant as soon as possible!" Mash clenched her fists, brimming with fighting spirit.
"Yeah! Mash, let's all do our best! We'll definitely let you meet Gudako!" Yuihama took Mash's hand and encouraged her.
"Then everyone should change back for now," Shirou said.
"Oh, then I need to think about what I should do this time..." Suzuka Gozen appeared, resting a finger against her lips as she pondered.
"Shirou, you said earlier that you would repay me, didn't you?" Lancer Minamoto no Yorimitsu emerged at that moment.
Since the crisis has been resolved, I'll head back first. Yukino heard Atalanta's voice within her.
"Eh? You don't need your wish granted?" Yukino asked in her heart.
The beast-eared girl shook her head and softly thanked her. "The children have already been protected. I should be the one thanking you for answering my wish."
Then the Servant on Yukino's body turned into glowing motes and returned to Chaldea.
"Eh? Yukino, has the Servant on you already gone back?" Suzuka Gozen leaned over and asked.
"Mm, Atalanta's wish has already been fulfilled," Yukino said after returning to her normal form.
"Hm... Since Shirou is so busy, I'll let him owe me for today." Suzuka Gozen thought for a moment. As his girlfriend, she had to give her boyfriend some personal space.
"Is that so? Then I'll head back as well." Minamoto no Yorimitsu agreed after seeing that. Perhaps because the Servants had all become familiar with everyone, their previous wishes no longer seemed quite so necessary.
Not long after the boys and girls had all released their Servant possession, a girl's voice came from the building entrance.
"Senpai, you all suddenly ran off. What were you doing?" Iroha Isshiki ran out after the illusion was lifted and called out to them.
"Sorry, something came up, so we went out for a bit." Yuihama ran over with a smile as she answered.
"Ah!? Why is Mash here too?" Iroha Isshiki asked in surprise.
"Mash came to help too. The more hands, the better, right? Come on, let's go inside! Oh, right! Iroha, how are the preparations on the elementary school students' side? Come with me and let me take a look." Yuihama pushed Iroha Isshiki along while changing the subject and heading inside.
Finding a Way to Grow Stronger
After that, the meeting proceeded smoothly. The elementary school students finished making streamers, stars, balloons, and other decorations to hang around the venue, as well as decorating the Christmas tree. They then began preparing for the later events and rehearsing the performances the elementary school students would take part in. At that point, the Service Club's work had more or less come to an end.
"Then we'll be heading back first," Yukino said as she stood.
"Eh? Senpai, you aren't staying to help? We still need to make flyers for the event!" Iroha Isshiki cried out when she heard that.
"No. The commission we accepted was only to help get your completely stalled meeting back on track. The rest is the student council's job," Yukino said bluntly.
"That's right, so Iroha, do your best with the student council!" Yuihama said with a wink and a smile.
"Ugh... Shirou-senpai, you'll stay and help me, right?" Iroha Isshiki looked at the boy with watery eyes and pleaded sweetly.
"Sorry, Iroha. I have something to do today," Shirou refused.
"Eh? I understand..." Iroha Isshiki looked at him in surprise. Normally, even if a stranger asked him for help, this senpai of hers would agree without hesitation. It seemed that he really did have something important to do this time.
"Senpai! If there's anything I can help with, please make sure to tell me!" Iroha Isshiki said with a smile. She had decided to support him just as he had supported her.
"I know. You focus on the student council's work. I'll settle this as soon as possible and come back to help you," Shirou promised with a light laugh.
"I know! I'll wait here for you to come back, Senpai!" Iroha Isshiki replied with a smile.
"Iroha, please do your best! You can't set your sights so low. After fully maxing out Attila the San(ta), let's clear out the entire Unlimited Lottery together!" Mash stepped forward, clenched her fist, and encouraged the girl in her grade.
"Mash! I know! I'll do my best!" Iroha Isshiki answered, deeply inspired. That was right. She needed the determination to clear out the entire Unlimited Lottery! Fine! She would finish all this work as quickly as possible!
The girl's fighting spirit ignited once more. Whether it was work or anything else, she absolutely would not lose to Yukino-senpai!
Just watch me! I'll work hard and become an amazing student council president!
As the girl's resolve grew firmer, the compatibility of the pale pink-haired Flower of Heaven with the dual-wielding swordsman rose slightly once more.
After Shirou and the girls walked out of the building, they found that the world outside had already been restored. That protective barrier had been repaired by the world's consciousness. Yet none of this changed the harsh reality that monsters could now enter the real world and wreak havoc directly. Everyone walked on in silence, and the atmosphere became somewhat heavy.
"So, what do we do next? That bad Servant will suddenly show up again, won't he?" Yuihama asked worriedly.
"Yuihama-senpai, that Servant has gone into hiding, so even Chaldea cannot detect his presence. But as long as everyone stays together, dealing with that Servant will not be a problem," Mash said.
"That's right. There is no point worrying about it. For now, everyone should go home and get some proper rest today," Yukino decided.
"Mm, I think so too. Today's battle wore everyone out, and the battles ahead will probably be even harder, so make sure you rest well. Both your physical and mental condition are important." Asuna smiled as she bid everyone farewell.
"Mm, let's do that. See you all tomorrow." Shirou nodded. Since they were near the station, he escorted the girls to the subway entrance before everyone headed home.
Afterward, Shirou returned to his room, sat by his bed, opened the system on his phone, and contacted Chaldea.
"Da Vinci, there's something I want to discuss with you."
"Yes, yes. What is it you want to ask?" Da Vinci's hologram appeared after the call connected.
"Then I'll get straight to the point. Is there any way for me to obtain Emiya's Saint Graph?" Shirou asked.
"Do you want to become a Servant? With Emiya no longer around, that is impossible. You may be one possible version of Shirou Emiya, but you are ultimately already a different person." Da Vinci shook her head.
"The foundation of my combat ability is the Inherent Domain, Unlimited Blade Works. Although the Inner World has always existed in my soul, this body in this world has no magical energy. If I rely on Possession Summoning, I would be using another Servant's Saint Graph. Merlin is strong, but that is not the fighting style best suited to me," Shirou said.
"An Inherent Domain... If that is the case, there might be a way after all." Da Vinci said.
"What way?" Shirou asked happily. In his previous life, he had been considered a capable Magecraft user, but as a magus, he had only been third-rate. Even after receiving part of Merlin's experience, he was merely second-rate.
"Well, the transfer device is somewhat unstable, but why don't you use Possession Summoning to become a Servant and make a trip to Chaldea?" Da Vinci tapped her palm and smiled.
"Eh?" Shirou froze for a moment. So he could travel to Chaldea in another world?
"Then let's get ready to depart~!" Xiao Da appeared on the phone screen, activated Possession Summoning for Shirou, and Da Vinci began operating the machine. White light enveloped him, and the boy was transported to Chaldea in another world.
As Christmas drew near, the weather grew colder and colder. According to the forecast, rain was even possible in the coming days. It was becoming increasingly unfriendly to students preparing for entrance exams.
Early in the morning, there were not many pedestrians on the road to middle school. With every breath, puffs of white mist emerged from their mouths.
A cold wind blew past.
"So cold~~" Komachi immediately hugged herself and shivered. Hunching her shoulders, she rubbed her hands together and buried her face deep in the scarf wrapped tightly around her, grumbling unhappily in her heart.
"Honestly! Brother is so useless. At a time like this, what his cute younger sister needs most is for him to come shield her from the wind! Yet he said he had important training to do and left Komachi behind!"
Because of the cold, the girl did not notice that all the other pedestrians around her had vanished at some point. This place had already become an isolated, alternate space.
The space ahead split open. A blue dragon more than ten meters tall roared, forcing the crack wider and crawling out from within. The blue dragon blocked her path. This monster had followed Emiya's scent here.
Komachi stood still and stared at the somewhat familiar dragon ahead. She tilted her head in confusion and rubbed her eyes, thinking that she had clearly studied too hard lately and was starting to hallucinate.
With that thought, the girl took out her phone. She might as well play some FGO and farm a few Dragon Scales to calm herself down.
"ROOOAR!!"
The dragon opened its mouth and roared. The sound wave and the wind pressure it generated blew the girl's hair and scarf into the air.
"It's the real thing, here for revenge!" Komachi turned, raised both hands, and ran for her life, crying, "Waaah! Brother! Save Komachi!"
Drinking After Slaying a Dragon with My Sister
"Master! Prepare for battle." With the area already covered by an alternate space, Xiao Da flew out of the phone.
"Ah? A cute little fairy!" Hikigaya Komachi cried out in delight as she ran.
"Thank you for the compliment." Xiao Da smiled proudly, lifted the edge of her skirt, and curtsied. Then she said, "But there's no time to chat. Prepare for battle!"
At that moment, white light flashed from the girl's phone. Due to the player protection mechanism, Xiao Da instantly arrived here through the server.
Detecting enemy class... Rider class; Species: dragon; Selecting a compatible Servant for the host; Compatible candidate found Possession Summoning Assassin class Servant: Shuten-doji
A pillar of light descended, and the Servant possession was complete. A pair of horns emerged from her forehead. She wore an open purple kimono that trailed across the ground, slipped down behind her shoulders to reveal her smooth back, while gourds of varying styles and sizes hung from her body.
After Perseus's previous attack, the world had changed. When Servants were summoned into this world through possession, their fusion with their hosts became smoother, and their strength was enhanced as well.
"Shuten-doji, please switch to Support and prepare for battle!" Xiao Da reminded her.
"No? That's a dragon, right? This isn't my territory anyway, so just leave it alone. I don't even have any underlings right now. Fighting would be such a hassle." Shuten waved her hand and rejected Xiao Da's suggestion.
"Eeh?" Xiao Da cried out. It seemed she had chosen the wrong Servant. One of the most famous oni in the local legends had not become a Servant through any great accomplishment for humanity. She did whatever she pleased and acted on a whim.
"It's not every day that I get to visit this world. I still want to look around." As she spoke, the oni girl dragged her purple kimono along the ground and started walking in the other direction.
"Wait! Shuten-doji! You do have an underling! I'll call him out right now." Xiao Da hurriedly flew over, grabbed Shuten-doji's sleeve, and shouted.
"You have an underling? If he's boring, I'll never pay attention to you again." Shuten-doji said, becoming a little interested.
Xiao Da operated Komachi's phone and opened the account representing Shirou. This time, it displayed a question mark, representing an unidentified FGO Servant.
A pillar of light descended. What appeared was an unseen Saber class Servant: a red-haired boy with amber Magic Eyes, wearing a white cloak and exposing his well-trained upper body and eight-pack abs.
He was Shirou himself. Or rather, he was Shirou's ideal strongest form, perhaps even one of his possibilities in the future. Shirou had officially entered the field, using the new combat mode he had developed in Chaldea with Da Vinci and the other Servants' help.
"My current state still isn't fully developed. If possible, I would rather have been summoned in Merlin's form." Shirou stared at the blue dragon ahead with his Magic Eyes, his expression remaining calm.
Before you continue