Okita Souji

"If this is hide-and-seek, then it ends here, agent of the Counter Force. Tell me, what did the Counter Force send you here to do?" Shirou said to the mysterious figure in the black cloak before him in the alley.

"Mm, so you noticed after all?" The mysterious figure lifted the hood covering her face. Cherry-blossom-colored shoulder-length hair, a single ahoge atop her head, and beneath it, a standard ahoge face. Her identity was obvious: Okita Souji, the Shinsengumi swordswoman.

"Just as the Counter Force said!" Okita Souji let out a long breath and said with an expression of complete certainty.

!!!

Hearing that, Shirou immediately became wary. His Zanpakuto had long since been drawn and was held before him. He demanded, "Is the Counter Force targeting me?"

Although he did not know how strong Okita Souji was, anyone capable of becoming an agent of the Counter Force had to be formidable—at least on Red Archer's level. The latter might not have performed well in FSN, but he had still fought seven opponents alone and ended the Holy Grail War in a single night. Shirou could not afford to be careless.

"Hey, don't be so on guard! The existence of 'Emiya Shirou' is special to this world. Even the Counter Force cannot erase you so easily. I came to find you for another reason!" Seeing that Shirou looked ready to fight at the slightest disagreement, Okita Souji immediately raised both hands level with her ears to show she meant no harm as she explained herself.

"I can't trust you." Though he said that, Shirou still lowered his Zanpakuto. As the saying went, you didn't hit a smiling face, and it was hard for him to attack Okita Souji when she looked like this. Besides, he somewhat believed her words. For one, Emiya Shirou was one of this world's protagonists. For another, if the Counter Force truly wanted to do something to him, it would not have waited until now.

"State your purpose. Souren Araya is dead. If you came looking for him, you would not have appeared only after his death," Shirou said coldly.

After all, he was very confident in his senses. The suddenly appearing Okita Souji stood out in his perception like a giant lightbulb in the night—she could not have been more conspicuous. That was precisely why Shirou had chased after her alone.

"Do you know about the Holy Grail War in another world?" Okita Souji asked.

"The Red faction against the Black faction, seven Servants against seven Servants. But midway through, a rotten priest appeared who wanted to materialize human souls. In the end, the rotten priest was stopped by a country girl and a homunculus." Shirou did not hesitate and blurted out everything he knew about Fate/Apocrypha's plot.

"Yes, that one." Okita Souji nodded, confirming Shirou's account.

"It should have gone exactly as you said, but in one timeline, the homunculus who was supposed to defeat Amakusa Shirou Tokisada ran into a problem. At this rate, he will lose his confrontation with him, and that timeline will collapse due to humanity's extinction."

"Then just abandon that timeline," Shirou said. "According to the theory of parallel worlds, there are countless parallel worlds. One more or one less makes no difference."

"If only it were that simple," Okita Souji said with a bitter smile. "Many other timelines branch off from that one. If we truly lose it, the losses will be incalculable. The Counter Force cannot bear such a loss. That is the reason we agents exist."

In Shirou's previous life, there had indeed been the concept of a World Tree, but it was only a concept. He did not know whether it was true or false. Okita Souji did not look like she was pretending either, so Shirou simply said, "Answer a few questions. I ask, you answer.

"First question: What do you need me to do by telling me all this?"

The moment she heard Shirou's words, Okita Souji knew there was hope! Great, this might work! Once again, Miss Okita scores a great victory! She hurriedly replied, "The Counter Force sent me to find you and have you join the Holy Grail War to stop Amakusa Shirou Tokisada."

"Second question: Why me?"

"The Counter Force said that you understand everything and are the best choice."

Shirou nodded. If that was the case, then the Counter Force had more or less acknowledged his existence. That left only one final question:

"Third question: What do I get?"

"Huh? You still want compensation?" Okita Souji took half a step back in surprise, two distinctly unnatural blushes appearing on her face.

Shirou frowned. "What else? Work for the Counter Force for free?"

"Sigh, fine! The Counter Force told me about the compensation too," Okita Souji sighed, slumping forward in dejection. "The reward for this matter is already standing in front of you."

Shirou tilted his head, then—one, two, three—

"Huh?"

"Hey! What's with that look like this is utterly unreasonable?! I haven't even said anything, and I'm the compensation! Hurry up and tell me, are you agreeing or not?!"

Looking at Okita Souji waving her arms and baring her teeth, Shirou suddenly understood why she had been handed over as payment. No matter how he looked at it, Red Archer, with his excellent combat ability and mastery of housework, was more reliable than Okita Souji.

"Sure. I'll do it."

"Huh? Why are you agreeing so readily? What's that supposed to mean?" Okita Souji said incredulously.

"There's nothing strange about it. Battle and pain can make people stronger. If I want to protect the people around me, I have to become stronger. The Holy Grail War is a good opportunity. The reasons are sufficient, the reward is adequate, and I have no reason to refuse," Shirou answered calmly.

In truth, asking about compensation had merely been a formality. He simply felt that having fewer than three questions would be awkward. In other words, even without compensation, he would still have agreed to Okita Souji's request and gone to fight in the Holy Grail War.

Poor Miss Okita. Just because he was going through the motions, she had inexplicably become Shirou's reward. Still, this also showed how seriously the Counter Force regarded this matter. Otherwise, it would not have handed a Servant over to Shirou as payment.

"When do we leave?" Shirou asked. Once he made a decision, he was always the type to act immediately.

Okita Souji was a qualified executor. The moment business was mentioned, she immediately adjusted herself and returned to the serious demeanor she had worn when they first met. "The Counter Force said that as long as you agree, Master, we will leave at once."

"Huh? That was a fast change in address. No, when you say at once—" Before Shirou could even finish speaking, his vision went black and he lost consciousness.

"Okita Souji, I'm going to... (epic profanity)..."