Chapter 92. Shura Field Overture of the Wolf and the Dancer, and the "Sword-Pulling" Comedian
The Mythological Age, the ancient forest leading to the Spirit Temple.
The morning mist had not yet dissipated when this mixed "Heroic Expedition" set out on its journey. Though it was nominally a joint operation, the team's vibe was so fractured it felt as if two completely different genres of stage plays had been forcefully spliced together.
On the left was the Knights of Fianna, with their orderly military bearing, excellent equipment, and brisk pace. At the head was the petite, golden-haired Prum girl, Fianna, clad in silver armor with a red cloak snapping in the wind behind her. Her face, which bore a striking resemblance to the future Finn Deimne, was practically inscribed with the words "I Am Elite." Behind her, the Elf Helga and the shield-guard Lazar looked equally grim, as if they were ready to slay a Demon King at any moment, radiating the majesty of a regular army.
On the right was... well, the hard-to-describe Argo Heroic Faction. The leader, Argo, was riding a wild donkey he had caught from somewhere, humming an out-of-tune ditty while holding a fishing rod with a carrot dangling from it to "drive" the donkey. The Amazon warrior Olna carried a giant axe, yawning as she walked and occasionally pulling jerky from her pocket to chew, showing zero sense of tension. The magic sword blacksmith Crozzo carried a heavy anvil, sighing with every step like a coolie crushed by the weight of life. And as the Vice-Leader and de facto babysitter, Shirou Emiya used his remaining left hand to carry various bags while keeping a constant eye out to prevent the donkey-riding clown from falling off.
"What kind of public humiliation play is this...?" Shirou Emiya let out a desperate inner wail. "If the future Ais and the others saw this scene, my 'Ally of Justice' image would probably shatter. No, they'd probably think I was doing some weird performance art."
"Hey, you red-haired cook." Fianna suddenly stopped and turned around, her emerald eyes filled with undisguised distaste. "Can you make that donkey-riding clown shut up? His singing is a literal desecration of the Spirit Forest; even the birds nearby have been scared off. If he attracts magic beasts, I won't hesitate to throw him out as bait."
"My apologies, Miss Fianna." Shirou sighed, habitually condensing a clump of mana with his left hand and accurately stuffing it into Argo's mouth, implementing a physical gag. "It's an act of god. If this guy doesn't make noise, he might actually die from the frustration."
"Mmph mmph?!" Argo's eyes widened as he gestured wildly in protest, but he could only make muffled sounds like a strangled duck.
"Hmph, a bunch of rabble," Helga said, pushing up her non-existent glasses (was this a universal habit for Elves?), her voice cold. "I really don't know why Fianna insists on bringing these burdens along. The red-haired one has some skill, but the others... they're practically here on a picnic. Especially that barbarian who only knows how to eat."
"Who are you calling a burden?!" Olna instantly bristled. She swallowed the jerky in her mouth and slammed her giant axe into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. "You long-eared four-
eyes—I'm calling you that even if you aren't wearing glasses—do you believe I'll tie you to a tree and use you as a target for throwing-axe practice?!"
"Vulgar barbarian." A dangerous light glowed on Helga's staff, and the surrounding wind elements began to grow restless.
"You want to go?!" Olna refused to back down, her muscles tensed like a leopard about to pounce.
"Stop, stop, stop! Breakfast hasn't even finished digesting yet; strenuous exercise causes stomach sagging!" Shirou quickly stepped between the two, pulling two freshly baked "Emiya Special Honey Butter Biscuits" from his bag. "Here, cool off. Sweet things make your mood better. These were made with wild honey gathered yesterday; the flavor is very mellow."
"Hmph... I won't eat the enemy's food." Helga turned her head haughtily, but her nose twitched honestly. "It smells so good... Is that high-grade honey? This sweet scent..."
Olna, on the other hand, was not polite at all. She swallowed a biscuit in one gulp, a look of pure bliss instantly appearing on her face, almost as if flowers were blooming in the background. "At least you're sensible! I'll let the long-ears off this once! This crispy texture is simply divine!"
Watching the conflict subside instantly, Lazar couldn't help but give Shirou a thumbs-up. "Impressive, Emiya-kun. To soothe these two rampaging ladies at the same time, your 'Taming' skill must be maxed out. That's something even our Commander can't pull off."
"It's just the necessity of survival..." Shirou gave a bitter smile. In the future Twilight Manor, facing that bunch of problem children, this level of Shura Field was just a daily occurrence.
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As the group moved forward noisily, a sudden sound of intense fighting erupted ahead, followed by the shrill death rattle of a magic beast.
"Something's happening!" Fianna's gaze sharpened as she instantly entered a combat stance, her spear humming. "Everyone on alert! High-energy mana reaction ahead! It's not a normal beast!"
"You don't have to tell us!" Olna lifted her axe and charged, her face written with excitement. "A fight? What are we waiting for! This is the appetizer before the main course!"
"Wait! Don't be impulsive!" Shirou tried to stop her, but Olna had already charged into the bushes like a runaway horse.
The group followed quickly. After pushing through a dense thicket, the sight before them left them stunned.
It was an open clearing. On the ground lay the corpse of a massive two-headed Chimera. This beast, capable of wiping out a normal adventurer party, had been chopped into pieces. The cuts were as smooth as a work of art, clearly severed instantly by an extremely sharp blade.
Standing by the corpse were two people.
One was a tall youth with grey wolf ears and a tail. He wore light leather armor and metal combat boots engraved with runes. A hideous scar ran across his face, and his eyes were as fierce as a lone wolf's. Yuris. Though the name was different, this appearance, this gaze, and that "Is this all it takes for me to acknowledge you?" scent of tsundere... he was absolutely the ancestor of the future werewolf, Bete Loga!
The other person was a woman with wheat-colored skin. She wore an extremely revealing dancer's outfit—or rather, combat gear—with long black hair tied in a high ponytail and two curved daggers in her hands. Her physique was even more curvaceous than Olna's, and the look she gave Yuris was filled with a chilling, fanatical intensity. Elmina, a candidate for the Queen of the Amazons, and the ancestor of the future Tiona and Tione.
"Tsk, more small fry." Yuris flicked the blood off his combat boots, not even glancing at the arriving group, his tone full of disdain. "A monster of this level isn't even enough for a warm-up. Hey, crazy woman over there, stop dazing and let's go. Stop looking at me with those disgusting eyes."
"My, Lord Yuris is so cold~" Elmina swayed her hips and pressed herself against Yuris—literally pressing against him—her eyes dreamy as if she were intoxicated. "The way you kicked that Chimera's head off just now was so handsome! I just can't help but want to... lock you up in a basement and make it so you only look at me every day~"
"Get lost! Don't touch me!" Yuris pushed Elmina away with a look of pure disgust, as if he were pushing away a clingy slug. "You perverted woman! Believe it or not, I'll kick you too! Stay away from me!"
"Oh, hitting is kissing and scolding is love~" Elmina didn't care at all; instead, she showed an expression of enjoyment, as if being scolded was a reward.
In the bushes, Shirou Emiya and the others simultaneously developed dot-eyes.
"This familiar recipe... this familiar flavor..." Shirou covered his face, feeling his stomach start to hurt. "Why are the ancestors from thousands of years ago exactly the same as their descendants in terms of personality flaws? Is this some curse etched into their DNA?! Is this yandere trait the factory setting for the Amazon race?"
"Hey! You over there!" Yuris's sensitive wolf ears twitched as he snapped his head around, his fierce eyes locking onto where Shirou and the others were hiding. "Have you seen enough? If you don't come out, I'll process you along with the Chimera! I haven't killed enough yet!"
"We've been spotted." Fianna stepped out openly, her hand on her hilt, her aura fully flared and not losing an inch of ground. "We're just passing through. This forest isn't yours; there's no need for such hostility."
"Oh?" Yuris narrowed his eyes, sizing up Fianna. "That emblem... the Knights of Fianna? Hmph, that band of hypocrites who claim to be noble but only know how to scavenge? I heard you're best at stealing others' credit."
"What did you say?!" Helga brandished her staff, wind blades condensing at her fingertips, radiating murderous intent. "How dare you insult the honor of the Knights! Apologize! Or I'll show you the terror of Elven magic!"
"Or what?" Yuris sneered, his figure vanishing instantly. When he reappeared, he was standing right in front of Helga, his combat boot only centimeters from her face. "With your slow magic, you can't even eat my dust! In this land, speed is everything!"
So fast! Shirou was startled. This speed... though it hadn't reached the Level 6 tier of the future Bete, it was top-tier among Level 4s.
"Trace — Shield!" Shirou instinctively wanted to project a shield, but his right hand was empty and his mana hadn't recovered; he could only watch in frustration.
But someone was faster than him.
BANG!
A massive shield slid between them, blocking Yuris's kick. It was Lazar. The sturdy big guy stood firmly in place; although his arm trembled slightly, he didn't retreat a step. "Don't bully the lady, werewolf lad. A knight's shield isn't just for show."
"Tsk, annoying guy." Yuris used the force to jump back, landing on a tree branch and looking down at everyone. "Relying on numbers? Interesting. Then I'll just... kill-bite you all!"
"Wait!" Elmina leaped over as well, standing in front of Yuris, her curved daggers glinting like a beast protecting its food. "Lord Yuris's prey is my prey! If you want to touch him, ask my blades first! Whoever takes a step forward, I'll slice them into sashimi!"
Just as a chaotic brawl was about to explode—the smell of gunpowder on both sides so thick that a single spark would blow it sky-high—
GURRRRRRRR...
An ill-timed, thunderous stomach growl suddenly erupted from Yuris's belly. The sound was so loud it actually drowned out everyone's murderous intent, echoing through the clearing.
"..." Absolute silence.
Yuris's fierce face turned as red as a monkey's bottom at a visible speed. "Wh-What are you looking at!" he roared in shame-driven anger, trying to cover the embarrassment. "This is a war cry! A war cry, understand?! It's my organs roaring!"
"Pfft." Argo couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing. Though his mouth was still gagged, the sound of the air leaking out made it even funnier.
"Do you want to die?!" Yuris's murderous intent surged as if he were about to silence them forever.
"Um..." Shirou Emiya sighed and stepped out from the back. He released the gag spell on Argo and then pulled out a... giant rice ball from his bag.
"If you don't mind, would you like to eat something first?" Shirou showed his famous "Motherly Smile," his whole body radiating a glow known as "Feeding." "This is a specially made Emiya-style Exploding Cheese Meat Floss Onigiri. Since you're hungry, don't fight. You only have the strength to argue... no, fight, after you're full."
"Hah?" Yuris looked at the rice ball with an expression that said "Are you insulting me?" "Do you take me for a beggar? This kind of commoner food... I am the noble Lone Wolf!"
He was about to kick the rice ball away. But the domineering aroma—a mix of seaweed, rice fragrance, and meat floss—seemed to have a mind of its own, drilling into his nose and seducing his already empty stomach.
GURGLE... His stomach protested again, louder this time, as if saying: Stop acting and just eat.
"..." Yuris froze. This kick simply could not land.
"Um... Lord Yuris," Elmina whispered beside him, swallowing hard. "It's suspicious... but it really does smell amazing. Why don't we... eat first? If we don't eat, we won't have the energy to mince them."
"Tsk!" Yuris snatched the rice ball and took a vicious bite. "I'll just try one mouthful! If it's not good, I'll chew your head... munch munch munch."
His expression froze. His fierce eyes instantly became clear, as if purified by a holy light. Wh-What is this texture?! The crispy seaweed, the soft rice, and the exploding cheese and salty meat floss after biting in... this rich layering, this deliciousness exploding in the mouth... this is... Mom's flavor?! No, it's a hundred times better than Mom's!
"Is it good?" Shirou asked with a smile, like watching a picky eater finally start eating.
"Hmph... it's passable!" Yuris turned his head, swallowing the rice ball in three bites and even licking the rice grains off his fingers. "Is there more? I happen to be in my growing phase! This is just to supplement energy, definitely not because it's tasty!"
"There is, plenty." Shirou snapped his fingers. "Olna! Crozzo! Set up the pot! Since we've met new friends, let's have a temporary picnic!"
"Yay! Food! I want meat!" The previously tense atmosphere instantly turned into a school field trip scene.
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One hour later. By the campfire.
"Burp..." Yuris lay on the grass with no decorum, patting his round belly with a sense of "Sage Time" serenity. "I didn't expect... in this era of raw meat and rotten fruit, I could actually eat something like this. Hey, red-haired kid, what's your name?"
"Shirou Emiya."
"Very well, Emiya." Yuris sat up, looking at Shirou with a complex gaze. "Though you look weak and even have a missing hand, your skill... I acknowledge it. When you're in this area, just name me, Yuris of the Silver Wolf; no one will dare touch you. If anyone tries to steal your pot, I'll bite through their throat."
"That's my line!" Olna protested while gnawing on a bone. "Shirou is the exclusive chef of our Argo Heroic Faction! Don't you think about headhunting him! He belongs to us!"
"Heroic Faction?" Yuris looked disdainfully at Argo, who was teasing the donkey with a carrot. "With that clown? Don't make me laugh. The word 'Hero' isn't something any random stray cat or dog can use. A guy like that, I could crush with one finger."
"What do you know!" Argo jumped up, waving his wooden sword. "A Hero is about the heart! Not the muscles! Besides, we're going to the Spirit Temple to pull out the Holy Sword! When I get it, I'll scare you all to death! Then you'll be kneeling and begging for my autograph!"
"Holy Sword?" Hearing this, Yuris and Elmina exchanged a look, their expressions becoming a bit strange.
"You guys... are also going to those ruins?" Elmina asked with a playful tone.
"What? You too?" Fianna asked warily.
"Sort of." Yuris stood up and brushed the dust off his pants. "I heard there's a sword stuck in a stone there that only the 'chosen one' can pull out. Though I have no interest in rusty iron shards, it's said a strong Guardian Beast resides there. I'm going to hunt that beast. As for the sword... whoever wants it can have it."
Guardian Beast? Shirou thought. As expected, wherever there's treasure, there's a Boss. That's a law of gaming.
"Since we're going the same way, let's go together," Shirou invited. "More people mean more strength. Besides... I see you didn't bring any rations, right? The road ahead is still long."
"..." Yuris was silent for three seconds. He wanted to refuse. As a lone wolf, he was used to being alone. But... recollecting the flavor of that rice ball and thinking about the rock-hard black bread in his own pack...
"Tsk, since you're begging me, I'll reluctantly agree." Yuris raised his head haughtily, but his tail wagged twice involuntarily. "Don't expect me to protect you, though. If we hit danger, I'll be the first to run."
"Don't worry, I was thinking the same thing," Argo muttered under his breath.
Thus, this already chaotic team added two more "problem children." The tsundere werewolf Yuris. The yandere dancer Elmina. Added to the original lineup... Shirou Emiya felt less like he was leading an adventure and more like he was leading a kindergarten field trip. And a "Hell-Level" kindergarten full of bratty kids at that.
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Half a day later. The Spirit Temple Ruins.
This was a massive white ruin located deep in the forest. Though dilapidated, one could still see the glory of the past. The giant pillars were carved with Elven inscriptions, and the air was thick with high-concentration mana particles.
"This is it." Wishe (the Half-Elf) looked at the ruins, her expression excited. "The legendary... Temple of the Spirit King."
In the center plaza of the temple, a sword was thrust into a massive cyan rock. It was a longsword, transparent as crystal and sparkling brilliantly. The blade emitted a faint luminescence, as if it were breathing.
Spirit Sword — Orichalcum Prototype.
"Wow! There really is a sword!" Argo rushed over excitedly, his eyes full of stars. "That's my Holy Sword! My destiny! Here I come!"
"Watch out! Something's there!" Shirou's sixth sense suddenly triggered an alarm.
ROAR—!!!
A black shadow lunged from the temple's dome. It was a... giant Hellhound with three heads. And it was a mutant. Each of its heads breathed a different element of mana—Fire, Ice, and Lightning. A Level 5-tier monster.
"Small fry." Yuris sneered, silver light glowing on his combat boots. "Just finished eating; perfect for some exercise!" He turned into a bolt of silver lightning, charging straight into the
Hellhound's fireball. "Hungry Wolf — Bonecrusher!" He kicked through the fireball and slammed his boot into the center head, the sound of cracking bone echoing.
"We're going in too!" Olna and Elmina followed close behind. Axe and curved daggers intertwined in a dance of death.
"Knights of Fianna, charge!" Fianna refused to be outdone.
In an instant, the temple turned into a chaotic mess. The various ancestors showed off their skills, beating the poor Hellhound until it questioned its life.
As for Shirou Emiya... he didn't join the fight. He was standing before the cyan rock, carefully observing the sword.
"Trace — Analysis." Shirou's fingers lightly touched the hilt. Material: High-purity mana crystal. Enchantment: Can only be pulled by one with a 'pure heart.' Evaluation: A sword that... actually isn't that strong, but its symbolic meaning outweighs its practical value. A ritual sword.
"This sword..." Shirou rubbed his chin. "Rather than a weapon, it's more like a... 'key'? A key to unlock a certain power."
"I'm here! Holy Sword! Answer my call!" Argo, taking advantage of everyone fighting the monster, snuck up to the rock. He took a deep breath and gripped the hilt with both hands. "Heave-ho!"
It didn't budge.
"Again! Heave-ho—!"
Still no movement.
"What's going on? Am I not pure enough?" Argo looked dejected, as if he had lost the whole world. "I wash my face every day! Is it because I snuck some of Olna's jerky yesterday?!"
"Pfft." Shirou couldn't help but laugh. "The so-called 'purity' doesn't refer to your face. it refers to... the pureness of a fool."
"Argo," Shirou said. "Don't think about 'I want to be a hero.' Try thinking... 'I want to protect everyone.' Or... 'I want to make everyone smile.'"
"Eh?" Argo blinked. "Make everyone... smile?"
He closed his eyes. What surfaced in his mind wasn't the cheers of a crowd or gold and jewels. It was... Olna's satisfied expression when eating meat. The look in Wishe's eyes when she called him an idiot. And Shirou's helpless yet warm smile.
"I want to..." Argo murmured softly. "I want this world full of sadness... to have even just a little bit more laughter. I want to become... a clown who can make everyone laugh their hearts out!"
VROOOOM—!
The crystal sword suddenly emitted a resonating hum. The light flared brilliantly.
Crr-ack! The sword... moved.
"He pulled it out?!" Everyone fighting the monster was stunned; even Yuris stopped mid-kick. "That bragging clown... actually pulled out the Holy Sword?!"
"Wahahaha! Did you see that!" Argo held the glowing sword aloft, losing himself in triumph. " I am the Chosen One! I am—"
Snap! A crisp sound. The blade... snapped. Yes, it broke. Because it was too ancient and Argo had used too much force... this "ritual sword" snapped clean in half from the middle.
...Absolute silence. Even the half-dead Hellhound forgot to scream.
"It... it broke?" Argo stood holding the half-hilt, completely petrified, crumbling away in the wind. "My Holy Sword... my legend... it's over."
"PWAHAHAHAHA!" Olna was the first to burst into explosive laughter, laughing until tears came out. "As expected of something you'd do! This is your 'Heroic Tale'? It's too funny! Is this the legendary 'Broken Sword Hero'?"
"Hmph, a clown indeed." Yuris also couldn't help but curl his lips, even though he was still mocking.
Everyone was laughing. Even the most serious Fianna had a trace of a smile in her eyes.
Watching this joyful scene, Shirou Emiya shook his head helplessly, but his gaze was incredibly tender.
"The sword broke. But you... truly did it. You made everyone laugh." "Isn't this... the best 'miracle'?"
"Though it's broken, the material is top-notch. It just so happens..." Shirou picked up the half-blade from the ground. "Trace — Fusion." Light glowed from his left hand. "I'll use it to repair my right hand. And while I'm at it, I'll give your broken sword... an upgrade."
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