I'm sorry, Saber.
Actually, I lied to you.
In your eyes, what kind of person is Shirou Amamiya?
Gentle, level-headed.
Hates evil with a passion, eager to help others, full of justice, unable to ignore wrongdoing in front of him.
That must be how you see me, and I'm sure Irisviel sees me that way too.
Fuji-nee, Sakura, Shinji, everyone in the Fujimura Group, everyone who knows me thinks of me that way.
But that's not who I really am.
I do believe in the importance of justice and order. I understand that morality and conscience are what make humans truly human.
I know that very well, I know it better than anyone, which is why I "act" that way in front of everyone.
If I didn't live like that, I wouldn't have a "place to belong" anywhere.
But… that's never been the real me.
Ever since that day, when I should have died, tortured by fairies, yet was saved by chance by a witch, from the moment I woke up, I lost the ability to feel "happiness."
Shirou Amamiya became a dull, mechanical shell that "couldn't smile," incapable of understanding human "happiness."
Even when everyone gathered happily around the dinner table, I honestly couldn't grasp what was so enjoyable, or what everyone was laughing about so cheerfully.
I've never found joy in doing good deeds.
The reason I obey the law, live a calm daily life, and gently help others is actually to better understand the people of this world.
Everything is for my own benefit.
What they care about, how they think, once I understand it, I can easily manipulate them to achieve my goals.
That's exactly how I operated in Britannia.
Whether it was friends at school or my older sister at home.
Online acquaintances I'd never met, or even you and Irisviel.
To me, it's all the same, you're objects for "observation."
If you achieve "happiness," can I also attain "happiness" by the same means?
I wanted to know the truth, so I decided to use you.
And I'll continue using you to pursue "happiness," so from now on, please continue to look after "gentle me."
In the end, it seems no one but Morgan truly saw through me.
Zouken Matou seemed to sense a glimpse of my true nature before he died, and Lancer seemed to notice something too, but they had already strayed from humanity.
Oh, and on the day I first moved into the Amamiya residence, the stray cat that wandered in ran away the moment I approached.
Shinji said, "Animals are highly intuitive. They can sense good and evil. It must have felt your malice."
No wonder animals have been my natural enemies since the Fairy Kingdom. Even crows won't come near me. After all, I'm not a normal living being.
I seem to have digressed a bit.
Anyway, I'm sorry, Saber.
I've let you down. I'm definitely not the person you imagined.
And then, naturally, when I saw Caster die but the Spellbook didn't vanish, I immediately understood what was going to happen next.
The Sea Demon was intentionally released by me.
…
Shirou now understood the state Lancer Diarmuid had been in, high and almost unhinged.
People often say, "It's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to return," but when it comes to "power," the opposite is true.
Losing power doesn't feel inconvenient, but regaining it brings such a sense of fullness and omnipotence that it's impossible to resist.
"Lady Avalon."
Shirou called softly to the Magus of Flowers, who had taken on a spirit form and was hiding beside him.
"Here I am~"
A melodious female voice answered.
Shirou: "Cast Wind Magecraft on me."
Lady Avalon: "What?"
Shirou stared intently at the grotesque Sea Demon from another realm.
Now, with his enhanced Eagle's Eye, he could see through the thick Mana-infused fog, every wrinkle of the monster's skin, the countless hidden eyes, and the nauseating slime clinging to them.
Shirou repeated, "You know it, don't you? Wind magic. I need the wind's blessing so I can fly above the monster's head."
Lady Avalon was puzzled by her Master's request.
Shirou could already fly while under the "Dead Count Shapeshifter Command Spell," but then she realized he was thinking of Saber's "Wind King Barrier."
I see… heh.
Lady Avalon smiled faintly.
"I understand. Leave the support to me."
She dissolved her physical form, then waved her raised wand.
A gust of wind, mixed with a swirl of colorful flowers, enveloped Shirou's body.
"What's this?" Shirou asked.
Lady Avalon replied proudly, "The Blessing of the Wind. You've surely heard the legend of King Arthur, haven't you? The King of Knights, blessed by the Lady of the Lake, could walk and run across water as if on dry land. This is essentially the wind-element version of that, Magecraft I developed specifically to counter Vivian."
Shirou gave it a try following Lady Avalon's instructions. Sure enough, just like flying, he found himself suspended in midair.
Alright, no problem.
This wasn't his first time flying, so Shirou quickly got used to the sensation. After circling the air a couple of times, he returned to his original spot and reached out to Lady Avalon, who was still standing there smiling.
"Come on."
"Huh…?"
Lady Avalon's pupils widened slightly.
"Let's go," Shirou urged her to take his hand. But after a moment's hesitation, Lady Avalon lowered her head.
"I'm sorry, Master… I can't go with you."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, because of our agreement, and besides, don't you see? Others might discover my whereabouts. Archer and Rider both have the means to fly. If they discover my presence, it would cause you trouble as well."
Shirou nodded. "You're right. Well then, I'm off. Time is running out, we've got 165 seconds left, right?"
Lady Avalon gazed up at the boy standing in the air. "In that case, Master, may you be blessed with great success in battle. I'll be watching over you from here. Don't waste these precious three minutes, compressed from decades of my lifespan. Make sure to put on the most spectacular show for me, my little Master."
"Hmph."
Shirou curled the corners of his mouth. "You really are a thoroughly despicable woman."
Lady Avalon returned a bright, captivating smile. "You knew that from the very beginning, didn't you? If you must say so, isn't a Master who trusts and relies on a wicked woman like me also at fault?"
"Haha, you're right."
Shirou spun around and charged toward the otherworldly Sea Demon like an arrow cutting through the wind.
…
…
A deafening roar split the sky, the sonic boom of an object breaking the sound barrier. Against the backdrop of the night sky, a pair of lights streaked from south to north; they were the identification lights of fighter jets.
"…What, on earth, is that?"
The monstrous figure writhing in the thick fog left the two F-15 fighter pilots gaping in astonishment, speechless. Although they had indeed received orders that "a monster had appeared on the outskirts of Fuyuki City", and ground control had repeatedly emphasized that they weren't joking, when these two pilots actually saw the Otherworldly Sea Demon, they were so stunned they didn't know how to express their feelings.
One of the pilots hesitated, unsure whether to maintain a safe distance and observe the situation. But just as he was about to contact ground control, a soldier's sixth sense made the man feel as though something was amiss. Something had appeared directly behind him.
He immediately turned around and saw a sight even more unbelievable than the monster itself. A figure stood proudly atop the fuselage of his fighter jet.
"…Huh?"
The fighter pilot was so stunned he lost his voice. The wingman who had been right behind him was nowhere to be seen, and yet there was a figure standing on the fuselage of his own plane.
Am I having a nightmare?
The figure wore no protective gear whatsoever, standing completely exposed to the subsonic airflow. Judging by his face, he appeared very young, not even twenty years old, yet he exuded an indescribably powerful presence. The youth stared intently at the monster ahead without flinching, completely oblivious to the fighter jet beneath his feet, as if he were standing not on an F-15 fighter jet, but on a moving sheet of metal.
Finally, the youth standing on the fighter jet noticed the pilot's gaze. Even though he was inside the airtight cockpit, isolated from the outside world, and even though the aircraft's engines were emitting a terrifying roar loud enough to shatter one's eardrums, the boy's voice still appeared directly in the pilot's mind.
"Full speed ahead."
"Huh? But…"
"Didn't you hear me tell you to go full speed toward the monster?"
"Ugh…!!"
There was no resisting it. The fighter pilot understood all too well that if he didn't comply, he would be killed. Gritting his teeth, he gripped the control stick and, with a desperate resolve, began flying toward the monster, which was as massive as a mountain range.
In the next instant, tentacles several meters in diameter shot out from the surface of the gigantic mass of flesh, lashing directly at the fighter at a speed impossible to evade through aerial maneuvers.
"Aaaaaaah!"
The pilot let out a blood-curdling scream and closed his eyes in despair.
Ah, this is the end… Goodbye, Mom…
"Don't stop."
The boy's voice rang out once more in the pilot's mind. At that moment, a deep red greatsword spewing flames shot out from the rear of the aircraft, slicing the suction-cup tentacle—over five meters in diameter—clean in two. The flaming sword did not stop after severing the tentacle, but charged straight toward the monster's body.
"BOOM——————!!!"
The uniquely shaped flaming sword plunged directly into the monster's body, continuously piercing and crushing flesh while igniting raging flames, ultimately triggering an explosion within the Sea Demon's body. The bursting flames painted the pitch-black night with a beautiful glow. After that single strike, the monster's colossal body had actually been set ablaze, transforming into a burning mountain. The F-15 pilot felt he would never forget the sight before him for the rest of his life.
"■■■■■■■■■■■■——!!"
The Otherworld Sea Demon let out a terrifying roar as its body twisted and writhed like a creature shedding its skin, finally extinguishing the flames only after repeatedly devouring its own flesh. The flaming crimson greatsword pierced out from the other end of the monster's body, then spun back at high speed, held aloft by the youth standing on the fighter jet's back—Shirou Amamiya.
"Sorry, Pyra, making you deal with such a disgusting enemy right after you got back. But if I'd asked Mythra to do this, she would've gotten super angry, wouldn't he?"
Shirou murmured softly, his expression filled with nostalgic tenderness.
"I'll make sure to give you a good wash when we get back."
The name of this sword was "Aegis." Unlike the Sword of Promised Victory bestowed upon him by the Witch, this sword had been with Shirou from the very beginning and was also the strongest weapon within his Sword Domain. So-called Noble Phantasms are entities held by Heroic Spirits, eventually becoming an integral part of their very being. And for Shirou, "Aegis" is a sword befitting the name "Fairy Knight Arthur," one that is practically synonymous with his very being.
However, they were currently in such poor condition that they couldn't even muster one ten-thousandth of their original power. Even without their full power, "Pyra" still achieved firepower on par with an Anti-Army Noble Phantasm thanks to the boost from resonance.
"The remaining time on the 'Dead Count Shapeshifter'… sixty seconds left? Hmm, I suppose it's about time to begin."
The warm-up was over; now it was time to deal with the octopus. Shirou transformed the Crimson Greatsword into golden magical particles, and his hands were soon filled with his trusty pair of scythe blades. To eliminate this giant Sea Demon, he would indeed have to use the "Blades of Chaos"—that had been Shirou's plan from the very beginning.
"The altitude is just right."
The boy, clutching his twin blades, glanced at the otherworldly Sea Demon now right before his eyes and spoke.
"You can head back now. Go find your wingman. Don't get in the way."
"What?"
The fighter pilot was still frozen in place, but the moment he looked up, he saw the boy leaping over the cockpit. The wind's protection swirling around Shirou made him like an arrow leaving the bow, hurtling toward the monster's massive body. Yet even within this gale traveling at several times the speed of sound, the "Blades of Chaos" in the boy's hands remained wrapped in fierce flames, showing not the slightest sign of dying down. In fact, the flames were burning even more intensely.
The closer Shirou got to the Sea Demon, the more intense the aura emanating from the twin blades in his hands became; now they resembled a pair of fangs poised to strike their prey.
The Divine Construct, the "Blades of Chaos." According to Morgan, this pair of ancient Swords of Gods from another realm could not unleash their true power in the Fairy Kingdom of Britannia.
"Divine Attack."
The more concentrated and intense an enemy's divinity, the greater the power of the Blades of Chaos, such is its nature. In another Britannia where no gods existed, the Blades of Chaos naturally could not unleash their true power.
"...In that case."
Facing the witch's warning, Shirou replied dismissively.
"Then why not just develop its new power?"
And so, over the course of many long years, Shirou used this pair of blades to slaughter countless calamities known as Moss. Through the accumulated battles against the same type of enemy, the "Blades of Chaos" unleashed a new power. No, perhaps this wasn't a new power at all, but rather some latent potential it had always possessed.
The "Blades of Chaos" were swords that had been with Shirou from the very beginning; naturally, he knew exactly what kind of unknown power they held.
This unleashed potential bore the name—
"Anti-Demonic Trait Attack."
Unlike the arrogant gods who looked down from on high, the monsters seemed so insignificant.
Yet even so, one must never overlook this fact.
The "Blades of Chaos" are not merely slayers of Divine Spirits, but also slayers of monsters that have slaughtered countless powerful beasts. Now, standing before this divine weapon and its master, Shirou Amamiya, is the most evil "demonic essence" in history. Sensing its master's Mana and the presence of the Sea Demon, the "Blades of Chaos"'s "Anti-Demonic Trait Attack" finally reached its peak.
At the same time, the otherworldly Sea Demon also sensed the approaching mortal danger. Although it was a tiny human whose size was not even as large as a single one of its suction cups, he carried an unbelievable aura of destruction. The Sea Demon reacted violently, firing out a dozen tentacles, but Shirou, protected by the wind, dodged them effortlessly, showing no sign of slowing down.
"Dinner time is over early."
Flames symbolizing hell engulfed Shirou as he raised his double-bladed sword high. His amber eyes reflected the massive shadow of the Sea Demon, and the boy delivered his verdict in a tone devoid of any emotional fluctuation.
"Monster from beyond the cosmos, be annihilated. You chose the wrong restaurant."
Flames engulfed the scene as the boy swung his blades.
"—————Spartan Rage."
Shirou shouted the name of the judgment the Sea Demon had foreseen.
The "Anti-Demonic Trait Attack," charged to its absolute limit, transformed into energy of destruction and annihilation, turning the starless, silent night into a hellscape from the Age of Myths.
The instant the Sea Demon's colossal form was touched by the blade of the "Blades of Chaos," half of its body—as massive as a mountain range—was sliced away.
It wasn't severed, nor was it blown to pieces; it appeared to have vanished entirely. As if it had never existed in the first place, a single strike from the "Blades of Chaos" caused more than half of the monster's body to disappear—just as the boy had declared earlier. This was not a slaying, but an annihilation—a complete and utter extermination carried out to ensure the monster could never be reborn.
At the same time, another blade swung down alongside the one held in his left hand, striking the Sea Demon. Time and space around them warped. The aftershock from a single swing alone caused the nearby "surface" to crumble and shatter, along with the "laws of physics"—to the point where even the concept of "sound" vanished briefly.
"■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■——!!!!"
The Sea Demon's desperate scream seemed utterly feeble in the face of that colossal force of destruction. No matter how it thrashed in its death throes or swelled to regenerate, the remaining half of its body could not reverse its inevitable fate of annihilation, and in an instant, it turned to scattered dust.
Including the 110 seconds lost en route and the 30 seconds wasted on the interceptor, the total time taken was 148 seconds. Monster extermination, complete.
...
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