Let us turn back the clock a little.
Ritsuka Fujimaru and Mash had received their first mission from King Gilgamesh. They were to investigate Ur, a city swallowed by the Sea of Trees.
Shirou, the only one excluded from the mission, refused to accept that decision. He entrusted Uruk's defense to Ushiwakamaru and Musashibō Benkei, left the Magical Beast front in the hands of Leonidas I and Tomoe Gozen, then forced his way into the group heading for the southern jungle.
They actually said I'd hold Ritsuka back and become a burden to the team?
Shirou resolved to prove them wrong so thoroughly that the results would be a slap in Gilgamesh's face.
"Still, Shirou-san really is incredibly strong."
After once again witnessing Shirou single-handedly slaughter a horde of Magical Beasts, the man on the communication feed, Romani Archaman, expressed his sincere admiration.
"For a Magus from the modern era to display combat ability on par with a Heroic Spirit... Is it because of the experiences you gained while drifting through different eras due to your unusual constitution? Ushiwakamaru and Tomoe Gozen have also praised your martial skills highly. I imagine you've endured a journey every bit as difficult as Ritsuka and Mash."
"And that's not all! Your Magecraft is fascinating too!"
Caster Da Vinci, whose eyebrows looked as though they belonged in a world-famous painting, eagerly joined the conversation.
"Was that... 'Projection Magecraft'? Hmm~ Can a technique like that really still be called 'Projection Magecraft'?"
"It's one of the few things I'm good at."
Shirou answered modestly, "I'm not good at constructing complex formulas to interfere with nature, or converting Mana directly into energy and firing it. The only Magecraft I truly excel at is 'Enhancement' and 'Projection.' In those two fields, I don't believe I'd lose to anyone."
"You call that 'Enhancement' and 'Projection'...?"
Da Vinci rested her chin in one hand.
"I'd say you've gone far beyond what those terms normally describe."
"Projection Magecraft" was considered a fairly advanced technique in modern Magecraft.
It used Mana alone to construct an object. In a sense, it created something out of nothing. In most cases, however, it could only reproduce an object's appearance, and the result would disappear after a few minutes.
Projection Magecraft was normally used to produce temporary replicas for rituals and similar occasions. Beyond that, it had no practical value in combat.
The "Projection" Shirou had shown them, however, could be converted into overwhelming combat power. It could even be called a Mystery capable of overturning the established order of the magical world.
"Is that so?"
Shirou suddenly remembered Alice saying something similar.
"Don't you think Shirou-kun's Projection resembles my First Magic? Mm-hmm, our compatibility really is excellent~♡"
Da Vinci continued with a perfectly serious expression, "To put it plainly, it's already in the realm of divine skill. Even that self-proclaimed Grand Caster over there couldn't reproduce it... Hmm~ How fascinating! Shirou-san, please visit Chaldea someday and allow me to conduct a more thorough study of your Magic Circuits!"
"Ahaha..."
Please spare me, Shirou thought.
"That sounds so nice. I want to mass-produce weapons with a 'pew! pew!' like Shirou-san, then fire them off with a 'whoosh! whoosh!' too..."
Ritsuka Fujimaru gazed at him enviously.
"I want to fight in such a cool way too~"
"Ritsuka has a talent that's entirely her own," Shirou said.
"Huh? I do?"
The girl blinked, then realized what he meant and pouted.
"I'm talking about talent for Magecraft. I don't want to hear some motivational speech."
Shirou shook his head.
"I am talking about talent for Magecraft. I've seen the Summoning Arrays you've prepared. Your familiar Summoning and the maintenance of their Spirit Origins are both remarkably stable. You may not have noticed it yourself, but that's extremely rare."
He looked at her earnestly.
"Ritsuka Fujimaru, you have the talent to become an excellent Summoner."
Under Shirou's serious gaze, Ritsuka's pout slowly faded.
A faint blush spread across her cheeks as she shyly brushed aside a lock of hair.
"I-Is that true? Hehe, that makes me so happy."
Then she suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, right! Shirou-san, when you die, you have to become my Servant! I'll make you my Primary Servant!"
Mash jokingly joined in from beside her.
"As Senpai's fellow Primary Servant, I look forward to working with you, Shirou-san."
"I don't plan on dying anytime soon."
Come to think of it, someone has already claimed my afterlife.
That person destroyed the Counter Force just to obtain me. Breaking our promise would have some very serious consequences...
"Let's simply get along while we're still 'living in the present,'" Shirou said with a smile.
...
After traveling for a day and a night, the group officially entered the southern Sea of Trees.
The moment they stepped inside, the previously cheerful atmosphere vanished completely.
"Why did everyone go silent as soon as you entered the forest? What's wrong?"
Dr. Roman asked in confusion.
"I understand that seeing nothing but an endless sea of trees might make you feel as though you'll get lost, but..."
"It's because I'm about to die from the heat!"
Ritsuka Fujimaru shouted weakly.
A dense forest created by a goddess.
The group had already heard about it and believed themselves mentally prepared. Even so, they had never expected the oppressive heat and humidity that greeted them.
Scorching air rose from the ground, carrying a heavy smell of damp earth. The deafening cries of countless animals were almost enough to make them lose consciousness.
Only after entering did they realize that this was not a forest belonging to the Eurasian continent. It could not even be called modern.
It was an environment resembling Earth's primeval forests from sixty-five million years ago.
"Was Earth really like this before the asteroid struck...?"
Mash wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Dr. Roman, sitting comfortably in an air-conditioned room, seemed unimpressed.
"Hahaha, aren't you exaggerating a little? Shirou doesn't look bothered at all."
"This guy runs off to Uruk's blacksmith whenever he has free time. His tolerance for heat is completely different from ours! Don't compare us to him!"
The Magus of Flowers looked utterly miserable.
"This place is awful! It's unbearably hot, there are mosquitoes and flies everywhere, and it's difficult to walk! On top of that, the air is saturated with Ether! Compared to this place, even the Isle of Britannia seems mild!"
Merlin looked toward the communication feed.
"Romani, are you actually measuring the Mana concentration?! This place is already another world on the level of a Reality Marble!"
"Ah... About that. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but the instruments are extremely unstable..."
Da Vinci took over from Dr. Roman.
"You're right. This jungle has already become a world completely separate from Mesopotamia. No, it belongs to an entirely different mythological system. It will be difficult for the Control Room to provide further assistance. From this point onward, you'll have to rely entirely on your own five senses to detect danger."
"Ugh~ Why does it have to be like this~~~"
"Senpai, hang in there! According to the map, Ur is only about one kilometer farther south. We only need to endure this heat for another twenty minutes."
"Even if you say that... I really want to go back to the embassy~"
Shirou glanced at the group behind him.
They had not even encountered an enemy yet, but the team's morale had already sunk to its lowest point.
"Good grief... What am I going to do with all of you?"
The red-haired boy's lips curled upward.
Every last one of them is completely unreliable. In the end, they'll have to depend on me after all.
Gilgamesh made such a fuss about me becoming a burden... Has old age finally made him senile?
The more Shirou thought about it, the smugger he became. He raised a hand and swept his bangs straight back.
At that moment, a sound came from above.
Shirou immediately became alert. His frivolous mood vanished as he scanned the surrounding area.
A figure was moving rapidly through the canopy.
To Shirou's surprise, he could not make out its appearance or build.
His Eagle Eyes were specialized for perceiving "high speed" and "space."
Speed alone could never escape Shirou's sight. The figure must have received some form of protection from the jungle.
That only stirred Shirou's competitive spirit.
No matter what it took, he would track the figure's movements.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!"
A mysterious voice rang out from above as the figure moved with illusion-like speed.
"You rookies from the plains dared to enter the jungle without a guide! That's some impressive determination!"
It was a lively female voice.
Since it could speak human language, it possessed at least some degree of reason. That meant it was probably not a Magical Beast.
Mash nervously raised her shield.
"Master! I can't see it, but something is here! It seems to be moving at high speed through the trees!"
"Hahahahaha! Nyahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"
The voice rang out again.
"Don't call me 'something'! I am the embodiment of the jungle, the manifestation of great warriors! My name is Jaguar Warrior! I am Servant Jaguar Man! As punishment for underestimating the South American rainforest, first taste my ultimate technique, 'Jaguar Punch'!!"
With that roar, a yellow figure plummeted from the trees like a cannonball and hurtled toward the group.
Before it could reach them, however, Shirou's eyes had already adjusted to its speed.
He discarded every sense except sight.
Mana flowed through his circuits and into his eyes.
Then Shirou finally caught the movements of the woman calling herself "Jaguar Warrior."
Five o'clock. Right there!
The blazing Blades of Chaos appeared in the boy's hand.
He turned instinctively and swung at the Spirit Origin of the Servant descending from above.
Come to think of it, why does Jaguar Warrior's voice sound so familiar?
It's happening again.
Is this the same déjà vu I felt with Ereshkigal?
No. This isn't déjà vu.
It's real.
What entered Shirou's field of vision was modern clothing that, just like his own outfit, did not belong in this era.
A feline mascot costume.
"Huh?"
Then the face of a young woman emerged from inside the costume.
Her neat features, which could certainly be considered beautiful, were identical to those of someone Shirou knew extremely well.
"Fuji... nee...?"
Jaguar Warrior currently wore a triumphant expression.
She was still intoxicated by the excitement of her successful ambush, completely unaware that an anti-Divinity strike was about to cut her in half.
The scene was strikingly similar to the dojo battle when the two siblings had first met.
W-Wait, wait, wait!
What would happen to the human body summoned into this era if a possessed Servant were cut in half?
Shirou could not gamble with Fuji-nee's life. He hurriedly tried to stop his blade.
But how could an attack that had already been unleashed be halted so easily?
To stop the strike, surging Mana rushed through Shirou's circuits and concentrated entirely in his right arm.
Then...
"BOOM!!!!!!"
An explosive roar shook the jungle as Jaguar Warrior's fist sent Shirou flying.
…
"You've got to be kidding... Shirou-san?"
Everyone stared in stunned silence.
Shirou, hailed as Uruk's strongest warrior, had been taken out in a single blow without offering any resistance.
"Huh? I won? I really won?"
Even Jaguar Warrior herself could hardly believe it.
"I'm so strong! I'm way too strong! I became unbelievably powerful without even noticing!
Could I have awakened a new cheat skill, 'Get Stronger While Sleeping EX'?
At this rate, even Quetzal might not be a match for me!
...Hm? Come to think of it, this kid's face... Haven't I seen it somewhere before...?"
Jaguar Warrior began examining the unconscious red-haired boy.
"Stay away from Shirou!"
Ana rushed forward, placing herself between Jaguar Warrior and Shirou with her scythe at the ready.
"Shirou? Is that kid's name Shirou?"
Jaguar Warrior stared closely at him and asked with curiosity.
Was it just her imagination? For a moment back there, it had seemed as though...
While Jaguar Warrior was distracted, Merlin, Ritsuka, and the others prepared to intercept her.
"Be careful. Ridiculous as she may look, she's a Divine Spirit Servant possessing a human, just like Ishtar. Her strength is very real."
"Who are you calling ridiculous, you womanizer?!"
"In any case, we can't count on Shirou in this fight. The rest of us will have to handle her," Merlin said.
Mash nodded firmly. "Understood."
"Doing this to Shirou... is unforgivable..."
A tremendous surge of Mana erupted from Ana's small body, startling both Ritsuka and Mash.
In the next instant, she became a whirlwind of flashing steel and charged at Jaguar Warrior.
"Ah!"
Jaguar Warrior drew a strangely shaped polearm to block the attack.
It was a spear tipped with the padded paw of a cat.
Despite its comical appearance, it performed perfectly well as a weapon. It deflected Ana's scythe and sent her flying.
Mash hurried forward to take Ana's place, but she too could do little against their opponent.
Jaguar Warrior was an ancient Divine Spirit from the legends of Central and South America.
The jaguar symbolized "battle" and "death." It had been worshipped throughout every era of Central and South American civilization, and was said to have frequently manifested on the earth in ancient times.
Central and South American mythology often spoke of spiritual entities called Nahuals, beings akin to shadows or supernatural guardian spirits.
Tezcatlipoca, the chief god worshipped by the Aztec civilization, also possessed a Nahual. It was said to be the terrifying Jaguar Nahual.
Was fighting a Divine Spirit Servant still too much for Ritsuka and Mash at their current level?
Merlin considered the situation with a grave expression.
Still, Shirou, you really are... Pfft!
"Merlin-san! Please concentrate during the battle! Don't suddenly start laughing!"
"Ah, sorry, sorry~"
After a fierce exchange, Jaguar Warrior decided to retreat.
Partly because the three of them made a troublesome combination, and partly because Shirou's face refused to leave her mind for some reason.
"All right, I think I understand! You all look delicious!"
She was probably trying to say something along the lines of, "I'll remember this! Just you wait!"
Jaguar Warrior leaped above the Sea of Trees with astonishing speed and soon vanished from sight.
The group decided not to pursue her. They could not catch her, and even if they did, their odds of winning were poor.
Rather than chase the Divine Spirit Servant, their immediate priority was reaching the nearby city of Ur.
"Shirou-san, are you all right now?"
"Yeah. Sorry for worrying everyone. I let my guard down for a moment, so... Next time we meet, I'll definitely settle the score."
Mash helped Shirou to his feet.
He had not suffered any serious physical injuries. The damage to his pride was far worse.
First Tohsaka, and now even Fuji-nee had manifested as a possessed Servant.
Judging by Jaguar Warrior's behavior, the host's personality had far more influence than Ereshkigal's did.
In other words, Jaguar Warrior was acting almost entirely according to Fuji-nee's own mind.
The people close to Shirou were becoming Pseudo-Servants one after another, and that left him deeply uneasy.
Sakura and Caren couldn't possibly be next... No way...
"That defeat really hit Shirou-san hard, didn't it?"
Mash and Ritsuka whispered to each other as they watched the red-haired boy's troubled expression.
"That's understandable. He ignored King Gilgamesh's warning to come on this mission, only to lose against a Servant who looks that ridiculous..."
Merlin, who knew the truth, covered his mouth and snickered.
...
After a brief rest, the group continued onward.
Following another thirty minutes of trekking through the jungle, they finally reached their destination, the city of Ur.
The city, built on roughly the same scale as Uruk, had been completely surrounded by the otherworldly Sea of Trees. However, to everyone's surprise, many citizens could still be seen in the streets.
The people of Ur were going about their lives as though nothing had happened.
"Unbelievable. A city that's been cut off for half a year is still..."
"But everyone looks exhausted. Let's ask someone what's happening."
Merlin called out to a woman passing by.
When the handsome but frivolous young man approached her, she gave him a guarded look.
"...Who are you? Did you come from across the river?"
"That's right. We're from Uruk. King Gilgamesh ordered us to investigate Ur after it was swallowed by the forest."
"Oh, you're from Uruk. You must have had a difficult journey."
Her words were welcoming, but there was no life in her voice.
Merlin continued putting his shameless friendliness to good use. At times like this, it was genuinely helpful.
"My, I never imagined the people of Ur would all still be alive. Had we known, the King would have organized a large rescue party long ago."
"A rescue party... I see."
A shadow passed through the woman's eyes.
"I'm terribly sorry, but we won't take refuge in Uruk. Ur is safe. As long as we remain inside the jungle, the Demonic Beasts cannot enter. If we obey the laws laid down by the Goddess of the Jungle, the Demonic Beasts won't kill us."
Her words made the group suddenly realize something.
Ever since they had approached the jungle, they had not encountered a single attack from the Demonic Beasts.
"So the Goddess of the Jungle is protecting the people of Ur? Is that why you cut yourselves off from the outside world? As long as you're safe, nothing else matters?"
A trace of mockery entered Merlin's voice.
"Of course not! We considered sending reinforcements to Uruk!"
The citizen became agitated.
"But... that..."
"That would violate the laws established by the Goddess of the Jungle, wouldn't it?" Shirou said. "You gained safety, but lost the freedom to leave Ur. Anyone who comes to rescue you, and anyone who tries to leave and help others, will be killed by the forest without distinction. You can only preserve the current situation by doing nothing. That's Ur's method of protecting itself, isn't it?"
The woman lowered her head.
"Yes... Thank you for understanding."
"Of course I understand. As long as you don't resist, you get to survive. That's the usual excuse of people who have given up."
Shirou raised an eyebrow and asked bluntly, "So how many living sacrifices do you offer the goddess? About one each day?"
The woman's eyes widened. So did Ritsuka's and Mash's.
When Shirou thought of Central and South American mythology, the first thing that came to mind was the culture of human sacrifice.
Even among all the civilizations in the world, few had possessed such a pervasive and deeply rooted tradition of blood sacrifice.
That was why Shirou immediately suspected the citizens of Ur were being offered as sacrifices in exchange for this oppressive peace.
"W-We haven't done anything wrong! The living sacrifices are a necessary price!"
The woman exposed the truth without further prompting, her voice growing increasingly frantic.
"Everyone is chosen only after they understand and accept it! We only have to send one person each day to the temple in Eridu as a living sacrifice! As long as we do that, the demon will be satisfied!"
Mash was speechless.
"You've been protecting yourselves this way all along? Without fighting or fleeing to Uruk?!"
"What could an outsider like you possibly understand?! You can only say something so foolish because you've never seen that terrifying goddess!"
The woman screamed hysterically.
"Even if every citizen of Ur fought together, we would be no match for her! She can't be reasoned with either!
She's nothing but a monster lurking in the forest, a beast that knows only how to hunt and kill!
All we can do is endure while living in terror of when our own turn will come...!
There isn't a single normal place left anywhere in Mesopotamia...!"
The woman fled, screaming.
"Oh dear. That went badly."
Merlin looked around.
"I wanted to gather more information, but the nearby citizens have all been overcome by guilt and are rushing back into their homes. It appears this investigation will have to end here."
"No. Wait."
"What is it, Shirou-san?"
Shirou turned toward one side of the city.
According to what the citizen had just told them, Eridu, where the Goddess of the Jungle resided, should lie in that direction.
"Mash-san, brace for impact."
"Huh? Why?"
Although confused, the Shield Maiden chose to trust Shirou.
Then everyone saw it.
A crimson meteor, clearly visible even in broad daylight.
"A-An asteroid is falling toward us?!"
Ritsuka cried out in alarm.
It was nowhere near the size of a true asteroid, but the object plunging toward the earth carried no less terrifying momentum.
"Ah, let me borrow this! Ana, hurry over here too~"
Merlin ducked behind Mash's shield.
"Shirou...?"
"Ana, get to safety. That thing is coming for me."
With those words, Shirou turned his back to the girl.
"I am the bone of my sword."
The boy murmured the words and released his incantation.
Shirou raised his right arm toward the star that would incinerate all things, then unleashed the Mystery within his body.
"Round Albion————!!"
Were those... dragon scales?
Standing behind the great shield, the girl stared blankly at the dome of light surrounding her and her companions.
For one fleeting instant, she thought she saw an ancient dragon that had long since perished.
The meteor descending from the sky ultimately failed to pierce Shirou's defense. It merely shattered several layers of the outer shell.
"Amazing~"
A bright female voice emerged from the explosive heat.
A tall, athletic blonde woman landed lightly and brushed the dust from her clothes.
She was the true identity of the asteroid that had suddenly attacked them.
The instant their eyes met, everyone understood.
This woman was the terrifying being known as the Goddess of the Jungle.
Her presence was overwhelming, and her rank as a Divine Spirit was unmistakable.
None of the enemies Chaldea had encountered until now could compare to her.
"I wasn't even using my full strength, yet you still blocked my attack... Can a human truly train themselves to such heights?
Amazing... You really are amazing♡"
The Goddess of the Jungle stared fixedly at Shirou's face and licked her lips in excitement.