Night had settled over Kuoh, bathing the districts in an electric glow. The city breathed a blend of modernity and tradition, but that vitality faded in the suburbs. There, where the light barely reached and decay began to encroach upon the landscape, stood an old warehouse; a structure forgotten and corroded by time.
That isolated place, surrounded by ruins, concealed an activity that defied the night's silence. Inside the building, several hooded figures were gathered. Some wore heavy robes that hid their faces, while others looked like ordinary teenagers with a coldness uncharacteristic of their age in their eyes.
They all surrounded an enormous magic circle drawn on the cold concrete floor. Its design was terrifyingly complex: multiple rings intertwined in perfect geometry, filled with runes and formulas that belonged to none of the magical systems known to the Three Great Factions.
The magic circle pulsed with flashes of magic, as if it had a life of its own. Some lines throbbed with a bluish, electric glow, while others were so dark they seemed to absorb what little light there was. The air felt heavy, saturated with an arcane power that made the walls of the old warehouse vibrate; it was as if the circle were breathing, hungry to break the laws of reality.
Among all those present, one figure stood out, completely dominating the atmosphere. It was Cao Cao , the leader of the Hero Faction. He stood motionless before the intricate carving, his hands clasped behind his back, a relaxed posture that belied his immense power. His sharp, calculating eyes scanned every detail of the ritual with an almost academic serenity. Yet, beneath that calm lurked a dangerous ambition: the gaze of a man overseeing the dawn of a new era, one capable of challenging even the gods.
Beside Cao Cao stood Georg , who gazed at the circle with a mixture of exhaustion and pride. His glasses reflected the intermittent pulse of the runes, until finally the silence of the warehouse was broken by his voice.
"I did my best to recreate the ritual from the ancient parchment we recovered from the ruins," Georg remarked, adjusting the bridge of his glasses. "Even so, following the instructions to the letter wasn't enough."
He squatted down by the edge of the design, pointing with a gloved finger at one of the more complex sections of the engraving.
"I had to rewrite several formulas on the fly. The original text was incomplete and contradictory in several places. However," he continued, a glimmer of triumph in his eyes, "the adjustments worked. According to the notes, this ritual not only invokes the spirit of a legendary hero, but also grants him a physical body stable enough to live in this world permanently."
Georg sat up slowly, and his tone, formerly proud, turned grave.
"The problem is that the scroll mentioned an indispensable requirement: a Grail. It had to act as a catalyst and mana battery, since the energy required is absurd even by the standards of the Three Factions. The Grail is the bridge to the Throne of Heroes, the place where those spirits rest."
For a moment, the electric hum of the runes was the only thing that broke the heavy silence of the warehouse.
"It's a shame we couldn't obtain the Grail," Georg continued, regaining his calculating tone. "But I modified the flow formulas to compensate for its absence. In theory, it should work. Although," he added with his usual pragmatism, "if the ritual fails, we'll only have lost some time and material resources."
He looked at the circle one last time, adjusting his glasses with a curt gesture.
"It's a negligible price compared to the possibility of success," Cao Cao said calmly. "He who doesn't risk a little theory will never achieve true glory. But if we succeed... just imagine it for a second."
For the first time, a smile of anticipation appeared on her lips.
—We could summon heroes from all ages; legends incarnate walking among men once more. Warriors, kings, conquerors… all fighting under our banner. It wouldn't just be a strategic advantage; it would be the ultimate checkmate. With the power of myth on our side, the balance between factions would cease to exist.
"Even so," Georg interjected with a hint of concern, "the activation will require a monstrous amount of energy. Even with all our mages channeling in unison, the demand will be excessive for a human body."
"That's why I requested Ophis 's cooperation ," Cao Cao replied with icy coldness. "The snakes she provided will be consumed by the mages during the ritual. Their essence will serve as the fuel needed to pierce the veil of the Throne."
At the mention of that name, the air seemed to grow heavier. A chill ran through those present; they knew that wielding the power of the Dragon Goddess of Infinity was like playing with primordial fire. Georg nodded silently, losing any trace of pride.
Seeing that the preparations were complete, Cao Cao stepped forward. His firm, authoritative voice resonated throughout the room, silencing the hum of the runes. All those present gazed at their leader with a mixture of loyalty and fanaticism.
"Many of you once suffered oppression at the hands of supernatural beings," he began, his gaze sweeping over the hooded figures. "You were pawns in their power games or simply discarded as inferior beings. But today, an unprecedented opportunity lies before you."
He paused dramatically, letting the resentment of his followers fuel the atmosphere.
—This ritual will allow us to summon the spirits of ancient heroes. We will demonstrate to these creatures that humans, through their ingenuity and the power of their Sacred Gears , can overcome demons, angels... and even the gods themselves!
A murmur of approval, laden with suppressed hatred, swept through the room.
"For too long, this world has been under the shadow of arrogant beings," Cao Cao continued with intensity. "They have treated us as mere pieces on their chessboard. But that era is coming to an end."
His gaze became as sharp as the tip of his own spear.
"Once we have proven our supremacy, we will eliminate them. This world does not need supernatural creatures to advance; neither their wars, nor their blessings, nor their curses. Today we demonstrate to the universe that the age of man has finally arrived."
A burst of applause broke the silence, charged with almost fanatical fervor. Those present, from veteran magicians to young hopefuls, responded with eyes ablaze with ambition. In their minds, they were no longer mere humans; they were the architects of a new story that would shake the balance between Heaven and Hell.
Among the crowd, several individuals stood out with their own lethal light:
Siegfried , descendant of the legendary dragon slayer, leaned against a pillar with the arrogance of a veteran. Around him, the presence of multiple demonic swords distorted the air, while his Sacred Gear, Twice Critical , pulsed within him, doubling its lethality with every second.
Near him, the imposing figure of Heracles dominated the space. The descendant of the Greek demigod exuded overwhelming power; his body was a monument to combat, and his Variant Flare enveloped his musculature in a searing energy that threatened to explode.
To one side of the circle, the atmosphere grew solemn before Jeanne . The heir to Joan of Arc's spirit maintained a serene, almost sacred expression, wielding the Blade Knight Mass , a holy sword whose purity seemed capable of cleaving through the very darkness of the warehouse.
Beside him, young Leonardo watched the process with a disturbing curiosity. Possessor of the fearsome Annihilation Maker , his power resided not in his muscles, but in an imagination capable of conjuring monsters of pure destruction that awaited in his mind the command to manifest.
Finally, in profound silence, stood Connla , son of Cú Chulainn. His posture was that of a patient hunter forged in Celtic myths. He needed no boasting; his mere presence evoked the cold steel of ancient battlefields, reminding all that the blood of the savagest heroes flowed in his veins.
Seeing that the last murmurs were dying away, Cao Cao raised a hand, cutting through the air with authority.
—Let the ritual begin.
The order was absolute. The mages took their positions with choreographed precision, forming a perfect symmetry to channel the flow of energy. Suddenly, the air vibrated with an unnatural pressure; a heavy static that burned the skin and made breathing difficult.
At the heart of the circle, upon a makeshift pedestal, rested the fragment of the Round Table . That relic emanated a solemn presence, a sacred vestige of the bond that once united the knights of Arthur Pendragon. It was no mere old wood; it was a mystical anchor destined to draw a heroic spirit worthy of such a heritage.
Following Georg's instructions, the mages activated Ophis 's serpents . The reaction was violent: a surge of power coursed through their bodies, skyrocketing their energy levels as the ground began to crack.
—Georg —said Cao Cao without taking his eyes off the glow—, did you implement safeguards in case the spirit refuses to cooperate?
Georg shook his head, concentrating on his reading.
—It wasn't possible. The ritual is too sophisticated; adding a control seal now could ruin the invocation.
"No problem," Cao Cao replied with icy calm. "If he's unwilling to cooperate, we'll force him. Or kill him, in the worst-case scenario."
The magicians recited in unison, their voices intertwining in an ancient echo that vibrated in the bones of those present:
— «Silver and iron for the origin. Stone and the archduke of contracts for the foundation» .
The circle burst into a silvery flash that blinded the less experienced.
— "Follow the wind that blows. Close the doors in the four directions. Leave the crown and follow the three-branched path that leads to the Kingdom . "
A column of pure light rose, striking the ceiling with seismic force. The fragment of the Round Table vibrated until it pulverized the concrete of the pedestal.
— "Fill it up, fill it up, fill it up, fill it up, fill it up! Repeat it five times, but when it's full, destroy it! "
The magical pressure became suffocating. The wizards strained their lungs for the final scream:
— "Heed my call. Your sword will control my destiny. Following the testament of the Holy Grail, if you accept this imperative and this reason, answer me! "
Cao Cao stepped forward, his voice rising with an authority that defied logic:
— "Here is my oath! I will be the man who attains all the virtue of Heaven. I will be the man who conquers all the evil of Hell. Come from the circle of balance… protector of the scales! "
At that precise moment— the world stopped.
The sound vanished for a fraction of a second before an abyssal rift ripped through the air. It wasn't a clean invocation; space fractured like glass struck by a hammer, releasing a chaotic energy that devoured the bluish glow with utter darkness.
Four years had passed since the hell of Fuyuki was left behind. The Fifth Holy Grail War didn't end with a wish, but with an explosion of pure willpower. Thanks to the unlikely alliance between Shirou, Rin, and Illya, that corrupted chalice was reduced to ashes. Peace had finally returned, or at least that's what they wanted to believe.
But that calm was an illusion that lasted barely a moment. Almost immediately, Illyasviel began to wither like a flower in the dead of winter. What at first seemed like simple exhaustion after the battle soon turned into a freefall into the abyss that set off all the alarms in the Emiya residence.
Rin Tohsaka, true to her meticulous nature, didn't sit idly by. She immersed herself day and night in ancient sorcery books, analyzing every trace of magic in the little girl's body, until reality hit her like a ton of bricks. Studying Illya's mystical makeup, Rin discovered the horror: between her homunculus nature and the brutal modifications the Einzberns had carved into her circuitry, Illya was a ticking time bomb. She wasn't sick; she was simply reaching her "expiration date." To her own family, she was nothing more than a disposable tool.
When the news reached Shirou , his world shook, but his will remained unbroken. He refused to accept such a cruel end. If fate decreed that Illya must die, then he would simply have to rewrite the rules.
For two years, Shirou waged a veritable crusade against the inevitable. He exhausted every contact and pursued every rumor of a miracle. In an act of utter sacrifice, he surrendered Avalon , the sacred scabbard that resided within him, transferring it into his sister's body. But even "Utopia" had its limits. Though the artifact fought to sustain Illya's life, it could not repair something born to break; Avalon only managed to slow the process, transforming imminent death into a prolonged agony that tore Shirou apart every time he saw her fade. The scabbard's protection bought him time, but not a solution.
Desperate, Shirou became a freelance Executor for the Clock Tower. He became a shadow, roaming the most dangerous corners of the world, accepting suicide missions just to track down forbidden magic or lost relics... until fate brought him face to face with Touko Aozaki .
The legendary puppeteer exhaled a slow puff of smoke from her cigarette before speaking with brutal honesty. Upon hearing her, Shirou didn't hesitate; a smile he thought lost after so many years of war returned to his face. However, Touko's miracles didn't come without a price. The cost was astronomical: constructing a vessel capable of holding the soul of an Einzbern homunculus required legendary materials and funding that bordered on the absurd.
To pay for his sister's life, Shirou accepted the darkest contracts the Mage's Association could offer. He became a legend in the underworld, earning the dreaded nickname "Second Mage Killer." But he didn't descend into that hell alone: Rin and Arturia fought shoulder to shoulder with him, forming a team that made any mystical organization tremble.
After two years of suicide missions, the miracle happened.
Just a week ago, they managed to transfer Illya's soul into its new, perfect vessel. Since then, time seemed to stand still at the Emiya residence. The three of them hadn't left her side, counting every breath as her soul finished anchoring itself to its new home.
Sitting on the edge of the futon, Shirou held his sister's small hand, trying to convey all his warmth. Suddenly, the girl's fingers moved. Her eyelids trembled before finally opening. The collective sigh of relief nearly blew the ceiling of the room. The weariness on Rin and Arturia's faces transformed into radiant smiles as they saw those eyes sparkle again.
Illya forced a weak smile, but one full of her usual mischievousness.
"Finally..." she whispered with a soft giggle. "Finally I can go on a date with my onii-chan ... Hehe."
Shirou felt a lump in his throat. After so much blood and pain, that little joke was the best reward in the world. Rin approached, arms crossed, with that spark of smugness that was so characteristic of her.
"I'm glad you're awake, shorty," she said mockingly, though her eyes shone with pure relief.
—Hehe, did you miss me, Rin-chan? —Illya replied, regaining her spark with lightning speed.
After a brief magical analysis, Rin exhaled with satisfaction; the body designed by Touko was a masterpiece. Arturia, who hadn't moved an inch, bowed with a tenderness unusual for the legendary King of Knights.
"You gave us quite a scare, Illya. We really... missed you a lot," Arturia said, giving her one of those sincere smiles she only reserved for her family.
It was a moment of pure happiness. However, the weight of so many sleepless nights began to take its toll on Shirou. That lack of sleep, coupled with the relief of seeing her well, made him let his guard down for just a second.
Reality shattered in the blink of an eye.
The last thing Shirou registered was Rin's desperate scream before the world was stained a blinding red. But his survival instinct was faster than his exhaustion. The moment his feet touched solid ground in an unfamiliar place, his mind was already executing the command.
" Trace, on!" he roared.
The twin swords, Kanshou and Bakuya , materialized in his fists with an electric buzz, ready to bite.
Shirou didn't need to think; his body moved purely on instinct. He scanned the area with a steely gaze, locating in a second the only thing that mattered to him: his family. Beside him, Arturiareacted with lightning speed. In a burst of light particles, her blue and silver armor materialized over her body as her invisible blade sliced through the air, ready for a massacre should anyone make a false move.
Rin, still dazed from the dimensional journey, rushed towards Illya . Upon realizing the little girl was only dizzy from the jump, she let out a sigh of relief that was abruptly cut short when she looked down.
"Shirou, Arturia, look at this!" Rin exclaimed, her hand already searching her pocket for a gem. "It's not old soil... it's a summoning circle."
Beneath their boots, the crimson runes still throbbed with a residual energy that made Rin's blood, like Magus's , boil in warning. When they looked up, they found themselves surrounded by hooded figures reeking of ancient and, frankly, forbidden magic.
"Damn it..." Rin muttered, shielding Illya with her own body. "Some group of amateurs tried to play god. They wanted to summon a Servant and they caught us by mistake."
The atmosphere in the warehouse was stifling. On one side, Shirou's group stood in tight formation, like cornered animals ready to pounce. On the other, the members of the Hero Factionheld their breath. They didn't attack, but their hands trembled on their weapons; the fear that these newly arrived "heroes" were uncontrollable monsters was almost palpable.
Cao Cao observed the scene with a disappointment he struggled to conceal. He had expected imposing demigods, legends whose mere presence could shake the earth. Instead, he saw a red-haired youth who looked like a civilian wielding swords, a woman in impeccable but solitary armor, a girl who could pass for an ordinary mage, and a child so pale she seemed made of glass.
"Is this what the Throne sent us?" he thought bitterly. However, like the calculating leader he was, he swallowed his judgment and put on his best welcoming smile. He took a confident step forward, letting his leader's aura fill the room.
—Welcome—he said in a voice charged with magnetic confidence.—You have arrived in a world that desperately needs your strength.
But Cao Cao's pompous welcome was interrupted by something no one expected. The already saturated air fractured again with a violence that made the warehouse's metal beams groan. It wasn't the orderly gleam of a rune; it was a dark anomaly that began to devour the light in the building's deepest corner. Space itself seemed to be being torn apart by an invisible hammer.
"What does this mean?" Cao Cao murmured .
His leader's smile vanished in an instant. His fingers instinctively sought the cold, divine grip of the True Longinus . On the other side of the circle, Shirou and his group tensed immediately; the young redhead felt his magical circuits roar beneath his skin. This wasn't conventional magic; it was a violent rupture in the very fabric of reality.
Out of nowhere, a jagged fissure opened in the void, as if an invisible claw had ripped through the air. From this breach began to emerge figures whose mere presence disrupted the flow of mana throughout the room.
The first to cross was Vali Lucifer . His aura, an intoxicating blend of demonic pride and celestial power, flooded the warehouse like a silent tide. Beside him, with a relaxed posture bordering on arrogance, appeared Bikou ; the descendant of the Monkey King toyed with his staff, observing the chaos as if it were amusing mischief.
Shortly after, a man of impeccable bearing and chivalrous elegance entered: Arthur . He walked with a straightness that denoted absolute martial discipline. Upon seeing him, Arturia —Saber—clenched her fists reflexively. She didn't know who this man was, but something about his posture and the way the air moved around him felt unsettlingly familiar, stirring an echo of her own past that she couldn't quite place. Arthur, for his part, gave her a fleeting glance; his eyes narrowed for a second, feeling a strange pressure in his chest at the sight of the woman in armor, but he immediately regained his composure.
Beside him, young Le Fay adjusted her glasses with scientific curiosity, fascinated by the strange magical signature emanating from Shirou's group. Finally, a feline silhouette slithered out of the crevice with lethal grace. Kuroka stepped forward with a sharp smile that promised trouble. Her yukata clung to her body with each undulating step, while her two tails swished rhythmically, betraying her amusement at the tension her arrival had created.
The calm was shattered when Cao Cao stepped forward, his cloak billowing from the pressure of his own aura. His eyes fixed on the intruder with aristocratic disdain.
"A half-breed meddling in a matter exclusive to the Hero Faction..." Cao Cao spat, his voice dripping with venom. "To what do we owe this 'honor,' Vali Lucifer?"
Vali remained unfazed. On the contrary, he flashed a lopsided smile, brimming with the confidence only someone with the blood of the Demon King and the power of the White Dragon could afford.
"Well, Cao Cao..." Vali said, his silver eyes gleaming with barely contained battle hunger. "Looks like you threw a very interesting party and forgot to send us the invitation. It would be a waste to let all this energy stay just between you two."
Cao Cao's face darkened. The air around his right hand began to distort from the hidden power of his Longinus.
"What are you really doing here?" he repeated, and this time each word vibrated with a death threat.
Vali opened his lips to unleash his usual sarcasm, but fate had other plans. Before he could utter a word, the warehouse floor ignited again. This time, the glow was a violent, dark crimson: a teleportation circle of demonic origin.
Both Cao Cao and Vali frowned in unison, sharing a moment of genuine irritation at the interruption. From the glare emerged a figure completely out of place amidst the warlike tension of the place: Diodora Astaroth . Her bearing was elegant and her smile polished, but her eyes concealed an obsessive gaze that was deeply unsettling.
However, what was most disturbing was his entourage. Behind him walked a group of young women who had once worn nuns' habits, but who now moved like empty shells. Their faces, once devoted to faith, lacked any trace of will; they were broken shadows, submissive to the demon who claimed them as his property. The air, already heavy with hostility, was tinged with a sudden nausea.
Vali's expression changed drastically. The warrior's gleam in his eyes was replaced by a look of pure disgust.
"Well..." he muttered with a hiss full of contempt. "This has become pathetic."
"What the hell are you doing here, Diodora?" Cao Cao interrupted. His voice wasn't a question, but a sharp demand that echoed throughout the warehouse.
Diodora maintained an exasperating calm. Her artificial smile didn't waver even a millimeter.
"I was just passing through the city, nothing important," he replied with a nonchalance that grated on the nerves. "I was planning to pick up a new 'addition' for my peerage... but my plans changed after receiving direct orders from the leaders of the Ancient Satans Faction."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted to the center of the summoning circle, ignoring the warriors to focus on Shirou 's group . His eyes, filled with poorly concealed greed, lingered on the small Illya . After a second of scrutiny that made the air feel dirty, he returned his attention to Cao Cao.
"I was curious why the leader of the Hero Faction asked Ophis for so many snakes. Are you trying to hide something from us, Cao Cao?"
In the midst of the conflict, Shirou Emiya missed nothing. His senses, honed in a thousand battles, screamed at him that the danger had just multiplied. He could feel it in his skin: none of the newcomers were human. Their auras were ancient, heavy, and violent.
Beneath her clothing, her Magic Circuits began to groan, glowing faintly as prana flowed like molten iron through her veins. Without taking her eyes off the three leaders stalking each other like wolves, she leaned slightly toward Arturia .
"Know..." he whispered with a steely firmness only she could hear. "If this explodes, your priority is protecting Rin and Illya. Don't worry about me. Look for any opening and escape this warehouse as soon as you can."
Arturia nodded almost imperceptibly, her gloved hand gripping the invisible hilt of her sword. The warehouse, which had once seemed vast, now felt claustrophobic. Four distinct wills clashed in the air: Shirou's group, the Hero Faction, Team Vali, and Diodora's entourage. It was a magical powder keg where the slightest sigh could ignite all-out war.
Cao Cao 's patience , always measured and icy, finally reached its limit. The air around his spear vibrated with a silent warning.
"Enough, Diodora," he declared in a voice that brooked no argument. "These are matters exclusively for Heroes. Ancient Satans have no say under this roof. Leave, before I decide your presence is a permanent nuisance."
However, the threat seemed to roll off Diodora's back. With irritating slowness, she began to walk around the perimeter of the ritual, inspecting the remnants of the magical glow. Her eyes narrowed maliciously as she grasped the complexity of the design.
"Well, well... an invocation circle," Diodora murmured, letting out a giggle that sent shivers down the spines of those present. "You used Ophis's serpents to bring something from 'the other side,' didn't you? What a waste it would be if the Ancient Satans found out you were toying with forces that don't belong to you... especially after seeing that woman."
His gaze fell upon Arturia , instantly recognizing the overwhelming power emanating from her, a purity offensive to a demon of his lineage. But before he could continue his mockery, the metallic clang of weapons being drawn filled the air. In the blink of an eye, the warriors of the Hero Faction closed in on him and his retinue of empty nuns.
Diodora paled slightly as she realized she had pulled the rope too tight. She raised her hands in a gesture of feigned submission.
—Calm down, Cao Cao... there's no need to shed blood. We can reach an agreement.
Cao Cao raised a hand, halting his men's advance mere inches from the demons' throats. He knew that an execution here would mean open warfare, for which he was not yet ready.
"Speak quickly," he spat. "What do you want for your silence?"
Diodora regained his predatory smile and, without a hint of hesitation, extended a pale finger toward Shirou's group. The target of his greed was clear.
"What I want is simple," he said, his voice thick with a sickening lust. " I want her . Give me that white-haired girl; she'll be the newest addition to my nobility."
Vali, who had been watching the drama with the boredom of a spectator, sighed in disappointment when he saw the leaders about to make a pact. However, his fighting instinct was triggered for a different reason. His eyes shifted to the young redhead in the center of the circle.
Shirou Emiya 's mask of calm hadn't just shattered; it had been incinerated by a fury that surpassed anything he had ever felt before. His fists clenched with such force that the metal of the swords he was already projecting in his mind seemed to screech, warping before it was even born. The air around him wasn't just distorted; it vibrated with the echo of a steel graveyard crying out for justice.
Vali Lucifer , an expert at detecting murderous instinct, felt a genuine chill run down his spine. It wasn't fear of a higher power, but the instinctive recognition of a beast that had just been pushed beyond its limit.
For Shirou , the world turned sharp and bloody. Hearing that creature demand his sister like a collectible sent his mind racing with terrifying speed. He wouldn't allow it. Not after crossing dimensions. Not after snatching Illya from the clutches of death.
He activated his Structural Reading , but this time his senses didn't search for weapon blueprints; instead, they delved into Diodora's entourage. What he found turned him livid. Analyzing the women's equipment, his mental "eye" saw fragments of their stories: nuns banished by intrigue, their wills shattered, their bodies defiled until they were nothing but empty shells. That demon hadn't just converted them; he'd devoured them from within.
A fire ignited in Shirou's soul. Never, not even in the worst wars of Fuyuki, had he felt such a pure desire to kill. Today, Diodora Astaroth would cease to exist.
Oblivious to the volcano about to erupt, Cao Cao coldly analyzed the situation. To him, the girl was an insignificant variable, lacking the aura of a warrior and the trace of a Longinus . His only doubt was whether the silence of a decadent aristocrat was worth the price of surrendering a piece on the chessboard. After a silence heavy with indifference, he nodded slightly.
"Fine, Diodora. Take her away," he declared. His voice, devoid of humanity, gave the order like someone discarding rubble.
Those words were the trigger. Shirou clenched his teeth so violently that the pain in his jaw was the only thing keeping him grounded. There were no allies left in that warehouse, only enemies wanting to devour what he loved. He turned to Arturia ; no words were needed. The eyes of the King of Knights burned with icy fury, her honor wounded by the despicable nature of the negotiation.
"Rin, Illya... get ready," Shirou whispered in a steely voice. "We're going to force our way out of here. Saber, protect them. I'll lead the way."
The air around Shirou began to groan. Out of nowhere, space fractured into flashes of gold and silver. Dozens of Noble Phantasms began to materialize in a perfect semicircle: double-edged swords, ornate spears, and curved daggers, each laden with the weight of a different legend. All pointed toward the heart of the conflict.
With a swift movement of his arm, Shirou released the torrent.
— Go!
The weapons streaked through the air like trails of light, tearing through the warehouse with a deafening hiss. Cao Cao, whose instincts screamed of catastrophic danger, reacted purely on reflex. He whirled with superhuman speed, raising the True Longinus to deflect the blades aimed at his chest. The impact of the divine metal against the projectiles generated shockwaves that shook the ceiling beams.
Diodora, lost in his arrogance, didn't even register the sound. The impact was like a hammer blow that sent him flying backward, slamming him violently against the concrete.
"What... what was it...?!" he stammered, breathless.
Looking down, reality hit him harder: several swords were deeply embedded in his body, piercing his limbs and torso with surgical precision. The weapons radiated a white luminescence that burned his skin on contact.
—Argh…! —A heart-rending scream escaped from his throat.
They were not mere pieces of iron. They were fragments of myths imbued with sacred properties; pure poison for a demon. For Diodora , the pain was devastating, an agony that tore at her flesh from within. Her demonic energy began to evaporate into a black, erratic mist, as life drained from her eyes. The aristocrat who believed himself untouchable fell motionless, sinking into a pool of his own corrupted blood.
The silence that followed was absolute, heavier than the battle itself. Heroes, demons, and fallen warriors stood frozen, their eyes fixed on the young redhead who had just brought down a high-class demon as if he were a mere nuisance in his path.
But Diodora's death was not the end, but the outbreak of the storm.
—Now ! —roared Shirou.
With bloodshot eyes, he projected a dozen additional swords that floated like a steel wing behind him. He unleashed them in a downward flurry that struck the warehouse structure with the force of ballistic missiles. The concrete disintegrated, tearing a gaping hole in the side wall. Without wasting a second, Shirou's group rushed through the opening.
"Don't let them escape! Subdue them now!" Cao Cao ordered , finally losing his usual composure.
Rin, carrying the unconscious Illya , and Arturia quickly closed the gap. Thanks to the warrior's Mana Burst and the mage's Reinforcement, they moved at a speed that defied the eye. However, they weren't the only ones to react.
Vali , whose thirst for battle had been ignited by Shirou's display, launched himself into the attack like a silver lightning bolt. But his target wasn't the redhead, but the woman in the blue armor. To the wielder of Divine Dividing , she emanated the aura of a warrior at the top of her game.
Feeling the pressure at her back, Arturia stopped dead in her tracks. There was no hesitation in her movements. She spun on her heels as her invisible sword, Excalibur , howled with the release of compressed air. In the blink of an eye, she drew a steel arc that intercepted Vali mid-flight.
The clash was brutal. Arturia's cut was not only precise, but relentless: the invisible blade tore through Vali's defense, opening a deep wound in his chest that splattered blood onto the ground. Before the hybrid could absorb the blow, Arturia's boot slammed into his torso in a kick charged with magical energy.
Vali's body was launched like a projectile, bouncing violently off the ground for thirty meters before crashing through the wall of a neighboring warehouse, disappearing in a cloud of debris.
"Saber, go with them!" Shirou shouted, placing himself between his pursuers and his family. "Protect Rin and Illya, I'll buy you some time!"
Arturia hesitated for a moment, gritting her teeth. Her honor compelled her to fight by his side, but the resolve in Shirou's eyes gave her the answer. She nodded reluctantly and resumed marching, covering the girls' rear. Rin, meanwhile, dodged debris, the circuits burning beneath her skin.
" Gandr! " Rin shouted, extending his free arm backward.
A shower of jet-black spheres, charged with dense curses, shot from his fingertips. Each impact against the members of the Hero Faction who tried to approach forced them back, giving them the precious seconds they needed to escape the epicenter of the disaster.
Vali's team had remained a group of privileged spectators, observing the chaos with the arrogance of those who know they are superior. No one tried to stop their leader when he launched his attack; they all knew his temper. Vali Lucifer was an adrenaline junkie, a beast who lost his composure against any opponent who promised a real challenge.
However, that trust shattered in a single heartbeat.
They stood stunned, breathless, as the woman in blue armor not only intercepted Lucifer's descendant, but with a single fluid movement—a mere flash of invisible steel—opened a gruesome wound in his chest. Before they could process the blood spurting through the air, the warrior's kick connected with such force that the crack of bones echoed throughout the sector. Vali's body was launched like a kinetic projectile, tearing through structures before vanishing in a cloud of debris from a distant warehouse.
Kuroka , the Nekoshoshu, was left with her mouth open and her pupils dilated from shock.
"Did you see that, nya ?" she mumbled, her tail bristling with instinct. "Please tell me I'm not dreaming..."
Arthur Pendragon was the first to react, his face as pale as paper. They rushed toward the impact site, pushing their way through the suffocating dust. As they dug through the wreckage of concrete and twisted metal, what they found left them speechless with horror.
Vali was there, but he barely resembled himself. A deep, smoking gash ran across his torso, with remnants of pure, holy energy consuming his demonic flesh like acid. But the worst part was his face: Arturia's blow had fractured part of his skull, and his jaw was dislocated, shattered by an impact that would have instantly killed any other being.
Le Fay let out a panicked scream, his hands trembling as he tried to channel rudimentary healing. The rest of the team remained in deathly silence, a mixture of fear and respect at the catastrophic damage their leader had suffered in barely a second.
Without wasting a moment, Arthur produced a glass vial containing a shimmering liquid: a Phoenix Tear . As he poured the elixir, the effect was immediate. Tissue began to regenerate, and bones creaked as they returned to their original positions, though the trail of sacred energy from the invisible sword took much longer to dissipate.
Meanwhile, the night on the outskirts of Kuoh was turning into a war zone. The Hero Faction had no intention of giving any quarter.
"Don't let them escape!" Cao Cao 's voice boomed with icy authority. "Spread out. Capture them if possible; otherwise, you have permission to eliminate them. But under no circumstances must they escape."
His subordinates dispersed into the shadows with mechanical efficiency. Several meters away, Shirou Emiya panted as he covered the rear. His eyes were fixed on the receding figures: Arturia, Rin, and Illya had already crossed the city limits, gaining vital distance through their sacrifice.
Shirou took down the lesser pursuers with precise movements. He tried not to use lethal force, but the sheer number of enemies was beginning to overwhelm him. The situation went from difficult to desperate when the air grew heavy, charged with an overwhelming spiritual pressure.
The main group had finally caught up with him: Cao Cao, Jeanne, Siegfried, Heracles, Georg and Connla .
Damn it... —Shirou thought, feeling a chill—. I can't handle them all at once.
His mind analyzed the opponents in a second. He didn't know their exact abilities, but the aura they exuded was that of veteran warriors. This wouldn't be a simple skirmish; it would be a fight for pure survival.
"Jeanne, Heracles," Cao Cao ordered with a calm smile. "Go after the rest. We'll take care of this boy."
"Understood," they both replied, immediately setting off in pursuit of Arturia.
" Wait! " roared Shirou.
With a thought, he projected a flurry of swords to intercept them, but the steel was deflected before it even reached them. The impact of a heavy attack forced him back; Siegfried was already upon him. The exchange of blows was ferocious, a burst of sparks in the darkness, until Shirou managed to force the swordsman to take a step back.
Cao Cao, observing calmly, lowered his spear momentarily.
"Why continue fighting?" he asked in a voice that tried to sound reasonable. "Abandon this pointless battle and join us. We are the Hero Faction. We fight for the future of humanity."
Shirou didn't even bother to reply. His eyes, golden with determination, were fixed on the man with the spear. To him, those before him weren't heroes. They were individuals who tarnished that title with every single one of their actions.
"I have to end this quickly ," he told himself, as his magical circuits began to burn. " I need to get to Arturia and the others... no matter what it takes."
The air became unbreathable, saturated with an excess of mana that made his skin crawl. Shirou closed his eyes for a moment, ignoring the world around him, and began the chant that resonated from the forge of his soul.
—I am the bone of my sword...
"Watch out!" Georg roared, backing away in terror. "The mana in the air is tearing apart. It's going to unleash a high-level mystery!"
Shirou's magical circuits ignited beneath his skin like incandescent filaments, searing his nerves with a familiar pain. There was no time for tactics. His hands closed over the void and, with a space-warping explosion, materialized a slab of black, primal stone: the Sword-Axe of Heracles .
Their target was Georg . The mage was the strategic pillar; if he fell, the Heroes Faction would lose its vision.
Without warning, Shirou propelled himself forward. The ground pulverized beneath his boots from the force of the takeoff, creating a shockwave that kicked up clouds of dust. It was a flash of absolute speed that Georg couldn't have anticipated. The mage tried to raise his Longinus to create a barrier, but the inertia of that mass of stone was unstoppable.
Shirou didn't cut; he crushed. Using the side of the colossal blade, he unleashed an impact that sounded like thunder. The sharp crack of snapping ribs echoed through the clearing as Georg was launched like a projectile, shattering trees in his path before disappearing into the darkness of the forest. His condition was now a bloody mystery.
"Bastard...!" roared Siegfried , launching himself into the attack with blind fury.
Shirou blocked the slash, but the clash was different. The stone sword weighed not only on his hands, but on his mind. He could feel the echo of the Berserker seeping into his veins, a tide of red hatred urging him to destroy everything in his path. His muscles tensed and his strength surged wildly, but his humanity was beginning to be devoured by the madness of the Greek hero.
"Connla!" Cao Cao shouted , brandishing his spear with a rage he rarely displayed. "Activate Night Reflection ! Let the shadows bind him now!"
Siegfried charged again with swift thrusts, but Shirou, propelled by that bestial strength, unleashed an upward slash. The enormous slab of stone tore through the air and the enemy's steel. A deep gash opened in Siegfried's chest, and he fell to his knees, gasping, as the snow turned a deep scarlet beneath his body.
Cao Cao was livid. In a matter of minutes, two of his generals had been humiliated.
Shirou stepped back, his breath ragged. Heracles' projection was too heavy a burden; he felt his consciousness dissipating into a sea of static. With a final burst of willpower, he let the stone sword crumble into luminous ash. He was exhausted, but the battle wasn't over. He needed one more blow to rewrite the course of the fight.
Shirou delved into his mental arsenal, scrolling through thousands of endless pages until a crimson spear, bathed in a curse that ignored logic, answered his call.
The name burst from her lips with icy resolve:
— Gáe Bolg .
The instant the spear materialized, the atmosphere froze. A surge of pure survival instinct coursed through Cao Cao 's mind ; his pupils contracted as he sensed the emanation emanating from the weapon. Shirou's aura was no longer that of a mage; it had become sharp, savage, and bloodthirsty, becoming one with the very essence of the "Hound of Chulainn."
Upon seeing the weapon, Connla felt her own blood boil with an ancient dread.
"It can't be..." she whispered, her voice trembling. "That shape... that murderous intent... is identical to that of my ancestor."
The young warrior retreated unconsciously, dragging his feet through the snow. He knew the truth hidden behind that reddish glow: if you entered its range, the outcome was already sealed. The heart would be pierced even before the spear was thrown. It was a technique that reversed causality; an inevitable execution.
" Gáe Bolg !" Connla shouted, breaking the silence. "Cao Cao, back off! Don't go near him!"
With cold sweat running down his neck, Connla revealed to his leader the terrifying effect of the weapon: a spear that never misses its target and whose wound never heals.
Shirou appeared slightly surprised beneath his mask of concentration. He hadn't expected someone in that world to be able to recognize such a specific Noble Phantasm . The revelation hit Cao Cao like a bucket of cold water. The ever-calculating leader of the Heroes hesitated. He searched for an opening that didn't exist; he wasn't willing to risk his life against a curse that ignored the laws of combat.
The silence was absolute, broken only by the crackling of the manna.
Seeing that Cao Cao's momentum had broken under the weight of fear, Shirou began his retreat. He held the Gáe Bolg aloft, pointed directly at his enemy's chest, backing away step by step with tense calm. Once the distance was sufficient, he turned. He didn't waste a second; propelled by Arturia 's mana trail , he dashed through the undergrowth, a blur of movement.
Cao Cao stared at the empty space where Emiya had stood and let out a sigh he couldn't suppress. The pressure of the Gáe Bolgstill vibrated within him like a death threat.
"Retreat," he ordered in a dry voice. "Kuoh is under the watch of the Demons; we cannot allow them to track us."
His eyes surveyed the disaster. He gave precise orders to evacuate the area with complete discretion. Today he had lost not only a battle, but control. The seed of doubt had been planted: he would have to postpone his plans until he found a way to subdue the will of the "heroes" he brought into this world.
Meanwhile, in another part of the outskirts, the girls' escape had been interrupted. Heracles and Jeanne had intercepted Arturia shortly after Shirou fell behind.
The clash of metal echoed through the trees. Arturia exchanged blows with surgical precision. Although this Heracles didn't possess the overwhelming strength of his Holy Grail War counterpart, the flames engulfing his body were a dangerous distraction. Jeanne, for her part, seized every opening to harass her with coordinated attacks.
Behind the King of Knights' back, Rin and Illya were not mere spectators. Rin unleashed bursts of gems and reinforcement spells that kept Jeanne at bay, allowing Arturia to focus on the fire giant.
Fed up with the enemy's persistence, Arturia decided the game of shadows had to end. Her green eyes flashed with icy determination; she unleashed her power and executed a masterful maneuver. With a gravity-defying feint, she dodged a downward blow and plunged her invisible sword into Heracles' torso.
The steel sliced through the flesh with a dull thud. Before he could react, Arturia delivered a Mana Burst -infused kick that sent him crashing to the ground, creating a crater that shook the earth.
Jeanne, seeing her companion gravely wounded, paled. Without hesitation, she rushed toward the crater, grabbed Heracles, and began a hasty retreat into the darkness. Arturia did not pursue them; she elegantly sheathed her weapon, keeping her priority intact: the safety of her family.
Under the moonlight, Arturia led the group toward the city limits. The decision had been Rin 's : in an urban environment, those "heroes" would hesitate before unleashing devastating attacks. The secrecy of magic was a universal law that even the most delusional had to respect.
Just before they crossed the city threshold, a movement behind them forced them to stop. Arturia instantly went on guard, her hand searching for the invisible hilt, until a familiar figure emerged from the shadows.
It was Shirou .
Arturia was the first to approach, examining him with a professional gaze that barely concealed her relief. She noticed the small incisions in his clothing, the stains of dried blood, and the marked exhaustion on his face, but Shirou was still standing. Rin , for her part, let out a long sigh, allowing the tension to leave her shoulders for the first time that night.
Shirou quickly went to where Rin was carrying Illya . The little girl lay unconscious, her breathing weak but steady.
"How is she?" Shirou asked, his voice breaking with worry.
"Don't worry, she's just exhausted," Rin replied, maintaining a firm tone to reassure her. "Her body has suffered a great deal of magical strain; she needs deep rest to stabilize."
Shirou nodded, visibly calmer, although the urgency soon returned to his eyes.
"We have to move," Rin declared, resuming her role as strategic leader. "We need a refuge where they can't track us. We must investigate what timeline we're in, understand who's in charge here, and, above all, discover which bastards dragged us into this world."
Both Arturia and Shirou nodded gravely. Rin smiled with icy satisfaction.
—Okay. Let's find a secluded spot, but close enough to the city to gather information.
They agreed that Shirou, thanks to his stealth and reinforcement skills, would go ahead to explore. After a tense half-hour wait, the young man returned with news.
"I've found something," he reported. "An old, abandoned churchon the outskirts. I didn't go in to avoid triggering any traps, but from a distance it looks like the ideal spot: it's discreet and has a good view of the area."
Trusting Shirou's judgment, the group set off under the cover of night, heading towards the stone walls of the church that would become their temporary headquarters.
Meanwhile, deep within the Underworld, the atmosphere in the great council hall was stifling. The four Satans were presiding over an emergency meeting with the most influential noble houses. Whispers and arguments filled the air, until a silent crash brought everything to a halt.
Ajuka Beelzebub stood up abruptly. His chair hit the floor, abruptly interrupting a family head who was voicing his grievances.
Several nobles opened their mouths to protest the lack of etiquette, but the words died in their throats. The power emanating from Ajuka was no mere annoyance; it was a tide of pure, calculated energy that shook the castle walls. His fellow Satans exchanged alarmed glances as they noticed their friend's deathly pallor.
"Ajuka... what's wrong?" Sirzechs Lucifer asked , cautiously approaching.
Serafall Leviathan , sensing that Ajuka's mood had crossed the line, stepped forward. Her usual smile vanished, replaced by a mask of icy authority.
"The meeting is over," Serafall declared, her voice echoing in every corner. "Everyone out. Now."
—But Lady Leviathan, we haven't finished discussing the treaties of...!
Serafall didn't respond with words. She simply released a fraction of her magical pressure, a blast of absolute cold that made the nobles shudder with terror. Without another word, the family leaders fled in droves, fearing for their lives.
When the room fell into a deathly silence, Ajuka finally spoke. His voice was a broken thread of rage and pain.
"The heir to House Astaroth is dead," he said, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white. "My younger brother... has been murdered."
The news hit the room like a physical blow. Sirzechs took a step back, stunned, while Serafall felt a knot of bitterness for her friend. The balance of the Underworld had just been shattered.
"We will not rest until we find the one responsible," Serafall declared, her eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. "Mobilize all intelligence agents. Have every corner of the earth and every dimension searched