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Chapter Text

NDT/A: Merry Christmas!!!

Here is my gift for you that I know you have been wanting for quite some time.

There are 62 chapters, so if I publish one every six days I can upload the last one on December 24th of next year.

This way I save the next gift WUAJAJAJAJAJA!

I hope you have happy holidays and enjoy this new fic

Without further ado, enjoy it!!!

In a white space a man in a black Yukata and equally dark bandages stood with a clipboard in his hand

"Food? Collected and preserved, rooms? Counted and cleaned, books? Secured, seats? Soft and comfortable" as he muttered to himself he ticked off box after box using a small flame on his finger to leave a check mark on them.

He looked around slightly conflicted before muttering

"Too much white, this is the group that will stay the longest and the atmosphere can get boring," the man in the yukata said to himself.

With a snap of the fingers the white turned black and the infinity above a starry sky where planets and distant galaxies were observable.

"The lighting should be fine like this," he said, opening a book he had taken out of his yukata, making sure he didn't need to strain his eyes to read it before putting it back. "Now, what's next."

He made a gesture with his hand similar to an orchestra conductor, multiple armchairs appeared and with a twist of his finger he made a screen of about three hundred and fifty inches materialize and in the center of the room a small shelf where the book was safely placed.

Now, with everything done, it was time to bring in the guests.

Oh well, who was kidnapping them?

Sometimes he hated his job

Emiya Shirou had been through a lot in his relatively short life.

He survived the end of the Fourth Grail War, lost his memory, was adopted by the indirect cause of his misfortune, lost his father, participated in and somehow won the Fifth Grail War (somehow), managed to enter the prestigious Clock Tower even if it was only on a technicality, achieved a successful career as an Enforcer while seeking to follow his dream of becoming a hero...

Oh, and I almost forgot, I was in a strange but stable relationship with a tsundere magician and King Arthur.

Which somehow turned out to be a she

I preferred not to think about that and its implications.

As he said before, he was someone who had been through a lot in a very short time, so it was not strange that he was reasonably calm when he appeared in a dark space with galaxies lighting up the sky next to Saber and Rin, who seemed equally calm, although tense.

It was Zelretch's fault again, right? Like that time he almost ended up having sex with himself but with tits.

Wait, I had suppressed that memory, it shouldn't escape

The blow Rin gave him when he realized he had bigger breasts than her and Sakura helped a lot with that purpose.

"Back Shirou, Rin, I feel a demonic presence from that group" Saber wasted no time in materializing her armor and her wind sword standing protectively in front of both of them

"Saber, I'm not sure how to interpret it but some of them also smell vaguely like... Excaliburn" Shirou looked cautiously at the group that seemed to be talking amongst themselves, there was obvious tension despite appearing together so he wondered if they were allies or just other unfortunate victims of Zelretch.

"It's a sacred presence," Rin stated.

He had come into contact with some holy artifacts to recognize her.

That's why they had a kind of energy that reminded them of Excaliburn even though it was much weaker.

It was like comparing a small peppercorn to a Carolina Reaper, you could tell they were both spicy but the difference was too much to compare.

How Saber managed to finish that spicy wings challenge was still a mystery to her.

"We could try talking to them," Shirou suggested, receiving sullen looks from both Rin and Saber. "Look, I know I tend to be reckless, but if this is really Zelretch's doing, then there shouldn't be any danger."

Too much

"Fine," Rin reluctantly agreed.

Their teacher never put them in an impossible situation, only improbable ones.

They cautiously approached the noticeably larger group, receiving suspicious glances from some of them.

At first glance they seemed defenseless but both Saber and Shirou were ready to draw their swords at any moment and she placed her hands on the back of her neck pretending to be unconcerned but discreetly taking out some jewels she had hidden in her hair for unforeseen situations like this.

The fact that she was the weakest of the trio did not make her any less dangerous.

And not weak at all

"Hello? May I know where we are?" Rin spoke first with her idol facade that she had used during school trying to get these individuals to talk.

Non-human individuals could now tell he was nearby, at least most of them.

And from the way Saber and Shirou tensed momentarily, she could tell that she wasn't the only one who noticed it.

Shirou discreetly gestured towards the red-haired man and the other blond boy.

So those were the strongest huh? Well if the worst were to happen I would leave them to Shirou and Saber

"Oh, actually we were wondering if you guys knew," a short woman with pigtails like the ones she used to wear in high school spoke for the rest of the group.

Again a discreet signal from Shirou pointed her out as someone dangerous.

Perfect

Still she wasn't willing to admit that her master might have something to do with it, she had no idea how these creatures would react.

"Well we're not sure-"

"Miss Tohsaka assures you that as surprising as it may be, your teacher has nothing to do with this."

Everyone turned towards the new voice that suddenly appeared right in front of the giant screen and next to the book that until now no one had noticed.

Rin slowly turned towards the new presence without losing sight of the woman who was now looking at her with doubt.

Fantastic, just when he said he didn't know this guy came and said that

Well, I could work with this now that I noticed the rest didn't seem to know the man either.

"And how are you sure of that, sir..."

"Blanc, Shiro Blanc, and I know why it was my...master who did it" from the disgust in his voice it was pretty clear that he wasn't happy with this master of his.

"And can we know why your teacher brought us here, Mr. Blanc?" the red-haired man stepped forward and asked in a friendly manner.

"To read," he said simply, pointing to the book beside him.

"I see..." The other blond man spoke in an extremely soft voice seeing that the Samurai didn't seem to have any intention of continuing "Exactly what do you want us to read?"

"The multiverse is infinite, with multiple realities coexisting in the same space yet separated, so close and yet so far, in an order that some would call perfect and barriers that allow everything to stay in its place."

Rin sighed, this sounded like one of her teacher's speeches

If he tried to convince her that it had nothing to do with it, then he wasn't doing it very well.

"But sometimes these barriers fail, whether premeditated by someone or an accident of the universe itself, beings that should not interact meet, worlds collide and this in turn can lead to very good or very bad things, and on this occasion you will see one of those occasions, where a man crossed these barriers and with his actions managed to greatly impact a reality where it should never exist."

Rin and Saber sighed, why did they have a bad feeling about this?

"We will see the story of how Shirou Emiya walked among angels and demons and the impact this had on them."

Rin and Saber looked at Shirou as he looked offended.

I hadn't done anything!

Still

The rest of the individuals did not take long to deduce from the looks of the two who was the one.

Again, I still didn't do anything!!!

"Wait!" interrupted a brown-haired boy who Saber found strangely familiar.

I didn't know him but he felt a certain way...draconian

"Are you telling me the multiverse exists?" Issei asked, shocked, having perhaps the most normal reaction to this absurd situation.

"Yes, the multiverse is as real as the Angels, the demons and the fallen Hyodo Issei" Blanc replied looking at the brown-haired man

He opened his mouth as if he wanted to protest something but then snapped it shut.

Damn, I had a point.

"And why exactly do you think we're going to play your game?" Saber asked with the authority of a king.

"Believe me when I say I'd rather you didn't, but it's easier for everyone to just follow what the idiot says. Personally, I'd rather not have to kidnap you like this, but I can't disobey my boss, so I'm just asking for your cooperation for now."

"And I imagine this boss of yours won't let us go just like that?" Azazel asked suspiciously.

"He won't be violent, at least not with you, but he's capricious and won't let you go until the book is complete," he replied.

"And what about you?" Shirou asked worriedly.

"I will survive"

That answer didn't leave him at peace, he didn't like the idea of someone else being hurt because of him.

In the end, everyone tentatively agreed to stay, even if it was just to gather some information about their current situation.

That and the idea of being able to read about an alternate reality was interesting to say the least.

Serafall took the book excitedly

When they arrived here, I wouldn't deny that a fight was about to break out, but the presence of the unknown group helped them calm down a bit.

Especially the blonde, something about her gave him the creeps.

The younger ones seemed especially alarmed, it was only recently that they were almost killed by Kokabiel so he couldn't blame them.

Then there were those pigeons and the crow, with only Sirzech, Grayfia and her here she wasn't sure if they could win while protecting her sisters and Rias's peerage so only the diplomatic approach remained.

And it was at that moment when the other group approached

They were dangerous

Someone inexperienced could take them as naive young people but she was not a war veteran for nothing, the three of them were no game and by the signs that the boy made while he thought he was not seen, they had also identified the strongest among their own.

And now with the blonde so close he could say it with certainty.

I couldn't win a fight with her.

She wasn't sure if Sirzech could, not with his sister behind him.

In a way, the Samurai's intervention was a blessing in disguise.

Now, who was this redhead and what made him so important?

Who knows, maybe he was familiar with Sirzech in another world!

With the Samurai gone the individual sofas were taken by the fallen and the maous while the large ones by Sona and Rias's nobility as well as Shirou's group and the members of the church

Irina almost fainted when she was seated between two angels as powerful as Gabriel and Michael.

It was like a dream come true!

While Grayfia stood behind Sirzech even though he insisted that the sofa was big enough for both of them

Serafall took a moment to contemplate the cover

The silhouette of a red lion with a cross and a pair of swords in front

Curious, something about this seemed familiar.

Without thinking much, he opened the book to start reading.

Maybe I'd find out later.

The first page caught his attention

A single solitary text written in cursive

The saint of the church in the stream

"Saint?" Saber raised an eyebrow.

If what that man said was true, he must be referring to Shirou, and even though he was self-sacrificing to the point of martyrdom, he couldn't see him as a saint.

And now what had he done?

Xenovia frowned.

A church on a stream? Could it be?

No, there were millions of churches in the world, I was sure that this couldn't be the only one located next to a stream.

The moon rose over the horizon, and the clouds swirled around a central point in the sky. The night was quiet, and the sounds of cicadas in the trees were out of season.

To be a magician is to walk with death.

"That's an interesting saying," Azazel commented, being one of the most interested in what this new world could offer.

"It's almost a mantra in our world," Shirou replied. "Magic is inherently very dangerous, so you have to be prepared to die at any moment."

"I see," Azazel said with interest, magic was also dangerous in his own world but he didn't know any magician who thought that way.

What kind of magic system did they use that was so deeply rooted in their culture?

He looked up at the sky, for there was an anomaly: a dark void in which twisted tendrils of lightning and the vibrant hum of thunder.

"That's not normal," Michael said apprehensively.

Whatever that phenomenon was, it was not natural.

"You, clothed in stain and steel, fire and ruin,"

A voice filtered through his head. Ancient, otherworldly, but unmistakably pure and devoid of ill intent.

"Shirou" Rin said to him with a warning tone

"I haven't done anything!" Shirou defended himself

Michael and Gabriel froze

W-what was this? There was no sound or anything like that apart from the demon queen's words.

So why... did it feel so warm and familiar?

"  I know I'm not what you expected."

He felt his body lighten and constantly radiate bursts of strange energy.

"  Anyway,"  the voice seemed to tire. "  I need your help."

Saber and Rin sighed

Yes, now there was no way for Shirou to back down.

His vision blurred and black specks appeared, causing him to lose consciousness.

In a flash of brilliant light, he vanished from the world. His story was that of a child born in fire. His story was that of a boy who defeated a living legend. And so began the story of an even greater impossibility.

"Someone brought you to our world?" Azazel asked curiously.

And why the hell did that voice make him feel ashamed, like a child caught doing mischief?

"A God?" Sirzech suggested.

"But which one? And for what purpose?" Serafall questioned worriedly.

"You defeated a living legend?" Issei asked the damn handsome boy curiously.

"He wasn't a living legend, just a pompous, self-important jerk," Shirou said with disgust.

He didn't like to think about Gilgamesh and even less about the fact that technically it was Archer who dealt the final blow.

Shirou opened his eyes, breathing heavily. His short red hair was matted across his forehead, glistening with sweat. As for the rest of him, his elegant, narrow face bore traces of blood from his previous battle that extended past his amber eyes. His clothes were in tatters. A pair of jeans were reduced to nothing more than torn shorts, and his previously blue and white long-sleeved shirt was split in half.

"Looks like you went through hell" Akeno said looking at Shirou with an...interesting look

Rin immediately stepped into his vision with a warning look.

She'd had enough of that damn Edelfelt chasing her boyfriend!

His gaze swept around him: a ruined mansion, endlessly consumed by scorching flames. He shuddered at the unpleasant memory and stood up.

His body felt lighter, stronger, and more resistant to the heat surrounding him.

"Were you blessed by that God?" Saber asked worriedly.

The blessings of the gods were not always good and I would prefer that Shirou not get involved with one.

But he assumed that was no longer possible since he asked him for help.

"  It's good that you woke up."

Again the angels and the fallen one shuddered at the voice

What was this?

They weren't even really listening to her, they were just the words coming out of a demon's mouth!

The aged voice spoke to him once more.

He frowned, unable to understand where it was coming from. "Who are you?" he asked.

A glow spread rapidly before him, and from it appeared a small chalice the size of a hand. It was made of gold, and the sides of the cup were engraved with archaic designs depicting doves flying through the skies.

Rin, Shirou and Saber stiffened at the sight

What was that doing there? They had destroyed it.

If Shirou's clothes were any indication he should have been fighting Gilgamesh for a while and if that was the case she and Saber would have had to have blown that thing up by now.

Did they fail?

The rest did not miss the way they reacted

What was that cup?

Looking at it and seeing the power it exuded, he could only conclude that it was one thing: the Holy Grail.

"It's impossible, that's not the holy grail," Gabriel declared.

She knew that Longinus couldn't be that one!

"It's not the holy grail of our world," Azazel corrected her.

"Yes, it's from our world" Rin answered the unasked question without wanting to say more

Now

Shirou wasn't stupid enough to use that thing, right? Not after everything it caused.

TRUE!?

He took a step back, as far as he could remember, the Grail had been corrupted.

"  Don't be afraid,"  the voice said. "  It's not exactly what you think."

With another flash, the Grail shrank to the size of a pea before forming into a necklace around her neck using cords created from another burst of light.

"Shirou, I forbid you to use that thing on your neck," Rin warned him.

"I think you're talking to the wrong Shirou," the redhead said with his hands in front of him trying to defend himself from his irate girlfriend.

"You may know that it's a powerful mystical code, but regardless of its origin, the only thing you really need to consider is its symbol."

"Your symbol," Michael repeated bitterly.

Did this God somehow intend to use his father's creation for his own purposes?

"A mystic code?" Rias asked curiously.

"A powerful magical artifact, the holy grail of our world isn't actually the original grail, just an artifact a bunch of pompous mages decided to call that a long time ago," Rin explained again.

It didn't really matter much at this point but getting into the thick of the war and everything that entailed was too much effort that I wasn't willing to spend on these beings.

He crossed his arms. As a third-rate mage, he wasn't familiar with mystical codes or the meaning a powerful one might hold, but he did know one thing. "It's corrupted," he said.

"Corrupted?" Gabriel asked in disbelief.

"It was corrupted by an evil God, whatever its original purpose was it no longer served that purpose, so we decided to destroy it" Shirou said angrily

He didn't know much about Heaven's Touch or true magic, but to him the moment it started taking innocent lives, it was no longer worth it.

"But it's still there, that means they failed right?" Sirzech pointed out making Shirou more worried.

If they failed then what happened to Rin and Saber?

The voice didn't reply, but instead a quiet sigh was heard.

"That's a matter for another time. For now, take those chess pieces..."  He looked at the red chess pieces scattered cruelly across the damaged floor. Some looked normal, while others had oddities in their composition, "  and filter your energy into them."

"Wait, are those-" Rias asked with concern

"Evil pieces" Sona finished her statement seriously

"What are these evil pieces?" Saber asked worriedly.

The name didn't inspire any confidence in me.

"They are a set of fifteen chess-based pieces that we demons use to reincarnate other races as one of our own," Sona replied.

If she had just realized that she admitted not being human, right?

Well, you already knew that but...some explanations were necessary when this chapter ended.

"So if I touch those things..." Shirou muttered worriedly.

"No" Rias assured "to reincarnate a human it is necessary to have a king who activates the pieces and from what I see they are complete so they should be inactive for the moment" Rias explained to reassure the older boy

"But who do those pieces belong to?" Kiba asked worriedly.

Those were only given to high-class devils, it wasn't something you could just find scattered on the floor.

Sirzech and Serafall looked at each other worriedly.

A mansion on fire, evil pieces on the floor...

Where or when did Shirou end up?

And what did that God want with the pieces? Only a demon could manipulate them, Ajuka made sure of that, no matter how much magic Shirou injected, it would be of no use.

He stood there for a moment, staring into the flames of the burning house, and made a decision. Even though he wanted answers, it would be much better to find a safer place first.

He nodded and, one by one, began picking up the chess pieces until they were all in his hands. They were all like rubies and shone in the light of the flickering flames. Curiously, the most important piece, the king, was missing. Remembering what he had been instructed to do, he hesitated for a moment before beginning to filter his energy into the pieces.

"The king was there just a moment ago," Sona stated flatly.

Where was I?

The gazes turned towards Shirou

Did he do something?

"Shirou, what have I told you about listening to mysterious voices in your head?" Rin asked, massaging her brows.

"Umh, nothing?" Shirou replied backing away as much as was physically possible

"Why would one think it's obvious!" She exclaimed furiously

"Well now we know who has the pants in the relationship," Azazel mocked with amusement.

"Shut your mouth, you thing!" Rin yelled at him furiously.

"Thing?" Azazel blinked.

Was that an insult?

"Our destiny is in our hands."

He raised an eyebrow as the pieces began to glow, levitate, and spin in a red storm.

"Impossible," Sirzech declared, his eyes wide open in shock.

I shouldn't be able to do that!

"You who are clothed in steel and have the innate instinct for battle; those who fight against fate with your sword, your bow, and your spear."

"-Close and fill."

"-Close and fill."

"-Close and fill."

"Is he...summoning a Servant?" Rin asked worriedly.

A Servant using evil pieces as catalysts

That didn't sound like a good combination.

Not at all

Azazel looked at her curiously.

Servant?

A knight and a disfigured pawn, a queen and a pawn, a bishop and a pawn, collided in a shower of sparks and light.

"They destroyed each other?" Xenovia asked doubtfully.

This is not what he expected from his first week as a demon.

He looked away to avoid the glare, and when he looked again, three new pieces were floating about a meter away from him. They were roughly the same size and color as the chess pieces, but each represented the upper half of a different warrior.

One of them wore light armor and wielded a spear. Another wore similar armor but wielded a taut bow. As for the last, he wore heavy armor and his face was hidden by the visor of his helmet. In his hands, he held a sword firmly pointed toward the sky.

"Lancer, Archer and Saber" Rin murmured

What the hell did that mean? Was he trying to use those pieces to summon three Servants at once?

But that was impossible Shirou would never withstand the tension!

"To you who are lost and abandoned. Pay attention to the unworthy blasphemer and wrap yourself in madness!"

Two towers collided with each other, but instead of a shower of sparks, thick shadows formed that extended from the ground and coiled around the pieces.

The piece produced resembled the Greek minatour, with its eyes half-closed.

"Berserker" Saber frowned

Was he planning to summon the seven Servants? But for what?

"  You who are alone in the darkness of the shadows, sneaking, wandering, becoming the reaper of lost and wretched souls, take up arms, I command you! Take up arms!"

-Close and fill!

-Close and fill!

The collision of five pawns perfectly assembled to form the image of a man with a skull mask and twin daggers.

"Asassin" Shirou could still remember Sasaki Kojiro, an unknown swordsman who at least in terms of swordsmanship was superior to Saber

"Your hands that are stained with the ichor of magic beyond mortal means, raise them and summon the storms!"

A disfigured bishop imploded upon himself, producing a robed man wielding a staff.

"Caster" Saber's fist clenched

I didn't have any good memories with the Casters.

Neither in the fourth nor in the fifth war

"Oh, noble one of the swift steed, the time of horses is long over. Let the legends live and fly! On mighty mounts, you will conquer the heavens and the earth itself beneath your feet."

"-CLOSE AND FILL!"

"-CLOSE AND FILL!"

The final piece, a disfigured knight, reduced to ashes and formed into the image of an armored rider.

"And Rider" Rin finished

The seven servants had been...created?

But for what purpose?

"My destiny is your destiny, and your destiny is mine. Therefore, our destiny is ours to command."

The new floating pieces floated until they rested on his outstretched palms. They barely sank inside.

"What was that?" Shirou asked strangely.

"Normally that means you just got reincarnated as a demon," Sona replied.

"Normally?" Rin asked tensely.

"Well, this isn't a normal situation, we don't know what happened to the pieces or what that God did to them, we're not even sure he's a God in the first place" Sona explained nervously

They were only calling it that because there was no other being apart from a divinity capable of shattering the walls between worlds.

Well, there were others, but I doubted the Infinity Dragon or Big Red were involved.

"There doesn't seem to be any change," Shirou noted, trying to ease the tension.

On the other hand, these demons were indistinguishable from humans except for their smell.

Startled, he stared at the place where the pieces used to be before the voice began to speak again.

"It's done."

"What did you do? And what about the king piece?" Shirou asked. He may not have been a chess player, but even he knew which piece was the most important.

"It's possible that it's already inside you" Sirzech replied

"So I'm a demon now?" Shirou asked confused.

"There's usually some physical reaction when that happens, a burst of energy followed by the sprouting of wings" as if to prove his point a pair of bat wings sprouted from his back making Saber tense

That guy was dangerous.

"It has already served its purpose. Now hurry and advance toward that magic circle in front of you."

He approached the circle and bent down to inspect it. The magic circle was quite large, with thick red stripes protruding from the innermost part of the circle.

"Place your hand over the circle; there should be a connection between you and it. We'll work on escaping this world from there."

"This world? They're almost certainly in the underworld," Azazel muttered.

If the pieces were not a clear sign this sealed the deal.

"And where exactly is here?" he asked, confused.

"We are currently in the underworld: the presence of demons is unmistakable."

"Oh, in the end I did end up in hell" Shirou couldn't avoid the irony of the situation

That jerk Archer must be laughing somewhere.

Her eyes widened at the news. All the stories she'd heard always described the underworld as a place of evil. And even more so, of demons. Her body tensed.

"That's racist!" Serafall complained childishly.

"Umh, sorry," Shirou apologized.

This really was a demon

"Well, as long as you understand it," Serafall nodded in satisfaction.

A cute and obedient boy, now I understood why he had two girls crazy about him

Who knows, maybe I could give it a try before either of them could claim it.

"You said 'the presence of demons,'" he said, narrowing his eyes. "Are they nearby?"

"Yeah, you'd better hurry up and pour some energy into the magic circle, though you'd better be prepared for where you'll end up; I have no control over such things."

"How can a God be so powerful as to rewrite the evil pieces but so weak as to not control a magic circle?" Azazel asked very confused.

He had been trying to do that for decades and had made almost no progress damn it!

Nodding, he quickly vanished as soon as his hand made contact, leaving the burning residence behind. Even as the walls, curtains, and furniture began to crumble and fade into ash, a burning portrait of a Great Devil still hung dimly on a wall. A lion of power, health, altruism, and engineering. One of the seventy-two pillars of hell, the head of the house of  Marbas  .

Sirzech, Serafall and Grayfia's eyes widened.

"Marbas? I haven't heard of that house," Kiba muttered.

"It's because it's a dead house," Sirzech replied seriously, "one of the many victims of the civil war."

No one survived, not even the servants were spared from annihilation.

Serafall closed the book momentarily to look at the cover.

That's why this one became known to him

It was the symbol of the Marbas house

In a remote Italian church near Milan, a woman was training in the field. She had blue hair and wore the white habits of a nun as she constantly brandished her sword. Sweat glistened on her narrow face, and her high cheekbones caused beads to accumulate on her chin. She exhaled slowly, closing her dark yellow eyes as she began to frown.

"Me?" Xenovia asked doubtfully

Now what did she have to do with all this?

Wait, so he was referring to that church!?

Her name was Xenovia Quarta, and she was rarely interested in anything other than training, but that changed the day she heard about  him  .

Rin sighed

Of course that idiot wasn't going to stop even in another world.

He lived in the woods, where the small stream that runs behind the church forks into two narrow streams. It was a relatively quiet place with a small clearing where the sun's rays pierced the forest canopy.

At first, she'd been skeptical of his existence and often scoffed at the name "Sage of the Forest." Hell, she couldn't help the twitch that formed above her eye when she heard "the holy man from the church by the brook."

"Is this a bad time to say this is a movie?" Issei wondered, looking at the screen with curiosity.

"This is cinema" Azazel came forward with a cigarette in his mouth

Wow, who would have thought the leader of the fallen would know Western memes?

On the other hand, it makes some sense that it is the leader of the fallen who knows them.

Of course, Mother Griselda had reprimanded her for her lack of tolerance, but the rebuke didn't leave a lasting impression. She simply couldn't understand how a man who lived by a stream could surpass his fellow church members. They were all training to be holy sword users, a true honor if she had anything to say about it.

Irina nodded in agreement before drooping her head.

I still didn't understand how that Xenovia could turn into a demon.

What happened while she was knocked out to make the rigid Xenovia make that decision?

When asked about the origin of the word "Saint" in the mysterious man's name, all responses were vague. In a general consensus, the majority of the public opinion attributed "Saint" solely to his presence. Even the aspiring high priests' apprentices with their detection magic could only nod stiffly in agreement.

"A kind of light God?" Michael asked worriedly.

Was he making Shirou pretend to be a saint to infiltrate the church?

There was something strange about him, and she didn't understand why no one had confronted him about it. Even though he possessed a  holy aura, the church still had its rules regarding outsiders—pagans, in fact.

"Oh, a religious fanatic, aren't you?" Rin asked stiffly.

I hadn't had good experiences with those guys.

"I admit I was a little rigid with my beliefs in the past but that's not the case anymore" Xenovia couldn't help but squeeze her eyelids.

It would be hypocritical to say otherwise.

So it was mid-morning on Tuesday when he decided to venture down to the creek.

Nothing was really out of place by the stream. The old tree she had frequented as a child still bore the practice marks from her early days of sword training, and she could vaguely see the spot where she and her mother, Griselda, used to spar.

Xenovia shuddered

Ugh, he hadn't thought about his mother when he decided to become a demon.

I was so dead

He continued along the stream, looking for any sign of red; from the brief description he'd been given, it would be the easiest color to spot after all.

"Yeah, sometimes that's how we find him when he gets lost in London," Rin mocked, poking Shirou who squirmed a little.

"It was just once," he muttered, embarrassed.

Whistle

Whistle

Xenovia pricked up her ears at the familiar sound of sword strikes. She recognized them because she herself was a practitioner of the art.

A sword, an extension of one's own body, Mother Griselda had once told him that phrase. One can tell a swordsman's relative skill based solely on the sound of their blade. That was why he couldn't stop his brow from twitching in annoyance. The sound of the blows wasn't even remotely precise, nor did they seem to have any purpose.

"I thought you faced a legend?" Xenovia asked with a frown.

"Well it wasn't exactly my skill as a swordsman that decided the fight" Shirou replied with a frown remembering that duel again

In hindsight there were many things he could have done better but considering it was only the second time he had deployed his Reality Marble he is surprised it turned out so well.

She turned and focused on the sound.

Whistle

Whistle

Whistle

Xenovia paused, her punches were improving.

"Shirou is a fast learner," Saber nodded in satisfaction.

When it came to swords, she hoped Shirou would surpass her one day.

Intrigued, she found herself crouching behind thick foliage as she observed the man before her. He had auburn hair and golden-brown eyes. On his body, he wore a simple long-sleeved shirt and dark jeans. Upon closer inspection, she couldn't sense anything remotely resembling a holy aura around him.

She let out a sigh and continued to watch him. Based on his appearance, he didn't seem to be older than her, about a year or so.

Rin chuckled.

"Is something wrong?" Shirou asked curiously.

"No, just remembering how adorable you looked at that age" The magician replied admiring little Shirou

Well, he was still taller than her but small compared to what she had become accustomed to.

"I'm not adorable," the redhead complained.

"I'm afraid I'll have to agree with Rin, you were quite adorable back then." Saber nodded.

"Now you're making fun of me too Saber" Shirou sighed

"Are you making fun of me?" Issei asked confused.

He still had the same face!

Whistle

Whistle

Whistle

The man's swords vanished. He wielded twin practice swords, both made of intertwined layers of bamboo. He didn't know how he possessed those practice swords in the wilderness of the creek, but they were durable, like the ones he used in the church.

"Another gift from this mysterious God?" Azazel asked.

"Not exactly" Shirou replied not knowing how much of his abilities to reveal to this group of strangers

But on the other hand it was possible that everything was shown throughout history

Whistle

Whistle

Whistle

In fact, he was getting better based on the sound of his punches.

Whistle

Whistle

Whistle

His eyes narrowed.

"Grip your pinky finger tighter," he said as he emerged from the foliage. "That makes your shots more stable."

"That's good advice," Saber nodded.

"My mother taught me everything I know about swordsmanship" Xenovia said proudly

"She must have been a great swordswoman" Saber looked at the Shirou on the screen, so inexperienced, it was surprising how much he had come in a few years

"She is one of the strongest exorcists the church has today," Gabriel said warmly and a little sadly.

Knowing about your daughter will break your heart.

Or she'll break the girl's legs, it could be either one.

The man smiled.

"Thank you," the man said, relaxing his shoulders, turning his head, and paying attention to her. "Did you come to talk about something?" he asked.

"What makes you say that?" he asked curiously.

"Well, it's kind of hard not to when you left your sword there."

"My sword?" Xenovia asked confused.

His mouth fell open before his eyes fell on his hands, which had previously been holding his practice sword. After a careful inspection, looking at the man to determine where he was facing, he found his sword caught in the foliage. Noticing the man's knowing look, he straightened himself to preserve as much dignity as possible before coughing into his hand.

"Ah, she's an airhead," Rin nodded as if she understood everything.

"Who are you calling an airhead!" Xenovia exclaimed offended.

"Yes, yes it is" Rias confirmed receiving a look of betrayal from her new knight

"W-We'll have words," she said as her cheeks blushed.

"Of course," the man smiled, "but I have no tea or soft drinks to offer."

"You can always heat some grass in water, I'm sure you'll find a way to make it delicious," Rin told her playfully.

"Not even I can make grass tea taste good," Shirou replied, laughing slightly. "Though perhaps it will adjust the acidity..." he began to mutter to himself.

"I'd be surprised if you did it in the middle of the woods."

She walked carefully toward the man who had left his practice swords on the ground. She was still wary of him and more than a little annoyed with herself for her mistake. "State your intentions," she said.

"Being an idiot" Rin replied

"Do good," Saber said at the same time.

Surprisingly those two were not mutually exclusive

"Intentions on?"

"Living within church property."

"Oh, that," he scratched his head and sighed. "It wasn't exactly my idea, and besides, all I've been doing is training."

"So it was that God's idea," Michael said, becoming more and more worried.

Shirou was a good boy, there was no doubt about that.

Even if his soul looked...strange, almost like seeing through a broken TV

But he feared that this God, whoever he was, was using him for nefarious purposes.

His eyes shifted to the man's practice swords. "Do you aspire to be a swordsman?" he asked.

"No, not really," the man replied, bowing his head. "I want to be a hero, someone like an ally of justice."

"A hero? Really?" Azazel asked with slight mockery.

"Yes" Shirou didn't even flinch "it's my dream, to become a hero capable of saving them all" he answered without any doubt

Azazel looked away

Something in that conviction reminded him of...

It didn't matter

The rest looked at Shirou a little surprised

He had seemed pretty tame up until now so this sudden...steel in him was surprising.

For a moment, she almost lost her composure as laughter began to bubble up inside her, but she held her ground. She sighed. "I'm starting to think it's a little silly of me to get worked up over something like this. Xenovia Quarta." She introduced herself.

“Shirou Emiya,” the man said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Serafall closed the book with chapter one finished

"I think it's time for some introductions," Sirzech said now that the tension was gone.

Rin, Saber and Shirou looked at each other before nodding.

They weren't going to say too much and Saber's identity would remain a secret, but seeing the thickness of the book, it was obvious that they were going to spend a lot of time with these beings.

So perhaps some introductions would be in order.

My name is Emiya Shirou, and I am a magician.

NTD/A: Now, I know what you're going to say and I know it

"Why didn't the cast of Reading the Demon King Hero return?"

And I'm not trying to contradict them, I know many of you wanted to see them again and so did I, damn it!

But it didn't work!!!

The first drafts I wrote were using them but in the end it always came down to comparing the Shirou from Serafall with this new one, there was no surprise, there was no doubt about who it was, or mystery because they already knew and that would frustrate too many things in the future

So I had to make the difficult decision to start a new group.

Although perhaps the catfight between Rin and Serafall will be uploaded in the future as an Omake, a kind of What If

And thinking about it, this is my fourth reading of Fate with Shirou as the protagonist, but the first where I involve Emiya himself in the reading.

Curious, it will be interesting

For those who didn't notice, these are the Shirou, Rin, and Saber from the end where the latter stays as Rin's familiar and they all go to the clock tower together so they are in their twenties and not seventeen like during the game.

Well, leaving that aside, what did you think of the episode? Did you like it? Did you not like it? Did you hate it?

Oh and by the way

APPRECIATE IT BITCHES!!!!!

It's lovely!

And mine!!!

Chapter Text

NDT/A: So, Happy New Year!

I hope you had a great 2024 and I wish you a happy 2025 because honestly I'm still processing 2021.

But in case you don't, I hope this little gift helps you feel a little better.

Now, the plan is to upload one cap a week, that can change due to external factors like work, home, my own mood and etc. but for now I want to start this at Christmas and hopefully finish it also at Christmas or at least New Year's

It's not something that will bother me if I don't achieve it, but I would like it to be that way.

Well, I've already gone on too long, without further ado, enjoy the chapter!

Rin massaged her brows trying to process all the...information she had received

So, he had been in the same room as two Maous, the leader of the Fallen Angels Azazel who according to his limited understanding of the Bible was a goat and not a fallen angel.

And then there were Michael and Gabriel, The Michael and Gabriel, some of the most important Angels of Abrahamic mythology

And of course Gabriel turned out to be a woman with a big chest and butt, why, why not?

After King Arthur, it wouldn't surprise him if Nero Claudius or Oda Nobunaga also had a chronic lack of penis.

The rest was not so impressive, the Maid and wife of the fucking Lucifer and her little sister along with what they called their nobility

Former humans or other races that were turned into demons thanks to the evil pieces that idiot simply took and let enter his body.

Luckily, this did not go any further because if it had, according to the angels, the members of the church would have been able to detect it easily.

Church members like that meathead who was now looking at HIS boyfriend with interest

At the moment there was no attraction or anything beyond curiosity but he knew his idiot and knew it was only a matter of time.

Hell, the jerk even managed to make the damn clock tower queen blush!

Stupid and sensual Shirou!

Well, well, I was calm, I was calm

Their own introductions were very simple, apprentice magicians studying at the clock tower in London and Saber was their bodyguard.

Although the suspicious look of the fallen man was not lost

Had he heard her when she named the Servants? She did it in a low voice but she was an inhuman creature, he didn't know how good her senses were.

Shit, at least I didn't know he was a Servant so they still had some advantage here.

At least until one of their two adorable idiots says or does something that exposes them because Saber could sometimes be as bad or worse than Shirou.

Her? No, not at all, she has always been a perfect example of reason and self-control.

So stop looking at her so warmly, you idiots!

"So, holy lord, how did you end up like this?" The pigtailed Maou

Damn, I never thought I'd use those two words together.

She asked leaning towards Shirou so that her breasts were emphasized.

Damn lumps of fat

"I fought an idiot too strong for his own good who was trying to hurt people I care about and please don't call me that, I'm Emiya Shirou, not some saint" Shirou answered without giving too many details

Well, even if it took him several hits, I had finally internalized his lessons.

"He must have been very strong to leave you in that state" The Maou reflected remembering the state in which Shirou arrived in hell "and how was the other guy holy lord?" She asked completely ignoring Shirou's previous request and getting a little closer until their faces were centimeters away from touching

"Consumed by a black hole and an arrow in the forehead," he replied, backing away nervously.

Serafall looked at him curiously, she had hoped that the approach would make him nervous enough to reveal more but it didn't seem like he could get information that way.

Or well, if the whole book was from his point of view I would find out.

This time it was Xenovia who picked up the book curious about the ending of the previous chapter.

"The Trials" He read the chapter title, frowning.

"Do you think he's referring to those trials?" Irina asked nervously.

"Yes," Xenovia nodded, "the trials to select the bearers of-"

"Please keep that information to yourself for now." Xenovia was silenced by a hand gently placed on her shoulder.

Literally, he spoke but the words didn't come out of his mouth, what was going on?

I turned around to look in surprise at that strange man who had greeted them, and now what did he want?

"I forgot to tell you, but my boss doesn't like spoilers, so I'll ask you to keep some things to yourselves," he said, looking at the involuntary readers with something resembling guilt.

"And how exactly do we know they're 'spoilers'?" Azazel asked skeptically.

"Good point," Blanc nodded before giving a single, resounding applause.

From his hands a wave of fire emerged moving rapidly, although some tried to dodge it they could not move from their seats paralyzed for some reason until the fire covered them like a wave before disappearing 

"What the hell was that!?" Issei asked frantically, patting himself all over before sighing in relief at not finding himself on fire.

"Let's call it a little spell, the moment you think about talking about something you shouldn't you'll have the feeling that you shouldn't say that" explained the Samurai with boredom.

"Okay," Azazel gulped.

Note to self, not to provoke the guy who could paralyze them and turn them into charcoal at any moment

A rice paper door appeared and opened behind Shirou with the Samurai walking towards it instead of disappearing like he did before.

"Sorry for the scare," she apologized, briefly placing her hand on Shirou's shoulder before walking through the door, which disappeared shortly after.

"Okay" Serafall nodded, not quite sure how to feel about what had just happened.

It had been a long time since she had felt so helpless.

Xenovia started reading, trying to forget what had happened before.

And without anyone's knowledge a small white flame entered Shirou's body, filtering through his pores.

Lightly awakening something that under any other circumstance would have remained dormant forever

Shirou pondered silently to himself. Just as the voice had told him, he had appeared, unavoidably, across the creek from a small church in the distance. It was modest, with white-painted wooden walls and a cross erected in front. Multicolored-paned windows depicted the scene of Jesus with the crown of thorns and his disciples watching silently in the background.

Xenovia couldn't help but smile slightly nostalgically.

He didn't regret his decision to become a demon but he would always miss his old home to which he would never return.

It was at that moment that the voice coming from the necklace she wore fell silent. Curiously, moments before they left the burning mansion, the voice didn't even seem tired. Rather, it was with a long sigh that the voice spoke again, asking her to stay at the church. In that case, she decided to train based on what she remembered from her fight with Archer.

"Did you at least ask yourself who the hell he was?" Rin asked irritably as she remembered the situation.

"Well, it was someone who asked me for help" Shirou looked away embarrassed

He had learned and matured a lot in the last few years, but deep down he would always be that idiot wanting to save everyone.

Although he would at least like to believe that his current self would be more skeptical with a mysterious voice in his head

However, things were not that simple.

Sooner or later, the church members noticed him and at first wanted him to leave, but soon they began to babble nonsense whenever his necklace began to emit light. Then he frowned and adopted a rather sour look when some of them returned and referred to him as a wise man or a holy man.

Michael became worried again

A member and some high ranking members of the church could confuse the divinity of a God of light with the divinity of his father and yet did not know the purpose of this being

And even though he said he didn't control the magic circle, the fact that they arrived just in time for the trials of the sacred swords was at least suspicious.

Was he perhaps trying to seize those swords using young Shirou as a pawn?

That might be the worst possible scenario.

He couldn't understand it, and  still  couldn't, but at least he understood that the fault lay with the necklace around his neck, which seemed invisible to others. He had no need to hide it, but he still found it difficult to explain the phenomenon. Therefore, he could only hope that the thing would stop glowing at crucial moments. He would have to somehow learn to control it, or at least ask the voice what exactly was going on the next time it spoke.

"He's passing off his divinity as yours and making you look like a saint to untrained eyes." Saber frowned.

What was that thing trying to accomplish with Shirou?

She never regretted letting Shirou take care of Gilgamesh while she destroyed the grail but she bet that version of her was doing it

However, the most unexpected situation was yet to come. The young men practicing fencing urged him to participate in a match after noticing the two wooden swords he had created using a skill he called tracing: a higher level of projection magic that allowed him to recreate objects, specifically swords and the like.

That caught Azazel and Kiba's attention.

Magic capable of recreating objects? It was nothing new, but the way he described it seemed as if it were something quite unique in his world.

What was the difference between this layout and the projection? The quality? The amount of magic used?

While Kiba couldn't help but notice how similar that sounded to his own Sacred Gear

Rin couldn't help but make a small grimace

Barely chapter two and they were already starting to release information

The outcome of those matches is what got him here.

He silently stared at Xenovia, her blue hair with a green highlight at the front swaying in a gust of summer wind. Her eyes looked at him curiously, her pink lips spread as she glanced at the swords at her side. "Can I help you with something?" she asked.

She shook her head, regaining her balance and quickly pulling her sword from the bushes. "I've only heard stories," she began, a firm neutrality setting her features. "But most of them involve you defeating disciples of the Inner Church."

"At least you're still training your swordsmanship even in another world," Saber sighed.

"Are you still jealous because he prefers Archer's style to yours?" Rin mocked her familiar/friend/lover/bodyguard

"I've never been jealous of it" Saber looked away indignantly but her cheeks were pink

Azazel as I take note of the name mentioned

Saber and now Archer

It was obvious that they had to do with whatever that God did with the evil pieces but exactly how?

He smiled wryly. "Um, believe me when I tell you I never started anything."

"Young and reckless," Grayfia muttered tiredly.

At least that's what humans and demons had in common.

Xenovia grunted and quickly adopted one of her practiced stances. "Anyway, you should understand my curiosity as a disciple of the Inner Church."

"As impulsive as ever" Irina couldn't help but find her old friend's attitude adorable.

He frowned, but picked up his swords and assumed his own stance with his legs spread, arms at his sides, and swords pointing forward.

"Is that a dual-wielding stance?" Kiba asked doubtfully.

How could something so full of holes be called a position?

He noticed the disapproving look on Xenovia's face, but he'd grown accustomed to that kind of expression. After all, she wasn't the first to express disbelief or take offense at his open-ended stance.

"You're aware of it and yet you still use it?" Xenovia asked disapprovingly.

Even a novice with only one day of swordplay could do better.

Sirzech looked at everything carefully.

You didn't defeat a legend by being an inexperienced swordsman.

He gestured for her to come closer and immediately her expression seemed to change depending on her mood.

"I hope you know what you're doing by not taking things seriously," he said. "But even if that's the case..."

The ground rumbled as Xeonvia suddenly disappeared from his vision.

"Impressive," Saber said politely at Xenovia's quick movement.

It didn't compare to a Servant but for a modern human it was pretty good.

"I'll make you," he whispered in her ear just as the sword was heading for her exposed chest.

What is the only way for a novice trying to compete with a master?

"An excellent question, please tell me when you find the answer" Issei said pitifully

Ever since he started with this whole demon thing it seemed like all of his opponents were stronger than him.

Raynare, Raiser, Kokabiel

Each one worse than the last and as soon as I managed to overcome them, someone came along who made the previous one look ridiculous and kicked his ass again.

How are you still alive? I would say it's a miracle, but being a demon, that was no longer a possibility.

The distinctive sound of practice sword against practice sword echoed throughout the clearing, and a look of surprise appeared on Xenovia's face for a brief moment.

Something flashed in the eyes of the elders in the room.

That style...did that boy not know fear?

The answer is simple: abandon fear.

Well, there was the answer.

She stepped back, twisting her body to avoid the second sword in his hands. That was the advantage of using two weapons. One could block and capture the enemy's attention while the other remained free to attack.

"Their advantage may also be their greatest disadvantage," Kiba said, frowning.

There was a reason why, despite being able to make dozens of swords, he always preferred to wield only one.

Using two swords forced you to divide your attention and always know where each one was or you ran the risk of cutting your own arm with a careless movement.

And reckless was that position that somehow had not yet collapsed

How did he do it?

Weakness must be demonstrated. It's the difference between someone skilled and someone inexperienced.

"Inexperienced?" Sona asked

How did someone inexperienced defeat a supposed legend?

Xenovia's eyes narrowed in concentration before straightening mid-recoil and leaping forward with a push towards one of her other exposed vital organs, her liver.

But since when does weakness mean defeat?

"Since the first monkey used a stick to hit another?" Koneko replied sarcastically.

He let out a yell as he swung a reinforced arm to intercept the blow he knew was coming.

"Reinforced arm?" Akeno wondered.

A kind of enhancement magic perhaps?

Because weakness itself is an opportunity.

"The weak will always have the advantage of being underestimated by the strong" Rías said bitterly

Riser only gave them ten days to train because he was confident he would win no matter what and they only survived Kokabiel because the bastard enjoyed playing with them knowing he could kill them whenever he wanted.

In both cases it was her weakness that saved her.

His weapon pressed against Xenovia's, a look of surprise clearly visible on her face that didn't disappear. He supposed it was to be expected. Based on how she had conducted herself, he was fairly certain that she was skilled in using a sword, something that became even clearer when his eyes subconsciously analyzed the history of her practice sword.

"Analyze the sword's history? Something like psychometry?" Azazel asked.

I had studied people in the past who were able to read objects but this somehow sounded different.

"When it comes to swords, no one understands them better than I do," Shirou replied without elaborating.

Kiba frowned, could he do something similar? Read his opponent's sword?

Technically, Sword Birth should only be able to create swords, but mutations were not unusual in Sacred Gears.

She snarled as she stepped back and attacked once more, the previous expression of neutrality on her face turning to frustration.

Weakness is an opportunity. It was a truth he had glimpsed during his fight with Archer in their swordfight.

"Archer, is that the legend you fought?" Gabriel asked curiously.

I didn't know of any legend that included someone named Archer even though that seemed more like a title than a name.

"No, well technically yes? It's a bit complicated but it's not that Archer" Shirou replied mumbling a bit at his own confusion while Rin sighed in the background

He who had no foundation in his swordsmanship, and compared to those who did, the difference between them was like comparing the earth with the Heavens.

So he did what man had done from the beginning,  adapt  .

Xenovia frowned.

She couldn't help but feel a little unappreciated despite all the praise.

Could he really overcome all his years of hard training with adaptation?

Xenovia silently bit her lip as she distanced herself and began to look at him speculatively. None of her attacks had worked, and she was the one who was starting to struggle to find any kind of advantage.

It wasn't because she wasn't skilled, but because she was far  more  skilled than him, that her swordplay proved effective. He, who had never truly trained with a sword, relying only on memories of his fight with Archer, and she, who had practiced for most of her life—there was no contest between them as to who was superior at swordsmanship. Obviously, she was better.

"And yet he hasn't been able to hit you even once," Kiba said with a complicated expression.

How did he do that? With such a posture full of openings, it should have been analyzed a long time ago.

But on the contrary, there it remained

“That sword style,” Xenovia began. “What kind of style is it?”

He didn't respond and instead gestured for her to attack him again. It was the only way to win. His fighting style involved predicting exactly where the opponent's attack would land and immediately beginning to block several steps ahead of the enemy's assault. Therefore, attacking was too reckless for him. On the other hand, Archer had been able to do it by simultaneously leaving his vitals open for an attempted attack, but at the same time attacking with his other sword. Unfortunately, he was still far from Archer's level.

"That sounds...suicidal." Sona raised an impressed eyebrow.

Not in a good way

For something like this to work, it would take nerves of steel or a total disregard for your life.

"That pretty much sums up this idiot," Rin said, more resigned than angry.

"Why would you do something so dangerous?" Michael asked with concern.

"Because it is the only way for someone weak and talentless like me to compete with inhuman beings, if I am not willing to risk at least that much then my dream will never come true" Shirou explained with conviction

After all that's how it was, no matter how much time passes or how Rin tries to guide him deep down he would always be the same.

And he didn't regret it.

The moment she arrived and attacked again, he locked her sword into his, and with the pressure of his momentum, attacked with his other sword.

The wood splintered as Xenovia quickly spun her blocked sword to angle the handle in the direction of her incoming attack.

A loud crash sounded, and he was forced to step back, surprised at how skillfully Xenovia had blocked such an attack. It was then that he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, the shadow of a person hiding behind a tree.

Xenovia recognized that silhouette

And swallowed

Good luck young me, you'll need it

His gaze shifted to the sky, noticing how far away the sun had already set. It was already past noon, and early afternoon was approaching.

"Averting your gaze like that from your opponent is rude Shirou" Saber scolded him with Shirou scratching his cheek in embarrassment

"Not to say lethal," Rin added.

Of course not in this case, but I'd rather your fool didn't die from bird-watching in the middle of an apostle hunt.

"Pay attention!" Xenovia shouted as she took his momentary action of averting his eyes from her as an insult.

She quickly charged forward, and he rushed to block her attack. She was right that he shouldn't have taken his eyes off an opponent, even if it was only for a moment.

Reinforcing himself, he quickly blocked the attack and saw the opening he needed to land the first blow and end this duel; it had appeared in his stomach.

Irina grimaced

That was going to leave a bruise, although knowing Xenovia she would be more upset by receiving a hit than by the hit itself.

Without wasting any time, he took a step forward and widened his eyes comically as the ground beneath him turned to mud and instantly displaced his aerial attack. Not only that, his balance was upset and his momentum caused him to crash into Xenovia even after his splintered sword sliced her clothes in half.

"Pay attention Shirou, the terrain can be both an ally and your enemy" Saber advised with a slight scolding

"Thanks for reminding me." Shirou had the impression that they had forgotten that he was a young and inexperienced man, but he still appreciated the two's concern for him.

With an unexpected scream, Xenovia fell into the stream behind her, her clothes torn.

"Ah! That's unfair!" Issei lamented.

He wanted a kinky fall too!

Looking around, he quickly realized that their fight had taken them directly to the side of the creek, which explained all the mud.

Still, he could instantly tell that Xenovia wasn't happy.

Xenovia sighed

"That's my defeat," he admitted.

Shirou didn't see the training but neither did she, in her current vulnerable state she couldn't claim such a blatant victory.

Soaked and with her black bra showing, she quickly removed a piece of clothing and wrapped it around herself. There was a moment of silence before her body began to shake. "That, that was it," she felt heat rise to her face as adrenaline flooded her body. "  You  ,"

"And that's the match," he quickly interrupted, taking a few steps back as she stood up. From the looks of it, he could instantly understand her intentions for a rematch, but the murderous look in her eyes largely dissuaded him. Of course, he could understand her anger, but he hadn't meant to cut off her clothes and push her into the creek.  What kind of luck had he had?  For some reason, he wanted to cry.

"Damn handsome boy" Issei complained

Why could the cute guy have perverted luck while he was beaten every time he tried to spy?

Okay, said like that it sounded bad but...

I better keep quiet. 

Just as she was about to argue, light began to emit from her necklace again, causing both her and the stranger watching from the trees to immediately freeze in astonishment.

"Divinity again" Michael said having a strange chill without knowing why

They couldn't feel anything that was happening on the screen, so why did that light shake them so much?

Why did it seem so...familiar?

Even he, who had already experienced such a phenomenon in recent days, was taken aback. A warmth began to emanate from within him, starting from his chest and flowing outward. The plants and flowers around him began to bloom, and life began to revive even in some of the previously withered plants.

"A God of nature? Life perhaps?" Azazel theorized.

A God of light shouldn't be able to do that, at least not a lesser one.

It was then that the stranger he'd noticed watching his fight with Xenovia stepped out of the shadows. Based on the figure alone, it was obviously a woman, and based on the sudden fear in Xenovia's eyes, she must have been a high-ranking person within the church.

"It was a pleasure meeting you," Irina said sympathetically to her former partner.

Xenovia looked at her desperately

At this rate he wouldn't even survive to become a demon!

The woman wore a black nun's habit, with gold crosses on the hem and sleeves, and a wooden rosary wrapped around her neck. She had piercing blue eyes and blond hair, which was covered by her habit.

"M-Mother Griselda?" Xenovia spoke, her face seeming to pale drastically as the woman approached.

“Silly girl, bow your head,” Griselda said quickly as she approached Xenovia and scolded her. Then she gave her a meaningful look. “I didn’t expect a holy man to honor this simple church.”

"Saint," Shirou muttered bitterly.

I had a feeling I should get used to the title.

He didn't reply. Partly because he wanted to avoid having to explain himself, and partly because he realized he'd already avoided another confrontation with Xenovia. Besides, how could he even begin to explain himself?

"A strange voice in my head kidnapped me from another world, made me consume several evil pieces without turning into a demon now it asked me to stay here for some reason" Serafall offered

"I'll be thrown into a mental asylum if I say that," Shirou noted skeptically.

"Why? Just look at Joan of Arc. She also heard voices and ended up leading the French army." Serafall counterargument

"And she ended up being burned at the stake for being a witch," Rin said with a tone of finality.

This shouldn't even have been a debate in the first place!

After a moment, the light began to dim rapidly.

But at that moment, Griselda quickly accepted his silence with a nod before also looking in confusion at the swords in his hands. "Do you practice with swords?" she asked.

"Yes," he said sincerely.

Griselda simply stared back, puzzled, until a small smile appeared on her face. "Interesting," she said. "Do you like this stream? Or perhaps you need it to gain some kind of spiritual enlightenment?"

"No, the idiot is capable of sleeping anywhere," Rin said dryly.

Once he found him asleep perfectly balanced on a chair tilted on two legs

Naturally, like the loving girlfriend she was, she kicked the chair and ordered him to go to bed.

I also understood that he used to fall asleep on the floor of his warehouse while practicing magic.

So well a stream would indeed be an improvement

Xenovia had a confused look on her face, her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at Griselda.

He paid no attention, instead trying to understand what Griselda was asking him. "Well, there's no particular reason, really,"  it seemed a little rude to me to suddenly butt in.  The voice had asked him to stay near the church, but it hadn't asked him to live by the stream. He had chosen to do so out of his own principles.

"The doors of God's house would never reject someone seeking shelter," Gabriel told him in a soft tone that somehow made Shirou feel ashamed for actions he hadn't even done.

"Yeah sure, for everyone," Rin said sullenly.

I still hadn't forgotten what they discovered in the church basement after the war.

I would never forgive that fake priest.

Grisleda's eyes seemed to sparkle before she laughed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Boy," she said softly. "Seeing as you've taken quite well to the sword as well, would you consider using your talents at an upcoming church event?"

"Are you planning to take him to the trials?" Irina asked with concern.

"It would make sense, that a young saint appears weeks before the event almost seems like an act of God" Michael said worriedly

How could that God possibly have planned

"M-Mother Grisleda!?" Xenovia's outburst was quickly suppressed by a harsh glare from said woman.

Seeing that he still hadn't said anything, Griselda smiled again before bending down to look him in the eye. "Not only that, but I can offer you guidance in the ways of the sword."

Saber frowned and bristled.

First Archer and now she's a nun!?

"Shirou, stop patting my head" Saber said embarrassed

And now Rin too!?

Traitors, both of them

"Your offer," he scratched his head and sighed. "Will you give me some time to think about it?"

"Of course, young saint," Griselda nodded. "Forgive me for asking, but has the Vatican sent you for some reason?"

He didn't reply because he didn't have an answer to give. Of course, he was completely willing to tell the truth, but something in her expression told him that whatever he might say at that moment, lie or not, she wouldn't understand. If he told the truth, to her it would simply sound like another fabricated lie, as if he were willfully concealing the real answer.

"Yes, that's the problem with people who think they already have the answer, anything you say they will only interpret in their own way to fit what they already believe" Serafall nodded

"Mother Griselda was always very stubborn," Xenovia confirmed.

At this point it was easier for Shirou to resign himself to being a saint.

“I see,” Griselda seemed to have come to her own conclusion. “Very well. You can take all the time you need, but I would appreciate an answer in a couple of days.” She turned to leave, nudging Xenovia to follow her.

Xenovia nodded stiffly in his direction before looking at Griselda and then back at him. Pursing her lips, she silently followed her mother and disappeared in the direction of the Church.

He sighed and sat down, leaning his back against a tree as he rested his body. Absently, he fiddled with the necklace that still emitted a faint glow. Currently, he had no idea what he could use it for other than the fact that it held the answer to all his questions. Absently, he began to inspect it with structural comprehension, an ability that allowed him to fully understand an object's making. However, doing so required sending a pulse of his magic into said object, but even after doing that, the only information that filled his head were things he already knew.

"An interesting skill, is that what you use to read the history of a sword?" Azazel asked him.

"Yes, it's a skill that I spent a lot of time perfecting, it allows me to know a lot of information about an object such as its materials or the manufacturing process" Shirou admitted half-heartedly.

Still, Azazel couldn't help but notice an inconsistency in his actions.

It implied that he had to touch the object to activate the ability but he never touched Xenovia's sword.

Perhaps indirect contact was enough, or was there something more?

Interesting, it had been a long time since he found something to distract him like this.

He silently began to wonder to himself.

Where was I? What was I supposed to do from now on?

"I bet you don't even know you're not in our world anymore" Rin sighed worriedly

By the time the grail was destroyed they hadn't formalized anything yet but she was already very worried about Shirou so she must be frantically searching for him if he had been missing for so long.

Almost in response, the collar emitted a gentle burst of warmth, a soothing sensation that spread throughout her body. It was accompanied by a quiet buzzing sound that echoed throughout the forest.

The call of the animals began to resonate.

"A god of nature," Azazel muttered.

Light?

Life?

Nature?

Didn't this God have too many domains?

And that ability to modify the evil pieces along with bringing someone from another world

It almost sounded like...the

A copycat trying to use Shirou to take his throne perhaps?

He looked up in surprise as two doves descended from the sky. One had brown feathers and a green pigmented circle around its neck. The other was completely white.

Michael and Gabriel froze before the birds

N-no, it couldn't be

A soft wind blew, ruffling strands of her hair and cooling her body.

Soon, not only pigeons began to appear. Small animals, large animals, it didn't matter. Some came and went, while others relaxed at a distance before moving on. The two pigeons that had perched in the trees on either side of him let out soft squawks before flying back up into the sky.

"He's a copycat," Michael said with a dangerous edge to his voice.

How dare he?

"Bu-but isn't it possible that he really is God?" Irina asked worriedly.

How were they so sure it wasn't him?

Michael stopped

True, of everyone in the room Irina must have been the only one who didn't know, well, apart from the three foreigners

"It's simply not possible," Michael replied kindly, with Irina looking at him in confusion.

Pleasantly surprised, he watched in bewilderment as a beam of light, previously blocked by the clouds, shot through and illuminated him. A strange energy seemed to circulate through his body before the light emitted by the necklace faded.

That's when she decided that even if she didn't know what she was getting into, at least there was some merit in learning how to become stronger.

"You don't know what you're getting into," Xenovia shuddered.

I loved Mother Griselda very much, but when it came to training, she turned into a demon.

"Yes, I know," Shirou said sympathetically, looking at Saber out of the corner of his eye.

Although the other one doesn't

He stared at the Church, a decision made in his mind.

"At least he won't be sleeping on the floor anymore," Saber sighed.

Still, he didn't like the idea of learning from that nun.

Two people walked silently through the woods back to the innermost circle of the church, beside the small stream. One walked with her back straight, an air of royalty surrounding her, while the other simply emitted a stern demeanor.

“You may speak, child,” Griselda said to Xenovia. “I can tell you have something on your mind.”

Xenovia frowned before frowning. "What was that?" she asked.

"An unknown divinity" Xenovia replied

If it weren't for the incident with Kokabiel he would also wonder how they were so sure he wasn't God but after hearing the confession of the fallen one he had no doubt that he must be an imposter

She wasn't referring to what Griselda had previously told Shirou, but to the holy aura that had suddenly erupted on his face at the end of the fight. Understanding soon washed over her. This was the reason why the other members of the Inner Church had returned dumbfounded from their visit to the stream. Such a radiant aura of purity was rarely seen, even within the Churches around the world.

“That, Xenovia, is something you’ll understand just by standing near him,” Griselda said as she pushed her way through the brambles. “The aura he was unconsciously releasing signifies how blessed he is by the Lord and the Angels above. Not even I can predict what the future holds for him.”

"Even Griselda was totally fooled," Gabriel said worriedly.

Who was this God?

Xenovia could only silently nod her head. If anything, she wouldn't be surprised if he turned out to be an angel in disguise. The title of Holy Man was indeed fitting for an individual like him, but what she didn't understand was why he was practicing with a sword. According to her understanding, those blessed people would normally dedicate their time to learning the Church's most advanced spells due to their dispositions.

"That would be a waste on Shirou" Rin couldn't help but find the idea amusing

A bunch of priests pulling their hair out because Shirou couldn't even produce a ball of light.

"I'm not that bad," Shirou complained.

Recently he had even made great progress with the runes

“Even so,” Griselda murmured to herself, “for him to appear here at this time, he must be someone important to the Vatican.” She turned around and looked thoughtfully at Xenovia. “It would be best if you didn’t do anything that might alienate him; rather, he should be treated with great respect. If I had known about him earlier, I would have at least sent a notification to the other disciples of the Church.”

"Don't you think the fact that you weren't notified of his arrival should be at least a little alarming?" Sona asked with a frown.

How could I overlook something like that?

"He's someone with great sacred power, a saint from his point of view, he sees no reason to question it," Gabriel replied worriedly.

"Still, I don't think it would be difficult to make a simple call to verify." Sona sighed, feeling slightly uncomfortable talking to the angel.

“Mother Griselda,” Xenovia began, quickly quickening her pace to walk beside her. “About that other matter of you teaching him how to use the sword.”

Griselda stopped and turned her head to the side. "Don't you agree?"

"It's not that," he said. "It's just that, don't we have to prepare for the Holy Swords initiation?"

"It shouldn't be long, a few weeks maybe," Irina murmured.

It would be the first time I would see Xenovia

"Holy sword initiation?" Saber asked with interest. 

The church was looking for new bearers of some ancient relics?

Maybe some Noble Phantom?

Griselda nodded. “Yes, we are, but that’s precisely why I asked you to come in the first place.”

Xenovia's eyes widened. "Do you intend for me to participate?"

The initiation of the Holy Swords was a test to determine which of the disciples of this small Protestant church by the creek had the qualifications to wield the two fragments of the Holy Sword Excalibur kept in the church vault. The Holy Sword Excalibur was one of the four Holy Swords said to have been forged by God himself in the Holy Bible. A sword so strong that it granted the user seven abilities that made them nearly unmatched on the battlefield. However, during the great war between the Angel, Devil, and Fallen factions, the sword shattered and its abilities split into seven fragments, two of which resided within the church.

Xenovia had to stop her reading when a huge weight fell on her shoulders.

What was this pressure!?

Not even Kokabiel made her feel like that!

"Can you say that again?" The blonde woman asked him with a terrifying calm.

"W-what thing?" He asked, trying hard and failing not to stutter.

"Excaliburn, what do you mean by 'fragments'?" His voice was cold and Xenovia feared for her life for a moment.

"Excaliburn was destroyed during the Great War," Michael replied.

Saber looked at him hoping he would continue with something she didn't already know.

"We tried to reforge it but father...was not available to do so so the best that could be done was to divide its power into seven fragments that became seven swords guarded by the church, so each generation looks for compatible bearers through the initiation of the sacred swords" He explained without fully understanding where the woman's anger came from.

"So that wasn't Excaliburn," he replied with complete certainty.

"Yes, it was, I collected the fragments of Arthur's body myself," Gabriel replied.

The death of the King of England was a hard blow for everyone.

"No, if that had really been Excaliburn it wouldn't have broken, Excaliburn is the crystallization of human faith and hope, a concept in the shape of a sword impossible to destroy" he assured through gritted teeth

"And how are you so sure of that, miss?" Azazel asked her with interest.

It was the first time I heard something like that, of course, it was the most powerful holy sword in history

But a crystallized concept?

That didn't make sense.

"I-"

"Saber!" Rin exclaimed, stopping the blonde. "Calm down. Don't you see that crow is trying to provoke you?" Rin said coldly before her gaze softened. "Remember, it's another world. Obviously, there will be differences. You only have to look at that bunch of phantom beasts to realize the vast difference in our realities."

Saber sighed, regaining her calm.

"You're right Rin, I apologize for my behavior" He gave an apologetic look to Xenovia and Michael

"Okay" Xenovia nodded still confused

"There's nothing to apologize for, it must be shocking to imagine that such a relic could be destroyed." Michael shook his head without any trace of indignation.

"She always had a lot of connection with Arthurian legends, knowing that Excaliburn was destroyed upset her" Shirou tried to explain seeing the rest confused

"A history buff?" Akeno asked amusedly.

The image of that dignified blonde with glasses reading about King Arthur was funny.

Shirou didn't respond

In fact, we had a much, much closer relationship than that, but it was fine if they stuck with that concept.

Kiba looked at Saber suspiciously, was there something else?

Just because he let go of his grudge didn't mean he was now a fan of such things.

However, as a fragment of a True Holy Sword, only those with a strong affinity for light and who possessed it within themselves could wield it. Of course, all of this was incorporated into the trials administered during initiation over the course of three trials: the Trial of Light, the Trial of Integrity, and finally, the Trial of Combat.

Saber sighed trying to stay calm

At least he could console himself that they wouldn't just give the...fragments to anyone.

Just thinking about "fragments" of his sword tasted bitter to him.

"Yes, my child, I know," Griselda said. "As you've probably seen from the aura he emanates, he certainly has a good chance of wielding at least one of the two swords, just as you were born with the ability to wield Roland's sword. Furthermore, I suspect he was actually sent here by the Vatican to participate in the initiation."

"Durandal?" Shirou asked unconsciously reading the Durandal in his Reality Marble upon hearing that name.

"Yes, I am the current wielder of Durandal" Xenovia nodded proudly

"I thought you were a demon," Rin pointed out.

"Yes, and I'm grateful that they let me keep it despite that." Xenovia nodded.

Rias wouldn't tell him that it was more of an apology from the church to Lucifer for the near death of his beloved sister.

"But don't you get burned or something when you try to handle it?" Rin asked again, confused.

"Durandal is not that kind of holy sword," Michael replied.

"No, if it doesn't harm demons then it can't be a holy sword in the first place," Tohsaka replied with a frown.

Shouldn't that be obvious?

"Rin, you calm down too" Shirou called her when he saw that she was about to lose her temper

Rin could sometimes easily lose her temper at what she thought was incoherent.

Like the

"Yes yes" Rin sighed still irritated

A holy sword that doesn't harm demons, what the heck is that?

Xenovia pursed her lips in confusion. "But doesn't the Vatican possess its own pair of Excaliburn fragments?"

"Indeed, but even I can't understand what goes through the head of the Vatican leader sometimes, and besides, there are no rules that say one can't do it. In the case of the Holy Swords, they themselves are the ones who choose their wielders, so it doesn't matter if an individual from another Church were to participate."

"I thought the reason different churches guard them was because of the division in the Christian faith," Sona said before thinking, quickly closing her mouth.

"Yes, each branch holds one or two fragments, but it was never specified that it couldn't be attempted in a church other than yours," Michael replied calmly.

"Shouldn't they at least keep a record of that?" Rin asked.

"As long as it's someone on our side, does it really matter?" Irina asked.

"Just because he's on your side now doesn't mean he always will be," Rias pointed out, making Xenovia shudder.

I knew Rias wasn't referring to her but it still hurt.

—But how are you so sure he will do it?

"Of course, that's because I see my younger self in him."

Xenovia looked at her mother strangely.

What? She wanted to be a hero when she was young too?

"Really? You also had a dream of being a Hero of Justice?"

Griselda's face went blank after the question, and she simply refused to answer, no matter how incredulous Xenovia's eyes were becoming. "Either way," she said. "The look in her eyes doesn't belong to the kind person who would shirk a method to become stronger."

"Are you serious?" Xenovia asked, mouth agape.

"You'd be surprised how reckless Griselda was when she was young," Gabriel told her with a hint of affection in his voice.

I could still see her, throwing herself into danger with reckless abandon, protecting the weak, bellowing for what was right and good.

They were good times

Xenovia looked at herself in confusion for a moment before shrugging, well, she supposed they were similar in that at least.

Power is necessary to protect. An ant cannot protect an elephant.

Shirou nodded, it was something he had learned the hard way.

"I suspect he'll come back with an answer by the end of the day," Griselda said as she and Xenovia approached the church. "Be sure to keep an eye out for him."

Xenovia nodded and watched as Griselda walked into the Church, leaving her alone to head towards the training grounds where the other disciples were practicing, but she quickly remembered to get a fresh change of clothes first. She didn't really care what she was wearing, but it would be a sin to cause unnecessary trouble for all the other disciples who were putting in their all. Besides, they were still wet and would weigh her down.

"You'll catch a cold if you keep dressing like that," Gabriel told her with concern.

"I'm tough, I've never had a cold in my life, but I appreciate the concern." Xenovia nodded in gratitude.

"I guess even in another universe fools don't get sick" Rin muttered looking between Xenovia and Shirou

She quickly changed and then quickly headed to the training grounds.

Her eyes fell upon the open fields, taking in the hard work everyone was putting in for the upcoming initiation. That's why she picked up her practice sword and once again began to wield it in front of a test dummy. She knew it wasn't the most efficient way to train, as facing off against an opponent would be far more useful, but she was never the sociable type. Of all the disciples present, she wasn't friends with a single one, but she didn't care. Even if her methods were inefficient, her dedication wasn't lacking in the slightest. Even more so because she had a natural talent and a strong disposition toward the way of the sword. It was something Mother Griselda had been able to identify instantly, and it was the beginning of the change in her image. Before, she considered her mother an angel, as she was doted on quite often and was constantly under the dreamy stares that accompanied her wherever she went within Church property. But afterward, she became a  demon  .

Xenovia shuddered at the memory.

The horrors he experienced back then

She was still pretty sure her legs were facing the wrong way that time but when she woke up Mother Griselda insisted she had imagined it.

He shuddered as he recalled the grueling days of training to reach his full potential, and even then, he could barely suppress the involuntary urge to glance back from time to time.

Soon, sweat began to glisten on her forehead as the afternoon turned into night. Her eyes quickly darted around as the sound of a twig snapping alerted her to a new presence.

She stared back at him wordlessly. So, in fact, he had come.

"Yes, he went to receive sword lessons," Saber remarked.

"Stop pouting, the idiot isn't cheating on you or anything," Rin playfully scolded her.

"Is that a pout?" Irina asked, looking at Saber's face in confusion.

She looked exactly the same

"Yes, and it's a very adorable one," Shirou nodded in agreement.

"Shirou!" Saber claimed with the slightest pink on her cheeks

"Where is Griselda?" Shirou asked, entering the training grounds.

She sheathed her sword before crossing her arms. "She's gone to the inner altar of the Church, so we can't do anything but wait until she comes out of there. We don't have the authority or jurisdiction to enter at this time," she said informatively. "Based on your appearance here, I assume that means you accept."

Shirou nodded.

“Good.” For some reason, a rather pleasant feeling began to well up inside her. She was undoubtedly happy inside to have someone to train with. Even if she could practice training on her own, even she had to admit that she felt lonely. “Then, from this moment on,  I am  your senior disciple. As such, you have no choice but to listen to my every instruction.” She coughed into her hands as she noticed the blank look Shirou was giving her.  Didn’t he understand?  “Meaning you have to train with me whenever I request. No complaints.”

"Are you serious? You haven't even known her for an hour," Rin demanded expressionlessly.

"I haven't done anything!" Shirou defended himself by raising his hands trying to prove his innocence.

"That actually makes it worse Shirou" Saber also complained to him

"Why are you both against me?" Shirou lamented, his head down.

Xenovia looked at them without understanding, was she missing something?

"Popularity problems, aren't they, kid?" Azazel sneered.

"Damn handsome boy" Issei complained

But let it be known that Rias's Oppais were hers!

A glimmer of understanding appeared in Shirou's eyes, and he slowly expressed his acceptance, though he did so with the feeling that he was being scammed. "It's fine if it's just training," he said.

Xenovia let out a strange smile. "Then, for now, since my mother isn't available, I'll inform you about the upcoming event."

Michael couldn't help but worry about how things were going.

At this rate, that foreign God was going to gain access to the Excaliburn fragments.

Xenovia walked slowly with Shirou towards a large hill that overlooked the plains below. Grass grew past her shins, and there were also flowers of various colors in bloom, swaying in the gentle night breeze. She gestured for both of them to sit, and Shirou quickly complied.

She sat down, legs stretched out in front of her, hands flat on the ground to support her weight as she leaned forward. Slowly, she brushed her hair back and turned her gaze back to Shirou.

"Are you seducing him?" Akeno asked, impressed by how casually sensual the move was.

"No, it's a natural" Rías said also impressed

He definitely had the talent to be a demon a long time ago.

“The Holy Sword Initiation,” she began. “An event that decides who will be the next wielder of the two Holy Swords that my mother Griselda and the old uncles keep in this Church near the altar.” She spoke freely, as if there was nothing wrong with revealing that information to an outsider, but even so, the Holy Aura Shirou had emitted had left a great impression on her that even she didn’t know about.

Saber's eyebrow twitched.

Yes, it was going to take some time to get used to.

"I'm hypnotized?" Xenovia asked with a frown.

"I don't think it's hypnosis, the gods of light have a way of captivating people with their brilliance that not many can resist" Serafall replied

As the person in charge of foreign affairs, she had had some meetings with minor Gods and had to admit that those of light were strangely charismatic.

Shirou remained silent, letting her continue.

"The initiation consists of three stages, which I am sure you will be able to complete successfully."

"The trial of light, integrity and combat, right?" Rin asked.

"Yes, the second one was...especially difficult" Irina nodded, remembering bitterly

Rin was interested in what these tests consisted of even though the name was quite obvious.

With light he must refer to the affinity with the element and the combat would possibly be a fight with some experienced member of the church to see if he was able to protect the sword

Integrity seemed more ambiguous, it seemed to have to do with morality but in what way?

Maybe the trolley dilemma?

Well, I'd find out. 

The two sat in silence. Xenovia brought her knees to her chest after a moment and relaxed. After a hard day's work, she could always enjoy watching the sunset in the evening.

Irina pouted

She was his first friend, the first with whom he shared that sunset after the tests, it wasn't fair

She looked at Shirou and began to inwardly assess him.

He was good with the sword, she had witnessed it herself. However, that didn't mean he was qualified enough to wield a Holy Sword. After all, many other disciples desired that result.

"It's not like it matters much after I see them," Rin said to herself.

Just another pair of swords for your collection

Deep in thought, she sighed as she noticed Griselda finally leaving the church. "It's Mother Griselda," she said.

Realizing this, Shirou nodded and then began to speak quietly to Griselda. She was likely giving him more details about the upcoming event. Although she knew the three stages, that was because her mother had revealed them to her, therefore, she realized that she shouldn't be the one to explain the initiation halfway through her explanation to Shirou, and simply remained silent.

"Well at least you noticed" Azazel joked to Xenovia's embarrassment

It was on that day that his life slowly began to change.

Approximately four weeks had passed, and the activity inside the Church was at its peak. People were coming in and out with all sorts of items: some with candles and others with various decorations. The interior of the Church contained rows and rows of people participating in the upcoming initiation.

"Four weeks," Saber murmured worriedly.

Was it possible that Shirou was already presumed dead?

Most wore the traditional habits of nuns and priests, but that was only for the older generation. The younger generation wore standard formal clothing, with white shawls draped over their chests.

This was the same for Shirou and Xenovia, who stood together near the room's exit. They had both trained tirelessly under Griselda's watch, and as a result, they stood near the exit to be as far away from her as possible. For Shirou, he had finally found someone he believed to be worse than Taiga back in their days in the kendo club. The training he had received from Xenovia was quite harsh to the point that he wouldn't go into detail.

Saber frowned.

She could be tougher

As for why he had decided to participate in this initiation, the answer was obvious to him: Excalibur. The sword of his memories could never have been shattered. Just the mere thought made a pain bubble up from within him. At this point, this was all the proof he needed to realize he was no longer in his world. Yet, even so, fragment or not, he had the desire to obtain it in memory of the servant he found incessantly at his side.

That gave readers pause.

"Memories? Have you seen Excaliburn?" Irina asked with wide eyes.

"Yes, I saw her in the past, I saw her light and I saw what she is capable of, that's why I can't believe in the idea that she has broken" Shirou replied

"That's why you were so outraged, did you see her too?" Michael asked Saber.

"Yes, I witnessed its light and its possession several times, that's why I know that sword can't be Excaliburn" Saber replied

It wasn't a lie either.

She just didn't mention that she was the one carrying it while admiring its light.

"A complete Excaliburn," Sirzech muttered worriedly.

That sounded like trouble.

"Brothers and sisters," a soft, clear voice echoed from within the church, "I thank you all for coming to this event, and I will quickly remind the participants to line up quietly in front of the altar for the first test."

The initiation test of the Holy Sword had begun.

"In front of this altar is a magical device that will measure one's aptitude for light and the amount present in their body. As you should all know about Holy Sword users, all must without a doubt possess a sufficient amount of light energy. Therefore, this first test is to eliminate those who do not have a sufficient amount," Griselda said as a small procession of elderly priests placed a small device upon the altar.

"This could be bad," Michael muttered.

"Why?" Shirou asked curiously.

"Even if he is a God of light, I doubt he could fool the device by passing his divinity off as a holy element," Michael replied.

After all, that relic was made by his father and there was a big difference between his divinity and that of any other deity.

"And if the priests find out that Shirou isn't what they think..." Xenovia started to say worriedly.

"A fight might break out," Saber frowned.

She trusted Shirou's abilities but wasn't sure how strong the people of that world were

"This is the light reading device and it is classified by colors. Yellow is the lowest and white is the highest. Of course, to pass this test, one must possess at least a blue color, signifying an average aptitude of light energy."

"Sounds like an interesting mystical code," Rin couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in curiosity at the artifact.

Would it also serve to measure one's magic?

Shirou? That idiot would manage.

As Griselda spoke, the priests and visitors from other Churches began to murmur among themselves about who would succeed her. Most of the representatives from the other Churches had complete faith in the disciples they had brought with them.

In particular, a priest from a neighboring church, who stood smugly looking at the disciple from his church.

Xenovia's stomach turned as she recognized the priest.

Irina's superior

The one who gave him that...abomination

When everything was ready and all the disciples formed an orderly line, the event formally began as Griselda gave a few more words to the crowd.

"Irina Shidou." A name was called, and a girl with orange hair tied in two pigtails stepped forward in front of the altar. Her narrow face revealed her nervousness, the expression in her large violet eyes too easy to read. Still, with trembling hands, she quickly placed them on the measuring device.

"Oh! It's my on-screen debut" Irina couldn't help but get excited

It was like he had suddenly become a TV star or something.

Although he assumed that in that case he would be a secondary character while Shirou was the protagonist.

Instantly, the color changed from yellow to green to red to blue. At that moment, a look of relief spread across Irina's face, knowing it was over. Still, the altar device changed to another color: violet.

Kiba gritted his teeth

While Irina looked away, embarrassed and somewhat disgusted

At the time he didn't know what that thing was, he was only told that it would increase his affinity but if he knew how it happened... he would never have accepted it, even if it meant not being able to handle an Excaliburn.

The smug priest seemed to grow even smugder as his gaze roamed the surprised crowd.

Xenovia and Kiba glared at him.

He better not know where that thing came from or they might pay him a visit.

The audience members were shocked; they were the first to leave, and someone had already passed. Although it wasn't said out loud, many already knew that many disciples would fail this test, as the number of people who possessed sufficient light attributes was extremely rare. This was why men like Valper Galilei conducted extensive research in the field, even to the point of conducting human experiments.

Michael looked embarrassed

Another of his failures as a leader of heaven

Smiling, Irina quickly returned to her place with the other disciples.

Other names were quickly mentioned, but many, as expected, fell through.

Yellow.

Red.

Green.

More and more people were failing, reducing the number of participating disciples by more than half. It was at this point that some began to look at Irina with uncontrolled jealousy. For them, this had been their chance to wield a Holy Sword, and many were bitter, with similar thoughts of "if I can't have it, then no one can," flowing through their minds.

"That kind of thinking already makes them unworthy in the first place," Saber said sternly.

"I couldn't agree more," Michael nodded,

"Xenovia Quarta." The way Griselda called her name revealed how proud she was of her daughter.

Xenovia blushed at the sight

He was really going to miss his mother.

The other disciples made way for her, for even they knew that she was related to Griselda, an important figure in the Vatican's Holy Human Society and other similar institutes.

"Wow, I didn't know you were so important" Issei said surprised

"My mother is, I was just earning a name for myself before becoming a demon" Xenovia replied with a shrug

She was proud of her mother but never thought of hanging on to her fame.

As he placed his hands over the measuring device, a loud sound was heard as the color instantly changed from the base yellow to white.

The absolute silence in the room was deafening. No one spoke. Only the soft laughter of a proud mother echoed throughout the room. Even the smug-faced priest from earlier who had brought Irina Shidou could do nothing but gape in shock.

"Truly a prodigy," Gabriel said with regret.

And because of their lies, they lost someone who could have been a key player in the future of the church.

Honestly, he never agreed to hide his father's death but he understood the need to do so.

That didn't mean he liked it.

The faces of the other disciples who had arrived and had yet to pass showed bitter resignation. How could they compete with that? Even if they could somehow pass, wouldn't that mean they would eventually have to face the daughter of the Sword Demon Quarta in the final test of combat? Still, some hope lingered in their eyes. There were exactly two Excalibur fragments after all, and unless another absurd candidate appeared, they could at least rest a little easier.

"Hello, here's an absurd candidate," Serafall greeted, pointing at Shirou, who looked embarrassed.

In the growing silence of the Church, names continued to be called. Finally, more disciples passed the test one after another.

Blue.

Blue.

And blue.

With happy smiles on their faces, they looked at Irina and then at each other with determination. They didn't even consider Xenovia, not because she was someone who could be overlooked, but because they could already tell she was too strong. They had no doubt about that, as some of those they passed were from the same Church as her and had seen how thoroughly beaten their practice dummies were.

"Wow, you really are strong," Asia said impressed.

"Yeah, honestly seeing how Kokabiel destroyed us you didn't seem that much like it" Issei said before his brain caught up and he hurriedly covered his mouth

"Yes, honestly I wasn't very useful against the fallen" Xenovia didn't take it as an insult and rather a reminder of her lack of strength

If it weren't for the white dragon emperor...

"I don't think it's fair to compare any of you to Kokabiel," Azazel remarked.

They were babies against an atomic bomb

The fact that they managed to last so long was a miracle in itself.

"Kokabiel the star of God" Rin murmured

Wasn't he something like an astrologer?

As the number of disciples remaining to take the test rapidly dwindled, Shirou's turn was fast approaching. Even so, not a trace of nervousness could be seen on his face, something he had recently developed after Griselda had forcibly instilled the habit in him. After all, she had used the excuse that it was not good to reveal one's intentions on the battlefield.

"It's not a bad lesson," Saber admitted reluctantly.

Of course she taught Shirou the same thing!

But at least that nun seemed to know what she was doing.

When the last names were called, it was finally time to pronounce his name. A nobody. Someone the other Churches had never heard of.

"Shirou Emiya," Griselda said.

This time, it was clear what Griselda thought of the boy approaching the altar. His voice wasn't like the one he'd used to speak to Xenovia, but it held a hint of emotion.

"Not only the daughter but you're also going for the mother? There's nothing that can satisfy your lust Emiya" Rin joked shaking her head as if it couldn't be helped.

"Hey, I've never done anything like that!" Shirou exclaimed, offended.

"I bet you only didn't do it because my mother is dead," she accused him.

Shirou only looked more indignant.

I would never try to mess with Rin's mother!

Rin had to hold back her laughter.

Teasing her fool always put her in a good mood.

"Find a room," Issei muttered, obviously jealous.

"After my mother? He wants to duel with her too?" Xenovia asked, not understanding the implication.

"Remind me to educate you well when we get back" Akeno sighed disappointed by her kouhai

Of course, to the other people in the crowd, they would have no idea what that meant coming from Griselda, but Xenovia was different. Her mother would only adopt that tone of voice if she knew something for sure. Over the course of the three weeks she had experienced a true form of hell with Shirou, she had come to understand something about him. There was no way he  could  fail this test. On more than one occasion, she had experienced the influx of his Holy Aura, and it had left her shocked time and time again. After all, to possess such an aura, just how much light energy did he have within him? Even thinking about it was terrifying, and now that she would have the chance to accurately measure it, even she could understand her mother's excitement.

"This could go very wrong," Michael repeated, worried about Shirou.

A good boy caught in the machinations of an ambitious God

I didn't want this to end in tragedy.

"Please come closer to the altar," Griselda urged while Shirou still hadn't moved.

Gulping, Shirou immediately noticed the glow of the necklace around his neck and the lack of reaction from the crowd. He had checked this before, but it turned out that not only could they not see the necklace, but they couldn't even see its glow. However, he could tell that they could feel the power emanating from it.

"Interesting," Azazel muttered.

What form of concealment did he use?

Illusionary? Dimensional? Perhaps magical?

Rin also seemed very interested in the phenomenon.

I had a feeling the two would get along very well.

Nodding to Griselda, he walked to the altar and firmly placed his hands on the device.

"My light is the light that shines on all."

"No, there is only one light that shines on everyone and it is not you" Gabriel said with the closest thing to anger he had ever experienced

How dare that lying God say that?

And why did her body keep shuddering every time she spoke even if it was indirectly?

The voice echoed in his head again after all the weeks of silence.

"I'll give you your answers later, but for now you must do everything you can to win."

"We'll wait for you," Michael said, replacing his sad look with a frown for the briefest of moments.

It was at that moment that he realized there was no more breathing in the room. Surprised, he turned around to look at the gaping crowd.

The device beneath his hand was going berserk, a multitude of colors flashing as the crystal forming the device began to tremble. It was with the help of the procession of priests that it stabilized back to its base yellow. It was then that Griselda silently gestured for Shirou to place his hand back on the device.

"Is the foreign deity causing him to fail?" Azazel wondered curiously.

"Perhaps there is some kind of incompatibility with two equal but different energies in origin" Rin also launched his theory with fascination

It wasn't every day you could see the clash of two different divinities

Silence.

All eyes watched as the color stopped at a bright white before the device instantly shattered into a fine powder.

There was silence in the room

"That device is thousands of years old, it's unique in the world and it's impossible to do it again," Gabriel noted with concern.

With each word Shirou squirmed more in his seat.

No-no it was on purpose!

"It was on purpose," Azazel muttered, "that God knew he couldn't pass the test with his divinity so different, so he forced his power with brute force to destroy the artifact and make them believe its light was so powerful that it overloaded itself."

"Thus destroying a relic of our father" Michael clenched his fists

How far would this imposter go to achieve his goals?

"Wow, you broke the equivalent of a Noble Phantom, only you can't project this one" Rin whispered to him, amused by the fact.

Shirou could only squirm more and more.

Why did this always happen to him?

NDT/A: So I'm sure many are wondering why the angels keep harping on about the foreign God instead of taking the possibility that their father has returned.

And it's simple, they are in denial.

They saw him die, they felt his disappearance, it's easier for them to believe that an imposter is trying to pretend to be him than to even imagine that their father has returned and it's not like we can blame them.

And besides, this will only make it funnier when they finally find out the truth.

Omake: Bad

Shiro entered his home after receiving the new group

I had to admit it was a bit strange meeting Shirou himself in person after reading so much about him but he seemed like a nice young man.

Looking around he quickly noticed Koneko sleeping on a sofa curled up like a cat, Gabriel knitting what appeared to be a sweater, Gudako playing with a cell phone and the bird sleeping on her head and Emiya as always in the-

"Where did you get the cell phone?" He asked the orange-haired girl, interrupting her thoughts.

"I found it somewhere," he said, still staring at some random photos of familiar places.

"How does it work? We don't have a signal or Wi-Fi here," he replied, surprised.

"Yes, there is," he pointed to a piece of furniture in the living room with a modem that he was sure hadn't been there a few hours ago.

"Gabriel?"

"I was already there when I realized I've been here all day working on this," he replied, looking up from the needles.

Okay, I'd just attribute this to his stupid boss.

He massaged his forehead before turning his gaze back to his cell phone.

"What are you watching?" He asked curiously.

They were just pictures of the cabin in random places

"I don't know, I downloaded this app and I started getting-"

The sound of a notification came and at the same moment the Samurai appeared taking something from the neck

There was nothing visible but I could feel that I had been right behind the girl

"What are you?" Her fire covered the being and it growled, revealing a humanoid wolf-like creature with feminine characteristics.

And of course a skull instead of a head

"Oh, it's the same as in the photos," Gudako said, unimpressed, showing the photographs where the creature appeared all over the house.

"It seems to be a lesser demon," Gabriel commented without looking up from his sweater. "It must not be very powerful, in fact it's quite weak."

"Is it a threat?" he asked, ignoring the creature's attempts to free its neck from his grasp.

"At least not physically, those kinds of demons seem to prefer to drive their victims crazy, breaking their minds and destroying their spirits to drive them to suicide and be able to claim their souls, apart from that they are so weak that even a minor exorcist could exorcise them, if he can find where they are hiding of course" she replied looking into his eyes with slight concern.

Blanc looked at the creature almost with pity.

Were you seriously trying to drive someone who was already crazy and had at least two suicide attempts a day crazy and suicidal?

"Guess I'll get rid of it," he muttered, then set the thing on fire.

"No!" But he stopped when Gudako clung to the creature cradling its skull between her breasts "it's mine, it came with the app, it belongs to me!" she exclaimed fiercely clinging tighter to the creature

Uh, was that the sound of bones breaking?

Hephaestus must have made those prostheses stronger than he thought.

Soon the creature stopped struggling with the grip on its neck and began to struggle even more desperately against Gudako's grip on its skull.

Seeing it this way...

"You'll be in charge of bathing, feeding, caring for, and taking care of this thing's waste. Don't think for a second I'll help you with that."

The creature stopped struggling, its movements frozen to stare at him in disbelief and indignation.

I thought it was a dog?

"Yes! Yes!" The grip on the creature's skull tightened even more as the desperate struggle only increased.

Blanc, seeing no further purpose, released the creature and had to raise an eyebrow when it clung to her waist desperately while Gudako pulled her by the legs.

"Let's give you a bath and then we can take a nap, I have to find something to feed you, oh! I'm sure I have a dress that will look beautiful on you!" Madness flashed in Gudako's eyes as the humanoid wolf continued to cling to him with all its might in terror.

And to her utter horror her strength soon failed her and she fell face first onto the floor before being dragged away.

The being desperately clung to the wooden floor with all its strength, digging its claws into it but unable to prevent itself from being dragged into the depths of the abyss that was Gudako's room.

"Do you think it's okay?" he asked Gabriel, watching the creature being dragged up the stairs with its skull hitting each step.

"Yes, as I said, it's just a minor demon unable to physically harm anyone, so the girl will be safe," he replied reassuringly.

"He was talking about the creature"

"Red Hare, Red Hare, Red Hare will return" Gudako sang as she pulled the demon from the wooden railing and all the handrails and entered her room while it growled in a desperate plea.

"Ah...maybe?" Gabriel was doubtful this time.

I would pray for him 

NDT/A: Not even Malo 1.0.0 can stand up to Gudako's madness.

A little comedy omake I've had in my head for a while and I thought this was as good a place as any to put it.

13076 words

Chapter Text

Irina took the book this time

I was very curious how Shirou would pass the other two tests.

I was curious who he would choose to save.

And above all, I was curious if Shirou's presence would affect his friendship with Xenovia in any way.

As the redhead himself squirmed as Rin continued to mockingly remind him of what he had just broken

I didn't have enough savings now that I was working as an enforcer to pay for that, let alone when I was just a student!

Worse still, a student in another world without access to his bank accounts!

Shirou gulped, a faint trace of nervousness crossing his face as his gaze swept over the motionless spectators and the examinees, including Griselda. Her face, though deceptively expressionless, revealed her disbelief. The observation was based on the type of image the woman projected to the world: upright, orderly, and devout. So far, her timing had never broken. After ten seconds, she should have called for the next examinee regardless of the outcome. She had done it for her own daughter, and she should have done it for him, but apparently he was different.

"Well, I don't think there's much you can do when there's nothing left to examine," Kiba said, scratching his cheek nervously.

"Don't you have a way to examine them manually?" Rin asked with interest.

"No, at least not humans, they could do some tests like trying to test their handling with different sacred swords to see their limit but that requires preparing several weapons with different degrees of affinity beforehand" Michael answered still incredulous by the destruction of one of his father's relics

For a foreign God

Rin nodded

They seemed strangely behind in that area, perhaps by always depending on that artifact they never thought of developing an alternative method?

Still, the fact that she and most of the rest of the clergy could control their emotions so well was something Xenovia and many other examinees could learn from.

Xenovia stood there, perhaps unable to notice that her mouth was partially open, and no sound was coming out. It was the kind of reaction she couldn't have expected to see on her face; her expression was naturally resolute and serious. Therefore, when she noticed his gaze, she immediately closed her mouth; her face flushed red before she immediately became interested in the craftsmanship of the tiled floors.

"You look adorable!" Irina exclaimed with a giggle.

"You can't blame me! It's his fault for being so strange" Xenovia defended herself with a pink tint on her cheeks pointing at Shirou

"Umm, sorry?" Shirou apologized, puzzled at being singled out.

Ironically, if she could display the same burst of emotion regularly, most people would have no problem approaching the "untouchable" woman. Invincible in any duel, serious-faced, and unfamiliar with social norms, she was perceived as someone suffering from a "loneliness complex." However, the reality was very different.

She wanted to make friends.

She didn't want to be alone.

Xenovia squirmed as her childish thoughts were revealed.

He liked to think that it wasn't like that anymore, he managed to find a friend in Irina and then in the occult research club but he couldn't deny that for a long time he wished to have someone to call a friend.

"If it's okay with you, can we be friends?" Asia Argento, the woman he dismissed as a witch, approached him.

Xenovia had to take a deep breath.

"Yes, I would love to," he replied, trying to ignore all the warm glances around him.

Irina looked at the scene happy that her Xenovia finally started making other friends but...she couldn't help but feel a little lonely.

Why did he leave her and the church? What happened while she was knocked out to make her make such a decision?

But she was still a Quarta, a name she'd realized was as famous as the Pope himself. Griselda Quarta was famous. Not just for her phenomenal swordsmanship, as rumor had it, but for her connections with Heaven and its Angels.

"Yes, really a great person" Xenovia muttered with slight embarrassment

Again, she didn't regret her decision, but she didn't think she was ready to confront her mother anytime soon.

Angels.

It was still a difficult term to wrap his mind around, but if demons existed, then angels must exist too.

"Hello" Gabriel greeted Shirou by flapping his wings like hands

"Ho-"

"Shirou don't say anything before you accidentally seduce the angel" Rin shut him up before he could speak

He wasn't planning on doing that! You couldn't make someone fall in love with you just by saying hi!

Still, with or without friends, that didn't stop Xenovia from giving her best.

It was only after several days of training with her that he noticed any change in her usual expression. The sparkle in her eyes and the way her lips unconsciously parted in a slight smile whenever she thought he wasn't looking; it was all very different from the distant, envious look he'd once seen hidden in her eyes as she looked around the busy training grounds.

"First Caren, then Ciel and now her? If you had a fetish for nuns you could have told me and I would have gotten some habits for Saber and me" Rin joked

"Rin!" Saber exclaimed with slightly pink cheeks.

"What's up Saber? I'm sure you would look beautiful wearing a robe and veil, just look at Shirou's face." Rin as always couldn't resist teasing Saber when the opportunity arose.

Saber's blush only grew when she saw Shirou's flushed face at the thought of Rin and Saber in habits.

Rin smiled

Oh how he loved his two fools!

Issei bit his shirt

Damn it, stop flirting in front of him!!!

It was true that she was beautiful when she smiled. She seemed to contain what could only be described as childlike joy combined with the refinement of a young woman. Her face was lively, and she emanated a certain aura of joy that had caused many to stop and rub their eyes in disbelief in the preceding weeks. Even he was affected by it, but nevertheless, this was certainly not the time to reflect on it.

Xenovia started to blush

S-she wasn't smiling like a child!

Rin sighed, she was just joking before but it seems there will be another nun after her fool before she finishes the book

At least this was from another world and they wouldn't see her again when it was all over.

Stupid and sensual Shirou

"Come in," Griselda's voice echoed in the silence of the church's inner chamber before the rest of the clergy quickly regained their bearings. "Please join the rest of the examinees lined up along the back wall," she said clearly.

"Was there any doubt about that?" Azazel snorted.

Nodding, he quickly did as he'd been told to avoid all the attention, but contrary to his beliefs, the stares only followed him even after he made himself as inconspicuous as possible. The muffled whispers couldn't have been more obvious either.

Xenovia nudged him from the side and nodded in approval when their gazes met. She didn't speak because words didn't need to convey her feelings. A job well done.

"I don't think it was exactly a job well done," Rias noted with slight amusement.

Shirou writhed again

"He proved his strength" Xenovia said as if that was all that mattered

"No, he tested the strength of the invading God," Sona corrected him.

Xenovia frowned, right, there was that

There was a brief commotion as the gathered priests and nuns discussed what to do with the broken device before finally looking helplessly at Griselda. It was absolutely hopeless; there was nothing they could do, despite this being a gathering of some of the wisest elders in the Church. However, how could they fix something that was so completely destroyed?

"I don't think even I with my power of destruction could have done better," Sirzech joked.

The boy had a talent for destruction and was red-haired.

Did your parents forget to mention that you had another little brother?

They stared at him in disbelief, causing him to back away. However, deep down, he swore to himself that he would return the favor somehow, or someday. This was only because it was his fault. He should have known better than to rely on his own luck.

"I don't think it was your fault but the sentiment is appreciated" Michael said to Shirou who only looked more guilty

I shouldn't have trusted that voice that came out of nowhere, I should have questioned it more, looked for its motives and not just trusted it.

These were hard lessons he learned over the years and now they awaited his younger self.

He shuddered at the thought of the other Shirou as a younger one, it almost felt like he had taken that bastard Archer's place.

Griselda sighed and gave him an unreadable look, before finally suspending the first test of the Holy Sword Initiation trial.

He was sincerely sorry for the inconvenience and could only hope the device he'd broken wasn't expensive. In that case, he wouldn't know how to return their money, short of lifetime service.

"It's not expensive," Azazel said, much to Shirou's relief. "It's priceless. No amount of riches can ever pay for it," he added with amusement as he watched Shirou deflate.

"Well, you can always send the bill to the pantheon that God belongs to once you find out," Serafall said with sympathy for the boy.

Honestly, I had thought he was some kind of virgin undecided between two women but the more the three of them interacted the more it became clear to me that there was something much deeper going on there.

Good for them I guess.

However, from the tense expressions of the clergy, it was already clear that this hope was simply due to their  excessive  optimism.

“Well done,” Xenovia whispered discreetly from beside him, praise evident in her tone. “Just from the rumors, I heard that light-measuring device was the only one of its kind.”

Shirou fell

Did they have to keep reminding him?

He grimaced and looked reproachfully at what remained of the device. It could be fixed, couldn't it?

"You didn't just break it, you completely shattered the jewel," Xenovia continued her observations, oblivious to the effect she was having on him. It was as if Pandora, a woman of Greek legend, had reached for hope, only to have it silently vanish in her hands.

"The jewel is rumored to be ancient. An artifact obtained during the Great Faction War, bestowed upon the mortal realm by the fourth Angel of God, Phaneul, Minister of Truth and Judgment."

"Yes, a unique artifact created by Father and given to Phaneul which was then entrusted to humans." Gabriel nodded.

And now it was destroyed

Gabriel's sad expression only worsened Shirou's mood.

Ugh, if he ever met that God he was going to shoot a Caladbolg in his face.

The collar around his neck vibrated in response to the spoken words, but he didn't even notice because he was too busy preparing a long list of apologies in his head.

"A mockery?" Akeno couldn't help but think of that immediately.

Something like 'Haha, your gadget wasn't as good as you thought'

Mmm, maybe he started to like this God.

Xenovia nodded after a moment and turned to face him. "Not even I know your potential. You broke an Angel artifact," she gave him a thumbs-up from under the white cloak she wore. "Good work," she spoke like a superior congratulating her junior, "but don't think it will be that easy to defeat me." She smiled viciously as she crossed her arms and tried to lean over him, but quickly realized he was too tall. A little annoyed, she tapped him on the chest and warned, "I have my own tricks up my sleeve, young junior. So don't get too cocky."

"You almost sound like a final boss from a video game," Issei couldn't help but point out.

"What is that?" Xenovia asked confused to Issei's horror

I didn't know what video games were!?

What are you supposed to be? The Demon King or my superior?  He sighed sadly, a little impressed by how well she was able to keep a straight face throughout the conversation.

"No, I hadn't become a demon yet at that time" Xenovia said confused

Let alone a demon king

"She has no idea what sarcasm is, right?" Rin asked Irina.

"Xenovia can be quite literal about everything," Irina replied nervously.

Sometimes he had wondered if Xenovia was autistic or something like that but he never dared to express it out loud.

"But aren't you the one getting arrogant?" a voice said meekly from beside him.

He turned to look into a pair of curious violet eyes set against a smooth, pale face with thin, peach-colored lips. The girl in front of him wore a white cloak similar to Xenovia's, but her hood was pulled down to reveal her chestnut-brown hair, which was tied into twin ponytails held together by a blue elastic band.

"It's your official debut Irina!" Issei exclaimed

"I wonder if I'll have any relevance in the story," Irina wondered with some emotion.

The story was called The Saint of the Church in the Stream, so it's likely that Shirou would end up as an exorcist or something, right? In that case, it was possible that they would go on missions together.

It was Irina Shidou, the first examinee to take the first test and the first to pass. She was touching her lower lip with a finger and leaning her head forward.

"Is that so?" Xenovia uncrossed her arms and looked at Irina.

He immediately realized she meant no harm with her response, but the tone in which she said it could be perceived as threatening. It didn't help that she gave the impression that she was staring at him.

"Our first meeting wasn't very different," Irina recalled with nostalgia.

He ended up accidentally insulting Xenovia and the only reason he didn't scold her was because he recognized her strength through the trial.

"Yes, it was a good time" Xenovia couldn't help but feel a little bitter

A time before discovering the truth about God

However, Irina Shidou didn't seem to care at all, as if she didn't notice anything. Instead, she said what was on her mind.

"How can you call him younger if he's your age or older? Shouldn't it be more like 'brother,' as the Lord says?" Irina said, pointing at him. "We are all brothers and sisters in the eyes of the Lord," she reasoned.

Gabriel smiled at that.

Yes, that's how it should be, not angels and humans but brothers and sisters created by the same God.

Xenovia was taken aback by the question. He could tell by the small twitch of her lip and the slight raise of her eyebrows. "Y-you're right," she admitted after a moment, unable to think of anything to refute Irina's suggestion. She quickly fell into a silence that he could tell wasn't intentional. She simply didn't have anything else to talk about.

"Yes, that's right Xenovia" Irina couldn't help but laugh a little

In some ways that's why they were friends

Or they were...

After the last few weeks he spent with Xenovia, he quickly realized that she didn't exactly have the best social skills. Then again, neither did he, but he had observed his classmate and resident mage, Rin, enough times to learn a few things about that particular skill. Besides, judging by the way Irina never left Xenovia's side, perhaps this could be a new friend for her?

"Just a classmate? You hurt me, Shirou." Rin placed a hand on her forehead, pretending to be sorry.

"At that time we were still nothing" Shirou defended himself even if he knew Rin was just joking

But what could he talk about?

Irina Shidou.

He nodded before catching Irina's attention. "Your name," he began, "is Japanese."

"Oh, that's right, you're Japanese too," Irina said, slightly surprised.

"I don't look like it?" Shirou asked in confusion.

"Well, the color red is not normal in Japan," Irina defended herself with some guilt.

"Yes, we are still investigating that" Rin nodded

"Our best theory so far is that he is a descendant of Cu Chulainn," Saber added.

"You're making fun of me too Saber" Shirou lamented

He didn't like the idea of being related to that guy at all.

Either way it was just to annoy him but it worked

First of all that dog had blue hair so there was no similarity there!

Azazel looked at Shirou with more interest.

Was it really a joke or was this boy the descendant of a hero?

If so, I could begin to theorize why that God chose him of all people.

Irina's eyes lit up. "Yes, I used to live there with my best friend, but I had to move because of my dad's job."

"Best friend?" Xenovia asked after noticing him urging her to speak.

"Yes," Irina said. "We used to play a lot and go out everywhere. It's a shame I had to stop..."

"And if I had known how it would end, I wouldn't have done it," Irina lamented.

But on the other hand with his lustful nature I could see him trying to spy on the nuns in the church so it might have been the best thing to do.

Issei looked at Irina feeling that she had thought something unpleasant about him before shrugging his shoulders deciding that whatever she was thinking was possibly true.

Griselda cleared her throat, drawing the attention of all the examinees. "After an unforeseen event, it's unfortunate, but the first trial can no longer continue. Therefore, we will move on to the second, and simply allow everyone who didn't participate in the first trial to try their luck at winning the right to wield a shard."

"Shirou must have earned the enmity of many challengers for that," Kiba said sympathetically.

He didn't really do anything but now they were going to hate him, he could understand that, after all Issei wasn't the first to yell at him for being a damn pretty boy

After the announcement, many clerics began to glare at him, causing him to bow his head in shame and regret. That wasn't his intention, not really. Besides, wasn't it enough that the stares felt like daggers pointing at his back?

"How you always stand out whether you like it or not" Saber sighed with resignation

They didn't even last a day in the clock tower before Shirou somehow ended up upsetting a mage and was challenged to a duel which he won with relative ease.

The only good thing was that he was a member of a medium-sized family so the repercussions weren't many apart from the fact that Shirou's abilities caught the attention of several.

It was even worse when he heard some asking what kind of person he was, with expressions of astonishment on their faces.

"It's to be expected as my mother's apprentice," Xenovia said proudly in the face of all the attention, unconsciously influenced by the pride she felt for her first friend. "A result like that just proves it."

"I don't think your mother's learning has anything to do with it," Akeno pointed out.

"Maybe not for now, but when the combat test comes you'll see" Xenovia said sounding even conceited

Uh? Was that a grunt? No, it couldn't have been coming from the blonde woman's direction, and someone as noble-looking as her would never do something like that.

It must have been your imagination.

"You're really not helping  ," Shirou grumbled to himself, the stares increasing tenfold. It felt like there was an invisible pressure on his shoulders.

If Griselda disapproved of Xenovia's statement, she didn't show it and instead gestured for the examinees to enter the next room. They were no exception, and as they passed, Griselda leaned in and whispered quietly into Xenovia's ear, Xenovia's face quickly paling.

"She's angry," Xenovia shuddered.

He would miss his mother but definitely not her punishments.

"S-Sorry-"

Xenovia didn't even finish before Griselda turned around to join the rest of the clergy in the next room, leaving her behind with an arm extended in front of her.

He expressed his condolences, remembering how tough Griselda could be during their training sessions.

Again Xenovia had to turn around when she heard the growl.

Was it their imagination?

Upon entering the next room, they saw that the place was empty, save for a large door on the back wall. The left side of the door was covered in ivy and other vegetation, while the right side was covered in gold.

Xenovia and Irina's faces quickly turned sour upon seeing the doors.

"What is that test?" Saber asked, noticing their faces with concern.

Would Shirou be okay?

"It's not dangerous or anything but...it's difficult, much more difficult than any other" Irina replied trying to shake off the bitter memory

He wanted to explain a little more but he had a feeling it wouldn't be right because of what he assumed was the magic of that Samurai.

"Welcome to the Second Trial of Initiation with the Holy Sword," Griselda said once again as she stood behind a small podium. "This is the most difficult trial, not because of the difficulty of passing, but because of what this trial will teach you."

"He'll teach some kind of mental interference magic," Rin muttered to herself.

Maybe by showing them the death of a loved one to see if they would break down or move on?

It would make sense that it would take a strong will to wield such a powerful weapon.

Her words caused the examinees to murmur quietly, Irina whispered softly to a dejected, glassy-eyed Xenovia.

He elbowed her in the side, knowing that words wouldn't be enough to snap her out of her mother-induced state.

She looked blank for a moment, then shook her head to clear her thoughts before looking at him thoughtfully. "You'll help me with my mom, right?" she asked with a forced smile.

"Don't do it young me!" Irina exclaimed

"Irina?" Xenovia asked feeling betrayed

"Last time I did it, I had muscles that I didn't know I had!" she replied, horrified.

Xenovia had nothing to say to that.

He didn't reply, but he could tell Irina did. Dear God, she really didn't know what she was getting into. Still, she sighed before facing Xenovia. "I'll help too," she said against her better judgment.

"No" Irina saw what her younger self was condemned to and could only pray for her soul

Xenovia gave her a grateful nod before she too began to focus on the words Griselda was saying.

"Just like the first test, we'll call you all one by one, and the candidate will need to go through this door. From there, this reader will give you a score," he pointed to a small dial located at the top of the door. "Passing will earn you 500 points, but let me remind you again that this test isn't difficult to pass. The difficult part is what everyone will see inside."

"Just in case, it's better to leave the imitation Gremory for last." Azazel pointed at Shirou with his thumb.

"Imitation Gremory?" Shirou asked strangely.

The only thing they had in common was their red hair.

"Is there a maximum score?" asked one examinee.

Griselda frowned before speaking. "Generally speaking," she began. "There should be, but no one has been able to reach the measured limit," she said.

Saber and Rin immediately gave Shirou a sullen look.

Again, I still did nothing!

The room fell silent as Griselda's eyes scanned the sheet of paper with the names in her hands. "Irina Shidou, come to the door, please," she called out.

After receiving a nod from her church priest, Irina approached the door and turned to Griselda, not knowing what to do.

"Just push the door open and walk in," Griselda said.

Irina had to exhale and inhale to calm herself from the memory.

It wasn't real, it was horrible but it wasn't real

Xenovia wanted to take his hand for a moment but...now there was too much distance between them.

Both literally and figuratively

Taking a deep breath, Irina placed her hand on the door and pushed; a flash of dim light illuminated her as she disappeared from inside.

The room was filled with soft whispers, and many speculated about what Griselda had meant by the difficulty of the second test. How could something be difficult yet easy to pass?

Gabriel couldn't help but feel sad.

He knew why it was necessary but he still didn't like subjecting children to that kind of...trauma.

It was a paradox. No matter how he thought about it, it made no sense. Therefore, the only way to understand it was to enter through the door first. It was a conclusion both he and Xenovia quickly came to. That, and simply asking Irina when she came out.

Time passed slowly and it became increasingly clear that this path could take quite a while.

Finally, after fifteen minutes, the doors shuddered before creaking open to reveal Irina's pale face. Her hands were trembling slightly, but she hadn't noticed yet. Even the vigor she'd had just moments before was gone.

"What happened in there?" Issei asked, worried about his childhood friend's condition.

"I had to make a decision," he replied bitterly.

The stark difference between her appearance upon entering and her appearance upon exiting sent shivers down the spines of many people. However, the score displayed on the screen was a thousand, well above the minimum passing score of five hundred.

"Congratulations," Griselda's voice echoed. "You passed."

Irina nodded dejectedly and walked over to him and Xenovia. The closer she got to them, the more obvious it was that she was shaken up by something.

"What did you see in there?" Rin wondered curiously.

Some kind of difficult decision, perhaps moral or an unavoidable scene, it could even have been something from his own memories extracted by that artifact

He would really like to be able to get his hands on that thing to study it.

The other one too but Shirou already destroyed it

He smiled slightly as he stopped in front of them. "I did it," he said softly before falling completely silent.

"Just what happened there?" Xenovia couldn't help but ask.

Irina just continued smiling and said nothing, preferring to rest against a wall where she fell into deep thought.

"It's still hard," Irina muttered.

Even now so long later the decision weighed on her.

Shirou frowned as he watched more people being called in to take the exam. Something wasn't right about this exam. Why did the examinees seem like they'd lost even though they'd passed?

"Unknown to loss, nor known to gain" Shirou unconsciously recited part of his aria with Rin and Saber looking at him worriedly.

Winning but losing at the same time, I knew the feeling more than well.

Unnoticed, both Michael, Azazel and Sirzech looked at Shirou with interest.

When he recited those simple words there was a disturbance

A small one, so light that under any other circumstances it would have been overlooked

But here where there were only them it was noticeable, at least for them

What did those words mean?

Almost all the previous candidates had passed, but all of them were reduced to a state like Irina's.

Suddenly everything went silent.

The atmosphere in the room could only be described as somber, a permeable heaviness that seemed to float in the air and that gradually began to affect him. He didn't like seeing people immersed in such an atmosphere.

"What are you doing to those children?" Kiba asked angrily.

It reminded him so much of the holy sword project

"Nothing they haven't accepted," Michael really wanted to explain to the young man that no, it wasn't that abomination again.

But he couldn't, something told him not yet.

"Shirou," Xenovia began, elbowing him in the side. "What do you think is going on in there?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," he said, frowning. "Just promise me you'll be careful in there."

"I don't think it's necessary, apart from the mood everyone seems to get out of there physically unharmed" Sona said, increasingly intrigued by whatever is going on in there.

Xenovia pursed her lips and nodded just before her name was called and then immediately interrupted.

"Shirou Emi-"

"With all due respect, Sister Griselda, but may we make a proposal in light of what happened during the first trial?" The voice belonged to the Church's chief priest.

Shirou squirmed again at the memory.

"Not a bad idea," Michael nodded.

I had no idea how this God could break the door or if there was a need to do it but it was best to be safe.

Griselda stopped talking and gestured to the priest to continue with a "come in."

"On behalf of myself and my fellow clergy, we propose that this examinee be the last to appear in case any further unforeseen events arise."

"How do you break a door that you just have to walk in and out of?" Issei asked confused.

Well it was possible to break a door but unless Shirou tried it physically I didn't see how it would be possible.

Hearing the words spoken, he coughed into his hands and silently sent a message to Griselda to accept, so as not to cause any more trouble.

"Accepted," Griselda said. "Then I'd like to give the floor to the next candidate..."

Names were called one after another, and more and more candidates emerged from the door, pale but determined. The scores appearing on the counter were relatively high, averaging around 700 points, well below the minimum passing score of 500.

"It seems to be true that it is easy to pass," Akeno murmured, looking enraptured at the faces of the King Arthur aspirants.

Mmm, maybe I could get access to that door somehow?

Soon it was Xenovia's turn, and just like Irina when she walked out the door, they didn't talk much about their experience. At least Irina smiled. Xenovia simply kept her brow furrowed and stood silently, alone, contemplating. However, they both eventually managed to overcome their trials and return to normal just as her name was finally called for the last time.

"Wait, Xenovia, wasn't she called much earlier last time?" Issei asked in confusion.

How did that list work?
“Shirou Emiya,” Griselda sighed. “In the words of the cleric behind me, please try to keep the trouble to a minimum.”

"I didn't do anything," Shirou muttered with some guilt.

It was that strange necklace

That he voluntarily used and obeyed

Maybe it was something his fault.

He smiled shyly and nodded as he approached the door, which opened on its own. He raised an eyebrow as his eyes fell on the collar around his neck before sighing in exasperation. As he stepped inside, there wasn't a flash of light accompanying his entrance like there had been for the other examinees, but rather, he felt a wave of invisible energy wash over him.

"Again?" Michael sighed tiredly.

How many relics did that God intend to break?

And then, and then it got dark.

Muffled whispers and hurried footsteps echoed around them.

In the darkness, before him stood a child whose features and contours were obscured by dark shadows. Similarly, in front of the child, stood a group of people holding in their hands what appeared to be a manifestation of primal evil and sin.

"What is that?" Irina asked in amazement.

"Isn't that what you saw?" Rias asked, curious about the boy.

"Each one saw something different, but I don't remember anyone saying they saw something similar," Xenovia replied.

Although, well, there were only a few who shared the experience so it was possible that someone else saw something similar.

The faces of those people were, like the boy's, shadowed, but I could still make out the expressions of guilt and remorse in their hollow eyes. The whispers I had heard earlier became clearer as the people threw the demonstrations they were holding at the boy like hard stones.

Evil must be contained.

Only one must bear it all.

Only one must be condemned to save the rest.

"What are they doing to him?" Gabriel asked, worried about the child.

Were they trying to turn him into a living Pandora's box?

They were harsh words whose meaning couldn't be misinterpreted. He felt a deep hatred rising inside him, but the feeling quickly faded when he saw tears, like raindrops, falling from the faces of those present.

"How dare you cry?" Kiba asked angrily.

Doing such an atrocity and still being so hypocritical as to cry about it?

Images from the memories of people who were throwing out representations of evil appeared in his mind.

A man stood beside his sick and dying daughter.

A mother cried as she stood alone in a deserted village plagued by vile, twisted filth.

When evil runs rampant in the world, what else could we have done?

It was as if people were staring right at him and whispering that question directly into his ear. He didn't know what to say. In fact, he couldn't even speak at that moment when the boy who had once been hidden in the shadows suddenly appeared before him.

"They're trying to make the child carry everything to save themselves," Serafall said, perplexed.

Sacrifice one to save them all

In their desperation they committed such an atrocity, but could anyone blame them?

He was a child of no more than five years old, but he was empty.

Without knowing love.

Without knowing compassion.

A child born with the sole purpose of bearing an insurmountable burden.

"To become a martyr" I exhale knowledge

I knew the feeling too well.

Living with pain.

And live in pain.

Without even knowing the meaning of their own existence.

The two stared at each other and soon everything changed.

He was looking up from a deep well, the only source of light coming from the distant surface. The sound of dripping water echoed around him, and even then, it only served to amplify the sudden feeling of loneliness that gripped him. To fuel an ever-growing anger.

A curse that will fall upon the world.

His curse to bear.

"Are they trying to turn him into a demon?" Sirzech wondered.

Every day seemed to pass the same way, as he gazed longingly at that distant light. He had become empty, as if nothing really mattered anymore, except the evil that loomed and fell upon him constantly.

It was unfair.

Unfair.

Even maddening, but he was not even fazed by all the difficulties.

After all, it was empty.

Shiro had to grab his chest upon hearing those words.

Empty

Like the

The necessary sacrifice.

An individual who could not be saved.

He looked down at his hands and suddenly realized he was looking at the boy again. All the feelings he'd felt disappeared as he began to understand that those feelings had never been his own, but the boy's in front of him.

"Hey, sir," the boy said slowly, using the limited knowledge he could comprehend. "Are you empty too?"

"Yes" Shirou replied "I was"

But not now, not completely at least.

Now I had things to protect, people worth living for.

Even if it were only because if he tried to return to hell they would follow him.

Chasing ideals that aren't even his own  , the words Archer had said back then echoed in his mind, images of a child endlessly walking through unholy fire subsequently surfaced.

"Is that you?" Serafall asked sympathetically, recognizing the red hair.

"Yes, that was me" Shirou nodded, not seeing the point in lying.

He was before he was Emiya Shirou

He remained silent, and the boy simply stared at him expressionlessly, knowing neither pain nor disappointment.

Suddenly, he was back on the surface, standing between the boy and the crowd, and he understood what had happened.

"This is the test" Rin guessed

Now I understood why everyone seemed so dejected.

Even she would be

It was her decision, hers alone: save the child and condemn the masses to the manifestations of evil at her hands, or condemn only the child.

"Sacrifice many to save a few," Irina said bitterly.

He still remembered his own, killing the stray who never wanted to be a demon or letting him go and watching his madness lead him to kill many more.

It was horrible, even if he didn't exist I could still see his blood on his hands

The manifestation in the hands of the people were their own sins and emotions of greed and hatred, the evil in their hearts. However, the boy had done nothing to deserve being a scapegoat.

He closed his eyes and reflected on everything.

The emotions I had felt.

And the images I had seen.

He opened his eyes and a determined light shone in them as he walked toward the boy with purpose.

"Will you save the child?" Michael asked conflicted.

It wasn't the wrong choice, after all there really was no right choice

But doing so would fail the test.

I didn't want to see him fail but that would also drive that God away from the Excaliburn

"No, that idiot won't do that" Rin sighed in exasperation while Saber looked at Shirou with regret

As she made her choice, the necklace around her neck began to release its glow, and hidden deep within, a dark energy began to stir, intrigued by the choice she should make.

"The evil pieces?" Rias wondered.

Had they managed to do something?

As Griselda watched the young man pass through the doors of the second trial, she couldn't help but begin to speculate about the outcome. Not only was his performance during the first trial phenomenal, but it bordered on the impossible. She had heard the rumors about the jewel, and they were undoubtedly true. As a relic from the Great Faction War and a tool used by the Angel of Judgment himself, it was meant to be a gift to the devotee to evaluate subsequent generations of Holy Sword users. For all intents and purposes, it was a relic even used to judge the light capabilities of angels before it was bestowed upon humanity. It shouldn't have been broken.

"Theoretically only an archangel could do that and not so easily" Michael pursed his lips

So how did that God in such a seemingly weak state achieve such a feat?

She silently pondered to herself. Although blessed, the child was still human. So how was it possible for the ancient relic to be destroyed by the amount of light energy contained within a human body? Her brows furrowed the more she thought about the matter before a startling realization washed over her. Saints were people who contained an abnormally high amount of light energy, but even they shouldn't have been able to destroy an artifact made from the heavens. Therefore, there could only be one exception, and that was...

"No," Michael declared with the closest thing to anger he had shown in centuries.

Irina looked at him slightly fearful.

Why did they deny it so much? It may have been small, but it was still a possibility.

Her eyes widened and she couldn't help but swallow nervously as a thread of almost insane thoughts took root in her mind.

Gabriel frowned.

Had that God planned this? Was his previous show of force not just to cover up his tracks but to leave doubt in the minds of believers?

Why, if so, was he much more calculating and dangerous than he had been given credit for until now?

"Sister Quarta?" One of the clergymen called her name from behind.

She turned to look at him and met the gazes of several other high-ranking priests and nuns. "Do you need anything?"

“No, but we have some questions in mind that we hope you can answer,” said the head priest of Irina Shidou’s church. He had admitted that he had been rather arrogant at the beginning of the trials, but it was more a sign of the faith he had in Irina. It was only after witnessing the destruction of the sacred relic that he was forced to lower his spirits. He sighed. “Did you really train that child?” he asked.

"Yeah, sure, faith," Irina murmured.

He still hadn't been able to see that man's face again after learning what he gave him to increase his affinity to the sacred element.

Even if he wasn't responsible for the experiments or acted in them he should have known what that thing was made of and still gave it to her.

I wasn't sure I could ever forgive him for that.

"Yes," she didn't hesitate to speak the truth and give her opinion. "He is." She closed her mouth for a moment, trying to find a suitable answer. "He's someone I believe only appears once during times of salvation, and even I don't understand why I feel that way. You haven't perceived it yet, but he also possesses a Holy Aura."

"R-really?"

The congress of priests and nuns couldn't help but exclaim: after all, it was the correct answer. A holy aura wouldn't mean much to the younger generation; they could only appreciate it for the warm and tender feeling it exuded. However, for the older generation, the meaning was much greater. A holy aura signified a holy man. Among those people were individuals like John, Peter, and Nicholas, all of whom had become saints.

"Wouldn't that get LA's attention?" Sona asked in confusion.

She wasn't sure of that God's intentions, but the birth of a saint would at least make some angels curious, and that could end up in him being discovered when they finally get to see him.

Wouldn't it be better to stay under the radar for a while?

"It's possible that he doesn't really care," Serafall replied, "if all he wants are the Excaliburn fragments, he'll disappear after the trials, so trying to keep a low profile is pointless."

But that would mean leaving the church and the best way to obtain the remaining fragments was to become part of it.

So what was he planning?

The future a Saint had in the Church was truly limitless, but it also scaled according to his rarity. That's why the Priests and Nuns were so puzzled.

"Where did you find it?" asked one of the calmer priests.

"Next to the Church stream," she replied.

"So he's the holy man of Church Creek?" a nun asked incredulously.

"It's cinema" This time Issei managed to get ahead of Azazel by raising both hands before proclaiming

"Cinema? What do movies have to do with this?" Shirou asked, puzzled.

"Perhaps you're referring to the format in which we see this?" I theorize, equally confused.

A puzzled expression appeared on Griselda's face. It wasn't that the nun was wrong, but there was something about the name that implied a childish sense of mischief. Probably because it was ridiculous that a potential saint came from such an obscure place. Although there was also John the Baptist, his life didn't begin by baptizing people with water from the Jordan River.

"Yes, what was the need to put an old woman through the pain of childbirth?" Azazel asked with some dark humor.

"She wasn't an old woman," Michael replied.

"It was for the time," Azazel replied without missing a beat.

"Old woman?" Shirou wondered strangely.

"According to Abrahamic mythology, John the Baptist was born to an older, sterile woman, although it is never specified how old," Saber replied.

She was never exactly a Christian, she couldn't be with a witch for a sister and an incubus for a teacher, but in her time this kind of knowledge was more fundamental than even things like mathematics.

She shook her head and reluctantly didn't criticize the name the nun had suggested. After all, it had no flaws.

"According to the title of the book, yes, he did." Serafall couldn't help but laugh a little at the mundane birth of a saint's name.

What do you think will be the outcome?

"Seeing your choice, I don't think it's a very good one," Rias said, vaguely worried.

She was a demon, fuck those people the kid deserved to live, but anyone would expect a saint to choose the greater good

The question was sudden, but she had already been thinking about it.

"It's not safe," he said. "This test doesn't depend on the amount of light energy found in an individual, but on the individual's mentality. It would be too difficult for an egotistical person, or even for normal examinees, to pass. Of the three tests, it is undoubtedly the most difficult."

"I see, now it makes sense" Shirou nodded

But for him it wasn't difficult, at least not in the choice part.

From the beginning his answer was clear

Even if he was unknown to defeat nor known to victory he would go on saving everyone he could.

The other priests and nuns nodded. After all, everything he'd said was true.

"Then we just have to wait," was the only consensus reached.

More than half an hour passed when they felt something was wrong.

"I guess it's not supposed to last that long," Rin asked cautiously, though it was more of a statement.

"No, I think the longest I saw it last was about twenty minutes," Irina replied worriedly.

Was the choice so difficult for Shirou?

All the other examinees had left through the doors within fifteen minutes, the maximum being twenty, but Shirou was still there.

A look of concern crossed Xenovia's face for a brief moment before she quickly hid it behind an icy exterior.

"Is it possible something is wrong?" Xenovia asked aloud.

"No, even if something fails it shouldn't be anything dangerous" Michael replied worriedly

Did that God do something again?

However, the same couldn't be said of Irinia. She was the kind of girl who easily expressed what she felt, even without words.

Griselda saw all of this, and it only served to increase the sense of urgency that was beginning to take root in her mind. This wasn't normal. Then again, Shirou wasn't normal either, and she didn't mean that in a bad way.

"No, it's not normal in a bad way," Rin said ruthlessly.

No one capable of walking among melting corpses without the slightest disgust or disturbance was.

Shirou knew this so he said nothing in his defense.

There was nothing to defend anyway.

It was when they heard the distinctive creaking sound that all eyes turned to the door, expecting Shirou to emerge. However, contrary to expectations, he wasn't there, and instead, a steady tapping sound originated from the doors of the second trial; the ivy and plant growth covering the left door withered, while the gold-plated right door began to lose its luster.

"Again?" Azazel asked in amazement.

Did this God have some kind of personal grudge against his father or something?

What was happening was truly inconceivable. Even the measuring device that displayed the examinees' scores through illuminated numbers was completely out of control.

Someone gasped as the first crack appeared.

Michael and Gabriel watched the scene with bitterness

Another relic destroyed

Shirou squirmed as he watched his debt increase.

She herself felt an undeniable sinking feeling in her stomach.

"Not another one,  please  , not another one," the high priest of the Church organizing the trials began to pray fervently. It wasn't enough that the sacred relic was destroyed while in his possession; now the Gate of Inner Vision was destroyed as well. How was he supposed to explain this to the Vatican, or even to the representatives of Heaven?

"A Deus ex machina did it?" Issei suggested receiving a sullen look from his childhood friend.

Well it wasn't a lie

Her face began to pale as she watched more and more cracks appear in the door. "  Griselda?!  " she cried pitifully, as if she were a dog that had been kicked.

He sighed. At that moment, he couldn't help it. "I'll take some responsibility, since it's my student's fault."  He would remember this during the next training session.

Shirou shuddered

That didn't sound good.

For the third time Xenovia looked at the blonde Saber with suspicion.

Was that really a growl?

As the cracks spread further, the left door slammed into the floor and the reverberating sound of metal echoed in the silent room, while the right door soon followed.

Even with his promise to take some responsibility, the high priest of the Church held his head in his hands and muttered quietly to himself. It was inappropriate behavior for the leader of the Church, but he supposed this might be an exception. It wasn't very often one found themselves in a situation where they had to explain how  two  Heaven-given treasures were destroyed.

"Deus ex machina again" Issei insisted

Shirou wondered what a Machine God had to do with all this.

In any case, wasn't he a God of light or something?

But what really puzzled her was precisely that: how?

Based on the way the Gate of Inner Vision operated, it wasn't conceivable that it would break. It wasn't like the old Relic of the First Trial, as there was no way to overload it, let alone destroy it.

"Of course that idiot would manage to do it." Rin gave a deep, exasperated sigh.

Note to self, if she ever gets her hands on a relic never let Shirou near it.

The second test was based on integrity. Without integrity, regardless of whether one possessed sufficient light energy within their body, how could one be trusted not to go rogue? A brief example would be Freed Sellzen, an exorcist of the Church who went rogue after losing himself to his own bloodlust and twisted mindset. He had been promising, someone who possessed as much light attribute as his daughter, yet he didn't even hesitate to abandon the Church's teachings. However, it was fortunate that he wasn't capable enough to obtain a Holy Sword.

Xenovia and Irina shuddered at the name.

Yeah, how the hell did that twisted guy manage to get so far in the church?

After all, he'd failed that very test.

The test was different for each examinee, as the world they created was based on something they had glimpsed of the individual. Because of this, the doors would emit a faint glow after each examinee passed through them, but Shirou was the exception. Not only did he not emit a faint glow, but the doors would willingly open for him, beckoning him forward.

"How did he manage to manipulate a relic like that?" Michael wondered.

And how did he do it without anyone present, without Griselda noticing that something was wrong?

The question was, what did it all mean? And what kind of world was Shirou in?

In the second test, even though each world created was different, the same fundamental result was always obtained: a choice that even the most practical individuals would find difficult to make. Furthermore, everything became more real because the Gate had total hypnosis properties, making the choice much more difficult. It wouldn't be a great surprise if the people who entered believed they had been transported to a past of their regrets, or to a situation where they could do nothing but decide between what was most important to them. Because, after all, it was something that happened frequently.

Often, the most difficult decisions involve the greatest regrets and consequences.

"I see, truly a cruel but necessary test." Saber nodded.

He would have loved to have access to something like this in his time.

Hesitation in the face of such decisions cost the lives of many good knights.

Being able to experience it without the real danger involved would have been an excellent way to train the mind.

In this way, it could be said that this test was designed to make the test takers fail. Their score was represented by the time they hesitated in their actions and the remorse they felt upon realizing what they had decided to sacrifice. For example, a choice between saving their lover or their family. An individual's integrity is not based solely on their actions or abilities, but on the motivations and regret that drive them to make that decision.

"I see," Rin murmured.

If that were true then Shirou should fail this test.

After all, for him, and especially for his younger version, there was no wavering in his conviction.

And that could be seen as a lack of remorse for anyone.

It was like choosing to kill one out of a hundred, while mourning the loss of that one.

Rin clenched his fist

That kind of mentality reminded him so much of him.

And it almost seemed like they wanted to push Shirou to follow their same path.

Shirou took her hand gently squeezed

"I won't, I'll never become him" he whispered softly in her ear to calm her down making her blush

Silly

"Stop flirting, damn it!" Issei exclaimed angrily.

In reality, it was the worst kind of judgment, but in this way, it would allow the examinee to grow from the experience without the situation becoming reality. This judgment should only strengthen their conviction.

The exceptions were people like Freed Sellzen, who had no feelings of guilt after making his decision.

"He sounds like a nasty guy," Rin muttered.

For some reason she reminded him of that nasty bitch Caster

As the gates began to shatter on the ground, she couldn't help but recall some of her past suspicions. There was always something about this test that bothered her. As a tool created within the Heavens, was its function really only hypnosis?

Michael remained silent but couldn't help but smile a little.

As sharp as ever

He was brought out of his thoughts when the sound of footsteps began to echo. Was the trial over?

Not only his gaze, but everyone turned to face the sound.

As the constant clicks of shoes hitting the ground grew louder, people also realized they were coming from the destroyed door.

One moment he wasn't there, and the next, Shirou appeared, his arrival marking the complete evaporation of the gate. All that remained were the decorations, which had deteriorated further and further after the gate's creation.

"Well that makes two relics, do you want to add a third?" Rin mocked Shirou making him squirm.

Michael looked at him worriedly.

It was not possible to destroy the relic of the third trial

True? No, it shouldn't be...

Wouldn't it be better if Griselda just tried it out personally in a practice duel?

Faint traces of black markings could be seen beneath his skin before they faded to be replaced by the familiar Holy Aura. Feelings of reverence began to grow within her as she bathed in it, but she quickly regained control of herself. After all, she had already been in the presence of someone with an equal, if not greater, Holy Aura: Michael of the Seraphim.

Saber looked at the marks sharply.

Were they part of the tests or something those evil pieces did?

"That's not possible," Gabriel murmured in amazement.

Even among the Gods of light few could compare to his brother!

"What is this?" Michael asked confused.

How could something like this be possible?

However, the others didn't have the same opportunity, their expressions frozen in shock. Even Xenovia, despite all the training she'd been given to hide her emotions, couldn't contain the astonishment in her eyes.

And yet, as if he believed the gazes directed at him were reprimanding him for destroying yet another artifact, Shirou silently bowed again and again, his face flushed with embarrassment.

"I name you Saint Dēstruere, the saint of destruction," Serafall said solemnly, waving her wand as if granting a knight a title.

"Is it really... a farce?" Asia asked, resisting the urge to clasp her hands and start praying.

How could something so beautiful and pure be a lie?

Even Michael looked doubtful.

Could it be? Was it possible that in that world his father...

No, it couldn't be, it was impossible.

The action only served to draw his and everyone else's attention to the measuring device that had long since stopped spinning and displayed a simple figure beneath Shirou's feet.

Almost completely vanished along with the remains of the door, it was still possible to see the figure shown: a horizontal eight, the mark of infinity.

"Is it possible to extract infinity?" Irina asked in amazement.

"No, it isn't," Gabriel replied.

She inhaled deeply, and her vision blurred. That kind of score wasn't possible. Therefore, it could only mean one thing: a score that couldn't be measured.

While Shirou felt awkward in the silence, it was Irina Shidou who involuntarily asked the question on everyone's mind. "W-what happened there?" she asked. "What choice did you make?" Her voice grew quieter as she recalled her own experience, her mood turning somber. "Who did you save?"

"The child?" Rias asked, surprised.

If so, shouldn't it have failed?

Yes, that was exactly the question lingering in Griselda's mind. Who did Shirou save? Regardless of which world the artifact displayed, it always presented the choice of saving one or the other. What was her choice?

"Save one or a hundred," Shirou muttered.

The choice was always obvious

She and the procession of priests and nuns listened attentively to the answer.

"Well," Shirou scratched his head uncertainly, still nervous about breaking another device.

However, he responded anyway as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I just saved them both."

Shirou nodded.

There was never another answer

"That's not possible," Michael sighed, trying to calm his conflicting emotions.

"Why not?" Shirou asked curiously.

"Why wasn't it done that way? It's about saving one or the other. You can't save everyone. That's the lesson you should learn," he replied calmly.

"You may be right, but that would never stop me from trying," Shirou said with conviction.

That was his only way

"They really do look alike," Azazel muttered bitterly.

"Are you sure you're not a Saint Dēstruere?" Sirzech asked him curiously.

"I'm far from being a saint," Shirou replied, uncomfortable with the title.

"Yes, our Saint Dēstruere is far from being a saint." Rin nodded solemnly.

"You too, Rin?" Shirou moaned in regret.

This title would follow him even to his world, right?

Something moved inside Shirou.

Barely awake but watching with interest all the interaction

Save everyone? Why? What led him to make such a decision?

What led you to try to save those ungrateful people?

What led you to try to save him?

He didn't know it, but for now he would continue watching while this warm flame kept him awake.

Who knows, maybe he'll even find something interesting.

NDT/A: Just to clarify, Dēstruere is Latin for destroy.

What did you think of the cap? Good? Bad? Terrible? Horrible?

For those who are interested in finally killing that damn swamp dragon in Elden Ring!!!

Damn, it took me like 10 tries.

I kinda regret choosing the astrologer class, that thing always killed me in one hit so I literally had to do it perfectly to win.

Any recommendations? Some armor for a wizard or something?

Whatever helps me take at least two hits.

10324 words

Chapter Text

Curiously, Kiba took the book this time.

The trial to receive an excaliburn, despite everything that happened I still had mixed feelings about the sword and would rather never see or hear about it again

Still, he couldn't deny that he was curious about how the wearers were chosen.

And what would Shirou do when he had those things in his hands?

Why after everything he had seen, he didn't think anyone had the slightest doubt about his victory.

Someone finally swallowed audibly.

It wasn't that the sound was loud, but in the midst of the silence, it was quite obvious. The person in question seemed to realize it when a blush began to creep up her neck, but no one noticed.

"That makes two out of three, come on Shirou you can go for it gold!" Serafall exclaimed

"You do realize these are priceless church artifacts, right?" Sirzech pointed at his friend.

"Of course I know, that only makes it better" Serafall nodded shamelessly with excitement

Michael looked at the screen nervously.

As he thought, wasn't it better to let Shirou have a practice match with Griselda?

What prevailed at the moment was the visibly repentant young man at the center of attention. His figure was by no means straight, but rather seemed eternally bent at the waist. At least the white cloak he wore ended up covering his head when he bowed in apology; otherwise, they would have been able to make out his nervous expression.

This young man was naturally Shirou Emiya.

"Well, there goes our savings, Saber, it's time for plan B" Rin sighed playfully

"Turn Shirou into a porn actor?" Saber asked puzzled.

"No, no, that's the D" Rin quickly denied

"Hey wait, they're-"

"We'll have to start renting Shirou to the queen more often," Rin interrupted whatever Shirou was going to say.

"Oh, I thought that was the C" Saber nodded in relief

"No, C is to make him work in the tower cafeteria until he collapses," Rin corrected her gently.

Shirou blinked in puzzlement.

How many plans did they have and why did they all seem to end with him using his body to pay off debts?

The rest watched the interaction with some amusement.

Those three seemed to love each other very much.

It hadn't really been that long since he'd stepped out the door and given his answer, but somehow, he felt the urge to step back and commit to suffering more torment than enduring this shame. He was never good at being the center of attention, but fate wanted him to endure the same ordeal again and again. Things only got worse when he remembered he couldn't even back out because he'd destroyed another treasured object in the church.

A wave of reluctant depression set in, much like when he saw the food bill made up of only Saber and Fujimura Taiga's eating habits.

"Shirou!" Saber exclaimed with red cheeks

"They spent a month's budget in a week, I had to start taking double shifts at Neko's to be able to pay for all the food they consumed" Shirou defended himself embarrassed

That had been a secret he planned to take to the grave.

"Why didn't you say anything?" She asked, still embarrassed.

"I couldn't, you looked very pretty eating and that made me happy" he replied scratching the back of his head in sadness.

"Shi-Shirou!" Saber exclaimed with a full-blown blush.

"Aren't you jealous seeing them flirt like that?" Serafall asked Rin curiously.

"Jealousy? Why should I be jealous seeing my harem happy?" Rin asked, looking genuinely confused.

"Your harem?" Serafall looked at her puzzled "but I thought it would be your-"

"Mi-ha-rem" Rin replied with a smile that made even the demon queen nervous.

"Right, your harem." Serafall knew when to back down, and this was the optimal moment.

But how could she ever repay what she had broken?

"We'll send the bill to your cemetery," Michael sighed.

As soon as they found out which one it was

Things weren't like back home, where he had a job to pay the bills. In fact, he had no source of income where he was now, and even then, how much would it take to pay for something Xenovia had discreetly whispered to him was priceless?

"If you believe, there will always be a way,"  said the voice in the necklace.

"Yes, a path to eternal debt," Azazel said sarcastically.

He didn't respond, just grunted, as if believing could help him at that moment.

It's no surprise that Griselda was the first to compose herself in the crowd. She had a contemplative gleam in her eyes, but she hid it as she walked forward.

"Did you really save them both?" she asked.

"How?" Kiba asked, feeling this personal in some way.

"The only way he idiot knows how" Rin sighed exasperatedly

It had taken a long time to get Shirou to the point where he was now and it seemed his other self would have an even harder time with that fool.

He stared at her and nodded, as there was no way to take back his earlier words.

"Impossible," the high priest said as he approached Griselda. "There has never been a way to have both options. This was a path of integrity and righteousness."

"I have never tried to follow an upright or righteous path, I am not pure enough for something like that, I only wish to save as many as I can" Shirou shook his head

That alone disqualified him as a saint.

Or at least that's what I thought.

And yet, he saved them both.

It was the thought that traveled through people's minds.

Griselda stared at the empty space where the door used to be, "Maybe that's why the door broke?" she speculated.

No one refuted it. It was like an old computer that couldn't understand the action being performed and therefore stopped working.

Michael's eyebrow twitched just a millimeter.

"My father's creation is not an old computer," he calmly corrected.

"Y-yes, sorry" Shirou sincerely apologized

Sometimes his thoughts tended to wander to dangerous places, honestly if Rin knew everything he thought about her during the war she could have killed him right there.

It was a plausible explanation, as most factions modeled their inventions after what humans had made and discovered. In fact, there was information in the Heaven's Investigation Force about a prominent young heiress of the Seventy-Two Pillars who was greatly affected by an industry the humans called "Anime." Some even hypothesized that this was the only reason a High-Class Devil would attend classes in the human world.

"Excuse me?" Rias asked with pink cheeks

Why did the church have information about his hobbies!?

The high priest was stunned for a moment before coughing into his hand, a troubled expression on his face. "Sister Griselda, please say a word," the priest insisted.

A tic formed on Griselda's forehead before her chest deflated and she gave in.

"The tests will be suspended for a moment. You can all return to the courtyard to recharge your batteries," Griselda said as she left.

"They're going to scold her," Xenovia gulped, "and that's going to translate into more training," she shuddered.

And she was going to be involved!!!

No seriously, was that a growl or was he supposed to check his ears?

With that, the room erupted into a series of murmurs as everyone did as they were told, most people simply following along as he tried futilely to shoo them away.

It was as if they had discovered some new and unprecedented species of creature by the way they followed him.

"Many people looked at you like that at school too, you know," Rin pointed out.

"They did it?" Shirou looked at her in surprise.

When?

"Well, not so openly, but they always talked with perplexity about the fake janitor and why you did all that without asking for anything in return." Rin extracted from her memories some conversations she had heard in the hallways.

And yes, honestly it was very strange

Very...distorted

"I just like to help" Shirou muttered defeated

Xenovia and Irina were also among the crowd of followers.

He quickened his pace and breathed a sigh of relief when he realized they had stopped following him. Most of them had been pulled aside by their respective leaders by the various representatives of other churches who had words to discuss with them. Irina was no exception, but she simply shook her head and smiled at the priest accompanying her, confident in her own abilities.

"At this point most have already accepted that Shirou is definitely going to get one sword and with people like Xenovia and Irina fighting over the second one it will be extremely difficult to win" Azazel speculated

So either they were giving them words of comfort so that the defeat wouldn't hit them so hard or they were giving them encouragement to try their best.

Even from where I was, I could understand the crux of the matter.

With their track record and the natural abilities Xenovia possessed and displayed, they wanted to discuss any possibility of victory against them. After all, like Irina, many other disciples of the church were brought to this small church by a stream in the hopes of obtaining a Holy-Sword. Not only would it be a great honor for their respective churches to have produced a Holy-Sword wielder, but the Holy-Sword itself would be transferred to the protection of their respective church.

"And that's not dangerous?" Sona questioned. "What if someone from a less well-defended church wins it, and some enemy decides it's a good time to obtain a holy sword?"

"It's worked for us for centuries, although it might be a good idea to beef up the security around it," Michael said sadly.

I fully understood that it was not so much a suggestion as an accusation, but I accept it.

It was their failure to guard these relics that nearly killed many innocent people and started a war.

“Good work,” Xenovia said slowly from beside him, a conflicted expression on her face.

"Was that good work?" Asia questioned confused.

"He passed and did it with the maximum score, obviously he is" Xenovia nodded without hesitation

If the door broke, it was its fault for not being able to withstand what it was made for.

In a way, he could understand why. Earlier that day, she had hinted that she would overcome him and win the second task, but there she was, defeated again.

"If it helps, it didn't actually get any points," Irina said from the other side. "The infinity just means it's something special."

"Infinity is more the concept of something without limits than a number so technically it got an unlimited score" Azazel nodded

Although, it remained to be seen whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

He didn't really know why the two of them were following him when Griselda had just ordered everyone to rest in the courtyard, but then again, he wasn't exactly enthusiastic about going there. If he did, he'd once again be the object of undisguised attention. Instead, he was heading to one of the guest rooms Griselda had given him during his stay at the church. Directly across the hall was Xenovia's room.

Xenovia seemed to perk up after pondering Irina's words before nodding. "Which means this round didn't count. Therefore, the real battle lies in the third trial," she finished.

"Yes, the third test" Michael said worriedly

I didn't want to be rude but couldn't they make an exception and just have Shirou fight someone else?

I didn't know how I could break that one but then again I didn't know how I broke the second one either.

He looked at her helplessly due to her continued competitive spirit. Just because they received instruction from the same person didn't mean they had to compare themselves. However, he knew that competition could boost one's motivation to new heights, causing their strength to reach greater levels. Furthermore, the way she acted reminded him of how Rin Tohsaka, the top student at his previous world's Homurahara academy, strived to remain the best at everything. Often, her obsession with appearing perfect irritated her friend, Issei Ryuudou, who lived at the Fuyuki shrine; his intuition was strong enough to make him wary of Rin no matter what.

"Do you know an Issei who is a monk?" Akeno asked, unable to contain her laughter.

"Yes?" Shirou replied, not seeing the humor in the matter.

"Please tell me he's a prude," the half-fallen woman asked with great amusement.

"Issei no-"

"He's a complete prude," Rin interrupted. "He once confiscated a porn magazine and instead of keeping it for himself, he burned it in the courtyard while he was praying."

Akeno had to hold her stomach from laughing so much.

"No! Damn monster!" Issei exclaimed, almost crying blood at such blasphemy.

That only increased Akeno's laughter.

Could it be that he found Issei's doppelganger from another world?

"Is there any chance we can put these matters aside for now?" He asked as he opened the door to his room. He then quickly realized that Xenovia and Irina were still following him, Xenovia entering the room even before he did.

Stunned and silent, he only heard a weak apology as Irina followed him, leaving him to be the last to enter his own room.

"Um, sorry," Irina apologized.

In his defense, it was possible that he thought that was Xenovia's room seeing how calmly she entered.

"It's okay, it's not the first time that a woman I just met walks around my house as if it were hers" Shirou sighed more than accustomed

"My God Emiya, who could be the shameless one?" Rin asked him with mock indignation.

Shirou looked at her sullenly.

I was watching the shameless one

Or at least one of them

Saber at least had the decency to look embarrassed.

Inside, Xenovia was making herself comfortable as she sat on her simple bed, arranging the two pillows provided beside her to rest her head on. It seemed like she wasn't doing anything wrong by freely acting as if she owned the place. It was a type of behavior he knew he wasn't talented enough to handle, his past experiences were proof of that; hell, he couldn't do anything when Taiga Fujimura, his substitute older sister and school teacher, or Rin Tohsaka invaded his home.

"Substitute older sister?" Issei asked curiously and somewhat excitedly.

He wanted one of those! The thrill of a sister without the disgusting incest!

"My father died when I was very young so technically his grandfather took care of me but I was already quite independent by then so Taiga just came to watch me and eat my food" he replied with some nostalgia

"Oh, sorry man, I didn't mean to," Issei mumbled in embarrassment.

Even though he was a damn cute guy with a harem, Shirou still seemed like a cool guy so I didn't want to purposely stir up painful memories in him.

"It's okay, that was a long time ago, I'm over it now," Shirou calmly denied without any resentment.

Rin of course not, she immediately glared at Issei and ran her finger down his throat to his horror

Gabriel looked at Shirou with pity

To lose his father so young he must have gone through a lot, and since he didn't mention his mother, she probably left long before his father.

And yet he tried so hard to help others.

He really was a good boy.

At least Irina was more modest and simply sat at the foot of the bed.

He simply had no words to say the moment Xenovia gave him an incredulous look, as if nonverbally asking, "Why are you still standing there?"

"Yeah man, you have two beauties in your room, take advantage of them!" Azazel complained, feeling personally offended by his inaction.

"Oh, believe me he does" Rin replied with an evil smile making Shirou and Saber blush

"Well damn the magician I'll shut up" Azazel knew when to admit his defeat giving Shirou a thumbs up

A brunette and a blonde? The boy had won the lottery.

Although it might have been better with a little more chest.

His brow furrowed as he entered the room and closed the door behind him. Then he simply leaned his back against the wall because there was no way he'd have the courage to sit on his own bed right now.

Azazel sighed in disappointment.

Well, seeing his current self I could say that he would learn

There were no chairs in the room, as all there was was a bed, a small laundry basket, and a well-made dresser where he kept the clothes Griselda had lent him. At least there was a small window he could use to look out onto the churchyard, so he would know when Griselda and the rest of the clergy would resume the trials.

There were only two reasons why he was participating in the trials in the first place. One was that the voice in the collar had urged him to do so, and the second was for more selfish reasons. It was all partly due to the memories he held of the Servant he had summoned during the Holy Grail War.

Shirou, Saber and Rin immediately panicked even though they didn't show it on the outside.

So soon!?

It's not like they expected the secret to last forever, but at least they hoped they could keep it a little longer.

Still, considering what this part of the story was about, they assumed it was inevitable.

"The holy grail," Gabriel murmured.

It was the second time they mentioned it but the first time I heard about a war over it.

But why? The holy grail of her world could bring the dead back to life, but she wasn't sure of its capabilities.

Know.

Everyone immediately looked at the blonde who, although stoic, was uncomfortable with the attention.

Summoned? How?

King Arthur.

Arturia.

Kiba froze upon reading that.

Then he read the same line a second time.

And a third before looking up in astonishment with the rest

"W-wait, you're King Arthur!?" Issei exclaimed in amazement.

Saber sighed, there was no point in denying it at this point.

"My name is Arturia Pendragon, former king of England and currently the servant of my masters Shirou and Rin" she answered proudly

"It was the Holy Grail, wasn't it?" Gabriel asked. "You were brought back to life by them using the Holy Grail."

"I'm not sure what you're thinking but it wasn't like that" Rin interrupted Gabriel glaring at her.

What he said wasn't a lie, but the way he said it made it sound like they had done something sinister.

"We participate in the war for the Holy Grail," Shirou began, not seeing the point of hiding it. "For this, seven magi summon seven servants, legendary heroes from all eras, to kill each other. The last one standing has the right to claim the grail and make any wish they want."

It was a very quick summary but it would do.

"So you two summoned King Arthur to try to claim the grail?" Azazel asked with great interest.

"No, at first I summoned another servant and we were enemies but in the end we ended up working together" Rin explained not wanting to give more details to strangers

Sirzech looked at Arturia apprehensively.

I knew the blonde was dangerous but King Arthur?

I had heard that only King Arthur alone could defeat legions of demons and fight toe to toe with the four original Maous.

Could I win against this version of him? Would I be weaker? Would I be stronger?

And if he really was King Arthur, that didn't mean he had... that sword.

"I guess it makes sense why you were so offended that Excaliburn was broken," Serafall said, not caring much about the revelation.

Was King Arthur a woman? What a surprise, oh wait, the Maou Leviathan was too.

"Yes, my Excaliburn would never break, I don't think there's any way to do it" Saber nodded

"Isn't that arrogant?" Azazel pointed out

Even he could have broken D
Excaliburn if given the time

"No, it isn't," Saber replied firmly, causing Azazel to unconsciously step back.

Damn now he looked like that man

"So you were summoned to fight for the holy grail and you agreed to serve only a brat?" Azazel asked him, not wanting to back down any further.

"The Holy Grail is an artifact of immeasurable power capable of granting any wish, I believe the prize is worth it," Saber replied, unaffected by the questioning.

Or at least it was worth it before its corruption.

"So you have it with you?" Kiba asked with great interest "the Excaliburn?"

"I'd rather not take it out unless necessary," Saber replied.

As if it all ended in a fight

He didn't say it but it was pretty clear.

There was an awkward air due to the revelation and the implications of this.

"So, shall we continue?" Serafall asked, urging Kiba to continue reading.

"You really don't mind that King Arthur is here with us?" Sona asked her sister.

"Will worrying about it change anything?" Serafall asked back.

That...was a good point indeed.

Even with some discomfort and Kiba not being able to avoid stealing a few glances, the reading continued.

Or more specifically some glances at her waist

Where was that sword?

And the sword he knew in his mind could never be destroyed and reduced to mere fragments.

Saber's fists clenched again.

Excaliburn was more of a crystallized concept than a sword, not even the Gods should be able to break it.

"Your work is incredible," Irina finished praising him after a moment. "I think you're guaranteed to get a Holy Sword."

Xenovia gave Irina a sideways glance as she spoke, "You're not bad yourself."

“She’s right,” he said, backing up Xenovia’s words. “You have the same chance as any of us of obtaining a Holy Sword.”

"No, not really," Irina sighed.

He would never get over the fact that his achievement was built on the corpses of a bunch of innocent children.

"Despite everything, you shouldn't belittle your achievements," Michael tried to console her. "You had no idea what that was, and even without it, you are more than worthy of carrying one of the fragments of Excaliburn."

Despite that, Irina shook her head.

"Ignorance is also a sin. I should have known that something so good as to increase your affinity to the light didn't come for free. It's a sin I will carry for the rest of my life, and I hope I can atone for it with my actions."

Saber smiled approvingly, the concept of her sword breaking didn't appeal to her but if in that world it was inevitable then at least she knew the fragments were in good hands.

Irina scratched her head as she thanked them both for their praise. Then she relaxed as she placed her hands behind her and leaned her weight on them. "Actually, my family already has a Holy Sword," she admitted.

"Your family already owns a... fragment of Excaliburn?" Saber asked with difficulty.

"No, it is a powerful holy sword but it is nothing compared to a fragment of Excaliburn" Irina said with more reverence than before

I honestly hoped she would never find out what Kokabiel did to her.

Xenovia's eyes widened.

"So why participate in this trial for a fragment?" Xenovia asked.

Irina laughed before gesturing with her hands. "Well, about that. The Holy Sword belongs to my grandfather. Besides, it would be more appropriate for me to obtain a Holy Sword using my own strength."

"That's something I can respect," Saber nodded in agreement.

Nothing was better than that which you earned through your own effort.

He nodded, as it would have been more appropriate. However, he asked the question that had been bothering him all along.

"Why are you both in my room?" he asked. Technically, it wasn't his room, since he'd borrowed it, but after living there for so long, he could at least claim it.

Irina's eyes were wide open and she frantically explained that she had only followed Xenovia.

"I never would have gone in if I knew it was a boy's room," Irina nodded frantically.

"I'm sure not" Rin said looking at Irina without believing anything

That idiot would manage to get her in even if he had known and unintentionally

Xenovia was indifferent. "God's teachings establish that sharing is a virtue. Therefore, it is his obligation to please us," she said.

"Are you serious?" Rias asked her knight with a raised eyebrow.

"I was just following the Lord's teachings." Xenovia nodded, not seeing the problem.

Wow, he had talent for being a demon even back then.

Akeno started laughing again.

"Well I don't know about you but I don't share my fool" Rin said with a frown

"And know?" Serafall asked, pointing at the blonde.

"I don't share Shirou with Saber" Rin said looking at her as if she were an idiot "Shirou shares me with Saber" she declared as if it was obvious

Shirou and Saber sighed without denying it.

It was not a good idea to contradict Rin.

Her brow furrowed, but at least Irina started laughing.

"However," Xenovia said after a moment. "Since we're all here, I might as well tell you both to prepare for a trip outdoors."

"Outdoor trip?" Saber wondered.

He thought the third test would be combat, not survival.

Or perhaps they were going to fight some creature that was far away and travel on foot there?

"Or if the third test was entertaining" Irina nodded

"I wonder how many of them I could take down now," Xenovia muttered, clenching her fist.

Both he and Irina looked at her in bewilderment.

A trip to the outdoors?

Elsewhere.

"Do you want to exclude him from the final trial?" Griselda asked critically, raising an eyebrow.

"That...wouldn't be a bad idea," Michael admitted, embarrassed.

"I would ask what the worst that can happen is, but I think we already know," Sirzech said, amused.

Hey, it was the sky that was losing, not him.

The high priest seemed to faint under his gaze, but quickly regained his senses. "That's not my intention," the man said nervously. "It's just a suggestion."

She didn't speak, a glance was enough to determine what the man in front of her was thinking.

"You can't honestly believe he would break the Dimensional Cross, can you?" she asked.

"Dimensional cross?" Rin asked, very interested in the 'dimensional' part.

"I can't believe you don't think so at this point," Serafall pointed out.

He already broke the damn door, what else could he expect?

The Dimensional Cross was a cross used in the final test of combat.

The combat trial was a necessary test, as a Holy Sword could not be freely given to someone who lacked talent with the sword. It was certainly possible to learn, but if the three trials could weed out individuals who had both aptitude and skill, it would save the church a lot of time. However, if there was indeed a case where only one individual had the qualifications to wield a Holy Sword but lacked the required skill, then at that point, all the church could do was invest.

However, in determining such an outcome, the Dimensional Cross proved vital. Much like the Diablos' "Ranked Games," chess-style matches designed to determine the position of the Diablo aristocracy, a separate dimension was created to house the individuals. In this way, the participants' abilities are not hampered by environmental damage or personal injury. This fact is largely due in part to the system's safety features.

"A pocket dimension?" Rin's eyebrow twitched.

That sounded like magic from the age of the Gods.

But on the other hand it seems that world never left the age of the Gods so it made sense

"Does the church have something like that?" Sona asked in amazement.

I've never heard of that device!

"It is, or well it was a well kept secret" Irina replied

And now Lucifer literally knew it.

Excellent

In a Devil's Rating Game, to protect themselves from grueling injuries that bordered on the severe, a mechanism would instantly transport them to a safe place. The dimension created by the Dimensional Cross was the same, except for a difference in the method of leaving the space. After all, unlike the dimension created from the Devil's Rating Games, the Dimensional Cross dimension had an accelerated timeframe.

"Time manipulation?" Rin murmured in astonishment.

That was some real fucking magic!

This was designed by its creator in Heaven as a method to increase the strength of his forces on Earth. In fact, many of the other churches that raised and trained young exorcists had similar, though weaker, devices than the one used for the sword trials. All of this was due to simple reasoning with a single thought on the part of those in Heaven.

Rin's eyebrow twitched again as she tried to contain her anger.

All the churches had it!?

How could humans gain the strength to rival demons?

"Magic?" Akeno suggested.

"Sacred Gears" Kiba muttered

"Hitting hard" Xenovia nodded as if it was obvious

"And this is the future of your world?" Rin pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

"We're working on it," Sirzech replied, scratching the back of his head with a nervous laugh.

Human bodies were not only different from those of demons, but their magical reserves were naturally much smaller than those of weaker demons. The only exception was the monsters of the human race called mages, who were born with absurd levels of magical power, and even then, most of them accepted contracts with higher-level beings. However, the vast majority could not compete with higher-ranking beings.

"They literally make deals with the devil?" Rin asked curiously.

He wasn't judging them or anything, in fact he would love to know what the exact conditions were and what he could win or lose with something like that.

"Rin, I don't think that's wise," Saber said with a hard look.

"Relax, I don't plan on doing anything like that, although it would be interesting to experience it from a purely academic point of view," Rin said, waving her hand dismissively.

"So you're interested?" Serafall asked her, her eyes shining with interest.

"Uh, sorry but even if I did I think I'd aim for something a little lower" Rin replied backing away slightly

No matter how childish his appearance was, he couldn't forget that he was dealing with a demon king.

A non-human being

This may well have been the reason why God created Sacred Gears for humans, some even being at the Longinus level: a level high enough to kill a god.

"They give humans weapons capable of killing Gods?" Saber asked, amazed even though her exterior didn't show it.

"And how do they choose the bearers of these Sacred Gear? Is it something similar to the sacred swords?" Shirou asked with interest.

It sounded like they were the Noble Phantoms of that world.

"Not really, humans are simply born with their souls attached to them and when they die, the soul is reborn in another," Gabriel explained, leaving the three beings from another world astonished.

Rin massaged her eyebrows trying to relieve a headache that was starting to form.

"Wait, so you're telling me they're giving out god-killing weapons to any idiot who's even a little lucky? Is there at least some kind of standard for who can or can't get one of those things?"

"Not really" Michael for some reason began to feel embarrassed "but the Sacred Gears capable of such a feat are few, only thirteen in total" he excused himself trying to appease the black-haired mage

"Excellent, so there are thirteen idiots capable of killing Gods?" He asked sarcastically.

"Hey!" Issei exclaimed angrily

"And here's the number one idiot who single-handedly revealed that he has a god-killer." Rin felt her headache worsen.

Issei in his defense seemed embarrassed

"Isn't that very irresponsible?" Saber asked with a frown.

Of course the Noble Phantoms were not always used by the best people but at least they were few in number and only had one or two carriers in their entire existence.

"Father just wanted to give humanity a chance to defend itself," Gabriel said, not liking his father's questioning.

"Isn't he a demon?" Shirou pointed out also worriedly

"Reincarnated," Irina corrected.

"So he gave humanity the ability to kill Gods and in turn gave the demons the ability to take away that ability" Rin summarized 

"If you put it that way, the old man did a terrible job, didn't he?" Azazel joked.

"Father has nothing to do with the demons' ability to reincarnate humans," Gabriel said defensively with sadness.

"And he can't fix it? He gave them the weapons, can't he do something to take them away when they decide to abandon their humanity?" Shirou asked, increasingly worried about that world.

"That's not how it works." Michael looked at Shirou wearily.

And it's not like I'm able to do it, at least not anymore.

"Wouldn't it be better to calm down for now?" Azazel, as amusing as he found all this, knew they should continue reading.

Then I could enjoy the show more calmly.

"Yes, you're right," Michael nodded with some relief.

Rin seemed to want to say more but bit her tongue before nodding.

How could they be so casual about that?

It was the equivalent of that idiot Shinji waking up one day with Excaliburn in his hand or something!

Be that as it may, even Sacred Gears couldn't accommodate a large portion of the human race in its entirety. That's why artifacts like the Dimensional Cross of the Three-Faction War served that purpose. Time in the dimension was faster than time in reality; one day was equivalent to two or three months, allowing humans the greatest amount of time to become stronger in a short period of time.

"Shirou if you come back to our world without one of those things on your back you'll be sleeping on the couch for the next hundred years" Rin threatened with a sharp look that told Shirou she wasn't joking

Good luck young me

He got chills again

However, human lifespans were very short, and most people aged too quickly in space if they remained there for too long. Therefore, Heaven had arranged for mortal flesh not to age in the dimension, like the creatures present in the Garden of Eden.

"They have a damn immortality machine with no side effects!?" Rin exclaimed furiously.

And every church has one!?

Any wizard would happily sacrifice his firstborn son along with his crest for the chance to get his hands on something like this!

"Rin, breathe" Saber tried to calm her down seeing how she started to get agitated

Therefore, something so complex should leave no room for error.

"Shirou changed his plans," Rin said fiercely, "kill everyone and bring that thing back to me right now!" She demanded with bloodshot eyes.

"You do remember that's not me right?" Shirou replied slowly, measuring each of his words.

"Then seduce the angel and convince her to bring you one of those things!" Rin, with no sign of giving up, pointed at Gabriel, who looked very confused.

"Didn't you tell me a while ago not to do that?" Shirou asked very confused.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures!"

"Rin, I don't think prostituting Shirou is the solution," Saber interrupted, trying to be the voice of reason.

Shirou looked at her confused.

Didn't she suggest exactly that recently?

"Couldn't you just...ask for it?" Issei suggested.

Honestly this whole conversation felt like a car accident.

It wasn't something I was supposed to see but for some reason I couldn't take my eyes off her.

"As if someone-"

"Umh, I really don't think there's much of a problem with letting them study one," Michael said, interrupting Rin.

"Really?" Rin asked him roughly.

"They are not from our world so I don't see the problem" the angel responded almost amused in front of the woman's face

Rin had to take a very deep breath

I was fine, I was calm

Everything was FINE

Still, the High Priest seemed concerned.

"You can't honestly believe he would break the Dimensional Cross, can you?" he repeated his question while the Head Priest still hadn't responded. However, a strange, maddened glint appeared in his eyes.

"No way," the priest said shamelessly. "With his background, I'm afraid he'll break the sword!"

"Well, it wouldn't be the first," Saber said thoughtfully.

Suddenly all eyes turned to Shirou

"I don't-"

"Don't say anything sir, he fired explosive swords" Rin silenced him, still irritated by his exclusive show

Xenovia promised herself not to take out Durandal in that man's presence.

He blinked, taking a moment to digest the words he had just heard, and then quickly burst into a stifled laugh.

"You wouldn't do that if you had listened to the magician" Xenovia said very worried about the future

How would his mother take responsibility if Shirou ended up blowing up a fragment of Excaliburn?

Or worse, both

Spit flew through the air as she tried to contain her outburst, but to no avail. Even the hand she placed in front of her mouth didn't help much.

"It's not funny," said the priest, with complete seriousness and discouragement.

"No, no, she does," Azazel nodded seriously.

She just laughed louder.

Still, this was the final test.

Maybe I could create another miracle?

"I'm not sure I can call what he did earlier a miracle," Irina said.

Griselda and the high priest had returned with the procession of clergy announcing the resumption of the trials.

By this time, he, Xenovia, and Irina had already returned and were standing among the participants in the courtyard. A clamor broke out as soon as he approached, but the commotion was forcibly suppressed by the admonishing glares of the church staff and representatives.

No matter how one performed in the trials, it wouldn't be good to be so fixated on events that had already happened. Only later, when the various groups dispersed back to their respective hometowns, would news spread rapidly within the church and the forces of Heaven. The events that had already happened were too great a shock for anyone involved to leak anything.

"Which will only make it more quickly discovered," said Rías.

I still didn't understand what that God's plan was.

"If everyone could follow us back to the church," the high priest said quietly as he gestured toward the open doors at the church entrance.

Griselda was standing opposite the priest, and she too gestured for everyone to enter, giving a stern look to anyone who spoke out of turn.

Saber had to admit that was a good look.

She would have been a great knight in her time.

No one else dared to speak after that, and they hurriedly followed him.

They were taken back to the same room where the Second Trial was held and Griselda took her position at the podium.

"As everyone should know, the purpose of the trials is to determine who among the proposed candidates can wield a fragment of the Holy Sword Excalibur," he said formally.

Saber clenched his fists again.

He would never get used to that.

Shirou placed a hand on her shoulder reassuringly while Rin looked at her worriedly.

It's okay, just...not happy

"The First Trial was intended to eliminate those who didn't have the optimal amount of light energy needed to use a Holy Sword, but that trial had encountered some unforeseen circumstances."

Saber frowned again.

Excaliburn was never about the power to wield it, it was a sword to bring hope to humanity against adversity and while its true power could only be seen with enough magical energy the world itself would support whoever it found to be a worthy wielder.

He realized that everyone was staring at him.

He suppressed a burst of indignation.

It wasn't that he meant to break it, he just did, and no amount of self-reconciliation would erase the guilt and shame of the event.

"It's okay, it wasn't your fault," Gabriel comforted him.

"It's hard not to be when it was in my hands when it turned to dust" Shirou said also feeling guilty

Rin watched the interaction encouraging Shirou with her eyes

Valuable church artifacts come with mom!

Griselda waited a moment until she had everyone's attention again.

"Therefore, nearly a third of those present here have not passed the First Trial, and it is not certain that, even if you complete the other two trials, any of you will be able to wield the sword. Therefore, it is a gamble based on Heaven's principle of justice," he admitted.

Griselda's words were a blow to those who couldn't participate in the first test; an air of uncertainty hung over them. However, they could understand what Griselda meant. For the sake of fairness, they were allowed to participate further, just as God considers everyone equal.

"Yes, only some are more equal than others" Azazel said with obvious sarcasm receiving a reproachful look from Michael

Griselda continued.

"The Second Test was to determine the heart: whether or not one possessed the integrity and disposition required for a Holy Sword user, in which case, many of you have passed. Fortunately, due to the foresight of my colleagues, an exact repeat of the first incident was avoided, and all of you managed to pass the test."

"And don't you think you should trust that foresight more when they suggested not letting him participate in the third trial?" Serafall asked skeptically, "no offense, of course."

"None taken" Shirou replied with a weak smile

I'd rather not break a third irreplaceable artifact.

The priests and nuns of the clergy nodded in satisfaction at his actions.

He restrained the urge to look at them disapprovingly.

—As for the Third Test—Griselda paused for emphasis—it will undoubtedly be the most difficult.

"I don't think it was harder than the second one," Xenovia said thoughtfully.

In the third one he just had to hit things and not break his head

He liked to hit things

Irina nodded in agreement.

As she stepped away from the podium, Griselda nodded to the high priest, who took an object from his vestments and politely handed it to her. She then held it out for all to see in the crowd.

The object was shaped like a small box that had engravings on all sides depicting a cross made of thread.

"Is that the dimensional cross?" Rin asked, examining the box as much as she could from her position.

She looked so ordinary, he wondered how she felt

Or in Shirou's case how he would smell

“This is a Church object called the Dimensional Cross,” Griselda said. “It creates a separate dimension, a testing ground where you will all go. Once there, the rules are simple. Fight to survive. Those who receive the most points will have the chance to try their luck at wielding a fragment of the Holy Sword Excalibur. However, you should all know that time in this dimension moves faster than it does here; one day here is equivalent to two or three months there.”

"Two or three months of training in one day," Saber murmured, very tempted.

Just maybe if it was worth prostituting Shirou to the angel.

For your own good of course

The candidates began to murmur among themselves.

Griselda continued, "But rest assured," she said. "Mortals do not age in the created realm."

Yes, maybe it was worth it.

He placed the Dimensional Cross on the podium before gesturing with his hands. "I now ask everyone to take an orb from the display in front of you," he said.

"Shirou don't you dare break it this time" Rin warned him

"I'm not doing it on purpose," Shirou squirmed in embarrassment.

"You can't break this one," Michael consoled him, "I hope," he said to himself.

The orbs were white in color and sat on a podium-like stand with a soft velvet cushion acting as a mat on top.

Prompted by Griselda, everyone soon stepped forward and obtained their own orbs.

"All of this will be vital for all of you in this upcoming test, as it will not only allow you to escape the dimension of the third test, but will also serve to assess your performance," he said.

"An escape device?" Kiba asked interestedly.

How dangerous was this test?

"Don't worry, no one died and only a few were forced to escape," Irina replied happily.

That caught the attention of several people.

She was able to say that freely despite the restrictions that man placed on them.

What did that mean?

"What do you mean?" asked one of the test candidates.

Griselda nodded before speaking. "It allows for the accumulation of Battle Points, the secondary method of earning points, as the orb only distributes points based on performance. Naturally, there will be numerous enemies depending on the area, so you don't need to perform well to succeed in this test. You just need to have the most points."

Xenovia nodded.

"Yes, you just had to hit hard and hit many," she said pleased.

That was his kind of work

"If she's ever summoned as a Servant, she'll be a Berserker," Ron said to herself, giving a disinterested sigh.

Griselda's face turned serious, as did the other clerics. "If things get out of hand, crush the sphere and you'll be immediately ejected from the created dimension. A holy sword isn't worth a life," she said.

"How many died in that test?" Kiba asked, looking at Michael suspiciously.

"Usually a few dozen die a year" the angel said without any intention of hiding it "either they couldn't use the orb in time, they overestimated their abilities or they underestimated the enemy and sometimes the wounds were too serious to be healed" he explained looking Kiba in the eyes

"As always, they will sacrifice those who are necessary, right?" Kiba asked cynically.

"I'm not sure what your problem is or what circumstances led you to antagonize the church like this," Sabee interrupted Kiba before he could say anything else. "But everyone in there came in of their own free will, their lives are their own responsibility, and when they enter that place, they should be prepared to lose their lives."

Kiba looked at Saber conflicted.

I knew it, I knew it damn it

But why didn't they have that opportunity, the chance to say no?

His hatred for holy swords may be gone but he would never forgive the church or heaven for what happened to his friends.

Never, ever

The words spoken caused tension in the atmosphere, but no one complained or decided to back down. In that sense, everyone was brave.

Smiling slightly, Griselda pointed to a small weapons rack. "There, everyone can choose a sword of their choice to use in the test. This will be their primary weapon and is directly linked to the orbs in their hands. Is everyone understood?"

"Don't break the sword either," Rin warned him.

"I think that will be especially difficult for Shirou," Saber said seriously.

"I don't break all the swords in my hands" Shirou said offended

Only the majority

A series of nods answered his question before everyone took up arms.

"Well, then let this trial begin."

Griselda then activated the Dimensional Cross, gently throwing it in front of the Sword Trial candidates.

A small vortex-shaped crack began to form, the cube split and acted as a border for the vortex.

"Shit, that's seriously fucking real magic," Rin muttered in disbelief.

It wasn't the Kaleidoscope but it was still magic beyond humanity

And it was used by the church!

"Once you pass through the portal, you will all be randomly sent to different locations in the created world. I wish you all good luck, and you may now advance one by one."

"How big is that world?" Saber asked intrigued.

"We have never taken exact measurements, but if I had to compare it to something, it would be to a small country like Costa Rica," Gabriel replied thoughtfully.

"Almost fifty-one thousand square kilometers," Rin muttered.

Almost fifty-one thousand square kilometers inside that little box!

Irina was the first to enter and gave him and Xenovia a small smile before disappearing. After each person entered, there was a small flash indicating they had successfully exited to the other side.

Soon it was Xenovia's turn. Without bothering to say anything kind, she simply walked in after her eyes met Griselda's.

Griselda nodded affectionately.

A mother's pride.

Xenovia squirmed blushing as she received several warm glances.

Stop watching it like that, damn it!

Candidate after candidate disappeared with flash after flash, drawing their attention to the Dimensional Cross itself.

When it was his turn to go through the portal, he noticed a strange fracture in the Dimensional Cross through structural analysis. The fracture didn't seem to have any effect on the artifact itself, nor did it seem to cause fluctuations in its functions, which were exactly as Griselda had described. Therefore, he decided to ignore it for the time being as he moved forward.

"A fracture?" Michael asked worriedly.

That should be impossible, even if it looked like a simple box it was an artifact created by his father

Not even a hit from Excaliburn Destruction should be able to damage her.

"In his defense, the fool hasn't done anything yet," Rin pointed out.

That fracture was already there when he arrived

"But it should be fine, right?" Irina asked slightly nervously. "When we did the test, everything went normally, and no one reported seeing anything unusual."

"Yes, you're right," Michael nodded more calmly.

Still, he would be sure to check it out personally upon his return.

"Something's not right,"  the voice in the necklace murmured as it crossed dimensions.

"Well shit" Issei couldn't help but curse

If the voice in the collar that seemed to take pleasure in destroying those artifacts said that then something must be wrong.

"Bu-but everything was fine" Irina repeated more nervously

"Everything was fine in our world," Azazel corrected.

They could not forget that what they saw was an alternative reality.

And neither the fact that Irina managed to speak freely about some of the test

Which could only mean...that what he said wasn't considered a spoiler.

When everyone came to the same conclusion, a tense air soon filled the room.

And now what was going to happen and how was Shirou to blame?

Well everyone except Shirou who felt inexplicably guilty for some reason

He frowned at the voice, remembering exactly what he had just seen. However, there was nothing he could do about it, as he and the others were already inside.

He appeared in a heavily wooded region and the humidity of the area caused a thin layer of sweat to form on his forehead.

"Now they're inside that box," Rin murmured.

I still couldn't believe that the church of all things had such an artifact in its possession.

Xenovia had told him to prepare for a trip into the open air.

Now I knew why.

It was his fault for not noticing, otherwise he would have had the opportunity to ask the church staff for supplies. He shook his head after thinking about those things; it wouldn't help him now.

"They sent them without anything?" Asia asked worriedly.

"I'll assume surviving on your own is also part of the test," Saber said inwardly in agreement.

"Seriously? They told you to prepare for a trip outdoors and you didn't think to ask anything?" Rin asked him in exasperation.

"Yes, sorry" Shirou also wondered why he didn't do it

Were you that distracted at that age?

As he walked, he decided to examine the area around him, a feeling welling up in his gut. At that moment, he was almost expecting the ground to explode beneath his feet, knowing he was in luck.

The feeling worsened when he realized the collar around his neck was vibrating. He moved on and, in an act of quick thinking, jumped into a tree.

"And now what are you doing?" Michael asked suspiciously.

What was that God planning?

Seconds later,

What appeared before him, in the spot where he had just stood, was a group of winged metal figures. They were human-like with indistinct features; the only visible aspect was the craftsmanship of their construction. Even the chiseled metal, designed to resemble clothing, looked lifelike and was modeled after a priest's vestment.

"I'll assume those things are what you need to defeat to get points," Rin said, impressed by the craftsmanship.

I've never seen a golem like that before.

The only one I could think of to compare would be Professor El-Melloi's mercury golem.

"Yes, they are an excellent way to test the exorcists without making them kill unnecessarily" Gabriel nodded enthusiastically

Another of his father's wonderful creations

No one in the group had seen him, so he slowly retreated into the foliage. However, he was caught off guard when one suddenly appeared behind his back.

The metal figure had four wings, twice the number of the group it had just retreated from.

"I'll assume that like normal angels the number of wings determines their strength" Sona looked to where Xenovia was being the one who fought with those things in the past

"Yes, the more wings they had the stronger they were, I think the strongest one I fought had six wings and I barely managed to win" Xenovia nodded

"Still, they generally don't compare to real angels," Michael decided to correct the misunderstanding that was forming.

They were versatile in their use but there was a reason why they were not used as much during the great war

He stared at it for a moment before immediately pulling out a retractable spear that appeared from a camera on the thing's back.

Wincing, he realized that if he fought where he was now, he would alert the other group of these things to his location.

He fled immediately, using his enhanced vision to run on a path without enemies.

"A wise tactic," Saber said with a slight smile.

I had no idea how strong those things were so fighting such a large group at once was really foolish.

"Is this the legendary Joestar technique!?" Issei exclaimed in amazement

"Which technique?" Saber asked confused.

Was it some technique used in the church that Shirou was taught?

Issei blushed.

It was a meme not to be taken seriously!

Moments later, the collar around his neck emitted a faint light that seemed to point him in the right direction. He then came to an open clearing with a few trees in the area.

"Seriously, what kind of God is that?" Azazel wondered, scratching his head.

How did he know the way? Omniscience?

No, no God so weak would have something like that.

The area was quiet, with no visible threats around.

It would work.

Turning around, the metal thing appeared before him; its body hovered above the ground. Brandishing his spear, he charged forward.

Azazel as well as Michael and Sirzech began to pay special attention

How strong was Shirou? Until now they had only seen him in one fight and it was a practice so they couldn't get a true idea of his combat skills.

But against a piece of metal that was meant to be destroyed?

Why did that God choose Emiya Shirou?

How did he defeat a legend?

He narrowed his eyes and immediately pulled out a hilt that soon transformed into a lightsaber. It was the weapon the church had provided him at the beginning of the trial, and he clearly knew what he was using it for. After all, he needed it to gain combat points, and he'd long ago concluded that those metal things were what he needed to earn them.

"Excellent deduction Shirou" Rin patted Shirou's head speaking to him as if he were a little child

"Rin" Shirou groaned in embarrassment

The thing charged forward, stabbing with its spear, but he was too quick and dived beneath it, stabbing into the opening provided.

His sword clashed with metal, and his arm instantly encountered a resistance that surprised him. According to Griselda's explanation of light energy, it could easily pierce the defenses of even High-Class Devils, yet he was still having trouble continuing his attack.

"That thing is definitely not the same as a four-winged angel," Serafall muttered thoughtfully.

A real four-winged angel would not be so slow and clumsy.

Although I could perhaps give it points for its toughness

The metal thing didn't even care that the sword was digging into its metallic flesh. It raised its spear once more and tried to attack, but he forcibly blocked its arm movement with his own.

His situation was not advantageous.

He gathered his courage and placed both hands on the hilt of his sword.

The thing quickly attacked him again.

He didn't care and instead used all his strength to push the sword into the thing's body before turning it.

"Suicidal as always" Rin sighed

Back up? Dodge? Why would I do something like that?

With a crunch of metal, the thing stopped moving before the spear in its hand fell to the ground and its arms fell to its sides.

He then pulled the sword from the thing's chest and shielded his face as the thing imploded in on itself.

A flock of birds flew down from the forest canopy at the noise, but by the time more of the metal things arrived, he was long gone.

"It didn't explode, did it?" Rin asked suspiciously.

Something hadn't seemed right about that implosion.

"No, those things when they receive a certain amount of damage they teleport to the core of the dimensional cross to self-repair so that they will be ready for when it is used again" explained Azazel

"Brother," Michael scolded him.

"What? I'm not part of the heaven faction anymore so it's not a secret I have to keep," he said with a cheeky shrug.

Gabriel looked at him reproachfully and with an adorable pout.

Yep, it was worth it.

A few days passed and little by little he got used to his surroundings.

At that moment, he was leaning against a tree near a freshwater lake he'd come across the day before. Fortunately, he didn't encounter any more metal figures and instead had time to decide what to do.

"Shouldn't you be looking for them yourself?" Rias asked impatiently.

If I continued like this I wouldn't get the maximum score.

"This isn't a video game Rias" Akeno said mockingly making her king blush

"Studying the surroundings before acting is a very wise approach." Saber nodded approving of Shirou's actions.

Suddenly, she heard a noise and reacted immediately, turning her gaze towards the lake.

His face seemed to lose all color, then immediately turn bright red. After all,

A woman was bathing in the lake in the center of her vision.

"Only you Shirou" Rin sighed.

"I didn't do it on purpose!" Shirou exclaimed redly.

"And that actually only makes it worse." Saber sighed in resignation.

The water rippled as tiny droplets ran down slender arms and a small waist before merging once again with the lake's surface.

The woman had her back to him, her figure hunched as she dipped her blue hair in the water and rinsed it with her hands.

"Oh, it's me," Xenovia noted without any particular reaction.

His body slowly began to heat up at the sight, and inside he felt like cursing himself.

He tried to look away, but froze when the woman turned toward him, absentmindedly wiping the sweat and dirt from her body. The residue of water clung to her skin and seemed to make it glisten in the glow of the dawn light.

"Oh come on!" Azazel exclaimed irritably as the conveniently placed beam of light prevented him from seeing the new

"You get used to it," Issei told him sympathetically.

"You do realize she's a girl thousands of years younger than you, don't you?" Saber asked her in a dangerous tone.

"I'm a fallen angel, THE fallen angel, what did you expect?" Azazel said without any shame "And honestly that's a bit hypocritical coming from the fifteen hundred year old king who seems to have regular threesomes with a couple of twenty-somethings" He pointed out making Saber blush

"I don't-"

"Not knowing, he has a point" Rin interrupted her, but don't worry, he's just jealous that he'll never have Shirou or me in his bed, much less you" she gave the fallen man a superior look who could only smile ironically.

"Good, you got me." He raised his arms in surrender.

Oh if it were possible how he would love to turn that girl into a fallen angel, so much potential

In that moment after she turned around, an awkward silence persisted.

Xenovia's face was completely blank, the only other change being the gradual blush on her cheeks, which was, no doubt, quite charming. Her hands then went to cover the center of her overly large breasts before submerging her body into the water, a murderous aura permeating her.

"I've never seen Xenovia embarrassed like this before," Irina said, fascinated by the sight.

He had once accidentally showered in the men's bathroom and his only reaction was a quick apology!

"Shirou, the one you should seduce is the angel, not the nun!" Rin scolded him.

"I'm not doing it on purpose," Shirou muttered resignedly.

"Are they excessively large?" Xenovia wondered, cradling her breasts.

And why was he reacting in such a strange way?

"For some reason, even I can't tell if your luck is good or bad,"  the necklace's voice sighed before trailing off a little. "  But I can assure you it'll be very, very bad if you don't turn around now."

"Well we can add wisdom to the domains of that God" Sirzech said nodding solemnly receiving a blow to the head from his wife

The voice brought him out of his stupor and he instantly turned around.

The sound of water entered his ears followed closely by the dripping of drops on the ground as he assumed Xenovia had reached the shore.

"Well, it was short but the story was interesting, can we go now?" Azazel stretched asking preparing for the protagonist's imminent end.

"If this idiot survived tripping the queen of the tower and seeing her panties, he'll survive anything," Rin said cynically.

"I already told you I didn't do it on purpose" Shirou again defended his innocence

"And we already told you that only makes it worse" Saber again had to emphasize the fact

He shuddered.

With his personality, there was no way he was going to let this go so easily.

A tingling sensation ran down her spine before her head snapped to the side as a quick wind blew past her left ear.

He was right.

Mostly.

"You dodged it," Xenovia said coldly before clicking her tongue and then continuing to put her clothes back on as she warned, "you'd better not turn around."

"You know, I don't think your mother would be pleased if you reported that you killed the saint she was personally training," Irina pointed out, making Xenovia pale.

"Or you could do it and not tell him," Azazel suggested.

"No, he'll find out, he always does" Xenovia said trembling in fear

"I've noticed," he reminded himself as his eyes looked at the splintered tree in front of him.

"Have humans always had this kind of natural strength?"  The voice in her necklace seemed puzzled.

"Do not underestimate the fury of a God woman," Rin warned the necklace.

Shirou had to agree, many times Rin seemed to have more strength than the reinforced one when he got angry.

The tree she had once leaned her back against had nearly broken with a single blow from Xenovia.

He had no answer for the voice on the collar.

"Before you do anything, let me tell you, that wasn't my intention," he said.

"Oh?" Xenovia's voice sounded incredulous.

He then went on to explain that he had been in the lakeside area for over a day and as such could not be considered guilty since he had been there first.

"That is one of the weakest answers I've ever heard and I live with the fool" Rin said massaging his brow.

Even to her ears, it sounded flimsy, but she reluctantly accepted his reasoning, and moments later, they both decided to sit near the lake in an open field. It was almost noon, and Xenovia unceremoniously dropped her bags on the ground and began rummaging through them, her stomach growling softly.

He soon found what he was looking for: dry ration bars, most of which he knew he'd have to force himself to eat. After the ration bars came a bottle of water, which he then used to rinse a couple of apples he'd found in the woods.

"And if you hadn't been an idiot you could have had one just like that," Rin pointed out.

"Yes yes, I know" Shirou sighed resigned to the scolding

"I see you're ready," he said, smiling ironically.

She'd once told him to prepare for a trip into the great outdoors, but he obviously didn't understand and came with nothing. She didn't pity him, nor did she show any internal conflict due to the indignation she'd just endured moments before—at least he could understand that.

"Suffer," Rin told him mercilessly.

He hadn't missed the fact that he saw another naked woman

I could only see her naked!

And to Know

And just maybe Sakura

So as she sat across from him unwrapping her food, she stared at him.

"I'm not sharing it," he said as he took a bite and then grimaced at the bland taste.

"Didn't you just say that the Lord's teachings state that sharing is a virtue?" Koneko pointed out Xenovia's hypocrisy.

In his defense, he blushed when he remembered that he actually said that at the beginning of this chapter to take advantage of Shirou's room.

And now that it was her turn to share, she simply ignored it.

"A real talent for a demon," Rias said with a wry smile.

He shrugged, having nothing to discuss with her about; rather, he was quite grateful that she decided not to press the previous matter. Still, based on what Griselda had said, he wasn't sure how long he'd have to remain in the dimension. Therefore, food was a must.

"Well at least we know there are birds in that place" Sona said remembering those that flew with the appearance of the mechanical angels

The problem would be catching them only with swords because I doubted that any of those aspirants knew magic.

His eyes scanned the forest and bushes, and his subconscious use of structural analysis helped him greatly as his face lit up.

"Interesting, can you identify anything with that magic of yours?" Akeno asked, her eyes shining with curiosity.

"As long as it's of Earth origin I can," Shirou nodded, not seeing the point in hiding that particular power any further.

As long as his marble of reality wasn't exposed he really couldn't care much.

Was that, was that...?

He immediately headed towards the forest, with Xenovia's eyes curiously watching his back.

In a few moments, he arrived in front of a tree he didn't think he'd find in the forest, though this forest was simply strange. Plants that should only be able to grow in the tropics and plants from milder climates grew there in harmony. In particular, he fixed his gaze on a large vascular leaf that resembled the shape of spinach.

"It's like a mini Garden of Eden," Asia said excitedly.

"Yes, honestly if I think about it we find many plants that shouldn't be growing there" Irina said thoughtfully

She was sure that the coconut tree they found in the forest shouldn't have been there, but she wasn't complaining about being able to drink something so sweet in the heat.

The leaf itself was fleshy and larger than his head, so he easily ended up making a bowl out of it before returning to the tree he had previously been on.

Using the sword they'd provided him at the beginning, he cut a small hole in the tree and placed his handmade bowl underneath, smiling as fresh sap began to flow. He didn't know much about Western cooking involving tree sap, but he did know what tree sap was—a natural sugar.

"Wasn't the tree sap poisonous?" Asia asked confused.

"What do you think maple syrup is made of?" Koneko asked sarcastically.

"It depends on the tree. Trees like the birch or walnut produce sweet, edible sap, while others, like the fig tree or the well-known manzanillo de la muerte (manchineel), can be dangerous," Gabriel explained.

She naturally had knowledge about every living being created by her father.

"In other words, don't try to drink from any tree unless you know what you're doing or have a decent ability to identify whether it's edible or not," Sirzech summarized.

He pulled a large stem from the ground, reinforced it, and used it to tie the handmade bowl before moving on to gather some more things from the bushes.

He then returned to where Xenovia was slowly eating her food, his eyes widening when he saw him. After all, she had been carrying a wide variety of edible plants and things she had gathered in the forest. She didn't get any meat, but at least she wasn't too hungry.

"You can always just shoot some birds," Rin suggested.

"That might draw the attention of those things" Shirou said worried for the rest of the participants

Would they be okay?

He built a fire, arranged pieces of wood and some sticks to create a makeshift grill. Then he pulled out another large vascular leaf he had collected and headed to the lake to fill it with water.

She reinforced it before tying it to the spit and began boiling it under the fire. The natural water found within the leaf made it difficult to burn, and the added reinforcement made it as durable as a normal metal bowl. Without pausing, she then added the elements she had gathered in the forest as the water boiled, the color changing from clear to a light creamy yellow as she stirred. Near the end, she added a touch of sap and stirred it once more, letting it sit for a while and boil to infuse the flavor into the soup.

"You made a stew with that?" Irina asked in amazement.

The most elaborate thing I've ever made was a roast duck on the campfire with some vegetables stuck to a stick!

"It's more of a soup and it's really not that difficult" Shirou replied looking at the ingredients and how it was prepared

Mmm, could have done better to adjust the seasonings

All this time, Xenovia had been silently watching, her eating pace slowly slowing to a complete stop as the smell invaded her nose. She didn't realize it, but the ration bar in her hand had long since fallen to the floor.

"Well if that's not karma then I don't know what is" Rin pointed out amusedly

"Those bars were so tasteless," Xenovia muttered bitterly.

He reaped what he sowed

Smiling at her, he took out a small bowl made from a leaf before pouring some soup into it.

"Don't you want anything?" he asked.

A conflicted expression crossed Xenovia's face. "N-No," she denied decisively.

"You better," Rin snorted indignantly.

"Rin" Shirou called her attention with a scolding tone at her attitude

"What? She's already a hypocrite at least she's not shameless." Rin's heart was not moved when he pointed it out.

However, he instantly understood her problem. Moments before, she had refused to share her food; how could she bear it if he shared his with her?

“Fine, then let’s do it this way,” he said as he took the half-eaten ration bar that Xenovia had inadvertently dropped on the floor. “Now we’re even if you take half of mine.”

"Shirou, really?" Rin asked with a flat face.

Didn't he realize what he was doing?

No, of course the fool didn't realize it.

He smiled at her confused look as her mind finally realized what she'd done. However, instead of saying anything, his eyes simply settled on his half-eaten ration bar, and heat flooded his face. "That's th-th-"

He took a bite of the snack bar before looking at her questioningly.

"Does that count as my first kiss?" Xenovia asked impassively.

"No, definitely not," Rin remarked.

I thought you were losing that little pink on your cheeks?

Please compared to Saber she was much easier to read!

She crossed her arms and turned her face away, but she no longer refused when he handed her a portion of soup.

Still, something didn't seem quite right with her, as she avoided making eye contact with him while keeping a straight face.

"Shirou" Saber moaned softly.

"Amazing, it's like seeing the protagonist of a manga in real life," murmured Rias excitedly.

A kind, oblivious fool who makes girls fall in love without even realizing it!

He really was the protagonist of a manga!

The two remained silent as they began to work on their food. Moments later, he understood why Xenovia had grimaced after chewing the ration bar. Tasteless would be an understatement.

He discreetly watched as her face lit up after taking a bite of food, as feelings of accomplishment welled up inside her.

"I've never seen her react like that to food" Irina realized that she had just discovered many facets of her friend that she never imagined existed.

"It looks appetizing," Gabriel murmured with interest.

How would I know?

"I can cook some for you later, if you want," Shirou offered, seeing Gabriel's face.

"Really?" The angel looked at Shirou with shining eyes.

"Yes, I've already identified all the ingredients and I think I can do better," he replied without hesitation.

"He's a natural," Akeno murmured, impressed.

While Michael watched worriedly as the magician gave the boy two thumbs up

Oh really?

After they both finished eating, they started talking about what they had both been through in the last few days.

Xenovia explained that she had started in a remote region with large rocks and some white-peaked mountains some distance away. She had then moved in the opposite direction of the mountains toward the forested region she had seen from her location.

Along the way, she encountered at most a few wild animals, but nothing dangerous. The only thing that worried her was that she was starting to smell bad after several days of traveling. So when she spotted the lake, she didn't hesitate and headed straight for it. This led her to her current situation.

"That was dangerous, you don't know if a sentry could attack you while you were defenseless" Irina scolded Xenovia with concern.

"I wasn't that far from the shore, I was able to pick up my sword and defend myself quickly, plus the area is open so I can see whatever is coming in time" Xenovia responded, downplaying the matter.

Irina pouted

Maybe I could pick up my sword but I would be left naked!

After Xenovia finished speaking, she told him her own circumstances, causing him to gasp.

"A four-winged sentinel?" Xenovia asked.

"A sentry?" he replied in confusion.

Grunting, Xenovia began to explain everything Griselda had told her in detail.

Sentinels were the metal guardians of the created dimensional space, and were modeled after the angels of heaven. As such, each Sentinel's individual strength was determined by the number of wings they possessed. In this way, human exorcists and even lower-ranking angels could determine how far behind they were in power compared to a higher-ranking angel. This was invaluable as higher-ranking angels would have an equivalence in power with other higher-ranking demons.

"It's not an exact comparison but it works," Irina added, remembering what her superior told her.

A standard could be established.

"And you already defeated a four-winged sentinel?" Xenovia asked curiously.

"If you put it that way, then yes," he replied.

"Xenovia no" Irina warned her

"I don't know what you're talking about" Xenovia said without looking her in the eyes

Xenovia remained silent before standing up resolutely.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm finding my thing," he said.

"Xenovia!"

"I can't stay behind if I want to obtain a holy sword" Xenovia again did not deign to look her in the eyes

After all, with what Griselda had said, the enemies in the dimension were numerous depending on the area.

"Then I'll go with you. I've seen many more before," he said.

Xenovia stared at him for a while before agreeing.

The two of them walked through the forest after deciding on a general direction, and idle banter helped pass the time. At that point, Xenovia brought up the topic of the Second Trial again.

That caught the attention of several

What exactly did he do to break that door like that?

How did they save everyone?

To Michael's knowledge that should have been impossible.

He sighed before beginning to explain what had happened to him. At the Second Trial, he was shown two sides of the world: one, a child condemned by the masses, and the other, the weight of evil that plagues the people of the world.

"The choice I was supposed to make was between saving one or many, though," his eyes hardened as he spoke. "  I couldn't accept it  ."

"Never," Shirou muttered, clenching his fists.

I knew it wasn't possible to save them all, I knew damn it but I would never stop trying.

He would never become like Archer, that was a promise.

"He's a good boy" Michael couldn't help but look at Shirou with pity

The kind of human his father would have loved to meet

And now he was being manipulated by some unscrupulous God for his convenience.

I just hoped it wouldn't end too badly for him.

Xenovia had a look of astonishment on her face. "So you carried the curse?" she asked.

"Carry the curse?" Serafall asked without understanding.

Some eyes opened to the limit

Was that guy an idiot?

He nodded. It was the only choice he could make to save them both, even at the cost of his own well-being.

"So to save them all, you sacrificed yourself?" Sirzech asked in amazement.

"The child did not deserve to suffer like that and those people only did that out of desperation, none of them deserved to suffer so I made the best decision possible" Shirou answered without hesitation

"Yeah, the same idiot as always," Rin said worriedly.

No matter how much it has changed over the years, that mentality never went away.

The only thing they managed to do was redirect her to a slightly better place.

Xenovia seemed to look at him in a new light.

His level of selflessness was simply unheard of. Many might say they wanted to save everyone, but not many would risk themselves in the process. What he did, not many could do, and that was what impressed Xenovia.

"He's not altruistic, he's a suicidal idiot" Rin snorted angrily

"I think it's admirable," Gabriel said in defense of the kind young man.

"Admirable? You really don't know him if you think that." Rin's tone wasn't angry or presumptuous, if anything it was...resigned.

Gabriel looked at her worriedly

What did he mean by that?

A couple of days passed, and the two spent most of their time talking and other times searching for food. At one point, they came across a river and even managed to catch a few fish. However, to Xenovia's disappointment, for some reason they couldn't find any winged sentinels in the area.

Soon, a week passed.

"A week? Alone?" Azazel asked in a suggestive tone.

"Don't even think about it," Rin threatened.

First of all, the idiot wouldn't realize that a woman is in love with him even if she threw her panties in his face.

"Are you sure it was this way?" Xenovia asked while frowning.

He didn't respond immediately, just pointing at the damaged trees and plants. He frowned; that was where he'd fought the four-winged sentinel. He blinked before crouching down and inspecting something he saw.

"Footprints," he said.

"Has anyone else already defeated them?" Xenovia asked dissatisfied.

At this rate I was going to be left without any points.

It couldn't have been a sentry, as they all hovered slightly above the ground. This meant that "someone was here," he said. "From the number of footprints, maybe it was a group of three or four."

“Is that so?” Xenovia said after a moment of thought. “Then the sentries probably chased them.”

"That group Shirou saw was big, such a small group of aspirants won't be able to do anything" Irina noticed slightly worried

Well, at worst they just had to use the orb.

"They've probably been here recently," he agreed, his eyes following the trail of footprints, marks left by the crushed grass.

Since the grass was still flattened, it meant it hadn't had enough time to slowly grow back.

"Let's hurry then," Xenovia said as she walked forward at a brisk pace.

"Hopefully I'll get there in time to finish them off." Xenovia's eyes sparkled, she wondered if in that world she could get more points than in her own.

It didn't take long for the sounds of fighting to reach their ears, and it took them even less time to reach the scene.

What they saw was a group of three candidates huddled with their backs to each other, surrounded by a group of two- and four-winged sentries. The white cloaks the three wore had long since been reduced to nothing more than rags stuck to their skin, but at least their injuries weren't too serious. Two of them were children, and the last of the three was a girl. Of the three, she seemed to be the least injured, but she was also the one unlucky enough to have to deflect the attacks of two four-winged sentries wielding their own weapons.

"They were unlucky," Michael knew at a glance. Those three had no chance of winning against such a large group of sentries.

Maybe if they only fought one four-wing or three two-wing they would have a chance.

Explosive spears, Xenovia had explained.

As the Winged Sentinels were automatons, they lacked the ability to use light-based attacks and were instead reinforced with powerful weapons. The Explosive Spear was a favored weapon for the Winged Sentinels, as a burst of energy would explode when the spear tip made contact with anything. Which was, unfortunately, what happened to the girl attempting to block the four-winged sentinels.

"Those things look useful, why don't you use them more often?" Rias asked curiously.

"They are not as useful as holy swords, at least not against demons who are our main enemies," Michael explained.

They were strong against small enemies but against a demon with more than two wings they wouldn't be much use.

He had been doing a splendid job avoiding the spear points by deflecting them with his shaft, but his stamina had already been gradually consumed.

With a bang, she was thrown away from the formation the three had established, the other two called out to her in panic, but were unable to help her as they were once again pressed by the other sentries.

The girl cursed and spat blood before her eyes widened as she saw the four-winged sentries approaching her. She staggered to her feet and realized she no longer had the strength to put up any resistance.

"He didn't do badly but I think it's time to retire" Azazel noted calmly

Knowing when to retreat was also crucial on the battlefield.

Bitterly, she pulled out the orb Griselda had ordered her to take at the beginning. Using it now would mean the end of the trial for her and any hope she had of wielding a fragment of the Holy Sword Excalibur. However, after a mere instant, she made a decisive decision.

"A wise decision," Serafall nodded.

He wasn't going to make fun of the girl for wanting to preserve her life, in any case the fact that she could make the decision so quickly was admirable.

She crushed the ball of light in her hand.

A look of surprise soon crossed the girl's face at that moment, however,

Nothing  happened.

Michael suddenly stood up

"What did that God do?!" He exclaimed, truly angry, for the first time in centuries.

"I don't think it was that God," Azazel said slowly, much more calmly.

"You expect me to believe that!?" He exclaimed at his brother, glaring at him.

It was one thing to break two sacred artifacts but to trap a bunch of children in certain death?

There were far worse things than four- or six-winged angels in there!

Things that even he would have some trouble defeating!

"He said it himself when he entered" Azazel said looking at his brother seriously "something wasn't right, and the door already seemed broken even before he entered so something else must have happened" He theorized calmly

If something had been done it would be something notorious like with the other two

But this? Something strange was happening here.

Michael was about to say something else but a hand was placed on his shoulder.

"Brother, I think you're right," Gabriel said with concern.

Sigh

He had to calm down, his sister was right there was something strange here

"In the first place, if his plan really was to catch the aspirants, he should have done it while he was still outside. Now he's just as trapped as the rest, unless of course he's not really inside the collar and is just using it as a kind of communicator," Rin theorized, worried about Shirou.

"Impossible, the dimensional cross is a completely separate dimension, if I had the power to talk to someone at that distance I wouldn't have to use such an indirect and complicated method" Michael replied.

"Besides, is it really worth doing something like that for a few aspirants? They are expendable, even if they die another batch will come quickly, the only one worth it there is Quarta's daughter" Azazel pointed out.

"Brother!" Gabriel exclaimed angrily

"No, he's right, as horrible as it sounds, mere wannabes for Excaliburn wielders aren't worth doing something like that." Serafall agreed.

And there is still the problem that God is trapped with them.

No, if he was really that clever to plan all this then he shouldn't have been able to stumble like that on the last step.

Something was happening here

But what?

15024 words

Chapter Text

NDT/A: Many in the last chapter commented that Rin had a dimensional chest much larger than the dimensional cross and I will tell you

1-That chest is from Hollow Ataraxia which I'm not sure how canon it is

2-It is a chest that has been in his family for generations and was most likely given to him by Zelretch himself, a true wizard.

It took a few minutes before tensions eased.

Something bad happened but they couldn't do anything if they just stood still.

"I'll read," Michael insisted gravely.

"Are you sure, brother?" Gabriel asked worriedly.

"The answers to what happened and the identity of that God may be in this chapter, if so I can't miss any details" the angel replied to his sister before finally taking the book.

I just hoped all the applicants were okay.

It could be said that Shirou was used to these kinds of situations. In fact, it was precisely because of this that he was able to act before anyone else.

"Really? How old are you there? 16, 17? How come you're used to it?" Rias asked, confused.

"Well if that was right after the Grail War I should be 17" Shirou replied thoughtfully

He didn't know how much time had passed in that world, but it must have been less than a year, so he shouldn't have turned eighteen yet.

"And you're already used to that kind of thing happening?" Akeno asked, just as perplexed as her king.

"Uh, lucky rank E" he replied regretfully

Rias and Akeno looked at each other

Good luck rank E?

He threw down his sword.

"You saved her but now you have no way to defend yourself" Azazel pointed out cynically

"In that case I'll cover your back until you get her back" Xenovia answered without hesitation

"Don't worry about that idiot, he's got it covered" Rin snorted

He was already wondering how long it would take him to show that ability.

With a resounding sound, the trajectory of the spear tip altered and lost its course, striking the air as a surprised Xenovia went to stand in front of the injured girl.

He, on the other hand, moved to intercept the approach of the other four-winged sentries.

"Shirou!" Xenovia called, throwing the sword she had thrown at him.

Rin looked at this slightly relieved.

Well, at least for now Shirou could continue hiding one of his most problematic abilities.

Although seeing how advanced magic was in that world, it wouldn't be surprising if they had something similar.

So as long as he didn't do something as stupid as projecting a high-ranking Noble Phantom everything should be fine.

It was the lightsaber the church had provided him. After he cast it away, the blade of light slowly dissipated until only the handle remained, as without the infusion of will, its form could not be maintained.

“Thank you,” he shouted, grabbing the hilt of the weapon and instantly reforming the sword.

"You know, looking at it closely, they almost look like the lightsabers from that movie Shinji insisted I watch," Shirou muttered, trying to remember the name.

Galactic Fight?

Universe Conflict?

"You're talking about Star Wars?" Issei asked excitedly.

Damn, I've never seen it before!

They were Jedi lightsabers!

"Buchou, do we have something like that?" He asked excitedly.

If the exorcists had holy energy swords, they should have something like demonic energy sabers, right?

"Not really, but I don't think it's that hard to do" Rias replied seeming to please her pawn

Although the brightness in his eyes betrayed his thoughts

She wanted a lightsaber too!!!

"I'll ask Ajuka if he can make a prototype when I get back," Sirzech said amusedly, easily reading his sister's thoughts.

It couldn't be that difficult, much less for a genius like Ajuka, he would surely have a working prototype by that same afternoon.

"Aim well,"  said the voice inside the collar.  "If you can see it, there's a spot in the armor that can be easily pierced. A design flaw not accounted for by those with six wings or less."

Michael's eyes opened

How did that God know about that!?

Very few were aware of that defect

Was he really omniscient? Perhaps in his weakened state he could only use it for brief periods of time and that's why he seemed to know things he shouldn't have any way of knowing?

Now that he'd taken the time to use structural analysis, he could understand what the voice meant. The components that made it up were formidable. A type of alloy he'd never heard of before, but which he was witnessing for the first time.

"When the angels first fell, no one in Heaven believed the day would come when the source of their light would be used against them. This metal casing was the product and solution to that problem,"  the necklace explains.

"You speak as if you witnessed it personally," Gabriel said, confused.

But how? How long was he spying on them?

Anyway, his grip around his sword tightened before he headed towards the enemy.

He didn't possess Saber's superior swordsmanship, nor did he possess the confidence to be anywhere near her level yet, but at least he had her and Griselda's training.

Saber did something that was totally not a pout

The nun thing was unnecessary

Thinking on the subject, he wondered how those two were doing without him, but ultimately had to put those thoughts on hold as the winged sentinels attacked with their weapons.

"Thank you for worrying about us months after your disappearance," Rin said sarcastically.

"Yeah, sorry, I guess there was just too much on my mind to deal with." Shirou looked honestly sorry.

I didn't know how much exactly but at this point I had been out for several months.

By now they should have given him up for dead.

Timing was everything in a battle.

The images I had seen.

The battles Archer had fought.

They were not the memories of someone whose skill was unattainable. Rather,

He was simply looking at a representation of himself and the ability he possessed.

"What? Archer? Another one of these Servants?" Azazel asked, his eyes shining with curiosity.

"Yes, he was my servant at the beginning of the war" Rin replied biting his cheek

He didn't think Shirou would expose Archer's identity so soon.

But on the other hand I didn't expect him to expose Saber in the previous chapter so why not?

I couldn't even blame him because he wasn't saying anything and there was no way in hell he knew they were literally reading his thoughts.

Although he hated that existence, the skill displayed was within reach of his own.

"Are your skills close to those of a hero?" Sona asked him with curiosity and slight skepticism.

"Archer's way of fighting and his overall skills were very similar to mine so I learned a lot from him" Shirou replied bitterly

"You don't seem to like him very much," Asia said worriedly.

"He was an idiot, he hated me to death for my ideals and I hated him for abandoning his, as much as we looked alike we couldn't be more different" He responded clenching his fists

She would never be like him, this was her only path and she would never regret it.

Azazel looked at him suspiciously.

Everything he said made sense, but...what did he mean by the images he saw?

Memories of Archer perhaps? But how? Why?

They were hiding something from him, but he decided to keep his suspicions to himself for later.

Or who knows, seeing how this book seemed to enjoy revealing the boy's secrets, it was possible that before the chapter ended he would be given the answers.

Trace. On.

His body surged with power. An internal circuit and a structure of steel and iron came alive in an internal explosion of fire. Ultimately, this was his path. A means to an end.

Left arm, two inches down, one inch to the right.

Strike!

Her body twisted as she stabbed forward, her sword penetrating deep into the chest of the first four-winged sentinel and sinking it in. Of the three four-winged sentinels who had come in pursuit of the girl, one of them exploded in a burst of white flame.

"So fast" Xenovia muttered feeling dissatisfied

It took her much longer than that to defeat a four-winged sentinel.

However, perhaps because of that explosion, what looked like an army of them appeared floating in the sky, most of them with four wings. Even those who had been pushing the other examinees were lifted into the air.

Xenovia gulped, her face paling as the gravity of the situation seemed to sink in. They were surrounded and had no way out, and even the orbs the church had provided them proved useless.

"You know if you have any skills capable of dealing with crowds, this is a good time to show it off," Serafall calmly pointed out.

Shirou nodded.

I definitely had them, but I didn't know how well shooting swords would work against those things.

Worst case scenario I should use some Noble Phantoms but with so many people around it could be dangerous

In a way, I could understand if she felt some sense of hopelessness. In fact, even the girl behind Xenovia had a downcast look, her eyes looking from the broken orb in her hand to the sentries in the air before distancing themselves.

Still, no matter how desperate the situation seemed, nothing was ever certain.

Would he have to use the weapons in his armory now?

"Your armory? Do you have any pocket dimensions you haven't told us about?" Sirzech asked with interest.

"Well, something like that?" Shirou replied

It wasn't technically a lie yet that UBW was based more on an egg world than pocket dimensions.

The image of the winged sentinels flickered in his eyes, his expression hardening as circuit-like patterns emerged from within his body; a physical representation of his flowing magical energy released.

The collar around his neck vibrated, releasing a visible light that bathed the area.

"The courage you have shown has long since overcome all the trials I have set for you, and the selflessness of your actions has earned even the admiration and gratitude of a being who hates all. The strength you wield is no longer yours alone, but the strength of three, a trinity of power."

Michael and Gabriel froze

Trinity?

"Hmm, several religions have their own trinities, such as Hinduism, the Egyptians, Buddhism, or the Celts, which helps us narrow down the number of suspects," Azazel said with a cooler head.

A God of light with apparent omniscience or some kind of similar ability

Horus perhaps? He was a God of light and even though he wasn't exactly omniscient, his eyes allowed him to see much more than anyone else.

And the Egyptian pantheon isn't what it used to be so it would make sense that he'd try to do everything as quietly as possible using someone like Shirou as a scapegoat. 

Shortly after the voice in the collar spoke, the once cyan markings running across his body changed to patterns of leafless white yew branches intermingling with a growing blackness originating from his chest.

A power like no other surged from within his being, and the sentinels that stood before him no longer seemed threatening.

"Divinity," Rin murmured in amazement.

His idiot had just obtained divinity!

"This form won't last because you're not yet capable enough. End this quickly,"  said the voice inside the necklace.

He didn't need to be told to know that. Even now, though he felt the massive increase in power, he knew the only reason his body could handle it was because of his reinforcement.

Now was the time.

A single burst.

"Finish them all in one fell swoop?" Rias asked worriedly.

Could I handle so many at once?

Unbeknownst to him, as his mind reached that single conclusion, a result occurred. The source of power shifted from his center to his sword, the energy of light erupting in a torrent that shattered the ground with the sheer force of the wind.

Xenovia shielded her eyes, as did the others in the area.

This wasn't an attack like a Noble Phantasm, crystallized mysteries created using human imagination as the core, no; this attack was very different.

"Noble Phantom?" Kiba asked curiously.

"I guess it's the equivalent of their Sacred Gears, think of them as the weapons that heroes used in ancient times and were empowered thanks to their legends" Rin explained looking at the blond boy

Curious, I felt attracted to him but I could tell it wasn't a natural attraction, when he circulated magic through his circuits the weak charm disappeared

A charming trait? Curious, he wondered if she would let him investigate it.

"By heroes, do you mean things like the swords of the Knights of the Round Table or the lances of Charlemagne's paladins?" Michael asked, curious at the idea.

"Yes, but unlike the Sacred Gears, few Noble Phantoms survive to this day. Most were lost or destroyed with their original owners, and the few that remain are jealously guarded by ancient wizard families." He continued, not seeing the point in hiding that particular information.

"Fascinating," Azazel murmured.

There were many things that were the same between their two worlds, but also some extremely different things.

These Noble Phantoms were perhaps halfway there.

What I could see being released from the sword was the purity of light mixed with a subtle tinge of dark, tainted energy. I just needed to release it.

The moment had arrived.

There could be no other option, as the situation did not allow it.

At that moment, a host of different weapons flashed through his mind. Noble Phantasms capable of destroying numerous enemies, but he discarded them all.

"I thought you said there were few Noble Phantoms who survived until his time," Sona pointed out.

"Yes, but we were in the Holy Grail War, where the heroes who carried those treasures were revived to fight once more," Rin replied without missing a beat, but inwardly beating herself up for missing that detail.

Even though she deceived Sona, Serafall was much more perceptive.

Didn't they say that only seven heroes were summoned?

So where did he get a "large amount" of Noble Phantom?

The sword he already had in his hand would suffice.

Both hands moved to grab the hilt of the sword, the torrent produced grew stronger and stronger, and even managed to blow Xenovia and the rest into the bushes.

He let out a sigh and watched as the sentries began their charge.

"Release the splendor of the Heavens."

"And remove the stain of my curse."

Some eyes opened in surprise without understanding what they saw

H-he, did he help?

The second voice startled many

Michael had to blink in confusion

Why did you feel your voice get hoarser for a second?

"What was that second verse?" Gabriel asked, looking at his brother with concern.

"I have no idea," Azazel replied wordlessly for the first time since he arrived here.

A God of light and curses?

That was inconceivable

At that moment, as he brandished his sword, two voices mingled: one as gentle as still water, the other hoarse and commanding.

"Two gods?" Saber wondered.

All this time there were two Gods in Shirou's body

"If the second one is a God of curses or something similar, it makes sense that he has been hiding until now," Rin theorized.

After all, passing off his divinity as a sacred element was simple, but there was no way to explain a dark and corrupt energy like that of a dark God.

"But who?" Azazel wondered.

Perhaps Set? He was the closest thing the Egyptian pantheon had to a God of curses, but if the other God was really Horus, it would be impossible for them to work together with all the bad blood between them.

Did you go to the wrong pantheon?

With a blinding flash, everything seemed to disappear for an instant. The ground, the trees, the plants, and even the sky all seemed to return to an identical shade of white nothingness.

It was then that a terrifyingly loud sound, like thunder, burst into the silence, revealing vile black tendrils devouring the sentries; the light produced by the sword's movement began to fade.

"Light and darkness working in harmony," Azazel murmured, fascinated by the sight.

A very rare sight even for a being as long-lived as the

Moments later, the world returned to normal, and it was seen that his figure was still propped up at the height of his attack. Sweat was forming on his brows, and his breathing was so shallow that it showed the visible tension in his body.

As he collapsed, he smiled as he saw the others approaching him.

With their previous attack, the sentries standing there seemed to have never existed. If it weren't for the few eroded remains scattered across the ground, there would have been no evidence of their presence.

"That's not going to be repaired again," Serafall pointed out, seeing the few remains of the sentry that remained.

"No, and it's not really like it matters." Michael sighed in relief for the first time, happy that Shirou had broken a priceless artifact from the church.

None of those sentinels were worth the sacrifice of a group of young people with so much potential.

"Th-That was amazing!" said one of the boys who had been fighting earlier. At that moment, the boy in question was absentmindedly removing the twigs and branches that were stuck to his body.

Now that he looked closer, everyone was.

Previously, Xenovia and the others had been thrown straight into the bushes, therefore their situation was quite understandable.

"Uh, sorry," Shirou apologized subconsciously upon seeing the state of the group.

"Just you Shirou, just you" Rin sighed tiredly

Only Shirou would apologize for dirtying someone a little while saving them.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. In the heat of the moment, he hadn't realized the impact the strong wind would have on those behind him.

"Sorry?" the girl asked before laughing. "You saved our lives, and you're the one apologizing?"

Xenovia, who had remained silent, suddenly took this opportunity to open her mouth. "Idiot," she finished, her facial expression unchanged.

"Hey, the girl is starting to learn," Rin pointed out amusedly.

"I'm not that bad," Shirou frowned.

"Yes, you are Shirou" Saber pointed out mercilessly.

"Excuse me?" He finished saying again, causing the other boy to burst into laughter as Xenovia turned around.

That only confirmed his point to Shirou's embarrassment.

As it turned out, the three examinees they had saved were related brothers and sisters; the sister was older than the other two by a year, making her the oldest of the group aside from Xenovia and him, who were still older than her.

"Still, this is a big problem," said the older sister.

"Yes" Michael, who for a moment had forgotten the main problem because of the revelation of the second God, could not help but agree

What are they supposed to do now?

The only way they could get out of the place is if they managed to get to the control center of the dimensional cross and that in itself was a nearly impossible feat.

It would take a miracle for that.

His gaze fell on Shirou's necklace.

And as much as it caused him apprehension, he hoped that God would make it happen.

Her features were soft, with a rounded face and a pair of thin, delicate eyebrows that made her look younger than she looked. The fact that she was flat-chested seemed to contribute to that effect.

As for her name, Liliana Marino, he had learned it shortly after they were introduced.

"Liliana Marino" Irina repeated the name several times trying to remember it

"It's possible that just like here he was forced to escape and unlike that world where I was with Shirou I never had any reason to go in that particular direction so I never ran into them" Xenovia pointed out

Someone who escaped was not memorable so it made sense for her to forget her.

Irina, even though she felt guilty, had to agree with her friend.

Possibly by the time they left she had already retreated to her own church knowing that there was no way she could claim one of the holy swords. 

Her two brothers were twins, named Andrea and Antonio Marino, respectively. They both had a similar appearance, with very short black hair and boyish faces. If it weren't for the different colors of their eyes—blue and brown, respectively—it would be difficult to tell them apart.

“Yes, indeed,” Andrea told her sister, leaning down to inspect the crushed orb fragments still in Liliana’s hands.

This matter was extremely worrying, not just for them, but for everyone involved in the competition. The orb was meant to be an escape route to ensure one's safety within the dimension created by the Dimensional Cross. After all, death in the Dimensional Cross meant true death. This was the reason Griselda had instructed them on how to use the orbs in the first place.

Irina's stomach turned.

He didn't remember exactly how many aspirants had escaped but...yes, there were several.

No, there was still hope, they could all get out of there, it was still possible.

Xenovia hummed for a moment before frowning and glancing at Liliana and the fragments in her hand. However, before she gave the matter any further thought, she waited patiently by the fire.

The fire was something he'd lit, first, to keep everyone warm as night fell, and second, to prepare some food. This secondary purpose was due, in part, to the tired looks on Liliana and her siblings' faces.

"Hunger is the enemy." Saber nodded, satisfied by the logical course Shirou took.

"Of course," Rin snorted.

Shirou and she were almost on a diet due to the amount of food Saber consumed by herself.

Hell, if it weren't for the enforcer missions Shirou took, they would have had to seriously consider returning Saber to the throne just because of his inability to keep her fed.

At the time, she was preparing a stew for an early dinner. With the supplies Liliana, Andrea, Antonio, and Xenovia had on hand, they had more than enough food to last them for the time being.

Still, ever since Xenovia had tasted the food he prepared, she would sit patiently by the fire like she was currently doing; silently waiting for the meal to finish before wordlessly holding out one of her ration bars in a move to trade.

"And you already tamed another girl using your food, and another nun too," Rin pointed out amusedly.

"I haven't tamed any girl with my food," Shirou said offended.

"Of course, first Saber, then that nun Ciel and I'm almost sure that the reason why the queen insists on taking you on her hunts is twenty percent for your combat skills and eighty percent so she can eat whatever you prepare for her" She replied making the redhead squirm

It's not like he cares that much about the truth.

That woman had become aware of Shirou's tracking ability long ago and recently even of his Reality Marble when a simple hunt somehow ended up involving three of the Twenty-Seven Apostles.

But for her, as long as Shirou continued to support her in her mission to eliminate all those pests and, in the process, cook for her from time to time, she couldn't care less about the nature of his abilities, even covering for him on occasion.

"Rin!" Saber exclaimed blushing

She wasn't domesticated! She wasn't an animal that could be dominated with food!

Rin and even Shirou gave him a rather amused look.

Insolent, traitors!

Even now, in the company of others, his behavior persisted.

Accepting the ration bar in Xenovia's hand, he gave her a bowl to eat before turning to Liliana and her siblings.

"So it didn't work?" he asked, taking out his own white orb he'd been keeping in a pocket inside his white cloak, the ones provided by the church.

"Just in case it would be better if you didn't break it," Azazel warned.

"Why not?" Gabriel asked confused.

"We don't know what influence that God might have on the orb, it's possible that Shirou might even escape using it" Azazel explained

Even though I didn't believe that it was that God who caused the cross to malfunction, I still didn't completely rule it out.

And if it had been him, he had to leave a way to escape.

"No," Liliana said gravely. She then looked at Xenovia in confusion before leaning closer and whispering in his ear.

"As disciples of the same church, I never expected Xenovia Quarta to have that kind of expression on her face," he said.

I could understand what Liliana meant by seeing the satisfied expression on Xenovia's face after each spoonful. It was as if the icy exterior she had once displayed before the Sword Trials was simply melting.

"Yes, it is a very strange sight," Irina nodded in agreement.

"It's the effect Shirou's cooking has on people," Rin explained with amusement.

There was a reason the queen ate whatever Shirou made for her in private, and she'd heard stories of a foolish enforcer mistakenly entering Barthomeloi's tent while eating only to be sent flying nearly five hundred meters a few seconds later.

The man lost half a year of memories due to the blow and they say he still hasn't recovered them.

"She's not a bad person," he said before passing a bowl of stew to Liliana and her two brothers. "She's just a little misunderstood."

"I'm not misunderstood," Xenovia complained.

"Yes, yes you are" Irina answered immediately

It took her a long time to become friends with Xenovia and she only did so because of her stubborn optimism and the time they spent doing missions together.

Xenovia grunted from her sitting position a couple of meters away. She had obviously heard him.

Dinner passed in silence, the only disturbance arising when Liliana and her two brothers began to protest Xenovia's attempts to pour herself a third portion, while they had only drunk one. Aside from these minor details, the group eventually found a quiet place to sleep for the night and recharge after the battle.

"I gave him an energy bar" Xenovia defended herself to the amusement of the rest

Even he was no exception, as his body ached from his previous display of strength. It was the same concept as pouring scorching liquid into a plastic container. In this case, his body was the plastic, and the energy flooding him was the hot liquid. Just as the plastic distorted, bent, or broke in places due to the influx of heat, his body was the same. The energy was too massive for him to currently handle without sustaining some sort of damage.

"Will you be okay?" Gabriel asked worriedly.

"Yes, I didn't say it before but I usually heal very quickly" he replied to reassure the angel

And now that I thought about it, I hoped Avalon wasn't the next secret to be revealed.

I was more or less resigned to the fact that this book would show everything about him, but at least I hoped it wouldn't be so soon.

The only one fit was Xenovia, whose only injury was picking twigs and brambles out of her hair. So, until late at night, she practiced silently on her own.

Since she hadn't fallen asleep yet, he watched her silently, a small sense of admiration beginning to form within him. Even when he'd first met her, she seemed to be the diligent type who didn't show much concern for what others thought of her. In a way, her behavior reminded him of Saber and Rin, whom he'd left behind. Knowing them, they must be worried, but there was nothing he could do about it at the moment except hope he could find a way back. That being the case, what he had to focus on now was the present and those he had to save. Any other problems he had could be resolved at a later time.

Xenovia's cheeks turned pink

No one had ever said that they admired her

Rin grabbed Shirou by the collar of his shirt.

"Shirou, you're supposed to seduce the blessed angel, not the demonic nun," she scolded him in exasperation.

But he hadn't done anything! He just liked diligent people.

"I know that look on your face Emiya" Rin muttered as she let him go

Dropping a phrase like that and then acting like he didn't know what he said

And the worst part is that most of the time I was actually so distracted!

Stupid and sensual Shirou!

With that thought in mind, he still didn't allow himself to fall asleep until he was sure Xenovia had fallen asleep first.

"You should rest, I'm the one in better condition to fight" Xenovia pointed out when her blush calmed down

"I don't think so, you'll be tired by the time you're done practicing and I think I'll have recovered enough by then" Shirou said refusing to back down

"Have you recovered enough after what you did earlier? That's a serious healing factor, kid," Azazel pointed out suspiciously.

"I've always healed quickly," Shirou shrugged, saying nothing.

He didn't like that man, the way he looked at Rin earlier was all he needed to decide that.

Xenovia frowned at feeling left out of the conversation but decided not to say anything.

It's not like anything you discuss here will change the outcome of the book.

Call him stupid, but he couldn't help but see the dedication Xenovia put into her sword even until the end of her training.

And again the blush returned while in the background the brunette was shaking the redhead

At dawn the next day, the group woke up early and began taking inventory of their supplies before meeting to discuss a course of action.

As seen in the previous battle, due to the malfunctioning white orbs, the entire group's mentality had changed. This was no longer a competition or a test to wield one of the two fragments of the Holy Sword Excalibur, but a dangerous situation they would have to overcome in order to survive. In one case, staying together as a group was their best option instead of dispersing.

"It's good that they understand the situation quickly," Michael sighed in relief.

For a second he feared they would try to separate to continue the test.

The reasoning for this was due to Griselda's words. Depending on the area, there may be a swarm of enemies nearby. Take the previous battle, for example. What had begun with only about six sentinels attracted enough winged sentinels to blot out the sky.

"Yes, I know it's not a competition anymore, but if it were, I think the kid would have won by a wide margin," Sirzech said.

I doubted anyone in the test would have managed to eliminate as many sentinels as Shirou.

I doubted that anyone in any trial in history would have managed to knock down so many

"Yes" Michael couldn't help but worry

Despite the circumstances this was still a competition

And there was no doubt who won if they managed to get out.

Or seeing the thickness that was missing from the book was when they managed to get out

"We're going to have to track down everyone else," Xenovia said decisively.

He nodded. Since the orbs didn't work, the greatest danger lay in venturing out alone and taking risks.

"Yes, with orbs as insurance it's not unusual for some to become reckless," Gabriel agreed.

Most of the deaths that occurred in these types of tests were due to the participants becoming overconfident in having the orb and believing that they could use it at any time, they ended up never using it or only breaking it when it was too late.

And now that the orb wasn't working...

I prayed that nothing bad would happen.

After all, this was a competition to wield one of the two fragments of the Holy Sword Excalibur. Therefore, when Griselda had explained the concept of battle points, she was encouraging those who didn't excel in contributions to risk fighting stronger enemies. The stronger the enemy, the more battle points could be earned by achieving victory. However, this also meant that the difficulty level would be substantially higher. Without the knowledge that the orbs didn't work, death was almost guaranteed for anyone who attempted it.

Xenovia couldn't help but worry.

Even though it didn't seem like it, her mother was a kind woman, deep down, so she didn't know how she would feel if her words indirectly caused the death of some aspirants.

With the decision made, Andrea began to explain how he, Liliana, and Antonio had been fortunate enough to locate each other earlier thanks to the advantage of the higher ground. In any case, the group of siblings began to describe the direction they had come from, stating that they hadn't seen anyone else along the way.

In that case, the group was left wandering aimlessly, wasting time for several hours before deciding to rest. The method they used to search was very ineffective, but it was the only one they had. So, after a short rest with Xenovia goading him into fighting from time to time, they set off once more.

"I don't think it's a good idea to waste energy in this situation," Asia said worriedly.

Who knows how long it would take until they could get out safely?

Xenovia frowned.

It seems that he still did not fully understand the seriousness of the situation he was in.

Although well, it's not like she could blame herself after seeing what Shirou is capable of doing with a single slash.

Soon, the wooded area they'd been in transformed into a dry, sweltering zone. It was a kind of desert, with large sand dunes in the distance, but with small vegetation like wild grass and the occasional bush growing on top.

"Well, all that's missing is a tumbleweed and we'll be in the Wild West." Despite the situation, Azazel couldn't help but make a joke.

For some reason Issei couldn't help but think that the old man would fit in very well in that era.

With dull expressions, the group turned around and decided to head in another direction. The water they had been able to replenish the day before wouldn't be enough to traverse an environment similar to the Sahara.

Another day soon passed without any results, although this was as expected. The dimension created by the Dimensional Cross was enormous, and only about sixty participants entered it.

"Sixty people in over fifty thousand square kilometers" Sona frowned

"It's like looking for a needle in a haystack," Rías added with slight concern.

And the worst thing is that there were several annoying mosquitoes bothering us in the meantime.

Still, discouraged as they were, they continued.

The question now was: how could they find everyone in such a big world?

"Head north, then take a detour to the right for about five minutes,"  said the voice inside the collar.

"How do you know that?" Azazel wondered.

If they really were Horus and Set he guessed that Horus's eyes could help him see beyond mere mortals.

But at this point I highly doubted that it was even the Egyptians who were behind this.

With a neutral expression, he made an excuse to explore the future and ventured further away from the group.

Only when he knew he was completely alone did he ask, "Is there any reason we should go there?"

"Well at least you're not blindly following what he tells you anymore" Rin sighed with slight exasperation

Baby steps it meant

"It's not like I had any choice in the beginning," Shirou complained.

He was literally thrown into another world and didn't have much choice.

"I can vaguely sense the other participants in this trial. More specifically, it's because of the orbs they still possess and the swords connected to them, so I can only do so if we're close."

"Can you feel the light energy in the orbs?" Michael wondered.

How? Not even he was sure he could feel such a small amount of power.

The more he understood the necklace's voice, the more questions arose. After all, who was this entity that had brought him into this world, and what role did it want him to play?

"Those are excellent questions for when you get out of there," Saber encouraged Shirou in her own way.

I could interrogate the collar when they weren't locked up with who knows how many mechanical angels.

He shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts. No matter how the voice inside the necklace might perceive the others scattered around the world, that wasn't what really mattered to him; rather, he was grateful.

Upon returning to the group, he made up an excuse: he had seen someone in the distance. With happier expressions, the group quickly moved off in the direction the voice had indicated.

Indeed, there were two other examinees in the distance. Apparently, neither of them had had any problems, so at least that was something good.

"Those are excellent eyes," Koneko said sarcastically.

"You wouldn't believe it," Rin almost had to laugh.

There was a reason he was her Archer even if he got angry the times she called him that.

Lilana waved and called out to them as the group approached.

The other two examinees quickly explained the current situation and looked at them skeptically, as if they were crazy. However, their skepticism quickly disappeared when Liliana revealed the broken fragments of her own crushed white orb.

The two of them gasped before one of them hesitantly shattered their own white orb, threatening that if this was all a joke, there would be consequences when they returned. However, when nothing happened and the examinee who had shattered the orb still stood there, everyone present couldn't help but feel a dark pit growing in their stomachs.

"Yeah, I don't want to imagine finding that out in the middle of a combat situation," Irina said sympathetically.

I could only imagine how terrifying it would be.

In that sense, that girl was strong for not having broken down after almost dying like that.

With what Griselda had explained, time within the Dimensional Cross had accelerated. Therefore, how long would they have to remain within the dimension before Griselda and the other clerics discovered there was a problem? By then, it might already be too late.

"It will be months, maybe even more than a year before they realize something is wrong," Gabriel said worriedly.

And the more time passes, the more likely something is to go wrong.

However, the most troubling question on their minds was that, even if Griselda and the others knew about the current situation, what could they do to resolve it? The only way would be for the person who created the device to fix it, but this was a relic of the war between the factions, and the creator was likely already dead.

"Could you do something?" Azazel asked Michael seriously.

"I could try to get into the core to fix things directly but I have no guarantee of doing so" he replied helplessly

Even he would have trouble if several twelve-winged sentinels attacked him at once while he tried to figure out what was wrong in the first place.

After assessing the situation, the two examinees they had met agreed to attend.

Similar situations began to occur more and more frequently as the days passed.

The environments changed over the course of their journey. From the forest they once began in, to the fringes of a distant desert, and even a rainforest-like area, every type of biome seemed to be included in the created dimension.

Not only that, but because of the growing number of the group, they had to stop more often to allow the others to catch their breath and eat food to replenish themselves.

"You'd think at this point they'd be questioning how people even find someone," Akeno couldn't help but comment.

He was literally leading them straight to the others without any detours, as if he already knew where they were.

"The perks of being called a saint, I guess," Rias replied to her friend with a shrug.

If a normal person did it, it was suspicious, if a saint did it, it was a miracle.

Normally, this wouldn't be a big problem, but two things became apparent as a result. One, they didn't have enough supplies and resupply to distribute among all of them, therefore, he found himself hunting and foraging for food more than four times a day. It even got to the point where Xenovia had offered to help him, but instead of helping, he managed to hunt for some sort of poisonous mushroom that he almost put in the food he was preparing.

"Are you serious?" Irina asked her friend with amusement.

"It would serve as training against poison" Xenovia defended herself with slightly red cheeks

"I don't think diarrhea or vomiting is very good training here," Koneko pointed out, much to Xenovia's embarrassment.

He was wrong, okay! He had the right to be wrong!

Since then he never helped again, and it was the Marino brothers who managed to collect more edible things.

Xenovia frowned, not knowing why that particular fact bothered her so much.

As for the second result, it was pretty obvious if you thought about it. When they were a small group before, it was much easier for them to avoid being detected by enemies. However, now, with the increased size of the group, they were almost too large to go unnoticed.

Fortunately, by asking the others they had gathered, they were able to determine that only about ten more people were missing.

"Only ten" Irina sighed in relief

Almost everyone was there.

"And among those ten there is you" Xenovia pointed out

Come to think of it, he never met Irina during the test.

"I'll be fine, I'm strong," Irina dismissed it easily.

He never encountered any sentry he couldn't fight and if he ended up in the same area then he doubted he would.

In that sense, there were only ten more people left before everyone could focus on determining a way out of the dimension.

The tragedy, however, would occur in the following weeks.

The hearts of many sank at those simple words.

Irina had to swallow nervously.

Perhaps she...

"We arrived too late," Andrea said, pointing to the blood-stained remains of an examinee in the distance.

"Mitch, you poor bastard," one of the examinees said sadly. He obviously knew the deceased.

Xenovia knelt beside the corpse and gently closed the dead examinee's dismayed eyes.

Gabriel immediately began to pray for the child's soul.

How must he have felt? Fighting against an enemy superior to him and when he finally gave up and decided to escape, he realized that his only salvation was false.

Fear, betrayal, hatred

I prayed that his soul could rest in peace.

The next day, identical results would be obtained. More and more deaths. Thinking clearly on the subject, he and many others theorized that, after spending almost a month in dimensional space, the last examinees were tired of waiting and did what Griselda had recommended: try their luck against an equal or superior enemy.

Xenovia felt her throat dry up.

She was thankful her mother wasn't here or this could have broken her heart.

Irina and Asia joined Gabriel in his prayers

Michael looked at Asia curiously.

How come I wasn't suffering while praying? Was it this place or something else?

The end result was self-explanatory.

Still, what worried him most was that they still hadn't found Irina Shidou. With the level of skill she possessed, she shouldn't have been defeated so easily unless she was surrounded.

"Haven't they found me?" Irina wondered worriedly.

Where was he? Did he end up on the other side of the dimensional cross?

That being the case, there was still one thing he was sure of.

She was still alive.

Of the number of bodies that had passed by, none of them was Irina's.

As the days passed, of the ten missing people, seven were found dead and the rest injured. It was at that moment that many of the people who had followed him insisted on finding a safe place to hide until they could come up with a plan to evacuate the dimension. However, he and many others didn't want to give up.

"Seven dead," Xenovia said with slight regret.

If I thought about it, it was a low number and it was a miracle that only seven died, but... they were still seven who couldn't be saved.

Shirou clenched his fists helplessly.

If I had been faster, if I had decided to go alone and leave the rest in a safe place, if-

Rin and Saber's hands on his shoulders brought him out of his thoughts.

Yes, there was no point in thinking about that.

He could only strive to rescue that girl and hope for the best.

A week later.

His brows were furrowed and his eyes were narrowed.

"What do you mean there's no one else?"

"No one else?" Issei asked worriedly.

Maybe Irina was already...

"No, even when they were already dead that God managed to locate them" Akeno interrupted Issei's thoughts

Which only made it stranger that he said there was no one else.

Currently, he was alone looking for food to prepare for the rest of the people in the group, so it was the perfect time to express his question.

"What I mean is, there's no one else in the dimension,"  said the voice inside the necklace.

"So where am I?" Irina asked confused.

"Didn't he come in?" Xenovia tilted her head in confusion.

"But we saw her jump as one of the first," Rias pointed to her newest knight.

"Maybe that's why he's not here," Azazel murmured.

Something to do with the activation time of the cross? Perhaps it only broke after a certain number of participants entered?

That wasn't possible. They hadn't located Irina yet, so how was it possible there was no one else? Up until that point, even if the examinee in question was dead, the voice inside the collar always guided him to the location.

The voice inside the collar was silent for a moment as it waited for a response.

"If you really insist, then there's a place half a day's drive from here where you can try,"  the voice inside the collar yielded.

"Wait, if there's still a spot, then why does he say that!" Issei exclaimed worriedly.

"Maybe it's not that he feels it there, but that there's something there that prevents him from feeling anything," Kiba theorized.

"The core?" Michael wondered.

But how did he plan to get there?

As far as I remember, there was no entrance to the core, at least not a physical one.

"Thank you," he said.

From then on the necklace remained silent.

Upon returning to camp, he explained where he was going and that they shouldn't accompany him because it could be dangerous. However, Xenovia was adamant about going, as were many others. After all, in the previous weeks, the group had not only gotten in trouble for following him, but they were more likely to avoid him.

This was due to his enhanced vision and auditory senses that alerted him to the presence of nearby enemies long before they could be detected, making him the perfect candidate for leadership.

"More of your reinforcement magic?" Akeno asked curiously.

"Yes, my magic allows me to improve every aspect of myself, my strength, vision, hearing, even taste if I wanted to" Shirou nodded

Sometimes I used the last one when trying to guess the ingredients of dishes in a restaurant.

"So the name reinforcement is more literal than I thought," the half-fallen woman muttered.

He wondered what else he could reinforce

Fufufu~

So, with only a minor complaint, the group was back on the move.

The place they arrived at was a stark plain of hard rock that ended right next to a plateau. On either side of them were the hard bases of two mountain peaks. The wind blew gently, and no enemies were in sight. It was almost too peaceful to believe, as regardless of the area they had traveled to in the dimension, there was always something to be wary of. For example, in the forest environment where they had started, there were constant patrols by winged sentries. The following locations had other dangers, such as the scorching heat of the desert area or the precarious heights of a mountaintop.

However, this new place was just as described: quiet.

"Too calm" Issei said getting worried

Isn't this usually the moment where the devil appears out of nowhere?

Or well, Angel supposed.

"I don't think there really is anything, from what we've seen none of those sentries seem especially stealthy, if they were really close Shirou would have found them already" Saber said trusting the senses of her sheath

Even when he was still not fully trained Shirou's eyes had always been sharper than even his own, he had no doubt that if there was something Shirou would have seen it already.

"Still, it's still disturbing that he's so calm" Rin despite everything had to agree with the pervert

Don't get her wrong, she believed in Shirou.

But he also knew his fate

"There's nothing here," Liliana said, looking around.

"Well, at least it's safe," one of the most recently rescued examinees commented before sitting down to rest.

"Shirou?" Xenovia asked.

Looking at her, he could tell what she was thinking. Like him, she had known Irina, and therefore, she didn't want to believe Irina was dead.

"I won't die that easily," Irina complained with a pout.

He didn't remember finding anything particularly dangerous when he entered.

Although on the other hand when he entered he did so in a desert area and it seems he was not there this time

She wasn't dead, right?

If there was anyone as determined to find Irina as he was, it would be Xenovia. Within the church grounds, she didn't have many friends other than him. The fact that Irina had taken the initiative to befriend Xenovia was something Xenovia wouldn't forget.

"I won't forget our friendship either!" Irina said joyfully.

Even if there was now a kind of wall between them, that would not take away all the time they were together.

"Not that I planned to do it" Xenovia nodded stoically but the slight red in her cheeks betrayed her emotions

"She reminds me of Saber," Shirou couldn't help but notice with irony.

"Yeah, it's like Saber and Ciel managed to have a daughter," Rin said thoughtfully.

Although taking into account the existence of Mordred it could be possible

"Rin!" Saber exclaimed as if she had read his mind.

"Don't worry Saber, if you ever have a daughter I'll make sure you're the one who conceives her." Rin patted the blonde's head reassuringly.

"Um, thanks?" Saber replied in confusion before blushing.

S-she had never thought of doing something like that!

Shirou himself looked away blushing.

A son with knowledge...

"I'll throw up sugar," Rias said dryly, watching the interaction.

How could they be so adorable and create their own pink space out of nothing?

He wrinkled his forehead and scratched his head.

Was this really the place? he ended up thinking.

No matter where he looked, there was no trace of Irina. Not even any signs he could work with. So why did they tell her to come here?

Michael's eyes sharpened on the screen

Could be?

Azazel himself looked more serious.

It was not possible

He doubted himself for a moment when he saw something in the distance.

A kind of mark that was engraved on a rock half buried underground.

Curious, he walked over, followed closely by the others.

The examinees began to whisper among themselves excitedly when they realized the mark was a cross with a circle surrounding it. Perhaps it could be a sign to help them find a way out of the dimension, or perhaps not. However, what mattered to most of them was the possibility.

"Do you know what those symbols are?" Sirzech asked Michael and Gabriel.

"It's an entrance," Gabriel replied.

"Entrance, not exit?" Sona seeing the specific word he used decided to ask

"Yes, to a deeper layer" Gabriel couldn't continue, he knew where he could go but he couldn't say it

But how did that girl end up in there?

He stepped forward and inspected it, followed closely by Xenovia, who knew more about such things thanks to Griselda's teachings.

"Do you know what it is?" he ended by asking.

Xenovia shook her head. "No, while the cross is recognizable, I'm not familiar with the rest of the crude markings," she explained.

"A truly horrible handwriting," Azazel muttered bitterly.

He always had it

It wasn't a big surprise that she didn't know. The Dimensional Cross was quite old, and only the inventor himself would be able to understand the hidden workings within.

"Thanks for trying," he said before nodding.

Nodding in response, Xenovia gave him room to further inspect that mark while she looked into his intentions.

Simply touching it didn't seem to produce any reaction, and no matter what I did, nothing seemed to work. For all intents and purposes, it really did look like an ordinary brand.

"No, not like that," Azazel shook his head.

They needed a key

And I wasn't sure if anyone still owned it.

This assumption was proven wrong moments later when an examinee unexpectedly managed to touch the engraving with his white orb.

A turbulent wind blew, causing everyone to shield their eyes as small pieces of rock and dust rose from the ground and flew into the air. Despite this, the dust managed to seep through their fingers.

Moments later, the ground suddenly began to shake; great tremors traveled deep into the compact stone and created wide chasms.

"Is it supposed to work like this?" Serafall asked curiously.

"No, definitely not" replied Azazel

"You've got  to  be kidding," someone said.

"Oh, boy," Andrea said wearily, her eyes, along with those of many others, watching as the cracks surrounded the group in something that looked like an oddly shaped circle.

"More than opening, it seems to be breaking" Rin looked at the place carefully

It was as if it was meant to open a certain way but because something was blocking it it forced open and was broken.

Blockade

Was it really that simple?

"Nobody move," Liliana said, her face turning pale by the second.

His eyes darted from side to side, from where he stood at the front of the group of other examinees, searching for a way out of the situation. However, before he could do anything else, a sneeze came from the most unexpected person.

Xenovia's cheeks flushed as everyone turned to look at her, her expression deceptively neutral in the face of all the aggrieved looks people were giving her.

"Really?" Koneko asked the newest demon.

"With the earth splitting like that there must be a lot of dust" Xenovia replied blushing

"You're adorable," Rin said unconsciously.

Seriously, this girl reminded him more and more of Saber.

But at that moment it didn't matter anymore.

The cracks surrounding them instantly became more pronounced and evident.

"Well, shit," Antonio swore as the ground gave way beneath them all.

"That wasn't my fault," Xenovia muttered apprehensively.

"Well if it wasn't you someone else was going to move so it doesn't really matter" Shirou said trying to comfort the blue haired girl

The shadows that stretched beneath the ground were like a blanket that enveloped them completely. They were dense and heavy, obscuring all traces of light as they all slowly, unsteadily, stood up. A few moments passed, and soon after they regained their balance, the light from their swords dispelled the darkness. They were inside some kind of cavern, with a ceiling tens of meters high, lined with jagged earth and stone walls both above and below.

Stalactites and stalagmites?

"Did they fall underground?" Saber asked critically.

Was there a network of tunnels under them all this time?

"Not exactly" Michael replied, unable to say more.

It felt like they were in some kind of cave. Perhaps, when the floor collapsed beneath everyone's feet, the impact of the fall caused them to land deeper into the ground.

"Unfortunately, that assumption is wrong,"  said the voice inside the necklace.

"But how does he know?" Azazel wondered.

Only he and his brothers should know.

Well they and...he

He remained silent, prompting the voice to continue.

"The dimension created by the Dimensional Cross is constantly changing and composed of multiple layers. Who's to say that all the examinees ended up within the same dimension?"

"Don't they?" Irina asked.

"They should," Michael replied.

The main layer, where Shirou and the rest were, was essentially the foundation of the entire cross-dimensional world.

If I had to name the rest of the layers in some way, I could say that they are only pillars to maintain its stability.

No one was supposed to end up inside one of them.

Not even he knew what was inside them!

He frowned at the thought of that possibility. In that case, how could they save everyone?

"You shouldn't think about it too much,"  said the voice inside the collar.  "I have a general idea about the location of most of the participants, and in fact, most of them were in the same area you started in. The only exception was one."

Irina Shidou.

"Strange, usually the one who ends up in a bad place at a bad time is Shirou" Rin tilted her head in confusion

You'd think it would be him and his E-rank luck that would end up in that layer.

Now he understood why they hadn't been able to find her after so much time. So why had the voice instructed him to take the group to the previous location where they had fallen?

"This is simply because there was a chance to meet Irina Shidou. The only unexpected thing was the way of crossing. It was unlikely that she, like all of you, would fall into this separate dimension."

"And I never expected the entrance to that place to malfunction so badly and end up swallowing everyone," Sirzech ended the God's line of thought with some sympathy.

That was bad luck.

He nodded, feeling relieved. Although he only knew Irina slightly due to their brief interactions, the time they spent together was more than enough for him to understand what kind of person she was. Kind would be the best word to describe her, followed by considerate. That kind of person wasn't one he wished to see hurt.

"Oh, thank you" Irina slightly blushed and greeted Shirou enthusiastically

"Shirou stop seducing your second nun and focus on the angel" Rin scolded him

"I'm not seducing anyone," Shirou mumbled under his breath.

I hadn't even spoken!

The only problem was where was she?

"If she's alive, she's close,"  said the voice inside the collar.  "About half a mile ahead, then a sharp left toward a crevasse formed by a small underground stream."

Irina swallowed

True, I still had no idea what his condition was.

But it should be fine, right? From what he understood, that place was outside the testing area, so there shouldn't be any sentries or anything threatening inside.

No?

Giving thanks inwardly, he asked Xenovia to help him reorganize the group with him, and together they soon set off in the direction the voice inside the collar directed. The swords in their hands were made of light energy, so they could faintly illuminate the path ahead of them.

"I want my lightsaber" Issei muttered pitifully

A red lightsaber like Vader!

Water dripped from the stalactites hanging above our heads, like the slime of a hungry beast with prey already in its jaws.

"There's nothing dangerous there, right?" Rin asked Gabriel with narrowed eyes.

"There shouldn't be anything there," the angel replied worriedly.

"I don't like the feeling this place gives off," said one of the examinees, solemnly surveying the surroundings. "Something's definitely not right."

"And I think I might know what," another replied, raising his sword with trembling hands as he stared, transfixed, at the stares of so many others.

"W-what the hell is that?!" another examinee yelled in panic.

"Isn't there supposed to be nothing there!?" Rin growled, glaring at Gabriel.

"I-I shouldn't!" He replied in panic.

What were those things!?

Amid the shadows and dim lighting, it was difficult to make out anything but the pair of red eyes hanging from the ceiling. It was then that a deafening scream was heard before the group fell under attack.

One of the examinees, who was standing three meters away from him, disappeared and her screams faded into the darkness.

"No!" Shirou exclaimed in shock

There was no time to think about what those things were that had to rescue her!

Chaos immediately erupted among the examinees as more and more people were injured. The situation only worsened as time passed, and the stench of blood began to permeate the air.

He grimaced, staying close to Xenovia and protecting everyone around him. However, he wasn't able to defend so many people at once.

But suddenly,

"This way!" a familiar voice shouted. "Come here!"

"Irina!" Xenovia exclaimed happily

"I told you it would be fine!" Irina puffed out her chest proudly.

Turning his head, he saw Irina screaming at them, standing in front of a large crack in the wall.

In their panic, most of the examinees blindly followed Irina's voice as it came from in front of them. Irina directed them toward the space within the rift. It was likely where she had been hiding to avoid these things for who knows how long.

Still, there were too many examinees running to the same place at the same time, drawing the attention of their attacker.

"Is it just one?" Rias asked in amazement.

With the speed at which he attacked, I thought there were several of them!

"No, if there are several, it is difficult to distinguish them but there is more than one pair of eyes" Serafall pointed out seeing their strange shapes

It's true that he was probably the only one who could distinguish their shapes in the darkness, but even so, he was very confused. After all, they were formless. They were like floating black clouds, with the only discernible feature being their red eyes.

"Those are-!" Gabriel exclaimed as he recognized the creature.

But that didn't make sense, those things shouldn't be there!

"Creatures of the Boundary,"  said the voice inside the necklace.  "Guardians who watch over the souls of those who were sent neither to Heaven nor Hell. Their strength is equivalent to that of a six-winged angel, and they are normally docile unless provoked."  The voice inside the necklace didn't speak for a moment, seeming to be in contemplation.  "I had hoped this wasn't the case, but the Dimensional Cross must have been tampered with."

"So it wasn't him," Michael muttered, feeling slightly guilty.

"Or he wants to make Shirou believe it wasn't him," Azazel corrected him.

Again he kept thinking it wasn't that God but something about the way he seemed to talk about the place as if he knew it personally disturbed him.

As if he himself...had created it

But that was impossible

In the darkness illuminated by a dim light, he could see three or four of these creatures moving in the air.

However, now that they had found Irina, the only thing left was to leave the place created by the Dimensional Cross. The voice inside the necklace rushed to give him information.

"According to my memory of the layout of this place, everyone should head to the center of the dimension. There, you can find some kind of control station,"  said the voice inside the necklace.

The stomach of the angels and the fallen sank

How the hell did he know that?

How could I know the layout of the place?

There was only one being who knew him in his entirety and he...and he

He must be lying, it must be a lie

He nodded before quickly saying thank you.

Anyway, first and foremost, he needed to make sure everyone was safe. Some of the examinees had already died, and if he didn't act soon, more people would be in danger.

If defending was no longer an option because there were too many to defend, then there was only one option left.

"So you're finally going to get serious about Emiya," Rin muttered, slightly conflicted.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I can hold back with so many people in danger," Shirou apologized, even though there wasn't even a hint of regret in his tone.

"It was only a matter of time Shirou, so there's nothing to be ashamed of" Saber shook her head with a small smile

These inhuman beings wanted to know what their pod was capable of doing? Well, here they were.

He threw away the lightsaber that the church had provided him.

The sword flew through the air and illuminated one of the creatures just as it passed.

At that moment, the creature's eyes seemed to widen in disbelief as a pair of swords cleaved it in half.

Everyone watched the action attentively.

The small exchange between the trio had not gone unnoticed so everyone could tell that this Shirou was about to demonstrate his power.

To demonstrate why he was chosen for this task

Now was no longer the time to hold anything back.

"Trace, On."

"Those words again," Akeno frowned.

It was the second time I used them.

But why now? The last time, if I remember correctly, it was to improve his body.

But was it just that? Or was there something else?

The words echoed in the darkness.

Xenovia silently observed Shirou with great attention. Ever since she met him, her mother Griselda had told her that she would discover for herself what characteristics attracted her to him. Griselda attributed this to the natural quality of a holy man: an individual blessed by the heavens.

However, she saw differently, seeing through the holy aura that Shirou occasionally emitted unknowingly.

He was kind.

"He's a fool is what he is" Rin snorted

What kind of idiot gets threatened that they'll be enemies tomorrow and then waves it off like it's nothing the next day?

Still, he was still his fool.

And that of Saber

And just maybe Sakura

Kinder than anyone she'd ever met. She knew it wasn't really her fault for seeing her in the lake, but irrationally, she still kept it to herself and refused to share her food when she noticed she had none. Who would have thought Shirou could cook? Let alone offer her the food he'd worked hard to prepare first before insisting on a trade when she refused due to her own ego.

"He's a good boy," Gabriel nodded enthusiastically.

One who in the past might have earned a name as a hero and even without that God to intervene might have gone far in the church

But more than kind, he was affectionate.

"I hope not too affectionate," Rin grumbled.

He was only allowed to get affectionate with her and Saber!

And perhaps Sakura

shouldn't have been concerned about the lives of the other examinees participating in the trials, and yet, from the very beginning, when the white orbs' malfunction had been discovered, he had been one of the first to propose searching for the rest along with her. Even then, when their search was proving futile, his resolve never wavered. In fact, because of this, they were able to find more and more examinees. It seemed that wherever Shirou went, he would know exactly where the other examinees would be.

"Well, he had the voice of God guiding his steps," Rías noted humorously.

"Literally," Sona nodded with a small smile of her own.

Had he been French he might even have been called D'arc

For these reasons and a couple of other mundane things she couldn't take the time to mention, she saw for herself what qualities attracted her to him.

"Shirou, what did I tell you about seducing nuns!" Rin scolded him, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt.

"I haven't seduced any nun!" He defended himself with his hands up.

"First Caren, then Ciel and now there's Xenovia, don't think I missed how those pigtails are giving you the eye!" She scolded with sharp eyes pointing at Irina who blushed slightly

Was I being seduced!?

"It wasn't on purpose!" He wasn't even sure how Caren got interested in the

He tried to murder his father!

Oh, now that I thought about it that could have something to do with it.

But above all, he meant more to her than anyone else in the church. He was her friend. The only one who stood by her despite his cold and, undoubtedly, senseless demeanor, which alienated others after an involuntary icy stare.

"So you are aware that your attitude lacks common sense" Rias said in surprise

"I admit he acted differently than the rest," Xenovia nodded.

And she wasn't being seduced either.

Or is it? Honestly, after her conversation with Rias she was looking for a purpose for herself as a devil, she thought about asking Issei to give her strong children but this man also seemed like a good candidate.

After all, if King Arthur himself approved it, there must be a reason.

I should talk to Rias again later to clear my doubts.

So, even in the midst of battle, she watched him closely, preparing to fight by his side whenever he decided to act. It was thanks to this mindset that, despite the ensuing chaos, her eyes never left his, allowing her to witness something she and many others would never forget.

"T-Team Sacred," he said in amazement.

"Those are Noble Phantoms?" Azazel asked, remembering the term.

"Yes, legendary weapons of the past" Saber nodded still not particularly liking the use of those swords

"Do I take out those swords or... create them?" Kiba wondered.

Why if they had created them it would be very similar to their Sword Birth

These were the hundreds of armaments created by God and gifted to the human race. However, their number was limited and their strength varied. Therefore, it was extremely rare for a human in a population of even a few billion to possess one. Even more so if the Sacred Gear was of the Longinus class.

Observing carefully, a pair of swords spontaneously appeared in Shirou's hands, and based on his feel, they were at least Legend grade weapons or higher.

Weapons were classified by the church as Mortal for regular weapons made of steel, Legend Grade for weapons of great renown and power, and finally Holy Grade for weapons that were at the pinnacle.

"It seems like an overly simple system," Rin noticed.

Still, they were only C-rank Noble Phantoms, so as long as Shirou didn't pull out anything too outrageous, everything would be fine.

She frowned as she pondered to herself.

The only Sacred Gear he knew of capable of producing swords in such a manner was Sword Birth. Be that as it may, it couldn't be that particular gear. It was impossible since Sword Birth was only known for producing demonic swords. In that case, the white and black curved swords in Shirou's hands respectively didn't emit any indication of a demonic aura. Therefore, they couldn't be of demonic origin.

"A sacred team capable of producing swords? It seems you're not so unique anymore, Emiya," Rin joked.

"I never was," Shirou replied ironically.

Only in the war did he meet two guys who also shot legendary swords so he never really considered himself unique in that sense.

She didn't know what kind of Sacred Gear Shirou possessed, but she knew for sure that she would ask Griselda about it when they finally returned. Right now, she was happy about this unexpected surprise. However, she had her own surprises.

"Are you going to take her out?" Irina asked her friend with concern.

"I'm afraid I have no choice, I can't leave all the work to Shirou" Xenovia nodded seriously

She just hoped her counterpart could control her better than her.

His eyes traced the path of the lightsaber Shirou had thrown at the beginning of the fight, and landed on another of those creatures flying by.

Mentally calculating, Mother Griselda had once severely reprimanded her for taking out this weapon and breaking the seal without just cause. However,

I couldn't blame her for using it in that kind of situation.

Saber's eyes sharpened.

Did this Xenovia have her own Sacred Gear?

Mimicking Shirou's previous throw, he threw his lightsaber, not caring where it went or whether it would hit anything or not.

At the same time, with a single movement of her hand, her white cloak fell away to reveal a pair of arm warmers that reached halfway down her arm, and a tight-fitting black combat outfit that completely resembled a black leotard with short sleeves.

Rin blinked

"Why are all the nuns we know exhibitionists?" he sighed with resignation.

"I'm not an exhibitionist," Xenovia defended herself. "That suit is optimal for movement," she explained as if it were obvious.

"Yes yes, whatever you say" Rin dismissed it easily

First that nun Caren with her bandages and then Ciel with her tight suits and now there's Xenovia with expanders 

Damn fetish nuns trying to corrupt their fool

He extended his hand, and a magic circle appeared about thirty centimeters from his palm before a chained sword began to emerge. His palm then grasped the hilt.

"I guess it's a good time to break the seal," Gabriel said wistfully.

I haven't seen that sword in decades, not since Vasco Strada.

The chains broke in a shower of sparks.

A warmth spread through his body.

The sword and the bearer became one again.

Emitting a tower of yellow light, it split the darkness.

Durandal, the sacred sword of the legendary Paladin of Charlemagne.

"Wait, is that Durandal?" Shirou asked in surprise

But it looked nothing like the Durandal I had seen before!

"Yes, it is the sacred sword I inherited from my predecessor Vasco Strada" Xenovia nodded proudly

"But if you already have such a powerful holy sword, why would you want an Excaliburn?" Rin asked curiously.

Could it be that this little nun is more ambitious than she thought?

"Unfortunately I couldn't control Durandal's power well during that time, so my mother suggested that I try to carry a fragment of Excaliburn to familiarize myself with its power," he explained, making Rin nod.

It made sense, he supposed.

Saber couldn't help but feel a little offended.

His sword as a mere training tool?

That was insulting!

But while they argued Azazel remained silent.

Was it really possible? There was the slightest possibility that it was...the

If this were the case, so many things would change, the balance of power in the world itself could be altered.

But it couldn't be, he was dead, he had to be.

Yes, I was.

12954 words

Chapter Text

This time it was Gabriel who took the book

How? How did that God seem to know so much?

There was only one who knew the dimensional cross so well and he was no longer there.

He was gone, before their eyes, vanished in an impossible way after sealing those fearsome beasts.

But then who?

Doubt gnawed at her mind and wouldn't leave her alone.

What was going on here?

Shirou was stunned for a moment as the story of the sword Xenovia had drawn filtered into his mind. Each swing of her sword shot out towers of divine light and incinerated all opponents.

It was a weapon that had been covered with tied chains that broke when Xenovia grabbed its hilt and swung it to the side.

Durandal, the sacred sword of the legendary Paladin of Charlemagne.

Xenovia couldn't help but puff out her chest a little with pride.

Well, it was about time it was his turn to be surprised.

It may not be Excaliburn but she was sure that her Durandal was no match for King Arthur's sword either.

He had once seen Durandal from within Gilgamesh's armory, but it was very different from the sword Xenovia wielded. It was the product of the difference between two worlds. One was an indestructible Noble Phantasm that acted as a vessel for three miracles, and the other was a Holy Sword created by the hands of a God capable of unleashing an incalculable amount of Holy power.

"Wait, Durandal inside Gilgamesh's cellar? Like the Gilgamesh of Uruk one of the oldest recorded legends?" Sona asked Shirou with narrowed eyes.

But that didn't make sense!

Gilgamesh lived about four thousand years ago and Roland, the first to wield Durandal, lived just a thousand years ago!

How could Gilgamesh have such a sword three thousand years before it was forged?

"Why Gilgamesh is the king of heroes" Rin replied, drawing the attention of the bespectacled student.

"And what does that have to do with anything?" he asked curiously.

"He is the first hero and according to his legend he had all the treasures of the world, including the prototypes of many Noble Phantoms, Gilgamesh had in his vault hundreds of thousands of weapons that he was not afraid to use as simple projectiles, firing at his enemies a massive bombardment of weapons that by themselves could destroy entire cities" explained Rin

"Interesting, he's different from the Gilgamesh of our world that's for sure" Azazel said with fascination

Yes, he was a king and yes, he was renowned for his treasures, but I had never heard of these legendary weapon prototypes before.

But he supposed it would make sense, just as Gilgamesh was the first hero, the prototype that had the first versions of the legends that would later form.

"And they fought him?" Issei asked in amazement.

How do you fight a guy who throws nuclear bombs as projectiles!?

"Yes, we fought him," Shirou replied with a frown and without saying anything else.

Everyone understood the message

That didn't mean some didn't have questions for later.

Of course, this had its drawbacks.

The vast amount of power contained within the Durandal in Xenovia's hands was unstable, and he could easily sense this from the tense expression on Xenovia's face. This must have been the reason why the Durandal had been chained and stored within a separate dimension.

"I see, that's why you haven't used it until now, a powerful weapon that wears you down quickly." Saber couldn't help but compare that to the Noble Phantoms of her world.

A trump card that if used at the wrong time could be the downfall of its user.

According to the story he had glimpsed of the Durandal in Xenovia's hands, its previous wielder, Roland, had used it to fight an army of one hundred thousand men. Its immense strength was reason enough to understand why Xenovia had yet to master the sword.

Xenovia clenched her fist

Even now as a demon he couldn't control Durandal very well, much less bring out his full potential.

Or maybe that was precisely why he couldn't?

It was at that moment when Xenovia moved to attack with her sword that he felt it, his body wavering before he fell to his knees. This action did not go unnoticed by those fighting on the battlefield and certainly not by Xenovia who abandoned any notion of attack and moved to his side.

"Shirou?" Saber asked worriedly.

"Does using those swords wear you out that much?" Irina asked him with concern.

"No, if it's just Kanshou and Bakuya I could project dozens without getting tired" Shirou shook his head in surprise

Why had he fallen like that?

Azazel's eyes shone

Then I could create more than a couple of those Noble Phantoms at once.

Interesting

But what were the conditions for making them?

I doubted that just seeing them would be enough, that would be absurd.

"What's wrong?" She asked worriedly as she drove away the enemies with her sword's intense Holy attribute.

Instead of responding, the swords he'd drawn, Kanshou and Bakuya, vanished. All that remained were his hands clutched tightly against his chest and a confused expression on his face.

"Do those creatures have some form of psychological attack?" Serafall asked seeing Shirou's expression.

"No, they are more wild animals than thinking beings, they are not capable of anything so advanced" Michael responded, also confused.

"Even if they had him, Shirou definitely wouldn't be the first to fall." Rin pointed out what was obvious to her.

Shirou's mental strength was for better or worse one of his strongest characteristics and the closest to breaking it was himself and even then he couldn't stop himself.

It was impossible for Shirou to be affected by the mental attack of those things before the bunch of other brats who were in much worse mental condition.

Others who had gathered their courage soon began to rally around Xenovia in order to protect him, as they considered him not only a leader, but someone capable of helping them escape their current predicament. This assumption was only solidified after most of them came to the conclusion that he possessed a Sacred Gear.

"What's wrong with him? He was fine just a second ago!"

"Does it even matter? For now, we just have to make sure he stays alive!"

Amidst all the screaming, he didn't feel like his mind was there at that moment, but rather, the world seemed to revolve around the Durandal in Xenovia's hand. There was a feeling surging within him, demanding release. In this sense, even the Durandal in Xenovia's hand began to emit a fine glow of light as Xenovia approached him in her attempt to protect him.

"Are you serious?" Xenovia asked apprehensively.

Durandal was planning to leave her?

"A new carrier, now?" Michael asked worriedly.

Shirou was definitely worthy of wielding Roland's sword but this was not the time!

"Shirou, what did you do now?" Rin hissed.

"I haven't done anything!" The redhead defended himself.

It was the first time a sword reacted like that to him!

It was then that he realized what was really happening.

A sword echoed in the depths of his inner world, resonating and demanding to be used. Even if it was only a copy, prominent swords like Caliburn had a will of their own, dictating when and who could wield them. This sword was no different.

Rin's face paled.

Seriously!?, now the swords also had their own soul resonance!?

Oh shit, how would Excaliburn react when Shirou finally had one of the fragments in his hands!?

"Miracles call for miracles."

If you want to break free, then I'll grant it to you  , he thought as he gritted his teeth and a projection appeared ahead.

From the hands clutching the chest appeared a black hilt adorned with a stylistic, pure gold coating along the edges and guard. Even the pommel, made of clear gemstone, was wrapped in an elegant design.

Michael's eyes widened in surprise.

T-that was-!?

"S-Sword?!" Someone spoke in the middle of the battle.

It wasn't just any sword. From the moment the blade emerged, tip and all, it emitted a glow comparable to that of the Durandal in Xenovia's hands, who didn't want to appear inferior in any way.

It was a statement.

Durandal, the peerless sword and noble phantom of Charlemagne's Roland, had made his appearance.

"Is the sword jealous?" Issei asked stupidly.

Something like 'She's pretty but I'm better!'?

Hey his arm had a rivalry with another guy's arm this couldn't be that strange!

While the Durandal in Xenovia's hand was unrestricted and its power was emitted in waves, the feeling of the other Durandal was much calmer and serene. It was the difference between a rampaging beast and a patient hunter. Furthermore, the three miracles contained within the Noble Phantasm seemed to come alive at that moment as if they were filled with joy.

"Durandal" Michael gulped nostalgically at the unknown sword

"Yes, the Durandal of our world," Shirou admitted bitterly.

"Why do you have that sword?" Gabriel asked curiously.

"Why was it in Gilgamesh's cellar?" Azazel asked, "and you, somehow using your tracking, copied it."

"I think I already said it, but as long as it comes to leaves, there's no one who understands them better than me," Shirou replied, looking at the crow with a frown.

But how!?

It was the question that Azazel did not dare to express.

Did it occupy some fragment of the weapon? A ritual, perhaps being cut with it?

How did he do something like that!?

And above all, how many did he have?

The only reaction to this was a slight jingling from the collar around her neck.

"You did that?" Rin asked quietly, looking at the necklace.

Did it interfere in any way or was it the sword alone that decided to be released?

"T-That sword, what is it?" Xenovia asked, frowning and not just from the effort of wielding her own sword.

Many others were expecting that exact answer, but that answer would really surprise them all.

Miracles were events inexplicable by both science and nature. They were truly profound, just as they were described in the ancient testamentary writings.

Michael took a deep breath

He couldn't be serious.

When God said, "Let there be light," then there was light.

Without reason, without understanding the cause, it was really something inexplicable.

"Miracles are the work of God, and God is a man of miracles."

"All Gods have their own miracles," Azazel murmured weakly.

But there was only one who would be given the title of God of miracles.

Durandal rose by itself in his hand, and without warning one of the miracles stored within leaped to the tip of the blade and glowed brightly in accordance with the necklace around his neck.

“The sword of miracles and a symbol of power,” the words leaving her mouth were echoed by the will within the necklace. “Once I ask of you, and twice more you shall answer me.” The Durandal in Xenovia’s hands shook violently, as if ready to fly away at any moment, but Xenovia’s grip remained strong. “With this call, return everything to ‘Tranquility,’ the light of Durandal.”

"W-wait, are you going to use one of the miracles now?!" Michael exclaimed apprehensively.

One of Durandal's miracles to eliminate those creatures!

A look of surprise appeared and remained on Xenovia's face when she heard the name of the sword in her hands.

"B-But is that it?"

Xenovia clenched and unclenched her hand for a moment considering summoning her Durandal.

Three miracles

Did your Durandal have something like that too?

Impossible. He knew exactly what she was thinking. Therefore, he wouldn't comment on her disbelieving expression and the way she stared back at him from the Durandal in her hand to the Durandal in his. It was a perfectly normal reaction, as even he in his situation could have done the same. Even if he had presented Saber with another Excalibur, he was sure she would have been shocked as well.

Saber closed his eyes

He was honestly preparing for whatever those so-called Excaliburn fragments were.

For a moment, the world fell silent.

Then the roof swung wide open, revealing an open sky. From this sky, divine hands of clouds and wind drove back the attackers until none remained.

It was only after sunlight began to break through the clouds that everyone began to regain their senses and erase their bewildered expressions. In fact, what replaced the bewilderment on their faces was a deep sense of wonder and gratitude that only solidified further when they realized they had returned to the peaceful area they had once been in—the place before they had been transported to that cave-like world.

"A miracle capable of crossing dimensions," Michael murmured almost breathlessly.

How long had it been since you last saw something like that?

From his understanding of what had just happened, he, through the machinations of the necklace, had unleashed one of the three miracles stored within the Noble Phantasm Durandal.

Miracles were inexplicable events created by God, and that's what would be called a miracle. A phenomenon capable of tearing apart even the structures of space itself to return everything to proper order, to a state of tranquility.

With no danger in sight, the necklace around her neck fell silent as the Holy Force emitted by Durandal dimmed. However, the sword itself refused to fade yet, remaining despite her intention to discard it and set it aside to avoid further trouble in the future.

"Is that normal?" Kiba asked curiously looking at the sword with fascination

Could you create something similar with your sacred-demonic swords?

"No, I've never had problems like that," Shirou replied, frowning.

He certainly had some swords that 'called' him to fight specific enemies but they had never refused to leave after completing the job.

It shouldn't even be possible for them to refuse to leave!

For the time being, at least everyone would be safe.

At that moment, she didn't know what to feel, as nothing seemed to make sense. The sword in her hand and the sword in Shirou's had the same name. She could even go a step further and admit that they also felt the same. As a true heir of Durandal, she had spent most of her time getting used to the distinctive holy energy flowing from her sword, which made it unmistakable.

"There is only one Durandal but both are Durandal" Xenovia frowned

The same sword, two worlds

Very confusing

At that point, there was only one thing left for him to do.

Her body ached from the effort of controlling the power within the Durandal in her hands, but at that moment, she couldn't be bothered with it. Instead, she walked slowly toward Shirou, stopping in front of him.

"Can I hold it?" he asked. It was the only way he could determine everything with 100 percent certainty.

"Don't you dare Emiya" Rin said in a low voice

They had no idea how a Noble Phantom would react to its otherworldly counterpart, it could be a violent reaction and end up blowing the girl up.

Shirou seemed to hesitate for a moment, but relented after seeing the seriousness in her gaze.

When the other Durandal was presented to him, he gently took it by the hilt and inspected it before his very eyes.

"At least it didn't explode," Azazel nodded as if nothing had happened.

"Could it explode!?" Xenovia asked in shock

"We have no idea, you are holding two different swords that share the same identity, they could try to repel each other, or even fuse, it's literally a unique situation" Rin answered inwardly relieved.

She wasn't sure how Shirou would have reacted if his new friend died because of him.

It was the same.

The excess power emanating from her own Durandal seemed to seep into the other seamlessly, proving that there was no difference between the two swords in the first place, save for their shape and design. However, what surprised her was the calm, vibrant energy that began to emanate from the other Durandal Shirou had given her.

"Are they...complementing each other?" Michael asked in amazement.

Instead of repelling each other or becoming one, they seemed to work together as if they had always been destined to be a team.

"Can you do that?" Xenovia asked Shirou curiously.

"Yes, but I don't think it's a good idea to do it here," he responded immediately upon seeing the sparkle in the blue-haired girl's eyes.

"This isn't the best place to do that kind of experimentation," Michael agreed, much to Azazel's disappointment.

Nor could I deny that it was true.

"I see" Xenovia nodded

"Look what you did Emiya, now he's crying" Rin pointed out shaking his head

"Crying?" Issei asked strangely.

But he had the same stone face he always pointed out

"Sorry, maybe later" Shirou said immediately cheering up Xenovia

For the rest it may seem that nothing had changed but for Rin and him, accustomed to reading Saber, this girl was an open book.

Although it was the same Holy Power her own sword unleashed, it was the difference between unbridled and controlled. What made her doubt even more was that the sword would allow her to wield it, just as Durandal had accepted her as its current owner.

It was then that he swallowed, realizing the implications this matter would have on the very foundations of the church. And if his suspicions were correct, it could very well cause great unrest even at the highest levels of the church.

"It's not a lie," Michael sighed.

He had personally delivered that newly forged sword to Roland during the war.

The idea of a second Durandal emerging would undoubtedly reach his ears.

And then...I could finally discover the identity of that fake God.

It was a sword of  miracles  ; not just a sword of unimaginable power like the Durandal she had summoned.

She wasn't an idiot, and in fact could clearly remember what Shirou had said before leading everyone to safety.

The first clue was the word "Miracle" followed by the following verse: "Once I ask you, and twice more you will answer me," as a prompt to continue thinking.

"Three miracles and one has already been spent," Irina said in conflict.

Those three miracles could have been used to do a lot of good.

He was sure the higher-ups wouldn't be happy with Shirou using one there even if it was to save them.

But what mattered was the single plea for everything to return to 'Tranquility' and the subsequent use of evoking Durandal's name with 'Light'.

Light was a mark of God and, arguably, one of his greatest symbols within the Faith and the Heavens. In this sense, the Durandal Shirou had given him to inspect only increased his suspicions.

The Sword of Miracles, had it been able to produce a miracle?

"Are we sure that God didn't do it on purpose?" Sirzech asked apprehensively.

Everything seemed to be going too well for him.

"At this point it's hard to say," Azazel scratched his chin in annoyance.

How much was a coincidence and how much was planned?

Was that the only thought taking root in his mind, and wasn't it a small miracle? With this in mind, the verse "Once I ask, and you will answer me twice more" immediately began to make sense to him. If once was the miracle, then would the verse "You will answer me twice more" indicate it?

His eyes narrowed as his suspicions grew. She would take everything back. This kind of discovery would not only cause great unrest within the church, but it could even involve Heaven as well.

"Are you so eager to expose your savior?" Rin asked dryly.

"Mother Griselda will protect him," Xenovia immediately responded, bristling at the insinuation.

"Are you sure she has that much power?" Saber asked softly.

Xenovia didn't respond

Mother Griselda was immensely respected and had enormous influence.

But enough to protect Shirou from something like that?

Even she could see it difficult

It didn't matter, she was sure she would just inform her mother and then she would take care of the rest.

A Holy Trinity of Three Miracles  .

Once that thought took root in his mind, it was only then that he could sense it within the sacred aura of Durandal that Shirou had given him. The presence of two inexplicable phenomena that could not be anything other than miracles.

If she could come to that conclusion, others could too, but the difference was that she had confirmed it for herself.

"Confirmed" Xenovia couldn't help but feel her mouth sour.

Deceived in this way by a foreign God

If I didn't know the truth about the death of God, I might well have fallen just the same.

Miracles were something only God could perform. Not even the highest angels or seraphim could recreate them. In fact, miracles were linked to God himself, and it was known that only he could invoke them.

"Every God has his own miracles, the fact that only one God can perform miracles does not mean that they all come from the same one" Azazel warned

Saber frowned.

She didn't believe that only the Gods performed miracles, she had seen humanity create miracles for itself for a long time.

Shirou himself could be called a miracle.

But he supposed that was one of the differences between a world that separated from the Gods millennia ago and one that still coexists with them.

In order for Shirou to use a real miracle,

This surpassed the level of a simple Sacred Gear. It was a true holy sword. An identical Durandal. In that case, he turned to his own Durandal. Did his own Durandal also work miracles within?

"No, if I were capable of something like that I would know," Michael shook his head.

He was quite sure of Durandal's power and miracles were not part of it.

She shook her head; that fact wasn't important at the moment. It was the confirmation that three miracles had been able to exist outside of God's authority, and two more still unused. If Shirou could use them, couldn't someone capable of wielding this sword do the same?

"I don't think it works like that," Azazel said, stroking his chin. "Even if there are miracles, I think at least a divine being is needed to use them."

"Or not divinity?" Rin questioned him with sharp eyes.

"Yes, I suppose it's the minimum necessary" Azazel nodded, seeing no reason to deny it.

She reluctantly returned the Durandal version to Shirou, feeling a sense of attachment towards it due to its exact similarities to her own sword.

"You must be very careful to prevent this sword from falling into the wrong hands," he said gravely.

"Usually that's not a problem," Rin snorted somewhat smugly.

Sword that Shirou pulled out, sword that exploded

And even though the miracles thing worried her a little because of their implications, she knew that Shirou could get rid of that sword if he really wanted to.

Worst case scenario, I'd turn it into a Broken Phantom and shoot it at the first idiot who tried to steal it.

Even now, he would make sure to reveal this matter only to Griselda. He didn't trust anyone else, and it was quite possible that corrupt figures existed within the church. Valper Galilei was a case in point.

"The corrupt church? What's new?" Rin said sarcastically.

"Have you had problems with the church in the past?" Gabriel asked worriedly.

That had sounded personal.

"The guy the church sent to oversee the grail war not only tried to hijack the war for himself but even wanted to use the grail to destroy the world, so forgive me for not thinking highly of you," Rin replied, seeing no reason to keep that particular secret, "and what's your excuse? At least in my world there are no more Gods, how the hell can an organization overseen by literal angels be corrupted?"

"The church and heaven usually act separately, we do not interfere in mortal affairs unless it is absolutely necessary," Michael responded with regret.

And because of that people like Valper Galilei managed to prosper.

Rin looked at him as if he was stupid.

How do you separate the church from heaven!?

It was like trying to separate the wizarding association from the major wizarding families!

That shit was obviously going to go wrong.

She didn't know what the church or Heaven could do with the remaining two miracles, but it was said in the Great Faction War that only God's miracles were game-changers, allowing him to even hold off entire armies by himself while covering the rear.

"Contain?" Michael muttered to himself. "I guess that's one way of looking at it."

That's exactly what miracles were: they couldn't be replicated. Not even Metatron, with all his power, was able to defend his followers against the attacks of the retreating other factions as God had.

"A war between pantheons, huh? That sounds apocalyptic." Saber couldn't help but worry.

How was the world after something like that?

"It wasn't a war between pantheons," Azazel corrected, "it was between factions, more specifically the three biblical factions: demons, angels, and fallen angels."

"I guess that makes sense, and how did that end?" Rin asked without much real interest.

"We can't really say there was a winner, by the end of the war everyone was so tired and worn out that a truce was made that lasts to this day" Michael replied.

They weren't even sure who started the war, the Fallen or the Demons.

"So a useless war that led to nothing sounds familiar." Rin snorted.

Although on a much larger scale than the war for the grail

"  You must be  very careful to prevent this sword from falling into the wrong hands," he repeated again for added emphasis.

"Worst case I'll just make her explode" Shirou said trying to calm Xenovia down

Irina had a chill

E-explode!?

Exploit two miracles of God!?

"You're not talking about literally exploding, are you?" Azazel asked nervously.

Even for him that would be too much.

The kind smile Shirou gave her for some reason sent shivers down her spine.

Shit, and he thought it was pigtails that were scary

Shirou wasn't like her, having been raised in the church. He might have been unaware of the power games that existed within it, where each leader vied for authority.

"No, the idiot has no idea," Rin confirmed mercilessly.

"I've handled myself quite well in the clock tower," Shirou said in his defense.

"You managed to bump into the clock tower queen and invite her to lunch as an apology in your first week," Saber pointed out.

Sometimes he wondered if Shirou's charisma was even higher than his to get out of that kind of situation unscathed.

"I didn't know it was Barthomeloi," he apologized lamely.

"You should have done it when everyone looked at you when you offered your hand," Rin pointed out again without a hint of mercy.

I was almost sure that the only reason the queen accepted that invitation and didn't cut off his hand was mere curiosity about the technically victorious war winner.

"I don't know what they say, but it seems you have either very bad luck or excellent luck," Rías said, amused.

I didn't know what the clock tower was or what Barthomeloi was, but just from the context I could sort of guess.

"Yes" Rin nodded

Alone, yes

Shirou nodded. "Trust me, I'll keep him safe," he said.

She grunted before crossing her arms. "You'd better," she said.

Knowing Shirou's temperament, which she had seen personally, she was certain that if given enough incentive, he might very well use another miracle without realizing that he might have been tricked.

"Yes" Rin nodded again

Shirou honestly no longer had the strength to reply.

"On second thought, you shouldn't leave my side," he ended up deciding it was the safest option.

Rin tried to nod again and froze.

"Excuse me?" He asked with narrowed eyes.

"If you stay with me I can protect you from anyone who tries to use you," Xenovia replied, not seeing any flaw in her counterpart's logic.

"Shirou" Saber sighed

Shirou looked at her

I hadn't said or done anything!

"Oh, wow," Akeno's eyes sparkled.

This could be fun

"I never thought Xenovia could be so daring" Irina muttered to herself

Should you support your friend's love for a guy who already had a girlfriend?

No wait, was that Shirou already dating Rin or was he still single?

Issei bit his shirt

Damn handsome boy!!!

Her response left Shirou speechless, and even she felt a little embarrassed and self-conscious as he looked at her with bewildered eyes. However, she convinced herself that she wasn't being unreasonable, but rather Shirou with his  personality  who was being unreasonable. Her mind firmly set, nothing Shirou said would convince her at this point; her embarrassed expression quickly changed to one of calm neutrality, and the image of her forcing herself on Shirou was cemented in people's minds.

"I'm just protecting him" Xenovia said

Imposing sounded like I was forcing him to do something

"Fine, but make sure you only protect him" Rin said with a slight growl pointing at the Shirou on screen

There was nothing he could do to protect that fool, but HIS fool was not going to be touched.

Even Irina couldn't help but comment with an angry face: "You're very bold," was what she said.

"It's refreshing, though. That's how a girl should act, direct and to the point," Liliana said with a sly smile.

Rias nodded

"That nun seems to be very wise," Akeno laughed behind her hand.

Direct and to the point

Why else would I doubt Issei would ever make a move?

Now if only Rias didn't get in his way.

The other two Marino brothers just shook their heads pityingly at Shirou before returning to tend to the wounded. Their gazes were shared by some of the other men, but not all. Being tied to a woman so quickly, and so attractive as well, they couldn't contain their jealousy.

"Why does this look so familiar?" Shirou muttered with empty eyes.

Oh right, his first few weeks in the clock tower

Apparently a guy like him hanging around with two beauties like Saber and Rin was really something that gave him a horrible reputation.

Luvia's start to throw herself at him only cemented his image as a womanizer.

There were even rumors that he was trying to sink his claws into the queen.

Unaware of anything that was happening around her, she just kept her gaze fixed on Shirou, who unlike her, could clearly hear what the others were saying and quickly turned red.

Seeing Shirou's red face, she concluded that he must be hungry or something, and thus expressed her opinion of allowing him to prepare food before making plans on what to do. However, in the eyes of others, this action made it clear who was wearing the  pants  in the relationship, prompting peals of laughter from the onlookers.

"She really looks like Saber's daughter," Rin murmured, fascinated.

I might even support her, if it weren't for the fact that he's her idiot she's chasing.

"And what are they going to eat? Roasted ghosts?" Issei wondered.

There didn't seem to be much there.

"So you're one of those who like women who command, huh? Not bad." Azazel nodded.

Normally he liked being the dominant one but sometimes being subdued by a good woman wasn't bad.

Although, of course, it was hard to find a woman who could dominate him of all beings.

The laughter caught his attention, but he had no idea why the others were laughing. However, he genuinely smiled, realizing that the sudden laughter had considerably lightened the air of sadness that once surrounded the wounded.

However, her smile caused most of the laughter to subside, captivated by the beauty she possessed. However, the common misconception was the reason for her smile. Whether it was because she had managed to control Shirou or because she was simply genuinely happy, no one knew except her.

"Wow," Rin whistled softly.

She was pretty, he admitted.

"Not bad," Azazel nodded.

Truly a beauty that I could have found before.

Now as the Gremory nobility was not worth the risk

By the time Shirou returned and prepared the food, she was already in her predetermined spot next to Shirou with an empty bowl in her hand waiting to be refilled.

She'd long since run out of ration bars and any other food she could barter with him, and so, for a long time, she felt undeniable guilt for her actions, knowing that gluttony was also a sin. However, now, for the first time, she felt justified in her actions, as she equated her behavior with a kind of protection fee.

"Gluttony may be a sin but hunger is the enemy so it's okay to enjoy food and be prepared for the next battle" Saber said looking at Xenovia

"So the reason why you eat so much is also your protection fee, no Saber?" Rin couldn't help but tease her friend a little.

"I don't eat that much," Saber said, looking away, offended.

Shirou smiled wryly

Well, maybe I will but I wouldn't trade that or anything about Saber for anything.

Without asking anything, Shirou placed the food he had prepared into his bowl and quickly began serving portions to everyone else.

Irina, who had never tasted the food Shirou had prepared before, was the one most surprised by the unexpected taste.

"And there goes another one" Rin sighed

Was that Shirou planning to have a harem of nuns or something? In that case, should that Xenovia worry about her mother?

However, even if Irina had been kind to her before, she would be the one receiving the second helping before her. It just felt natural.

As soon as the food was served and everyone had eaten, she turned her attention to the Durandal in her hand, the one given to her by the church. Its power was truly unbridled, but she found that the closer she was to the other Durandal in Shirou's possession, the easier it was for her to control it. However, the reason for this was something she didn't long realize.

Both were Durandal.

"Both are Roland's swords," Michael said gravely.

"Yes, it's a European's sword somehow found in a Mesopotamian vault by a Japanese who is possibly part Irish." Azazel played with his fingers for a moment.

That's a lot of cultures.

"I don't think that's the point," Rin said dryly.

Therefore, both were capable of exercising the same power.

If one releases too much, the other could help extract the excess.

Still, his Durandal was too difficult to control at the moment, and it was much more convenient to keep it sealed until needed.

But what mattered to her and everyone present was how to get out?

"Can't they just use another miracle and that's it?" Issei suggested, not understanding.

After all, that's what they were for, right?

"And use it how?" Serafall asked him.

"Um, go out?" Issei replied feeling more and more confused

"And how to get out?" Serafall insisted again

"I... don't know" Issei looked away in embarrassment

"Even if you have the miracles they are useless if you don't know exactly how to use them, it's not as simple as just wishing everyone out" Azazel explained a little more kindly

Although I hoped that God had some way to use them for that.

To get that answer, every pair of eyes, including hers, subconsciously turned to look at Shirou, who wasn't used to all the attention. From the beginning, he was the one who persevered the most to save as many people as he could. He, the one who even managed to do so despite his own limitations; rather, he broke through them and revealed who he truly was: a selfless, optimistic idiot who still managed to achieve his goal.

And that point was precisely worthy of praise.

"Thank you?" Shirou said confused.

Being an idiot was commendable

"No, but in your case surviving despite that is," Rin answered as if reading his thoughts.

In the spotlight, Shirou was absentmindedly playing with the Durandal in his hand, a complex expression on his face as he quietly muttered about trying to put the sword away, but being unable to.

In the room Shirou frowned

Was it something in that world? Perhaps interference from the other Durandal?

Something like this had never happened to him before and he was worried that it might happen to him in the future.

Anyway, he quickly answered everyone's questions.

Go northeast.

"Northeast," Michael placed a thoughtful finger on his chin.

I didn't remember there being anything to the northeast

Shirou had that look on his face again, as if he knew exactly what was right and what was wrong. The pleasant aura he exuded also contributed to that image, and in fact, it was that aura that had earned him the title of Holy Man when he first stood by the stream.

Without question, the group had begun to simply follow Shirou's lead, and they grew increasingly confident in their decision to do so when the group never encountered any units of Winged Sentinels. This was unusual since, although Grisleda had explained that only certain areas contained hordes of them, it was unlikely that they wouldn't encounter at least one of the aforementioned areas. In fact, some of the examinees in the group had encountered other Sentinels on their previous travels alone. However, with Shirou at the helm, this was not the case.

"This idiot will see or smell any danger that approaches," Rin said with an amused snort.

With Shirou at the helm the chance of finding any of those things was almost zero.

Almost, I couldn't forget that it was Shirou who was in front

No danger ever appeared in their sights, or at least they never led them into any danger.

As the group continued walking northeast, they settled into a comfortable routine. Every morning, the group would set out after eating and gathering their gear and walk until noon, where they would set up camp for the day. From then on, they would no longer continue walking, as they risked traveling in the dark after sunset. It was far more advisable, instead, to hunt and forage for enough food to feed everyone and allow for rest breaks. This way, everyone could remain productive and be ready to fight if such a situation arose.

"Half a day? That's very few hours of walking a day," Xenovia said impatiently.

If they got up at five in the morning they would only be about seven hours ahead.

"Most of those present are not trained for such tough trips, it makes sense that they don't want to stress them out so much," Gabriel said, worried about the applicants.

Even seven hours of walking a day for possibly months might be too much for some.

However, although this method of travel was easy for everyone, it required a considerable amount of time. They walked for most of the day before camping and gathering food. From then on, the group simply remained idle in that single location. It was only a spontaneous act on their part that changed the previous routine.

As the group was resting during the day, she had grown bored and first challenged Irina to a sparring match, and then Shirou. From then on, she would request a sparring match from the other examinees after each stop. This way, instead of being stuck in the dimension created at the Dimensional Cross, the examinees could improve. Inciting Shirou to the idea, she and Shirou somehow began sparring with the other examinees during their rest periods while they waited for nightfall.

"Well if you are so bored you could always start experimenting in another way" Akeno said in a suggestive tone

"I'm not sure how that place affects biological functions, but I don't think it's a good idea to risk pregnancy in that situation," Rin noted dryly.

"Still, that's a bunch of unsupervised teenagers, I'm surprised none of them have tried anything yet," Azazel said, caressing his chin with some lasciviousness.

"Fear can be a great libido suppressor" Surprisingly it was Issei who spoke

I had quite a bit of experience in that.

He could be completely horny one moment spying on the girls' locker room to having his whole body frozen when the girls from the kendo club caught him.

Xenovia tilted her head.

A pregnancy, huh?

In this way, five weeks finally passed.

She was currently sitting by one of the many campfires the group had lit as night fell. As a habit she'd developed, she leaned a little closer to the fire so she could get a good look at Shirou, who was sitting on the other side.

Not much had changed in the last month, other than his hair had grown a little, but she was also the same, with hair down to her shoulder blades. The only other difference from just a month ago was the maturity she could now see in him. Perhaps it was because so many other people had confided in him over the past few weeks? Or maybe it was simply because he was becoming more and more confident? Either way,

"Hair growth," Rin muttered.

When he heard that this place made them biologically immortal he thought it was freezing them in a state without cellular changes but with this it seemed not to be the case

Which would explain why they still needed to eat, but until now there was the possibility that it was just a habit rather than a necessity.

In that case, what kind of immortality applied here?

I really felt he was a trustworthy man.

"Shirou is a reliable man when truly required" Saber assured without doubt

To some, he may seem unreliable in several aspects, but he would not hesitate for a second to put his life in your hands if you asked him to.

There was a reason why she let him fight Gilgamesh alone even though he was an opponent that even she couldn't beat in the past and why she let him go without her supervision on all those dangerous enforcer missions.

And even though Rin didn't say it very often, he also trusted his 'fool' a lot.

She couldn't help but keep her eyes on him, and only came out of her stupor when Shirou looked away from hers.

Realizing that she had been staring at him too long, she checked her features and asked, "How much longer shall we continue traveling northeast?"

"It shouldn't be long, possibly another day or two of travel, and four at the most," Shirou explained before skewering a piece of meat and grilling it by the fire.

"Okay, what's to the northeast?" Azazel asked.

He also didn't remember there being anything in particular in that direction.

She hummed as she thought about Shirou's answer, the flames of the fire reflecting in her eyes, giving her a unique look. In fact, it was beautiful, so much so that it mesmerized the Marino siblings, who had lit their own fire nearby and were quietly eavesdropping.

"Something on your mind, kid?" Sirzech couldn't help but ask.

"I don't think so, I guess I'm just reflecting" Shirou replied

And it wasn't a lie

It was not uncommon for him to lose himself in his thoughts after a particularly difficult mission.

What could have been done better, how could have saved that person, how could become stronger?

He could spend hours reflecting on his mistakes and if it weren't for Saber and Rin to get him out of that state, he might even spend the whole night awake without realizing it.

Rin blushed slightly

Damn, that look of deep contemplation had always been too sexy.

Stupid and sensual Shirou!

"Is something wrong?" She ended up asking Shirou.

Shirou's face went blank before he shook his head. "No, no, it's nothing," he quickly denied.

She gave him a skeptical look before reaching for the skewer and securing it.

Shirou just smiled slightly as he finished grilling another skewer of the animal he had caught earlier.

There were only a few days left until they reached their destination.

Gabriel closed her eyes thoughtfully.

There was nothing to the northeast, in general there wasn't much in the dimensional cross, well apart from the landscape

But perhaps it had something to do with the remaining miracles of Durandal?

A place where the miracle would be most effective?

So they had come to an area with a wide plain and nothing else in sight except an army of winged sentinels hovering above them that hadn't noticed them yet.

"Of course there had to be an army of those things right at the finish line," Rin sighed.

It was so Shirou

Shirou gestured for everyone to be quiet before speaking. "I'm going to make a move," he said. "As soon as I'm done, we'll leave, but we'll make sure to attract attention," he explained.

"Are you going to overload the lightsaber again?" Kiba asked curiously.

I wouldn't deny that the move was intriguing, perhaps something replicable if he made the right sword.

She looked at Shirou and acknowledged his words. However, what move exactly was he going to make?

"Once I have asked of you, and twice more you will answer me," the Durandal in Shirou's hands came to life, forming white rings that revolved around it as the Holy Force began to gather. "Through this second call, grant me 'Power', the light of Durandal!"

"Power?" Serafall tilted her head.

Using a miracle for something so simple? There had to be something more.

It was like a sacred beam of total annihilation focused only on a single point within the world. This point couldn't withstand the force behind the beam and instantly shattered a fragment of the world, creating a hole in the dimension.

"Oh, power!" Serafall nodded.

"I see, I wanted to create an exit but I needed to be at the right coordinates" Azazel quickly pieced together the events

He didn't want to risk falling into another gap like before or who knows where if he opened a random hole.

"Why didn't you do it before?" he asked along with other examinees.

In fact, even Shirou had the same questioning expression as the rest, but it soon disappeared before he spoke again.

"Because I couldn't guarantee which dimension we'd return to," he said, shutting down any further questions.

"Wait, was it even possible to fall into the dimensional rift?" Sirzech asked in puzzlement.

How connected was that cross?

"Theoretically yes, the dimensional cross is not a fixed space but rather a pocket universe in constant motion, so it does not have a defined anchor that can guarantee the return," he explained.

Issei looked at him very confused

"Think of this as if it were a drifting ship and Shirou needed to reach a certain port before he could lower the bridge" he explained in a very simplified way

"Oh, that makes sense" Issei nodded

"So, we just walk in and then walk out?" Andrea asked.

Shirou nodded. "But we don't have much time, look."

Just as Shirou had said, the hole Durandal had opened in the dimension was slowly closing.

"You could have told me that would happen sooner, idiot!" Rin scolded him.

It would have been easier to organize the departure in order instead of just everyone running on their own.

"Yes, sorry" Shirou grimaced

Apparently his other version still had things to learn.

"Well there is the exit you are waiting for" Rías pointed out seeing the applicants momentarily frozen

"Oh, shit!" Andrea cursed as she pulled her brothers toward the hole.

Many other examinees quickly followed suit, gripped by panic.

However, Shirou was different. Instead, he focused on repelling the winged sentinels from getting too close to the group. In this regard, he was doing exceptionally well; the remnants of the miracle of "Power" still lingered in Durandal, allowing him to pass through the sentinels as if they were made of paper.

"You know, even I would have trouble getting through those things like that," Azazel noted.

Clearly there was a difference between paper and cardboard, but it was still there.

Well, he guessed that as expected from a divine miracle

Still, Shirou wasn't the only one who decided to stand up for the other examinees. She and Irina did so as well.

Irina aimed for the lower wing sentries, as she found it difficult to try anything higher.

"Any help is appreciated" Michael said seeing Irina slightly discouraged

"I've gotten stronger since then but I don't think I could have done much more even now" Irina shook her head as she watched her counterpart fight

He needed to become even stronger so that another incident like Kokabiel's would not happen again.

Michael looked at this determination with approval.

Perhaps he had found an excellent candidate for the Brave Saints project.

He briefly looked at Xenovia with regret.

And if it weren't for the current system, I could have another promising candidate.

However, she had long ago launched her version of Durandal, towers of light that annihilated low- and mid-range winged sentinels alike. However, as she expected, Durandal was still too difficult to control; it could only launch concentrated blasts of holy energy and lost mobility.

Seeing this, she realized that Shirou had approached her.

"It will help you more than it will me," he said as he gave her his version of Durandal.

"Are you sure about this?" Xenovia asked with some longing.

She also wanted Durandal

"I'm more of a dual-wielder so I'm not exactly comfortable with that sword," Shirou replied, giving a brief shudder when he heard a growl from beside him.

It was his imagination, it was definitely his imagination.

Instantly, she felt the difference. The excess energy from her Durandal was being absorbed by the other, allowing her the necessary control without losing any power. It was as if she was destined for those swords. In line with her thoughts, both swords trembled slightly in her hands. After all, she was the next royal wielder of Durandal, an heir. Another Durandal or not, if one Durandal had accepted her, then another would as well.

Saber looked at this with distrust

Would it be the same with his Excaliburn? Anyone worthy of carrying one of those 'fragments' could handle the real thing.

I somehow doubted it.

He felt almost invincible, and for the first time, he felt he had complete control of his sword. Winged sentinel after winged sentinel was annihilated until none remained.

"That feeling can be dangerous," Saber warned Xenovia gravely.

After all, it was that feeling that led him to lose his beloved Caliburn.

Xenovia nodded, taking the lesson seriously.

"Then I'll go first, before any of you," Irina said as the last of her group's examinees disappeared through the hole. "Besides, I wouldn't be much help if I stayed behind anyway."

"I recognize my limits" Irina sighed

At least everyone else had already left.

"Knowing when to back down is an excellent trait for a gentleman" I congratulate her making her blush with happiness

She was praised by King Arthur!

With that, Irina entered the hole inside the dimension, leaving only Shirou and her.

"You can go first. I'll be fine here," he boasted.

"I don't think so," Azazel replied seriously, "they haven't appeared yet."

And I hoped they wouldn't.

"Them?" Rin asked sharply.

Who were they?

Instead of responding, Shirou took out a few more winged sentinels with the black and white swords in his hands. He then frowned as his eyes scanned the now-decimated surroundings.

"Something's wrong," Shirou said suddenly. "You should go first."

The angels present became serious.

For the current Shirou who could decimate high-ranking sentries to say that...

It had to be them

But there were few in the dimensional cross, only about three in the whole place

And they just appeared there?

Maybe that girl was somewhat right when she talked about E-rank luck.

She raised an eyebrow. "It should be fine," she said confidently. "But I'll go since you insist."

Saber sighed with relief in her mind

That Xenovia had been reminding him a bit of Mordred and he had almost expected her to blatantly refuse the order.

It was good to see that he was still reasonable and that power hadn't gone to his head.

She fixed her gaze on the hole within the dimension and quickly headed there, but hesitated just before entering. An eight-winged sentry had just appeared before her, holding an explosive spear. It wouldn't be much of a problem maneuvering around it, but based on her current strength, this could be an ideal test.

Having made a decision, he decided to defeat one last enemy.

"That was a mistake," Sirzech sighed.

Sometimes a last enemy could really become the last

Xenovia looked uneasy

What was this feeling?

The Durandals in his hands glowed as he released his Holy Energy, completely destroying the eight-winged sentinel with a substantial amount of resistance.

Then he smiled, thinking about the results. If he could still defeat an eight-winged sentinel, perhaps his strength would be limited to that of a ten-winged sentinel?

"Don't underestimate the ten-winged sentinels," Michael warned him.

The difference between eight and ten wings was not as simple as between two and four or even six and eight.

"Xenovia!!"

The moment her name was called, it was the moment she realized the unimaginable presence of the being that had appeared beside her.

D-Twelve wings.

That immediately alarmed everyone.

"There are only three of those on the entire cross, how is it possible there's one right there!?" Azazel exclaimed.

"Damn it Shirou stop doing that!" Rin complained to the redhead grabbing him by the collar of his shirt.

Of course that idiot would run into one of only three twelve-winged sentinels in over fifty thousand square kilometers!!!

It was completely useless to move as his reaction time was too slow.

At that moment, as death approached, that feeling instantly disappeared and was replaced by absolute despair. She had been pushed in the direction of the hole in the dimension that would lead her directly out of the Dimensional Cross, but someone had taken her place at the tip of the approaching spear.

"Shirou!" Xenovia exclaimed in horror

What did he do?

"I'll be fine," Shirou said immediately.

"I don't think even I would be okay after a direct hit from that thing," Azazel said grimly.

And all this happened before his eyes.

Memories of the many days they had spent together inside the Dimensional Cross flashed through her mind, including when she had first challenged him to a fight.

I didn't even need to ask why he'd done it, I knew him well enough for that.

Rin gave a long sigh

His idiot would be fine, he'd survived worse and Avalon should still have some juice left.

But he realized that he had just fallen madly in love with the nun, right?

The sympathetic look Saber gave him told him that he knew exactly how he felt.

He also didn't miss how this nun was now looking at her idiot.

Damn

Even with the other Durandal in his hand, making it easier to wield his own, nothing mattered to him at this point when anything he could do was useless.

I wanted to yell at him, call him an idiot for his actions, but most of all, I wanted him to stop making that face as if it were the last time they'd ever see each other. It was simply an expression of resignation.

"Please do it," Rin growled.

"You don't look very sad," Serafall pointed out.

"If you haven't noticed, we're not even a quarter of the way through the book," he pointed at the text in Gabriel's hands, "and if a chest explosion was enough to kill that fool, then even I wouldn't have known him."

Shirou nodded.

"I'm not easy to kill," he clarified without any further explanation.

In the worst case scenario the sword corps would manifest to save his life

People die when they are killed and he would not be killed so easily.

At that moment, even the calm facade she'd always maintained began to crumble, revealing the panicked face of the woman beneath. It was her fault, it was all her fault. If only she hadn't been so careless, if only she hadn't been so  stupid  ! Then wouldn't this situation have happened? She regretted it, more than she regretted anything. Losing herself in that feeling of being invincible with the power she held in her hands.

Saber looked at her with sympathy

"Sometimes loss is the only way to truly understand the value of something," he told her with deep understanding.

It wasn't until Caliburn broke that her illusion of being invincible was shattered and with it came the realization of how much that sword meant to her.

Even his Excaliburn was objectively better in every way, he would always yearn for his first mate and keep her in his heart.

Xenovia looked at the scene in shock

How did anyone survive that?

Why did she have to be so stupid? What the hell was that sudden pride for a power that wasn't even hers?

And why were the main victims trying to comfort her?

It had cost her dearly, hurt her in more ways than one. What was Shirou to her? Was he just a friend, or something more? Either way, she couldn't bear the thought of losing him. Even more so when she knew it was the price of her own actions.

She continued to berate herself as the light energy within the impact lance began to gather at the tip of the twelve-winged sentinel's attack. At any moment, it would explode with an uncontrolled amount of power generated by a twelve-winged being.

"Are you sure you'll survive that?" Azazel pointed out.

It was a lot of power

"Shirou isn't the type to fall for a broken heart," Rin replied with disinterest.

Then Shirou took her trembling hand and gave her a reassuring smile.

Rin looked away blushing

Fool!

I should have listened to Griselda's words. I wasn't ready to wield Durandal's power yet. I was too immature.

At that point, his thoughts no longer really mattered to him.

As her body was sucked into the hole in the dimension and white completely surrounded her vision, she became apathetic as her ears registered the boom of a powerful explosion in the next moment.

Xenovia shuddered horribly

The explosion was not audible and they could only see a white flash on the screen but to her it could have easily exploded in her ear.

Shirou also took Saber's hand when it threatened to turn into a fist.

It would be okay, I wouldn't die, not like this.

More than ever in his life, he prayed for a miracle.

The Durandal Shirou had given him vibrated in his hand, but quickly dimmed.

Because only God could create miracles.

"Shit" Xenovia cursed through gritted teeth

"That kind of thinking is very sad," Saber admitted.

Only God could create miracles?

His very existence as a heroic spirit, a being who transcended his legend, was proof that this was not true.

He didn't know if he could make it through this, but he could feel his chest caving in, if not completely distorting, from the blast. However, that was to be expected from the power of a twelve-winged sentinel.

He hadn't had time to erect a shield of any kind for himself in the time he had to push Xenovia out of the way. Therefore, all he'd been able to do was reinforce his body and hope for the best. Still, the added durability was enough to at least prevent him from exploding into pieces on the spot, but instead sending him hurtling through the air at breakneck speed.

"That reinforcement is better than I expected," Azazel admitted, impressed.

If I had received that, my chest would have been pierced at the very least.

"Even so, the explosive force must have damaged the internal organs," Kiba said.

It wasn't something you got up from easily.

He didn't know when or how far away he'd landed, but he ended up in a place that looked like a large monolith with spires extending out in all directions. Small grasses and bushes were visible just at the edge of his vision, but he couldn't move to look further due to the severity of his injuries, which caused him to faint.

"Monolith?" Gabriel wondered.

Was there a monolith on the dimensional cross?

However, as always, when he regained consciousness, the wounds he'd received had already largely healed. He didn't know why, but this was due to the effect of a certain scabbard stored within his body.

"A certain thing?" Rias asked curiously.

Another secret of yours?

Michael's eyes opened wide.

W-wait, if Saber was King Arthur then could he be... that thing?

The gleam in Azazel's eyes revealed that he was thinking exactly the same thing.

Xenovia sighed in relief with her hands shaking.

He was fine, he was fine

As he stood up, that's when the voice in the necklace spoke.

"Somehow you've ended up inside this dimension's control center,"  the voice explained.  "Although I suppose that's a good thing, since you could simply fix the problem affecting the relic instead of returning to the hole in the dimension."

"How did you get there?" Azazel asked confused.

That place should not be accessible from the inside.

"It's possible that the explosion somehow altered the stability of the crack," Michael replied, also confused.

He frowned after hearing the words the voice on the collar was saying. "So how do I fix it?"

"It's not something you should be thinking about right now, but you should know that this place is the most closely guarded place for this relic,"  the voice said.  "Although you might be pleased to know that I'll now be of great use for more than just giving you instructions like I have been in previous weeks."

"You've been more helpful than you think," Shirou said gratefully.

Without him I probably wouldn't have been able to find so many and I definitely wouldn't have found Irina.

Without him I would probably still be wandering around the place looking for an exit that doesn't exist.

He raised an eyebrow as the voice instructed him to head toward one of the towers surrounding the monolith. Almost immediately, the tower shrank in size as the necklace absorbed the Holy Energy that fueled it. After the words, he was instructed to move toward the rest of the towers, and similar events occurred at each tower he approached.

"He's assimilating our father's divinity." Gabriel covered his mouth in shock.

"How dare you?" Even Azazel felt outraged by the fact

Michael closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

For a single moment her wings slightly lost their shine, a change so small that no one could perceive it.

But there was no doubt that it happened before returning to normal

That God would pay for his sins

It was only when the last needle disappeared that a divine, resplendent light emitted from the necklace.

"This should be enough,"  the voice said.  "Even though I've recovered less than a fraction of my strength, it should be enough."

"Who are you?" Sirzech questioned.

Was it really him? I had heard of his death but was it possible that he was alive?

No, seeing the reaction of the angels that shouldn't be possible.

So who was it?

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"You'll understand. Just know that you won't have to fear any winged sentinels from now on,"  the voice said mysteriously.  "Sentinels and winged sentinels were originally designed to receive instructions from a single, important being in Heaven."

Michael's hands shook

No, it couldn't be

It was impossible

He nodded at the voice's words, but he was still a little confused.

"You'll understand in time. For now, you can head toward the monolith,"  the voice said.

Although he still had questions, he would rather escape the Dimensional Cross first. Therefore, he headed toward the monolith, stopping when he saw how many winged sentinels were blocking his way. What was even more terrifying was the presence of seven twelve-winged sentinels at the front of the group.

"I thought you said there were only three!" Rin hissed.

"Well there were only three in the dimensional cross, but that is the core, no one is supposed to go in there" Azazel replied

Ten were created in total but only three were intended for testing.

And they were generally more in the sense of knowing when to retreat than actually fighting.

"Step aside,"  the voice within the collar transmitted its voice as it expelled a substantial amount of Holy Aura.

To his credit, he didn't react outwardly when the winged sentinels did as the voice commanded.

Michael, Gabriel and Azazel watched what had happened in shock.

Co-how?

That was impossible!

There was only one who could command them! Not even Metatron the voice of God could do that.

So how

"Father?" Gabriel murmured, his heart heavy.

Was it really possible?

"Are you curious? Try it yourself. I'll help you,"  said the voice in the necklace.

From there, the voice prompted him to attempt to call out to one of the winged sentinels while continuing to release waves of Holy Aura. After doing as the voice suggested, one of the winged sentinels did indeed move toward him, and it too had twelve wings.

Rin's eye twitched

If heroic spirits also existed in that world, then Shirou was making a rather strange legend for himself.

Kneeling, the twelve-winged sentinel awaited instructions.

"How is that possible?" he couldn't help but ask, recalling the strength of a single one of those twelve-winged sentinels. Its power alone might have required the use of one of the more demanding Noble Phantasms he possessed.

Shirou nodded.

At least it would take a direct shot of caladbolg to take care of those things.

"Maybe it's because we're close to the control area,"  the voice replied, but it sounded more or less as if the voice was trying to avoid the problem.

"Yeah, that makes sense. He used Father's residual power and took advantage of his proximity to the control room to manipulate them." Michael clung to that theory.

I knew it was silly, that's not how sentinels worked but... I had to believe that was the way it was.

However, he wouldn't question it for the moment, since the situation had turned favorable. He clumsily dismissed the twelve-winged sentry, unsure whether it understood him or not, and walked directly beside the monolith.

The voice in the necklace then instructed him to place his hand against the cold stone, and as soon as he did, an entrance opened in the side of the monolith.

"The control room" Azazel became serious

What was he looking for there? Perhaps this is what he was aiming for from the beginning.

Inside the monolith, he found what looked like a normal control room. He was able to determine this based on his experience working on a similar project inside a room at Homurahara Academy in Fuyuki. By project, he meant volunteering to repair some of the older computer models.

Looking back on those things, he couldn't help but smile wryly as he realized that the people of Heaven had modeled their own technology after what humans had created. That, or it could have been the other way around, but he didn't suppose it mattered.

"Well, the dimensional cross was created thousands of years before the first computer." Michael couldn't help but defend his father's creation.

"So God beat Charles Babbage," Sona couldn't help but say ironically.

"Babbage?" Rias asked looking at her friend confused

"He's the father of computing, Rias," Sona sighed.

Seriously, they both went to the same academy?

Upon entering, there were cables coiled around various devices, connecting them to perform various functions. Although it said cables, they were more like ethereal threads that allowed objects to easily move through or past them.

Judging by the dust on most of the screens surrounding him, he could clearly see how old the place was. Even some of the screens showing various locations in the dimension were cracked and stained with dust, or at least the few that were working.

"Maybe I should take a look at the dimensional cross on my way back," Michael said thoughtfully, looking at the state of the control room.

Even though nothing had happened in his world, it may have only been a matter of time before a similar incident occurred.

And this time they wouldn't have an Emiya Shirou to save the challengers.

Of the screens I could see inside the room inside the monolith, only a few seemed to be working properly.

Pausing his momentary observations, he quickly used Structural Analysis to discover exactly what had caused the Dimensional Cross to malfunction.

"I thought that skill only worked on swords," Azazel commented with shining eyes.

Being able to analyze such a complex artifact with a single touch

He was willing to trade some of his artificial Sacred Gears for that magic!

"It works especially well on swords but I can use it on almost any inanimate object" Shirou replied

As Xenovia had explained during their travels, the Dimensional Cross was supposedly a relic used for the training of the church's exorcists. This way, potential exorcists could face stronger opponents for training without the threat of death looming over them.

It wasn't supposed to be a place where apprentices were doomed to certain death.

Michael paid special attention to the screen

If you can learn what went wrong here it could prevent a similar incident when you return.

Carefully analyzing everything that filtered into his view, he soon stopped at a single point in the control room.

Seeing this, he placed his hand over the artifact and began touching something that felt loose between his fingertips. After a few more attempts, he finally managed to pull out a small, paneled device.

However, what caught the most attention was a black feather sticking out of the only damaged part of the panel.

Everyone's eyes opened wide at the implication of that pen.

"Azazel?" Gabriel asked in surprise, even calling her brother by name.

"It wasn't me," he quickly denied. "If I really wanted to do something like that, I'd have had millennia to do it. There's no point in doing it now." He quickly explained.

"Yes, you're right," Michael sighed.

Something like that didn't fit in with his brother, much less leaving behind such careless evidence.

"But then who was it?" Gabriel asked herself, indignant at the fact.

"Considering the dates, it's possible that it's Kokabiel's fault," Azazel replied after some thought. "If you think about it, this event happened shortly before the incident of the sacred swords. Perhaps he wanted to use this to prevent Excaliburn Mimic and Destruction from obtaining new wielders and thus steal them more easily."

"Kokabiel, that would fit with what we know about him." Sirzech nodded.

"It's still just a guess so we can't be sure until the book confirms it," Azazel said quickly.

After all, if it were Kokabiel's fault, this would fall on him as his boss.

Michael looked at him reproachfully, knowing what he was thinking, but in the end he didn't say anything.

Even if it was just an excuse, they couldn't deny that it was true.

But it's not like there were many fallen capable of doing that.

He raised an eyebrow. This was, indeed, the root cause of the problem.

"Fallen angels,"  the voice from the necklace sighed.  "Angels who have given in to temptation and fallen from grace. Their white wings have turned black as a sign of their fall."

Azazel shuddered

Ugh, why did that feel like a scolding from dad?

The voice from the necklace continued to explain that the Fallen Angels were the third faction in the Great War. The others were the Angels and the Demons. Although the Fallen Angels were once Angels, their leaders insisted on fighting to improve their lives.

The Fallen Angels were the faction most at risk to both sides. Although some on the Angel side were hesitant to formally attack them due to previous ties, they also did not welcome them with open arms. As for what the Demons thought of them, they saw them as another enemy capable of using light-based attacks, which posed a great danger to the Demons.

"Yes, we have it tough," Azazel sighed tiredly.

At this point he was content to be left to do his experiments in peace.

And maybe some good women and alcohol

"It's a position you put yourself in, brother," Gabriel pointed out softly, sadly.

"And I never said otherwise," Azazel shrugged easily.

He wouldn't deny that he regretted some of his past decisions, but even if he had a second chance, he wouldn't hesitate to fall again.

Unwilling to remain in that position, the Lord Governor of the Fallen Angels, Azazel, and his subordinates lead them in battle to confront the other factions.

Since the Dimensional Cross was a relic from the Great Faction War, there was no doubt that one of the Fallen must have been able to sabotage the relic. Even worse, the Fallen in question must have been part of the team that had been privy to the inner workings of the Dimensional Cross.

"Kokabiel was always a warrior even before he fell, he spent a lot of time in that place training himself as well as his subordinates, I wouldn't be surprised if he had learned how it worked then" Azazel theorized, more and more convinced.

Brother, really?

After removing the black pen, he silently watched as the damage to the panel seemed to repair itself. He scanned it for any further anomalies and sighed in relief when he realized there were none.

"So everything should be working now?" Rin asked skeptically.

So easy? There was no final battle against the sentinels, a hidden fallen angel ready to attack?

Nothing?

Quickly going through his belongings, he finally pulled out the orb that Griselda had ordered everyone to take.

His role was simple: to return the examinee to the present world, and that was exactly what he wanted to do.

Crushing the white orb in his hand, he was immediately sent flying as the necklace emitted a steady light that resonated with the Heaven-made cores of seven others.

"Apparently so" Saber said in amazement

"Not all my missions end apocalyptically," Shirou complained.

"Do I have to remind you that your last hunt with the queen ended in a fight with three ancestors and the revelation of your reality marble, right?" Rin accused him.

Shirou looked away awkwardly.

He said not all of them

He had left the Cross Dimension a moment ago, but unknowingly, he didn't come out alone.

"Well, it was to be expected," Rin said, almost vindicated.

"That can't be good," Irina said worriedly.

What exactly did he take?

A blessed child was all Griselda could say. Shirou had surpassed the title of Holy Man, as most priests could be considered as such. Instead, as a blessed child, he was a being akin to a budding saint. Based on the description she and the rest of the clergy had gotten from the examinees, Shirou had not only revealed an astonishing amount of Holy Aura, but had defended the examinees when they returned to reality. However, no one knew apart from Xenovia, and by extension herself, why Shirou hadn't come out yet.

Xenovia couldn't help but clench her fists.

Yes, his recklessness and stupidity had almost killed his friend.

Staring at Xenovia, Griselda couldn't help but clench her fists. Since the moment she had returned, she had isolated herself to stand in a corner of the room, holding two swords, one in each hand. The first of the two swords was easy for her and many clerics to recognize. It was Durandal, the sword that had been gifted to Xenovia at a young age due to its abundant amount of inner light, and as expected, the sword had chosen her as its next wielder.

However, what surprised many members of the clergy was that the sword in his other hand released a Holy Aura identical to Durandal's.

"And that will also be a problem" Rias couldn't help but lick her lips a little.

This meant that when Xenovia reincarnated in that world she would obtain not one but two Durandal for her peerage?

It might be a problem for the church, but for her it would definitely be a blessing.

Which was now that I thought about it very ironic.

Xenovia had already emotionlessly revealed the sword's identity and power to Griselda, even telling her about the miracles stored within, and she had been surprised by the information. It was another Durandal with one of the three miracles still stored within it.

She knew she couldn't hide the fact that other examinees might have heard the sword's name, but the fact was that they couldn't confirm it since the sword was currently in Xenovia's hands. In this regard, Xenovia refused to let it go even after some of the more respected clerics approached her and asked to inspect the sword.

"Yes, knowing her, they'll have to pull the sword from her corpse and even then it will be difficult for her to let go," Irina said sympathetically.

She couldn't imagine how her friend felt right now.

From her perspective Shirou, her first friend and possibly first love had died protecting her.

And even worse, protecting her from her mistake.

Griselda could at least understand her daughter's actions.

The other Durandal not only helped contain the original's power, but it might also be part of the last memory she had of Shirou. There was no way she was willing to lend it to someone else, even if it was just for inspection.

"Not even the angels could take that thing away from him" Azazel couldn't help but joke about the dark situation

"We would never try to take it away from him," Michael said, annoyed by his brother's insinuation.

Though Griselda didn't show it, her gratitude toward Shirou was undoubtedly high. He had saved her daughter, perhaps even at the cost of his own life.

Rin narrowed her eyes.

The nun harem thing had been a joke, damn it!

“I said no!” Xenovia glared at one of the more persistent priests who had insisted on seeing the sword. Perhaps due to her own agitation, a large amount of holy energy began to exude from the two Durandals in her hand, effectively deterring anyone from getting close lest they set it off.

"Mother will be angry" Xenovia shuddered

"I don't think he'll get mad even if you hit him a little," Gabriel comforted her with a nostalgic smile.

How could she? She herself had done that several times when she disagreed with her superiors.

She then pulled the hood of her white cloak over her head and a significant portion of her upper face, obscuring them from view. From that moment on, no one approached her as she placed both swords at her sides and sat with her knees hugged to her chest.

No one knew how much time had passed since then, but no one had left the room. This was because, even if there was a small chance of Shirou returning, many of the examinees clung to it since Shirou was their benefactor. It would be abnormal not to have developed a sort of camaraderie after being together for a period of almost four months in the Dimensional Cross. And this sense of camaraderie was also the reason why people were quite sad for those who passed away.

Only when the church bells rang to signal midnight did any changes occur.

"Midnight?" Rias asked in surprise.

Didn't that mean it had already been like a week in there?

"Time runs inside the core the same way as outside," Michael explained.

"We also don't know how long Shirou was knocked out so it makes sense that it took so long" Kiba added

His wound that should have been fatal healed completely even

Although they didn't know how strong Shirou's regenerative factor was, it was difficult to estimate that.

The air seemed to distort around the Dimensional Cross before spitting out a single individual accompanied by seven others.

Rin took a deep breath before sighing.

Shirou idiot!!!

As soon as Shirou appeared, he realized that he hadn't come alone, but that seven of the twelve-winged sentinels had come with him, standing motionless like statues behind him and leaving him speechless. From what the necklace had said, they would only follow the words of an important individual in Heaven, but now they had come here? From what they told him, he had only managed to get them to follow his instructions because he was in the Dimensional Cross's control area. At least, that was what the necklace had explained.

"This is going to be hard to explain" Serafall's lips trembled trying to contain her laughter

"Yes, it will be" Michael sighed tiredly.

In any case, his arrival marked the beginning of a commotion among the examinees, and even among the clergy, whose attention was focused solely on the seven twelve-winged sentinels. Among the clergy, the head priest was the most excited, as he now had something to replace the relics that had been broken.

"Of course that would be your first thought," Sirzech said with some disappointment. 

Even though he was supposedly a high-ranking clergyman, he reminded him of many demons he knew.

Amidst the commotion, a solitary figure rose from the far corner, a white hood over his head. From the figure and the blue hair with green highlights alone, it was impossible not to realize who he was.

Although the others couldn't see the expression hidden beneath the hood of his cloak, Shirou could. And judging by his expression, things didn't bode well for him.

Xenovia looked furious, of that he had no doubt. She pushed her way through the crowd, carelessly pushing them aside until she was standing in front of him.

"Um, sorry?" Shirou apologized instinctively.

He reminded her too much of Rin at this moment.

"Don't apologize, idiot!" Rin scolded him with a furious look similar to the on-screen Xenovia.

Saber looked between the two with curiosity.

Uh, were you sure she was her and Ciel's daughter and not yours?

Shirou compared the expression she had now with the one she had had earlier at the lake, and quickly realized that she was  much  angrier to the point where her shoulders were shaking.

"I don't think that trembling is from anger," Akeno pointed out softly.

Shirou braced himself and closed his eyes as Xenovia dashed forward.

Only to feel the wind practically knocked out of him when she pulled him into a hug. Awkwardly, he hugged her back under the gaze of the suddenly silent crowd, which, for a select few, was still entranced by the appearance of the winged sentinels.

"Too bad, first you hit him for being an idiot and then you hug him" Rin scolded Xenovia instructing her in the proper handling of Shirou

"Understood" and for some reason Xenovia nodded seriously at the lesson

However, Griselda wasn't one of those people, and instead had a contemplative gleam in her eyes. Shirou was a child the church wouldn't often see, much less produce. His talents were exceptional, and his abilities, even more so.

Saber looked at that nun-thief with suspicion.

He didn't like where that seemed to be going.

The power to create true sacred swords out of thin air. It was of a level far superior to his initial assumption about the Sacred Gear Blade Blacksmith.

"Yeah, I honestly don't think my Sacred Gear can compare to something like that," Kiba admitted humbly.

His best sword couldn't even compete with a fragment of Excaliburn, much less Durandal.

Then he recalled the information Xenovia had provided him, particularly the information about the  other  Durandal. In her eyes, Shirou had become quite adequate.

"Just adequate?" Saber said almost indignantly.

Shirou was far more than 'quite adequate'!

Perhaps she should play matchmaker? But this was rather worrying, as she had no experience in the particular field of romance, having never had one herself. She pursed her lips and silently considered how best to proceed. If Shirou was a blessed child, then the child of a blessed child would surely be another blessed child.

Rin stopped her lecture on how to deal with a suicidal idiot upon hearing that.

Sorry?

Rías almost screamed

It was a shoujo! This was a shoujo!!!

For some reason, Griselda had been very motivated by this cause, and this wasn't only due to Xenovia's reaction before Shirou's return, but also due to her own maternal feelings. She had adopted Xenovia since she was just a baby, and as could be seen, she was deeply attached to her and wished for a good future for her. However, she still had her obligations to the church. And what better way to fulfill both of those obligations than to give Xenovia a blessed child? Now, how to do it?

Xenovia remained thoughtful.

Maybe he no longer had duties to the church but he did have duties to his king, right?

If children inherited their parents' abilities, giving birth to a demon with Shirou's abilities would be a good way to repay him.

But again he was a man in a relationship which complicated things.

Xenovia could feel the eyes on her, but for the moment, she simply didn't care. They let her look at her; she had nothing to be ashamed of. She had prayed for a miracle, and God had granted it. She was allowed to act selfishly for the time being.

Selfishness, huh? Didn't Rias say something about that when she was reincarnated?

Without the redhead knowing, she mentioned looking between her and Shirou.

Was it wrong that her new favorite shipp was between her knight and a guy in a relationship?

To hell with that she was a demon

Shirou was her first friend and willingly risked his life for her.

She was not angry with him, but with herself, who had been the cause of the event.

"No no, please be mad at him or he'll start thinking he's okay," Rin quickly corrected her.

"And how did it turn out for you?" Serafall asked curiously.

Rin couldn't help but put on a complicated look.

"It's complicated" he replied, not wanting to admit more.

Stupid and suicidal Shirou!

Her face pressed against his chest, finding comfort in the fact that he was still alive and not gone.

"Seeing her like this Xenovia seems quite short" Issei couldn't help but notice

Compared to the one who barely reached five feet seven inches there really wasn't much of a difference but with Shirou who seemed to be almost five feet seven inches tall she seemed short.

And seeing how much it would grow it really seemed very low

It was at that moment that Griselda stepped forward, her gaze abnormally calm.

She opened her mouth and whispered in Shirou's ear, "Mr. Emiya," she spoke robotically as if she had just rehearsed the words.

"When can I expect a baby?"

"Shirou" Rin sighed

Not even angry, just resigned

"Wow, winning over your mother-in-law so quickly, not bad, kid," Azazel congratulated him genuinely. "Now if you just follow my advice, I assure you that you'll soon have both of them in bed."

"Don't bother, Shirou is terrible at seduction" Rin stopped him

Everyone suddenly looked at her in disbelief.

Was he terrible at seduction?

"Shirou may be a natural at stealing the hearts of unsuspecting maidens but when he truly tries it is a failure in no uncertain terms" Saber explained

"I'm not a failure," Shirou said with a frown.

"You were once hired to seduce a mage to try to find traces of forbidden research and you managed to get a restraining order," Rin pointed out sullenly.

For some reason someone thought of utilizing Shirou's skills in that area and only agreed because of the generous payment and even today he didn't know exactly how he managed to do it so poorly.

Ironically, some time later when it was proven that the accusation was false, Shirou approached the mage again to apologize for what he did and without trying, he managed to get the restraining order lifted and said mage now sighs every time she sees him.

"Wow, how can someone be excellent without trying but completely horrible when they try?" Serafall asked, confused and amused.

"Just Shirou" Saber replied

Shirou sank into his seat.

Why did it seem like everyone was against him?

15370 words

Chapter Text

NDT/A: The cap is 7326 words originally, I wonder how many it will be when it's finished

"If you don't mind, I'd like to resume reading from here," Saber said, to the surprise of several people.

Although Rin and Shirou could more or less guess his motive

After all, despite the problems, the purpose of these tests could not be forgotten.

The fragments of Excaliburn

It still felt incredibly bad just thinking about that concept.

And yet it was something Saber wanted to see, or read with her own eyes.

How was it possible that Excaliburn, a concept given physical form, was broken?

As long as humanity exists, as long as dreams and hopes exist, that sword should be indestructible.

So how, or what kind of being could do something like that? I wasn't sure if I would find answers in this chapter but I had to at least try.

Without any objection he took the book and began to read.

His hand gripping the book with more force than he intended while shaking slightly

Had it been a normal paper book, your grip could have accidentally crushed the text.

Shirou and Rin didn't hesitate to put their hands on his shoulders to show support.

"I'm fine" with a last sigh he began reading

The way her ears had turned as red as her hair was something he couldn't help but find adorable as he looked at her face from her position pressed against his chest. In fact, not only did Shirou's face blush upon hearing Mother Griselda's question, but his body also tensed up. In that instance, the arms he had tentatively wrapped around her earlier seemed to press her even closer to him.

"True, that nun has the subtlety of a Berserker" Rin sighed

For a second I had forgotten what that woman said

Seriously what was I thinking?

Not that she was complaining.

The fragrance of morning oak still lingered on his clothes, but that was reasonable since he hadn't had time to change since arriving. Somehow, though, the scent was enough to assure her that he was really there and not just a fabrication formed from the sacred energy of both Durandals.

"Yes, we understand that perfectly" Rin nodded cheekily

"Rin!" Saber exclaimed with rosy cheeks

"Saber likes to cuddle and take a big mouthful of Shirou when he comes back from a particularly long mission, it's adorable how she buries her face in his chest and watching his expression relax" Rin explained as Saber only turned redder and redder.

"Rin!!!" He exclaimed nervously

S-she didn't do something like that!

Stop looking at her so warmly!

"Rin," Shirou scolded her even if his cheeks also turned red.

"Too, adorable" Akeno grabbed her chest while breathing heavily

Her S-spot was at its peak! She wanted to grab that boy and bury him in her breasts to see the angry face of that adorable creature!!!

Yes, indeed.

In the time before Shirou had appeared, the images of him returning to her mind had comforted her in a sense. As she was the heir to Durandal, it was the sword that recognized her as its wielder. Therefore, it was able to sense her mental state. In that case, the Holy Energy emitted by both Durandals had been used as a conduit to try to ease her pain.

"That sword has a greater degree of self-awareness than I thought," Rin murmured with interest.

Now he wondered how Durandal would react to this Xenovia.

Holy Energy was the power of the Heavens and thus naturally exhibited a calming aura that was directly opposite to the destructive tendencies of Devil energy. Therefore, all both Durandals had done was concentrate said Holy Energy entirely around themselves. However, no matter how soothing the energy and the images it produced were, they would never last; which was what happened moments before Shirou returned. This had caused her to ignore any sort of etiquette instilled in her by Mother Griselda and arrive at the current situation due to her own anxiety.

"Well I don't think I can blame you in this situation," Michael said softly.

After something like that who could?

It may even encourage it.

Still, it was a good thing she had her hood on, as she didn't want to be in a similar position to Shirou, who had his features exposed. Though she knew she had thick skin, even she had a breaking point. It would be a lie to say she wasn't affected by what Mother Griselda had said. In fact, it resonated with her greatly, but she was always a straightforward person.

"Seriously? I didn't notice it," Rias said, dripping with sarcasm.

That's how she was raised.

She pulled her hood further down over her face as she pondered, hiding the growing redness on her cheeks as she exhaled. A baby? Imagining a tiny brat calling her mom sent a warm feeling through her chest that made her body shudder. Even more so when she realized the potential of a child whose blood was related to that of a holy man. Although she didn't have the exact mindset of her mother Griselda, she inherited a significant portion of her worldviews. Therefore, it was impossible for her mind not to stray toward the potential of her own child. However, upon looking at Shirou once more, her thoughts simply vanished.

"Hey! If anyone's going to have Shirou's child, it'll be me!" Rin hissed at her. "And Saber, as soon as we find a way to impregnate a Heroic Spirit,"

"Rin!" Saber looked at her blushing.

She wasn't interested in that

She had never thought about holding a red-haired baby who called her Mommy or combing a little girl's hair or sleeping with Shirou while they cuddled their daughter or...

She didn't do that!

Too adorable!

Akeno almost felt herself salivate.

I had to do something, how would he react if I brought my lips close enough to kiss him?

If she buried her face in his breasts or hugged him suggestively, I wanted to see it!

If I could describe what I was feeling at that moment, she pressed even closer to him before closing her eyes and burying her head in the center of his shoulder, it was simply  contentment  .

Irina looked warmly at her friend

I had never seen her like that, if that wasn't love then I didn't know what was.

But the moment had to be ruined by the High Priest's interjection coughing into his hand.

She couldn't help but give him a genuine look, and it wasn't an expression that could be misinterpreted.

The fact is that not even Griselda could contain her furious look.

Even Gabriel frowned at the priest.

If the poor man ever found out, he would probably have a heart attack right there.

"Tsk, damn vermin" Akeno clicked her tongue looking at the man like garbage

"That's not done!" Serafall exclaimed angrily.

Not even a Maou would dare to interfere at that moment, heartless!

As for why Griselda would glare at the High Priest who was just trying to get the situation back to normal, only Griselda would know.

Suddenly feeling pressured, the Head Priest quickly began to speak in succession, attempting to defend himself from the stares that  apparently  weren't just coming from Griselda and herself. The entire crowd of examinees and even the younger priests and nuns stared at him in disbelief and indignation as if he had been the one in the wrong. As a nearly 100-year-old superior, he couldn't understand what had caused such a detrimental effect, and could only attribute it to the stupidity of the younger generations.

"Of course if you're wrong, you evil one!" Irina exclaimed angrily.

Even sweet Asia looked upset, that should say a lot.

"Bad" Asia said with a pout

At this, the High Priest could only turn and speak to the only person who had become as nervous as he was.

"What's going on?" The High Priest couldn't help but ask uncertainly.

Shirou shook his head.

As the room fell into a tense silence of wordless interaction, it was the Twelve Winged Sentinels who broke it.

"And now what?" Kiba asked tensely.

Without the control room, would they revert to their original programming and attack?

If so, he wasn't sure if anyone other than Sister Griselda and perhaps Shirou could defend themselves.

Hovering half a foot off the ground, they moved in a floating motion to stand beside the church altar, where they knelt toward the cross and remained frozen.

"Nothing happened" Michael said with relief having had similar thoughts to the young demon

Still, it was thanks to the Winged Sentinel's movement that the Head Priest finally gained the momentum needed to leave the inexplicable atmosphere and enter a more curious one.

"Too late, you're already on my list" Serafall said with a pout "Grayfia-tan the list!"

Grayfia sighed before taking out a small notebook from her skirt.

"Wait why am I there three times?" Sirzech asked looking at the names written

"You know perfectly well why" Serafall glared at him, making him look away.

And why was it his wife who kept the Serafall list!?

Because of this atmosphere, she reluctantly bowed to break away from his grasp, standing beside Shirou as the Head Priest and Griselda stood before him.

"What exactly happened there?" the high priest asked. It wasn't hard to hear the emotion in the priest's voice, as he had been quite somber after the destruction of the artifacts. The contrast between then and now was too great for the others to miss. Even Griselda couldn't help but give a wry smile.

"They got trapped, they were guided by God knows who, they literally fell into a different dimension, the boy pulled a holy sword that shouldn't exist out of thin air, the girl screwed him over, the boy somehow survived and ended up in the best place possible, the God stole my father's divinity and somehow fixed everything" Azazel summarized "did I miss something?"

"Shirou doesn't have the pants in that relationship?" Serafall added.

Azazel snapped his fingers

"That"

"It's a... summary of the facts," Michael said, his smile tightening.

Shirou began to recount what had happened under the full attention of everyone present. He began with what everyone had already explained: the malfunction of the Dimensional Cross and the subsequent efforts to find everyone. As they listened to Shirou's accounts, more and more clerics began to view the other Durandal in a new light. Although Shirou hadn't said anything about the miracles stored within the sword, he did reveal the pivotal role the sword had played.

This, coupled with the natural suspicion of what the clergy had heard from the examinees, resulted in one fact.

There really was a  second  Durandal.

"More than a second Durandal, it's as if they were both the original," Azazel said, intrigued.

A second would imply that it was created later or was a copy

But they were both the original, even with how different they looked.

What I would give to have that sword in my hands...

Not only was this inferred information shocking, but the origin of the sword was completely groundbreaking.

As Shirou explained further, he did not say how the second Durandal came to be, and this inadvertently sent a silent message to those who had witnessed him create the sword from nothing to keep quiet. In fact, even those who had once told their respective clergy elders that Shirou had produced the sword now claimed to deny it, greatly frustrating their elders who wished to verify it. Even if the examinees were inclined to speak the truth, they would not dare to do so after what Shirou had done for them. In fact, if they had, she would likely have been the first to "educate" them on how to properly express their gratitude.

Gabriel and Michael couldn't help but smile warmly.

That kind of loyalty...if everyone in the church were like that, many problems would have been avoided.

However, seeing that all the students who had traveled with her for several months were unwilling to betray a fellow student, she couldn't help but feel a strong sense of unity. A bond between brothers and sisters forged through tempers and the threat of death. Such bonds were the hardest to destroy.

"Not as much as you think," Azazel muttered.

He knew it well, he was one of the first to break it

However, even if the examinees were quick to deny it, it couldn't be helped that some clerics still had their doubts. It was at this point that Shirou finally got to the part where he explained what happened when everyone evacuated from the Dimensional Cross one by one. He talked about how he, Xenovia, and Irina were the last to leave while they defended everyone else, and what happened after Irina left.

Irina and the other examiners who had left before her and Shirou didn't know what had happened to make Shirou take so long to return. All they knew was that they had seen her return alone and silent, with a dejected expression on her face.

"It was my fault," she admitted just as Shirou was about to talk about what had happened before she left the Dimensional Cross. "I, I was too confident in my own abilities and..." She paused, remembering her own stupidity before pursing her lips and tilting her head. "It almost cost him his life."

"It's not your fault, those kinds of feelings are inevitable when you receive such great power" Shirou told her trying to comfort her.

The only reason he never became like that is because time and again he met guys who squashed any little trace of arrogance that might have emerged.

"Even so, that doesn't mean that my negligence almost killed you," Xenovia said, not intending to change her mind.

It was just luck that it was Shirou who took the hit.

Anyone else would have died on the spot, and that blood would be on their hands.

Just because everything turned out well in the end didn't mean what he did wasn't a mistake, it was a lesson he would hold in his heart and hope to remember every time the power went to his head again.

His response was met with silence from the crowd, but before the silence could continue, Shirou lowered his hood and spoke while shaking his head.

"You don't have to hide or feel like what happened to me was entirely your fault," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders.

She didn't know why he'd lowered her hood, but his intentions were quite clear, as he only wanted to reassure her. Frankly, it worked, as she could tell from his eyes that Shirou never blamed her. His features softened in that moment, his complexion seeming to glow.

"Wow, and that's completely unconscious?" Azazel asked in amazement.

If he didn't already have her heart won, that move would have definitely sealed the deal.

"Yeah, he's a damn natural that we have to keep an eye on or who knows who he might mess with," Rin admitted with exasperation.

He only left him alone for a few hours when they arrived at the tower and somehow he got involved with the queen

It wasn't even half a day before he took his eyes off her!!!

Shirou didn't even deign to say anything, he had already learned his lesson.

"And without any charming features" Kiba said with some admiration

Not even he was that effective

However, it was then that she realized her hood was down and Griselda was staring right into her face. Mortified, she steeled her expression so as not to make a scene by quickly pulling her hood back up. However, no matter how hard she tried or how blank her expression became, she couldn't make the soft pink tint near the top of her cheeks disappear.

"Adorable, are you sure you didn't secretly have a daughter while we weren't looking?" Rin asked Saber playfully.

Trying to pretend nothing happened by putting on a stone face while failing miserably because of her blushing cheeks is exactly what Saber would do in that situation.

"I didn't have any daughter," Saber vehemently denied.

Well except Mordred, and he was more of a son than a daughter.

And even though he had made peace with his past it was still painful to think about it.

Well she guessed

His family tree was very strange

However, this reaction only made Griselda nod in satisfaction.

Finishing what he had to say, Shirou got to the heart of the matter and took out a black feather.

"Well, now that's my problem" Azazel sighed tiredly.

Whenever fallen angels were involved it was their fault.

And why? There was a reason why they fell in the first place.

They weren't exactly the most orderly beings in existence.

Let him do his experiments in peace!

Griselda's calm gaze changed to a more attentive one as soon as the feather appeared before her eyes. She and the other clerics were no different, as they knew what a black feather symbolized, especially when it came from an object created by Heaven.

"Fallen angel," the high priest murmured. "That, that could explain everything if the functions of the Dimensional Cross were altered by your kind."

"That's racist, it could have been a tengu too," Azazel pointed out.

"Why would a tengu attack a biblical artifact in Italy?" Gabriel asked in confusion.

Azazel closed his mouth

Arguing with Gabriel was a waste of time, mainly because she often seemed not to understand that she was in an argument in the first place.

A series of expressions seemed to filter through the gathered crowd.

"Where did you find this feather?" Griselda asked after waiting a moment for the crowd to calm down. "For the Fallen to have tampered with the Dimensional Cross, it must have been from the very center of the relic, its control station. A place like that would have had to be heavily guarded regardless of the tampering."

"That's another matter," Michael said seriously.

How could he get past so many twelve-winged sentinels?

Even he would find the task laborious.

"Indeed," Shirou acknowledged. "After being hit by the Twelve-Winged Sentinel's explosive spear, I was fortunate enough to survive the attack and ended up near the central area."

"Lucky?" one of the clerics said in disbelief. "You withstood an attack from a twelve-winged Sentinel, and you call such a feat luck? Don't you understand the equivalent of its power?"

"A C-rank Noble Phantom?" Rin suggested.

It was more or less what he could assume from what he saw.

"Rank C?" Azazel asked him.

I wasn't sure how these Noble Phantoms were classified but C didn't sound very strong.

Xenovia couldn't help but growl slightly.

Had that priest already given Shirou up for dead?

How dare he?

Shirou closed his mouth at that moment, as if he was thinking of something.

Instantly, she began to dislike the cleric who had spoken. Why question Shirou's means of survival? No matter how reasonable the cleric's question was, to her and some of the other examinees, it sounded as if the cleric had already given Shirou up for dead.

"Well it's logical to think that, there are very few beings capable of surviving a direct hit from that thing" Azazel also said with curiosity

Dodge it or defend yourself? There were many, but take it full on and stand up? The number was drastically reduced at that point.

"It's still rude," Xenovia said annoyed.

Shirou survived and came back to them, what else mattered?

Rin looked at Azazel almost with pity.

If he started looking into how Shirou survived every stupid thing he got into, he was going to end up going crazy.

Because he swore that not even Avalon or his sword corps should be able to save him from some of the things he walked out on.

In fact, both Griselda and the Head Priest also had looks of disgust, but they were still curious since the clergy member raised a valid point.

Shirou seemed to hesitate over something before looking down at himself and coming to a conclusion. "Can I borrow one of those wooden swords?" he asked, pointing to the other side of the room where the church kept their training equipment.

"Will you teach them your magic?" Saber asked worriedly.

"It makes sense, they won't leave without answers or if they do they'll do their own private investigations to try to find out more, so at least he can choose what to show them" Sona said seeing his actions as logical.

Rin too, that's why she wondered how much was Shirou's plan and how much was that God's.

Surprised by the sudden change of subject, one of the clerics ended up bringing a wooden sword.

Shirou took the sword in his hand and closed his eyes as the room suddenly filled with a kind of energy, mana to be precise. Moments later, Shirou returned the sword to the cleric who had given it to him. "What do you think?" he finished by asking.

Stunned, the cleric was about to say something, but froze as soon as he and everyone else saw the wooden sword cut into their previous storage container.

"And with a wooden sword," Sirzech muttered in amazement.

Of course there were swordsmen so skilled that they could cut steel with a branch like his knight Okita but it was obvious that this cleric did not fall into that category

How far could that magic go?

"Interesting," Akeno muttered with a dangerous glint in her eyes.

Until now I had seen him reinforce his body and some objects

But...could I do the same with magic? If I learned that spell, could I improve my lightning bolts? What would they be like?

Why if so would I be willing to pay a lot for it?

"W-What is this?" The cleric couldn't help but mutter as he took up the wooden sword again.

Upon giving it a few strokes, it was evident to the others that the sword had not only become sharper, but had also become more durable, as not even a light sword could cut it.

"How much can you improve things?" Serafall asked curiously.

Such a spell would be useful to strengthen his wand.

"It depends on the object and its quality, it's not like it's doubling or tripling its stats or anything like that" Shirou decided to explain his magic a little so as not to create misunderstandings

The cat was already out of the bag so it didn't really matter.

"When I reinforce something what I do is basically fill the gaps in its structure with magic" as if to demonstrate he projected a simple dagger, it wasn't a Noble Phantom or anything similar but a simple blade that he had seen in his days as a mercenary "but obviously the structure of each object is different, even two knives made of the same material and shape have subtle differences so everything that is reinforced takes different amounts of mana" as if to complement his explanation the blue lines spread across the knife that at first glance suddenly seemed brighter, more dangerous "it's also somewhat dangerous when you do it carelessly and without knowledge, because just as you can fill the gaps to improve it you can also oversaturate them and well, this happens" the lines once again spread across the knife and this time it fractured into several pieces before dissolving.

"I see, so too little and it does nothing, too much and it can break" Azazel began to see the intricacies in the spell

And just as each object said before, even two made in the same way had their differences

So he assumed that structural analysis came in to be able to see the limit.

Shirou briefly hesitated to show them what would happen if he overloaded an object on purpose instead of just going a little overboard, but decided it was best to keep that particular ability to himself for the time being.

"Amazing" Akeno looked with great interest

From his previous explanation I didn't think it would be effective when used in a spell but the idea of making things stronger, longer lasting, more... painful, was tempting.

Rin looked at the supernatural beings almost amused.

How would you react if you found out that in your world that is a useless spell that only beginners use?

Shirou was the odd one out for being able to use it so effectively.

As everyone watched this phenomenon, Shirou opened his mouth to speak.

"My father was a magician before he passed away at an early age," he said.

Xenovia glared at the clergy again.

To make him remember something so painful after barely escaping alive...

I would remember his face

His words were met with several surprised expressions. In fact, it was something the voice inside the collar had predicted when he'd come up with a plausible excuse for how he'd survived an attack by a Twelve-Winged Sentinel. Things became even more believable when he also told the truth.

"The best lies are those mixed with the truth," Azazel nodded almost proudly.

"Lying is not good," Gabriel scolded him lightly.

Although it's not like she has the moral authority to reprimand him for it...

Whether to reveal the capabilities of the voice within the collar, or to reveal a part of his own sorcery, he had already discussed the results of both with the voice in the collar. Going into further detail about the collar's capabilities wasn't something that suited him, as it would draw too much attention, and the voice in the collar itself said it would be of no use. Because it would simply be too shocking for others to realize that the voice within the collar was capable of controlling Twelve-Winged Sentinels. Even more so when the full extent of the collar's capabilities was still unknown even to himself. Therefore, when the collar had described the counterpart of a Magus in the current world, the sorcerers, the explanation had become the most suitable for his situation.

Rin snorted

He assumed that another world had its own terminologies but it seemed strange to him to call anyone capable of using magic a sorcerer.

By admitting that he had once been trained by a magician, he admitted that he knew a bit about magic, but he also admitted that he hadn't received a full education. Therefore, others could understand that he could use magic, but that he was still generally unfamiliar with the workings of modern magical society.

"A good excuse," Rin admitted.

That must have come from the necklace, no doubt.

"One of the magics I know is called Reinforcement, and it allows me, as its name suggests, to reinforce objects and even myself," he explained. "When I was hit by the Twelve-Winged Sentinel's attack, I immediately reinforced my body enough to withstand a blow that would have been fatal."

"You must have a lot of practice to do it that fast" Kiba said fascinated by the concept

With magic like that, your swords could reach a new level.

While Azazel looked at Shirou with more suspicion

You saw what happened to the knife when the bolster was misused, so what would happen if it was misused on a human being?

His explanation prompted a round of nods as many turned to the reinforced wooden sword still in the cleric's hand. Even under the attack of a light sword, the wood that made up the wooden sword didn't even splinter or crack.

From there, he went on to explain how he had obtained the feather, omitting how he had passed through a literal encirclement of Winged Sentinels and entered directly into the control room. Instead, he only said that the initial impulse of the explosion caused by the Winged Sentinel's spear propelled him directly into the control room where he found the feather and returned to the present.

"Well, it's more realistic than believing that an unknown deity hacked one of Father's greatest creations," Michael said, still worried.

I hoped that now outside I couldn't keep controlling them because that was a serious fighting force.

Although it sounded incredible, it was a sufficient explanation. With that, he stood under the clergy's scrutiny before Griselda nodded and immediately dismissed everyone in the room.

The only individuals who remained were himself, Griselda, the Head Priest, Xenovia, and Irina, who was asked to stay.

"Then it's time," Irina murmured nervously, looking at the woman reading.

Why did he feel his life was in danger?

The High Priest gave him a questioning look, as it seemed he still had some doubts, but he did not dare voice them and instead turned excitedly to examine the Winged Sentinels once more.

Griselda's gaze at that moment made Xenovia, Irina, and even him fall into line as she scrutinized them as they walked back and forth.

Saber had to admit (reluctantly) that it was a good look.

But she could get Shirou to stand up to her faster!

Then it stopped right in front of him.

"Although I would like to ask you the full extent of your magic and what association your father may have belonged to, I can tell you that you yourself wish to keep your own secrets and that you may not even know the answer. Therefore, at this moment, there is only one thing I have to tell you," Griselda said humbly.

"He was more of a mercenary without a fixed affiliation," Shirou answered the question reflexively.

Unlike him who was part of the clock tower by Rin his dad from what he could find out never had a unique association

His next actions even made Xenovia's eyes widen. The High Priest simply acted as if he wasn't there out of respect for Griselda, who had bowed her head completely.

"Thank you for saving my daughter," Griselda said gratefully. "She may not be the brightest or the most skilled with a sword, but I love her just the same."

"H-hey" Xenovia squirmed in her seat in embarrassment

His stomach in turn twisted with remorse. 

He didn't regret his decision to become a demon but he wished he could have talked to his mother beforehand.

He wondered how Shirou would feel when he became a demon in that world.

Why did he care about that?

At Griselda's words, Xenovia couldn't maintain her composure and turned away when Irina's eyes looked in her direction.

However, he couldn't understand her embarrassment, as he never remembered what it was like to have a mother worrying about him in front of others. The closest he could relate to was when Taiga came to parent-teacher days organized by the school in place of Kiritsugu and embarrassed him in one way or another.

"You didn't know your mother?" Gabriel asked in surprise.

"I lost my entire family in a fire when I was little as well as all my memories of them, I don't know if I had a father, mother, siblings or any other family before, the only family I knew was Kiritsugu who rescued me from the fire and decided to adopt me and Taiga who was like a troublesome older sister" Shirou answered without any particular feelings

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Gabriel apologized immediately.

Hadn't they said that his father died?

He lost his family first and then his adoptive father

What kind of life did he live?

"It's okay, it happened a long time ago so it doesn't really affect me anymore" Shirou replied with a calm smile

That didn't make her feel better, in fact she even felt worse.

Rin laughed inside

Guilt could be a great trigger for rapprochement!

Church artifacts come with mom!!!

Still, it would never be the same again.

"I have nothing to be thankful for," he said seriously, for that was his true opinion. "Even if the situation were to repeat itself, I would do the same thing," he admitted.

"Of course," Rin growled softly.

Stupid and suicidal Shirou

"That's pretty heroic," Michael admitted.

"I wouldn't say heroic," Serafall said with some concern.

Then Griselda raised her head and looked at him strangely.

But his answer encouraged Irina to speak: "So," she began doubtfully, "you don't value your own life?"

"Of course the idiot doesn't do it, that's what we're here for," Rin said with a grunt.

If it weren't for them, I might be in some conflict in the Middle East right now, waiting to die.

But that wouldn't happen, I would never let it happen.

The question was asked with some uncertainty, but that didn't diminish the effect it had on the others. Everyone was waiting for his answer. Even the Head Priest, who was examining the Winged Sentinels near the altar, pricked up his ears to listen.

"Even with my life," he began. "If I could save one other person, then that in itself would be a good enough cause," he concluded sincerely.

"You know if you're trying to convince us that you're not a saint then you're doing a terrible job," Serafall pointed out.

"I'm not a saint," Shirou said again.

"Really? Because that sounds a lot like what the carpenter in a loincloth would say," he insisted again with amusement.

"Carpenter in a loincloth," Rin snorted in amusement.

Hey, it wasn't a lie.

"I'm no saint," Shirou sighed.

He was in any case a sinner

There was blood on his hands, the blood of the people in the fire he couldn't save, the blood of those who died in the war and he was too weak to protect, the blood of the innocent he came too late to help and had to end with his own hands when they turned into monsters.

His hands weren't the hands of a saint, they were those of a sinner. 

His answer surprised those present, except for Xenovia, who had long since discovered her own selflessness. That was probably why she didn't question him the moment he pushed her out of the Twelve-Winged Sentinel's attack range. However, not everyone was Xenovia.

"No, question him, call him an idiot, and if he doesn't learn, hit him a little," Rin corrected, with Xenovia nodding seriously.

Shirou wondered if he should be afraid of his girlfriend's seemingly new protégé.

A contemplative look appeared on the faces of Griselda and the Head Priests. They were completely stunned by the degree of altruism he had admitted. In fact, if it weren't for the importance of completing the Trial of the Holy Sword, they might have opened a Bible to verify something that crossed their minds.

"No, the idiot is not a saint, don't encourage him" Rin hissed in annoyance

"What would be the problem?" Michael asked, dismayed by the woman's hostility.

"Because if you put all that nonsense in his head, the idiot will believe that what he does is right and will end up wasting his life in some corner of the planet forgotten by God by people who will not appreciate him" he responded with more warmth than he intended.

"Rin," Shirou quickly intervened, "I'm fine. I won't end up like him, I promise," he said softly, resting his forehead against hers. "Even if I try, I'm sure you'll stop me."

"Mmh! Rest assured, idiot" Rin looked away in embarrassment

"I agree with Rin, we won't let you do that, and if you ever have the idea of trying it, maybe a little training will make you think again," Saber added with a dangerous glint in her eyes.

Shirou gulped.

Noted

"Very tame, no, holy sir." The moment of intimacy was ruined when a pair of fat bags landed on Shirou's head.

"Get away," Rin hissed.

This bitch reminded him too much of that cow tits Edelfelt

"Oh? Why? You guys seem to have it all the time so why don't you lend it to me for a bit, I'm very interested in seeing how far it can be reinforced " Akeno emphasized her words by pressing her breasts further onto Shirou's head.

And then he had to speed away when a gust of wind perfectly cut the bow of his uniform.

"I think my teacher told you to stay away" Saber said looking at her coldly with apparently nothing in her hands

What was that

Akeno shuddered at the look

Her M-spot had just been pressed very hard.

The rest looked surprised

What the hell did King Arthur do?

Ignoring the glances Saber continued reading

But back to the main topic, they had to finish the trials. Leaving aside the matter of the second Durandal and even the Twelve-Winged Sentinels, Griselda assumed an imposing air.

"From your previous explanation, can we infer that you've solved the problem with the Dimensional Cross?" Griselda began.

"If Shirou doesn't gain one of those fragments after that then I don't think anyone has ever carried one" Rin snorted still angry

That bitch, at least Saber managed to give her a lesson-

Was it her or was she blushing?

"It's fixed now," he confirmed.

Griselda nodded as the Head Priest approached her side.

"Because of that act, regardless of how many points you were able to earn in the Dimensional Cross, your actions demonstrated your own contributions and as such, you are worthy of wielding a fragment of the Holy Sword Excalibur."

Saber's grip tightened on the book.

Again I was thankful this book wasn't ordinary or I would have accidentally ripped it in two.

As the high priest finished his words, a magical array hovered over the palm of his hand. From there, another, larger magical array opened from the top of the altar toward which the Winged Sentinels bowed.

Then the High Priest raised another hand and looked expectantly at Irina.

"Irina Shidou, despite having been sent to another dimension far more dangerous than the original lands, you not only managed to stay alive, but you gave up your safety to help your brothers and sisters survive. Although you are weak now, you will become an excellent wielder of the second fragment of the Holy Sword Excalibur," the Head Priest concluded.

"Me?" Irina asked in surprise.

"Why else would you stay?" Xenovia asked, looking at her strangely.

"But I thought you would be the one receiving the fragment," Irina replied immediately.

"No, even if they offered it to me I would have rejected it, I don't feel worthy of it after what I did" Xenovia replied

Or well, its counterpart

It was too easy to put yourself in his shoes.

"Well, in any case you already got something better, right?" Rias said with a half smile.

Two Durandals in their nobility

I couldn't wait!

"It's not yet certain that he'll keep both," Kiba said, trying to calm his king's excitement.

Shirou could snatch it away from him at any moment, right?

I turn to look for a moment at the redhead who was still trying to calm the black-haired woman.

Or not

When the Head Priest said those words, Xenovia had a look of understanding on her face. She wasn't qualified to obtain one of the two fragments. It was a harsh blow, but Griselda knew her daughter and quickly began to explain.

“Xenovia,” Griselda began. “Of course you’re qualified to wield one of the fragments, but in this situation, you’re overqualified,” she explained. “Besides, the reason I had you participate in the test was because of the sheer difficulty of learning to control your Durandal’s power, but now the situation has changed.”

Xenovia couldn't help but envy her counterpart a little.

She also wanted a second Durandal

Griselda and Xenovia's eyes moved to the other Durandal, and a silent exchange took place between the two. Xenovia's eyes lit up with understanding.

"Are you really going to leave it to her?" Rin asked seriously.

"I don't see why not, Durandal seems to want to be there and if I can't dispel it I don't see where else I could put it" Shirou answered without problem

Even if it was objectively better than his usual weapons he simply wasn't cut out to wield a single sword, at least not for long periods of time.

In that case it was better for it to be with its chosen carrier and not gathering dust in his room or something like that.

He didn't understand the meaning of the exchange, but Griselda did.

With the other Durandal she had tracked down, Xenovia's control over her own Durandal had improved to the point that she no longer needed to seal her own sword.

"That's a major strength boost," Azazel muttered.

She wondered how well she would fare against her brother now, she didn't think she would win but she would definitely force him to get serious about dealing with her.

And in a few years...

Dangerous, and that was with a projected sword

In this way, she no longer needed Excalibur Destruction, the fragment whose properties were similar to Durandal's by releasing a massive influx of Sacred Energy. Excalibur Destruction was supposed to be used as a training tool to condition her to better wield Durandal. This purpose could still be implemented, but it was no longer necessary or efficient.

"Excaliburn as a mere training tool?" Shirou asked incredulously.

How much had the strongest sacred sword in the world declined?

Xenovia flinched at the brief glance she received from the blonde woman.

She...was in danger?

Instead, with the Second Durandal in hand, his training and progress would increase greatly.

Naturally, he felt inclined to allow her to grow stronger. Not only because he understood the Durandal's decision she was following, but because Xenovia was someone he wished to see grow. It was a feeling he couldn't fully comprehend, but he still stood firm in his own decisions.

"Do you want to see her grow? Don't you think she's big enough Emiya?" Rin said sarcastically.

"Not like that!" Shirou replied in panic.

"I can actually understand the feeling, it's good to see your protégé getting stronger, it's a warm feeling" Saber said with a small satisfied smile

Even if said protégé preferred to use a sword style that wasn't yours

"I'm not her protégé," Xenovia complained.

In any case, she was his fiancée if his mother had anything to say.

Therefore, he would leave the other Durandal in Xenovia's hands. This in itself was a benefit equivalent to or greater than obtaining a fragment of the Holy Sword Excalibur.

Leaving that matter aside, after Griselda had spoken with Xenovia, it was Irina who remained blank-faced in response to the current situation. She obviously couldn't understand it.

"Then Mimic will return to my hands," Irina murmured with some excitement.

Even though it was only for a short time, Mimic was his companion and it really hurt him to lose her at the hands of that crazy priest.

He wondered if this world would be different.

With Shirou's help, perhaps?

How she was the only one who obtained a fragment of the Holy Sword Excalibur. It was truly surreal. Not only did she not believe she had performed better than Xenovia, but she didn't feel she deserved it, since, no matter how the Head Priest had put it, she had only been trapped hiding in a separate dimension. And even then, she was only rescued thanks to the efforts of others, who only contributed in the end.

"You survived those beasts all by yourself and even helped the rest when I could have left them to their fate, even if you were hidden most of the time that's still an achievement" Michael told her without a doubt

Even some four-winged angels would have a hard time doing something like that.

"Thank you Michael-sama" Irina bowed with a warm feeling

The angel Michael himself had praised her!

Anyway, had he obtained a sacred sword fragment? It was a little difficult to understand.

Noticing this, the High Priest elaborated before he could speak himself.

"Even if you think you don't deserve it, what you have now is courage and heart. Faced with the closure of an escape route, you not only failed to prioritize yourself as many others did, but instead chose to defend them with the strength you had," the High Priest spoke calmly, receiving a nod of approval from Griselda.

"Yes, you're amazing Irina!" Issei exclaimed excitedly for his childhood friend

Friend

It was still strange to think that this kid had grown boobs.

"Thanks Issei" Irina squirmed happily at the compliment

When comparing someone truly powerful with someone who was only moderately so, the same feat of defending against insurmountable odds would, in turn, take on a different meaning. Someone who was very powerful might be expected to somehow accomplish the impossible and, in turn, gain greater recognition from others. However, in doing so, most people's opinion would simply be "as expected." In this sense, someone who was only moderately strong and managed to pull off such a feat would be considered a hero. By overcoming the impossible with one's meager strength, it was clear which of the two was more impressive.

"Yes, it's completely true" Rin nodded

At this point it was no longer a surprise to her but some of Shirou's feats were still truly impressive considering his lack of bloodline and relative inexperience with magic.

Diablos defeated Gilgamesh! That was unheard of.

Sirzech also agreed

The reason why he urged Issei to save his sister is because he was the red dragon emperor, the result was more or less what he expected

I don't think I would have done the same thing if I didn't have a longinus or something equivalent.

With the Head Priest's words and Griselda's approval, the hesitation in Irina's eyes wavered before fading as even Xenovia gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"I, I," Irina didn't know what to say and in the end she could only utter a meaningful "thank you."

"Mimic," Irina murmured with barely hidden emotion.

"Mimic and Destruction" Saber muttered

It was strange to add a second name to Excaliburn

Excaliburn was Excaliburn and nothing more

With Irina's problems resolved, the Head Priest continued using the complex magic arrays he had on top of his palms.

Discreetly Rin and Shirou approached Saber

They wanted to be there for her if the worst happened.

Soon, the magic array on the altar expanded, and two swords began to manifest above it. One was shaped like a battle axe from the hilt down; the hilt itself was formed from the sharp edges of an axe blade. Even the handle seemed sturdy. This sword was Excalibur Destruction, the fragment of Excalibur recreated into a sword that matched the fragment's destructive capacity.

The other sword was golden in color and shaped like a French knife or katana, with thick steel at the blunt end of the blade and thin steel at the edge. Excalibur Mimic, the fragment of Excalibur recreated into a sword that matched the fragment's elusiveness.

The two swords shone with splendor, a radiance incomparable to that of even the brightest and most refined swords of light. After all, they were fragments of the strongest Holy Sword in the world.

"W-what? What is that?" Saber asked incredulously.

Was that supposed to be Excaliburn?

"Yes, they are two of the seven fragments of Excaliburn" Michael replied

"Those can't be Excaliburn fragments," Saber replied immediately.

"Denial?" Serafall asked aloud

"Even a broken Excaliburn wouldn't be so...mundane," Saber immediately replied.

"Mundane?" Gabriel asked incredulously.

Even broken it was still one of the most powerful holy swords in the world!

"Excaliburn has always been a very real sword, it's hard to describe but it exists in a way that can't be denied, and at the same time it feels like an illusion, something untouchable and unattainable but that you unconsciously find yourself reaching out to try to get closer to" Shirou explained also looking in disbelief at those two... objects

"What?" Issei asked confused

What the hell did that mean?

Michael looked at Shirou thoughtfully.

That description strangely reminded him of his father's light.

Saber bit her tongue to avoid saying more.

Calling those things Excaliburn felt wrong.

Incredibly bad

As soon as the two swords entered his eyes, a life flashed before his eyes.

A man stood on a hilltop overlooking the ruins of an army. Clouds obscured the sky, and blood flowed from a wound in his chest. Beside him lay a dead knight in armor, pierced by a lance.

The eyes of the angels and the fallen one opened in surprise

Arthur!?

Knowing as I look at the fallen knight with apprehension

The man's position was interacting with a person he knew quite well.

Know.

"So that's my counterpart from that world," Saber muttered with some disbelief.

It was so bizarre

Thinking about her made me clench my fists.

The man in front of him was almost identical to her, from his attire to the color of his hair and eyes. If it weren't for the man's gender, he'd have no doubt that Saber was indeed standing before him.

"They're like twins," Rin said in surprise.

Mmm, two Saber...

Don't wait, if this guy eats the same as your Saber then you didn't want to have anything to do with him.

Keeping just one was stretching his budget too thin!

What surprised him then were the figures floating in the air. Some had black wings, others had bat wings. Subconsciously, he realized he was looking at fallen angels and demons.

Michael opened his eyes in surprise

The traitor on the ground and an ambush in the sky

Those were...his last moments

When they arrived too late, and all they could find was his almost unrecognizable corpse and the shattered holy sword

From what the Church had explained to him, King Arthur was a warrior who fought for both the Church and Heaven, and was one of the greatest enemies of both the Fallen Angels and the Devil's factions. Therefore, he realized he was likely glimpsing King Arthur's final moments. The figure of Camelot behind him was also something he could never mistake after going through the dream cycles with Saber.

Arthur opened his mouth to speak to the Fallen and the Daemons, but he couldn't hear their words, instead all he could do was watch.

Gabriel looked down in regret.

Even now they could not hear what his last words were.

Finally, after Arthur had said what he had to say, he raised his sword in the air and stood up. As a boy, he had become a king. As a king, he had led his people to a time of prosperity. And now, as a man, he would die without regrets.

Saber closed her eyes tightly

In that sense, she assumed that this man was superior to her.

The ability to die without regrets was something I envied greatly.

Michael smiled sadly

Yes, that sounded a lot like the

The images disappeared as Arthur swung his sword, and in its place appeared a white world devoid of everything except two swords: Excalibur Destruction and Excalibur Mimic.

"How did you end up like this?" Saber asked in a low voice.

She may not have met the man, but from what little she saw, he was more than worthy of wielding Excaliburn.

And that it ended like this after his death...it was very sad

They floated about thirty centimeters off the ground and a light breeze emanated from them in the center.

"This was the place of its creation  ," said the voice within the necklace.  "A white world devoid of impurities to construct a Holy Sword that would be unmatched. However, there was something neglected in the process. A person such as yourself should understand the true meaning of what was overlooked. The difference between the Excalibur of your memories and the Excalibur created in this world."

"What's the difference?" Michael asked in shock.

How did that being know about this? It was impossible, I couldn't believe it.

No, I've known for a while.

I just...didn't want to believe it.

That was it,

The crystallization of the dreams, hopes and desires of humanity.

A man's sword created without the concept of humanity that would one day wield it.

"I see" Saber closed her eyes

That's why he felt that way.

So mundane

So missing

Even if it is a good sword, it would never be as unbreakable as the eternal desires of humanity.

"Is there that much of a difference?" Kiba asked with some apprehension.

If that sword had never been broken

If it had been complete from the beginning

Could his friends have lived?

"Exactly,  " the voice in the necklace verified. "  Without this principle of humanity, the sword created through a perfect concept would always be flawed despite its brilliance, but," the  voice in the necklace paused. "  You can change that by altering the concepts of reality. Just as the blacksmith removes impurities from a sword and refines it, you are that blacksmith."

"Wait wait wait" Rin said quickly "is that guy seriously suggesting that?" He asked in disbelief

"I think so." Shirou nodded foolishly.

He...he could?

"Can you?" Azazel asked incredulously.

What the hell was that crazy God thinking?

"Judge the concepts of creation.

And to hypothesize the basic structure.

Until you reproduce your growth and manufacturing process, you are the only one capable of performing this task in this world."

"Oh God, I mean it." Azazel's eyes were wide open in shock.

Were you seriously suggesting that love-challenged pubescent reforge Excaliburn?

Do you even know how many attempts there have been over the centuries and the best they could do was bring it to its current form!?

A faint glow emerged from the center of his chest, fine particles of light surrounding it and taking shape into a Scabbard. Avalon of the Ever-Faraway Utopia and Scabbard of Excalibur, the Sword of Promised Victory.

"You copied Avalon too?" Sirzech asked in amazement.

"No, Shirou did not copy Avalon" Saber shook her head "what Shirou has is the authentic Avalon" she answered without hesitation

"That...that changes things," Azazel muttered.

Avalon was never found, Morgan Le Fay in collusion with the Fallen, with him, managed to steal it but just when he thought he would lay his hand on that wonder the witch disappeared

Even today I had no idea whether he died somewhere or if he is still alive.

With all the power that woman wielded, it wouldn't surprise him if she was hiding somewhere.

"Avalon," Gabriel murmured, looking at Shirou longingly.

One of his father's greatest creations in collaboration with the fairies, a sheath with healing powers so powerful that had it been a Sacred Gear it could easily have been called the fourteenth longinus despite its lack of offensive abilities.

"Something else? Zeus's lightning bolt? The spear of Longinus, perhaps Thor's hammer?" Serafall asked him also incredulously.

"Umh"

"Shut your mouth Shirou" Rin said immediately massaging his eyebrows

Fantastic, what's next?

Its appearance indicated its approval of the voice that spoke the necklace. Looking at the swords floating in front of him, any feelings of conflict at not being worthy of such a sword instantly vanished. It wasn't about him or anyone else. All that mattered was the simple will of the sword that drove him to act.

Almost as soon as this concept of completing the sword took root in his mind, both Excalibur Destruction and Excalibur Mimic began to blur together, becoming indiscernible as they shot towards Avalon.

"Is it a good idea to leave that job to him?" Michael asked with concern.

It's not that I distrusted Shirou but...it was Excaliburn they were talking about

"I wouldn't trust my sword to anyone else," Saber said immediately without a trace of doubt.

If there was anyone he would ever entrust his sword to, it was definitely Shirou.

Upon inserting them directly into the scabbard, the two swords combined to form a single hilt held by four seals. Almost as soon as this process occurred, the white world around him began to fade as the voice in the necklace spoke a single sentence.

"This time, for sure.  "

"Yes, this time it will surely work," Gabriel murmured with a heavy heart.

Was it no?

Who else could I know if not him?

I couldn't deny it anymore.

That God was his father

And her brother's torn look told her that she wasn't the only one who had come to that conclusion.

Having said that, he no longer looked at a blank world, but at the astonished expressions of everyone in the room, which made him feel very self-conscious. In fact, more than their wide eyes, it was the irrepressible brilliance in Griselda's and the chief priests' eyes that spoke volumes.

"And of course that idiot did it in front of everyone" Rin sighed in frustration

"In my defense, I don't think I was aware of that," Shirou said awkwardly.

Even he wants to keep some cards you know?

He wouldn't expose himself like that on purpose.

What, what did he do this time?

Just as he was about to ask, he felt a strange weight in his hand. Turning toward said hand, he couldn't help but gasp at the sight of Avalon with a sheathed sword identical to the one he had seen in the white world. Likewise, the four bindings were also there, preventing him from drawing the sword for inspection.

"You really reforged it" Irina said covering her mouth with her palms in disbelief

"No, not yet," Azazel replied seriously.

A part of him, the fallen angel part, was terrified at the thought of that sword reemerging.

But his scientific side wanted to see it, to see it reform, to see again the light it emitted at its best, no, to see a light that surpassed it.

"There are still five more pieces missing," Michael said with a shaky sigh.

Oh father

What was going on?

But what exactly had happened?

In the time he had been temporarily dazed in Xenovia and the others' perspective, a scabbard had suddenly manifested in his hand from bright lights coming from his chest.

Neither Xenovia nor Irina could identify the scabbard, but Griselda and the Head Priest had their suspicions. Said suspicions were only further solidified when the two fragments of the Holy Sword Excalibur shot out into the scabbard without warning and  combined  to form a single sword contained within the scabbard.

"Uh, sorry, it seems I stole your sword" Shirou apologized looking at Irina with guilt

"You stole my sword?" Irina asked in disbelief. "That doesn't matter! Excaliburn is going to be reforged, that's much more important!" She replied, almost screaming with excitement.

He could see it complete, not that horrible amalgam of metal that they described to him that Galilei had created but the true

And improved!

"Just leave it, that's how the fool is" Rin sighed almost amused

He had already imagined that he would say something like that.

The ramifications of such a scene were not something that either of them overlooked, as it signaled the recreation of the Holy Sword Excalibur.

However, those were his thoughts, and something he was unaware of, so all he could discern was the heightened attention in his being.

However, there was nothing he could do about it, as wherever he went within the Church, everyone would recognize him. He had become too famous as a result of his participation in the Trials of the Holy Sword, and now that he had somehow combined the two fragments, he could only imagine the outcome.

"You must report this to heaven immediately," Michael said hurriedly.

They would mobilize all their forces to secure the remaining fragments of their corresponding churches and recover the remaining fragment from the hands of the Pendragon family.

And above all...he would meet with him

Finally he could be certain of his resurrection.

Or the farce

"I don't think it's good to rush, if news like that ends up spreading in the chaos it could be dangerous" Sirzech warned him

With its current delicate balance, the resurrection of such a weapon could be the trigger for a new war.

"And we can't forget who else is behind the fragments," Azazel added.

True, Kokabiel and Galilei

He had to calm down, he couldn't let his impatience guide him.

"Not a single word is leaving this room," Griselda said gravely after composing herself. "It wouldn't be best for us to do so."

From Griselda's words, it could be inferred that she wished for the fragments of Excalibur to be completed without alerting the others to avoid future problems.

"It's the wisest thing to do," Gabriel supported Griselda, even though there was some apprehension in his voice.

After all, she wanted to see him too.

—But Griselda, this matter...

"This isn't something that should be spread among the other factions, let alone some of the most vile in the Vatican," Griselda interrupted. "I'll handle this matter personally," she concluded. "Do you all understand?"

Xenovia, Irina, and the Head Priest all nodded. As for him, he wouldn't speak about this publicly anyway. Hell, he could even escape an explanation by simply saying he was a magician who possessed a certain type of magic. This was also a benefit of proclaiming himself a partial magician in this world.

"Are you literally using the 'a magician did it' excuse, seriously, dude?" Issei looked at him in disbelief.

"Well yes, it's not a lie" Shirou answered a little confused

Was it the truth why did he look so surprised?

"Remember Issei, these pagans have no idea about memes" Azazel consoled him

Shirou scratched his head in confusion, what did Richard Dawkins have to do with all this?

Maybe he was some kind of famous magician in his world?

“As for the matter of the other Durandal and its contents, yes, Xenovia informed me.” Griselda gave a quick explanation as the Head Priest remained confused. Still, Griselda continued. “Those matters will also be classified.”

Griselda's eyes then turned to the Winged Sentinels, and her action caused great anxiety in the Head Priest. Previously, two church relics had been destroyed under the Head Priest's watch. Said relics were irreplaceable, and as such, it was understandable that the Head Priest wanted to make amends in some way. The arrival of the Winged Sentinels was the answer, and now Griselda might very well deny the Head Priest the ability to report back.

"They'll be hard to explain without exposing Shirou," Michael admitted.

"I'm sure they can come up with something, they always do," Azazel dismissed it easily.

As far as he cared they could take those things.

Without a father to order them around, they were at best pretty decorations.

This was the cause of the high priest's anxiety. Fortunately, that was not the case.

“We must inform the Heavens as soon as possible, but we must not explain how they came to be in the mortal realm.” Griselda raised her finger when the Head Priest opened his mouth. Griselda had apparently already predicted what the Head Priest would say, replying, “You can tell them a simple truth: the Sentinels arrived as a result of the examinees returning in an unorthodox manner.”

"That's an acceptable answer," Michael sighed, his hands slightly shaking.

There were still many chapters ahead.

His time would come

It would come soon

According to Griselda, the High Priest quickly shut his mouth and went out to report, so that Griselda would not retract her words.

"Run priest, run as if one of your altar boys were escaping!" Serafall encouraged him with amusement at seeing a fat man in a dress hurrying so fast.

"That wasn't nice," Gabriel scolded her lightly.

"Doesn't make it any less true" Serafall immediately responded

From there, the matter was concluded in secret, as Irina received her own Holy Sword, which wasn't exactly on the level of a fragment of the Holy Sword Excalibur, but was strong inside and out.

"I'm fine with that!" Irina immediately replied when she saw Shirou about to open his mouth.

"Hey, he learns fast," Rin said pleasantly surprised.

Shirou blushed

Was it so predictable?

A year had passed since the Holy Sword Trials, and the funeral of all those who had passed away was held accordingly. During the course of said year, Griselda had been personally keeping its existence a secret from the world, while also diligently training it with Xenovia.

"And what kind of training?" Rin asked suspiciously.

"Well if we are going to have children it would be a good idea to practice first" Xenovia answered thoughtfully

"Shirou," Rin stiffly shook her head at her boyfriend.

"I wouldn't do something like that" Shirou defended himself by quickly denying

"That didn't stop you from being with us," Rin responded immediately.

Even during the war and before making their relationship official...

He didn't do it, right? He hadn't spent a whole year fucking a nun while they were possibly mourning his death.

TRUE!?

Saber decided to continue reading

But the suspicious look she threw at him from time to time indicated that she didn't completely believe in his innocence either.

He wouldn't do that!

Speaking of which, both Xenovia and Irina had somehow been placed on a mission team that had been tasked with tasks for the Church over the past few months. They had both been doing well and had become proficient in their respective sword arts.

Xenovia, meanwhile, with the Second Durandal in one hand and her own Durandal in the other, had made leaps and bounds in her swordplay. However, for some reason, her sparring opponents, every single one of them, felt like they were fighting a bull. Her attacks weren't refined, nor did she display any terrifying technique; rather, she relied entirely on overwhelming her opponents with the sheer power of wielding two Holy-Swords. It wasn't that the energy was difficult to control, making it impossible to direct accurately, but that her style truly consisted of focusing entirely on the attack.

"That kind of style won't get you far," Saber said, worried about the girl.

"No, it won't" Xenovia admitted

He once believed that yes, that with Excaliburn Destruction and in the worst case with Durandal he could defeat any opponent that stood in front of him.

And then he faced Kokabiel

It was a horrible awakening

"There's always someone stronger," Saber nodded.

Even during the war for the grail, monsters like Berserker were encountered.

Sure, she was severely limited by Shirou's lack of mana but even at her full power she could never defeat Herakles with brute force alone.

This made him worry about what would happen one day when he encountered an opponent who surpassed him in strength. This was something he didn't have to worry about with Irina, as she had a good balance in her sword skills.

"Well I have to keep up with Xenovia" Irina admitted shyly

If I didn't know, her friend would have left her behind.

Although thinking about it, he already did it, right?

Griselda hadn't reprimanded Xenovia's behavior lately since she found out the first time he had decided to give Xenovia advice. From then on, she somehow ended up trying to correct Xenovia's fighting style on behalf of Griselda, who was watching from the sidelines.

"Are you serious?" he asked, his sense of crisis plummeting.

That was her definition of being a matchmaker? Let them fight with swords?

He almost felt sorry, at this rate that poor girl would die a virgin.

"Maybe I should give her some advice," Serafall murmured, looking at the nun with pity.

"That kind of practice isn't bad either" Xenovia nodded satisfied

Irina looked at her friend worriedly

Would it be okay among corrupt beings like demons?

Similar situations would also continue to occur as Griselda manipulated things from the background to give Xenovia as many chances with him as possible. Of course, he didn't know of such things and sincerely only wished to help Xenovia so that she wouldn't be in any danger in the future. Unbeknownst to him, that sincerity and concern for his well-being greatly touched Xenovia even if she didn't express it. As a result, the words Griselda had once said at the end of the Holy Sword Trials continued to hover at the foremost point in Xenovia's mind.

"Is it really working?" Azazel asked in disbelief.

"Of course, if that idiot does it right he could end up seducing even a demon lord" Rin said with some pride

Hey, the fact that her boyfriend was a desired man was something to brag about.

As long as she doesn't think that was a free pass to cheat on her, of course.

"I don't think that's so easy," Sona frowned.

How did that work? He didn't even seem to try.

Other matters that occurred during the past year were the collection of the Winged Sentinels by the representatives of Heaven. However, he was unable to take a look at them because Griselda had ordered him to remain in his room, but he had still heard of their amazement. Very quickly, the Sentinels were taken to the Heavens where they were placed in a secure location. Since the Sentinels didn't obey anyone other than an individual, in order to transport the Winged Sentinels, the Angels had to do it manually. Remembering what had happened at the Dimensional Cross, he wasn't sure if the Sentinels would still obey his orders, but he wasn't in a position to test it anyway.

"But why hide it from us?" Gabriel asked hurt.

He thought they were friends

"Most likely it wasn't us in person," Michael tried to comfort his sister.

Although they were valuable relics, they were not the kind of things that would make him abandon heaven.

The most important matter worrying him was the strange silence of the voice in the collar. Since the end of the trials and the fusion of the Sword Fragments, it hadn't spoken to him even once. Rather, he could tell, even without Structural Analysis, that the collar was accumulating power in a form of hibernation. The answers he'd hoped to get after passing some kind of test issued by the collar were frustratingly brushed aside. He only hoped that, whatever form of hibernation the collar was in, the voice in the collar would awaken soon.

"Well that's not suspicious" Rias said sarcastically

"What are you doing?" Azazel asked apprehensively.

And now what was that God planning?

At the time, he was heading to a meeting Griselda had summoned him to. His attire consisted primarily of a long white cloak designed to completely conceal the sword and scabbard attached directly to his side. Said scabbard was Avalon, and the sword was the two Fragments of Excalibur.

"A year and they still haven't gathered the rest of the fragments?" Rias asked confused.

"Without the support of heaven even someone like Griselda would have a hard time getting the rest of the fragments" Michael explained staring at the pod

As mentioned before, ever since she saw him fuse the two fragments of the Holy Sword, Griselda had been training him nonstop. Similarly, she had begun inquiring about the current status of the other fragments of the Holy Sword Excalibur. This action was understandable since she wished to completely reforge the sword.

Rin stopped her inner presumption when she thought she heard a growl next to her.

What the devil?

However, as a result of Griselda's training, she couldn't deny the effects. Her swordsmanship had greatly improved.

"Not as much as with me," Saber muttered under his breath.

During training, he was only able to use a standard sword as he was unable to extract the fused fragments due to the four restrictions that appeared with the fusion and sheathing process within the white world.

"That's unfortunate," Azazel sighed.

He had wondered what kind of power this fused Excaliburn would have.

Excaliburn duo?

Excaliburn union?

I would think of a name.

Since he'd just woken up that morning, he was sure Griselda's summons would involve another training session as usual. However, for some reason or another, she had decided to call him to the church's backyard.

Xenovia and Irina, as his companion, would normally accompany him at this time, but both had been called by the church on a mission to work in some remote part of Italy. However, they would return in a month.

Shirou couldn't help but feel uneasy.

Was it okay for them to fight while he hid?

Wouldn't it have been better if I had also accompanied them?

"Reforging Excaliburn is too important, I don't think Griselda wants to risk something happening to you before you can achieve it" Gabriel explained seeing him in conflict

He really was a good boy, wasn't he?

The kind of boy your father would love to meet

Maybe the kind of boy he would choose, to help him on his mission

Whatever this is

As he was in the process of going under the radar as a direct result of Griselda's orders, unlike Xenovia and Irina, he was exempt from missions in favor of training.

But somehow, I knew today was going to be different.

This assumption only deepened when he saw Griselda sitting on the backyard deck, absentmindedly sipping a cup of tea.

"Oh? A secret date with your daughter's fiancé behind her back," Azazel sneered.

"Griselda would never do something like that," Gabriel defended his friend.

She was much better than that!

Griselda asked him to sit first and offered him a cup of refreshments, which he politely declined. Based on how Griselda had distinguished him from Xenovia and Irina, who were considerably prominent among the younger generation of Church agents, she could see the seriousness of the situation.

Her guess was correct, as Griselda didn't even blink at her refusal of refreshments because it was merely a formality anyway. Besides, Griselda wasn't one to beat around the bush. In fact, Xenovia inherited her personality directly from Griselda.

"I don't see the point in beating around the bush, in the end you just end up saying what needs to be said, right?" Xenovia said, not understanding why people were worrying so much about nothing.

"It's because of that attitude that we got into so much trouble," Irina told him with a tense smile.

"Yes, I can see what that would be like," Rias said thoughtfully.

If Xenovia always acted like she did during their first meeting then it made sense.

"Surely it's not because you liked all our money in scams?" Xenovia asked her friend.

"They weren't scams! They were authentic sacred relics!" Irina exclaimed angrily.

"No, they were scams," Xenovia said without hesitation.

Irina looked at her with unshed tears

Well maybe some were but not all!

After sitting down, he waited patiently for Griselda to speak her mind beneath the tranquility of the landscape. The church's backyard overlooked a small pond with vegetation growing on both sides. Small fish swam just below the surface of the pond, with lily pads and aquatic plants growing near the water's edges.

Finally, Griselda spoke after a moment.

"What do you know about the Holy Maiden?" he asked suddenly.

"Huh?" Asia exclaimed without expecting to be mentioned

"I see, it's that time," Michael muttered ruefully.

Another valuable believer they lost due to their inability

The Holy Maiden was an idol within the church and even among the common people for her compassion, reverence for God, and her ability to heal the poor and injured with a miraculous light. A Sacred Gear called Twilight Healing. Because of this ability, she was highly respected by all the church authorities.

"The woman who helped a demon?" was his response after reflecting on the matter.

Asia shuddered

He didn't regret helping those in need, but it was still a sore point.

Issei soon placed a worried hand on her shoulder which calmed her down.

"I'm fine" she said slightly blushing

In recent months, word had spread throughout the Church community that the Holy Maiden had aided a Demon. To some, it was no big deal and could easily be brushed aside, but somehow, the matter had been blown completely out of proportion to the point of exiling the Maiden. From another perspective, things had concluded too quickly for him to harbor doubts about the verdict. Even he had his own reservations about it.

"Yes, too fast" Azazel sighed

It wasn't directly his fault but it couldn't be denied that it was his misused contacts that caused this.

I wasn't even interested in Twilight Healing, I had already finished studying that Sacred Gear years ago.

"Precisely," Griselda nodded before looking back at the pond in silence.

She didn't speak again until the clouds in the sky began to part, revealing the light of the sun. As she turned to look at him, her serene face transformed into one of expectation.

"What if I told you I had a mission for you?" he asked.

"Are they going after me?" Asia asked uncomfortably.

They were planning to...eliminate her?

"Don't worry, this idiot would never hurt a pretty little thing like you," Rin told her kindly.

He was more likely to decide to side with them and leave the church if they even suggested doing something like that.

Rias's eyes shone

If something like that happened...could I have the chance to reincarnate not only Xenovia but also Shirou?

He simply raised an eyebrow in response as she began to explain further.

"Normally, I would be against sending you on any missions right now, as I'm more concerned with increasing your strength. You have no idea the effects it would have if someone learned of your abilities and the sword locked within that scabbard," Griselda said cautiously.

"So why did you send me?" he asked.

"The incident of the holy swords" Sirzech said seriously

"That makes sense, most of the fragments will be gathered there at once," Azazel said, his eyes shining with interest.

Rapidly, Transparency and Nightmare

Not counting Mimic who was already in Shirou's possession, that was three more fragments, which would give him a total of five fragments in his possession.

With that, only Blessing and Ruler would be needed to complete the holy sword.

Excaliburn's rebirth may be closer than you thought.

Griselda didn't respond immediately and took a moment to put down her cup.

"You should know that I've been asking about the status of the other fragments of the Holy Sword Excalibur," Griselda stated.

He nodded.

"Well, let's just say I've heard some worrying rumors," Griselda said cryptically. "You'll definitely have to take part in this mission, as it will prove vital to completing Excalibur."

"Wouldn't it be better to warn him about the possibility that the Fallen are involved?" Irina asked worriedly.

"Which Fallen are involved?" Rin asked, glancing sideways at Azazel.

"Hey, don't look at me. As soon as I found out what Kokabiel was trying to do, I sent one of my best assets to stop him." Azazel raised his hands, pleading his innocence.

"Kokabiel the star of God, the astrologer" Rin murmured

And according to Judeo-Christian tradition one of the twenty leaders of Grigori

That could be a problem

She trusted that her idiot could at least hold his own in a fight but she wasn't sure how strong this other Shirou had become.

Well, he'd figure it out somehow, the fool always did.

"And that would be it?" he asked curiously.

Griselda shook her head. "I can't say without concrete evidence, but sending you to the area in general shouldn't be detrimental to you; it will depend on the political balance."

"Political balance?" she asked. It really felt like she was repeating herself, asking question after question, even though she didn't really know what Griselda was referring to.

"Well it's not like he can do much damage if he can't unsheathe that thing, right?" Issei asked confused.

"It's still good enough to hit," Koneko replied, looking at Issei expressionlessly.

Issei shuddered imagining Koneko using the holy sword as a bat to send him flying.

Yes, that sounded painful.

"Avalon is not a club," Saber said stiffly at the thought of someone using her sheath like that.

"Your mission places you in demon-controlled territory, and as such, you may run into them. Just don't be too reckless, and they shouldn't attack you lest they break the factions' peace treaty," Griselda seemed to remember something. "Oh, and you might want to change your attire so it's not associated with the Church. It'll just be easier for you that way, since you're not forced to act unless the situation calls for it."

"Eh? But I wanted to see him wearing tights," Akeno lamented.

"Tights?" Rin couldn't help but see Shirou wearing tights highlighting his muscles and most of all his-

"Rin, are you drooling?" Saber asked her strangely.

"No!" Rin replied immediately wiping her mouth.

Stupid and sensual Shirou!

—So what does this have to do with the Holy Maiden?

"That's your mission," Griselda said as she handed him a piece of parchment to read.

The mission required him to investigate the Holy Maiden's circumstances and look after her long enough for Griselda to investigate the circumstances of the Holy Maiden's exile. The mission itself was entrusted to Griselda.

"Back to church?" Asia asked in amazement.

I wouldn't deny that a part of her missed the church but...

I look at her friends, at Rias who welcomed her, at Akeno who always focuses her, at...Issei

No, I didn't want to come back, not anymore.

"I won't force you if you don't want to" Shirou said seeing the girl's worried face

"You won't?" Asia asked confused.

"If you're happy where you are then I would never force you to come back" Shirou immediately responded with a reassuring smile

"Thanks" Asia bowed slightly with a light pink on her cheeks "eh!?"

But she was immediately pulled into a hug by Issei

"I-Issei?" She asked in surprise

"Eh?, eh!?, sorry" the brown-haired boy immediately moved away

What the hell was that!?, for some reason he felt a compulsive desire to get Asia as far away as possible from that damn handsome boy

"Those are good instincts," Rin had to praise him.

A little more and another nun would have fallen before Shirou

"The mission is just a cover," Griselda explained after a moment. "The real purpose of your being there is to verify something else, and by then you should understand everything for yourself."

Griselda then explained in more detail:

However, near the end of the conversation, he realized one thing.

He would go to Japan.

And more specifically,

He would return to school.

"Come to think of it, you never finished your last year in that world, did you?" Issei said mockingly.

Shirou flinched at the mockery.

"Shirou, education is important," Saber scolded him.

"Saber is also making fun of me?" Shirou lamented.

Knowing with curiosity he returned to the title of the chapter that in his impatience he had ignored

"Kuoh Academy" He read with interest

Why did I have a bad feeling about this?

As Sona's eye twitched

Oh Maou, if he did that with valuable artifacts from the church, what was that idiot going to do with his school?

NDT: It's no secret that Akeno is a sadist.

At the beginning of DXD when he made a move on Issei it was more to provoke Rias than out of real interest in the boy, that obviously changed as he grew fond of him and eventually fell in love with him but even then he enjoyed fighting with Rias

So if I see her capable of making a move on Shirou in order to annoy Saber and Rin and that doesn't mean she has any real interest in Shirou

It's just to clear things up a bit and not say it came out of nowhere, Akeno doesn't love Shirou or is attracted to him (apart from finding him attractive because well Eroge Prota Ex and all that) she's just playing with him or more specifically with Saber

And Saber may have accidentally pressed a button that she definitely shouldn't have pressed.

14314  words

Chapter Text

"If you don't mind, I'd like to continue." Sona raised her hand, adjusting her glasses.

"I see, I imagine you attend this Kuoh academy mentioned here, right?" Rin asked

It wasn't hard to guess considering his apparent age and uniformity.

"I'm the student council president and I hope you don't take my... reluctance to let your boyfriend into my school the wrong way," Sona replied, being as diplomatic as possible.

"Oh calm down, it's not like your prejudice is wrong," Rin replied, waving her hand dismissively.

Sona's eyebrow twitched again, was that supposed to make her feel better?

"I never broke anything at school," Shirou said with some annoyance.

He actually saved him a lot on repairs.

"Your fight with Rider" Rin pointed out dryly making him shut his mouth

Sona had to take a deep breath

Okay, let's get this over with.

Whatever he does, it can't be worse than Kokabiel.

"Kuoh Academy Part Two" Sona read the title with interest

If I remembered correctly, the trials had four parts, so it was possible that this 'arc' had a similar duration.

And if the times coincided it was possible that this arc would cover the arrival of Kokabiel

He wondered how much the events he remembered now would change with that man present.

Would things get better or maybe even worse?

Thinking about it wouldn't get her anywhere, it was best to read to find out even though she doubted they would cover so much in a single chapter.

Setting foot back on Japanese soil felt like a novel experience after being out of the country for so long, but it paled in comparison to the impact of seeing the figures in front of him.

"Are you serious?" Rias asked dryly.

Even the angels seemed confused

"Is something strange?" Xenovia asked, not seeing anything wrong with her clothes.

"Yes, there is," Irina replied with some embarrassment.

This was bringing back bad memories 

Griselda had told him that upon his arrival, she had arranged for trusted individuals to guide him to her lodgings, where he would stay until the mission was completed. Of course, such a mission wasn't something he was obligated to fulfill, but he was also grateful for all the efforts Griselda had made on his behalf, so he went ahead with it. And though he gave the matter further thought, there really was nothing more he could do at the moment. With the voice in the necklace still silent, he didn't know what to do next. It was unquestionable that one of its main objectives was to find a way to return to his world, but at this point, he had no clues other than the fact that he and the necklace were transported by the stream from the old Church. From there, it wasn't difficult to deduce that there was a purpose to his arrival near the Church. Even more so when he remembered that the necklace had prompted him to seek refuge in the Church in the first place. Therefore, until the necklace spoke once more, he resigned himself to working alongside the Church as long as its principles didn't stray too far from his own. It was a win-win situation. He would run errands for the Church and, at the same time, be relieved of the debt weighing on his shoulders and his decision regarding Excalibur. For the sake of his memories with Saber, he felt he owed it to her to see the sword completed.

"Well at least you haven't forgotten about us because you were playing with the Emiya nuns," Rin said mockingly.

"I'm not messing with any nun," Shirou immediately responded in her defense.

"Yes, Mother Griselda is very strict with that kind of things, if there is time to play there is time to train" Xenovia supported her without understanding in the least the insinuation in Rin's words.

"I really need to educate this child," Akeno sighed in disappointment.

Now, what should be your next move on the redhead?

Preferably somewhere that adorable creature with sharp claws could see it.

That way, at least he wouldn't regret it if he somehow returned to Fuyuki.

Xenovia looked at her stomach in confusion.

How strange, for some reason he felt a pain or some kind of knot when he said that

Would he be getting sick?

But returning to current matters, the so-called "individuals" Griselda had informed her about beforehand were truly too conspicuous. In fact, aside from the wryly smiling man standing some distance away beside her, the rest were fully clad in the white exorcist cloaks that Xenovia insisted were appropriate combat gear after the experience at the Dimensional Cross. After all, the long cloaks had minor enchantments that provided some protection without sacrificing too much versatility. Furthermore, knowing Xenovia, she was a practical woman despite her questionable common sense. For example, she didn't even react to the numerous gazes upon her person whenever she traveled, and that was in Italy. In Japan, the streets were much busier, and as such, the gazes could only be more piercing from a larger audience. However, Xenovia, that thick-skinned woman, probably wouldn't even have noticed the difference.

"Is the uniform so strange?" Xenovia asked confused.

"Yes, yes it is" Sona answered immediately

"But you guys wear uniforms too," he pointed out, not seeing the difference.

In any case the layers covered more

"It's different," Sona massaged her forehead, feeling that trying to explain this would be a waste of time.

However, it was true that Xenovia was unique. In fact, most of the hooded individuals seemed quite nervous about being the center of attention.

"Wasn't this supposed to be an undercover mission or something?" Kiba asked with a nervous laugh.

"Yes, it is" Michael nodded also confused

Who was running this?

Deep down, he couldn't help but try to understand why they would wear those clothes if they themselves were ashamed to wear them. And hadn't Griselda advised him not to wear anything related to the Church? So why would they do it and he wouldn't?

"I apologize," said the man, who stood some distance from the hooded individuals, taking a step forward as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Would you accept if I told you we were short on time?"

"A little while before security escorts them out?" Azazel asked, both amused and confused.

As soon as the man finished speaking, it was clear that a strange tension filled the air as the hooded individuals stared at the man in disbelief.

"Master, how can you say that? This was all your fault!" one of the hooded figures accused, pointing a finger. Clearly, she had her complaints about the situation.

"Wait, if it was his idea, why isn't he wearing the cape himself?" Asia questioned in confusion.

"I think that's the point," Azazel couldn't help but smile.

I didn't know who that guy was but I was starting to think they would get along really well.

The man adjusted his elegant dark blue suit and acted as if he hadn't heard anything, responding absentmindedly that it was just a matter of perception and that the man couldn't be blamed for the circumstance.

Hearing this, the girl who had pointed the accusing finger seemed to almost burst a vein, and she seemed to want nothing more than to pound the man's handsome face with her fists. Obviously, she wasn't the only one.

"Do we have an Azazel in the church?" Gabriel asked in confusion.

"Wait, what did you say?" Azazel looked at her in surprise.

Many of the other hooded individuals seemed to harbor such thoughts based solely on their expressions and body language.

In fact, many of the boys in the group seemed eager to volunteer to "mess with a cute boy," as they put it individually.

They murmured the phrase under their breath and even glanced at each other subtly, but none of it escaped her keen eyes and ears. In truth, that man with wavy brown hair parted in the middle and mischievous features was quite hated at that moment.

"Yeah, looks like we have it," Michael nodded.

"Hey, what are you two talking about?" Azazel asked irritably.

He was very loved!

However, the man seemed to share one trait in common with Xenovia, and perhaps even to a greater degree. The man simply didn't seem to care at all, remaining relaxed under the ill-disguised stares of the hooded group.

"Shirou Emiya, is that correct?" the man asked, reaching into his pants pocket and pulling out a small leather wallet with a note inside. "There's no doubt about it," the man quickly assured him.

"Is he an acquaintance of Mother Griselda?" Xenovia wondered.

I had never heard my mother mention it.

He couldn't even respond and was left speechless by the man's next actions.

The man nonchalantly shooed away the group of hooded individuals as the crowd watched, acting as if he didn't even know them.

"Wow, that's evil even for a demon" Serafall said impressed

"Well now he does look like a member of the church" Rin snorted

This behavior was too horrendous to describe in words, and if even he felt it was inappropriate, he couldn't even begin to imagine the kind of anger the hooded individuals felt.

Was this man really a member of the Church? From what he had seen and heard, most Church members were considerate of one another, supportive when needed, and friendly in conversation.

"You're lucky you only met the good ones," Kiba said in a low voice with bitterness.

His own experience with the church was quite the opposite.

But how could this man be someone a woman of integrity like Griselda could trust?

"Woman...of integrity?" Xenovia tilted her head.

Huh? Why couldn't he relate those words to his mother?

His thoughts were proven wrong in the next moment as the man suddenly adopted a serious look as every eye in the crowd was drawn to the group of frustrated, hooded individuals walking away.

"The best can only hide in the shadows when the light shines brightest," the man whispered softly before making a quick gesture to follow him.

"That doesn't sound like a very holy thought," Asia said worriedly.

Seriously, was that guy going to be in charge of Shirou?

"It's not a lie either" Azazel smiled

Oh yes, they were going to be very good friends

The contrast between the way the man acted before and now was so astonishing that he immediately began to reevaluate him. If what he had seen before wasn't something concocted in the moment, but calculated, it was evident to him that this man was meticulous, cunning, and calculating. The man had willingly placed those under his command in an awkward and embarrassing situation, then played on their frustration without hesitation just to divert the others' attention. He was formidable to the point that he couldn't doubt this man's capabilities.

"Yes, it reminds me a bit of Agravain," Saber said with some nostalgia but also apprehension.

There was no denying his loyalty and willingness to protect Camelot even when he made mistakes that led to his death.

But she would still be the first to admit that he was a cruel and calculating individual who she would be uncomfortable having as an enemy.

Maneuvering smoothly through the crowd at the airport, the man escorted him to a pre-prepared car before getting into the driver's seat.

"Then," the man began in the silence of the road. The bustling, lively streets of Japan could be seen from the tinted, closed windows. "You can call me Ayakoji Esposito. I've heard much about you from Griselda, and since she's asked this favor, I can only do my best to please you and hope for a reward. Preferably of the "adult" kind. For a woman of your stature and your particular assets, my efforts will truly surpass the threshold of a mere favor."

"Oh, now I see why you never told me about him" Xenovia said annoyed by what he said about her mother

"Yeah, it's starting to remind me of someone," Rin said dryly.

He idly wondered how that worm was doing.

The last I heard of him was that one day he escaped from the hospital where he was left after the Grail debacle and fled out of the country.

He was probably afraid of what he would do to her once he recovered.

Which in their favor were not unfounded fears

I was just waiting for him to walk properly before I blew his balls off with a Gandr.

It was only now that he understood why Griselda had broken character and written such a note only to be read after meeting Ayakoji Esposito.

Fumbling with his hands, he soon pulled out the note and didn't hesitate to say the message Griselda had written.

"Fuck off."

"Pffff, hahahahahahaha!" Serafall hugged her stomach and started laughing.

"Well, I like that nun more now," Rin nodded approvingly.

"Griselda," Gabriel murmured, almost embarrassed.

"What did that man do to my mother?" Xenovia asked, perplexed.

Never, ever had he heard her say anything so rude in his life.

It was only three words, but they were enough to temporarily break the image I had built of her.

Ayakoji laughed raucously before reminiscing. "She knows she loves me, but she doesn't know it yet," Ayakoji said, amusement clear in her tone.

Saber shuddered slightly

That sounded disturbingly familiar to Gilgamesh.

"He must hear that regularly to react like that." Sirzech laughed nervously.

Why did it somehow remind him of him and his wife?

It must have been his imagination.

He was puzzled for a moment and felt strangely uncomfortable, but still asked, "How could I know if I don't know?" he asked.

Ayakoji didn't reply, after all, it was an inside joke.

"If you look in the left compartment next to you, the mission details are stored there inside a small envelope," Ayakoji said after a brief period of silent driving. Ayakoji's tone had become considerably more serious as the topic of the mission took priority. "You'll need to dispose of it after reading its contents, as you'll be entering Demon Territory. Land controlled by the Gremory and Sitri if my memory serves me correctly. As such, contact with Demons will be inevitable, so it's best for you not to stir up a hornet's nest. The context of this mission is only a simple investigation into the Holy Maiden's affairs issued by Griselda before making a quiet exit from Demon Territory. Should Demons learn of your ties to the Church, it wouldn't be detrimental due to the current treaty between the Factions, but it may affect the results of the investigation. Remember, it was because of a Demon that the Holy Maiden fell from grace in the first place. Who's to say the true culprit isn't watching from the shadows, huh?"

Asia couldn't help but worry.

The demon that led to her expulsion may be near...

I've never thought about that before, but...

Rías, for his part, became more and more excited.

It was like a classic spy movie!

Shirou was calmer, even cold about the situation.

It wouldn't be the first time that he would receive a mission like this, but his first attempts didn't go well at all.

Too impulsive, inexperienced, weak

He hadn't improved much in the first place, but at least now he could be more objective and calculating.

And that's why I could say without any doubt that he was going to ruin it, he would do something or something out of his control would happen and everything would be ruined.

He could only wish his other self luck and that this Ayakoji was skilled enough to fix everything.

The look of pity Rin gave the man on screen told him that he wasn't the only one who came to that conclusion.

Ayakoji's words were a lot to take in, but after complementing Ayakoji's words with what he was reading on the envelope, a picture formed in his mind based on the current situation. The situation was truly quite precarious, where even the smallest mistake could offset something much bigger. This being the case, why had Griselda sent him to such a politically dangerous area, knowing the potential consequences?

"For Excaliburn" Michael replied with resignation

And the worst part is that even if I had known, I wouldn't have been against it.

As long as it does not lead to war, any repercussions that may occur would be acceptable and even welcome, as long as the sacred sword is reforged once more.

At that moment, she couldn't help but look at the black suitcase sitting right on her lap, knowing exactly what was inside. There was no need to think about anything else.

"You'd best be careful," Ayakoji warned. "I run a branch of the Church some distance from Gremory and Sitri territory, but I can't successfully help you with your problems without risking the renewed factional war. Once inside, you'll only have your own strength to rely on."

"Does he?" Irina asked confused.

If that was the case, why did that man never help them during his own mission? It didn't have to be direct help, as long as he gave them information and shelter it would be fine.

While Sirzech frowned

That...that didn't make sense.

He knew the branch of the church near his sister's territory, of course he investigated it before letting her go to the human world

And that's why I was sure there was no Ayakoji in it.

Maybe it was a code name, or a recent change he didn't notice?

I'd have to look into that when I get back.

He nodded to show that he understood Ayakoji's warning.

"No, it doesn't," Rin said tersely.

"Definitely not," Saber nodded.

"Yeah, I didn't do it" Even Shirou admitted

"Should we be worried?" Issei asked nervously.

"Well it can't be worse than Kokabiel" Rias sighed

I was waiting

Finally, after about an hour or two of traveling, Ayakoji led him to a large furnished condominium near Kuoh Academy, the school he would be attending for the time being, as it was possibly the most suitable cover for someone his age.

Inside the furnished complex, an elderly butler and a maid stood at attention. It was clear they had been responsible for maintaining the cleanliness and attractiveness of the living space. However, seeing them, he knew he was going to have trouble getting others to care for him when he had the ability to do it himself. Even more so when he considered the age of his caregivers. Surely, it should have been the other way around, with him taking care of the elderly.

"Give him a week before he takes over the kitchen," Saber said with some irony.

"A week? By tonight he'll be preparing everyone's dinner," Rin said mischievously.

"I don't see the problem with being pampered a little," Rias said with some confusion.

What was wrong with letting others cook for you?

"You're talking about the guy who didn't want to touch his inheritance because it wasn't money he had earned and preferred to start working on his own," Rin said, shaking her head dramatically.

The only times he took money out of there was when he urgently needed to buy food for Saber and even then he does it reluctantly.

As soon as he tried to express this, he immediately met with opposition, as the elders were proud of his work.

"Things like keeping the place clean and taking care of their meals don't concern us. In fact, we consider it a privilege to be able to help someone little Griselda spoke so highly of."

"Little Griselda?" Xenovia asked again confused

Somehow she was learning more from her mother in one day of reading than in all her years combined.

Little Griselda? She supposed it was an appropriate title considering the age of the former caretakers.

Ayakoji reluctantly decided to settle the matter and gestured for everyone to sit. The room was large, so even though everyone had taken a seat, the room was far from full.

"I can understand the feeling," Issei said sympathetically.

He was still puzzled by all the empty space in his house since Rias turned it into a mansion.

"Well, my purpose in bringing you here has been accomplished. All that's left is for you to do the investigating," Ayakoji said, relaxing in a recliner. "I'm sure we all know about the incident with the Devil that led to his excommunication, and I'm pretty sure of a hunch I have regarding this matter."

"And that would be it?" he asked, turning things over in his mind.

"It wasn't an accident at all," Azazel said confidently.

"Huh?" Asia turned to look at her in surprise.

W-wasn't it an accident?

"What do you mean by that?" Issei asked angrily.

"Come on, let's not think about it too much, what the hell was a demon doing so close to the Vatican? Why did he ask a random nun for help instead of trying to fly to a medical center? And above all, why didn't he hide the fact that he was a demon? You have to admit that it sounds pretty suspicious," Azazel replied, ignoring the hostility.

There was silence

That...that actually made sense.

"Aside from the fact that she was excommunicated too quickly for such a small crime," Sona added.

Sure, curing a demon might be frowned upon, but she was a saint, something like that would be expected of her.

They could have scolded her, yes, but excommunicated her?

And it was only more illogical if you took into account his Sacred Gear, which, even though it wasn't a longinus, was still a powerful artifact that could change the course of a war by itself.

She herself had found the whole matter suspicious but had never delved too deeply into it.

But who could do something like that?

The Fallen were a serious suspect because he finished them off but the demon who caused all of this in the first place couldn't be immediately ruled out.

Asia stared at the floor in shock.

It was not an accident

Sona looked at her with some pity but decided to continue reading.

Now that they were talking about it, it was possible that the book would give them more clues about the matter.

"Just from the rumors circulating in Italy, it's not difficult to find information about the Holy Maidens' disposition and personality toward the needy," Ayakoji began.

"Of course, she wouldn't have been so idolized within the Church if it weren't for her sincere actions and her overwhelming compassion," the old steward commented.

"But we all know what that reputation has brought him," Ayakoji retorted, a sour look on the Old Steward's face. "His reputation and actions are nothing but a fart in the eyes of the higher-ranking members of the Church. In fact, the process was too simple."

Asia shuddered

A fart? That's what she was worth?

"Those bastards!" Issei exclaimed angrily.

Michael closed his eyes in guilt.

How much had the church become corrupt?

"Are you implying that the Church wants to cover something up?" he asked uncertainly.

Shirou looked at himself with some nostalgia.

When did that stop being surprising and become commonplace?

At this point half of the missions I did for the church were about them trying to cover up something that I only accepted because I knew if I didn't many innocent people would suffer.

Seriously, who was the idiot who thought that experimenting with a splinter from the cross where Jesus was crucified was a good idea?

Any longer and that abomination would have become some kind of twisted demigod.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ayakoji said. "Not all Church officials are incorrupt. Look at Valper Galilei and what he did."

Kiba's fist clenched furiously.

Even in death, his name still caused him repulsion.

He wasn't familiar with Valper Galilei's name, but based on the context, he was certain Valper Galilei had done something remarkably sinister within the Church. And, based on the unpleasant expressions on the faces of the maid and the butler, it was something that was widely known, though only he didn't know it.

"What exactly did he do?" Rin asked curiously.

He didn't like feeling so ignorant.

"Human experiments on children," Kiba spat, "he was trying to extract the light affinity from their bodies, create an artificial affinity for others to use, he was a damn monster."

"Uh, just that?" Rin blinked in surprise.

"Do you think this is not enough?" Koneko asked him in a dangerous tone.

She didn't particularly care for the church but when it came to her friend she could be quite...protective.

"Look, don't get me wrong, it's horrible, yes, experimenting on children and all that, but wait, you know more considering how they describe it" Rin responded trying to calm the situation.

"Are human experiments common in your world?" Azazel asked cautiously.

His lack of reaction for someone so young was surprising.

"Well, as long as it doesn't affect the secret of magic or is too obvious it doesn't really matter, I've never been interested in why my field of expertise is jewels but the clock tower has never banned them" Rin answered almost casually to the horror of the rest

"Rin, don't you think saying it like that could cause misunderstandings?" Shirou remarked, trying not to escalate the situation.

"Misunderstandings? Emiya, being a magician is walking with death and you know it, and it doesn't just refer to our own death" Rin pointed out cynically.

Shirou sighed

I loved Rin but sometimes I forgot that she was a full-fledged mage.

Azazel looked at them, specifically at Rin, not judging her but changing his initial assessment of her.

Despite being the weakest, she was possibly the most dangerous of the three.

He put the matter aside for now, it wasn't as if he could change a situation that already happened.

“Even if they wanted to cover something up, the process was too quick,” Ayakoji snorted. “They must have had some kind of help. Otherwise, how could there have been no interference in the Holy Maiden’s excommunication after all her actions and contributions? A severe reprimand would have been acceptable, but an excommunication? It’s absurd unless…”

"A third party would want it that way" Azazel looked at the screen without any surprise

It was more or less what I already assumed

Ayakoji crossed his arms and licked his lips before continuing with the main argument of his intuition.

"Unless the item a third party might be interested in was her Sacred Gear, Twilight Healing," Ayakoji proposed. "Not only would it be easier to possess once the Holy Maiden had lost the Church's protection."

Asia trembled as she remembered what had happened to her.

Raynare, the extraction device, the pain of her torn soul

"She's gone, she can't hurt you anymore," Issei assured her with a hand on her shoulder.

A hand that trembled by itself

I hated remembering that bitch

He remained silent for a moment to collect his thoughts after Ayekoji finished speaking.

According to the information he had read about the Holy Maiden, Asia Argento, her Sacred Gear Twilight Healing allowed her to heal almost any wound perfectly. However, it could not regenerate limbs, restore exhaustion, or cure illnesses. Although there was more than one Twilight Healing Sacred Gear in the world, it was still a rare Sacred Gear with many positive uses.

"More than one? Can there be multiple versions of one of those Sacred Gears?" Rin asked with interest.

"Longinus are unique if that's what you're asking, there can only be one at a time and it will only reappear when its previous wielder is dead" Sona answered making Rin click her tongue before giving Issei an appraising look.

This one shuddered

Uh, why did he feel in danger?

"So the reason for this investigation is to determine who this third party is and clear the Holy Maiden's name?" he asked.

"Okay, so how do you plan to have Shirou do that?" Rin asked skeptically.

"I'm sure the holy lord will manage," Serafall said with slight mockery.

"I'm more of a fighter than a researcher," Shirou admitted. 

I wasn't even sure where to start looking.

"Naturally," Ayekoji replied too quickly.

He frowned, but didn't think much about it and chose to ask his own question.

"Where is Asia Argento now?" he asked.

"That's a great question," Rias rubbed her chin.

This was obviously before the holy swords incident, but how far before?

Before Asia met Issei? Before he came to Japan?

Depending on that there was a chance that he would lose his lovely bishop.

Ayekoji placed a hand under her chin as the maid and butler stood silently to the side.

“Last we heard, he’d gotten involved with a Fallen Angel faction,” Ayekoji hummed. “Perhaps you can start from there? But for now,” Ayekoji stood and walked over to the coat rack, grabbing a thin jacket from it. “I’ll have to go before my subordinates die of embarrassment or, God forbid, plot against me. Needless to say, be careful.”

"Wait, you left them at the airport alone until now!?" Issei exclaimed in disbelief.

"That man really is pure evil," Akeno admitted with a slight blush.

How must those poor priests have felt at this moment?

Their faces must have been a very interesting color.

With that, Ayekoji quietly left the condominium and soon left the borders of the Gremory and Sitri territories.

He sighed, reflecting on the information he had been given, before giving up, unable to decide how he could even begin his investigation.

"See?" Rin pointed out.

"If they are fallen angels, maybe I can start with the church. Is there a church in Kuoh?" Shirou asked, looking at Rias.

"Yes, and honestly if you start there your investigation might end very quickly" Rías answered without hesitation

"Wait, did the fallen angels really hide in a church?" Rin asked in disbelief.

Why didn't they just walk around the city center with their wings spread out?

"They weren't very smart guys," Akeno said disdainfully.

However, there was one thing he knew based on Ayekoji's conjecture.

There was one person who needed to be saved.

And in the end, for someone like him.

That was all that mattered.

"Absolutely sure you're not a holy lord?" Serafall asked him looking at him with seemingly innocent eyes.

"No, just an idiot" Rin answered for Shirou

"We could argue that many saints were idiots," Azazel noted.

"That's true," Irina said in a low, thoughtful voice.

Many of their actions were stupid and outside the common sense of their time, so you could say they were idiots.

But the best kind of idiots you could wish for

Like Issei!

But of course, much less perverted

The area around Kuoh Academy was interesting, if anything. It was normal in the sense that everything was normal, but what really caught his attention and gave him a feeling of apprehension was the ratio of men to women moving in the direction of Kuoh Academy.

What Griselda hadn't told her was that Kuoh Academy had been an all-girls academy before recently becoming co-ed. As such, the number of young women in Kuoh Academy uniforms far outnumbered that of men. She had a bad feeling about attending this school, a  really  bad one, and that was after she had met a girl with glasses who attended the Academy. She had brown hair tied in two pigtails, and her face was neither elegant nor narrow, giving her an average look that still caught the attention of most men, but wasn't overly attractive.

Sona squeezed the book tightly.

It hadn't done anything yet, it hadn't pulverized anything yet, it hadn't exploded anything yet.

Not yet

He didn't know it at the time, but that girl's name was Aika Kiryuu, and something about her made him shudder. Even more so when his eyes fell between her legs.

From there, he ran away.

"Oh, Aika" Issei shuddered

She was too much, and he was the one saying it.

"A pervert?" Rin asked curiously.

"Worse, he has some kind of special ability that allows him to know the size of a guy's penis with a simple glance" Issei replied

Anyone would think he was exaggerating, but many of his victims came to confess that he was right, and the few who denied it were suspiciously the ones who received a small number.

"Wow, he must have been very impressed then," Rin said with a mocking smile.

"Rin!" Shirou exclaimed blushing

He covered his crotch when more than one curious glance was directed there.

Isn't this supposed to happen to women!?

He was never one to choose his battles or shy away from danger.

But somehow he felt that the danger he would face was of a very  different  kind and one he was not prepared to discover.

"You are a very wise man Emiya Shirou" Issei said with utmost respect

Even if he was a stupid pretty boy

Thus, he ended up wandering the streets, temporarily putting aside all thoughts of visiting Kuoh Academy until he finally had to go there. For now, he still had a day or two before he was required to attend a meeting with the faculty and staff who would assign him his classroom and class.

With his previous experience with only the students in attendance, the feeling of foreboding and unease he felt toward the place only increased further.

"School is usually much better than that," Sona said in defense of her beloved institution.

"The same school where a trio of students spying on the girls' locker room is regularly reported?" Serafall asked innocently.

The looks she received from the three foreigners made her blush.

"The only reason they weren't expelled was because of her!" he exclaimed, pointing at Rias.

The glances now turned to the redhead who had the descent to blush a little.

"One of them had the potential to have a powerful Sacred Gear so I had them under surveillance, and I was not wrong" Rias replied trying to justify herself.

The gazes now fell on Issei

"Hey, I could also be talking about Kiba! I'm not the only man in the peerage!" Issei exclaimed in protest.

"So it was the blond who was spying in the women's locker room?" Rin asked skeptically.

"Um, no, it was me, but still you shouldn't have seen me first!" Issei as well as his mistress at least had the decency to blush

"Fantastic, the power to kill a God is in the hands of a pervert" Rin said with a painful sigh

"I admit it's worrying," Saber agreed.

Issei sank into his seat, increasingly hurt.

It wasn't fair!

I had to think.

That was all I had to do at that moment.

Use what you knew and try to come up with an appropriate guess about the location of the Holy Maiden.

He ended up scratching his head. This kind of task wasn't something he normally handled. It was more in line with something his friend Issei from Homurahara could tackle, and better yet, Rin Tohsaka.

"It's good that you recognize it" Rin nodded satisfied

"Yes yes, I'll leave the complicated things to you and I'll just hit whoever you point out" Shirou said with a wry smile

"Good boy" Rin patted Shirou's head as if he were a dog to which Shirou's wry smile only deepened

"Too adorable" Akeno gulped

He felt the drool running down his face.

Simply so adorable!

He'd been dubbed the Homurahara Brownie because of his efforts to help others without much thought for their personal opinions of him. In a way, his insistence on helping others without regard for what others thought of him was comparable to Xenovia's indifferent attitude. However, they still weren't the same. Sometimes, he just went with the flow.

"No, it was definitely the same," Rin corrected him mercilessly.

"Even now you still have those attitudes," Saber added.

She was sure that one of the reasons Lord Melloi liked her so much was because she fixed his console when it broke.

Shirou looked away and didn't even try to defend himself.

His musings eventually led him to take a break on a park bench and reconsider his perspective. He shouldn't be thinking about what  he would do  if he were excommunicated, but rather what a holy maiden like Asia would have done.

"It's a good start, putting yourself in the victim's shoes," Sona nodded.

The main problem is that from what Shirou saw, he didn't have Asia's psychological profile to do that.

Asia Argento was loved by many who knew her, but that was only for her healing abilities. Afterwards, her combat strength wasn't enough to protect herself. That was probably the reason why she had been taken in by a group of fallen angels as Ayakoji had said. That being the case, where would a group of fallen angels reside within a territory under the jurisdiction of the devils?

The answer was definitely difficult to obtain, as I didn't have the geographical advantage of knowing the area yet. Perhaps if I had been able to explore the surroundings further, I might have found something plausible. However, at that moment, all I was doing was wandering aimlessly.

"Didn't he at least give you a map of the city?" Kiba asked curiously.

Shouldn't that be the most basic thing?

"Well, Asia is just a cover for his real mission, so it's possible he won't give it much importance," Azazel theorized.

Asia, despite everything, couldn't help but feel hurt when she heard that.

It's not like I want to go back to church at this point but...

When he thought about the question of where a group of fallen angels would hide in an area under the dominion of demons, he finally came up with an answer: a place where demons naturally wouldn't go: a church.

"If even Shirou could deduce it then it's the worst hiding place of all" Rin pointed out

"Well it's not a lie" Shirou nodded, not caring about the implied insult

"Like I said, they weren't very smart," Akeno said with an amused smile.

However, from what he had learned through subsequent conversations with Ayakjoji, the last influence of the Church in the area had already been withdrawn in connection with the treaty between the factions. As such, there was no active Church in the entire area. This presented a problem for his idea; however, upon returning and speaking with the maid at his lodgings, he learned of a particular church in the area.

It was abandoned long ago, but local residents still preserved its structure, as they didn't want the church to appear overgrown with forests. Therefore, weeds were removed and vines were cut back to maintain the overall appearance of a church even though no clergy were present inside.

"Sounds familiar," Rin said, remembering another semi-abandoned church she knew.

Also with a lack of clergy and all because he refused to recognize that false priest as one

In other words, it was simply a decorative element, something that could be looked at and appreciated from afar.

However, for demons, the structure of the Church itself was harmful. As beings who naturally opposed the light of God, they had a natural aversion to such places and, in fact, could even feel pain just by entering. It was similar to how a devil could not pray to God for fear of suffering sudden and excruciating torment.

"Wait, does it hurt you to pray?" Rin asked in surprise.

"It's not lethal at all, but praying or listening to others do it does give us a nasty headache," Rías responded, not seeing the strange thing.

It wouldn't be logical

"But something like that to an entire species, it doesn't sound like a racial characteristic but more like some kind of imposed curse, but something like that to an entire species and for so long, how much power was spent on that?" Rin began to mutter to herself.

I knew the Gods were powerful but this was ridiculous!

"Is she okay?" Asia asked worriedly when she saw the older woman tossing her hair in frustration.

"It will be fine in a few minutes" Saber replied looking at Rin with some warmth

Thinking about this, he finally had a lead for the investigation.

Speaking of which, he finally realized something trivial, but by no means significant. He had been speaking Italian from the very moment he'd arrived in this new world similar to his own. It only became clear to him after noticing the difference when he saw the contrast between the way he spoke to the maid and butler who spoke Italian and the Japanese people on the street.

"You seriously didn't notice that?" Irina asked confused.

"It's not like I have anyone else to compare the language to." Shirou scratched his cheek in embarrassment.

"A translator function in the necklace?" Rin asked, stopping her tirade for the moment.

Or maybe he did something to Shirou's brain?

I didn't know how it was possible at the time, but again, I didn't think much of it compared to the current goal.

"So you just go with the flow, huh?" Azazel asked with amusement.

He figured it made sense all things considered.

With a task in hand, he wasted no more time and immediately headed in the direction of the Church after asking the maid and the butler for its specific location.

It didn't take long to arrive just as the sky began to darken with dusk.

I could see the church in the distance. As I'd heard, it was well-maintained, but somehow, in the shadows of the falling night, it seemed to give off a kind of sinister feeling.

Shirou couldn't help but compare the scene to his first visit to a church.

Hopefully there wouldn't be a Berserker waiting for him when he got out of this because now he didn't have a Saber at his side to protect him.

There was no sign of people around him, even though the streets had been crowded in the early hours of the morning. Everyone seemed to have disappeared, leaving behind only the abandoned church before him.

The streets that should have been full were empty.

"Is that normal in that city?" Saber asked cautiously.

"No, unless someone has put up a barrier for that explicit purpose," Rias said seriously.

And there was only one group that could put something like that in that place.

The nightlife that was once perceived in Fuyuki was nowhere to be found.

It was too abnormal.

Her pace immediately quickened and her eyes narrowed as a soft humming reverberated from the collar around her neck as she approached the abandoned church.

"Finally awake, lazybones?" Azazel asked gravely.

But why now?

Did it have to do with the proximity to the church?

But that didn't make sense, Griselda's church was far more sanctified than that abandoned structure and yet it didn't react for so long.

A contemplative look crossed her face. Was the voice finally returning? Contrary to her hopes, no voice came from the necklace, and instead, it simply continued to vibrate gently.

Even then, it was probably a sign that something supernatural was happening. It was the same during the Trials of the Holy Sword, and it should be the same now.

"Please no more surprises," Irina pleaded with a slight shiver.

If last time they were locked in the dimensional cross, what would happen now?

That Kokabiel was with the fallen in the church?

With increased vigilance, he approached the Church with caution.

Somehow, as he did so, he recalled a scene that had occurred during the Fifth Holy Grail War in Fuyuki. He wasn't involved in the battle at the time, but the situation was such that he couldn't do anything about the battle between Gilgamesh and Berserker and the subsequent results.

"And who was Berserker?" Gabriel questioned, curious about the hero's identity.

"He was the greatest Greek hero, Herakles, the demigod of strength," Saber replied gravely.

Although their encounters were not under the best circumstances, he still respected the man for his strength and, above all, conviction to protect his teacher.

"Wow, Gilgamesh, Herakles, King Arthur, who else was in that war?" Sirzech asked with slight admiration.

"Well, in the fifth, Medea of Colchis, Sasaki Kojiro, Medusa, Herakles, Cu Chulainn and of course our beloved Arturia participated," Rin replied, not seeing the point in hiding it further.

"And with Gilgamesh there are seven." Azazel nodded, impressed.

Those were some serious names.

"No, Gilgamesh was the Archer of the fourth war who survived and tried to take over the fifth," Saber corrected him.

"And what about the seventh?" Michael asked.

"That...that's a bit awkward to say," Rin replied deliberately without looking at Shirou.

Even though he didn't show it, it was obvious to her and Saber that Shirou was still very uncomfortable with Archer and it was something they respected.

"Who the hell could be more surprising to me than Herakles or Gilgamesh?" Issei asked in surprise

Should I invoke Jesus himself or what?

And yet Rin just ignored the question.

Once again, it was just a feeling, but this time Rin wasn't there to stop him.

"Yes, and that's what worries me" Rin couldn't help but bite her lip

If it weren't for her physically stopping him, that idiot would have jumped straight into the battle of those two demigods.

And now it seems he will do the same thing only without her present.

Although I seriously doubted that fallen angels could match Gilgamesh or Herakles

He exhaled and perceived a distinct scent in the distance: ash, ozone, and feathers. He knew then that something was happening in the Church at that very moment, and that he was likely involved in the process. He was certain of this, since his nose was something of a magical tracker, capable of pinpointing the use of magic anywhere near his approximate area.

"Ozone?" Akeno asked with a strange gleam in her eyes.

Oh, so it was that time

But if so, then it was already too late.

A light flashed in the distance, accompanied by flashes of thunder that crackled and echoed throughout the Church grounds.

As he approached the scene, he soon saw a devastated battlefield. The ground was riddled with potholes, and sometimes huge craters completely altered the layout of the terrain. The trees growing in the distance were splintered and punctured in several places, leaving them in a deplorable state.

"A battle?" Issei wondered before everything clicked.

The rescue of Asia!

The moon appeared in the sky and a cold wind blew, creating a draft and dragging something peculiar along with it.

"Hmm," he murmured in thought. Then, he knelt down and picked up the damaged black feather that had been blown away by the wind.

"Well poor devils" Azazel sighed

Even if they deserved it, it was always difficult to see someone fall.

No pun intended

By that time, I was already familiar with what that black feather implied.

Fallen angels.

However, from the looks of it, they had run into a problem, and one with a power that far surpassed their own. In fact, when he looked at the feather, there didn't seem to be anything strange about it, aside from the damage near the base, but when he looked at it with his enhanced eyes, he could see something peculiar. A destructive energy that still lingered on the feather, devouring it and leaving nothing behind.

"I see," Rias said coldly.

Which one did he eliminate? The one who looked like a girl? The one with long hair?

I didn't even remember it anymore.

It was truly a dangerous power or phenomenon.

"Well, thank you." Rias smiled in a tempting way.

"I'm sure it wasn't a compliment," Rin noted dryly.

He left the feather on the ground and watched it disappear after being picked up again by the wind.

"You're late if you were trying to put up a fight," a tired voice echoed in the newly created clearing.

"One still alive?" Akeno asked reproachfully.

Had he failed so badly in eradicating those pests?

He turned his gaze in the direction of the voice.

In the end, what he saw was a man barely able to keep up with the other two accompanying him. However, even he could tell from a glance that they wouldn't survive. Not only were there tiny sparks of electricity dancing through their bodies, but even remnants of the same destructive power he detected within the Fallen One's feather were present within them to some degree.

Akeno nodded satisfied.

Well, I hadn't failed.

In any case it had been more than perfect, those disgusting insects had survived only long enough to suffer for what they did

From what he could see, the enemy had had the strength to allow for a quick kill, but the crackles of electricity still clinging to the three's bodies spoke volumes about the attacker's temperament toward the enemies. Furthermore, he could tell that the lightning user was likely the primary attacker of the three, evident from the harsh burns scattered across their bodies.

Issei shuddered at the sight

It's not that they didn't deserve it, but he wasn't one of those who liked to see others suffer.

And Akeno's smile...was dangerous

Not that sensual danger that made him nervous, but something more predatory that made him fear for his life for a second.

Rin, for her part, gave Akeno an appraising look.

And for some reason he shuddered and not a shudder that he enjoyed

Why did he suddenly feel like a mouse tied to a lab table?

This was probably due to the final attack the lightning user must have used to finish them off, but perhaps the person underestimated the willpower of the three presumed dead. Well, technically, they were going  to  die with their injuries anyway.

"Well I was definitely hoping to kill them with that attack" Akeno muttered to herself

Not that he complained about the result of course.

However, what made him think were the distinctive black wings on their backs.

They were fallen angels.

"What happened here?" he asked.

The man looked at him from under the tattered fedora he wore and replied, "Damn," the man lamented. "They were too strong, as you can see."

"And you forgot the part where you tried to kill an innocent girl to extract her Sacred Gear?" Rias asked coldly.

"Everyone wants to look like the good guy in the story," Shirou said with a strange resignation.

Even the worst scum he had hunted had tried to justify their actions in their final moments.

Almost as if they were seeking some kind of redemption at least from the stranger who was about to end their lives.

He frowned after the man's response. "They wouldn't attack you for no reason. Not with the faction treaty." This was a point they repeated to him over and over again, and the only reason Ayakoji and Griselda had kept reminding him to be careful.

"At least she didn't take his word for it without hesitation," Sona sighed.

She would feel very uncomfortable if the wielder of the most powerful holy sword in the world marked her as an enemy.

The man didn't say a word before letting out a hoarse laugh. "Can you blame us? Wanting to reach greater heights with what little strength we have."

"Yes, if it's at the cost of innocent lives, I can," Shirou said without hesitation.

Saving them all was...complicated

Even when he captured his targets alive it was only a matter of time before they were executed so he didn't really save them.

But if getting my hands dirty and committing sin was what was needed so that more innocent people wouldn't suffer, then I would gladly return to that hell.

And yet, a part of him still wished he could save them.

Guilty or innocent, who was he to judge?

A light still seemed to burn brightly in the man's eyes. "Tonight we were defeated, but that doesn't mean it's all over." The man coughed up some blood. "By now the ritual should be complete."

Asia trembled and Issei clenched his fists before relaxing.

It was okay, Rias would save her, everything was okay

He dismissed what the man was saying at that moment and decided to follow his own ideals. "But what does that have to do with you?" he asked. "You and the others beside you are going to die."

"A truly empty victory," Serafall said with something resembling pity.

What was the point of winning if you weren't there to enjoy the victory?

Her words made the man stop and an imperceptible look crossed his face.

At that moment no more words were spoken, and instead all that remained was silence and the sound of three harsh breaths.

Suddenly, the man's eyes widened. "What are you doing?" he asked, confused.

"What the hell are you doing?" Akeno asked in disbelief.

Rin smiled ironically and a little resignedly.

"Being the idiot I always am," he replied.

"A saint doesn't just save the innocent," Gabriel added with slight joy.

It was understandable.

After all, at the time he was holding one of the man's two companions against a tree and trying to stop the bleeding.

"Why?" Azazel asked incredulously.

Was he an idiot?

Well, the brunette repeated it a lot but she didn't think that much

And Shirou just offered him a tired but sincere smile.

"Do I need a reason to help others?"

Gabriel's heart skipped a beat upon hearing that sentence as Asia looked at him warmly.

She didn't respond. She knew, just from her conversation with the man, that he wouldn't understand her reason for helping others. In a way, she was similar to the Holy Maiden, Asia Argento, for choosing to help others when she shouldn't have. Still, she was who she was.

"The difference is that you know perfectly well that you shouldn't help them," Azazel scolded him.

It was strange that this should come from him considering it was his people who were being saved but he couldn't help it.

This guy was crazy!

Michael looked at Shirou with something akin to adoration.

Father...is that why you chose him?

Unexpectedly, his actions triggered a severe reaction from the necklace hanging around his neck, and suddenly, he was no longer inside the newly created clearing tending to the fallen. Instead, he appeared inside a white room, in which stood a man in white robes whose features could not be distinguished.

The Angels and the fallen fell to their knees out of pure instinct.

There was no way to deny it anymore.

His father had returned

Sona, incredulous, continued reading without understanding anything.

W-what, what was this presence?

"You are worthy,"  the man's voice was calm, like moving water, and had a tone that left others with a pleasant feeling. He was no different, despite how difficult it was to affect him, if at all.

Everyone without exception shuddered at the words, again even though the voice came from a demon there was something captivating about them

Something...

Divine

The voice continued,  "Tell me a wish and I will grant it. Riches, beauty, pleasure."  The voice paused for a moment before making an offer that visibly shook him:  "A way to return to the world you came in?"

Rin and Saber looked at the screen with matching wry smiles.

They didn't even have to guess what their idiot would choose.

He stood still, his heart sinking as he thought about returning to the embrace of the two he'd left behind. It was tempting, really. In the time span of the Fifth Holy Grail War, his relationship with Rin Tohsaka and Saber wasn't so distant as to be considered acquaintances, but actually close enough to be more than friends. He missed them, he really did.

"Well, thank you for not forgetting us in favor of your harem of nuns," Rin said mockingly, still with a slight blush on her cheeks.

"Don't be silly Rin, you could never forget me about you" Shirou said seriously making Rin blush completely while Saber's cheeks turned deep red

"Idiot!"

Rias looked at them in astonishment

How could they continue flirting even in this situation?

Sirzech for his part looked at Shirou with curiosity

What would you choose? Would you succumb to temptation or continue along this thorny path?

And then he thought of the dying Fallen he'd been trying to save, and every thought he had of returning simply crumbled completely. He couldn't abandon them. Not in their desperate need to be saved. Rin and Saber, he could understand just from their presence in this world, that the possibility of the two of them being safe was extremely high. Gilgamesh was defeated, and the Tainted Grail was destroyed. Nothing remained to endanger their lives. The Fallen, on the other hand, would die without help.

"Rin-" Shirou tried to apologize for his selfish decision but

"Stop it, silly. I knew what I was getting into when I decided to stay with you, so don't say anything and go play the hero." Rin said with a small punch on his shoulder.

"In fact, I would even be disappointed if you chose us in this situation," Saber told him with an approving smile.

Shirou looked to the side with red cheeks.

Truly, what had he done to deserve such women at his side?

"I don't need anything," he said.

"You're a fool," Michael said with a truly beautiful smile that could make even a man fall in love.

"The kind of fool father would love." Gabriel joined his brother with a smile of his own.

Even Grayfia had the slightest pink in her cheeks upon seeing her.

The man's figure seemed to brighten after her words. However, he paid no attention and continued speaking what was on his mind.

"Instead, I'd rather have the strength to be able to help those around me and save those who can't save themselves," he concluded without much thought. He had solidified this way of thinking after his confrontation with Archer.

"I guess fighting Gilgamesh does that," Azazel mused in a contemplative state very different from the joy of his brothers.

Neither Shirou, Rin or Saber bothered to correct him.

The man's figure could no longer be seen, instead there was a bright light that was truly blinding.

In that light, the voice spoke.

"Then you'd better go back."

The moment he disappeared from the white realm, the man's figure appeared again, with a very expectant expression on his face.

"I expected nothing less. You're different from him, but perhaps someone like you follows a path that isn't so easily perceived,"  the voice concluded.

"Him," Michael murmured.

He could only think of one other man his father trusted so much.

One who tried to recreate paradise on earth even though he failed

And curiously enough he once carried that same sword

However, he could no longer hear the words of the voice.

When he realized he was back inside the newly made clearing, the entire place was bathed in a blazing white light that focused much of its intensity on the area around him.

"Th-This light?!" The man's eyes seemed to pop out of his face, and even his wounded comrades awoke from their injuries to stare at him in disbelief and unconscious reverence.

"Yes, this light" Azazel sighed

Damn

This...I didn't even know what to do with this.

The wounds on the Fallen Angels' bodies healed at a visible rate, the crackling of lightning died away into nothingness, and even the power of destruction devouring them could do nothing but fade away as it absorbed more than it could consume.

"Really an idiot" Akeno despite her anger did not put venom into her words

Well, let them live.

He would take care of them later if they dared to return.

Even he, seeing such a scene, shared a shock similar to that of the Fallen Angels.

What was even more shocking was the symbol of a white cross that appeared on the back of each fallen angel's hand.

"Wait what the hell!?" Azazel stopped dead in his tracks, getting as close to the screen as possible.

No seriously what the hell!?

"Father's cross?"

"Why do they deserve something like this?" Asia asked hurt.

After what they did to him...

"Not all of the so-called saints today started their lives in the best way," Saber said, making one reflect even more.

It wasn't a lie

One of the most famous, Saint Paul used to persecute Christians and even had the first Christian martyr Saint Stephen executed.

Many of those called saints today had violent lives, as far from holiness as possible, until the light of God touched them and they changed their way of being.

Was it possible that something similar could happen with those three?

The doubt was mainly that there had never been a case in history of a sanctified fallen angel.

After a few seconds, the light around them went out, returning everything to normal.

All the fallen angels stood there speechless, staring at him as if what they were seeing couldn't possibly be real. However, no matter how hard they tried, nothing they did could change what they were seeing.

The man stared at him, saying nothing, but it was clear that something had changed inside.

Azazel almost choked on his saliva.

That moron had seriously just sanctified a fallen man!?

I couldn't understand why, but I just knew.

The man's companions staggered to their feet even though they no longer had any visible wounds on their bodies.

"D-Dohnaseek t-this is it?!" exclaimed one of Dohnaseeks' companions.

She was a beautiful-looking woman, with a curvaceous figure and long, silky hair that fell over her shoulders.

"Does your harem of nuns now also include fallen angels?" Rin asked mockingly.

"Yes, I put them next to the tsunderes" Shirou answered reflexively

Rin froze

T-that idiot

Saber wondered if Shirou realized how much he looked like Archer at this moment.

Before they could ask any more questions, the man, Dohnaseek, raised a hand to silence them.

Dohnaseek stared at him, and he, in turn, stared back with no change in his expression.

"There's one more in the Church," Dohnaseek said before hesitating. "I didn't think you were still alive."

"Yes, apparently it is" And Azazel felt especially nervous about that

Almost like a child caught doing something wrong

"Raynare" Issei clenched his fists

"Are you also planning to save her?" Rias asked him seriously.

"I don't know who Raynare is or what she's done," Shirou answered seriously. "But yes, if I have the chance I'll save her," he answered without hesitation.

"Even if he's already killed many?" Akeno asked him critically.

"And you don't?" Saber returned defiantly.

"Those I killed deserved it," Akeno replied without hesitation.

"Maybe they deserved it from your point of view, but from someone else's, it was an injustice." Saber didn't back down. "In the end, murder is murder, no matter how we try to justify it."

Akeno looked at her for a moment before looking away.

The claws of this little creature seemed to be nothing next to its fangs.

Dohnaseek's words confused him, but he had little time to think about the matter as an explosion tore a hole in the side of the distant church.

"We will meet again," Dohnaseek said before dragging his two stunned companions and taking to the air before disappearing.

"Well here they go" Azazel muttered

He wondered if they would come back with him.

If so, you would like to know the research your counterpart would do on that symbol.

"Brother no" Gabriel scolded him as if reading his mind

"I haven't done anything" Azazel defended himself with his arms raised

Still

He only had time to nod at Dohnaseek's words before instantly moving in the direction of the Church.

Upon reaching the entrance, he found numerous exorcists scattered across the floor, many of them dead from their injuries. It seemed as if a bomb had exploded in the room, and nothing had escaped the damage.

"Not a bomb," Sirzech corrected, inspecting the area.

There was still a lot of room for improvement for her sister.

It was in this process of inspecting the room that his eyes fell upon an entrance leading to a basement beneath the main floor of the Church, where the sounds of the struggle could still be heard.

Without hesitation, he headed there, quickly going down the short flight of stairs to witness the scene inside.

"I wonder if he'd still think that way when he saw what he did," Kiba muttered curiously.

Could you remain firm in your convictions?

There were a lot of people in the room, but almost immediately he recognized the appearance of the Holy Maiden, Asia Argento, from the profile he had seen of her, but she was still held in the arms of a brown-haired boy with a red glove on his right arm.

Similar to the Holy Maiden, the form of another Fallen Angel lay sprawled on the ground under the mercy of a red-haired woman who was about to fire an orb of destruction.

"You managed to arrive at the worst possible time," Rias covered her face with a hand before sighing.

"I'm used to that," Shirou replied awkwardly.

Seeing such a scene, and still unaware of the terms of the situation, he could only ask the one question on his mind.

"What's going on?" his voice was unintentionally commanding.

"That's an excellent question," Serafall nodded. "But it would be much better if you made it a little less intimidating," she pointed out.

So more than a question it seemed like a threat

"And now we fight?" Koneko raised her fist doubtfully.

He didn't like the possibilities

"I'd rather not," Rias said dryly.

He already took out Durandal, who knows what other weapons he has hidden.

Unbeknownst to him, an aura of suppression erupted from his body, a bright light emitted from the collar around his neck, and a fleeting image of ten rings formed around his fingers before fading away.

"Ten rings?" Irina asked, tilting her head.

Why did it sound familiar?

Michael gulped.

Those weren't ten rings, were they?

A single step forward, and it was as if a flood had been released upon the room's occupants; confusing him greatly as the power seemed to return to the Fallen Angel as she quickly moved away from the rigid bodies, opening a hole in the building.

"You really saved her" Issei gave a shaky sigh

How the hell should I feel about that?

He blinked and at that moment...

"You really were more stupid than she told me."

"No matter what they told you, he's always worse," Rin said wisely.

"Always?" Xenovia asked with interest.

"Always" Rin nodded

-A voice echoed beside her ears before the world around her blurred.

"What kind of power is that?" Azazel asked with interest.

No, more important

How did he come back? Why now? Why him?

There were too many questions

And no answer, at least not yet.

11,558 words

Chapter Text

NDT/A: Okay guys Wattpad doesn't seem to be notifying me of updates so I decided to do it outside

I already have a Facebook for this but apparently I'm too old (even though I'm only 23) to understand that it's not used anymore so I decided to use my Twitter for this.

Hopefully now they won't tell me that this is also old news because I refuse to install Tiktok, and no, it's not because of hate, it's because I know myself and I know that if I install it I'll become addicted.

https://x.com/dimensionador22?s=21

This is my profile in case you want to follow it and if you can't find it I will leave the link on my Wattpad profile

Without further ado, let's continue.

"Um, could you please stand up?" Shirou asked uncomfortably.

Just like the rest when seeing two of the greatest representatives of heaven kneeling in front of a human

For some reason these two had been kneeling in front of him since the end of the chapter, occasionally raising their heads to look at him in amazement but when he looked back at them they lowered their heads again as if they were trapped children.

What the hell was going on?

"I just want to remind you that this boy is not the same as that other one," Azazel said, clicking his tongue.

And despite saying that like the other two I couldn't look him in the eyes

Although it seemed more like shame than worship in his case

"I know, I know but...father chose him, of all people, even when he had to travel through other worlds father chose him in the end" Michael bit his lip

I knew I was being irrational but what did they expect?

His father had returned!

"Just, just sit down." Shirou sighed tiredly.

This was going to be constant

Both Angels stood tentatively under the expectant gaze of everyone before obeying.

Would they just do everything the guy said?

Michael sat back down in his chair, still keeping an eye on Shirou.

And Gabriel...

"What the hell are you doing!?" Rin bristled when she saw the angel casually sit on her boyfriend
's lap .

"I can't?" Gabriel asked curiously.

"Why did you think you could?" Saber asked, trying to remain calm.

"Father always let me sit on his lap," Gabriel replied without the slightest indication of wanting to get up.

"Shirou say something!" Rin demanded to the boy who was petrified

The point was to charm her, not to get intimate with her!

"Um" Shirou was really going to say something, honestly he was going to politely ask her to get up

"I can't?" She asked, looking at him with innocent, expectant eyes.

"Yes, it's fine," he replied, exhausted.

"Shirou!" Rin shouted angrily.

I couldn't give in just because he looked at me with such big, innocent, pure, amazed eyes... okay, I would forgive him this once.

"Innocence can be more dangerous than lust," Saber said with resignation.

Not even she could do anything to this pure girl.

"Damn handsome boy" Issei bit his shirt, dying of envy

It wasn't fair!

"Are you really going to let that happen?" Sirzech asked Michael, extremely amused by all this.

"Uh? Is something wrong?" Micheel tilted his head, genuinely confused.

Oh well you could tell they were brothers.

Sona curiously decided to read the title of the next chapter

"Intermediate" read looking at the single page of the chapter

"It seems to be short, why don't you finish it already?" Rias urged her to continue.

There was no objection so Sona continued reading.

In the end it was no more than fifteen hundred words so nothing important should happen

Rest:

Sitting on a stone boulder and chewing on a loaf of stale bread, a girl spat out the food in discontent before sighing as she pulled her hood even tighter over her head.

This girl was Xenovia, and she had long since passed the point of mere irritation. In fact, she was growing increasingly frustrated.

"Yeah, that's what happens when you're away from Shirou's kitchen for too long," Rin sighed dramatically.

"It's an unpleasant feeling," Saber nodded sympathetically.

"Mmm, I'd like to try your cooking" Gabriel still on Shirou's lap why it was important to point it out turned his head to look at Shirou

Shirou quickly jerked his head back.

That girl had been inches away from kissing him and didn't even seem to notice.

"I can make something if we have access to a kitchen" Shirou replied trying to ignore how Saber's face lit up when he said that

"I'm curious too" Xenovia said looking at herself on the screen

He didn't particularly like church rations but never had a real problem with them.

"It shouldn't be that bad, look," another girl told her, wearing a white cape similar to hers.

It was Irina, and she was currently holding an identical loaf of stale bread. With practiced hands, she quickly dug her fingers near the base of the loaf and tore off a chunk, which she then stabbed with a stick, roasting the bread near the fire. "Dad used to take me camping to prepare for emergencies and develop survival skills. While that doesn't change the fact that we don't have much food right now, at least we can eat it better. You know, it softens a bit in the heat after a little water."

"Oh yeah, Uncle Shidou also took me with you a couple of times" Issei sighed nostalgically

I still remembered the taste of roasted marshmallows.

"Yeah, we once played using the marshmallow sticks as swords and Dad had to explain to Aunt Hyoudou why your hair was covered in marshmallows" Irina laughed

Even at that time she had already started her training so while she came out unharmed Issei had to be shaved because almost all of his hair was sticky.

"Don't remind me" Issei shuddered

His mother was merciless with the scissors that day.

Is that so ?

For a moment, his eyebrows raised, but then he grunted, his tone evidently depressed as his gaze fell on the empty containers not far from the fire.

"Oh, now I see." Rin covered her mouth trying to hold back a giggle.

Yes, that was never going to last more than a day.

Had Saber been there perhaps not even an hour

A flare of anger erupted from within him.

"With the amount prepared, if we didn't eat them so quickly and rationed them, maybe we wouldn't be in this situation," she responded heatedly.

Irina could only laugh awkwardly, though there was no sign of regret on her face even though she knew she had eaten a much larger portion.

"Um, sorry," Irina said embarrassedly.

How could she be so shameless?

"That's what this fool's cooking does" Rin pointed at Shirou slightly amused

With the size difference between him and Gabriel, it almost seemed like a father with his daughter on his lap.

A daughter extremely gifted to her irritation

Irina rubbed her nose before grumbling to herself, "  You can eat it more often anyway  ."

Unlike her, Irinia couldn't be so shameless as to barge into someone's room for her own selfish demands without reason. Irina was the loser.

"Passivity is the enemy," Saber advised the young exorcist.

And even more so when it came to Shirou's food.

Still, those were containers pre-filled with delicious food that she had insisted Shirou prepare for her and Irina in large quantities for their previous mission to head to the Holy City within Italy, the Vatican.

"All this food talk is making me hungry" Issei complained grabbing his stomach

Now that I thought about it, I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and I had no idea how long they'd been here.

And he wasn't the only one

Several others were also starting to get hungry then breakfast all those emotions

Would they be given something to eat or were they supposed to finish the book before they could go back home to eat something?

The second Durandal he carried around his waist, which he named "Durandal X" after seeing a certain advertisement while walking through Italy, seemed to groan as he used it to cut a piece of stale bread. Then, mimicking Irina's earlier actions, he roasted the piece over the fire before bringing it to his mouth.

"Durandal X?" Saber asked in surprise.

"That's a good name," Xenovia said, nodding in satisfaction.

"No, it isn't," Rin retorted ruthlessly.

On the other hand, that idiot Archer called his deformed version of Caladbolg only as Caladbolg II, so perhaps it was a swordsman thing to have a terrible sense of naming.

His face scrunched up in disgust, but at least now he could chew it, like hard candy with the consistency of sand. He stopped himself from glaring at Irina and instead thought about the results of the mission.

The Vatican, the sacred center of belief for the world's most powerful Church. It was there that Griselda tasked her and Irina with meeting with an old friend of hers named Martha, one of the people trusted with information about Durandal X. However, unexpectedly, Griselda's old friend wasn't alone at the reception. Instead, the nun had a worried, guilt-ridden look on her face that spoke volumes. Beside the nun was a group of clergymen dressed in the vibrant reds and yellows of high priests.

"I understand your pain," Sirzech said sympathetically.

Sometimes private meetings turn into full-blown conferences just because a bunch of pompous idiots think they should be there.

The only one who could be saved from that was Serafall and it's only because when they tried to play that trick on her she somehow ended up turning the whole thing into a magical girl-themed party.

Watching a bunch of bewildered old people dressed in pink dancing to the opening scene of Pretty Cure was one of the weirdest things he'd ever seen.