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IBHJ Chapter 93
🕑 Added 2023-02-12 22:33:18 +0000 UTCAs the sun began to set, Shirou gathered his things, ready to leave. Kiritsugu walked up to him and asked, "Do you plan on conducting an investigation tonight?"
Shirou responded with a faint smile, avoiding a direct answer. "This is my hometown. Besides, I'm now the second-tallest person in Fuyuki City."
He said goodbye to Kiritsugu and Ilya and stepped into a nearby phone booth to call home. He told his family he was heading to his teacher's house to study and would return later. Then, he set off toward Miyama Town.
The atmosphere in Fuyuki City had grown more relaxed, and he couldn't help but feel it was partly due to his increased height. It was once a city where "light" had descended.
As he walked across the newly built Fuyuki Bridge, the smell of fresh paint filled the air, and the surrounding traffic was dense. Miyama Town, once an old community, was undergoing a period of renewal. Buildings such as the Matou Mansion and the Tohsaka Mansion had been cleared away, replaced by towering high-rise buildings, each adorned with the logos of real estate companies.
As he continued his journey, he caught sight of the logo of the real estate company where his father worked.
His father had been extremely busy lately, thanks to the boom in the town of Miyama. The real estate company was riding the wave of quick profits from land grabs, and as a trusted employee of the president, Fujimaru was promoted and given a raise, driving him to work even harder with overtime.
This was one of the few bright spots in a time of economic recession and high unemployment. With so many people eager to make a quick profit, the economy was booming, and companies were hiring on a large scale.
Shirou made his way toward the Church.
In the Fourth Holy Grail War, Gilgamesh had summoned the black grail there, causing extensive damage to the surrounding area. However, thanks to its simple architectural design and investment from a group of followers, the Church was one of the first buildings to be repaired and functional again.
"Eight Executor?"
With the Evil Flower, Shirou absorbed the evil within and detected the presence of eight Executors in the Church.
The sun was setting, casting a dim light over the sky.
Suddenly, black mud surged from within Shirou, consuming him. In its wake, a black, menacing armor formed, obscuring his true form.
He summoned a massive amount of magical energy.
Mana Burst C-!
--"Boom!!"
With a powerful burst of mana, Shirou unleashed a wave of magical energy that engulfed him in a shroud of ominous aura. It was as if he was channeling the essence of hell itself, exuding an ominous presence that matched the intimidating black armor he wore. He looked every inch the fearsome Demon King, descending from the abyssal depths of the underworld.
Although it took 200 years' worth of magical energy to reverse the realm of life and death, but Shirou still possessed the equivalent of 41 years worth of magical energy.
This was due to his extraction of energy from the Fuyuki City leyline, as well as his absorption of humanity evil.
As Shirou approached the Church, he sensed eight pairs of eyes staring at him from within. He maintained a composed demeanor as he strode forward, entering the dimly lit interior of the church. There, he was greeted by a friendly old priest.
The elderly priest stood before the newly refurbished statue of the deity, smiling at him.
"Are you here to pray to God, Ancestor?" the old priest asked.
"No, I'm not an Ancestor," Shirou replied. "I'm just a passing magus."
The old priest chuckled, "Oh, your excellency, please don't make a joke like that."
"I'm not joking," Shirou insisted. "I am a magus, even if I do have an unusual amount of magical energy. And you, sir, are not human."
He didn't need special eyes to see through the old priest. His "Evil Flower" couldn't absorb any evil from the priest, which meant that the priest was certainly not human.
The old priest's eyes shone red as he asked, "Are you here to cause trouble for the Burial Agency?"
"No, I-" Shirou started, but before he could finish, the ground beneath him cracked with a loud boom and a humanoid figure burst forth. At the same time, a cold light flickered in the dark night and a sharp sword was aimed straight at Shirou's abdomen.
The sword collided with the black armor that encased him, producing a resounding metallic clang. However, the weapon was quickly consumed by malevolent energy and disintegrated into shards that plummeted to the ground.
As the sword crumbled, three black hands emerged from Shirou's armor and seized the humanoid adversary before him. But, the swiftness of the black hands was insufficient, and the opponent effortlessly evaded them in a flash.
Shirou's lips formed a faint smile as he gazed upon the sword that had been reduced to cursed debris.
It was only to be expected. Shirou's 'Evil Flower of Freedom' was nearly indestructible, and breaking it would be an arduous task without wielding an A-Rank Noble Phantasm or higher. Any endeavor to do so would be swiftly dismantled by the curse.
All of the Servants had disappeared, and A-Rank Noble Phantasms were few and far between in the world. The only object he had come into contact with was the Excalibur scabbard he had returned to Kiritsugu.
However, as he faced the girl attacking him, Shirou said with a smile, "You're not human either. No, you're not even a life form. You're a mechanical doll."
"Sssh sssh sssh---"
A barrage of black keys flew towards Shirou from all sides, but he easily [Projected] the corresponding number of swords to intercept them.
"Clank clank--!!!"
The clanging of metal filled the air, and pieces of broken steel littered the ground.
The mechanical doll in the shape of a girl started to move and even grew slightly in size.
The elderly priest spoke up, "Lady Windup, that's enough."
The movements of the doll suddenly stilled and the Executors lurking in the shadows also ceased their assault.
The elderly priest gazed at Shirou and queried, "Have you come here to prove your strength?"
"I suppose that's one way to put it," replied Shirou. "To be more precise, I came to let you know that I am stronger than any of you. However, you still chose to attack me."
"What brings you here?" the elderly priest asked.
"That's what I'd like to know," Shirou countered. "Fuyuki City is where my family is located. It's unsettling for them to have the Holy Church send so many Executors at once. So, I ask again, what is your purpose in coming to Fuyuki City? Is it for the Holy Grail or for some other purpose?"
"I'm afraid I cannot say," the elderly priest responded.
"What do you mean?"
"We have been summoned here and the details of why we are here remain unclear," the elderly priest explained. "I'm sorry, but it seems you have come for nothing."
"Are you really not privy to the information or are you keeping me in the dark?"
"We truly do not know."
"Well, it seems like I've come here for nothing," Shirou said, disappointment evident in his voice.
"Do you trust me?"
"The Burial Agency of the Holy Church operates in the name of power, not God," Shirou stated. "I have displayed my strength, but you still remain elusive. You are either being stubborn or truly don't have the information. I am not here to harm anyone. There's no need for me to pursue the matter so relentlessly. However, if you need my help to deal with any dangerous creatures that pose a threat to this city, just call for me."
"And one final reminder," he added. "White mouse, your tail is showing."
With that, Shirou turned and left the Church.
The elderly priest was taken aback, and suddenly his human form disappeared, revealing his true identity as a white mouse wearing a crown.
"Could he possibly be the reincarnation of Roa?" the mouse mused. "No wonder the princess contacted Merem out of the blue. But this reincarnation is fascinating. It appears that he has not been consumed by Roa, but instead, Roa has been consumed by him."
Its red eyes shone with excitement. "Forget about him! As long as there's pizza, that's all that matters!"
...
"--?"
The girl who had followed her father out of the Fuyuki City Administrative Hall stopped in her tracks and gazed at the black-haired boy who was passing by. Her eyes shone with a curious light.
"What's the matter, Shiki?" her father asked.
But the girl didn't respond. She was simply consumed with curiosity.
Why was there no record of that person in the Void?
