the living [comprehensive]

He was roughly pulled in front of Ju Yingling, and when he was about to hit the opponent's chest, he was pinned by the opponent's shoulders and fixed in place.Shirou was still wondering why the other party was annoyed at the previous moment, and the indifferent tone of Heroic Spirit had already reached his ears: "I really hate you."

Shirou's eyes trembled, and he raised his head.

"As an existence that realizes the ideal of 'Emiya Shirou', how could I not hate a brat like you who doesn't know anything about the future.

"Want to implement justice and give hope to everyone? So, what do you know about 'justice' and 'hope'?

"The 'justice' you speak of may just be the product of being a vassal of the majority. The 'hope' you promise may give others despair.

"Holding the illusory idea of ​​'saving everyone', you put yourself in the position of the savior aloft, and take the stolen ideal as a mission to practice in your life. It's ridiculous that you are still troubled by the stolen ideal."

Shirou couldn't move due to the oppressive feeling from the heroic spirit.The other party's merciless words penetrated into his heart little by little, making him feel a biting cold.

Gathering up his courage, Shirou raised his head.In the cold gray pupils of Heroic Spirit, Shirou clearly saw his own pale face.

The moment he met the young man's eyes, Ying Ling's voice paused slightly, but the cold look on his face remained unchanged: "For this kind of ideal that can never be fully realized, I will not say that I have thoroughly practiced it. Such arrogant words. But you, who can't even face 'yourself', can't do anything at all."

The bewildered young man was hit hard again, the hands hanging on both sides of his body had already clenched into fists, and at this moment his veins were even more tense.

From the moment he glimpsed the wish of the heroic spirit in those dreams full of blood and fire, he regarded the other party as his ideal.

Attracted by the strength obtained through hard work, I admire the figure who persists in fighting in the long yellow sand, and yearns for the relief when the opponent dispels the last touch of darkness when his life is exhausted.

But the other party turned out to be... from the future, who had spent his entire life pursuing his ideals, who had reached the pinnacle but had not yet reached the end of his ideals, himself who had become a lonely and unknown hero.

——How could I, who knew nothing but was deeply troubled, go further than Archer.

After clarifying the meaning of the other party's words, Shirou felt like falling into an abyss.

Can't refute, can't escape, can't face.

The heart seems to be trapped in the boundless, but the nature of not admitting defeat penetrates the chaotic thoughts.

"I may not be able to become you, Archer, but I will not give up my ideals. This kind of thing needs to be practiced by myself, and I will naturally bear the consequences." Shirou took a deep breath and declared war on the heroic spirit: "I I won't... lose to my ideals."

"Really?" Heroic Spirit raised his lips with a sarcasm, and stared at Shirou with a cold gleam in his eyes, "You are really good at talking big, Master. Then, prove it to me. "

The next moment, the world turned upside down.

The floor under his feet turned into blood-stained soft sand, and the boundless desert was pierced into forests by swords, guns, swords and halberds.The world seemed to stand still, but the wind that occasionally blew across the earth was bitingly cold.The blue sky was obscured by the mist, and the only thing covered by sunlight in the whole world was the Heroic Spirit on the opposite side.

The scene in front of me has been seen in a dream, and it has become a lingering scene in my mind.Shirou glanced at the sharp weapons surrounding him, and he already had a guess in his mind: "This is Archer's...inherent enchantment?"

"Hmm." Heroic Spirit stood not far from Shirou, his body muscles tensed and ready to go after countless times of tempering in battle, "defeat me here. If even I can't defeat, then it's impossible beat the ideal."

Immediately afterwards, with an aggressive momentum, the sharp blade in the heroic spirit's hand roared.

Shirou, who was in a hurry to fight, subconsciously activated his magic, and projected the dagger that he saw just now, barely blocking the sharp edge that was in front of him.

The hastily formed replica was far inferior to the Heroic Spirit's weapon in terms of accuracy and hardness. Just this collision, the sword in the boy's hand shattered into magic particles.However, Shirou quickly calmed down, projecting black and white double blades that are no different from the opponent, and met the opponent's endless attacks with a young but tenacious attitude.

Shirou, who threw himself into the battle, finally calmed down from the complex emotions of being denied by the heroic spirit.

Archer, who used to be "Shirou Emiya", must be the existence in the world who can best understand each other's ideals.

He who fights for his own beliefs must convey his unshakable determination to Archer.

——Then, let’s defeat the opponent.

The sound of clashing swords resounded in the quiet world again, and the battle belonging to Shirou Emiya kicked off.

The young man whose strength is far from that of the heroic spirit continued the duel that should have been without suspense with his amazing willpower.

However, it is finally coming to an end.

The body was paralyzed by the long battle, the countless wounds torn apart by the heroic spirits screamed for pain, and the magic power was almost exhausted.Facing such a young man, Heroic Spirit finally said, "Stop it." His tone seemed a bit helpless, "If you continue like this, you will die."

When he was able to completely knock himself down, he suddenly stopped, and turned to persuade himself to admit defeat with cold words; it seems that such a scene has happened before.

Distant memories that were blurred to the point that they seemed to have never existed flashed through his mind, Shirou was stunned for a moment, and then he gritted his teeth because of the condition in his body.

The pain piercing through the chest spreads inch by inch in the body, telling himself the fact that the magic circuit has been overused.

If you don't stop, the magic circuit will probably be burned.

Sure enough, do you want to stop here?

Following Shirou's shaking, the shape of the sharp blade fluctuated, as if it would become invisible in the next second.

Absolutely, no.

Infusing the little mana in his hand into the sharp blade, Shirou straightened his body and confronted the heroic spirit.

If he shows weakness, won't he really be unable to cross Archer?

In that case, wouldn't the efforts made so far be meaningless?

More importantly, wouldn't his giving up also deny him the Archer he longed for?

"This kind of battle is meaningless at all. Archer, don't you know me best?" With a sly gleam in his eyes, Shirou laughed softly, "In any case, seeing desperate people or rampant evil Hey, I can never stand by and watch. This is not something that can be changed by your coercion."

"It's true, Emiya Shirou is such a stupid existence." Heroic Ling stared at him with an expression of anger or helplessness.

"If you must describe it as 'stupid', there is no way."

"The road to saving others is endless. You know that."

"Of course. After all, I have seen your past. But I think, as long as I try my best, I will have a clear conscience. Then," there is a bright light flashing in the pure and clear eyes of the young man: "Continue Come on, Archer."

Facing the pair of eyes that had faded from ignorance and confusion, Yingling's face did not waver, but a smile flashed in his deep eyes.

Without saying a word, the heroic spirit flew towards the boy with a weapon in his hand.

However, it is different from just now.

The blood-colored desert has faded away, and the soft green grass covering the ground gives life to this vast land.The gray mist lingering around disappeared with the boy's shaking, and the bright morning light and clear blue sky reappeared, but they belonged to another time and space.

The blade formed by the condensed magic power descended in the barrier that only belonged to the boy alone——

***

"It's too much. Whenever, let me see... myself like this."

Even though he had opened his own inherent barrier, the boy who was exhausted in the battle still inevitably fell down.Before the opponent's unconscious body hit the ground, the heroic spirit embraced him and brought the boy back to Emiya residence.

After calming down the boy, Heroic Spirit stared at the boy's sleeping face as if his eyes were locked.

There was a slight ripple in the cold eyes that had never fluctuated in the battle.An emotion called "pity" that did not match a cruel Heroic Spirit permeated his eyes.

No matter what, this guy won't give up.

The ideals that each other insists on are so difficult that they are illusory, and even if they persist until the end of everything, they will just step into nothingness.How difficult it is to create a miracle.

but.

This soul reborn in the fire and black mud itself is like a miracle.The self who was once perplexed by the darkness of the old world was freed from the hopeless reincarnation because of the youth's self-salvation.

——I no longer want to deny my ideals again.

I don't want the boy to become an "Archer", but I can't look at the tangled boy and remain indifferent.

"If you don't lead you into the infinite sword system belonging to 'Emiya Shirou', you will continue to struggle for your ideals. Anyway..." Heroic Spirit stretched out his hand bitterly, but when he touched the boy's soft cheek, he couldn't help but relax Move, "You guy, even if you are brutally hit, you will never give up."

It's not that I don't understand the confusion and pain of the teenager when he learned the truth.

It's not that he didn't want to hug the boy who had saved him in despair, and wiped away the depression on the other's forehead with his own hands.

It's not that I don't understand the determination of a boy who has endured countless tests and will not waver.

It's not that he doesn't remember that the young man stubbornly grasped the hope that pierced himself until he was dripping with blood, just to save himself from the deep despair called "Middle East" and "Guardian".

However, only by making the boy realize the truth of his ideals in a cruel way, can the opponent fight in a more indomitable way, and even the "unlimited sword system" belonging to the boy will take shape.

Then, next, there is only one thing left for me.

Protect the boy's mood and wishes until victory.

***

In the evening of the next day, Tohsaka Rin came to visit.

Different from her usual steady and self-confidence, the girl looked tired and her eyes were dim, as if she had suffered a major setback.And the back of her empty hand really proved this point.

——Rin Tohsaka's Command Seal was taken away by Caster, and now Saber is being controlled by the witch.

Hearing this news, the red heroic spirit calmly gave a solution: "In other words, just kill Caster and make you sign a contract with Saber again."

"Having said that," the girl hesitated, "but if you fight Caster..."

"I will directly kill the opponent's Master."

Hearing this, Shirou's heart skipped a beat.

Sure enough, it was Archer's fighting style.

For Archer, who has already confirmed that Caster's master is Katsuki-sensei through some means, this is indeed the most straightforward.Since Caster's Master has not shown up on the battlefield for a long time, it is likely that he is not a powerful magician. It shouldn't be difficult for Archer to kill the opponent.

It's just... the Holy Grail War, is it true that killing and destruction cannot be avoided?

Although a bit disappointed, the situation is critical, and Shirou can't blame the heroic spirit.He sighed in compromise and lowered his head slightly.

However, the boy's lost and drooping shoulders were covered by a warm and powerful touch.

Heroic Spirit, who received Shirou's tacit approval, reached out from behind and put his hand on his shoulder.

Archer, are you sympathizing with me?

The corner of his lips raised a smile involuntarily, and Shirou said, "Then, about Saber, I'll leave it to Archer."

"Please." After solemnly saying this, the girl looked at the Heroic Spirit who was leaning against the wall, and then turned to Shirou who was sitting opposite, "It's so strange, you two."

Heroic Spirit didn't make a sound as expected, and the always honest boy turned his eyes away abnormally: "Please don't make random guesses."

"Oh—?" deliberately prolonging his voice, Rin raised his eyebrows curiously, "It's really suspicious. Speaking of which, Archer's magic power should be running low when he fought Rider last time. But now, he After rescuing the two of us, everything is normal, could it be... something happened that I don't know?"

Under the gaze of the girl's astonishingly bright eyes, Shirou blushed, but he refused to reveal the slightest no matter what.Looking at the increasingly embarrassed young man, the heroic spirit who had been watching so far frowned, and finally said: "Is it really okay to chat leisurely after the servant is taken away, Master of Saber?"

The girl's complexion changed, and she glared at the heroic spirit angrily: "This is what I should say. Is it okay if you don't execute the master's order immediately?"

"You two, it's better not to quarrel at this time." Shirou persuaded the fight awkwardly, "In short, please trust Archer, Tohsaka."

Hearing the trust in the young man's tone, there was a slight fluctuation on Ying Ling's stern face, and the next moment, he disappeared into the air and left.

"What a difficult guy to get along with." After the girl complained, her face softened, "Speaking of which, Emiya-san, please come with me to the castle of Einzbern."

"Eh? Isn't that..." Shirou was surprised when he searched for this lengthy surname in his memory, "Is that Illya's home?"

"It seems that you are familiar enough, no wonder that guy mentioned that he wanted to form an alliance with you when he met me, and..." Rin was dissatisfied, "She wanted me to cancel the cooperation with you. Fortunately, Saber repelled Her brawny, simple-minded servant."

A large amount of information flooded head-on, and Shirou was a little confused.After reacting, he apologized to Rin: "Sorry, because of me, I caused you trouble."

"Not at all. If it wasn't for you, the girl would probably use a more powerful ultimate move." She suddenly sighed, "I'm a little concerned about Lancer's master's delay in showing up, and Saber was temporarily killed by Caster again." Control. Right now we are at a disadvantage, and we can only consider seeking help from the Berserker camp."

"No wonder Tohsaka wants me to go with you." Shirou understood a little bit.

"That girl is very interested in you. If you go, the possibility of a successful alliance will be a little higher. And even if the negotiation breaks down, she won't hurt us—since she let Emiya-san go in the first fight, you .”

The girl is very thoughtful.However, neither of them expected what kind of scene they would encounter in the castle.

The gate of the castle is open, but the gorgeous building exudes a decadent atmosphere like being destroyed.

The interior of the hall seemed to have been bombed, and the gravel scattered on the ground was covered in blood.In the middle of that pile of ruins is an unbearable tragedy.

The women in white clothes fell to the ground in distorted postures, with the torn neck as the center, blood splashed around, leaving dazzling red marks.The girl who is the master of the castle crawls not far away, with a peaceful expression, almost giving the illusion that the girl is sleeping.

——If the wound that runs through the heart is not too conspicuous.

Shirou was shocked by the huge shock.The strong nausea caused by the scene in front of him made him have the urge to vomit, and the peaceful smile of the girl in his memory also added a bit of sadness to his heart.

However, right now, he doesn't even have the room to lose his mind.

At the top of the steps leading directly to the second floor, there was a strange figure standing there.Behind the blond young man is a killing formation composed of countless gorgeous treasures extending from different time and space.

Accompanied by the raging murderous intent, dozens of treasures were like a torrential rain, hitting the young girl who was stunned in place——

The author has something to say: Today’s black tea also comforts (are you sure?) Shiro in an extremely awkward way 233

And the book mentioned before... the cover is probably as follows (*/ω╲*)