Chapter Seven: The King of Heroes

"'The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!'" Shirou read out loud. "The fuck am I reading right now? I've seen reality explode and I still can't comprehend this!"

Shirou was in a church at the moment, it was mostly empty, the only other occupant being the local priest.

The man looked like what you'd expect of a man of the Lord. He wore black vestments and a navy blue cassock with a golden cross around his neck. He was a solid six foot three and was around his mid-twenties.

He was someone Shirou was very familiar with since he was ten years old.

The priest sighed. "Shirou, it's a nonsense poem, what were you expecting?"

Shirou closed the book. "Fine, nonsense poem, you win this round. Kirei, why did you give me this frustrating thing?"

"Are you frustrated?"

"Yeah,"

"That's why," he answered.

Shirou deadpanned at Kirei. "You vex me, my sociopathic friend."

"Hello Pot, I'm Kettle." the priest smirked.

The boy known as Shirou Emiya had started visiting the church three years ago. Kirei never really got a concrete explanation as to why he always stopped by.

"I don't know it feels...homey, I guess."

That was the only explanation given to him.

Whenever he'd stop by Shirou would either sit there quietly for a few hours or try to strike up some kind of conversation. Mostly mundane things, Kirei would usually ignore the boy's one-sided ramblings. But then one day, he asked something that struck a chord with him.

"...Ever felt like there was nothing to live for?"

The average person might say Shirou Emiya was quite the enigma. Split personality, dark sense of humor, and had a talent for messing with people. If one were to ask Kirei Kotomine, it was like looking into a mirror. Just like Kirei, Shirou didn't have a sense of purpose, or one could say he didn't really have anything to live for.

Shirou's split personality threw most people for a loop, Kirei was not most people. He knew a coping mechanism when he saw one.

Others had visited his church to check up on Shirou from time to time. Miss Blue, the Kaleidoscope, Eclipse Princess of Black Blood, the heir to the Matou family, and his father… Kiritsugu Emiya.

Truly, the had quite the following. But all of them seemed to believe that it was the "Child" that was the real personality of Shirou, but Kirei knew better.

After all, it takes an empty person to know one.

"So, should I schedule another playdate with you and Caren again?" Kirei asked, smiling like the devil he was.

"No!" Shirou shouted in a panic. "A thousand times no! Your daughter is crazy!"

Two years ago Kirei had offhandedly told Shirou about his daughter, Caren Hortensia. Shirou started asking questions and joking asked for a playdate. Shirou didn't know that one does not simply joke around with Kirei Kotomine. The very next day Kirei brought over his daughter, she only one Shirou had ever met that could fluster him at all. It didn't help that Caren did it constantly just because she thought Shirou being a blushing wreck was funny.

Every once in a while Kirei would drop by the Emiya residence unannounced to let the eldritch monster that is Shirou Emiya be toyed around with by his daughter.

One could say on that fateful day, Kirei Kotomine was a proud father.

Kirei raised an eyebrow. "And we're not?"

"I… ah… fair enough." Shirou begrudgingly admitted. "I just can't… handle her, I guess."

"Oh, you're thinking that far into the relationship, are you?" he teased. "Ah, when a boy becomes a man."

Messing with Shirou was always fun, finding ways to make the mask he always wore slip was even more entertaining.

Shirou rolled his eyes. "To think a man of God would be so willing to marry off his daughter."

"Well, you do have her father's blessings."

Shirou shook his head and got up. "Well, I better get going. I'll make sure to drop by later to give you some homemade mapo tofu."

"Much appreciated, Shirou."

Kirei watched as Shirou exited the church. His eyes narrowed as he watched the door shut.

"Kiritsugu Emiya, just what in the world did you find in that fire?"

BGM: Genocyber OST 1: 05. Encounter

Sakura Matou expected many things when she signed the contract Shirou gave her.

Getting a bullet through her head was not one of them. Waking up in a different dimension was not one of them. Having no Crest Worms in her body was not one of them.

She gazed at the sky of the Dream. Darkness, an unending abyss lay above her, not a star or a cloud. Save for the red moon, nothing could be seen. Yet even without a single cloud in the sky, snow gently fell from the dark heavens.

An odd ornate blade was in the purplette's hand, a saber with a detachable dagger on the end of the hilt.

These blades, the Rakuyo, was another thing she did not expect. She was no longer an ordinary magus, she was a Hunter.

She gazed at the land below. Beautiful glowing, white flowers covered the land, infinite swords peppered the endless field of flowers as she stood atop a hill of flowers and blades.

She had grown over the years of being trained as a Hunter by Shirou. Training usually being a spar which usually ended with her dying being sliced to bits, riddled with gunshots, exploded, or all of the above.

Better than the worms though. Far better. At least Shirou was quick about it.

Shirou Emiya was an odd person.

"Not that I'm any better," she thought.

"...Ever felt like there was nothing to live for?"

The words repeated in her head.

The average person might say Shirou Emiya was quite the enigma. Split personality, dark sense of humor, and had a talent for messing with people. If one were to ask Sakura Matou, it was like looking into a mirror. Just like Sakura, Shirou didn't have a sense of purpose, or one could say he didn't really have anything to live for.

Shirou's split personality threw most people for a loop, Sakura was not most people. She had been put through hell for most of her life.

Zouken Matou was a monster who threw her in a pit filled with carnivorous worms that violated her body for days on end.

Shinji was a self-absorbed idiot that didn't know when to shut up. She'd strangle him to death if she could.

Her father, Tokiomi Tohsaka, never had time for her, but when it came to her sister, Rin, he suddenly had all the time in the world, he sold her to the monster called Zouken.

Her mother, Aoi Tohsaka, Sakura hated her for doing nothing when her father sold her off to Zouken.

And Rin, Sakura hated her more than all of them. While Rin was reading books and learning magecraft, Sakura had every inch of her body violated by worms. When she worked herself to the bone for just a mere second of their father's time, she got everything. Why did she have to suffer while her sister got everything she wanted?

She hated Rin Tohsaka with every fiber of her being.

She hated her.

Hated her. Hated her. Hated her. HATED HER! HATED HER! HATED HER! HATE!HATE!HATE!HATE!HATE!HATE!HATE!HATE!HATE!HATE!HATE!HATE!HATE!HATE!HATE!HATE!HATE! Kill her! KILL HE-

Sakura immediately squashed the rage in her mind. Her fists clenched so hard that she drew blood, even some cracks were in the Rakuyo's handle.

She took in a very deep breath and sighed.

"Almost gave into my bloodlust again," she sighed again.

Kariya Matou was the only one of her entire family that she had any respect for. He was a fool, a naive fool. A fool that gave his life, that gave everything, just to try and save her. And that fool was the only one she had any love for in her...family.

Then there was Shirou. She loved him, from the bottom of her heart, she loved him. When she was at her lowest, he appeared, he saved her, took care of her. Was angry for her, feed her. He gave her a way out. She'd have to be insane to reject the offer.

They were the same, that shy act she always up put in public was always a way to fool everyone from seeing the tortured little girl on the inside. Shirou, his "Hunter" personality was a way to cope with what had happened to him in the Hunt, to make everyone look away from the "Child". He didn't want to be hurt anymore.

Both of them were empty, they had no place in the world.

No, that was wrong.

Sakura stabbed the Rakuyo into the ground and walked down the hill of blades, following the sound of soft breathing.

It was made of blades. Colossal in its size. A single one of its razor sharp claws dwarfed her in size. Something of this magnitude shouldn't have existed. The very sight of the creature would cause madness in any lesser human being.

But for Sakura, she felt at peace. She had nothing to fear from the sleeping eldritch creature.

She put her hand on the head of the Great One. Instantly, hundreds of red, eldritch eyes opened across the body of the creature and stared right at her.

The purple-haired girl smiled lovingly at the eyes.

To her, those eyes were the epitome of beauty. Nothing, not even the most lovely of jewels could match them.

She turned around and sat down, her back resting against the creature's lower jaw. Despite the fact that nearly every part of the monster was made of blades, not a single edge so much as broke her skin. In fact, the metal bent and warped around her, it was soft to the touch, almost like feathers.

All it would take is one simple movement from the eldritch creature and she'd be dead.

But he wouldn't, she knew he wouldn't.

This was her place in the world. This was where she belonged.

Her eyes closed as the creature's breathing lulled her to sleep.

As long as she had him, Shirou Emiya, The Great One of Blades, she had her place in the world.

Thirteen-year-old Shirou Emiya Stared at the grave in front of him sadly.

Here lies Kiritsugu Emiya.

"It's been over two years, dad." the Great One said somberly. "Sorry I haven't come to visit in so long, I've just had a lot on my mind as of late. Kirei's still being an ass, so that's not too different. Sakura's training is going splendidly, she's a damn prodigy I tell you. Aoko is as clingy as ever, she gets our cases whenever we do something stupid. Once she gets going, I swore I never hear the end of it. Altrouge and Sir Fluffles are as crazy as ever."

The cold wind picked up, making Shirou's black coat flutter in the air. Shirou was wearing the black coat from his Hunter Garb, a plain white shirt, and blue jeans. It was simple, but he liked simple.

"Looks like winter is coming soon," Shirou noted.

It was at times like this that his mind would drift to that moment two years ago

Shirou sat on top of the roof of the house, it was night and the beautiful full moon was out on display. It was at times like these that The Great One of Blades just wanted to sit down and think.

Kiritsugu's death had taken quite an emotion toll on Shirou. Everybody noticed it, but they kept quiet. All in all, this was the first time Shirou had ever truly felt depressed ever since he became a Great One, and he had no clue what to do about it. Most of the time he just wanted to brood in solitude.

"I figured I'd find you here," Shirou turned his head as he heard a familiar voice.

It was Sakura, she wore some dark gray pajamas and was carrying two cups of hot chocolate. She handed one of the cups to Shirou.

"Thank you, Sakura," Shirou said as he took a sip.

"No problem, Shirou," Sakura said cheerfully.

Sakura had always been quite clingy when it came to Shirou. He didn't mind it at all, they spent most of their time together anyway. He always thought she was adorable whenever she got embarrassed.

"Got something on your mind, Shirou?" she asked.

He didn't answer for a few seconds. "Yeah,"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Shirou sighed, but he nodded, it was about time he talked to someone about it.

"Did I ever tell you about my Hunt before?" Shirou asked.

Sakura shook her head. "You didn't tell me much about it."

Shirou took a deep breath. "I never had a choice in whether or not I wanted to be a Hunter. The fire that happened eight years ago in the city took my family, and my memories, the only thing I remembered was my name. Just as I was about to die, Flora dragged my mind away from my body, and forced me into the Hunter's Dream."

"Flora?" Sakura was confused by the name, Shirou had never mentioned this person before.

"Ah, Flora is another Great One," Shirou scratched his head. "I should've let you read the journal. Anyway, I met Gehrman in Flora's Dream, but despite all of the Hunter training he provided me with I never really knew what being a Hunter meant," Shirou gave an empty chuckle and looked up at the moon with hollow eyes. "Take a wild guess at what I thought what being a Hunter meant,"

Sakura thought about it for a few minutes, but in the end, she couldn't really come up with anything.

"I can't really think of anything," she admitted sadly as she looked down into her cup of hot chocolate.

"Well, you're going to get a kick out of this," Shirou said as Sakura took a sip from her cup. "I thought it meant being a hero."

"PFFFFFFFF!"

Shirou gave the spit-taking Sakura an amused look.

Sakura slowly turned to Shirou, eyes wide in disbelief. She knew very well Shirou's outlook on heroes was...rather negative to say the least.

"Yeah, I expected that kind of reaction." Shirou gave her a wry smile. "Wanting to be a hero, that was my drive that kept me going through the Hunt, I wanted to save people from the beasts, I wanted to be like my the person I looked up to at the time, Ludwig, The Holy Blade."

Sakura noted Shirou's small smile at the name before it turned into a deep frown.

"Wanting to be a hero was the biggest mistake of my life," Shirou admitted. "I gave it everything I had, but even with the few people I saved, they too went insane, and in the end, I had to put them down."

His long, red and black hair shadowed his eyes. "Through the pain,"

Shirou recalled all of his deaths, each one etched into his mind.

"The insanity,"

Shirou recalled the Lonely Old Woman and the Narrow-Minded Man.

"The betrayals,"

Shirou recalled Adella the Nun, the Beggar, the imposter Iosefka, and Alfred.

"...The truth,"

In Shirou's mind he thought back to when he killed the Orphan of Kos, he fell to his knees before the Great One and her now murdered child, filled with despair he laughed and cried like a madman.

"When I found the truth it broke me," Shirou held the Old Hunter Badge in his hand, the moonlight reflecting poorly on it's rusted surface. "After that, all I had left was the Hunt, and you've the end result of that."

It was true, Sakura had seen what Shirou's true form had looked like. Thankfully Shirou eased her into most of the insight she got so when she first saw what the Great One of Blades looked like she was just extremely unnerved instead of falling into insanity as most would.

Sakura nodded, she knew that even if he didn't show it, Shirou wasn't very proud of being a Great One. To Shirou, being a Great One was just another reminder of the place that broke him, but he knew that whining and bitching about it wouldn't solve anything, so he took it in stride like nearly everything else.

"The most ironic thing about being a Great One is that we tend to be sympathetic to those weaker than us. I myself am no different," Shirou took a sip of his hot chocolate. "But I know better than to try and help people. I don't help people, I kill them."

"You helped me," Sakura interjected.

"No, I didn't," Shirou said, looking down into his cup. "I just dragged you into another Hell,"

Sakura stayed quiet after that, not really knowing what to say. If what Shirou had told her about the Hunters before was toned down, he really did.

Shirou sighed. "Then, one day, I met dad, when we first met he said that I had saved him. At that moment I realized I had finally done what I had first set out to do, I saved someone. I felt nothing. Nothing at all, I was still just as empty on the inside as I had been when I was human. But when he died, when the first and only person I saved died, I still felt nothing. Maybe it's because I'm a Great One, or I'm just too used to people dying. I don't really know but it's still frustrating."

Sakura reached out her hand towards Shirou who wasn't paying attention but hesitated.

BGM: Fate/Zero OST - Grief

"Everything I did, I did so for my ideals, and they're gone." Shirou took in a shaky breath. "T-They're all gone. Alfred, Simon, Eileen...Grandpa Gehrman, and even Kiritsugu, all gone, but I'm still here."

Shirou looked up at the moon. "My Hunt has been over for a long time, I wonder what they'd think of me now?"

Without warning, Sakura hugged him from behind. Shirou's eyes widened at the sudden contact, but other than that he didn't react.

"Well, I wouldn't know about them," Sakura said as she buried her face in his long hair. "But I think you're pretty great."

Sakura felt Shirou being to tremble in her arms. She held onto him tighter, she didn't need to see his face to know what was happening.

For the first time since Shirou had ascended humanity, he shed tears. He continued to stare at the moon, his gaze unwavering, even as seemingly never-ending tears fell from his eyes.

For the first time, the Great One of Blades felt true sorrow.

Shirou looked at his hands in disappointment.

"All the power in the world at my fingertips, and I can't even bring one man back from the dead. Some god I am," he gave a small chuckle. "I bet if I could bring from the dead, you'd chew me out for messing with the laws of life and death then proceed to make one of your spaghetti monsters."

He stared at the grave, tears falling from his eyes.

"I...I miss you, dad."

Night had rolled over Fuyuki City, yet a particular woman sat on a bench watching the other people leave.

She was a woman of unparalleled beauty, one could call her perfect. Her long, blonde hair almost seemed to be made of gold. Her eyes were red like rubies. Her curvaceous body and impressive bust would make supermodels green with envy. She wore a black jacket over her white button-up shirt along with a pair of black shorts.

It was years since she had been reincarnated as a human being since the Fourth Holy Grail War.

She sighed as she gazed at the city filled with her subjects and scowled.

This world no longer held the beauty that made it worthy of being called her's.

It was like a rotten apple, decayed over time. The inhabitants had become so weak, so complacent, so...worthless. Truly, it was sickening.

She had half the mind to toss away this world like the filth it was. But she had some hope for this era.

It was that odd boy that visited the church every once in a while, Shirou Emiya. He had been the subject of her interest for the past few years. He exuded confidence, pride, strength and power in spades, but also much sorrow as if he had experienced the world's harshest trials.

The two never did talk, but sometimes she was there to hear his, usually, onesided ramblings with Kirei. It was amusing to see how the two could get under each other's skin so easily.

The average person might say Shirou Emiya was quite the enigma. Split personality, dark sense of humor, and had a talent for messing with people. If one were to ask the woman, it was like the boy was an open book.

Most people would believe that either the "Child" or the "Hunter" was a coping mechanism for whatever happened to him. A mask if you will.

But she was no fool.

There was no mask. Both personalities were just as real. Like two people living in the same body. It made him all the more interesting. Yet even if he wore his heart on his sleeve, the woman never did understand why Shirou was so complacent when he could easily have taken a place in the Throne of Heroes.

The woman smirked as she felt a familiar presence nearby.

She watched as the object of her interest walk down the cobblestone path.

Shirou Emiya was no older than thirteen, yet his now blood red eyes held experience far beyond his apparent age. His long, black hair had a few red streaks. His hands were in the pockets of his black coat as he walked.

The blonde woman got up from the bench and stood in his path, her arms crossed.

"Hello, boy," she greeted him.

Shirou gave a small smile. "Hello to you too, miss."

His eyes stared right back at her, a gaze of recognition. Not just because he had seen her before, but because he knew what she was. His gaze didn't flinch, not a trace of fear. No attempt to break eye contact. Didn't even wilt under her gaze.

Impressive for one as young as him.

Neither one said anything as they stared at each other.

She grinned. "You know who I am, boy?"

Shirou shook his head. "Sorry to say, I don't know who you are, but I do know what you are."

"Oh~?" she purred, her eyebrows raised in amusement. "And just what am I, boy?"

"Hm, royalty I'd say. A queen…? No, your aura is beyond even her. You're a king, one not from this era." he finished resolutely.

Ah, as expected of the one who held her interest for years. Truly, he was a remarkable gem in this rotten era.

She stared into his eyes. "Shirou Emiya," she addressed him by name. "You have eyes that hold experiences far beyond your years. Like the eyes of a warrior. Your king wishes to test your might."

Shirou blink then rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"My, my, my, a challenge from a king. I'm flattered," with a swift movement, he cut deeply into his wrist and made a sword out of his own blood. "I'd be honored to accept this challenge, but may I know your name first?"

The blonde woman smiled proudly. "Very well, boy. I am known a Gilgamesh, the King of Urk, the proud daughter of Lugalbanda and Ninsun. And the most prominent King amongst kings. I am the slayer of Humbaba the Terrible, the monstrous giant whom the gods feared. I was the one who slew the Bull of Heaven when the petulant goddess, Ishtar, unleashed it upon my people for my rejection of her advances. I am the woman who discovered the secret of eternal youth. And the first worthy human to enter the Throne of Heroes, and none that comes after me could even hope to outshine my glory."

Shirou gave a low whistle. "Quite the reputation, hopefully, I can live up to your expectations."

As the words left his mouth, golden portals appeared behind Gilgamesh. She let loose five Noble Phantasms to test the waters with Shirou. If he couldn't survive this, then her interest was incredibly misplaced.

Easily, as if he saw them in them in slow motion, he deflected all of the Noble Phantasms. With just a blade made out of his own blood no less!

Let's see how he handle more.

Ten, twenty, thirty. He was still standing, not even a scratch much less a hair out of place.

As she would expect of the single gem this era has produced! Marvelous!

Now let's see how he handles one of her more powerful treasures. Gram: Dawn of Ruin, an A ranked Noble Phantasm, would do nicely.

The Noble Phantasm was sent hurling towards Shirou faster than the human eye could see.

"By blood let blood be cleansed."

Clang!

Her eyes widened. Shirou was able to deflect the blade as he did all the others, but it was what he used that surprised her. In his hands was Gram, sure, it made out of his own blood, but it was Gram.

Every single detail, from the hilt to the tip of the blade was captured. She would've considered this act an insult beyond measure if it weren't for the fact that the blade itself matched her Gram in power. From every last detail to the power in the blade itself, he held the genuine article in his hands.

Her eyes narrowed at Shirou. "Boy, how did you do that?"

Shirou smirked and balanced the tip of the blade on his finger. "This old trick? Well, it first started out when my teacher taught me a magecraft called Tracing. Tracing, in a nutshell, allows me to copy anything I see. But when it comes to Noble Phantasms, whatever I Trace goes down an entire rank."

"Then you're a Faker," she stated, frowning.

She crossed her arms and shook her head. To think, that the object of her interest would be so...disapointing.

"A Faker...?" Shirou repeated.

He laughed loudly as if it were the most hilarious thing he'd heard in a long while. His face was neutral but his voice now held a fury beyond even the most ferocious of Phantasmal Beast. Blades made of blood erupted from the ground as if responding to his rage.

"Please understand, Gilgamesh, Tracing is but one half of what was used to make this blade. When I was first taught Tracing, I found it...inadequate. I am a proud Hunter of Yharnam, and the last of the Hunters,"

He gripped the Old Hunter Badge around his neck with his free hand.

"To use such subpar weaponry would be an insult to myself and to the legacy of the Hunters. Even after everything I've been through, I have my pride dammit!"

Shirou took a deep breath to calm himself down.

"Blood Forging is a type of magecraft I created on my own. It allows me complete manipulation of my own blood. When used in tandem with Tracing, I can create weapons that match the power of Noble Phantasms. Hell, I can take it a step further too, I can improve weapons I create and have them surpass what they're based on."

The silence and tension between the two was almost suffocating.

"Hmph, then my apologies, boy," she said as she crossed her arms. "It seems I have grown quick to judge over the years."

What this boy made was truly an impressive ability. To take inspiration from her treasures and use his own blood to match them, Improve them. Not a Faker, but a Creator.

Once again this boy had subverted her expectations.

"A reward is in order,"

BGM: Bayonetta OST - Blood and Darkness

Countless golden portals opened up behind her. The tips of her treasures aimed at Shirou, ready to end him at her command.

Her grin was almost malicious. "Are you ready to get serious, boy?"

Shirou's grin was downright bloodthirsty. "Show me a good time, king!"

The Good Hunter charged Gilgamesh, countless Noble Phantasms rained down on him like a downpour of rain. A hurricane of death inching ever closer.

He met them with their equals made of his own design. If he could not match them in time, he dodged. If he could not dodge, he turned into a cloud of mist and ash.

Firearms, cannons, explosives were all used by him. What surprised her the most was that he used weapons that not even her Gate of Babylon contained, such as that sword and scythe hybrid which contained untold power and that large glowing sword which matched - no! Surpassed the brilliance of Excalibur.

Not one movement was wasted. Not a single Noble Phantasm slowed down or interrupted his beautiful dance of death that continuously made its way towards her.

A colossal blade not meant to be wielded by humans was sent hurtling at Shirou. The Great One jumped and ran across the sword, jumping off as he reached the hilt.

While in the air Shirou made his own version of the colossal blade. It spun like a drill in the air as time accelerated and lighting crackled around it. Prana was being sent to the blade at such an astonishing rate that it was ridiculous.

One of Shirou's arm changed. Blades jutted out, muscle was exposed, a few otherworldly tendrils here and there. Red, inhuman, eyes littered the transformed arm. His fingers changed into bladed claws.

With the arm, Shirou punched the colossal blade with everything he had.

The improvised projectile of death was faster than Gilgamesh could have possibly imagined. Any Noble Phantasm that got in its way bounced off. None of them so much as changed its trajectory in the slightest.

Quickly, the King of Heroes opened the gate in front of her and brought out countless Noble Phantasm shields. She was not risking it with this seemingly unstoppable force of death.

Layers upon layers of shields were put up right in front of her, the weakest at the front, the strongest at the back.

Almost on contact, half the shields were turned into shrapnel. The colossal blade only slowed down by the strongest of shields the gate had to offer. Fortunately, the blade did stop once it reached the last few layers.

Gilgamesh let out a breath that she didn't even know she was holding.

On the other side, Shirou punched the blade once again with his transformed arm. On contact, he pushed enough prana into it to make it a Broken Phantasm. The resulting explosion was powerful enough to blast a sizable hole in the last few layers of shields, making Gilgamesh cover her face with her arms.

Shirou jumped through the hole, his arm changed into a large, grotesque, blade.

Just as he was about to decapitate her, he was hit with a well-timed Warhammer that launched right into his abdomen. Shirou was sent flying through many trees.

"Ah! Goddamn! That hurt like a bitch!" Shirou cursed as Avalon fixed his body.

Golden portals surrounded Shirou, like a dome almost.

Shirou stared at Gilgamesh through the gaps of the "dome". The King of Heroes met his stare with one of her own.

He sighed as weapons poked out of the portals. "Work me to the bone why don't you?"

What could only be described as a bolt of red lightning struck Shirou within the "dome" and in an instant, he was in the same monstrous form he was in when he fought Altrouge all those years ago. Gaia still doing her damnedest to reject his existence as glitches appeared all around his body.

Shirou tensed, Noble Phantasms were launched, and all hell broke loose.

Shirou did his damnedest to keep up with the onslaught of legendary weapons. Firearms, Blood Forging, Quicking, hell even some Arcane was used.

As the portals disappeared, blood flowed from Shirou body. Noble Phantasms pierced him all over like some kind of pin cushion.

Shirou's mass of glowing red eye meet Gilgamesh's stare. Both gazes refusing to falter.

The Noble Phantasms impaled in Shirou began to return to the Gate of Babylon.

"Hmmm, yes, I understand you now." Gilgamesh began. "Yes, you too once walked that path that I laid out as the first worthy enough to enter the Throne of Heroes. But you stopped. Gave up. Why? A person with skills such as yours could've easily made a name for themselves in this rotten era."

If possible, the disturbing jack-o'-lantern on Shirou's face grew wider.

He sighed nostalgically. "Ah, that question takes me back," he said, the new form his body took giving him a demonic voice. "Heh, you're probably right, I could do that, but let's just say the place I grew up wasn't the brightest in the world. I did try to be a hero, but I had no clue what that truly meant. My ideal of a hero wasn't even my own. I was following the footsteps of a damned man. But even when my ideals crumbled before me, I carved my own path. A Killer, not a Warrior. A Creator, not a Faker. I am a Hunter, not a Hero."

Gilgamesh blinked at Shirou's answer. She threw her head back laughing in earnest.

"How vexing, I never expected that sort of answer. A Hunter, a Killer, and a Creator. To find your own path instead of following another's. To reject an easy offer into the Throne of Heroes. Heh, to reject the Throne of Heroes itself! Marvelous! Only the finest of weapons at disposal can give you a worthy death. Take pride in knowing this, Shirou Emiya. I, Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes, acknowledge your resolve!"

"So, you still want to keep going with this?"

"Of course," she announced grinning widely. "Do you expect your king to be satisfied with just this?"

"Yes, yes, I do. I know Dead Apostle Ancestors with less bloodlust than you!" Shirou bellowed.

It was an exaggeration, but right now, he was getting tired of getting Noble Phantasm thrown at him every nanosecond.

"Hmph," Gilgamesh shook her head in amusement. "Either way, I have deemed you worthy enough to witness my greatest treasure."

"Bringing out the big guns at long last, eh? I'd feel bad if I didn't respond in kind."

I am the blade of slaughter.

Cursed is my blood, and dark is my heart.

I have ended countless lives

No longer will I be constrained by mortal limitations.

Nor will I falter should my body turn to something blasphemous.

Always alone atop a hill of corpses.

Thus my hunt will never end.

So as I pray.

Under a Paleblood Moon.

With a burst of black and green illusionary flames, Shirou transported them into his Dream.

Gilgamesh looked upon this new world in wonder.

The blood red moon, the snow that fell from the cloudless sky, the endless field of glowing white flowers and endless blades.

To the King of Heroes, this world was beautiful. A far cry from the rotten apple her's had become.

"Prepare yourself!"

Gilgamesh didn't try to look for the source of the voice. It came from everywhere, absolutely no discernable point.

In front of the red moon seemed to be encased in black mist as something came through it.

Gilgamesh and Kirei Kotomine gazed at the burning city.

The priest had been overjoyed when he found his purpose in life.

But just as they were about to leave when an overwhelming power permeated the area.

Almost half a mile away, an arm erupted from the mud of the Holy Grail. It was massive, it seemed to be made of sharp metal, black in color, they were arranged into what could only be described as segmented scales, connected to each other with red, bleeding flesh.

Whatever the thing was pulled itself out quickly, causing an eruption of mud, flame, and debris.

It was made of Blades.

It looked like a black dragon, but she knew right away that it was so much more than a simple Phantasmal Beast.

Red eyes were littered all over its body, but the ones on its head drew her attention. They could hardly be called eyes, more like warped lightning bolts that brimmed with power.

Its mere presence was enough to make the Bull of Heaven seem like a whimpering calve.

it looked up to the moon...and it roared.

"RRROOOOAAAAAARRRGGGHHH!"

It was a deafening and horrid sound. Inhuman, and yet all too human.

Giant blades erupted from the ground near the monster.

As soon as the monster appeared, it vanished. In a cloud of black smoke and red embers, disappeared as if it was never there to begin with.

Gilgamesh looked at where the creature was with an awed expression. "Magnificent. It seems this era is more worthwhile than I expected."

"I-Is the Grail even capable of creating such a being?" Kirei asked in shock.

"No," Gilgamesh stated. "Something else had a hand in it's origin. But the more pressing question here is how do I make it mine?"

BGM: Fate/Zero OST - This Day And Never Again

Gilgamesh stared at Shirou's true form floating in the sky.

His wings were fully stretched, they could block out the moon itself if they were whole. His many red, glowing eyes, trained on her.

Its mouth opened.

"Behold, this blasphemous form that which the world itself rejects! I am Shirou Emiya, the Great One of Blades!"

Her eyes widened and she laughed joyously. "Magnificent! Never have I beheld such an existence! Your king thanks you, for you have given her an experience worthy of being immortalized in song!"

A golden portal opened near her feet.

"Come, a stage worthy of your brilliance has shown itself!"

The Sword of Rupture, Ea, came from the portal and into her waiting hands.

"This is the end. If you don't hit me with everything you have, you will die."

Shirou shot down from the skies like an eldritch missile.

Gilgamesh knew nothing in her treasury aside from the Sword of Rupture could match him at this point.

She pointed the drill-like blade skywards, the three cylinders spinning wildly as red, cosmic winds gathered around it.

"Enuma Elish!"

She shouted as the miracle of Genesis, in all its destructive glory, was sent hurtling towards Shirou.

The two forces made contact with each other, and Shirou pierced through the "Truth". Blades, muscle, even entire limbs were destroyed as he pushed himself through the cosmic winds.

"Astonishing!" Gilgamesh exclaimed as Shirou pushed himself.

Soon enough, Shirou made his way to her and finally came in physical contact with Ea.

Ea attacked the Great One of Blades in the Dream with the "Truth" but in the Dream, there were no lies as Shirou is this world's "Truth". Both "Truths" trying to reveal each other. A "Truth" try to reveal the "Truth" of something that is already "True".

A paradox.

It was like dividing by zero.

A light brighter than any star sparked between the two colliding forces.

Boom!

Later that night.

Aoko blinked as she looked at Shirou.

He wasn't his usual smiling self, he seemed really tired. Didn't even have the energy to smile as he made dinner like he usually would.

"Are you alright, Shirou?" she asked.

He nodded "Yeah, I'm fine."

He took a sip of the miso soup, it needed more spice. The stirfry was almost done.

"Today has just been a crazy day."

She smiled softly as she placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Bang!

The door to the estate slammed loudly as Gilgamesh walked in.

"Shirou Emiya, take pride in yourself, for your king has deemed you worthy enough to become one of her treasures!" she proclaimed.

All was silent for a few seconds.

Shirou gave her a bland look. "Alright, that's great and all, but if you're staying here for the night, sit your pretty ass down. It's dinner time, and it's movie night, we're watching Die Hard."

Gilgamesh nodded. "Acceptable."

The King of Heroes then went to sit down at the table in the living room, much to the surprise of Zelretch, Sakura, and Altrouge.

"So..." Aoko trailed off.

Shirou sighed. "Yes, that was my crazy day."

Chapter End