Chapter 57 -:57 It's almost...no
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The Pawn was right. What did it matter who he WAS? He was all-too-familiar with casting aside the past in order to keep marching forwards. While he would never forget the people he'd failed, neither would he allow them to impede him from saving those he could.
Saber would not have wanted him to give up. Rin would kill him if he dared. Sakura would encourage him to keep marching forward, and even Archer, ass that he was, would challenge him to catch up to him.
He was born from the fires of the Fourth Grail War, forged by the hands of the repentant Magus Killer and tempered by the disastrous events of the Fifth Heaven's Feel. He had been prey to Ulster's child of light, had braved the keep of the Witch of Betrayal, stood firm before the wrath of Zeus' Son and even challenged the King of Heroes to mortal combat.
"You asked me who I am...Kokabiel?" Shirou called out, a wry smile adorning his lips as he reached for the knot holding the Shroud of Martin together, pulling it loose with a flourish even as he locked eyes with the Fallen Angel.
"I Am The Bone Of My Sword."
The moment you've all been waiting for Ladies and Gentlemen!
Or the build-up to it in any case. Gee, ain't I a stinker?
Now before you all start jumping down my throat: NO. He isn't going to pull of UBW against Kokabiel. While he's come to terms with who he is, sort of, he still needs to train to pull it off, for while Archer's arm DOES give him insight into their shared world, the 'key' to gaining access to it still needs to be forged.
In any case, time for me to get back to work...gotta bring home the bacon, so to speak. M'lady.
*Bows to Queen Yharnam in passing before riding the elevator down to the lantern.*
Play: Unlimited Blade Works OST II - #19 Emiya (Unlimited Blade Works)
The instant the Holy Shroud was ripped clear, the world around him crumbled to dust, Shirou's vision whiting out as he was pummeled by what felt like a hurricane going a hundred miles an hour, a wall of death and Steel that threatened to rend every living thing in its path to shreds, leaving nothing in its wake but a barren wasteland.
Unlike before, however, where he'd instantly felt like he was about to be crushed under the pressure, Shirou instead felt like he was slowly being cut by countless invisible blades born by the wind. Sharp, but not particularly painful, the sound of his heart pounded in his ears as it struggled to keep his blood from flowing backwards.
And there, standing with his back to him, striding headfirst into the maelstrom of steel and death head-on, was the red-clad back of the Counter Guardian.
It was only natural he'd do so. Even if he came to regret his ideals, even as said ideals had betrayed him, he had nonetheless pressed on, receiving neither thanks for his efforts nor acknowledgement of his deeds. Never looking back at the trail of corpses he left in his wake, or the broken form of the delusional boy who so ignorantly cast aside his ideals yet still aspired to become a hero, never imagining the cost of such a wish.
And yet, despite Shirou's acknowledgment of his crimes, the Red Knight paused, once again tilting his head ever so slightly to regard him those cold, judging grey orbs.
"...Can you catch up to me...?"
Despite the scorn in his eyes, something in the Archer's words implied that part of him still held some belief in the man he left behind. No, more than that, the Counter-Guardian EMIYA honestly wanted to believe that Emiya Shirou, a man who by all rights should not have become a Hero, could surpass all expectations and drag himself to the same level as one through sheer bull-headed stubbornness.
And how could he not? Had he himself not done the same, once so long ago? Though their paths may have diverged, the fact remained that, at one point, Archer had been Emiya Shirou, and so he understood better than anyone just what Emiya Shirou was capable of.
"Don't insult me." Shirou countered, his voice hoarse, yet confident as he took first one, then several steps into the wind, pointedly stepping to the side out of the shelter of Archer's back, his eyes locked on that ever-distant hill beyond the wall of white death and steel, ignoring the gaze of the Red Knight as he strode past him resolutely "I won't settle for 'catching up'...I'm going to surpass you."
Perhaps it was a trick of the light, or maybe the pain of being invaded by Archer's inner world conjured up tricks, but for a moment Shirou swore he saw the Counter Guardian smile.
"I Am The Bone Of My Sword."
The moment those words left Shirou's lips, the air surrounding the ruined sports field became thick with Power, the Devils, Xenovia and even Kokabiel's eyes widening at the sheer amount of raw magical energy the redhead was giving off, the sudden surge of wind causing them to feel like there were being cut by countless invisible blades.
"What's this?!" Kokabiel demanded, bringing his arms up to shield his eyes, only to blink as, the second he'd done so the redheaded had somehow managed to cross the distance between them, the Fallen's wings barely managing to deflect the black oriental blade of admittedly peerless quality that was seconds away from disemboweling him "You-!"
"So fast!" Kiba gasped, the Gremory Knight looking on in wonderment as Shirou not only dodged the retaliatory strike from Kokabiel's wings, but managed to get above the fallen, forcing the Fallen Star of God to block with hastily summoned Swords of Light "It's almost...no, he's definitely faster than a Knight!"
Even when Freed had been using Excalibur Rapidly, the two of them had been about evenly matched. It was only due to Kiba's state of mind, and the fact the Holy Sword was the natural enemy of Devil-kind, that the Exorcist had even stood a chance, as evidenced by how easily Xenovia had been able to counter both of them despite neither of her swords granting her a speed boost.
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