The 5th century CE was a time of great unrest in the island of Britannia. The West Roman Empire on the mainland was facing continuous uprisings and foreign invasions, with the Gaul's Bagaudae Movement and the North African's Agonistes Movement destabilizing the empire's regime. This turmoil spilled over to Britannia, causing the decline of its forces under imperial protection and attracting a dangerous foreign enemy in the form of the Saxons.
Britannia was home to a diverse range of ethnicities and kingdoms, and despite the ongoing disputes among them, the kings of each kingdom worked together to defend against the invading Saxons and the Picts who were eyeing their lands in the north.
However, one king's actions would shatter this fragile unity. King Vortigern, born in Britannia, used the Saxons to further his own aims of unifying the island nation. He was known as the white dragon incarnation, and legends spoke of his destiny to destroy Britannia.
The Saxons, under King Vortigern's leadership, had wrought destruction on the once-thriving city of Londinium and defeated the revered King Uther Pendragon. They now set their sights on the rest of Britannia.
It was a rainy day when a badly injured boy stumbled onto a muddy road in the forest near the kingdom of Logres. He had black hair in disarray, and his white shirt was stained with blood. Three deep claw marks marred his back, and the rain was washing away the black and red blood as it flowed down his skin.
Despite his wounds, the boy was still alive. The mud near his wounds was churning, attempting to heal them using what little magical energy remained, but it was quickly running out of energy. Escaping with his life was already a stroke of good luck, but it seemed like his journey would come to an end here, on this muddy road.
But was this to be the end of his life?
No, he had to return. He had to go back to his family!
His battle wasn't about winning or losing, but about being able to smile and see the people who mattered to him again. This was a belief the young man held dear.
So,
Please, someone, come and save me!
Footsteps echoed in the young man's ears as he struggled to lift his head. Blood flowed from the wound on his forehead, mixing with the rain and trickling into his eyes, but he could still make out the figure approaching him. It was a princess, with long black hair and soldiers in tow, who had come to his aid.
"Goodness! How could his injuries be so severe? My knights, quickly lift him up!" The princess instructed.
The black mud, sensing the evil of humans, began to absorb it, and as it did so, the exhausted magical energy started to replenish. The mud began to heal the wounds, repairing the damage done.
"Thank you!" the young man whispered before he lost consciousness.
The story begins ten days prior to this moment...
...
On the afternoon of April 5th, 1994, a Tuesday, the sky had started to darken as Shirou practiced the pole vault. He had only been practicing for a short while when suddenly, he reached up to roll up his sleeves and wipe the sweat from his face. It was then that he found himself surrounded by dozens of towels of all different colors.
"Fujimaru-senpai, use this one!"
"Fujimaru-san, use this one!"
"Fujimaru-senpai, I heard you like pink, so please use this one of mine!"
Boys and girls alike stood before him, offering towels and staring at Shirou with shining eyes.
He was starting to feel overwhelmed. "No, no need. Thank you for your kindness, but I don't need a towel,"
"But Fujimura-senpai must be thirsty, right? I've brought you lemon water. Please look at me and drink it!" said one of the students.
"And I've brought you bubble soda, Shirou-kun. You must be so tired from practicing for the sports festival. You have to drink it and look at me!" said a big boy.
The students started to argue, offering Shirou drinks and vying for his attention.
'Help!' Shirou screamed in his mind.
Just then, their homeroom teacher arrived and scolded the students. Then, he patted Shirou's shoulder and spoke in a serious tone. "Shirou, you're working so hard in training for the pole vaulting for the sake of the class's performance in next week's sports festival. I'm deeply grateful as your homeroom teacher. And as a reward, you don't have to do homework this month. Come, look at me with your eyes."
The back of Shirou's neck was damp with sweat, and he said to his homeroom teacher, "Excuse me, I have to go home now. My mother will be looking for me if I'm any later."
"Very well," the teacher replied. "Do you need me to escort you?"
"No, thank you," Shirou replied, picking up his schoolbag and leaving the room.
On the walk home, every passerby who looked worried, would stand tall and smile after walking past him, as if all their negativity had been drained away.
He could feel eyes on him from every direction and he suspected that it was his classmates and teacher, who was secretly observing him.
This had been happening for almost five months now, and Shirou was getting more and more uncomfortable.
"This is becoming a problem..." he thought to himself, creasing his brow in concern.
Everyone was focused on his eyes, not just his classmates and teacher, but also a growing number of shady individuals.
He couldn't understand why everyone was fixated on his eyes, but he suspected it was due to his "Evil Flower" skill, which he couldn't turn off. The skill automatically absorbed humanity evil and transformed it into magical energy, and negative emotions were also considered a form of evil. Those around him would feel inexplicably comfortable as a result.
Despite the growing attention he was receiving, he was still relieved to see the people around him smile. But the number of people staring at him only seemed to increase.
All he could do was hope that he wouldn't disrupt their normal daily routine. This was his only thought.
As he walked home, he came across the newly-constructed commercial street. In the center of the street stood a stone carving that had become the symbol of the city's revitalization.
It was the entity that brought light to this once desolate area several months ago, and it was called Ultraman Seven.
Every time Shirou passed by this statue on his way home, he couldn't help but smile bashfully.
He never intended for things to develop in this way, he simply wanted to ignite people's passion and provide a ray of hope to break through their despair.
There were already three Ultraseven statues in the Shinto district, with seven more sets to be erected in the rebuilding Miyama district. One of these statues was to be placed in front of the newly relocated Tsuburaya Corporation headquarters in Miyama, while another, said to be of great expense, was carved by the renowned international sculptor Master Joseph. This statue was to stand where Shirou once stood and become the landmark of Fuyuki City.
All Shirou could do was smile wryly at the thought of all this.
Over the past few months, many influential and well-known figures have visited Fuyuki City, including representatives from the Clock Tower and the Church who come and go frequently. Kayneth had informed Shirou of this, although with a sarcastic tone.
In the past, when Shirou was at his peak, he would have beaten up Kayneth, but now he has returned to being a normal person with a passionate heart.
He can see through the magical energy and evil within these visiting magi and individuals, but they remain unaware of his existence. This could be due to Kayneth's influence or Shirou's low profile during the Fourth Holy Grail War. If he were to ask Kayneth, he would likely be met with sarcasm and ridicule.
Though his adventures may have come to an end, Shirou remains determined to help those in need to the best of his abilities.
The Clock Tower had successfully sealed the Greater Grail and Shirou had secretly taken away the Grail crystals, ensuring that there would never be another fifth Holy Grail War.
People's lives in the future would be filled with hope and determination, as they strive to make their own lives meaningful and help others in any way they can.
Shirou had no regrets, despite the fact that his previous adventure had nearly resulted in the destruction of many lives. The young hero who had ended the Holy Grail War and forced the King of Heroes to withdraw was now enjoying a peaceful life with his parents.
However, his journey had not been without its challenges. After being turned into a twelve-year-old by the black mud, Shirou had to use all his wits to minimize the impact without resorting to using Suggestions. With the help of his Shishou in the Dream World, they came up with several creative solutions, even though they seemed unreliable.
Shirou avoided using Suggestion for two reasons. Firstly, if the perception of the people doesn't align with reality, the suggestion can be easily dispelled by their mind automatically. Secondly, he had made a promise to his father to not abuse his mystical powers and live a happy and lawful life.
His mother had not noticed her son's extraordinary powers. However, his father, with his rich social experience and flexible and meticulous mind, had become aware of them. As no wife and mother would mistake a stuffed teddy bear for her actual son, especially when she is also married to him.
Eventually, after learning of some of the small adventures that Shirou had fabricated without putting himself in any life-threatening situations, his father made an agreement with him.
"Hu hu hu~"
The wind was bitter cold in the early spring, and the economic depression only added to the chill, but this city, once touched by the light, was burning with energy. Simply walking through its streets, one could silently feel the enthusiasm emanating from the people.
This was several months after Shirou had brought light to this city.
"My balloon!"
Shirou heard a girl's voice and looked up, spotting a red balloon floating towards him. He extended his arm and caught it. As he did, a delicate-looking girl as white as snow leapt forward, but Shirou quickly stepped in front of her to intercept. He studied the girl's angelic face before letting out a faint smile and handing her the red balloon. "Next time, hold on a little tighter."
"Hmm!" The girl nodded with a charming smile. "Big brother, what's your name? Oh, that's right, Kiritsugu already told me. You should introduce yourself before asking for someone else's name. My name is Illyasviel von Einzbern, but you can just call me Ilya!"
"I'm Fujimaru Shirou," he replied with a smile. "I'm close to your age, so you don't have to call me 'big brother.' You can call me Shirou or Fujimaru."
"Eh?" Irisviel was surprised. Her large eyes blinked and she cocked her head, a smile still on her face. "Big brother is lying!"
Shirou chuckled, not offering any further explanation. Although he appeared to be 12 years old, he was actually only ten days away from his seventh birthday.
"Kiritsugu said that exchanging names means we're friends," Ilya said.
Shirou nodded in agreement.
"Hehehe... then you're my first friend in Fuyuki City!" Ilya laughed, but then her expression changed to one of worry.
"Oh no! I just remembered that Kiritsugu is still at the convenience store. Bye-bye!" She waved goodbye with a smile like that of a snow fairy as she hurriedly left.
Shirou waved back and turned to walk down another road. But then he suddenly spun around and pointed to Ilya's red balloon. With a sharp "pong" sound, the balloon burst.
Ilya was stunned.
A black car screeched to a sudden halt, leaving a ten-meter skid mark on the road. The car shook a few times.
Ilya was petrified, her tiny frame quivering with fear.
...
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Shirou approached Ilya, his face filled with worry. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"
Ilya's eyes welled up with tears as she turned to face him. "No, I'm fine," she whispered in a small voice.
Despite her assurances, it was evident that she was still shaken. Shirou reached into his backpack and produced a box of bean paste dumplings, hoping to provide some comfort. "Here, have these. They're delicious,"
Ilya's eyes lit up at the sight of the dumplings, and she looked up at Shirou with an innocent smile. "Is big brother giving these to me?"
"Of course," Shirou replied, his own smile widening.
Ilya thanked him, her smile growing even brighter. She looked like a sprite from a fairy tale, sparkling with joy.
Instead of taking the dumplings, however, Ilya reached into her pocket and took out a black notebook. She wrote something on it with a pen.
Curious, Shirou asked, "What are you writing?"
"Kiritsugu always said to remember the happy things," Ilya explained as she drew pictures in her black notebook. "So I write down all my good memories. Today is April 5th, 1994, and it's sunny. I received my first gift..."
Just then, the door of a black car opened, and a golden-haired girl who appeared only slightly older than Ilya rushed over. "Hey! Is anyone hurt?" she asked anxiously.
Ilya continued writing in her notebook. "The big brother who gave me my first gift is named Fujimaru Shirou..."
"I'm calling you!" the golden-haired girl repeated, growing increasingly anxious.
Shirou smiled and answered on Ilya's behalf. "She's not called 'Hey', she's called Ilya."
Ilya looked up from her notebook, a confused expression on her face. "Big brother, are you calling me?"
Shirou gestured toward the golden-haired girl. "She's the one calling you."
Ilya swiveled towards the golden-haired girl, her expression still curious. "Sister, are you calling me?"
The blond girl's lips twitched as she asked again, "Are you okay? Are you injured?"
"Nope, I'm fine," Ilya responded.
The blond girl then extended her hand, offering a red gem to Ilya. "Here, take this."
Ilya looked confused. "Why are you giving this to me?"
The blond girl's expression grew taut as she tried to mask her frustration. "It's a form of spiritual compensation from the Edelfelt family," she explained with a noticeable edge in her voice. Then she spun around and strode away.
Ilya was left standing there, befuddled and unsure of what just happened.
Shirou smiled and said, "That's a gift from that sister."
Ilya's face lit up. "Oh, now I understand! I got two gifts today. The second one is a bit odd, it's called spiritual compensation."
Shirou took Ilya's hand. "Come on, Ilya. Let me take you to Kiritsugu."
"Okay," She eagerly grabbed Shirou's hand.
Shirou couldn't resist asking, "Ilya, when did you arrive in Fuyuki City?"
With a smile on her face, Ilya replied, "I just got here last night."
Shirou let out a sigh, thinking to himself, 'That guy Kiritsugu must have a big heart to not be worried about his daughter being kidnapped.'
As he held Ilya's hand, she led him toward Kiritsugu.
Along the way, Ilya turned to Shirou and asked, "By the way, does big brother also know Kiritsugu?"
"Of course," Shirou replied, "I know him well and we have a deep connection."
Ilya's face lit up with a smile, "That's great! Then you must be a close friend of Kiritsugu."
"More or less."
Hand in hand, they continued on their way until they reached the entrance of a convenience store.
As Shirou approached, he spotted Kiritsugu sitting at the entrance of the convenience store, a bag of snacks by his side, and sound asleep with a weary expression.
He guessed that Ilya must have taken advantage of Kiritsugu's sleep to chase after her balloon, which was how she and Shirou had met.
"Kiritsugu! Kiritsugu!" Ilya cried out as she ran over to wake him up.
Kiritsugu rubbed his eyes and asked groggily, "What's wrong, Ilya?"
"My balloon burst," Ilya explained with a happy smile, "But I got two gifts instead! Look!" she held up the bean dumplings and red ruby, "One is from big brother and the other is from big sister."
"Well then, you must keep them," Kiritsugu said.
Ilya nodded excitedly.
Kiritsugu turned his attention to Shirou and gave him a nod.
Smiling, Shirou asked, "Are you planning to stay in Fuyuki City?"
"Yes, I will stay here," Kiritsugu confirmed. "I owe too much to this city to simply leave. I can only live here, be its companion, and watch it grow and change."
"The greatest reward is having someone to share it with," Shirou said. "By the way, I heard that you've changed careers and become a light novel writer. Can I borrow one of your works to read?"
"Of course," Kiritsugu replied with a hint of hesitation. "But I have to warn you, the protagonist in my novel is based on a fictionalized version of you."
Shirou shrugged, "It doesn't matter. While that memory may not be a pleasant one, I've learned to accept my flaws and imperfections. I'm curious to see what story you want to tell now."
Kiritsugu reached into his pocket and pulled out a novel, handing it to Shirou.
Shirou glanced at a few pages before asking, "There's no pen name on this. What's your pen name?"
"Urobuchi Gen," Kiritsugu replied.
Shirou's hand stiffened, and he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I have a pretty good idea of how it will end now, but I'll still read it."
Grabbing the book, Shirou started to walk away, but then stopped and looked back at Kiritsugu. "This time around, don't forget to appreciate the happiness in your life!"
As Kiritsugu watched Shirou walk away, he gave a nod of his head. Ilya grabbed Kiritsugu's hand and asked, "Are you very close with that big brother?"
"Definitely," Kiritsugu replied. "He is my hero."
Ilya tilted her head in confusion, "Hero?"
"He is a hero of justice, and I consider myself one too," Kiritsugu explained.
Ilya's eyes widened, she blinked and asked, "So, there are two heroes of justice now?"
Kiritsugu chuckled and replied, "Not just two. As long as individuals hold on to their passion, anyone can be a hero of justice. The potential to become a hero of justice resides within everyone."
Ilya's eyes widened with excitement as she asked, "Can I become a hero of justice too?"
Kiritsugu smiled and replied, "Absolutely! As long as you keep your pure heart."
He lifted Ilya up and placed her on his shoulder, eliciting a happy squeal from her. She raised her hand with a beaming smile, "Oh! I can become a hero of justice too!"
Thus, a small ray of happiness shone into the distant future.
...
"I'm home."
Shirou heard the sound of sobbing as he entered the living room. There, he saw his mother sitting on the sofa and wiping away tears while watching Tokyo Love Story.
Knowing that he was about to be pulled into the drama, Shirou quickly decided to make a quick escape.
"Shirou, you're back!" she exclaimed. "Come, watch Tokyo Love Story with me."
"No, I have homework to do," Shirou quickly replied as he turned to make a run for it. He had no interest in getting caught up in the quadrilateral love-torture drama.
When Shirou entered his room, he saw Sakura and Rin sitting at his desk, busy with something.
"Hey, Rin, are you here to see Sakura?" he greeted Rin.
Rin, however, was not in a particularly talkative mood. "I've told you several times already, don't call me Rin. It gives me a strange, creepy feeling, like I'm being talked to by an adult instead of someone my own age." Rin shuddered. "Please, just call me Redubbed Machine Rin or something. Don't call me by my name, you black-hearted Fujimaru."
Shirou nodded casually. He then noticed Sakura slipping something into her pocket and couldn't help but ask, "What are you two doing in here? Is this my birthday gift?"
It was April 5th and in ten days, it would be Shirou's birthday. Sakura had mentioned wanting to prepare a surprise for him.
"Hehehe... I won't tell brother!" Sakura said with a playful smile.
"Well, I'll just have to look forward to it then," Shirou replied, smiling as he put his backpack down on a nearby stool.
Rin then spoke up, "Oh, by the way, Fujimaru. Are you ready for the pole vault competition at next week's sports festival? Us Hachigata will make sure you Tsukimou lose, so don't you dare cry," she teased, poking Shirou in the nose.
Several months had passed since the Fourth Holy Grail War had left the Miyama district in complete ruins. Tall buildings that once stood tall had been rebuilt, but the lack of accommodations due to ongoing painting and decoration meant there were still relatively few places to stay.
The Shinto officials, understanding the situation, had allocated funds to prepare classrooms in the local Shinto school to accommodate interspersed students studying in Miyama at the time. As a result, most school activities were now being held on one campus.
The spring school sports festival was just around the corner and was to be held jointly by Tsukimou and Hachigata Elementary Schools on the same campus. One of the events on the schedule was the dangerous pole-vaulting competition, open to students of all grades.
Shirou had written a letter of suggestion to the school administration, proposing the cancellation of this event, but his proposal was not accepted. Despite this, younger students were too afraid to participate, leaving only Shirou's class, a group of boys who were fans of "Dragon Ball", eager to take on the challenge and bring glory to their school and class.
As a result, Shirou, who appeared to be around 12 years old, was forced to participate in the pole-vaulting competition.
When Rin made a seemingly provocative statement, Shirou replied with frustration, "Did anyone from Hachigata sign up for pole-vaulting too? Why would the school allow such a dangerous event for elementary school students?"
Rin asked skeptically, "Is this the main issue?"
"Isn't it?" Shirou retorted.
Overwhelmed, Rin exclaimed, "Ah~ ah, ah! So strange! So strange! I can't talk to you anymore! Sakura, let's go, let's play in your room." With that, Rin grabbed Sakura's hand and left Shirou's room, leaving him behind.
"Um, big sister, are you and brother fighting?" Sakura asked, her innocent eyes wide open as she was pulled out of the room.
Rin replied with frustration, "No, we're not fighting. It's just been strange for the past five months. Not only has dad become strange, but even Fujimaru has become even stranger." Rin explained, "Every time I talk to him, I feel like he's treating me like a child. It's uncomfortable and strange! I'm not a child!"
Sakura looked at Rin, who was holding her head in frustration and blinked.
...
Shirou sat at his desk, pulled out Kiritsugu's book from his bag, and estimated that the book would have a catastrophic ending. He flipped through a few pages.
"Hmm? Is it a story about an ordinary person getting caught up in a war?"
As he started reading, he saw the protagonist getting caught up in the war and the death that resulted from ignoring the situation around him.
Shirou's mind couldn't help but recall his own involvement in the Fourth Holy Grail War and he smiled.
The truth was that many things had happened in the months following the Holy Grail War.
First, Aoi visited to transfer the guardianship of Sakura completely to the Fujimaru family. Although Shirou wasn't sure if Tokiomi had noticed anything, the outcome was positive. At least the Fujimaru couple got a well-behaved daughter and Shirou got a lively and lovable younger sister. Rin also frequently visited the house to play with Sakura.
If Tokiomi had noticed something, Rin's expression was natural, it meant that Tokiomi had not told anyone about the events of the Fourth Holy Grail War. However, Shirou was afraid that the troubles of the Fourth Holy Grail War would always linger in Tokiomi's heart.
And he suspected that this was the same for everyone who was involved in the war. Most people survived the Fourth Holy Grail War, but no one had forgiven anyone, not even Shirou.
He couldn't forgive Kiritsugu's assassination or Kayneth's pursuit. But now, it was best to just move on and forget about it.
Not forgiveness, but forgetfulness.
Shirou smiled wryly as he remarked, "The final outcome of the novel is indeed total annihilation."
He let out a deep sigh, feeling a mix of frustration and awe for the novel. The writing was still rough in places, but the ideas and themes were intriguing and the plot was gripping. The novel was like a gorgeous lotus blossom, alluring and dangerous, leading readers down a path of self-destruction. As the debut work of Urobuchi Gen, it was a must-read, but at the same time, he couldn't help but question the ending of the story.
Closing the book, Shirou said, "Alright, I think I'll blacklist this author's works from now on. While the middle of the story was engaging, the ending was a downward spiral into darkness, which is not the kind of reading experience I'm looking for."
He then turned his attention to his own life. In just ten days, it would be his seventh birthday. He was born in 1994 and was already starting to think about his future.
Rubbing his chin, Shirou mused, "Maybe I should use Golden Rule to make some money and lay the foundation for my future."
The thrill of living life as a gamble had passed, and he knew it was time for him to focus on his own life.
...
Next 101 Chapters are up on my Patreon: patreon.com/bcloud
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