บท 94: C94
Even though Shirou didn't get any information from the Executors, there was no need to be concerned. Their enemies were merely Dead Apostles, after all.
And among the Dead Apostles, the one that posed the biggest threat to Shirou was probably Primate Murder. But there was no need to worry. According to a rule in the Nasuverse, "Tsukihime" can exist without "Fate" and vice versa.
In the world of "Fate", the dead are all weakened, and the entity known as Primate Murder was believed to still be held by Merlin in the form of Fou.
So, even if any Dead Apostles were to come to Fuyuki City, there was no need to worry.
Shirou had come this far, and he was now the second-tallest person in the city. He was confident in his abilities to handle any situation that may arise. But it was better to handle any potential problems in the dark, as the city had already endured so much chaos and destruction, and couldn't withstand anymore.
When he returned home, his mother instinctively asked about the tutoring session at the teacher's house. Shirou simply nodded and said that it went well.
After washing his face in the bathroom, he looked at himself in the mirror. The first thing you would notice was his eyes which seemed to be ablaze, and then other features, such as his black, unkempt hair that brushed against his cheek, and a gentle expression that radiated a strange warmth that blended youth and maturity. Despite his young age, he gave off the aura of an experienced veteran.
Ever since he accepted All the World's Evil, Shirou's hair turned jet black, a reflection of the evil he had embraced. At first, his parents were uneasy with the change, but they soon came to accept it, knowing that dyeing Shirou's hair would not be good for his health.
At dinnertime, Mr. Fujimaru, who rarely stayed late at work, would always come home on time. During dinner, he turned to Shirou and said, "I have a project I need to rush this weekend, Shirou. I won't be able to make it to your school's sports day. Make sure you work hard on the pole vault."
"I know," Shirou nodded. He was not like other children, he didn't need someone to attend his school sports festival.
"By the way," Mr. Fujimaru continued, "your birthday is coming up next Friday. Is there anything special you would like as a present? I'll buy you anything within reason."
"I don't need anything, Dad," Shirou replied with a warm smile. "As long as you're healthy and work is going well, that's all the gift I could ever ask for."
Mr. Fujimaru looked into his son's bright eyes and felt a sudden rush of emotion, he said, "You truly are a good child."
"What about me?" Mrs. Fujimaru Chiyo pointed to herself, with a look that indicated she was ready to pounce if she wasn't satisfied.
"As long as Mom doesn't make me watch any sappy dramas, that'll be the best birthday gift for me," Shirou said.
Mrs. Fujimaru pouted and she playfully hit Shirou on the head.
"Ow! Don't hit my head, it'll make me dumb," Shirou complained.
But then, Shirou's tone shifted and his gaze landed on Sakura, who was sitting at the table feeling a bit out of place. He smiled gently and said, "I'm looking forward to the birthday surprise from Sakura, though."
"Eh?" Sakura blushed and stammered after a moment, "I... I haven't prepared anything yet."
Everyone at the table erupted in laughter.
The atmosphere was filled with cheer.
That night, Shirou sat at his desk and began to make a list of his life plan.
His dream of becoming wealthy was still very much alive and he was determined to make it a reality.
It was a goal that Shirou couldn't afford to give up on.
He reasoned that if the Nasuverse was based on the real world, then some historical events shouldn't change. For instance, the world's shift into the era of the internet economy.
He thought about the explosion of Bitcoin and the listing of companies like Tencent and Alibaba and realized that even if one doesn't know how to run a company, as long as they ride the tide of the times, they can reap the benefits and make a lot of money.
With this money, he planned to buy real estate to create a stable source of income and preserve his wealth, while saving the rest in a bank and investing in financial products. The interest alone would be enough for Shirou to live on comfortably for the rest of his life.
Satisfied with his plan, he eagerly jotted down his thoughts and ideas.
...
On the second afternoon, Shirou kept his promise and took Ilya for a walk around Fuyuki City. However, due to the ongoing construction in Miyama Town, they ended up exploring the neighboring Shinto Town instead. The only noteworthy landmark in Shinto was the towering statue of Ultraseven. Despite the lack of attractions, Ilya took diligent notes in her notebook, preserving her memories of the places she visited.
"Why do you write down everything?" Shirou asked curiously.
Ilya beamed at him and replied, "So I don't forget these precious memories."
As the sun began to dip behind the western mountains, their tour of the city drew to a close. However, Ilya was still eager to explore Miyama and enthusiastically pulled Shirou along with her. He couldn't help but smile as he followed her bounding ahead, brimming with energy and vitality. Spending time with lively children was something he truly enjoyed.
Although the town of Miyama was largely unimpressive due to its abundance of construction sites, Ilya remained wide-eyed as she took in her surroundings and jotted down her observations in her notebook. In consideration of the non-human and Executors that inhabited the newly built Church, Shirou decided to take Ilya to Ryuudou Temple instead.
As they made their ascent up the mountain, Ilya struggled to keep up and eventually leaned against a tree, breathing heavily. Sensing her exhaustion, Shirou picked her up and spread his large black wings, carrying her the rest of the way to Ryuudou Temple as he flew.
"Big brother, are you an angel?" Ilya asked in wonder.
Shirou simply smiled and replied, "Do you think I am?"
"Yes!" Ilya nodded eagerly, pointing to his large black wings. "They're really pretty."
"Thank you," he said, a hint of delight in his voice. "You're the first one to compliment them on their beauty. It makes them happy."
The mud on his wings formed a black hand, reaching out and gently patting Ilya's head before withdrawing back.
She giggled, a smile spreading across her face.
After landing at Ryuudou Temple, Shirou tucked away his black wings as he carried Ilya. The monk who was sweeping in front of the temple barely gave Shirou a second look, maintaining a tranquil expression as he continued his chore, seemingly unaffected by Shirou's imposing black wings.
This peaceful demeanor was also shared by the other monks within the temple.
"Kiritsugu said that both Buddha and God are enlightened beings, and if you make a wish to them, your wish might come true," Ilya said, looking up at the Buddha statue in the main hall with wonder in her eyes.
"Making a wish to a Buddha statue is the same as making a wish to that person," Shirou explained.
"Are you talking about the Grail?" Ilya asked with curiosity.
Shirou smiled mysteriously, "Not exactly."
He then led Ilya to a guest room inside Ryuudou Temple. At a glance, he saw the Enlightened One sitting in meditation on the lotus platform, with Ryuudou Issei, the son of the head priest of Ryuudou Temple, writing his homework beside him.
As the door opened, Issei looked up and greeted him, "Shirou-kun, you're here to see the master again? It's a shame that he's still meditating today."
"I know," Shirou said with a nod, his gaze settling on the Enlightened One, who sat in peaceful meditation.
After the Holy Grail War, he made several visits to the Enlightened One. Despite his efforts, the meditation master remained silent, never acknowledging Shirou's presence or leaving any word behind. However, these repeated visits led to an improvement in his relationship with the Ryuudou Temple.
Shirou was filled with curiosity about why the Enlightened One would choose to reside at the Ryuudou Temple. He also discovered that the master had been living there for several years.
The Enlightened One was the tallest person in Fuyuki City, and Shirou couldn't imagine a scenario in which he would reach the top even if the sky fell. Furthermore, even if the master descended as a Servant, he was one of the Nasuverse's strongest beings, possessing the innate skill [Enlightenment of the Sacred Fig], which was even more abnormal than Shirou's [Evil Flower of Freedom].
With his highest level of Anti-Purge Defense, the Enlightened One could easily defend against even World End level attacks. Time and space meant nothing to him, and he was free to come and go as he pleased, unaffected by the Counter Force.
Despite these facts, the Enlightened One never spoke directly to Shirou and never even looked in his direction. No matter what Shirou said or did, including attempting to tickle the master with poison mushrooms, the Enlightened One remained in a meditative state with his eyes closed, never responding to his efforts.
This lack of response from the Enlightened One weighed heavily on Shirou.
He wondered if the appearance of the Enlightened One in Fuyuki City meant that other Messiahs would also appear. Despite his knowledge of Shakyamuni, Shirou was uncertain about the other Messiahs. He realized that thinking too much about it was only causing him unnecessary stress.
"Ilya, making a wish to this uncle is even more potent than praying to a Buddha statue," Shirou said.
Ilya gazed at the Enlightened One as she closed her eyes, appearing to make a wish of her own.
At that moment, Issei approached with a pink towel and offered it to Shirou. "You must be tired from climbing the mountain, Shirou. Here, use this to wipe away your sweat. I heard you like pink, so I got this just for you."
"Thank you, but I'm not sweating. Actually, I've been wondering who started the rumor that I like pink," Shirou asked, as it was something that had been bothering him.
"Everyone says that," Issei replied.
"In any case, can you help me clear things up if you hear anyone spreading this rumor again?" Shirou asked, sounding helpless.
"Y-yes, I'll do my best," Issei replied, looking away from Shirou's bright eyes before glancing back at him a few moments later.
"I made a wish!" Ilya exclaimed as she opened her eyes.
Shirou walked over to her and asked, "What did you wish for, Ilya?"
"Hehehe... I'm not telling, brother!" Ilya playfully bounced away.
Shirou started to follow her but was stopped by Issei. "Shirou, don't forget about pole vaulting for the sports festival this weekend. Do your best, okay?"
"You can count on me!" he confidently replied, fist pumped with determination.
...
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