Shlk—!
The demon's claw, gleaming with deadly force, pierced clean through Emiya Shirou's shoulder.
Shlk—!
At the same time, his sword—carrying every ounce of his will—slashed through half the demon's body.
"Guh—!"
Both Shirou and the demon cried out in pain.
"Raaahhh!!"
Despite the torn flesh at his shoulder, the blood gushing like a fountain, Shirou ignored the agony. He raised his blade again and swung down mercilessly.
Shlk—!
Shlk—!
Shlk—!
The sound of flesh being ripped apart echoed through the room.
A barrage of brutal slashes forced the demon to roar in pain. Its eyes burned with violent fury, and its claws blurred into afterimages.
Shlk!
Blood sprayed as the demon's claws tore straight into Shirou's abdomen.
White-hot pain exploded through him.
But—
Shirou didn't scream.
He clenched his teeth until they nearly cracked. Even as blood ran down his front, he raised both swords and slashed again, without hesitation.
Shlk—!
Shlk—!
Two tearing sounds rang out simultaneously.
One from his blade piercing the demon's chest.
The other from claws rending open his own.
Thud—!
With a heavy thump, the demon kicked Shirou in the gut.
The impact sent him flying across the room. Both katanas remained lodged in the demon's body.
Bang—!
Shirou crashed into the far wall, soaked in blood from head to toe.
"How long—how long has it been since I faced something like this?!"
"Why?!"
"Why aren't you afraid?!"
"Why don't you fear me?!"
"You're not from the Demon Slayer Corps—you're just a human! This is your first time seeing a creature like me! So why—how—do you have the guts to fight me head-on?!"
The demon snapped both katanas from its body and hurled them to the floor, glaring at Shirou as he slowly stood once more.
"Khkk—!"
Agonizing pain wracked Shirou's entire body. Blood sprayed from his throat.
"[Trace—On]."
For anyone else, those wounds would've been fatal. But Shirou forced himself upright, jamming one sword into the ground for support as he locked eyes with the demon.
Yes, the creature was right—he was just a normal person.
Just a high school freshman. No special powers aside from some basic magecraft.
And yet here he was, staring down a monster in a place soaked with death.
Most adults couldn't do what he'd done—stand their ground in a scene this horrific, in front of a beast like this.
He'd already gone far beyond what anyone could expect.
But—
Emiya Shirou didn't want to die.
More than that—he refused to die for nothing.
Fsssh—!
He flicked the blood from his blade, raised it again, and leveled it at the demon.
His eyes burned with fury.
"If I survived that disaster… then I have a duty to fulfill!"
"I won't die to a thing like you—someone who kills without a thought, without reason!"
"I'll destroy you—right here, right now!!!!"
In that moment, it was as if a sheath had shattered open inside him. A brilliant light flared from deep within.
Threads of golden energy began crawling across his wounds, flooding his battered body with radiance.
"RAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Blood-soaked and howling, Shirou charged forward once again, sword in hand.
"Hahaha! Ahahahaha!"
"And that's your reason?! That's your last pathetic scream before death?!"
The demon laughed maniacally. But it didn't back down.
The two clashed once more.
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Shirou roared like a god of war. His eyes saw only the enemy before him. Over and over, he swung his blade. Over and over, he attacked.
Veins bulged in his arms. Gusts of force exploded with every strike.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The sound of tearing wind, shattering bones, and clashing flesh filled the air.
Blood flew in all directions.
Muscle tore. Bones cracked.
Shirou fought like a beast, slashing with everything he had. The demon's claws stabbed into him again and again, but he didn't stop.
The inn echoed with the sounds of their relentless, savage battle.
Then—
A brilliant beam of light broke through the treetops outside.
"That light—!"
Terror surged through the demon's voice. Even its next attack faltered.
It wanted to run. Flee.
But Shirou wasn't about to give it the chance.
Shlk—!
Another blade pierced flesh.
His katana drove straight through the demon's skull.
THUD—!
With a heavy crash, Shirou pinned the creature to the floor, nailing it down with the sword.
"GRAAAAAAAHHHHH!!"
The demon shrieked in terror. It flailed wildly, claws slashing at Shirou in a panic.
Shlk! Shlk! Shlk! Shlk! Shlk!
In mere moments, Shirou's chest was torn open. His ribs cracked, blood gushed onto the floor.
But still—he didn't let go.
He held tight to the hilt, pinning the demon in place.
"Let me go! Let me go! Let me gooooo!!"
The sunlight edged closer—just seconds away from filling the inn.
"Please! I won't eat humans anymore! I swear I'll never kill again! I'll stay in the dark forever! Just let me go!!"
The once-arrogant demon was gone. Now it groveled before the same human it had called prey.
Was this the same creature Shirou had barely stood against moments ago?
"Really?"
Shirou's voice was quiet.
"Yes! Yes!! I swear! Please!!"
The demon's screams were nearly incoherent now. Even tears streamed from its eyes.
"In that case—"
Shirou's grip loosened.
In a flash, the demon ripped the sword from its skull, kicked Shirou aside, and dashed for the stairs.
"When the sun goes down—you're dead, kid!!"
It hurled its final threat over its shoulder as it ran, desperate to escape.
But the light was faster.
The sunlight surged across the inn's floor, chasing after the retreating demon.
Just a little farther!
Just a little more!!
If I can just reach—
Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!
Three blade-arrows flew through the air, piercing the demon's skull and both arms.
It was nailed to the wall of the lobby in an instant.
"For every soul you've butchered—go repent in hell!!!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
And then, the sunlight reached it.
The demon's screams turned into agony, howling like it was being torn apart.
But Shirou's eyes held no pity.
And at last—his body gave out.
Bathed in the morning light, Emiya Shirou collapsed to the floor.