Chapter 1. Emiya Descends into Danmachi
Pain.
A sharp, intense pain, as if every bone in his body had been taken apart and reassembled.
That was the only sensation Shirou Emiya felt upon regaining consciousness.
Immediately after, damp air mixed with the fragrance of earth and vegetation wafted into his nostrils. The echoing roar of a waterfall reached his ears, along with the faint sound of human voices in the distance.
"Finn, it looks like he's awake."
A female voice, as clear and cold as spring water, rang out beside him.
Shirou Emiya snapped his eyes open. His body tensed instinctively, and his right hand subconsciously made a hollow grip—a muscle memory formed from long-term combat on the edge of life and death.
He was looking for a weapon.
However, his hand grasped nothing but air.
What met his eyes was not the familiar burning ruins of Fuyuki City, nor the stone path of Ryudou Temple, but a massive crystal dome emitting a faint luminescence. Those glowing crystals were embedded in rock walls dozens of meters high, illuminating this underground space as bright as day.
"Where... is this?"
Shirou propped himself up, trying to sit, but a wave of dizziness washed over his brain.
His memories were a mess. He remembered that in the end, to carry out his ideal of being an "Ally of Justice," he had exhausted every last drop of his magical energy within his Reality Marble, Unlimited Blade Works.
Did he not die? Or was this the Throne of Heroes?
"This is the 18th floor of the Dungeon, the Under Resort. For those who meet with disaster, this place is probably considered heaven."
A voice that was slightly flippant yet steady reached him.
Shirou turned his head, his pupils contracting slightly.
Surrounded him was a group of people who, even to an amateur's eye, were undeniably "strong."
The speaker was a petite, golden-haired, and golden-eyed Pallum. He was squinting while sizing Shirou up; though he looked like a child, his eyes possessed a wisdom tempered by long experience on the battlefield.
Standing beside him was a woman holding a staff, with emerald-green hair and pointed ears. Her aura was noble and stern—clearly a member of the legendary Elf race.
But what drew Shirou's attention most was a golden-haired girl standing closest to him.
She wore light silver armor, her long golden hair cascading down to her waist like a waterfall. Her golden eyes were so clear they lacked even a trace of impurity, and she was staring expressionlessly at his palms—where calluses from long-term swordsmanship remained.
"My name is Emiya Shirou."
Shirou took a deep breath, suppressing his physical discomfort, and forced a smile that was as friendly as possible.
"Sorry, I'm not clear on the situation... May I ask, was I saved by you all?"
"We picked you up by the side of the road!"
Suddenly, an energetic face leaned in. It was a short-haired girl with dark skin and light clothing, staring at him with large, curious eyes.
"I'm Tiona! That's Captain Finn, that's Riveria, and that's Ais!"
The golden-haired girl called Ais nodded slightly, acknowledging him.
"Picked up?" Shirou gave a bitter smile.
"That's right, near the entrance to the 18th floor." Finn gave a thumbs-up and said with a smile, "Mr. Emiya, it might be a bit forward of me, but I have to ask... which Familia's adventurer are you? Why aren't you wearing any equipment, and why is there no scent of 'Falna' on you?"
"Familia? Falna?"
Shirou froze for a moment. These terms were completely foreign to him.
Seeing Shirou's blank expression, the air around them solidified slightly.
"Oi, are you serious?"
A slightly irritable voice rang out. A werewolf youth with lightning-bolt markings on his face—Bete—who had been leaning against a tree, walked over looking displeased.
"Without a God's Falna, you're just a normal person? How could a normal person end up on the 18th floor of the Dungeon? Unless he fell from the sky."
"Bete, don't be so rude." Riveria frowned and scolded him softly, then looked at Shirou. "However, though Bete's words are harsh, they are the truth. This is the Middle Floors; even experienced adventurer parties wouldn't dare be careless. For a normal person like you to appear here is truly too abnormal."
Shirou fell silent.
He realized he might have crossed over into another world. This wasn't something difficult to accept; after all, as a magus, he was no stranger to the Theory of Parallel Worlds.
"I... probably got lost." Shirou could only provide a vague answer.
"I don't remember much of what happened before I woke up."
"Amnesia? What a cliché excuse." Bete sneered.
"Forget it. Anyway, a weakling like this would just be a burden to bring back to the surface."
Finn looked deeply at Shirou, seemingly trying to judge if he was lying. However, he saw no malice in the red-haired youth's eyes, only a kind of... unexpectedly honest peace.
"Regardless, since we've encountered you, the Loki Familia has no reason to leave someone behind in a danger zone." Finn made a decision. "We are currently resting. Once we finish our preparations, we'll take you back to Orario (the surface) on our way out."
"I'm very grateful." Shirou breathed a sigh of relief.
However, just at that moment.
Vroom—
An unnatural vibration in the air came from the woods on the perimeter of the camp.
Finn's thumb suddenly twitched slightly.
"Enemy attack!"
The Pallum captain's voice turned cold instantly.
"Three o'clock! Large numbers! They're 'War Shadows' that slipped through the cracks!"
Before he could finish speaking, a dozen black silhouettes lunged out from the shadows of the forest.
These were monsters known as "War Shadows," possessing jet-black bodies and razor-sharp claws, specializing in stealthy ambushes within shadows. While they weren't strong enemies for the main force of the Loki Familia, there were too many of them, and they appeared without warning, bypassing the outer sentry line!
"Tch, so many small fry!"
Bete cursed. His figure vanished instantly, and in the next second, two War Shadows were kicked to pieces by his pair of combat boots.
Ais and Tiona also drew their weapons instantly, clearing out the monsters that rushed in as easily as cutting vegetables.
'These people... are so strong.'
Shirou Emiya watched their movements, secretly astonished. That kind of speed and power was not inferior to an average Servant.
But the number of monsters seemed greater than expected, and their goal was very clear—to strike at the camp's supplies and the personnel in the rear.
"Watch out! There's more on the left!"
An alarmed cry rang out.
It was an Elf girl named Lefiya. She was preparing to chant magic, but her rhythm was interrupted by a War Shadow jumping down from the tree canopy. The monster's claws, carrying a foul wind, lunged straight for her face.
The main members were all on the front line clearing the large horde; they were too far away from her!
"Lefiya!" Riveria raised her staff to help, but constructing magic required time.
It was too late.
That Elf girl was going to be injured, or perhaps even die.
Before Shirou Emiya's brain could weigh the pros and cons, his body had already moved.
This was the sorrow of the man named Shirou Emiya; even in another world, the instinct to "save people" carved into his bones remained unchanged.
He lunged forward, shielding Lefiya.
"Get out of the way! You're a normal person!" Lefiya's eyes widened in terror.
No weapon.
No armor.
Using a body of flesh and blood to block a monster's claws—it was suicide!
'No, I have a weapon.'
Shirou's gaze became incredibly sharp at that moment. Although the twenty-seven Magic Circuits in his body were slightly sluggish, they were instantly connected under the drive of his will.
Imaging.
Judging.
Constructing.
They were his most familiar partners and his only reliance.
"Trace—On!"
The low incantation escaped the youth's mouth.
There was no lengthy chant, nor the brilliant light of a God's Falna.
There were only two bolts of emerald-green magical lightning crackling between his hands.
Under the shocked gazes of Lefiya, Riveria, and the just-turned Ais, the light coalesced into physical form.
The left hand was black, named Kanshou.
The right hand was white, named Bakuya.
Two short swords, fitting together like a Taiji symbol, appeared out of thin air in Shirou's hands.
"Hah!"
Shirou didn't retreat; instead, he advanced. His twin blades crossed into a 'X' shape, steadily blocking the claws the War Shadow swung down.
The monster's strength was immense, making Shirou's hands feel numb, but he didn't take a single step back.
With a flick of Shirou's wrist, the black Kanshou slid down the monster's claws, severing its tendons, while the white Bakuya turned into a streak of light, accurately piercing the Magic Stone core in the monster's chest.
Crack
The originally ferocious monster's body froze, then dissolved into a cloud of black smoke, leaving behind only a fingernail-sized Magic Stone that dropped to the ground.
The battle ended quickly.
The remaining War Shadows were also cleared out by the members of the Loki Familia.
Peace returned to the camp, but the atmosphere had become somewhat strange.
Everyone's gaze was fixed on the red-haired youth—or rather, on the pair of black-and-white twin swords in his hands that had appeared out of thin air.
"Phew..."
Shirou dispersed the projection in his hands, and the twin blades vanished into sparks of light. He panted slightly; his body was still weak, and the flow of magical energy caused a wave of stinging pain.
He turned around to look at the Elf girl behind him who was frozen in shock, reaching out a hand: "Are you okay?"
Lefiya stared at him blankly and nodded subconsciously: "I'm... I'm okay. Th-thank you!"
"Um..."
A golden figure appeared beside Shirou at some unknown point.
Ais Wallenstein.
The "Sword Princess" who was usually indifferent to everything was now staring intently at Shirou's empty hands. In those calm golden eyes, for the first time, ripples of "curiosity" appeared.
"The swords... where did you take them from?"
She tilted her head, her voice cold and direct.
"It's a magic I've never seen before."
Not just her; Finn and Riveria also walked over. The dismissal in their eyes had long since vanished, replaced by scrutiny and inquiry.
A "normal person" without a God's Falna.
No chant.
Yet he could create weapons of such high quality out of thin air and kill a high-level Lv.1 monster with exquisite skill.
"It's just a... trick of sorts that I can't quite explain myself."
Shirou Emiya scratched his head, revealing that signature, honest smile that made it impossible to stay angry with him.
He didn't know.
In the world of Orario, where power and magic were revered, exactly what this "trick" he had instinctively revealed to save someone meant.
It was not just proof of strength.
It was a key—a key that was about to open the path to becoming a "Hero."