A week had already passed since my settling into Shirou's Inner World, and all these days were used by us as efficiently as possible. Probably... There's always a chance I missed something, but I hope I covered everything necessary.
Thanks to Kiritsugu, I finally learned most of the terminology related to magic and other things in this world. The elder Emiya also roughly explained to me the level of modern magic in the current reality.
I must admit, I was somewhat disappointed...
To begin with, it is worth mentioning that in my home world, magic was not hidden. Even before the "arrival," the magical community revealed itself to the world and reliably integrated into it, soon becoming an integral part of human life. And when the war with the arriving "Devourers" began, magic became an absolutely necessary asset in humanity's hands. All available resources were allocated to all kinds of magical and non-magical research. As a result, we advanced very far in a short time.
Unfortunately, all the technologies of my world only delayed the enemy from completely annihilating humanity. All our efforts won a little more than three hundred years... Though, that's not relevant now.
In general, I decided to stick to my teaching methods but will use this world's terminology for obvious reasons. Even if it's more convenient for me to speak in "my language," it won't be funny if my new student can't "understand" other magi.
Kiritsugu also brought "me" to the cave under the Ryudō Temple, located on Mount Enzō. That was exactly where the Great Grail was supposed to manifest due to the death of all the Servants. After a simple analysis, it became clear that this territory was a good source of Prana collection to fuel the "vessel" thanks to the convenient location of the "earth veins," which is why this place was used in the ritual. Truly fertile ground for conducting such a grandiose ritual capable of fulfilling any wish of the victor. Only the results of further research promised nothing good...
Well, what else could I expect? A peaceful reincarnation without the risk of dying on the first day of my new life?.. I've never been that lucky.
In general, I don't know who facilitated the appearance of the ritual, but hardly this "someone" thought about the possible consequences of this "event." Or it suited him just fine?.. At the moment, that's not so important. The Root or whatever is not worth the potential catastrophe.
What is the point of a wish if the one who makes it simply has nowhere to live? A destroyed world is not a good place to live—I know from personal experience...
In the end, the Grail is a cursed nuclear bomb on a world scale. And even if it was originally created "whole," now... It can't even be properly dismantled until most of the energy is expended, and there is still a huge amount of it "inside" this "vessel."
Kiritsugu came up with a plan involving an explosion that would in the future cause an earthquake destructive to Fuyuki's Ley Lines, cutting off the ritual from the energy source, but I refuted this solution. Yes, it would not allow the next Holy Grail War in sixty years, but the Prana accumulated in the vessel would remain in limbo, so anything could happen. There was no doubt that the curse-brewed "broth" even in that state was capable of causing many... troubles. Moreover, this was not even the main problem.
As a result of the examination, it turned out that the next Holy Grail War would occur in about ten years.
Kiritsugu was once again stunned since our first meeting. It took the Magus Killer a lot of time and a fully smoked pack of cigarettes to come to a more or less normal state, after which we immediately began developing plans for the future.
And then our joint "brainstorming" began. Only its results led us to an extremely grim conclusion.
We can do little. We simply have no opportunity to dismantle the ritual. I simply have no body to intervene directly, and Kiritsugu lost most of his Magical Circuits and even at his peak was a rather mediocre magus.
In simpler terms, we, for lack of better words, are largely helpless cripples.
Therefore, without the ability to prevent the ritual in advance due to the high probability of the death of a significant part of Fuyuki's population, we had a small choice—participate in the next Holy Grail War.
Unfortunately, that was the only option left to us. The Einzberns, judging by everything, are firmly intent on winning the war, ignoring the very possibility that the Grail was corrupted, by their own hands no less, and now represents anything but the wish-granter the Homunculus family wants to see.
However, it is quite possible that they know everything, but the consequences simply do not bother them.
Kiritsugu's attempts to contact old Acht—the current head of the Einzberns—were unsuccessful. Apparently, they decided to completely sever all ties with the traitor. The elder Emiya expressed doubts that even letters sent with a detailed description of the "defect" in the ritual would convince the old man to refuse participation in the war.
For Kiritsugu himself, this primarily meant that his daughter would surely become the Lesser Grail in the next confrontation, where regardless of the outcome she would not survive the ritual's completion...
Overall, the whole situation did not inspire confidence. And to think! The whole world is in danger, and its salvation will be undertaken by a killer and a "dead man"! Ha! If the All-Creator really exists, his sense of humor leaves much to be desired...
Unfortunately, in this matter we turned out to be completely alone, and even an attempt to contact the rest of the magical world would only doom Kiritsugu and Shirou to certain death. The Magus Killer made a huge number of enemies in his career, so that is too dangerous. Moreover, as mentioned earlier, for the Einzbern family, Kiritsugu is a traitor. With their influence, it would be no trouble for them to sway the Clock Tower's decision in their favor. The Church was also not a viable option. Kirei Kotomine was still alive, and it would cost him nothing to refute everything Kiritsugu could report.
In the end, who would the Church believe? The sadly infamous terrorist and killer known throughout the world, or God's faithful servant with an absolutely impeccable reputation?
In the end, all we can do is participate in the war and somehow win it, trying to minimize the damage to the civilian population. But even here a problem arises... Kiritsugu surely will not live to see the war. The Grail's curse is eating away at the Magus Killer from the inside, and even now he experiences significant pain and weakness. His life has been greatly shortened as a result of the harmful effects of curses, and there is no doubt that even with my intervention he will not live to see the war. At least not with sufficient strength to wage it. This leaves us with only one option...
And neither of us liked it...
Unfortunately, we had no choice. For several days, Kiritsugu and I tried to come up with another solution, but each of us invariably came to the same option, which consisted of preparing "our" Master, who after Kiritsugu's "departure" could handle the situation. The Magus Killer and I ended up in some disagreement, but after a few days we finally decided.
The future Master of the Holy Grail War will be Emiya Shirou, as the only magus at our disposal...
Soon we asked the boy his opinion on the matter, and he agreed without hesitation. From his face, it was clear that the guy had decided to prevent a catastrophe like the recent fire. To all our warnings, Shirou only replied that he wanted to save as many people as possible. The boy simply did not want a repeat of that catastrophe and was full of determination to prevent it. Kiritsugu clearly did not like Shirou's self-sacrifice. The newly minted father was greatly concerned by the child's resolve to put himself in danger.
And then I told them both about the potential inherent in little Shirou...
That day the boy's father was extremely stunned. I told them both that the boy had an incomplete Reality Marble, as well as his affinity with the Origin. Shirou himself did not quite understand what that meant, but Kiritsugu explained the whole... abnormality of this situation from his position.
Shirou's own reaction was somewhat ambiguous... On one hand, he was glad to have the potential to become an excellent, albeit specialized, magus, but at the same time the boy showed no particular excitement about this news. And that was abnormal for a child his age. I don't know much about children, but wouldn't a child be happy to learn he is special? Even the very possibility of becoming a magus is not something... well, incredible? For a child, Shirou's reaction was extremely restrained, as if this opportunity held no particular significance for him... Surely the aftermath of the cursed fire and the damage to Shirou's soul. Perhaps he suffered much more than I assumed. In the future, this problem needs to be addressed. Even if the guy shows emotions, albeit somewhat restrained, his emotional "dullness" may be a mixture of psychological and spiritual trauma, which in turn can lead to a variety of problems for him.
I will have to address this mandatorily. Fortunately, we will have plenty of opportunities to solve all problems in the future.
In general, in the end we were left with our best option for preparing the guy for the upcoming Holy Grail War. In the same case, if Shirou had decided to refuse, we would simply move far away and try to find another magus...
In the end, after long conversations and searching for the best options, the decision was finally made in favor of Shirou's participation in the next ritual for the "Holy" Chalice.
The guy quickly became eager to start his training as soon as possible, but I stopped him, saying that I considered the best choice to use my world's methods, for which I would need some time to prepare. At the same time, I asked Kiritsugu to start preparing to teach his son everything he deemed necessary first. The Magus Killer's experience will undoubtedly be useful in the trials awaiting the child. I do not possess the skills that Kiritsugu has. I am a magus, warrior, creator, and researcher. There was no need for killer skills against my enemy—they were completely useless. Shirou was sent to bed. And this was not only because it was getting close to night, but also because of the work I had planned...
To the elder Emiya's question: "What will you do?", I replied that I needed to perform some "modifications" that would allow Shirou to absorb information better and give many different "bonuses" to my student's capabilities... After which I convinced the new father of the safety of my "operations." Fortunately, it did not take much time, though I still received several not-so-silent threats.
Whatever Kiritsugu said about himself, he obviously took his fatherhood over Shirou seriously, already ready to kill for the child. Probably for the best?..
Returning to the topic—in my world, training children was the key to humanity's survival, and it was accordingly taken very seriously. A crazy amount of research was conducted, and one of them is what I intend to use...
Dawn of the next day...
The boy was still sleeping, completely unaware of the changes that had occurred in his body. Well, it's not surprising. I took care of it, and I have plenty of experience in such soul operations. The child didn't even stir, though the dreams he had were not of the most normal content. The fire still left an incurable mark on his soul... But not now.
Now it's better to check the results of my work...
Emiya Shirou:
Number of Magical Circuits: 27, quality—(F) (7 units of Prana/circuit)
Total Prana units—210
Strength: 6 (F-)
Dexterity: 8 (F-)
Endurance: 10 (F-)
Spirit: 12 (F-)
"Well, I suppose there's no need to expect much from a simple child? At least Shirou has Magical Circuits, and in decent quantity. That's workable..." I muttered into the void, sitting in an armchair in the middle of the now familiar empty field. At the same time, a clear "picture" with my student's main stats hung in my consciousness.
In the past, some time after the "arrival," numerous studies by our "Institute" gave birth to the "System," whose main function was to enhance the capabilities of both the brain and the spiritual component of the possessor. With the "modification," the body and soul of the person begin to use their resources in the most efficient way possible, striving for self-improvement. Statistics are just a numerical designation of what the "System" says about the current state of its possessor. Effectively, Shirou's brain itself has become a supercomputer, limited only by his still underdeveloped mind. At the same time, his soul, which in a normal situation does not strive for self-development and only accepts the form embedded in the "gene" with various amendments, begins to strive for a kind of evolution, losing natural blocks.
Perhaps I should explain what the various statistical data mean:
I don't think Magical Circuits require much explanation. They conduct the magus's energy for using their magic and mysteries. The quality of the circuits determines their ability to conduct this very Prana. Specifically in Shirou's case, his Prana reserve is larger than the child's circuits can conduct through themselves without some rest. Further overexertion will cause severe pain and a sharp rise in temperature, but that's in the best case. It is also worth noting that with the magus's development, the maximum amount of his Prana units can be increased, as well as the quality of the circuits. You can't create more circuits themselves unless transplanting new ones from a donor. But that's still far off...
Strength—This is strength. The ability to exert simple physical power;
Dexterity—Flexibility, speed, and movement coordination;
Endurance—The ability to withstand damage to the body, endure loads;
Spirit—A multifaceted attribute responsible for the possessor's spiritual component. Allows more efficient use of Magical Circuits. A person with high Spirit will be less susceptible to various magical attacks, and their soul will be more "dense." The main purpose of Spirit is the ability to "Overcome body limitations" and resist spiritual influences. Also, a high Spirit value will not allow the soul to leave the body in case of death, but there are many nuances...
In general, when the child wakes up, we can start training...
A month later...
"Well, how is he progressing?" Kiritsugu, dressed in a dark green casual kimono, asked the "transmitter" lying on the tatami mat next to him.
"Shirou learns quickly. He is not very talented in some areas, but his special 'specialization' gives him many opportunities, though it imposes significant limitations. But there's no need to worry about the latter. As a specialist, Shirou will achieve more in the available time. And with proper flexibility, the boy's limitations will cease to matter." I replied calmly, "looking" at the melancholic expression on the man's face, who, upon hearing my words, nodded slightly, staring at the night sky.
The subject of the conversation was currently sleeping. Kiritsugu and I, as usual, were discussing what to do next, sitting on the veranda overlooking the inner courtyard of the estate. True, today the conversations were not going particularly well. The plans had long been drawn up, and if any of us needed anything, we could easily notify each other if necessary. Kiritsugu constantly carries the transmitter disguised as a phone, so there are no problems with that. Now his face was unusually pensive. Not that I was good at understanding other people's feelings, but this expression was familiar to me...
"Shirou..." The elder Emiya suddenly spoke, still not taking his gaze off the starry sky. "He said he wants to become a hero..." Kiritsugu said with some regret in his voice as a sad smile appeared on his face.
I did not find an answer right away. No, Kiritsugu's words were not news to me. I had long understood that the child would want to become a hero. Even after Kiritsugu personally shattered the image of the ideal Hero that Shirou had imagined, the child did not abandon his goal and did not think any worse of his father. On the contrary, Shirou wanted to become a hero even more than before. But not like his father.
Shirou said he would become a true Hero in his place...
This simple and pure desire became his main motivation for progress. The boy sincerely wanted to become a hero and save everyone. Save them just as he himself was saved. And if for someone such a dream was naive foolishness, for Shirou everything was completely different.
He really intends to become one—a Hero of Justice.
Finally, gathering my thoughts after a short pause, the words still left my lips:
"Are you against him following this dream?" The question clearly caught the man off guard, and it took him some time to answer.
"I... don't know?.." The man spoke uncertainly, lowering his gaze to his now empty hands. "What's good about wanting to become a hero if it only leads to sacrifices and pain? Wouldn't it be better if we let him live a normal life away from all... this? Do we have the right to involve him in another catastrophe?.." The current expression on his face was permeated with long-standing pain. Kiritsugu did not look too healthy even normally, but right now all his worries and ailments were clearly reflected in his hunched figure.
Fortunately, this time I had something to say, though I doubted it would really help him.
"I can't say I fully understand your feelings, but Shirou is already deeply entangled in all 'this' and we can't change what happened. We can't return his memory or old family. We can't turn back time, but we can still give him many other no less important things..." At these words, Kiritsugu directed his gaze to the "phone," and I calmly continued: "We can still give him new memories. A new family. A new memory. It is in our power to give him the ability to protect all this, and you should not forget the most important thing... You have ALREADY given him much of what I listed, and even more. You saved him. And not only him. You also saved me."
You've already accomplished a lot, and you shouldn't blame yourself. Right now, you need to focus on what you can actually do.
After those words, Kiritsugu froze and stared at the "phone" with wide-open eyes for a long time. All sorts of thoughts raced through his head, as if he didn't know how to react to what I'd said.
Should a man forgive himself for what he's done? Can he? Can he really become a good father to Shirou when he can't even do that for his own daughter?.. All these questions and even more kept looping endlessly in Kiritsugu's exhausted mind until, at some point, his gaze turned back to the starry sky.
"Thank you." The Magus Killer gave a dry smirk, ending our conversation there and leaving each of us to our own thoughts.
Returning to the boy, I have to say that Shirou is definitely distorted. As someone literally living inside him and regularly checking his condition, I can say this with complete certainty. The child has an enormous pain threshold for his age. Fear exists in him, but to a far lesser degree than in others. Anyone would envy his perseverance, and considering the two previous traits, Shirou is capable of overcoming difficulties despite serious strain. And while all this is obviously good on one hand, it raises genuine concerns for his sanity on the other. No, overall he's a completely normal child with just a few quirks that pale in comparison to the positive aspects of his character. I'm more than sure that even if society considers him strange, it won't cause any real problems. What truly worries me is his sense of self-preservation.
It's... poorly developed, to put it mildly...
The boy doesn't value his life the way normal people should. Of course, he'll defend himself if threatened, but if it comes down to a choice between his life and someone else's, Shirou will pick the latter without hesitation.
When I realized that, it immediately became clear why the child had developed a Reality Marble. Even if not in a complete state...
Speaking of which. Our whole family tried to figure out what Shirou's inner world looked like, and after some time, we got some results...
To start with, Shirou himself already "feels" the existence of his Reality Marble, though he doesn't know how to use it yet. I've also been teaching him magic, and through trial and error, we learned that the boy is weak in magic unrelated to cold weapons and a few specific branches. In fact, he'd only be proficient at a good level in Structural Analysis, Reinforcement, Projection, and Matter Transformation—that is, Transmutation.
In other words, everything I turned out to be good at.
Also, considering all the aforementioned aptitudes and proper training, Shirou has the potential to become an excellent creator of Mystic Codes.
And it just so happens that I'm a master at that too.
Other magic will be available to him only in a very limited way, but even so, we shouldn't write it off. The System allows saving templates needed to cast spells. This doesn't mean he can use any magic himself, but in the future... In short, don't discard such skills. It's always useful to have extra tools. At least while your hands can wield them with sufficient mastery.
I'm also working on... improving his Reality Marble. Since I'm inside him and his spiritual component doesn't reject me at all, this turned out to be a manageable—and, as long as I'm careful, safe—task. On top of that, I'm subtly implanting certain thoughts and ideas in Shirou that will allow him to make wider use of his inner world. Naturally, no direct interference with his emotions or memories—just short thoughts and images to guide the boy toward more effective and, importantly, creative use of his abilities.
Later, when Shirou grows up, I'll definitely teach him how to detect and resist such subtle mental intrusions. But for now, given the tight timeline, this is a good way to aid his growth, even if some might call the method... morally ambiguous.
Thanks to this intervention, the boy can already "store" knives, swords, needles, and basically anything resembling a cold weapon inside his Reality Marble. Though I was quite surprised when, alongside the blades around me, tableware and other sharp objects that caught Shirou's eye suddenly started appearing...
Anyway, after that rather amusing incident, we figured out the main function of his Reality Marble. Simply put, it's a sort of... "database" storing copies of blades and other similar "implements of war" in the form of duplicates, clubs, and even armor. However, note right away that firearms are completely ignored by it, meaning they don't match the presumed criteria. But more on that later.
What's truly important is that every blade Shirou sees with his own eyes is "saved" in his Reality Marble WITHOUT any flaws, after which, using Projection, Shirou can recreate an incredibly accurate copy of anything stored in his inner world. And that gave me a certain idea... But that's for the future.
Right now, I need to prepare. Shirou has a new simulation coming up soon...
***
Read the story months ahead of the public release — early chapters are available on my Patreon: patreon.com/Granulan