He Tore Through The Holy Grail War, And You Still Call Him A Dragon?

The rain did not cease, growing more violent by the minute, turning into silver threads outside, striking the window glass and blending into a grand, unending symphony.

Seeing that everyone was shifting their focus toward how to find and strike down the so-called god, Shirou unconsciously let out a breath of relief. After all, what he had said was the truth, not some fabricated lie—he and Eriyi had indeed encountered Ouji Sho and that "god."

It was just that before this, Eriyi had never obediently stayed within her family.

Confirming he had successfully muddled through, Shirou walked over to Nono's side. Her soaked cashmere coat had already been hung on the rack, dripping freely with water. "Did you find anything over there at Genji Heavy Industries? Didn't Melusine come with you?"

"She left after dropping me off. As for the investigation—don't even bring it up," Nono leaned close and whispered with a tone full of complaint, "I was digging in just fine, then suddenly some masked man jumped out, beating a wooden clapper and making horrible noises. Ear-splitting—he must have been that Ouji Sho you all mentioned, right?"

"Yeah, that's him."

"He probably thought I was Eriyi and tried to control me. Then, realizing I wasn't, he got mad and tried to kill me—so Melusine cut him down. Then some female Servant with a body on fire charged in—likely intending to wipe us out. But the battle spread so wide that all the data was burned to ashes!"

When she said this, Nono practically gnashed her teeth.

"So I had Melusine give them a solid beating. Then another male Servant appeared. Melusine described their Master and Servant's appearance… I thought it might be someone you knew, so I let them off."

"Oh, yeah, I do know them." Shirou, hearing Nono's muttered complaints, quickly guessed it was Kazama Ruri's Ibaraki Dōji and Gen Ushi's Watanabe no Tsuna. If Ouji Sho appeared leading his band of demons, it wasn't strange that Kazama Ruri showed up too. The only question was how it ended for him…

"Melusine thrashed them all so hard they were forced to spirit-form and retreat to heal. After that, I had Melusine take me home, but it started raining halfway back, leaving me drenched."

Nono sighed. "So in the end, I only found a little. What's certain is that the remains of that god have existed since ancient times. One group back then wanted to seal it, another wanted to take its power…"

Shirou recalled the scene in Lord El-Melloi II Case Files where Yakou Akiya forcibly implanted the god Ōkuninushi into Yakou Akane. "That's natural. People always worship gods, but at the same time fear divine power… so this endless contradiction eventually turned into binding gods inside human vessels."

"Talking about this now doesn't matter anymore. Thanks to Ouji Sho, the god has already been separated from Eriyi."

While they spoke, on the other side Uesugi Yue suddenly slammed his callused palm against the nightstand, because he had just noticed Shirou and Nono whispering cheek-to-cheek. Instantly, indignation welled up in his heart:

"Shirou, you brat!"

Clearly already stealing his daughter's heart, and now still trying to cozy up with another woman?!

Uesugi Yue's whole life, he hated nothing more than frivolous playboys. Though honestly, he himself wasn't much better—utter hypocrisy…

The aged former Shadow Emperor narrowed his eyes. "Besides, I noticed earlier… doesn't this Nono look a bit like Eriyi? Could she be…"

"Father… please don't rush into claiming relatives. She really isn't." Gen Ushi quickly cut in. He already knew of the misunderstanding Uesugi Yue once caused, nearly forcing Shirou into a "family tie" fiasco. If it happened again, they'd definitely offend him.

So Gen Ushi promptly explained:

"Miss Nono is from the Chen family of Shenzhou. While there's some distant relation to us, it's very far off."

Only then did Uesugi Yue realize. His own mother, Charlotte Chen, had been half-Chinese, half-French, with his grandmother from the Chen family. But the time gap between him and Nono was at least a full century.

"In that case, Master Yue, you're actually my relative too? That's rare. The world really is small."

Nono's tone was flat, almost dismissive. She held no fondness for her Chen family origins—relatives or not, all the same to her.

She then borrowed a comb from Sun Enxi and casually brushed her hair, snapping off a few strands by accident.

"Yes, the world is small."

Uesugi Yue grabbed an untouched cup of sake from a tray, lifted it to his lips, and drained it. He didn't care about Nono's tone, only sighed with the voice of someone worn by time.

He had thought he'd spend his twilight years alone, with nothing but ramen broth and pork bone soup for company.

Who knew that with this Holy Grail War business, all sorts of strange things kept popping up, faster than weeds after a storm—cut one batch, another sprang forth.

Not only gods had emerged, but children and relatives he thought never existed suddenly appeared too, gathering here in Tokyo.

This life was getting more interesting by the day. He couldn't even see what this small world would become by the time he died.

"Small… world?"

Eriyi, nibbling her soft-boiled egg, tilted her head with confusion. The medical band slid quietly down her wrist. To her, the world should be unimaginably vast, not small.

"It's just Tokyo that's small. The world is huge." Shirou noticed her curiosity. "Eriyi, would you like to travel and see foreign lands?"

He thought it was necessary to get Eriyi away from the Holy Grail War, especially now that she had lost her terrifying power of death. The War might soon escalate into a battle of gods. Even leaving Tokyo might not be safe—she had to go abroad.

"Outside…"

Eriyi's eyes sparkled with excitement. Under Shirou's guidance, she had seen a few documentaries. "I want to see… the snow of the Alps, the pyramids of Egypt, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Great Wall in Shenzhou…"

"Alright." Shirou pointed at Sun Enxi by the window. "See that onee-san? In the next few days, let her take you traveling, see the sights of the world."

Eriyi opened her mouth, almost ready to agree instinctively. But suddenly, she felt a knot of reluctance and unease. She was just an ordinary human now—Shirou only wanted to send her away from the battlefield…

One day, while she strolled carefree beneath the Eiffel Tower or along the Champs-Élysées, the others would be fighting to the death against the terrifying Yomi Great God. How could she possibly relax? She clenched her sleeve.

"I… don't want to."

At last she spoke, and for once, she refused Shirou. Her gaze flickered, instinctively searching for support—from her brother Gen Ushi, and from her newly acknowledged father, Uesugi Yue.

But Gen Ushi made no objection.

The Eight Families, the whole of Tokyo, were about to face the revival of the god they had feared for tens of thousands of years. In such a desperate crisis, the powerless Eriyi was safest far away.

"Eriyi, you must understand. Things will only get more dangerous. This isn't a game."

Gen Ushi hesitated but still spoke gravely. "Staying in Tokyo means no one to play Street Fighter with. Even traveling, the war could close facilities, leaving you bored…"

But Uesugi Yue shoved him aside.

"Gen, get out of here! If you can't read the mood, shut your mouth!"

He turned and comforted her:

"Don't listen to your brother's nonsense. Eriyi, Dad knows you're worried about Shirou, but don't fret—he's not the type to go down easily! If you want to stay, then stay. Dad will protect you! Anyone dares touch a hair on your head, I'll give my life to fight them!"

But Eriyi only lowered her head, whispering softly, "So… Shirou, you won't go with me, right?"

Uesugi Yue froze. "…"

I'm your father! Why treat me like this? Damn you, Shirou… this daughter of mine is hopeless—her whole heart is already tied to him!

Maito Mai silently clapped her little hands on the side.

Hahaha, splendid! Shirou wins again by a landslide, crowned the "Number One in Eriyi's Heart"! As for everyone else—utter defeat!

She watched the storm clouds over Gen Ushi and Uesugi Yue, the absorbed Sun Enxi tapping away at her stock market laptop, and Nono pouting with her head turned, and drew her conclusion.

Zero, meanwhile, just quietly served drinks.

"Eriyi, don't worry about me. There's a saying: 'Parting is so we may reunite better in the future.' You won't lose anyone—we'll all meet again."

Feeling the shifting tensions in the room, as chaotic as turbulent winds in the atmosphere, Shirou sighed inwardly.

Too many people here—what should've been simple was now turning complicated.

"Eriyi, you're no longer a 'monster.' We're the heroes fighting to save you."

"Heroes…" Eriyi raised her head, eyes brimming with unshed tears. "You must win."

Before anyone could grasp her meaning, she lifted her pale hand, palm outward.

"Yeah." Only Shirou understood—it was her sign for "victory." He raised his hand in turn.

Clap.

A large hand and a small one gently met.

"…"

Tch.

Beside them, Nono set down her comb.

Several teeth of it had snapped clean in the middle.

(End of Chapter)

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