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

Xia Mi sat beside Shirou, her eyes fixed on the storm outside, the salty tang of the sea carried by the rain. She covered half her face with her hands, suppressing the laughter bubbling inside.

"So this matter is actually that serious!"

After patiently listening to Shirou's explanation, Xia Mi lowered her hand and put on a fittingly solemn expression.

But in truth, that solemnity wasn't entirely an act. The fragment of the White King that had escaped from the Greater Grail and was now causing trouble alone outside truly gave her a headache.

It wasn't because she was worried about the fragment disguising itself as the underworld goddess Izanami and slaughtering humans—that kind of thing should be left to organizations like the Snake-Eight Families and the Secret Party to worry about.

What concerned Xia Mi was that such killings were not meaningless. The White King fragment clearly had an ulterior motive.

The simplest guess was that it was reclaiming its own bloodline by devouring those with its diluted lineage, regaining strength step by step until it returned to its peak.

But the problem was: most common folk didn't even have awakened bloodlines. Even if they were devoured, it wouldn't provide much benefit at all.

Unless… was the White King just going for quantity over quality?

If efficiency was the goal, then the White King should have targeted the Snake-Eight Families or the Fierce Ghosts instead. Those groups were full of awakened White King descendants, and their numbers alone would be enough to bring the White King back to form.

Yet the fragment chose instead to slaughter ordinary civilians, using mental arts to imitate Shinto rituals and pass itself off as a god.

Even if that fear spread far and wide, creating worship and awe of this so-called "Izanami," it was still nothing more than illusion.

Could the White King really turn those falsehoods into something real? Xia Mi didn't think so.

"The situation is not to be underestimated. Based on my guess, 'Izanami' might be trying to transform the world into a divine era, covering the entire world with her authority."

That was Shirou speaking.

This was even recorded in Fate/strange Fake.

In that false Holy Grail War, the goddess Ishtar had manifested through an Einzbern puppet. By constructing a Mesopotamian "temple," she spread her divine authority across the land.

At its core, building a temple was a ritual to restore the divine era and claim dominion over the planet. If that was the case, then Izanami's killings could also be part of such a ritual.

"In other words, every killing strengthens her. This isn't just murder—it's a nationwide ritual, an age-of-gods ritual far larger than a Holy Grail War!"

Xia Mi, listening to Shirou's analysis, suddenly felt her mood grow heavy. Wait… could what he was saying actually be true?

This guy had a strange knack for making his guesses come true. Even Norton hadn't completed the "Heroic Spirit system" before Shirou guided him through it. Shirou even created the superior Noble Phantasm Duanlongtai before Norton did.

And that was something Xia Mi, a so-called alchemy prodigy, couldn't even comprehend. Compared to Shirou and Norton, her skills suddenly felt inadequate.

Not to mention Odin with his fusion of modern science and alchemy, or the White King with its mastery of the mental field.

Xia Mi unconsciously wiped away nonexistent sweat. It felt like standing at the foot of a mountain—better to tread carefully in domains she wasn't good at.

"That… Shirou-nii, may I ask, why exactly does Izanami grow stronger from killing people? I'd like to study it—"

But Shirou, usually so open, suddenly tightened his lips.

"Xia Mi-imouto, I already warned you about how dangerous this is. Why are you so insistent on poking at it?"

Are you… caring a little too much about this?

"I'm just curious, that's all. It's a rare research subject. As my senpai, shouldn't you answer your imouto's questions?"

Xia Mi gave him a playful pat on the shoulder.

"Shouldn't you?"

But Shirou didn't answer, instead bringing up something else.

"I already said, it's dangerous for you to go back and forth to Tokyo every day. Yesterday, Nono told me she was worried about you, so she followed you. She trailed your train for seven or eight stops, but in the end she lost you. You know this, don't you?"

The rain grew heavier, the bamboo curtain at the warehouse entrance snapping in the wind.

"…" Xia Mi kept silent, brushing her hair to one side before replying, "Yes. I sensed it. I'm sensitive to those kinds of gazes. I've practiced anti-tracking for years."

Truth was, no human could ever tail a Dragon King.

"So you recognized her but still chose to shake her off. Xia Mi, you haven't been honest with us, have you?"

"Senpai, are you suspecting me? Thinking I might be on the bad side of this Holy Grail War? Wow, does that mean Shirou the great hero will slay me in the name of justice? Should I start trembling right now~?"

Her sweet smile vanished, her tone light but her nails dug into her palm.

She tilted her head, hair falling to hide the fleeting golden gleam in her eyes. Out of the corner of her vision she spotted the rows of weapons hanging inside the warehouse.

If things turned violent here, Shirou's stockpile of Noble Phantasms would overwhelm her completely.

"Relax. I haven't reached a conclusion yet."

Shirou calmly watched the rain outside, unfazed by Xia Mi's sudden tension.

"It's human nature to hide things. Not everyone is willing to open up. I can understand that, so don't overthink it."

"But I hope you'll trust us more. None of us want our happiness destroyed. We all want to protect those close to us."

Hearing this, Xia Mi thought of her foolish but strong brother who still called her onee-chan, and sighed softly. Wasn't she working hard all this time to protect what she held dear?

"Senpai, you really do live up to your hero nickname. I thought you weren't good at talking, but your big speeches just keep coming."

She swung her slender legs from the porch, looking out at the rain with a complicated expression.

"But, senpai, not everything in this world is as simple as you think."

Shirou frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"Think of the trolley problem."

"I know. Two tracks, one with five people tied down, one with one. The trolley approaches, and you must decide whether to pull the lever."

Shirou knew it well. Kiritsugu had even faced a similar dilemma with the Black Grail in Fate/Zero.

"Good. Now let's take it to the extreme," Xia Mi said.

"There are some beings out there—weak, harmless, with no wish to threaten the world. Yet the moment they appear, they are branded enemies, condemned by everyone. And now, imagine that being is your family or friend. Senpai, would you kill them for the world's sake?"

Shirou shook his head.

"No. Even if it means standing against the world, I won't do something that stupid. That's nothing but false justice—utilitarian morality."

Xia Mi raised her brows, startled. "Shirou-dono! You're supposed to be a hero! A true hero fights for the people! Can't you think bigger?"

After all, this was the man who could stand against first-generation dragon-slaying siblings, who was even more gifted in alchemy than Norton.

And yet when asked to safeguard the world, he simply said no, declaring that if anyone touched his people, he'd blow everything up.

Suddenly, she felt an odd sense of security just being around him.

"This isn't about scale. Being a hero or not—that's just how others see me. I won't treat it as a burden. Even if I become one, it'll be for the sake of those beside me. If I can't even protect them, then I'd rather not be a hero at all."

"Cough, cough. Senpai, that sounds cool, but you're still nowhere near smooth enough to win over a girl like me."

Even as she said it, Xia Mi grew shy. "But… well, I suppose that counts as sincerity. Still, a girl's secrets can't be given away so easily."

Shirou chuckled, brushing aside the curtain to reveal the gleam of weapons within. The cold aura of iron poured into the rain-soaked air.

"Xia Mi-assistant, this isn't fair, is it? I've shown my sincerity, but you're still keeping everything hidden. Doesn't that make you the one without sincerity?"

"…I do have sincerity!"

Xia Mi panicked at the sight of those Noble Phantasms. Frantically she searched for an excuse, until an idea struck her—Norton's "Ugly Gozen and Settsu Great Armor System." There was still one unused Master slot…

"Senpai, senpai, are you into mecha? Maybe try making a wish. Who knows, a mecha girl might just appear in your arms."

"Mecha? A wish?" Shirou blinked. Wait—wasn't that basically like Melusine? But Melusine was a Heroic Spirit. Another one… unless… was she talking about summoning?

Then a sharp sting shot across the back of his hand.

"What the—?!"

He stared at the fresh Command Seals etched into his skin, bewildered.

By the time he looked up, Xia Mi had already dashed away, moving with inhuman speed.

"Xia Mi! What are you?!"

"I'm your imouto, senpai," she called back, leaping onto the wall through the rain. "Don't worry. I'll stand with you against that murderous god!"

"Then why not be honest so we can find the culprit together?!"

Shirou leapt after her, vanishing into the storm.

Xia Mi fled through the rain, cold sweat dripping. Her thoughts churned: Find the culprit? With me? What if the one we're chasing is… me?

The fragment of the White King running rampant outside was most likely the very one that had slipped past her watch… Would she be the one blamed in the end?

"Senpai!" she shouted back. "Let's make a bet! I'll handle this whole mess myself. Soon everything will be calm again, the world at peace!"

A reckless gamble, friend!

"World peace my ass! Wars in the Middle East never stopped!" Shirou yelled. "And what if you lose? We'll still have to fight together in the end!"

They dashed through the rain, one chasing, one fleeing, like Xiao He chasing Han Xin under the moonlight.

"Don't worry! I'll win this bet! If I lose, I'll drag the culprit here myself to serve you!"

Xia Mi smirked inwardly, already planning to shove the blame onto her brother Fenrir. "And if you insist, repayment in flesh works too!"

Throwing out that line, she vanished into the alleys, finally burrowing underground with expert ease.

Then a deep voice rang in her mind, cutting through rain and soil. Norton, through their blood pact.

"You fool! What did you just do? Did you use the Greater Grail's authority?!"

"…I just gave Shirou a Command Seal, that's all?"

"That's all?! Damn it! Why didn't you tell me first?! The White King's main body inside the Greater Grail just went out of control!"

"…What?! I—I'll be right there!"

Xia Mi's heart sank as she remembered her bet.

Was she… going to lose?

(End of Chapter)

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