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Chapter - 13: Embryo

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[Homurahara Academy]

[Archer Aka Shiro Emiya Pov]

I find myself perched upon the rooftop of this school, my astral form gazing down upon the unfolding events of the Fifth Holy Grail War. It seems that, for the most part, this world aligns with the memories I carried with me.

However, there are discrepancies, slight but significant, that I must acknowledge. When I told Rin that my memory was partial, I did not speak falsely. My origins lie in a future time, and I've returned to prevent the tragedy that befell me by eliminating my younger self.

My recollections of the war I once experienced remain somewhat hazy, but the core events unfold as I remembered them. The confrontation with Lancer, his quest to seek his younger self—it all unfolds like a script I've read before. I recall the wounds inflicted by Saber when she was summoned and turned upon me.

But then, there is the unexpected presence of Berserker, the eighth Master, and the introduction of the extra class, Avenger. That particular Servant was not part of my past memories...

Only when I asked Alaya for information did I realize how fucked up the reality of the situation was. The Avenger was going to be an almost impossible opponent to defeat unless all the Masters in this war formed an unprecedented alliance.

This alliance would have to include Artoria and Gilgamesh, with their Noble Phantasms unleashed to full power, since that monster was a candidate beast.

As if the presence of an Avenger within the Grail wasn't already a considerable concern...

Manaka Sajyou was an enigma to me. Though I might have heard whispers of her in my own world, the details of her existence eluded me. How had she become a Master in this particular timeline, capable of summoning a Servant whose power dwarfed even that of Berserker?

The undeniable truth that this world was not my own rankled with irritation and anger. My sole wish was to return to my original timeline and fulfill my mission: to eliminate Emiya Shirou from my world.

How many times have I taken lives? How many times had I been forced to watch my ideal trampled upon? How many innocent souls had I dispatched to protect others equally innocent?

The tally of lives extinguished by my hand had long exceeded my count. Surely, it numbered in the thousands, if not more. A burning hatred for that damn hero of justice, that version of myself, simmered within me.

This world, while different from my own, could not be allowed to perpetuate the same tragic cycle. If Emiya Shirou here still clung to his impossible dream, then it was my duty to thwart him before he walked down the path I had tread.

My actions were not driven solely by anger, although my loathing for my past self was undeniable. They were also motivated by a desire to spare the Emiya Shirou of this timeline from the torment I had endured.

My wounds had healed, allowing me to prepare for another night of battle. Although I may not have had the strength to summon my reality marble, I was certainly capable of wielding high-level weapons.

Then, like a creeping frost, a chilling aura slithered up my spine. Its sinister presence was all too familiar. I recognized it immediately.

This malevolent aura... I knew who it belonged to. In an instant, it materialized, and in another instant, it vanished, as if it had all been a fleeting dream.

"What in the world..." I muttered, stunned. That aura was in close proximity, right here at this school. It appeared that the day was beginning with an unexpected twist.

'Archer! Did you sense that?' Rin's voice resonated in my mind.

I could hear the fear and anxiety in Rin's voice, and I couldn't blame her. The aura in question would make even seasoned warriors quiver, instill fear in even the bravest of Servants. For a Magus inexperienced in battle like Rin, such terror was entirely reasonable.

'I felt it, Rin. As far as I can discern, there's no movement within the academy. It originates from... inside,' I replied somberly. 'Rin, exercise caution. Contact me if you encounter the source...'

'Understood!'

I rose to my feet and narrowed my eyes. There was no doubt in my mind that the aura belonged to Angra Mainyu. And one thought occupied my mind: the possessor of that malevolence, Sakura Matou.

"What on earth is going on in this war?" I thought in frustration, gritting my teeth. There seemed to be no end to the surprises, for I felt the presence of someone familiar, someone I had met the night before.

"Why the hell is he here?" I couldn't help but mutter with obvious annoyance in my voice as I watched a young man with short white hair enter the school looking like he was taking a leisurely stroll.

Evidently sensing my gaze focused on him, he flashed me a beaming smile that did nothing but send chills down my spine. "You damn monster..."

[Interlude]

[Otakemaru Pov]

"Oh, interesting," I found myself muttering as my eyes fell upon the imposing school building that lay before me.

It seemed that my decision to come here was right to investigate this place while my little-master rested quietly, recovering from the tumultuous events following the clash with Berserk..

After my battle with Heracles, I approached the church area as my senses had sensed a faint but unmistakable presence, a fragile but living entity. And there we discover her: a young woman with cropped hair, dressed in a somber black dress.

The woman bore the marks of a harsh existence, her body marred by dirt and bruises, but there was something more sinister at play. She had been tainted by an ever-strengthening "shadow".

Fortunately, fate had led her to cross paths with me. It was a relatively straightforward task to consume and assimilate the malevolent, utilizing it to trace back to its source, or whatever force sought to manifest this "shadow"in our world.

Regrettably, my young master could not bear witness to this encounter, for she held an intense fear of the "shadow" that had enveloped this. It wasn't surprising, considering the malevolence within that "shadow" had the potential to plunge this already impure world into madness.

"Anyway," I murmured, surveying my surroundings and sensing the presence of several Servants watching me, "This presence feels oddly familiar... Perhaps my summoning was not merely caused by the innocent little-monster."

Behind me, a distorted figure materialized, and it felt as though the world itself struggled to accept its presence. The figure took on the form of a three-headed white humanoid dragon, a magnificent yet eerie sight to behold.

This dragon was adorned with intricate chains that bound its limbs, as though its immense power needed restraint. It carried a symbolic flag, draping it like a regal cloak, and the fabric billowed gently in the ethereal breeze that enveloped it.

As the dragon ascended, a pair of shadowy wings extended behind it, their shapes resembling menacing blades, poised to cut down any obstacle that dared to stand in its way.

Fortunately for the other Servants in this war, the figure vanished after a few moments, as if it had been nothing more than a fleeting dream.

[Interlude]

[Meanwhile in the school's bathroom]

[Sakura Matou aka Sakura Tohsaka Pov]

I was not having a good day....

When I arrived at my Senpai's house this morning to prepare food, as I did every time, I couldn't help but feel a very unsettling feeling at the sight of a blonde woman named Saber.

With that name, I was almost certain that she was a Servant, and there was no doubt about it. I was shocked and upset to discover that my Senpai was participating in the Holy Grail War.

The bloody war where people are killed. I was genuinely worried about my Senpai; I couldn't even imagine what would happen if he died....

To me, Shirou is my guiding light. He's someone I can always look up to and rely on, someone who would protect me from any harm.... It was a shock to find out that he was actually a Magus, and even more surprising when I learned that he had become a Master.

I can't bear to think about that possibility. Being in such grave danger, Senpai wasn't a Magus, unlike the other participants. At least my grandfather had assured me that he wouldn't be involved in the ongoing war. Senpai wouldn't stand a chance against Zouken Matou.

And my brother...

My initial impressions of Saber were limited, but I couldn't help but think that Rider couldn't possibly beat her with Shinji in control of her contract.

Rider was taken away from me, given to my older brother to improve their chances of winning. I didn't worry too much about that; as long as my older brother was happy, it was okay for me.

My older brother is sad, consumed by hatred, and he lets that cloud his mind.... All because of me... Because I took his place as the heir to the Matou household and was chosen as a Master.

I sighed slightly as I washed my hands, my mind returning to that morning's events.... I realized that when Senpai and I spoke to each other, he blushed, and that could only make my heart beat faster in anticipation.

He blushes! Could he be embarrassed because of me? Could it be that the rock in his mind has finally broken?! Now he's not as dull as he used to be!

At least one good thing happened this morning....

I washed my face with water before patting my cheeks a few times, then looked up to see the mirror. And I immediately gasped.... In the reflection, I didn't see myself. Instead, there was a shadow. A humanoid-shaped shadow with a pair of pure red eyes.

I didn't scream because I was disgusted by the shadow form. I screamed because I was terrified of what the creature radiated. A-All the evil and shadow radiated from it, as if it were the embodiment of the dark emotions of the entire world...

The creature stretched out its hand and seemed to step out of the mirror, as if the reality before me was merely a daydream I couldn't escape, something I had to face in order to move forward.

I instinctively stepped back, my breathing heavy, my eyes wide with terror, my jaw hanging open in fear as I shook violently.

I wanted to run! I needed to run away from it! I had to run away from it! But I couldn't. Somehow, I couldn't move! I was frozen in place, and then the shadow's hand touched my cheek.

The touch was cold, devoid of any warmth, filled only with dark emotions. But the shadow didn't harm me; it touched me as if a child were caressing a parent.

Unbeknownst to me, the moment the "shadow" touched me, part of my hair turned white, and my purple eyes shifted to red and back to purple.

Then, the shadow spoke. I could only scream before pushing away the shadow, which dissipated to the ground like a splash of water, and I ran out of the bathroom.

Anywhere! I wanted to be anywhere but trapped with that... that... thing! I wanted to see my Senpai! I needed his comfort! I had to meet him! I longed to be held by him!

I desperately needed him....

Little did I know, that encounter awakened something inside me. The black grail piece containing a part of Angra Mainyu stirred the moment it came into contact with me.

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