Chapter 203: Chapter 203: Hero Emiya takes the stage! Trace… On!

[ Meanwhile, on the other side, Shirou Emiya, pursued by Berserker, looked at Illya with exhaustion as they faced a massive chasm. They had nowhere left to run… ]

[ “Shirou, leave me and run.” Illya knew she was the target, and if they continued like this, neither of them would escape. ]

[ “How could I…” No matter how exhausted he was, Shirou Emiya had no intention of abandoning Illya. But before he could finish, a loud noise erupted behind them. ]

[ Shirou Emiya looked back to see two enormous trees hurled into the sky, plummeting towards them. They barely survived by leaping into the chasm. ]

[ However, the ground began to tremble again, clearly indicating Berserker was nearby. Illya quickly urged, “Shirou, run! Berserker is after me.” ]

[ “Shirou!!” Seeing Shirou unresponsive, Illya frantically called out again, only to be pulled into Shirou Emiya’s embrace. ]

[ Shirou Emiya gently stroked Illya’s head and softly said, “A big brother is supposed to save his little sister.” ]

[ “Don’t worry about it. You called me ’Big Brother,’ so I am your big brother, even without a blood connection.” ]

[ After speaking, Shirou Emiya stood up and took off his jacket. Illya still tried to stop him, “Shirou, if you use Archer’s arm, you can’t go back.” ]

[ “I know…” Shirou Emiya tossed his jacket aside, fully aware of the consequences. ]

[ Tears welled up in Illya’s eyes, “You’ll die!” ]

[ “No,” Shirou Emiya tore off the sleeve of his shirt, a strange glint in his eyes. “It’s precisely so I don’t die that I have to use it.” ]

[ Illya, bewildered, cried and asked, “Why… why are you trying so hard, Shirou? You haven’t done anything bad.” ]

[ Shirou Emiya paused after hearing Illya’s words, then closed his eyes with a sense of relief. “No, I’ve done many bad things. But… thank you!” ]

[ …..]

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Little sister… In you, I see a familiar young man, the one who fought through the Holy Grail War overnight for his sister.”

“Another future without an ending. Once Emiya Archer’s arm is used, there truly is no turning back.”

But there was no other way now. Using Emiya Archer’s arm wasn’t fighting to die, but fighting to survive. Without fighting, survival was impossible.

~Type-Moon World, Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Worldline~

“Haven’t done anything bad… Perhaps that’s how it seems to others.”

The Giant Hero, Shirou, knew what kind of person the young man named ’Shirou Emiya’ was.

Just the fact that he didn’t kill Sakura was what Shirou Emiya considered his greatest sin.

But… since he had made up his mind, he wouldn’t squander this power. Even if there was no future, he would use this power to protect his ’little sister’!

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Illya, who had been staying at the Emiya residence for a while, secretly wiped away tears from the corner of her eyes after seeing this scene. She continuously patted Shirou Emiya’s back with her small hands.

“I’m the older sister!! Not some little sister.”

“Uh… I know, can you let me go now?”

Though he said that, Shirou Emiya still felt doubtful as he gently patted Illya’s small head. She was so tiny, he felt like he could pick her up with one hand. Was she really the older sister and not the younger?

After hearing Shirou Emiya’s reply, Illya then kicked the silent Emiya Archer standing nearby… He clearly knew her identity, yet he kept acting like a riddler, not even calling her “older sister.”

Emiya Archer, who was inexplicably hit, dared not speak his anger. He could only rub the spot where he was kicked, looking at Shirou Emiya on the screen with some relief.

Perhaps Shirou Emiya in this worldline was suffering, but this was also the path Emiya Archer wanted his past self to pursue.

Not acting for the sake of so-called justice, not being bound by the ideals he believed in, this was truly acting based on his own conviction and actions.

—

[ After tearing off his long sleeve, Shirou Emiya silently walked up the large tree that had been thrown. ]

[ What will be the consequences of using this arm? I don’t know. Perhaps… the vow to protect Sakura, the resolve to bring Illya back, and everything else will be forgotten by me. ]

[ However, he must have felt it necessary to entrust this arm to me. ]

[ “It’s fine to defeat him, Illya.” Shirou Emiya’s eyes were filled with determination. This was something he had to do. ]

[ “Mm!” ]

[ Receiving Illya’s affirmation, Shirou Emiya stepped forward, tearing off the Holy Shroud wrapped around his arm, and walked towards the rising sun. ]

[ It was as if Shirou Emiya transformed into a green spiritual body, his magical circuits leading him deep into the origin. Here, strong winds howled relentlessly, filled with a sand-like mist. ]

[ “Body and consciousness are numbly collapsing. Why did I come here?” ]

[ “And why did I become like this? Why have I fought until now?!” The green Shirou Emiya ran forward against the wind and sand, yet seemed to have forgotten the reason for reaching this place. ]

[ At this moment, the BGM began to explode. ]

[ Cracks began to appear on the green Shirou Emiya. In the deepest part of the mist, he saw Archer. Shirou Emiya’s green body was constantly torn apart. ]

[ Emiya Archer glanced back at him, then continued walking forward, “Can you keep up?!” ]

[ “Crack—” With a shattering sound, the green glass shattered, and Shirou Emiya’s figure leaped out, rushing forward quickly. ]

[ “Ask if I can keep up?!” ]

[“Ridiculous!! It should be you…” Shirou Emiya’s eyes were fixed on the figure ahead, breaking through the mist and chasing after him without hesitation.

[ Emiya Archer’s green magical circuits gradually connected with his body, and his arm seemed to be completely welded together as if by electricity. ]

[ “You should keep up with me!!!” Shirou Emiya overtook Emiya Archer’s figure. The mist had completely vanished, and under a blue sky, Archer looked at his retreating back with a smile. ]

[ …..]

~Projection of All Worlds~

“Now I know the consequences of using Emiya Archer’s arm… The body and consciousness will gradually collapse, everything will be forgotten, even the vows made may be forgotten.”

“This is truly ’Body of Steel, heart of glass’! Even so, one must charge forward… It’s so cool!!”

Everyone present was filled with awe. His current self had surpassed his future self, who was bound by ideals…

The mist he broke through was the best proof of him shattering the confusion in his heart.

For a human body to forcibly merge with a heroic spirit’s power, the body would be corroded by the power. But even if everything were forgotten, even if the body would collapse, even if this life held no meaning, this body shall be made of swords!

“You ask if I can keep up?! Ridiculous… I can lose to anyone, but never to myself…”

~Type-Moon World, ██████ Worldline~

~In the 7th singularity, Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia~

“The price of forcefully pushing magical circuits to use an unbearable spell, the magical power directly runs wild and materializes within the body… You really are something, Shirou Emiya.”

Merlin smiled slightly at the sight. There were no two identical magical circuits in the world.

But at this moment, their two magical circuits perfectly aligned, which also meant Shirou Emiya’s life began its countdown.

“Hmph… As a subject, he didn’t do badly!”

King Gilgamesh’s lips also curved into a smile. It seemed that Emiya Archer, who had failed to find an answer in this worldline, finally found peace upon seeing Shirou Emiya at this moment.

Because Shirou Emiya, at this moment, was no longer bound by ideals. His past self had broken free from the shackles of justice and found his own path.

~Type-Moon World, Witch on the Holy Night Worldline~

“Hehehe, I’m getting more and more interested in you, Shirou Emiya!!”

Aozaki Touko’s eyes sparkled with excitement. The combination of human and heroic spirit, the connection of future and past magical circuits, personally pulling the trigger on life’s countdown.

And after watching for so long, this was the first time Aozaki Touko had seen Emiya Archer smile like that… It seemed he was marveling that such a self existed, and even feeling proud of having once been such a self.

~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~

Just as Aozaki Touko thought, Emiya Archer was indeed feeling both relieved and somewhat at peace.

“He broke free from the shackles of ideals and became a flesh-and-blood human. This is the wish Shirou Emiya himself wants to achieve.”

From the moment he burst out of the mist, he was no longer an Ally of Justice, but Shirou Emiya!!

—

[ Under Archer’s relieved and gratified gaze, Shirou Emiya continued to run forward, then leaped down. ]

[ Looking at Berserker below, he calmly uttered the phrase familiar to everyone: “Trace… On!!” ]

[ Unlike before, Shirou Emiya seemed to read Berserker’s memories, with images of Berserker’s previous Twelve Labors constantly flashing through his mind. ]

[ “Click!” With the sound of a gun being cocked, Shirou Emiya landed on the ground. ]

[ “Trace… Loaded!!” As Shirou Emiya spoke calmly, white steam emanated from his body. He then raised his arm high, the Holy Shroud tied to his wrist, fluttering in the air. ]

[ As a green magical circuit appeared, light materialized in his hand. Shirou Emiya suddenly opened his eyes, blood flowing from the corners, and shouted the name of the Noble Phantasm: “This is… ’Nine Lives—’!!!” ]

[ Magical energy surged continuously from his body. With a brilliant green magical energy light, a massive cleaver identical to the one in Berserker’s hand appeared in his own. ]

[ Facing the charging Berserker, Shirou Emiya swung the Noble Phantasm in his hand. Traces of rapid slashes flashed across Berserker’s body, and eight massive fissures appeared behind him. ]

[ “Ugh!!!” Shirou Emiya didn’t stop for a second. He roared at the resurrected Berserker, piercing his body with the Noble Phantasm. The sheer force tore a massive chasm in the ground. ]

[ As Berserker was about to dissipate, he regained his original consciousness. He looked at Illya and said only one sentence to Shirou Emiya, “From now on, you will protect her.” ]

[ After speaking, he transformed into golden specks of light and vanished. ]

[ …..]

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