The moment Kane and Cruz lunged forward, Shirou's body moved before thought could catch up. He didn't clash with them head-on. Instead, he darted toward Cruz with fluid precision, ducking beneath a reckless horizontal slash, and in the blink of an eye, pivoted around him.
Their bluff was just that—a bluff, Shirou thought, eyes scanning their mana flows. Kane's definitely early Adept. But Cruz… late Apprentice at best. Weak.
Cruz's blade glowed faintly with a violet shimmer as he turned and lunged again, but his movements were wild, unrefined. Shirou met his attack with ease, parrying and twisting his body to throw Cruz off balance.
Perfect opening.
"Ashbringer: Flame Edge!"
The blade ignited in crimson fire as Shirou brought it down in a clean arc—only to freeze mid-swing as his battle instincts screamed danger.
Behind!
He twisted his torso and redirected his strike just in time to meet a blur of movement—Kane. Their weapons clashed with a deafening metallic screech. Shirou's brows furrowed. Kane's forearms had turned metallic-golden, not armour, but his actual flesh. It pulsed with mana.
He leapt back, avoiding a swing from Cruz, who had recovered.
"Ashbringer: Phoenix Burst!"
From Shirou's blade, a wave of searing flame exploded outward, forcing both enemies to disengage and leap back. He landed several feet away, breathing steadily.
Taking down Luke first was the right call, he thought, eyes cold. If he were still suppressing mana, I wouldn't have sensed those attacks in time.
Cruz grinned, wiping soot off his cheek. "What's the matter, brat? Losing your nerve?"
Shirou didn't reply. He had no interest in banter. Cruz is weak. Their coordination is garbage. But if they keep sandwiching me like this, it's going to cost me. One of them has to go.
He launched forward before they could regroup, catching both by surprise.
"Phantom Mirage!"
Five identical Shirou's split off, each darting in a different direction with perfect footwork and fluid movements. Kane and Cruz froze, eyes flicking between illusions.
"Clones?" Cruz murmured.
He lunged at one—gone in a puff of mana. Kane swung at another—also fake.
Then from Cruz's left, the real Shirou emerged like a shadow. One clean sidestep, one clean slash across Cruz's torso.
"Cruz!" Kane growled."Shit he went for the weakest one."
But as he turned, he realised that Shirou had disappeared too.
"Shit! Don't tell me—"
Another flare of crimson flame cut down from above.
"Ashbringer: Flame Edge!"
Kane raised his golden arm just in time to deflect its trajectory, but the blow still cut deep across his ribs, spraying blood.
Shirou didn't slow. He pressed the advantage, pivoting into another strike. Kane, panicking, raised his metallic forearm—
"I warned you," Shirou muttered.
But just before his blade hit, Kane's golden arm elongated, forming a blade of its own. It slashed across Shirou's chest, leaving a deep wound.
Shirou staggered backwards, hissing through clenched teeth. That arm… it transformed into a weapon. "He baited me…"
Kane grinned and raised his palm. A fireball formed—dense, compressed.
Shirou's eyes widened "Great. He can use fire too"
The ball flew towards Shirou. He raised Ashbringer to block—
BOOM!
The fireball exploded on contact, hurling him through the air, his back crashing into the earth with a thunderous thud.
"What the hell? It exploded—"
Before he could recover, danger struck again.
Behind!
He rolled just in time, but Cruz's blade grazed his side and then sliced down his right arm.
"Damn it…" he gasped, clutching the wounds.
Still shallow. I can—
[Unknown element found in user.]
[Analysing...]
A creeping numbness spread through his arm. His grip on Ashbringer faltered slightly.
"Don't tell me it's–"
[Poison detected.]
"Shit"
Cruz licked the blood off his blade and grinned. "Yep. Poison. I can emit it through my skin and weapon. You'll get slower, weaker... and if untreated, dead."
He then turned to Kane, smirking. "Let's end this, shall we?"
With a nod, both surged toward him again.
Shirou didn't wait "I need to finish this. Fast."
"Ashbringer: Inferno Surge!".
A vortex of flame erupted from the blade. Kane and Cruz split apart to avoid it—exactly what Shirou wanted.
Good
Lightning cracked beneath him as he appeared in front of Cruz.
But instead of fear, Cruz grinned again. A violet mist exploded from his body like a smoke bomb.
"Poison release -poison mist"
Poison gas?
Shirou held his breath and leapt away—but it was too late. His limbs were already weakening.
"You can't block this one, brat," Cruz said coldly. "This poison seeps through your skin. Even if you stop breathing, it'll get you."
Kane joined him, sneering. "You've got about two hours left—tops. But don't worry. You won't live that long."
Shirou's mind screamed for urgency.
Only one way out. One chance.
"Phantom Mirage!"
This time, only three clones appeared. Tch… can't focus enough for more.
Cruz summoned his mist again, thickening the air with a violet haze.
"Come on, brat," he taunted.
Kane struck a clone—vanished.
The other two turned toward him, one charging—
Predictable, Kane thought, swinging.
Then he hesitated.
One clone hadn't moved. It just stood still, grounding its stance with a crack of lightning.
That was the signal.
"Ashbringer: Flame Edge!"
Shirou dove straight through the mist, enduring the burning sensation crawling under his skin.
Cruz barely turned before the flaming blade slashed clean across his neck.
His eyes widened in terror. Then—darkness.
The mist dissipated instantly.
Shirou collapsed to one knee, coughing violently, his veins bulging faint purple beneath his skin.
[You have defeated Cruz.]
[You have levelled up.]
Kane stared in horror. "You bastard… You really did it. But that poison—it's still killing you. You've only got minutes now!"
Shirou didn't respond.
[Skill Extraction Activated.]
Kane stepped forward, clenching his fists. "I wanted to kill you with my own hands. But this? This is better. You'll die slowly."
[Selecting skill from opponent.]
[Selecting...]
"Here's a parting gift."
Kane slammed his golden fist into Shirou's jaw, launching him backwards with a crack.
Shirou hit the ground hard, blood trickling down his chin.
[Skill Selected: Poison Resistance.]
Kane turned to the remaining soldiers. With Cruz dead, command fell to him.
"Alright. Get to wo—"
He froze. Words caught in his throat.
Footsteps.
Crunching gravel.
He turned. Disbelief in his eyes
Shirou stood again.
Bloodied, burned, bruised—but alive. He cracked his neck casually as if nothing had happened
"What's with the surprised look?" Shirou said, his voice calm, almost amused. "I already gave you the spoilers, didn't I?"