Chapter 162 – Shirou VS Heroic Spirit Emiya! Regaining Unlimited Blade Works!
"Then, let's begin."
After Shirou and the three goddesses were ready, Airmid began her treatment.
The strongest healer in Orario did not use any direct healing methods, nor did she cast magic capable of instantly curing any wound.
She simply had Shirou lie down on the bed in the room, and then let Hestia, Loki, and Freya gather their divine authority, transforming it into actual divine power to break through the divine-power wound on Shirou's body.
According to Airmid's estimation, while this process would cause severe trauma to Shirou for a short period, as long as the divine powers neutralized each other, the wound caused by divine power could be healed.
"Is it really just that simple?"
Hestia carefully released her divine authority, and Loki and Freya followed suit.
The three gods quickly poured their divine power into Shirou, focusing especially on the wound in his chest.
The effect was immediate.
Under the impact of the divine power, the wound in Shirou's body was quickly purged, and with Airmid's healing magic, it soon became indistinguishable from being completely uninjured.
However, what confused Airmid was that even though the wound caused by divine power had healed, Shirou still did not wake up.
On the contrary, his aura seemed to weaken dramatically in an instant, rushing rapidly toward collapse!
"What… what's happening?"
Hestia was the first to panic, worried as she saw Shirou's weakened state.
"I-I don't know! It should have been healed by now!"
Airmid froze on the spot.
She had clearly followed the normal procedure for healing, and according to her plan, Shirou's recovery should have been smooth without any issues. Yet, he was clearly still unconscious.
Moreover, the rate at which his aura weakened continued to accelerate, as if charging straight toward death.
"Could it be… I made a mistake?" Airmid's mind raced, and then she considered an almost insane possibility: "The divine-power wound is not an injury! For Shirou, that wound isn't a
threat. On the contrary, the divine-power wound essentially protects him, shielding him from greater danger!"
"What? Airmid, what are you saying?"
Even Loki could not comprehend Airmid's words.
What does it mean that a divine-power wound is protecting Shirou? What greater danger?
Faced with the confusion of the three goddesses, Airmid also could not reach a conclusion.
She knew far too little about Shirou—not only his past, but even the origin of the divine-power wound was completely unknown to her.
But at least one thing was certain: Airmid's guess was correct.
The divine-power wound was not a threat to Shirou.
In fact, the reason Shirou had survived to this day, without collapsing or losing himself in the whirlpool of his own being, was because this wound protected him.
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As the treatment began, Shirou's vision plunged into darkness.
He recalled a distant past.
At the Emiya residence, when his sister Miyu was taken, at the moment of his greatest helplessness, he prayed to the gods, hoping for divine help—but the gods did not respond. The only answer came from himself, from a future version of himself from another time and space.
At that instant, he gained not only power but also memory—memories not originally his own, yet indelibly imprinted in his mind from another life.
As humans are creatures built from memory, Shirou fundamentally changed in that moment.
He was no longer merely himself; he had merged with his future Heroic Spirit self, EMIYA.
From this, he gained the power to defeat the Holy Grail War in one night, thwarting the Ainsworth family's plans and saving his sister.
However, saving his sister was not an act of justice.
For that world on the brink of destruction, for a world teetering on the edge of apocalypse, Shirou's act of saving his sister was equivalent to abandoning all other lives.
Billions of human lives were erased by Shirou's choice.
From the perspective of the world, Shirou made a choice that led to the destruction of the world—a betrayal of justice.
Though Shirou himself felt no regret, for the Heroic Spirit EMIYA, who lent him his power, this was an immense betrayal.
This does not mean that EMIYA himself rejected Shirou's choice, but rather, the concept of EMIYA rejected it.
After all, EMIYA's path was one of absolute justice: to save the many, he would sacrifice the few. He continued down this path, ultimately becoming a protector of restraint, and gaining the power of Unlimited Blade Works.
Even if he regretted his path or his decisions, the power of Unlimited Blade Works represented the culmination of that path.
Shirou's actions, however, negated this path, negating EMIYA's choice.
As a result, a massive conflict arose between Shirou's self and the Heroic Spirit EMIYA fused within him.
This contradiction would not only cause Shirou's personality to collapse but would also shatter Unlimited Blade Works itself.
Yes, the reason Shirou's Unlimited Blade Works was completely destroyed was not only because Angelica used Gilgamesh's Noble Phantasm, Ea.
Although Unlimited Blade Works was indeed shattered by Ea, the real reason Shirou could not use it was his own abandonment of justice.
This self-doubt left irreparable scars and caused him to lose his innate reality marble's power.
At that moment, had Shirou continued fighting, his self would have further collapsed, and the conflict with EMIYA would have torn his body apart, reducing him to complete ruin.
Fortunately, before this could happen, Shirou fought Angelica.
After she used Gilgamesh's card, Angelica gained semi-divine power. The released Ea, comparable to a true god, not only shattered Shirou's Unlimited Blade Works but also left a divine-power wound that could not heal, utterly destroying Unlimited Blade Works.
Yet, this was not bad for Shirou—it saved his life.
The divine-power wound acted like a scorching fire forcibly sealing his internal fracture.
When his self was about to split and collapse, when his personality was on the verge of exploding like boiling water, the divine-power wound forcibly stitched everything together.
Thanks to this, Shirou was able to maintain his self until today.
Thus, the divine-power wound was not the cause of Unlimited Blade Works' destruction—it was his lifeline.
Now, with Airmid using the "fight poison with poison" method to heal Shirou's divine-power wound, the moment the wound was healed, the problem of Shirou's collapsing self manifested once more.
The conflict between Shirou and Emiya, dormant for so long, erupted again—this time, unchecked by anything.
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"Rumble."
A sandstorm swept across the land.
When Shirou returned to consciousness, he found himself in a wasteland filled with countless swords.
At the very top, a white-haired man in red clothing gazed at him, eyes filled with pity, staring at the man named Shirou Emiya.
"Unfortunately, you are about to die," Heroic Spirit EMIYA said quietly, stating the cruel reality. "The moment you see me, it means the conflict between us has reached an irreparable degree. The contradiction between Shirou Emiya and Heroic Spirit EMIYA will split your body completely, until both flesh and mind cannot recover, shattering you into absolute fragments."
"I see… I should have realized this long ago…"
Shirou nodded.
He had long sensed the problem within himself—the reason he could not use Unlimited Blade Works was not the divine-power wound, but that Unlimited Blade Works itself rejected him.
Out of a common human tendency to avoid painful truths, Shirou had pretended not to notice, delaying the problem's outbreak.
But sooner or later, it had to occur.
The fact Shirou could stand here now was due to that snowy night—he had received aid from Heroic Spirit EMIYA, partially merging with him.
EMIYA had become a part of his self.
If that part broke away or denied his self, Shirou himself could not exist.
Now, the power of Unlimited Blade Works began to backfire on Shirou. The reality marble that once belonged to him began to consume him. The countless swords of the wasteland would become his grave, marking the end of everything he was.
However, Shirou was clearly not going to accept self-destruction.
Even if his opponent was himself, he resolved to overcome everything until he reached the end of the path of justice he believed in.
"Oh? You intend to fight me?" Heroic Spirit EMIYA smiled. "Regardless of whether you are my match, even if you defeat me, what then? The fact that you walk a wrong path won't change. The further you go in the wrong direction, the more your self tears apart. Like a balloon, the more it inflates, the closer it is to bursting."
"I know, but I won't stop," Shirou said resolutely. "Perhaps I have strayed from EMIYA's path, but I do not believe my path is necessarily wrong! I will overcome everything, even if it means completely devouring you, EMIYA!"
"Oh? You want to devour me? You intend to erase my justice with yours?"
"If I can't do that, I cannot live, can I?"
"Then you may try."
Heroic Spirit EMIYA smiled and raised his right hand.
In an instant, all the swords across the plain obeyed his will.
Shirou, however, had already been rejected by Unlimited Blade Works itself. His will was unrecognized by the reality marble's power, unable to control the swords.
Yet Shirou did not give up. He forcibly projected Kanshou and Bakuya, signaling his intention to fight Heroic Spirit EMIYA.
But this was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.
"Rumble!"
Countless swords tore through the sky, and Shirou was pierced in an instant by those released by Heroic Spirit EMIYA.
Since this was a spiritual world, not the physical one, the abilities of Shirou and EMIYA were equal.
Thus, whether Shirou could control Unlimited Blade Works was equivalent to deciding the final outcome.
Even when his body was torn by countless swords, Shirou did not fall.
This was a battle of will in a spiritual realm.
While Heroic Spirit EMIYA could control Unlimited Blade Works, he could not physically kill Shirou. He had to annihilate Shirou's will completely for victory.
This was not an insurmountable challenge.
As the master of Unlimited Blade Works, EMIYA only needed to repeatedly wield infinite swords to kill Shirou, eventually breaking his will.
Shirou knew this clearly.
He understood he could not be suppressed unilaterally; he had to find a way to counterattack, at least to resist EMIYA to some degree.
After careful thought, Shirou realized that without the ability to use Unlimited Blade Works, he must unleash powers that EMIYA would not utilize.
The moment this thought formed, Shirou almost immediately took action.
"Trace On!
Excalibur-Sword of Promised Victory!"
Suddenly, a golden holy sword appeared in Shirou's hand.
Divine-constructed arms like this had never been projected by Heroic Spirit EMIYA before; it was a Noble Phantasm only Shirou in his current state could create.
With the power of a divine-constructed weapon, he might be able to suppress his opponent!
Without hesitation, he unleashed the full power of the Sword of Promised Victory, instantly transforming the sword's radiance into a torrent of light that tore through everything.
"Excalibur, release!"
"Boom!"
A flood of light erupted from Shirou's hand.
The golden brilliance pierced through all, as if it intended to split heaven and earth in two.
He had been confident that this strike should at least defeat Heroic Spirit EMIYA, or at least severely injure him.
But unexpectedly, when the flood of light dissipated, EMIYA's figure had completely vanished from the spot.
No—it wasn't that he vanished; he had somehow leapt into midair.
At the same time, a pitch-black bow appeared in his hand, and a spiraling arrow was nocked.
"Trace On, Caladbolg!"
EMIYA's counterattack was sudden.
"Boom!"
Shirou had no time to react; the arrow completely pierced him, and he was blasted away.
"…."
Struggling to get up on the sandy ground, Shirou wore an expression of disbelief.
He didn't understand why a strike from a divine-constructed weapon couldn't even defeat EMIYA, and worse, it hadn't even caused him the slightest damage.
"Perhaps you don't understand why your attack couldn't hit me," Heroic Spirit EMIYA said slowly, stepping forward. "The reason is simple: you projected something you cannot control. You never truly wielded that holy sword's power, nor do you have the qualifications to bear it. Shirou Emiya was a counterfeit from the start—born a counterfeit, dying a counterfeit. If you choose to pursue the genuine, you deviate from your own essence."
"Deviate from my own essence…"
"Yes. The Unlimited Blade Works is a path that pursues essence. What you, Shirou Emiya, pursue is nothing but false justice and false power. That is our essence. If you forcibly try to obtain the genuine, to achieve true justice, to gain true power, naturally this Reality Marble will reject you."
EMIYA's voice was cold. "Solving all of this is simple: abandon the pursuit of true justice. After all, what's wrong with achieving false justice? To save a hundred, kill one. To save the world, sacrifice a few. What is wrong with such justice?"
"Besides, you've already saved your sister, haven't you? To accomplish this, you nearly died, and only with great luck did you arrive in this world. So, why can't you live for yourself this time? Abandon the pursuit of true justice, submit to false benevolence, and at least you'll survive until the end marked by fate."
"…."
Faced with EMIYA's persuasion, Shirou fell silent.
After a long pause, he slowly spoke, "I once fantasized about a day when I could stop fighting, live like an ordinary person. But it never happened. Enemies always appeared before me; even if I defeated one, another would come. Even if I defeated a stronger enemy, an even stronger one would follow. Fighting seems endless, like a cycle with no end."
"Because that is our inevitability, what those who pursue justice are bound to face," EMIYA responded coldly.
Shirou shook his head slowly and replied, "You're right. Because I pursue justice, the fighting never ends. Because true justice doesn't exist in this world, the path of pursuing justice can never stop; we must always fight. Ultimately, it's the same on both sides."
"The same on both sides?"
"Yes. Whether pursuing true justice or false justice, in the end, what we face, what we must oppose, is endless fighting. It's all the same."
Shirou looked toward EMIYA, his expression steadily firming. "Justice is always a castle in the air; achieving justice is an impossible dream. No matter what we do, all our actions are false benevolence. Shirou Emiya's essence doesn't change. There is no real difference between us."
"No, there is a difference,"
EMIYA wanted to refute, but no words came. Instead, he said softly, "There is indeed a difference between you and me, but it is not the path we walk—it is the level of resolve."
Shirou: "You mean… resolve?"
The resolve to endure endless fighting, to remain immersed in the cycle of battle forever! As long as one possesses that resolve, whether as a fragile human defeating Emiya or as a protector in endless war, the end we see will be the same!
Hearing Shirou's words, EMIYA couldn't help but smile.
"You mean, you think that so-called resolve is enough to earn my approval?"
"Heroic Spirit EMIYA … no, Unlimited Blade Works, I will earn your approval."
Shirou's words caused EMIYA's expression to change for the first time.
Especially when Shirou deliberately changed how he addressed him, directly pointing to his essence.
"You've realized?"
"More or less," Shirou said quietly. "You are not Heroic Spirit EMIYA, and this is not the Unlimited Blade Works. This is my heart, my spirit world. From the beginning, my opponent was only myself—a projection of Unlimited Blade Works, a part of my own power."
"Tch… you're right."
The Unlimited Blade Works projection silently nodded.
Shirou looked at it and continued, "I've been thinking, always thinking about how to face you. Because you are a shadow of Heroic Spirit EMIYA, a projection of that life which was never mine. Everything you experienced, thought, and faced, is something I never had."
"Exactly. That's why we are so hostile, so resistant toward each other."
"But is that really so?"
"What?"
"Even with different lives, experiences, and compositions, does the essence of Shirou Emiya change because of these? Facing the projection of Unlimited Blade Works, I ask: what constitutes this power—the end of Shirou Emiya, or the beginning of Shirou Emiya?"
Shirou's words left the projection of Unlimited Blade Works silent for the first time.
Ignoring everything, Shirou continued, "Unlimited Blade Works is the manifestation of a justice-seeker reaching the end. But the end we reach is inseparable from the origin. From the start, the beginning and the end are connected! That's why I could gain Heroic Spirit EMIYA's power that snowy night and unleash my own Unlimited Blade Works."
"Shirou Emiya, what are you trying to say?"
"I have indeed walked the wrong path, but Unlimited Blade Works is not a power meant only for that path. From the beginning, it has existed within me, continuously changing with my will, presenting itself in different forms."
Shirou slowly raised his hand, as if to confirm his conclusion.
"I am the bone of my sword."
"This body is the bone of the sword."
A sword stuck in the wasteland suddenly floated into the air, piercing Heroic Spirit EMIYA's body at a cunning angle.
Though it was not a truly lethal strike, Shirou's control over Unlimited Blade Works proved one thing:
Shirou Emiya could indeed wield Unlimited Blade Works itself!
Even if the paths, ideals, and justice differed, because they shared the same origin, the same starting point, he could wield this power from the beginning!
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