Chapter 71. The "Good Morning Bite" After the Worldline Shift & The Shura Field Called "United Front"
The mornings in Orario always begin with the first rays of sunlight reflecting off Babel and... the sound of some heavy object crashing.
Twilight Manor, Shirou Emiya's private room (and temporary refuge).
"Ugh... sleep paralysis?"
Shirou, still in the middle of a dream, felt as if a massive block of granite was pressing down on his chest. Breathing was difficult; even his ribs were letting out a pained creak. Was this a lingering side effect of last night's mana depletion? Or had that classless goddess Loki launched another night raid under the cover of darkness?
He struggled to open his eyes, trying to break free from the dual oppression—physical and spiritual. What met his eyes wasn't the familiar ceiling, but a flash of dazzling red and... a vibrant smiling face, magnified to the extreme.
"Yo! Good morning, Shirou!" The girl's voice was crisp and melodious, like a summer wind chime, but that didn't change the fact that she was currently sprawled on top of him like a koala.
"A... Alise?!" Shirou nearly catapulted out of bed in shock, but he was held down firmly. "Why are you here?! This is the Loki Familia's male dormitory! Isn't the Astraea Familia's base in the West District?!"
"What does it matter! We're life-and-death comrades!" Alise Lovell—the Captain of the Goddess of Justice's Familia who successfully survived and rose to Lv. 5 in this new worldline—was currently rubbing against Shirou's chest without a hint of defensiveness, lacking any self-awareness of being a top-tier adventurer.
"Besides, I wanted to eat your cooking! I want that... that 'Hamburger Steak' thing! I've been thinking about it for seven whole years!"
"That's not a valid reason for illegal entry!"
"Shut up, Alise. Get off Shirou, you red-haired mutt in heat." A cold voice came from the windowsill. Gojouno Kaguya was leaning against the frame, cradling her famous blade, Gokou. Though her words were venomous, her eyes flickered toward Shirou's collar, which had fallen open during sleep. "If you don't get down soon, I'll cut you down for 'offending public decency.'"
"Kaguya?! You too...?" Shirou felt a headache coming on.
It wasn't just them. A rustling sound came from under the bed, and immediately after, the Pallum Lyra poked her head out, holding the snack reserves Shirou had just bought yesterday. "Morning, Emiya-lad. Carry on, pretend I'm not here. I'm just inspecting the future kitchen's emergency rations."
"This isn't an inspection! This is home invasion and robbery!"
As for Ryuu... Shirou looked toward the corner of the room. The elf with sky-blue eyes was sitting upright in a chair, a whetstone in hand, seriously maintaining Shirou's Kanshou (real version).
Seeing Shirou wake up, the tips of her ears turned slightly red, but she maintained her solemn demeanor. "Good morning, Emiya. I... I came to serve as a sentry. To prevent certain shameless people (referring to Alise) from launching night raids."
"Um... I feel like in the current situation, the one who needs a sentry most is me!"
Shirou covered his face. Was this the price of the worldline shift? A morning that should have only featured Ais and Lili had now turned into a harem battle royale that would trigger a "Bloody End" if not handled carefully.
The butterfly effect of the Astraea Familia's survival had pushed Shirou's "Harem Protagonist WX" (and "Calamity") index to its maximum.
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Half an hour later. The Twilight Manor dining hall.
The atmosphere at breakfast today was exceptionally eerie. The once spacious long table now felt crowded. On the left was the Loki Familia camp: Finn, Riveria, Gareth, Ais, Bete, and the twins. On the right was the Astraea Familia camp: Alise, Kaguya, Lyra, and Ryuu.
Sitting at the head (the judgment seats) were the two goddesses: Loki and Astraea.
As for Shirou Emiya... he was wearing an apron, sweating profusely in the kitchen, trying to use food to pacify this "Ragnarok" about to erupt on the dining table.
"I say, Astraea," Loki narrowed her eyes, her fork making a piercing screech against her plate. "Just because we're allies doesn't mean you can treat this place as a free cafeteria. Especially that red-haired brat—she's on her fifth bowl of rice! That's my Emiya's special mana-infused rice! It's expensive!"
"Oh, Loki, don't be so stingy." Astraea, the Goddess of Justice, maintained her elegant smile, but her hands were not slow at all as she swiftly snatched the last piece of fried chicken.
"The children are still growing (even if they are Lv. 5), and this is to replenish their strength for the upcoming 'Joint Operation.' Besides..." She glanced at Shirou busy in the kitchen. "That boy doesn't seem to hate it."
"He clearly looks like he's about to die of overwork!" Loki complained.
Clang! A sharp sound rang out. Ais put down her chopsticks. Her plate was empty, but that didn't mean she was full. Her golden eyes were fixed on the dish in front of Ryuu—special lemon-honey pickles Shirou had made specifically for her.
"That..." Ais spoke, her voice cold but carrying an undeniable persistence. "I want that too."
"That?" Ryuu blinked, then immediately shielded her plate, her gaze turning sharp.
"Emiya made this specifically for me. To recover mental energy. If the Sword Princess is hungry, there is still white porridge in the pot."
"No. I want that." Ais stood up, the Ariel wind barrier beginning to faintly pulse around her. "The lemon."
"What? You want to fight?" Alise swallowed her food instantly, the aura of her Guren no Ken (though she didn't have it on her) exploding.
"Nobody steals our Ryuu's things! Not even the ace of the Loki Familia!"
"Ha? You guys are the ones looking for a fight!" Bete kicked a chair, his face full of aggression. "You come here to sponge off us and dare to be so arrogant? Believe it or not, I'll throw you all out!"
In an instant, the dining hall was at a breaking point. The pressure of Lv. 5s and Lv. 6s collided in the air. Though they hadn't struck yet, the sheer pressure made the lower-level members tremble, not daring to breathe. Was this the so-called... high-end table manners?
"STOP! Everyone, sit down!"
Shirou Emiya walked out carrying two large plates of fresh Tamagoyaki and Tempura, slamming them onto the table. His face was as dark as the bottom of a pot, with visible cross-veins on his forehead.
"Anyone who releases killing intent while eating has dinner canceled today! Everyone will go eat dry rations! Also, Ais, those lemons are for Ryuu's recovery; your portion is here—Special Cheese Potato Puffs (extra large). Alise, stop trying to steal Kaguya's food! Bete, put your foot down!"
Under the pressure of the "Chef God," these top-tier adventurers who wouldn't bat an eye while killing in the Dungeon instantly became well-behaved children. "Sorry..." Everyone apologized in unison and sat down to eat quietly.
"That's better." Shirou sighed and wiped his sweat. Managing these problem children was more exhausting than fighting a Floor Boss.
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After breakfast. The meeting room.
"Since we've eaten and drunk our fill, let's talk business." Finn sat at the head of the table, his expression returning to his usual wisdom and calm. His thumb twitched slightly, a clear sign of excitement for the upcoming topic.
"Regarding the raid on Knossos (The Man-made Labyrinth)."
With the Daedalus Orb (the key) Shirou brought back and the intelligence provided by Haruhime, the Loki Familia had already pinpointed most of the entrance locations. But it wasn't enough. The interior of Knossos was intricate and occupied by a large number of Dark Faction remnants, mutated monsters, and... the mastermind who had yet to show their face.
"Relying on a single Familia, even if we are strong, makes it difficult to achieve a 'Total Annihilation'." Finn pointed to several red dots on the map. "We need to strike from multiple points simultaneously to cut off their retreat and supply lines. Therefore, we need allies."
"That is why we are here," Astraea said with a smile. "As agents of justice, we will never sit idly by while evil spreads underground. Besides... we have an 'old debt' with the Dark Faction from seven years ago to settle."
The Dark Age seven years ago. Although the Astraea Familia wasn't wiped out in this worldline due to Shirou's interference, that war had still left deep scars on Orario.
"Our combat power..." Finn looked at Alise and the others. After seven years of tempering, plus the "correction" of the worldline shift, the current Astraea Familia's strength was nothing like the past. Captain Alise Lovell (High Lv. 5). Vice-Captain Ryuu Lion (Lv. 5). Gojouno Kaguya (Lv. 5). Lyra (Lv. 4) (possessing extremely bizarre trap and demolition techniques).
This was nearly equal to half of the Loki Familia's top-tier strength. With them joining, the success rate of the raid would be nearly 100%.
"Very well." Finn flashed a satisfied smile. "The operation code—[Final Requiem]. The Loki Familia will handle the frontal assault to draw fire. The Astraea Familia will handle the flank surprise attacks to purge remnants. And..."
Finn's gaze fell on Shirou Emiya, who was sitting in the corner.
"Emiya, you will lead a special squad. Your mission is—to find and destroy the 'Core' of the Man-made Labyrinth, which is the likely existing... body of the 'Spirit'."
"Eh? Me?" Shirou was stunned. "You're letting me lead?"
"Correct." Finn nodded. "You have the perception of [Eye of the Mind], the adaptability of [Unlimited Blade Works], and..." He glanced at Haruhime and Ais nearby.
"You are the most suitable person for this mission."
"The members of the special squad..." Finn pondered for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons (mostly considering the balance of the Shura Field).
"Ais, Ryuu, Haruhime. And... Lefiya (as long-range artillery). These four will be under your command."
Pffft! Lefiya, who was drinking water, sprayed it out. "I-I have to join this... this team full of love rivals (even though Lefiya is an Ais-only fan)?! This will definitely cause a stomachache! It'll definitely give me a gastric perforation!"
"Objection overruled." Finn heartlessly suppressed Lefiya's protest.
"This is a test, Lefiya. If you can survive (mentally) in this team, you can become a true 'Thousand Elf'."
After the meeting. The backyard of Twilight Manor.
What was originally a place for drying clothes had now become a temporary weapon maintenance station.
"Trace On."
Shirou Emiya held Kaguya's beloved blade, Gokou, performing routine maintenance. Although the sword hadn't broken in this worldline, years of battle had caused many tiny micro-fractures in its internal structure.
Analyze... Fill... Reinforce.
Mana flowed through the circuits into the blade, and the once-dim edge regained its cold glint.
"Alright, Kaguya." Shirou handed the sword back to the black-haired girl waiting nearby. "Give it a try."
Clang! Kaguya unsheathed the blade and gave it a casual flourish. The air was sliced, emitting a pleasant ring. "Not bad." Kaguya nodded with satisfaction, looking at Shirou with a gaze that held a trace of... awkward tenderness.
"Your skill... is better than it was seven years ago."
"Of course." Shirou smiled. "I've been growing too, after all."
"Speaking of which..." Kaguya suddenly took a step closer, the faint scent of cherry blossoms wafting into Shirou's nose.
"You... since you came back, why didn't you come find us immediately? Why did you wait until we met at the pub? Could it be... you forgot about us?"
"How could I forget." Shirou gave a bitter smile. "I just... woke up, and I was tied up with various things."
"Excuses." Kaguya huffed, but the corners of her mouth curled up slightly. "But... whatever. Since you're back, the old debts are settled. However..."
She suddenly reached out, grabbed Shirou's collar, and pulled him toward her. They were close enough to feel each other's breath.
"Don't disappear again this time. If you leave without a word... even if I have to chase you to hell, I'll cut you into three pieces. Do you understand?"
"I-I understand..." Shirou was sweating cold. This Yamato Nadeshiko (fake) aura was as terrifying as ever.
"Release him, Kaguya."
A golden blade qi suddenly struck from the side, precisely cutting through the ambiguous air between the two. Ais Wallenstein walked over with her sword, expressionless.
"Training time. Emiya is my... sparring partner."
"Oh my, isn't this the Sword Princess?" Kaguya let go and turned to face Ais, her face wearing the provocative smile only known between swordsmen.
"I heard you're the strongest female swordsman in Orario? Coincidentally, my blade has just been maintained. Shall we... have a try?"
"I couldn't ask for more." Ais's gaze sharpened instantly.
Thus, a battle that was technically a "sparring match" but was actually a fight for affection erupted in the backyard.
"Emiya-sama! This is bad!" Lili ran over panting, followed by a panicked Haruhime. "Captain Alise and Mr. Bete are fighting in the training ground! They say they want to see whose crimson fire is hotter! Also... Miss Tiona and Miss Lyra are playing catch with bombs! At this rate, Twilight Manor is going to be demolished!"
Shirou looked at the chaotic scene. Flashing blades, explosions, noise. This wasn't preparing for war; this was a carnival for problem children! But looking at their vivid expressions and energetic figures, Shirou couldn't help but laugh.
Wasn't this... the future he wanted to protect? No death, no despair. Though noisy and troublesome, it was the best kind of daily life.
"ALRIGHT! EVERYONE STOP!" Shirou took a deep breath and roared.
"If you don't stop... dinner tonight is canceled! We're switching to compressed biscuits!"
In an instant, the backyard went silent. Everyone stopped their movements, looking at Shirou with terrified eyes. This was likely the most effective ceasefire spell in the world.
"Tch..." Ais sheathed her sword; though unwilling, even the Sword Princess had to bow before gourmet food. Kaguya also sheathed her blade and huffed.
"Now, since everyone is so energetic." Shirou clapped his hands, his gaze becoming serious.
"For the total assault in three days. To completely destroy that damned Knossos. From now on... Special Training begins!
I will be your opponent. I will adjust your equipment, coordination, and tactics... all to their optimal state."
"Unlimited Blade Works—Activate!"
Dozens of projected magic swords emerged in the air. Shirou stood in the center of the sword formation, like a commander.
"Come at me! This time... we win beautifully!"
"OOOOOOOH!!!"
In the afterglow of the setting sun, the shadows of the boy and girls were stretched long. This reunion across time and space would bloom with its most dazzling light in the coming battle.
Knossos Raid... Countdown, START.
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