Sword and Shield

A New World 4

"Haah," a long, drawn-out release of breath. "Is the battle finally over?"

"I reckon there still are a few skirmishes going on in the city, Shirou-sama, but the main conflict is over."

"Atla is right. It's odd, though, that we can't tell who won in the end."

"…I don't think anyone won today. Not really."

Having retreated from Kageyama's cityscape to one of the tall mountains surrounding the city, Shirou, Atla, and Kizuna looked down at the capital. From their vantage point, they could take in the entirety of the expansive city. Once, Kageyama had been beautiful. Now, it was a ruined and pockmarked mess, fire and smoke covering large sections of the city like an infectious, spreading disease. Buildings in their thousands lay in ruins. Even the palace in the center of the city was burning, having partially collapsed.

Shirou took it all in with an unreadable expression. Atla quietly took his hand, intertwining her fingers with his. Even without her otherworldly senses, she knew exactly what he was feeling, so she offered what little comfort she could.

"At least we managed to save a lot of people. That has to count for something," Kizuna said, but even she herself could not truly appreciate her own words.

After having succeeded in killing the Vanguard of the Waves masquerading as the Hero of the Mirror, the trio had remained in Kageyama. Under the cover of illusions, they had been an unknown third party in the conflict, striking both other sides as necessary and clearing hazards in order to defend civilians.

They had saved many people this way, but as they had known from the outset, this represented a mere drop of water on a sizzling hot plate. With only three of them, they lacked the means to truly divert the course of the battle.

As for what that current end was, the three of them weren't sure. It was impossible to tell who, if anyone, had been the victor.

All in all, this had been a terrible reminder that one person, no matter how powerful and capable they might be – or even a small group of people – did not have the power to change the course of events at the grand/macro scale.

If only Naofumi, the others, and all our alli-

Shirou was quick to squash that thought with a force of will. Thinking about what-ifs was a pointless affair. He had to face the world as it was. Wishful thinking would lead him and everyone around him nowhere good.

"Let's go. There's little more we can do here," Atla murmured, lightly tugging at Shirou's arm. "Kizuna, you said we needed to head towards the Dragon Hourglass, right?"

"Yeah," Kizuna nodded, her voice subdued. "I have a Skill, Return Dragon Vein, which I can use to teleport to any previously registered hourglasses from another Dragon Hourglass so long as I am touching it. We'll have to head back into the city…but considering the state of things down there, I don't think we'll encounter much trouble."

"Sounds good," Atla murmured back. "Let's go-"

ZIP!

An odd sound, one that could be called mystical, echoed in the trio's ears. All three of them tensed up, only to blink in surprise as a small sphere of pure, white light came zipping towards them with tremendous speed from the side. The odd sound it made came to an end as soon as the sphere halted in front of them.

Blinking one more time, Shirou's eyes widened as he recognized what he was looking at. After all, he had once briefly seen a sphere exactly like this in the depths of his soul before it had taken on its current guise of the Nameless Farmer.

"…the Mirror…"

"What?" Kizuna visibly started, even as Atla's ears perked up at Shirou's murmured comment.

The Katana Hero was proven right almost immediately. The light twisted in on itself, its shine disappearing suddenly as it took the form of a round mirror, the exact same one that Albert – the fake Hero of the Mirror – had wielded in battle earlier today.

Mirror Vassal Weapon.

The Vassal Weapon in question floated in front of them, darting upwards and then sideways in rapid succession. Its movements could only be described as excited and happy.

"Are you here to thank us?" Atla was quick to put the pieces together.

The Mirror spun on its axis once, its apparent version of a nod.

"You're welcome," Kizuna gave the appropriate response, tactfully not mentioning that, though their main goal had been to liberate the Mirror Vassal Weapon from the Vanguard, she would have hunted down Albert for her own reasons anyway. "And now you're off to find a new – excuse me – true Hero?"

Another spin, another 'nod.'

"I hope you find one quickly, and a sensible one at that. We could use the aid," Kizuna said sincerely. "Good luck, and please evade any more Vanguards of the Waves, would you."

The Mirror shook side to side, giving off an impression of anger at the mention of the Vanguard. It looked like the Vassal Weapon was about to take its leave-

Shirou reached out and placed his hand on the Mirror Vassal Weapon, causing it to still suddenly.

"Shirou-sama?" Atla questioned, even as Kizuna blinked at this sudden turn.

"I want to try something," Shirou murmured. "May I?"

The Mirror did not respond to the question in any way, but as it didn't move to get away, he took that as a 'yes.'

"Thank you," Shirou lowered his head in thanks. "Trace, On."

For the briefest of moments, the Circuits of the Katana Hero became visible on the hand touching the Mirror. The Vassal Weapon in question became enveloped by a thin membrane of blue, crackling magical energy.

"I am the Bone of my Sword."

The magical energy visibly thickened, and though the Mirror trembled, it did not try and pull away from Shirou's touch. After a long moment, the Katana Hero allowed his hand to drop back down to his side. The crackling magical energy enveloping the Mirror Vassal Weapon disappeared as soon as he did so.

"Thank you," the Katana Hero repeated. "Good luck out there."

Spinning rapidly on its axis once more, the Mirror somehow gave off the impression of being delighted. With that done, the Vassal Weapon without a Hero zipped off, turning back into a sphere of pure light before disappearing into the distance.

"What did you just do?" Kizuna asked with a raised brow aimed at Shirou.

"Something that I wasn't sure if it would work and that's also a little difficult to explain," was the response. "I'll tell you guys about it later…though I can say right now I did get something very useful out of it: the Strengthening Method of the Mirror."

"Really?" Kizuna perked up, the interest clear in her voice. Atla had much the same reaction. "What is it?"

Shirou looked into his Menu, the relevant information appearing in his field of view.

[Food Level] – This Strengthening Method consists out of multiple different interweaving components, all of which revolve around cooking and eating food. Cooking: the user gains [Food EXP] by cooking, which then increases their [Food Level]. A higher [Food Level] allows the chef to imbue their food with stronger effects/Stat bonuses.

Consumption: when someone eats food prepared by the Hero, they receive: permanent Stat bonuses (the Stat-up is based on the recipe, the chef's skill and [Food Level]), their own [Food EXP], while the chef also gains additional [Food EXP] based on the consumer's satisfaction with the meal.

Weapon Enhancement: the Vassal/Legendary Weapon itself gains [Food EXP] through both food preparation and consumption. This EXP can be used to strengthen Weapon Forms and is fungible with some if not all other Strengthening Methods. For example: the [Food EXP] accrued by the Vassal/Legendary Weapon itself can be used to fill up the EXP Level gauge of the [Weapon Experience Points] Strengthening Method of the Legendary Hunting Tool. This would allow a given Weapon Form to grow stronger through the use of the [Weapon Experience Points] system without actually having to be used in active combat.

Shirou read the description back-to-back twice to be sure he understood correctly what he was reading. This Strengthening Method provides benefits to the user, their allies, and the Legendary/Vassal weapon itself, making it a versatile and potent ability for strengthening the entire party. As that dawned on him, he chuckled, smiling as he said. "…I guess I'll be the head chef from this point onward."

Noticing how pleased the Katana Hero sounded and looked, both Kizuna and Atla gazed at Shirou oddly.

---

Sickle was a country, one like many others in this world. It was of average size, with a respectable population, and with an effective military, though there were still many nations that could rival it and even surpass it on many counts. However, Sickle set itself apart from many other nations because it was the home base of several Heroes.

CRACKLE!-WHOOSH!

And, right now, with the crackling of energy, a Holy Hero that had been gone for many years, finally returned to Sickle. To the country she had called home ever since coming to this world.

"Sickle, huh? Home away from home," a sigh. "I missed this place."

Kizuna's voice echoed off the walls, bouncing around the insides of a stark building reminiscent of a town hall. Behind her the form of a huge golden Dragon Hourglass spun lazily on its axis as energy quickly ebbed away from its structure, a tell-tale sign of the use of the Return Dragon Vein Skill.

"I wonder if Glass and the others are close by…"

"If they are, I hope that our next meeting goes better than the last one." Shirou, standing beside her, said drily.

"We'd be hard pressed to do worse, though I wouldn't mind punching L'arc in the stomach again," Atla grinned.

"I'd recommend not saying such things out loud, Atla. Not in this country, at least," Kizuna huffed. "L'arc is a figure of some importance here, after all."

Even as they talked, the trio had begun to walk, the sound of their footsteps echoing off the surrounding walls, just as their voices did. It wasn't long before a group of attendants of the Dragon Hourglass came across them.

"Kizuna-sama?" a voice, filled with disbelief. "I-Is that really you?"

Shirou looked at the gaggle of people. It was a group of six, all looking western in both appearance and clothing. Clearly, Sickle's aesthetic was fundamentally different compared to Raybul and Mikakage. At first glance, Sickle seemed more in line with Melromarc than anything else he had seen so far in this world.

"Hey, everyone! Long time no see! I'm back!" Kizuna announced cheerfully, waving at them.

After a moment of stunned silence-

"Kizuna-sama!"

"It really is her! I can't believe it!"

"I'll go tell everyone the great news!"

One young man ran down the hall, disappearing from sight. The other five crowded around them, clearly elated to have Kizuna back. As the Hunting Tool Hero greeted every single one of them with firm handshakes and a relaxed but genuine smile, it didn't take a lot to figure out that Kizuna was truly beloved in this country.

And it didn't take long for word to spread.

More and more people began streaming into the town hall like building that housed the Dragon Hourglass. At first, it was just a bunch of ordinary civilians who had come to see the miraculous return of their Holy Hero. The atmosphere was quickly beginning to develop the feeling of an impromptu block party, though that feeling quieted down a tad as more ostentatiously dressed, official looking people entered the venue.

The crowd parted, revealing a tall man that could only be described as 'important.' The Important Looking Man walked up to them, relief and happiness clear on his face.

"Kizuna-sama, it really is you. I hadn't dared to hope…"

"Aw, shucks. You all are making me blush!" in spite of her words, there was no hint of a blush on Kizuna's cheeks. Only a truly happy smile.

"Kizuna-sama, forgive me for asking this so quickly after your return, but I feel I must…" the Important Looking Man hesitated briefly before pushing on. "Where have you been all this time? All of us have been looking for you for so long without uncovering even a hint as to your location. And now, you show up out of the blue all on your own. Can you please explain what happened to you?"

The previously rambunctious crowd around them had quieted down, becoming as silent as the grave. All of them listened intently.

"…I won't go into details but…" Kizuna's voice had lost its cheery undertone, almost but not quite whispering the words. "When I went out on that solo mission all those years ago, I ran into the Mirror Hero, the Book Hero, and a whole bunch of their subordinates. A lot of things went down, and they eventually managed to capture me. I was thrown into the Infinite Labyrinth, and I was stuck in there for all these years."

As soon as Kizuna had finished speaking, a palpable feeling of simmering anger had settled over the listening crowd.

"The Infinite Labyrinth, the inescapable prison of Mikakage," the Important Looking Man breathed, his own eyes narrowing in anger at the mention of the Mirror and Book Heroes. "But, then, how did you escape…?"

At that, Kizuna's cheerful smile returned in full force.

"That's thanks to my two new friends over here!" Kizuna chirped. She reached out and grabbed Shirou by the wrist, who blinked in surprise, and pulled him forward with surprising strength. Atla was quick to step forward beside him. "Everyone, this is Emiya Shirou, the newly minted Hero of the Katana, and his companion, Atla! Please treat them kindly!"

All the eyes in the room alighted on Shirou and Atla, most of which also darted down to the Katana Vassal Weapon sheathed at the Katana Hero's hip. For their part, having become used to hiding under an illusion more often than not these days, suddenly becoming the center of attention like this was a little uncomfortable for them both, though neither of them showed their discomfort on their faces.

"Shirou managed to pull me out of the Infinite Labyrinth by leveraging the connection between the Vassal and Legendary Weapons combined with a unique ability of his," Kizuna continued cheerfully. "And get this! Though they had been searching for me for their own reasons, they ran into Altorese by complete happenstance, who then unknowingly pointed them in the right direction without even knowing he was dealing with the Katana Hero! You should have seen his face when he realized that!"

"I'd have paid to have been a fly on the wall in that meeting," the Important Looking man said with clear amusement on his face, chuckles and snorts echoing around the room. Clearly, the young merchant in question was a well-known person in these parts. "Fortune is truly smiling at us today. And not only because of your return, Kizuna-sama…"

The Important Looking Man turned his attention to Shirou and Atla.

"Capable allies and friends are always welcome here, especially those with Kizuna-sama's personal endorsement," the Important Looking Man clasped both Shirou's and Atla's hands. "For saving Kizuna-sama, you have my and this country's everlasting thanks. If there's anything we can do in return and if its within my power, just name it and I'll see it done."

"…If you can give us a place to rest, I'd much appreciate it," Shirou said after a moment, giving a genuine smile in response to the Important Looking Man and the crowd's almost infectious gratefulness. "We just participated in a rather long battle, and I think I speak for all of us when I say that we are exhausted."

"I second that sentiment, though…" Kizuna was quick to add. "Are Glass and the others close by? I'd really like to see them."

"Glass-sama, L'arc-sama, and Therese are currently out on an expedition, I'm afraid. And before you ask, I am unfortunately not aware of the details of their mission."

At that, Kizuna visibly deflated.

"However, Ethnobalt-sama collaborated with them before they set out," the Important Looking Man was quick to assure the Hunting Tool Hero. "I'll call for him at once. Knowing Ethnobalt-sama, he'll be here before you know it."

"I'd hazard a guess he'll be here tomorrow morning at the latest," Kizuna visibly perked up at the mention of this Ethnobalt. "In the meantime, we can take a rest at my house."

Shirou and Atla both raised a brow in faint surprise at the knowledge that Kizuna had built herself a home in this world. Though, considering what had been made out of the formerly ruined Lurolona village – now the base of both the Sword Hero, Shield Hero, their parties, and their various allies – maybe they should have expected such a thing.

"Fair enough. Your house has been well taken care of in your absence, Kizuna-sama, I assure you," the Important Looking man said. "However, before you take your leave, would you be willing to speak to the people for a brief moment? As you have no doubt noticed, you have been dearly missed these last few years…"

Looking around at all the happy and excited faces of the people and officials, one could feel the barely restrained festive atmosphere. It was blindingly obvious that the people wanted to hold a celebration for the return of their Holy Hero.

Why do I have the feeling we'll be here for quite a while yet? And that I won't get to see a bed any time soon? Shirou thought ruefully to himself.

"Sure!" Kizuna chirped.

A bombastic, overly happy cheer deafened Kizuna, Shirou, and Atla simultaneously.

---

The next day the sun rose bright and early in a clear blue sky. In a relatively large port town – a satellite city of the capital of Sickle, in fact – a huge brick and mortar mansion was bathed in the early morning sunlight. This was the home of the Hunting Tool Hero, exuding a happy, content filled aura of its very own, specifically built large enough to house every single friend Kizuna had ever made in this world.

And in the confines of that abode…

"Ugh," Atla groaned loudly, all poise forgotten as she lay collapsed atop a large couch in the living room. Her head was tilted all the way back over the spine of the couch at an angle that was almost painful to look at. Her feline ears were folded down atop said head. "So tired…"

"Me too," Kizuna's own groan was the perfect accompaniment to Atla's complaint. The Hunting Tool Hero had collapsed into a comfortable looking chair in the corner of the room. "That party yesterday went on for far longer than even I expected."

"It's a sign of how terrible the people of this country missed you, Kizuna."

Stepping out of the kitchen, Shirou placed two steaming cups in front of both Atla and Kizuna on the table in the center of the room. Unlike them both, though the Hero of the Katana had slight bags under his eyes, he seemed well rested enough.

"How are you still so with it while Atla and I are barely even functional?" Kizuna grumbled, idly looking at the cups placed in front of her with half lidded eyes. Coffee and tea, an odd combination to be sure.

"That's Shirou-sama just being Shirou-sama," Atla said, having sat up with another loud groan. "Back in our own world we have often joked he is like a golem, continuing to work without pause while everyone else has long since called it quits."

"I never really needed a lot of sleep," Shirou responded with a shrug. "Though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't still feeling yesterday's…exertions."

"Could have fooled me," Kizuna continued to grumble, having lurched upright. Like Atla, she reached for their drinks. And just like the demi-human, she also went first for the coffee. The two girls were of like mind that caffeine was a necessity right now.

The two of them took their first sips, both freezing in abject surprise as the caffeinated liquid touched their lips. Closing their eyes to savor the drink fully, both Atla and Kizuna rapidly drained their cups of coffee. With every single sip they took, their countenance visibly improved, the bags underneath their eyes disappearing as if they had never been there in the first place.

"Ahh," Kizuna sighed in pure contentment. She then slammed her cup down on the table with more force than might have been advisable. "Okay, I'll bite. What the hell did you put into this coffee? Because I feel as if someone just injected twenty ccs of liquid life into my veins!"

"Just the ingredients in your pantry," Shirou answered, and Kizuna was about to call him out on such an obvious lie, until he rapidly added, "But when I was brewing the coffee, I also added Life Force and used the Strengthening Method of the Mirror Vassal Weapon. I wanted to test if I could also use it on any drinks I made."

"And I'll say it's a rousing success, Shirou-sama! I just had my Agility Stat go up!" Atla sounded absolutely delighted, any trace of soreness and/or tiredness gone from her. The previously folded down feline ears were now rapidly and happily twitching.

Indeed, as Kizuna looked into the corner of her vision, she was just quick enough to see the notification of [+3 Agility] before it disappeared.

"I'd better up my cooking and brewing skills," Kizuna elected to say, eagerly reaching for the tea.

Both girls eagerly drank their tea, a soft but welcome heat filling them as they took the time to savor the drink. Shirou brought out from the kitchen another two cups for himself, including a light breakfast for all three of them consisting of sandwiches, and also partook. All three of them sighed in contentment the moment they finished drinking and eating, an additional feeling of satisfaction taking hold as they noted a quick notification of [+4 Defence] from the tea and the [+3 Attack] from the sandwiches.

As a comfortable silence fell, Shirou allowed his eyes to roam over the spacious but tastefully decorated living room. Eventually, his eyes fell on the mantle above the unlit fireplace. Several pictures filled the mantle, all of which held a smiling Kizuna in their frames, usually with one or more companions of her added in.

Glass was prominently featured, as were L'arc, and Therese. Altorese was also in quite a few pictures. As were more than a few people he had never seen before. And in all of said pictures a palpable feeling of companionship could be felt.

Shirou took a moment to memorize each and every face in the picture frames. Being able to identify Kizuna's allies would always be handy…no matter how things would go in the (not so) distant future.

"Hey, Kizuna?" Atla suddenly broke the comfortable silence.

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something? Can you tell us a little about your life here and all your friends?"

At that, Shirou turned his head away from the pictures. He looked back at Atla and Kizuna with a raised eyebrow, clearly interested himself.

"Sure, but what brought this on?"

"Just curious, and we need something to talk about, don't we? This is as good a conversation topic as any."

"Fair enough," Kizuna shrugged. "Only if you tell me about your world and friends, too."

"Deal."

When Kizuna had first been summoned, she had at first assumed that she was in a game of some sort. The Hunting Tool Hero had received plenty of funds and help from the crown, though the government at the time had been in a state of crisis thanks to a political battle of who would ascend to throne.

And the one who ascended to that throne in the end was…

"…Wait, L'arc is a king?" Shirou blinked.

Kizuna laughed. "I know, I know! He doesn't act like one at all, does he? But I can assure you, he is a good king. The people love him."

"I punched a king in the stomach," Atla muttered. She looked inordinately pleased with herself, which made Shirou roll his eyes.

Kizuna met Glass early on in her travels. In a neighboring country, the disciples of a martial arts school had been conducting a ceremony that would decide who would inherit the responsibilities of the Fan Vassal Weapon. One of said responsibilities was the defeat of a terrible menace, a dragon, which ruled a nearby continent.

And the one who would eventually become the Fan Hero and inherent said responsibility was, of course, Glass.

At first, Glass herself had been denied consideration because of 'issues' concerning her birth. What exactly those 'issues' were, Kizuna refused to elaborate. However, in the end, Glass still became the Fan Hero when every other candidate was turned down.

"Nepotism," Shirou sighed. "A constant no matter where you go."

Out of resentment, the disciples that had been passed over cut all ties with Glass. She had been told not to come back when she left for her trial to slay the dragon. Presumably, they had believed Glass would die, and then one of them would be chosen to succeed her.

Kizuna had been summoned to defeat the very same dragon Glass had been chosen to slay. They met each other out in the fields of Glass' home country when they had both been out hunting monsters. The two female Heroes had immediately hit it off, after which they decided to team up.

"We went on a dangerous journey to slay our target: the Dragon Emperor, better known as the Demon Dragon. We met many people, many of which joined our cause," Kizuna said with a laugh, pointing towards the pictures on the mantle which prominently featured not only Kizuna and Glass, but also L'arc, Therese, Altorese, and many others. All people who had aided in the cause of defeating the Demon Dragon. "It was a wild ride, but also quite fun all the while."

Eventually, at the end of said journey, they succeeded in slaying the Demon Dragon. At first, Kizuna had assumed she would at least get the option to go home to her own dimension after she had resolved the reason for which she had been summoned. However, by that point, she had long since come to realize that this world was not, in fact, a game, and as such wasn't completely shocked when no such thing happened.

Kizuna had settled down in this world. From then on, she had lived a calm, mostly peaceful life for almost a year before going on a disastrous solo mission that led to a run in with the Mirror Hero, the Book Hero and their harem/allies which saw her imprisoned in the Infinite Labyrinth. And during said imprisonment of the Hunting Tool Hero, the Waves of Calamity began, a threat Kizuna had been completely ignorant off until Shirou and Atla had broken her out.

"Now it's your turn," Kizuna announced. She leaned forward eagerly in her seat. "You two are in a party with a Holy Hero of your world, too, right? The Shield Hero, I think it was? Does he also have a handicap like I do when it comes to figh-."

Knock. Knock.

A polite knock on the front door of the mansion brought the rapid-fire questions of the Hunting Tool Hero to an abrupt end, the sound obviously enhanced by magic in order to make sure everyone on the premises could hear it.

"I'll go get that," Kizuna said, not even looking put out at being interrupted.

She flew out of her chair and left with a speedy, but relaxed gait. From where they remained sitting in the living room, Shirou and Atla could hear the front door being thrown open, followed by an exchange they couldn't quite make out. A few minutes later, Kizuna returned.

"Ethnobalt has arrived," Kizuna said with a wide smile.

"That was quick," Shirou blinked.

Kizuna nodded. "He has always been a prompt one when called, though his Vassal Weapon does help with that. He's at the castle back in the capital, waiting for us. Shall we?"

"Let's go."

---

The castle in the capital had some similarities to the castle where Mirellia resided back in Melromarc, though there were some notable differences, too. Like how castles built in the Middle Ages in Great Britain and Germany were different.

Inside the 'German-esque' castle of Sickle, in its opulent throne room, Ethnobalt stood waiting for them. Or to be more accurate, he wasn't standing…but floating.

"It really is you, Kizuna. I've searched for you all this time, but I never managed to find hide or hair of you. I am truly sorry."

The voice was softspoken, but carried a note to it that made it carry far regardless. And the person from who that voice came was one that Shirou recognized. The teenager in front of him, on the cusp of becoming a man but not quite yet, had been in more than a few of the pictures he had seen on the Kizuna's mantle.

The youth's hair was white as snow, the exact same shade as Shirou's own. His eyes were also red, only his eyes were a softer red in hue than those of the Katana Hero. He was pale of skin, most of which was covered up with an elaborate black and white cloak, colors underlined with a few deep golden highlights, that only left his face and hands exposed. A deep purple shawl was wrapped around his neck, an ornate staff in his right hand, while a ruby encrusted circlet covered his forehead.

Also, he was standing on a floating platform of some kind, keeping the youth separated from the floor at all times.

Shirou raised a brow when he spotted the deep blue jewel embedded into said floating platform, one identical to the green to the green jewel set into the hilt of the Katana Vassal Weapon. Sans the color difference, of course. Is that…?

"Ethnobalt, you are a sight for sore eyes," Kizuna happily skipped – yes, skipped – up to the floating youth.

"Right back at you," Ethnobalt chuckled warmly, inclining his head at the approaching Hunting Tool Hero. His eyes then turned towards Shirou and Atla. "And these two must be Emiya Shirou, the Katana Hero, and his companion, Atla."

"Nice to meet you."

"Well met."

"…Really?" Shirou paused as those unexpected words reached his ears.

Atla pouted. "I wanted to try and speak a little more fancy than usual."

Ethnobalt chuckled. "I like them already," he said, amused. "I am Ethnobalt, Hero of the Boat Vassal Weapon. Many thanks for saving Kizuna from the Infinite Labyrinth. You have no idea how much good it does for me – and this whole country – to have her back."

"…Considering the celebration from yesterday, I might actually have an inkling," Shirou said wryly.

"I did hear about that. Shame that I missed it," Ethnobalt mused. "I also heard that you are looking for Glass and the others."

"Of course! I haven't seen them in years!" Kizuna exclaimed.

"Naturally. It's more than reasonable that you want to see everyone again after having been gone for so long," Ethnobalt nodded. "Unfortunately, they are out in the middle of nowhere right now. Let's go to my office and I'll share the details."

Obviously, the Boat Hero wanted a place a little more private, away from prying eyes, to continue their talk. They agreed in short order, following after Ethnobalt as he led/floated the way, leaving the throne room and taking several turns deeper into the castle. After a good ten minutes of walking, they arrived at their destination.

"Come in."

A mahogany door was opened, and the foursome entered a small, but cozy room. The walls on either side were entirely filled with huge bookcases that ran from the floor all the way to the ceiling. Said bookcases were crammed full with books of varying colors, size, and make, with no leftover room for more books available. There was a single large window behind the clearly regularly used, but well-maintained desk that let in rays of refreshing sunlight.

"Take a seat."

Kizuna, Shirou, and Atla sat down in front of the desk while Etnobalt took his seat behind it. Shirou briefly wondered how comfortable it was to sit down in a chair while your legs were still floating quite a bit above the ground. After all, a Hero could never separate themselves from their Vassal/Legendary Weapon.

"Before we speak about anything else, first I want to give you this, Kizuna," Ethnobalt announced, pulling open a drawer and taking out a wooden ofuda of some kind.

Shirou and Atla focused their attention on the ofuda. Ever since having crossed over to this other world, they had learned about the widespread use of ofudas in combat. It was a unique magic system, completely distinct from anything else that they had encountered in their own world so far.

Ofuda are single-use magical tags made of wood, paper, or stone. These tags are imbued with spells using magical ink, which determines the type and power of the spell. They can be used for various purposes, including combat and utility. By imbuing a little magical energy into an ofuda, one can employ these single-use spells by throwing or applying the ofuda to a given enemy. The same held true for applying ofudas to oneself or allies. This makes them effective for ranged attacks and quick spell deployment in battle.

There are also so-called Enslavement Ofudas. The function and purpose of these kind of ofuda was obvious.

"That's...!? I thought he would be with Glass!" Kizuna exclaimed.

"Glass did take care of him at first, but it was decided some time ago that it was better that I take care of him. Glass was getting increasingly busy. Not to mention that she was heading into more and more danger on the regular. That's why I took over for his care."

Even as Ethnobalt explained, he handed over the ofuda to Kizuna. Said girl took it eagerly and shook it before the Boat Hero had even finished speaking, causing pure white smoke to erupt outward from the ofuda. By the time Ethnobalt was done talking, both the ofuda and the smoke had disappeared.

"Pen!"

"Chris! I missed you so much!"

A small being had emerged, standing only about as tall as an adult's foreleg. This being with the apparent name Chris looked like a penguin, though his face was far more expressive than a penguin had a right to be. Chris' body was for the most part a deep blue, except for its yellow feet and beak and pure white belly. Atop his round head was another patch of white in the shape of a crescent moon.

Honestly, it looked like the kind off mascot-character that young children would go crazy over.

"Pen! Pen!" Chris' baby blue eyes twinkled as they looked up at Kizuna, hopping in place as he clapped his flippers together in delight. He jumped into the waiting arms of the Hunting Tool Hero, who herself beamed as she embraced the penguin.

"Oh, Chris. You haven't changed one bit since last I saw you!"

"That's only natural," Ethnobalt said, smiling as Kizuna rubbed cheeks with Chris. "As you know, the appearance of Shikigami very rarely change."

Atla was intently 'looking' at Chris, a clear note of interest on her face. Shirou was similarly interested, a fact that Ethnobalt was quick to pick up on.

"Ah, yes. I shall explain. Chris is what we would call a Shikigami," the Boat Hero began. "Shikigami are magical familiars created through a specific ritual process, which uses the blood of one or more persons and a chosen catalyst. Shikigami can have various abilities, depending on the people who make them, and the catalyst used, though all Shikigami have the ability to locate their owners no matter where they may be…so long as they aren't imprisoned in a cordoned off space like the Infinite Labyrinth."

"Are they useful in combat?" Atla asked, a note of intrigue in her voice.

"Sure, they are," Kizuna said, having placed Chris in her lap. "Chris here is actually kind of my bodyguard since, you know, I can't really fight people myself."

"These Legendary Weapons do have the oddest restrictions some time," Atla mused out loud. "Kizuna, as the Hunting Tool Hero is unrivaled in a fight against monsters, but in return, her ability to harm humans is nearly nonexistent. And Naofumi-sama's Defence as the Shield Hero is ridiculous, while he has almost no Attack to speak of…"

"…Wait…did you just say…Naofumi, the Shield Hero!?" Ethnobalt exclaimed after a moment, clearly recognizing the name. "That's a Holy Hero from another world! How do you know about him?"

"Ah, right. We never explained where exactly Shirou and Atla had come from, now did we?" Kizuna said, sounding a bit sheepish. "It's quite the story, actually…"

"I'll explain," Shirou jumped in. "I and Atla were dragged into this world in the aftermath of a Wave and a fight with Glass, L'arc, and Therese…"

---

"…And that's how we ended up here," Shirou finished his tale.

Ethnobalt had begun to run his hand through his hair somewhere at the midway point of the story. By the end of it, the red-eyed youth had settled for just looking exasperated.

"…You know, it says a lot that the death of the Mirror Hero, after you three explicitly went out of your way to hunt him down, is one of the least shocking things you have told me," the Boat Hero commented drily.

"Like Shirou told you, Altorese had informed us of the coming battle in the capital of Mikakage. It was a golden opportunity to try and get close to him and discover if he was a Vanguard of the Waves or not. That's why I didn't try and return to Sickle as soon as I could, as much as I would have wanted to otherwise," Kizuna added, idly stroking Chris's round head.

At that, Ethnobalt looked at the Hunting Tool Hero for a long moment, a note of uncertainty in his eyes. He had been told a lot of world-shattering pieces of information just now, including actions taken in response to said information, one key detail which had sent the Boat Hero reeling.

Shirou and Atla were from another world, a world in conflict with their own thanks to the Waves of Calamity, and somehow Shirou was still chosen as the Katana Hero. There was an entity – or a group of entities – behind the Waves: the Ones Who Call Themselves Gods. And those people they sent into worlds they wanted to destroy, the Vanguard of the Waves, had the ability to steal and highjack control of Vassal/Legendary Weapons. The Mirror Hero had been suspected to be a Vanguard, which is why the Hunting Tool Hero had elected to hunt him down and, if necessary, slay him.

It was that last bit that truly startled Ethnobalt. Kizuna was a kind girl, an optimist who'd believe in people's better nature almost to a fault. She had always been prone to giving people second and even third chances. And here she was, having killed a man in cold blood as soon as she had ascertained that the Mirror Hero was an illegitimate Hero, a Vanguard of the Waves.

Had Kizuna's time being imprisoned in the Infinite Labyrinth really affected her so much? Ethnobalt hoped that his friend was as healthy/hale as she appeared to be. That said, considering how Kizuna was doting on Chris just like she always had, did give the Boat Hero a measure of relief.

Making sure not to let his worries show on his face, Ethnobalt instead chose to speak up after a long moment. "…I see, you three have given me a lot to think about," the Boat Hero sighed. "That said, what you have told me…does match up rather neatly with the records we have uncovered so far."

"What records?" Atla questioned.

"Oh!" Kizuna perked up in realization. "You found information about the Waves in the Ancient Labyrinth Library, didn't you?"

"Correct," Ethnobalt nodded.

"Another Labyrinth?" Shirou cocked his head. "Just like the Infinite Labyrinth?"

"Again, correct, but as you might have already noticed from the name, the purpose of the Ancient Labyrinth Library is completely different," Ethnobalt said. "It's a library of such grand size, complexity, and depth that no one knows its true magnitude, not even I and my fellow Library Rabbits who call the place home."

"Library Rabbits?" Atla murmured the name with a questioning tone.

In a large puff of smoke, Ethnobalt suddenly transformed into an oversized, pure white rabbit with soft red eyes sitting up straight in his chair. His clothing had disappeared except for the purple shawl around his neck, while he still held his golden staff in his right hand. After having given Shirou and Atla a good look at his monster-form, the Boat Hero unceremoniously transformed back into his human-form.

"How surprising! You almost never transform into a rabbit in front of people," Kizuna said, shaking her head with a smile.

"…Ah, I get it. You're like Filo: a monster who can take on human-form," Shirou nodded in realization.

"The point is, Ethnobalt here is the leader of the Library Rabbits, who live in the Ancient Library Labyrinth," Kizuna said. "And as you might imagine, said Labyrinth is home to a truly mindboggling amount of knowledge and books."

"Some would say all knowledge in the world can be found in the halls of the Ancient Labyrinth Library," Ethnobalt commented. "So long as you know where to look, that is. And when it came to finding information about the Waves of Calamity, we got lucky."

"Don't leave us hanging here. What did you find?" Atla leaned forward, ears perked up in definitive interest. Kizuna similarly leaned forward, intrigued, though Shirou remained far calmer.

After all, he had been able to communicate with the Spirit of the Katana Vassal Weapon for a little while now, and Shirou had been told quite a few 'interesting' pieces of information. Most of which the Katana Hero had elected to keep to himself, mostly because said information was based on quite a bit of educated guesswork from the Spirit and had little evidence to back it up with.

Maybe the findings of the Boat Hero could shed some light on all the mysteries the Spirit of the Katana Vassal Weapon had laid out in front of him.

"I'll summarize our findings as best as I am able," Ethnobalt took a moment to ponder how to best word this. "Holy Heroes aren't just individuals summoned to combat a grave threat but also to serve as pillars of reality that support their world from the devastation of the Waves. Their presence is crucial for the world's survival, and their death has severe consequences."

Everyone listened intently. So far, everything lined up with what they already knew.

"In actuality, the Waves of Calamity is a phenomenon that occurs when worlds are thrust together and momentarily start to fuse."

Okay, that was most definitively new information. New information for Atla and Kizuna, that is. Shirou, for his part, mentally added more weight to the theories of the Spirit that had made the Katana Hero's soul its home.

"How or why this happens is unknown. However, what is known is this: the more Holy Heroes die, the worse the Waves become, because the pillars of reality that support a given world are gone, meaning that barriers between dimensions weaken and the resistance to being fused with other worlds decreases," Ethnobalt said with a grim edge. "The records state that, if worlds are allowed to fuse together beyond a critical threshold, both worlds will be destroyed."

"What?" Kizuna drew back, alarmed. "Why would that happen?"

"Unknown. The records we have found up to this point do not say," Ethnobalt shook his head, a frown on his face.

"Okay, I get everything so far…" Atla mused. "Then, why are Glass, L'arc, and Therese trying to kill Naofumi-sama and the other Holy Heroes from our world?"

"The four Holy Heroes are the keystone – or perhaps fulcrum – of any given world they represent," Ethnobalt said slowly, choosing his words carefully. "The records state that there is only one way to prevent the fusion of worlds: kill the Holy Heroes of the other world before the fusion process can reach a point of no return. This will lead to the destruction of the world which has lost all its Holy Heroes because, for the lack of a better term, its structural integrity will be gone."

There was a moment of tense silence.

"We have theorized that it's one of the main tasks of Vassal Weapon holders, invading other worlds and killing their Holy Heroes, since Holy Heroes can't leave their own worlds. In other words, Glass, L'arc, and Therese are trying to kill the Holy Heroes of your world, because they are trying to save our own," Ethnobalt concluded, looking troubled.

"…So, that's it, huh?" Kizuna sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Didn't you try and think of anything else? Look for another potential solution?"

"We did, but we found none."

Shirou slowly let out a deep breath. "Fair enough, I can wrap my mind around all this, but," he shook his head. "I'm certain that destroying other worlds to prevent the destruction of your own is a bunch of nonsense. Or, at least, that is not the intended purpose of Vassal Weapon holders."

"…What makes you say that?"

"Two reasons," Shirou closed his eyes. "Just look at Kizuna and Naofumi. Both are Holy Heroes with severe restrictions on the ability to fight on their own. If Holy Heroes are indeed central to the survival of their world, why would any given Legendary Weapon place such onerous restrictions on their wielders when it's known in advance that Heroes and people from other worlds will be out to kill them?"

"…That's…true. I had never thought of it like that," Ethnobalt said slowly, blinking.

"And there's the fact that the Katana Vassal Weapon chose me as its wielder, a person from another world that apparently needs to die for your world to survive," Shirou raised his head and opened his eyes, making eye contact with the Boat Hero. "In this context, choosing me doesn't make any sense. The term 'conflict of interest' doesn't even begin to cover what that would mean."

Everyone took a moment to absorb Shirou's words.

"I'm not buying it. The facts are not lining up," the Katana Hero said with conviction. "There must be a way for both our worlds to survive. Nothing else make sense."

"…And not just our two worlds, either. It has been known to us for a little while that many worlds are being fused together by the Waves, not just this one and yours," Ethnobalt said absently, his eyes unfocused as his mind raced. "Even if this world or yours were to be destroyed, the world that survived would still have to contend with every other world. Destroying one world might buy you time…but won't solve the underlying problem."

"Multiple worlds, huh? I wonder how many worlds are being affected by this," Atla idly said out loud.

Everyone in the office of the Boat Hero briefly fell silent, pondering over everything that they had discussed so far. After a long while, the Hunting Tool Hero began to speak again.

"So, to summarize all the pieces we have so far: the Waves of Calamity are a phenomenon in which worlds are fused together, which somehow unleashes an inexhaustible number of monsters in the worlds being fused together until the Wave in question is brought to an end," Kizuna began.

"The Waves are being caused by the Ones Who Call Themselves Gods, who reincarnate individuals into the worlds affected by said Waves," Atla added. "These Vanguards of the Waves have; besides any other ability they might have, the power to take control of Vassal and Legendary Weapons, stealing them from their chosen wielders."

"The Vanguard of the Waves are lauded as geniuses – presumably because of their unique abilities, the knowledge of their previous lives, and the Weapons they have stolen – only to use their influence and power to cause chaos and conflict wherever they go, weakening any given world from within," Shirou continued. "And even though the Vassal and Legendary Weapons will still be out there in the world, the fact that the real Heroes have been killed and have had their Weapons stolen will have weakened the barriers between dimensions, potentially causing worlds to fuse together beyond a point of no return."

"And the records we found point toward a method that might save your own world while dooming others: kill all the Holy Heroes of other worlds in advance and cause said world to collapse in on itself before the fusion process can progress beyond a certain point. Though, considering what we have discussed just now, there are now significant doubts about that theory. At least, we have reason to believe there might be other options," Ethnobalt finished.

Murmurs continued to bounce off the walls off the office of the Boat Hero as the discussion slowly but surely reached its end. In Kizuna's lap, Chris squirmed, the penguin getting ever so slowly impatient with the proceedings.

"…Man, this is turning out to be far more complicated than it looked at first blush," Kizuna let out a grumble.

Atla pouted. "I miss how simple things used to be," she agreed.

"…You know, I think we might have gotten a little off topic," Shirou stated the obvious. "Weren't we here to discuss where Glass, L'arc, and Therese are?"

At that, Kizuna's eyes flew wide. "That's right! I can't believe I completely forgot about that!" the Hunting Tool Hero looked into the Boat Hero's eyes. "And? Where are they? They were on a mission of some kind, right? One out in the middle of nowhere, I think I remember you saying earlier."

"That's right," Ethnobalt nodded. "Out west, in a wild and completely unpopulated part of the next country over, a Wave is due to hit soon. They have gone out to meet it."

"…You know, I can't believe I have never asked this, but what happens when a Wave strikes a location where there are no population centers, and no one acts to counter said Wave?" Atla asked suddenly, looking troubled.

"Our observations have shown that Waves will end by themselves after a certain amount of time has passed," Ethnobalt said. "However, the monsters spawned by the Wave won't disappear and will disperse into the countryside, causing havoc on both an ecological and a national scale. There are also reports of powerful, local monsters acting against the Waves, but that's hearsay at best."

"Why then are Glass and the others going out to meet this Wave if it's in the middle of nowhere?" Kizuna asked. "Just to be sure or…?"

Ethnobalt briefly fell silent, his soft red eyes darting between Kizuna and then towards the otherworlders sitting next to her. He let out a deep sigh, realizing that what he was about to say would not go over well. "The Wave that is due to hit out west is connected with the world where the Shield Hero resides. Glass, L'arc, and Therese will deal with the Wave, and will then use that opportunity to jump over to that world."

At that, Atla almost growled and Shirou's brow twitched, violently. "In other words, they are making another attempt at the lives of Naofumi and the other Holy Heroes of our world."

"…Yeah, that's the long and short of it," Ethnobalt admitted. "Thankfully, that Wave isn't due to hit for another three days, and as the Boat Hero, I can get you to them very quickly. So, we will be able to head them off before they can make the jump to the other world."

Kizuna ran a hand down her face. "Thank god for small mercies," she mumbled, hugging Chris tighter to herself in relief.

"Will we set out now?" Atla got straight to the point, brow pinched.

"I would always advise you to stock up on supplies first," was Ethnobalt's response.

"Fair enough."

"Let's go to the local market and do just that," Shirou agreed. "Are there any ofuda artisans I might be able to pay a visit to? I have some questions I want to ask them…"

Atla giggled, earlier anger disappearing as quickly as it came. "Why am I not surprised that you want to know how to make ofudas? You'll also want to see their tools, no doubt."

"I'm a curious guy," Shirou shrugged.

"Sure, there are. There are quite a few ofuda shops in town," Kizuna chirped. "There is also an excellent blacksmith that you'll want to meet. Her name is Romina, and the most formidable Weapon Forms I, Glass, and the others have, have been crafted by her expert hands. I'm sure you and her can learn a lot from each other, Shirou."

"And while you guys are doing that, I will be preparing for our trip," Ethnobalt added. "We can head out later today in the afternoon."

"Sounds like a plan," the Katana Hero was quick to agree, as did the others.

---

Later that day, when the sun was no longer high in the sky, Shirou, Atla, Kizuna, Ethnobalt, and Chris gathered in a remote corner of the massive and stately garden of the castle. A brief discussion was to be had before departing.

"Does everyone have what they needed?" Ethnobalt questioned.

"My Item Box is ready and loaded," Kizuna grinned. Beside her, Chris saluted them with its flipper, looking like the mascot-character that he was.

"Same here," Atla looked eager to head out.

Shirou merely nodded. "By the way, before I forget to say this, thank you for introducing me to the ofuda artisans and Romina at the market. I learned a lot of useful stuff."

Ethnobalt laughed. "They'll say the same about you, I reckon. If you didn't notice, Hero of the Katana, they were really flattered by your questions and impressed by your insights. Romina, our blacksmith, especially. We nearly had to drag you away from her, because your discussion about forging would have just kept on going otherwise."

"She was not pleased with us cutting that meeting short," Kizuna said, deadpan.

"Ugh, don't remind me," Atla mumbled, less than pleased herself with the clear interest Romina had shown towards her man…even if it wasn't romantic in any sense.

"Everyone, please step back."

As asked, everyone took a few steps back from Ethnobalt. That done-

ZIP!-WHOOM!

The platform that the Library Rabbit in human-form was standing on glowed, before suddenly changing form and expanding massively in size. As soon as the glow cleared, a unique and oblong floating boat the size of a large building was hovering in front of them.

The bottom half of the boat was a dark black, while the top – the part that would have been above water in a regular sea-faring vessel – was white. Sparse, yet extravagant golden ornamentation covered the boat's outer shell while deep purple wings of varying sizes, far too small and fragile looking to actually produce lift on their own, jutted outward from the boats stern in sets of three.

In other words, the colors of the boat in question were actually quite similar to Ethnobalt's clothes. That, clearly, was no coincidence.

"Get on, everyone!" the Boat Hero's voice called down from the vessel's bow.

Kizuna picked Chris up, and then Shirou, Atla, and the Hunting Tool Hero bent their legs and jumped. Soaring upwards, they landed on the deck of the Boat Vassal Weapon, a deck that was not wood, but pure marble.

"This takes me back," Kizuna said, letting Chris down, who immediately began to scamper across the deck.

"I hope the ride will still be as smooth as you remember, Kizuna," Ethnobalt responded. Without a word or a gesture from him, the Boat Vassal Weapon lurched forward-

And the scenery around them vanished.

Shirou's eyes darted around. All of a sudden, the boat they were riding on was in a dark void. A path of pale light stretched out in front of said boat, the titanic Vassal Weapon proceeding over it and following the light's path.

"The abilities of the Boat Vassal Weapon regarding travel are never a letdown," Kizuna snorted.

"How does it work?" Atla found herself asking.

"It works by using the leylines that connect the Dragon Hourglasses across the world," Ethnobalt said. He was standing right at the edge of the bow, obviously steering the vessel with unseen hands. "As long as there are leylines and Dragon Hourglasses, I can take you there."

"And with our destination being only in the next country over-" Kizuna began to say.

"We have arrived," Ethnobalt cut across her.

The dark void and pale path of light vanished, replaced by a clear blue sky above. They were now quite high in the sky, actually. Far below them, a huge forest stretched out in every direction. There was a pair of mountains in the distance, and a wide river cut across the landscape, leading into the sea that was barely visible in the opposite direction of the mountains.

"Well, that was quick," Shirou said the obvious, blinking owlishly.

Kizuna laughed at his gob smacked expression. "Chris," she called, obviously quite eager. "Point the way toward Glass!"

Chris saluted her. Without further ceremony, he ran towards the edge of the boat, jumping atop the marble divider, and pointed southward with his flipper. Again, with no word or movement from Ethnobalt, the Boat Vassal Weapon turned and flew into the direction that the Shikigami had indicated, the wind causing everyone's hair to visibly rustle.

---

CLANG!

A fan met the curved edge of a scythe, their meeting releasing a shower of sparks. They broke apart, only to meet again and again, every time they clashed sending sparks flying through the air in an almost mesmerizing display.

"L'arc! Glass! Dinner is almost ready!"

At Therese's call, the fan and scythe clashed one more time before their wielders finally disengaged from each other.

"That was…pretty good…Glassy," L'arc said through his pants, the visible skin on his arms and head covered in a thin layer of sweat.

"I can say the same for you…well met, L'arc," Glass herself was less out of breath than her compatriot, but she was nonetheless visibly winded. "It's good to see that you haven't let your skills atrophy since ascending to the throne."

"If I had let my skills wither after I had went through all that trouble to make sure that Sickle could function just fine with or without my leadership, I fully expect you to whip me back into shape in no time," L'arc said with a short laugh and easygoing grin.

A flicker of amusement could be seen in Glass' slitted, crimson eyes. "Naturally."

With that short post spar banter out of the way, the Fan and Scythe Hero made their way back to their temporary camp, though they did make a quick stop at a nearby small lake in order to freshen up. Back at camp, pitched in a large clearing, Therese was there to greet them with a bright smile and a wave.

"Perfect timing," she chirped, slowly stirring a ladle through a large bowl suspended above a roaring fire. "The stew is just about done."

"Man, that smells good," L'arc said, making a beeline for the meal. After that rather intense practice spar, he was famished.

Glass and L'arc sat down around the fire, joining Therese. In short order, all three of them had small wooden bowls in their hands, savoring their own helpings of stew.

After a few moments of stilling their hunger…

"And? Anything to report?" L'arc began, speaking around a spoonful of Therese's stew.

"Nothing of note," Therese shook her head. "I scouted around our soon to be battlefield, but it's the same in all directions: a massive forest over a flat terrain. There are few small lakes here and there, but nothing that would impede us. There is that huge river towards the west, but considering the location of the Dragon Hourglass," right underneath where they were sitting, actually, in a hidden chamber buried underground. "I don't think the river will pose an issue, because the monsters will probably spawn dead center in the forest."

"I see. Because there are no population centers around, that will make things simple," Glass said. "We will forego any kind of defense, and we'll make a beeline for the Boss Monster, cutting it down as quickly as possible."

L'arc hummed after swallowing another mouthful of stew. "Combine that with the fact that this Wave connects to the world of the Shield Hero, meaning that both Therese and I will get the benefits of the Levels we gained there, I can't imagine this Wave will be all that difficult."

"Let's hope," Therese said with a note of caution.

"I'm curios how strong you'll both get as soon as the Wave hits," Glass elected to say.

L'arc snorted. "And then, before the Wave comes to an end, we'll jump over to the other world so that we can accrue more Levels, resources, and knowledge there."

"If we want to beat the Holy Heroes of that world, we'll need all the advantages we can get," Glass said, and then reluctantly added, "And…probably a specialized method of attack and a plan, because a head-on confrontati-"

"Wait."

Glass fell silent. Both the Fan and Scythe Heroes turned towards Therese, who had stopped eating, sitting up straight with a measure of alarm.

"Do you two hear that?"

"What is it?" L'arc asked, sitting up straight himself. Just like Glass and Therese, the Hero of the Scythe strained his hearing.

"Something is approaching," in a flash, Glass was standing up, her bowl of stew discarded beside her. "I can hear it. Something large…"

"And flying," Therese added. The Oreikul Bracelet of Enlightened Starfire secured to her right wrist began to glow, a preprepared spell on the woman's lips.

The sound of a large flying object cutting through the air gradually increased, until the sound in question suddenly ratcheted up a couple notches. A blink later, and a huge shadow almost completely blanketed the clearing.

The trio looked up at the sudden arrival, only to immediately relax at the sight that greeted them.

"Huh, I wonder what brings Ethnobalt here?" L'arc mused as the Boat Vassal Weapon slowly descended towards them.

"Maybe he forgot to mention something when he dropped us off?" Therese suggested.

"Or maybe something happened back in Sickle while we were gone," Glass said, a note of worry in her voice.

A few moments later, the Boat Vassal Weapon had finished descending, taking up nearly the entire available space in the clearing as it floated less than a meter above the ground.

"Hey, guys. Long time no see!"

…The words were normal. Standard, even. But for L'arc, Therese, and especially Glass, the voice – a voice that they hadn't heard in literal years – that carried those words struck them all like a ton of bricks.

"…It couldn't be…!" Glass felt faint. If it wasn't for the fact that the Vassal Weapon was literally stuck to her person at all times, the Fan would have fallen from her all of a sudden nerveless fingers. L'arc and Therese were little better. Both of them were looking up, mouths agape, at the small figure merrily waving back at them barely visible behind the railing of the Boat Vassal Weapon.

The Fan Hero was the first to gather her wits about her. Her legs flexed, launching herself upward with superhuman strength, her crimson eyes fixed with laser-like intensity on her target.

"Glass! You have no idea how much I missed yo-!"

Glass came down on the marble deck of the Boat Vassal Weapon with a loud thump, took one look at the bright, infectious – and, most importantly – sorely missed smile she had only seen the last few years in her dreams, and immediately swept Kizuna up. The feet of the much smaller girl abruptly left the ground, and she audibly wheezed as the Fan Hero crushed Kizuna to her chest in an overwhelming bearhug.

"…Okay," Kizuna managed to get out. "I reckon you do have an idea of how much I missed you…"

By this point, both L'arc and Therese had joined them on the deck. The duo stared at the reunion, and without saying a word, simultaneously decided to let the pair have their own little reunion first.

"…This better not be another cruel dream," Glass murmured into Kizuna's hair.

In spite of herself, Kizuna laughed. "That would suck. And I would know. I have had my fair share of cruel dreams these last few years, too…until my dreams suddenly stopped being fake and became real. And this is as real as it has ever been."

"Pen! Pen!" Chris landed on Kizuna's shoulder, clapping his flippers together in delight at the scene.

"Of course, Chris! You are supposed to be a part of this reunion," Kizuna laughed again, her eyes moist.

"I hope the same holds true for me!" Therese, no longer able to hold herself back, rushed in and joined the hug.

"Of course it does, Therese!" L'arc boomed the loudest laugh any one of them had ever heard. His gloved hand landed on Kizuna's other shoulder. "And just like that, we are all back together again, like we should be!"

From a little way's away, Ethnobalt watched the scene with a smile and warm eyes. Like a grandparent looking over a precious and precocious moment.

"…Awh, would you look at that, Shirou-sama. How sweet," a female voice cooed.

"…Did you have to ruin the moment like that, Atla?" another voice, a male one, grumbled.

And both voices were quite familiar.

Glass, L'arc, and Therese turned their heads to look at Shirou and Atla standing off to the side. The trio stared at the otherworlders, who stared back with raised eyebrows, for a solid five seconds with utter incomprehension until-

"WHAT THE HELL!?"

Glass was quick to let Kizuna go and push the Hunting Tool Hero behind her back. L'arc and Therese formed up with the Fan Hero, creating a barrier in between Kizuna and the two from an enemy world, weapons raised at the interlopers.

"You two! Where did you come from!? What are you doing here!?" L'arc thundered, his scythe bared towards them.

"Calm down. We are not here to fight…" Shirou began, raising his hands in a placating gesture.

"I dunno, Shirou-sama. I wouldn't mind getting the chance to punch a king in the stomach again," Atla found herself commenting.

At that, the Katana Hero felt his brow twitch. L'arc, for his part, unconsciously let his free hand brush over his stomach where the Hakuko had once struck a devastating blow in their last bout.

"Besides, considering how much stronger we have gotten, even outnumbered as we are, I think we can take them just fine," Atla grinned a feral, battle hungry grin.

Her words and accompanying facial expression made the tension on the deck of the Boat Vassal Weapon ratchet up several notches.

"Not helping, Atla," Shirou's brow was now twitching like mad. "Not helping…"

Glass leaned forward, readying herself to leap into battle. "We won't let you harm Kizuna," she promised with deadly surety. "Atta-!"

"No fighting!"

"Ack!? Kizuna!?"

Glass stumbled forwards, nearly falling over as Kizuna's legs wrapped around her waist from behind – the Hunting Tool Hero having jumped onto Glass' back – while the hands of the much smaller girl settled on the Fan Hero's shoulders. Kizuna wrenched Glass' head around so that their eyes met, even as she remained firmly wrapped around the older and taller woman.

"I repeat, no fighting! Not with them! Not ever! Do you understand! That goes for all of you!" the Hunting Tool Hero thundered.

"Let me go, Kizuna! You don't understand! They are our ene-!"

"No, they are not! They are the ones who saved me!"

"I-What?" that last sentence, however, made Glass come up short.

Both L'arc and Therese had similarly frozen.

Kizuna let go of Glass' head, pressing her forehead to the back of said head and lowering her voice, speaking quietly. "All those years ago, I was thrown into the Infinite Labyrinth of Mikakage, and I had been stuck there ever since. It was only a little over a week ago that I was freed thanks to Shirou and Atla. It's because of them that I am here right now, and I have come to consider them my friends. And no matter what the reasoning or past grievances, I won't let my friends fight each other, understand?"

For their part, Shirou and Atla were surprised that Kizuna had called them friends. Allies, most definitely, but being promoted to friends after only a solid week together was a little quick. Neither of them minded, though.

Glass was visibly struggling to come to terms with the impassioned words of the Holy Hero hanging from her back.

"…Again, in spite of what Atla said," Shirou gave his companion an annoyed side eye, which merely made the Hakuko grin. "We are not here to fight. We just want to talk and see if we can come to an understanding."

Glass had a strained look in her eyes. Both L'arc and Therese appeared tense and unsure, just as conflicted as the Fan Hero.

"Please," Kizuna pleaded.

At that, Glass finally caved.

"…Fine, but only because it's you, Kizuna," Glass muttered, slowly lowering her Fan.

Both L'arc and Therese dropped their fighting stances. The tension in the air eased.

"However, if either of them tries anything funny, I will strike them down," the Fan Hero added immediately after. The tension in the air increased again, just a little bit.

"I'd like to see you try," Atla muttered.

"Atla, for the love of god, please restrain your inner battle maniac," Shirou pleaded.

The Hakuko pouted but relented. "Only for you, Shirou-sama."

"Good, now that has been hashed out…" Ethnobalt said, raising his free hand. In response, several marble benches rose out of the deck of the Boat Vassal Weapon with a low grinding noise, facing each other.

Everyone got the hint.

Glass, L'arc, and Therese sat down on one bench, Kizuna (with Chris on her lap) and Ethnobalt sat on another – though Glass made sure she was sat at the very edge of her bench, as close to Kizuna as possible – while Shirou and Atla sat down on the bench facing the trio who they had fought in open combat before.

For a long moment, all everyone did was stare at each other silently.

"…Well, this gonna be awkward," L'arc broke the ice first.

"…Yeah," Shirou agreed.

Kizuna palmed her face. "…Ethnobalt, would you please explain all that we discussed at the castle before coming here as concisely as possible? Because I'm afraid that, if we don't all get on the same page as quickly as we can, this meeting is going to go sideways."

At that request, the Boat Hero merely inclined his head and did as asked.

Kizuna's imprisonment in the Infinite Labyrinth. Who had imprisoned her in the first place. The fact that Shirou had been chosen as the Katana Hero. How, and why, Shirou and Atla had set the Hunting Tool Hero free. The death of the Mirror Hero at their hands. Their educated guesses on the phenomena known as the Waves of Calamity and how the Holy/Vassal Weapon system was meant to counter the threat. The Ones Who Call Themselves Gods. The Vanguard of the Waves.

Every single topic was broached and explained as succinctly and comprehensively as possible. And throughout it all, everyone remained dead silent. That said, those who were now learning quite a bit of this information for the very first time – Glass, L'arc, and Therese – had varying reactions to the words of the Boat Hero.

Anger at what had happened to Kizuna. Incredulity that Shirou, an otherworlder from an enemy reality, had been chosen as the Katana Hero. Satisfaction at the death of an enemy who had harmed one of their own. Contemplative at their evolving theories surrounding the Waves of Calamity. A note of doubt on their thoughts about the Holy/Legendary Weapons. Alarm at the notion of the Ones Who Call Themselves Gods. And, finally, contempt at the thought of the Vanguard of the Waves.

"…That's…damn, it's a lot to take in," L'arc admitted, rubbing the back of his head.

"That's putting it rather lightly," Therese muttered, looking a little lost.

"…I don't suppose you have any prove of your claims?" Glass asked, eyes sharp and judging.

"How about my word?" Kizuna interjected mildly. "Glass, I was the one who confirmed that the Mirror Hero had been a reincarnated individual. His soul did not match his body, at all. And his behavior and actions lines up exactly about what is being said about the Vanguard of the Waves."

At that, Glass pursed her lips. She was capable of a lot of things, but at that moment, she did not have it in herself to gainsay the Hunting Tool Hero.

"That, and there's the fact that," Shirou shifted in his seat, pulling the Katana Vassal Weapon sheathed at his side more clearly into view. Its green jewel glinted back up at everyone. "The Katana chose me, an otherworlder, as its wielder. If the purpose of the Vassal Weapons and their wielders is to invade other worlds and destroy them by killing their Holy Heroes, as you believe it to be, I would not have been chosen as the Katana Hero, now would I? As I told Ethnobalt earlier, the term 'conflict of interest' doesn't even begin to cover what that would mean."

Glass' frown deepened, and she chose to remain stubbornly silent, but Shirou and Atla could see it in her crimson eyes: the Fan Hero was beginning to waver. The signs that they were winning the others over were also readily apparent in both L'arc and Therese.

"And all of that is a moot point anyway," Kizuna cut in again. "Because I am not going to allow you to attack the Holy Heroes of other worlds. Having lined up the facts, I believe that there's a solution – an option not yet considered – that we can take that can save our world, theirs, and every other reality being affected by the Waves of Calamity."

"…That's not fair, Kizuna. You know I can't argue against that. Against you," Glass mumbled with a hint of something approaching acceptance.

"Then you and the others should simply accept the inevitable," Ethnobalt said. He already had.

Glass lowered her head. "…I'll do as you say, I – no, we – will no longer attempt to kill the Holy Heroes of other worlds."

"Like Glassy said," L'arc nodded.

"Thank god," for a moment, Therese looked so relieved she might faint.

Kizuna beamed.

"Okay, now that's been hashed out…" Atla broke in. "Now what?"

"I mean, there's the Wave that's going to hit in a couple days," Shirou said. "We'll deal with it and then we can go home."

"Oh, I realized that Shirou-sama, but what do we do after that?" Atla clarified. Then, she cocked her head, a perplexed look appearing on her face. "Now that we are on the topic of going home, how do you guys even know that the coming Wave is connected to our world in the first place?"

"That's pretty simple, actually," Ethnobalt was quick to answer. "The knowledge we uncovered in the Ancient Labyrinth Library regarding the Waves of Calamity also included designs of a special kind of paired accessories, one that can be linked to Vassal and Legendary Weapons. When you cross over to another world, you can leave one of these linked accessories behind while keeping the other stored in your Weapon."

"Back when we first met, but before our fight on that floating ship, I made sure to throw that accessory out into the middle of nowhere there," Glass said. That Wave had been nearly on top of Elrasla's village, which was admittedly out in the 'boonies' of Melromarc. If a single, small accessory had been discarded in that region, you would probably never find it again unless you knew where to look.

"And when the other world begins to grow closer again, whatever 'closer' even means in this context, I guess," L'arc added. "Our Vassal or Legendary Weapon will warn us ahead off time, an added function thanks to the other accessory stored in our Item Box, telling us that the oncoming Wave is connected to a given world or not."

"It can even give us an approximate time in which the Wave will hit and, more importantly, where it will hit. Truly, the artisans of the past were incredible," Therese said, letting out a sigh of admiration.

"…I don't suppose I might get to take a look at this accessory or its designs?" Shirou asked.

"Of course you can!" Kizuna chirped, still beaming. Chris echoed her enthusiasm with a salute from the lap of the Hunting Tool Hero.

"Kizuna, please don't just say yes without thinking it through for at least a second or two," Glass sighed, but with a fond undertone that she could not mask.

"Glassy is right you know, Kizuna," L'arc said, rubbing the back of his head. He felt bad for what he was about to say, but it needed to be aired right now before anyone got the wrong idea. "I mean, we aren't really enemies anymore, I guess, but I wouldn't call us bosom buddies, either. If you ask me, if we were to give them something, they need to offer something of at least equal value in return. Quid pro quo and all that."

"…What am I? Chopped liver?" Kizuna deadpanned. It was thanks to Shirou and Atla that she was even here right now.

"And let's not forget the fact that we made you guys stronger," Atla added, causing several sets of eyes to blink in confusion. "The Strengthening Methods of the Katana Vassal Weapon and the Mirror Vassal Weapon. Shirou has already passed them along to Kizuna without asking for all that much in return."

"…Okay, yeah, fair enough," L'arc admitted/relented.

For a moment, everyone fell silent. The group stared at each other, not knowing what to say further.

"…This is going to remain awkward for quite a while longer, isn't it?"

"…Yeah."

The corner of Kizuna's eye twitched.

---

A forest, bathed in an all-encompassing and murderous red glow. A cracked mess of a sky. Distant monsters falling out of said cracks in their hundreds.

A Wave of Calamity in full swing, out in the middle of literal nowhere.

"Oh, this is gonna be fun," Atla grinned ferally, looking elated.

Beside her, Shirou remained more composed. However, that was only on the surface. Inwardly, the Hero of the Katana was doing his level best to contain himself, trying to remain calm and collected. But, as power continued to surge through his veins like a rising and unstoppable tide, he had to admit, he felt…giddy, for a lack of a better term.

[Emiya Shirou Lv: 151]

As explained to them by Glass and the others, this was a unique benefit of having accrued Levels in two different worlds if said worlds were to be connected by a Wave. The moment the Wave hit, Levels of both worlds would be stacked together, making the recipient an order of magnitude more powerful.

83 Levels in his original world. 68 Levels in this one. Together, this added up to 151 Levels, a measure of strength far beyond the ordinary.

Atla, L'arc, and Therese were, right now, also benefiting from this phenomenon. Kizuna, Glass, and Ethnobalt were the odd ones out, never having built op any Levels in the world where Shirou and Atla came from.

"…Just to be sure, no matter what kind of damage I do here, no one will complain or come to harm?" Shirou asked, his fingers twitching in a show of rare impatience.

"Middle of nowhere, bud," L'arc grinned, shouldering the Scythe Vassal Weapon. "Chances are that no one but us will know what happened here."

"Master craftsman Shirou-sama, as the one that scouted out this battlefield, I can assure you, there is no one around for miles," were the respectful words of Therese.

"Show us what you got, Hero of the Katana," Glass remained short and to the point.

"Go nuts, Shirou!" Kizuna added. Standing beside her, Ethnobalt maintained his silence while Chris was perched atop her shoulder, their gazes locked onto the main rift in the distance.

SHING!

With a clear noise, the Katana Vassal Weapon left its sheath. The blade glowed as it was brought to bear, changing into the Soul Eater Katana, the most powerful Weapon Form Shirou had access to as of this moment. Its sadistically grinning guard seemed even more menacing than usual.

Stepping forward, the Hero of the Katana took point. Everyone else was now lined up behind him. More importantly, they were no longer in the line of fire.

"…"

Shirou took a deep breath, released it slowly, and looked into the murder red forest in front of him. Though the monsters were as of yet not in his field of vision, he could nonetheless hear them in the distance, their approach rapid and certain.

Thankfully, he had a technique – a technique he hadn't used in a long while, actually – that he could use to strike large swaths of enemies at once at a great distance. A general direction of attack was more than enough.

And during a Wave, attacking towards the main rift could never be wrong.

"…"

Another deep breath. Another slow release.

As soon as his exhale was done, pure white energy slowly began to outline Shirou's form. The energy buildup began gradually at first but then started to exponentially increase with each and every moment. At first, it was no more than a vague outline. Then the energy caused the hair of the Katana Hero to stand on end, the tresses rippling in an unseen wind. After that, layer after layer of energy began to build up more and more swiftly, until Shirou was enveloped in a visible field of pure white energy three meters in diameter around him.

Another deep breath.

…Once, this very technique had taken everything Shirou had to even perform, leaving him exhausted and helpless after each and every use.

Release.

…Now, however, though it still took a bit of setup time, the strain to his body, mind, and Magic Circuits were much reduced. And no longer did he have to do, what amounted to, an entire ritual beforehand to even attempt this technique.

Another deep breath.

…A result of the Stats gained from the trials of the Katana Vassal Weapon Dungeon and its rewards. Of having his Levels stacked together. Of becoming the Hero of the Katana.

Release.

…This was his recompense, his growth, for overcoming the unreasonable situation of being dragged into another world and almost being rendered helpless once more.

One final deep, deep breath: air used to chant a prayer.

"May divine light…scour all impurities before me…"

Calmly, but with a sense of clear purpose, the Soul Eater Katana was raised up high above Shirou's head. The hilt of the Vassal Weapon was held tight in both hands as the Katana Hero uttered the required aria.

VWOOM!-CRACK!

With Shirou at its heart still, the pure white energy exploded upwards, forming a pillar that – literally – reached up sky high, piercing the cloud cover. The mere backlash of the sudden release of energy punched a massive crater into existence all around the demi-human's person.

CRACKLE!-WROOOOOM!

The pillar of light came surging back down with a sound reminiscent of a lightning strike, condensing around Shirou once more, and being all the brighter and even more concentrated for it. A phenomenon that was doubled down on as the light pulled away from the person of the Katana Hero just as abruptly, every bit of the energy in question coalescing and concentrating around the blade of the Katana Vassal Weapon.

"HEAVENREND!"

With all the finality of an executioner beheading a criminal, Shirou brought the Soul Eater Katana sheathed in a raging pure white light down.

"…!"

An assorted series of yells of surprise and alarm were released behind the Katana Hero's back, as the backlash of Heavenrend's use was almost enough to knock the others on their collective asses. However, no one heard any other's voice or even their own: they were all lost in the sound of the technique's execution, which was literally indescribable in its intensity.

Pure white light/energy of such brightness to appear truly divine leaped from the edge of the Soul Eater Katana, expanding in every direction forward the second the technique was released. A titanic white blast in the form of a beam that grew and grew exponentially until it was well over 300 meters in diameter blasted ahead, incinerating trees, greenery, and whatever happened to be in the way as if it wasn't even there in the first place.

Everyone, excluding Shirou himself, had averted their eyes as soon as Heavenrend was enacted. After a moment, they turned back to look, seeing a trail of devastation: a huge expanding trench blasted into the soil, the molten earth glowing red hot. In the distance, they saw that the white light of Heavenrend was still blasting on ahead, slowly expanding in circumference still, but getting smaller and smaller from their perspective as it got farther away from them.

[+887 EXP] [+892 EXP] [+798 EXP] [+917 EXP] [+843 EXP] [+952 EXP] [+868 EXP] [+899 EXP] [+912 EXP] [+848 EXP] …

EXP notifications were popping off like mad in the corner of their field of vision. And it didn't look like it was going to stop any time soon, either.

"…Anyone else glad we have decided to bury the hatched with these guys?" L'arc muttered to his companions, a little pale in the face as sweat beaded on his brow.

Glass, Therese, and Ethnobalt chose to keep their peace, but the expressions on their faces told everyone what they needed to know. Kizuna, with Chris on her shoulder still, gave the others a reproachful look, clearly still less than pleased with what they had tried to do in her absence.

CLINK!

Was the sound of the Katana Vassal Weapon being sheathed, having reverted to its base form.

Shirou let out a deep breath, his skin flushed as steam billowed out between his parted lips. Though Heavenrend, as of this moment, could be used without leaving him helpless, it nonetheless still took a lot out of him to perform. Concentrating on his breathing, the Hero of the Katana did his best to recover as quickly as possible, only to start as he felt a hand place itself onto his side.

"Shirou-sama," Atla began, a faint outline of Life Force passing through her arm and hand into the Katana's Hero's body, restoring his spent stamina. "Though I have seen Heavenrend before, I still want to say this: that…was awesome."

"…Thanks," in spite of himself, Shirou felt his lips quirk up at that.

Glass visibly gathered herself, her crimson eyes locking onto the main rift in the distance and the devastation leading up to it. "We better keep pushing. Ethnobalt?"

The Boat Hero inclined his head at the implied request. From underneath him, the floating platform that was the Boat Vassal Weapon glowed and expanded, taking on the form it had when it had ferried Shirou and the others to meet Glass, L'arc, and Therese,

Leaping, everyone was quick to gather on the deck of the Boat. "Onward!" at Ethnobalt's command, the vessel accelerated, gaining just enough height to get above the treetops…if the trees had still been there, that is. Underneath, the massive trench left behind by the passing of Heavenrend continued on into the distance.

"Shining Stone: Resolute Resolve! Shining Stone: Hardened Protection! Shining Stone: Fleet Foot!" holding the wrist bearing the Oreikul Bracelet of Enlightened Starfire up high, its ruby jewel glowing fiercely, Therese was swift to layer a deluge of Enhancement magic on all of them.

Atla was quick to follow her example, pulling out her harp. "Melody: Uplifting Voice! Melody: Bolstering Note! Melody: Brisk Recital!" the Hakuko hummed an ear-catching refrain as she plucked the strings, plying her music and chaining multiple spells together, layering her own Enhancement magic over Therese's.

"We've got incoming!" L'arc boomed.

In the distance, a mass of airborne enemies – over several hundred, in fact – were heading on a collision course with them, flying in packed formation and ranks. Before the designation even appeared in his field of view, Shirou had already identified the monsters ahead: harpies.

Universally female, the harpies were a sickening fusion of human and avian features. Their upper bodies were humanoid with weathered, mossy-green skin, and strong arms ending in sharp, claw-like fingers. Their faces were a twisted mockery of human beauty, with piercing yellow eyes lacking warmth or kindness, and a wild tangle of black hair. Their bird-like legs were covered in dark brown to midnight black feathers, often ruffled and dirty, with sharp talons perfect for grasping and tearing flesh. Broad, strong wings with shimmering dark blue and purple feathers sprouted from their backs, propelling the army of harpies to meet them.

[Harpy LV: 66]

A cacophony of screeches announced their arrival, the harpies giving voice to their clear hostile intent.

"Well, then," L'arc called, rearing back his scythe. "This calls for massed fire, don't you guys think?"

The others were clearly of the same mind. Katana, Fan, and magic were prepared. The Hunting Tool transformed, turning into a small bow meant for hunting. Along the sides of the Boat Vassal Weapon, two dozen cannons emerged from previously hidden gunports, their barrels sliding out and turning to point at the incoming horde.

The only odd one out, shockingly enough, was Atla. She still bore her harp, which was faintly glowing with Life Force and magical energy, just as she herself was.

"Melody: Disconcerting Chime! Melody: March of Idleness!"

Another series of strings were plucked, the demi-human humming along powerfully, the tone and tenner far more abrasive than the previous songs. The music in question was also an order of magnitude louder than before, amplified by both magical energy and Life Force, reaching far and wide across the soon to be airborne battlefield.

The horde of harpies visibly faltered, their forms briefly outlined by grey and black magical energy as every single one of them had their Defence and Agility Stats lowered by 20%.

At the sight, Kizuna let out a confident laugh. "I always regretted we didn't have a musician on our team!" she boomed. "The scope of their magic and their impact can be huge on a battlefield!"

After all, spells unleashed through sound/music could and would affect anyone that heard it. And unless blocked by something, sound waves travelled far in the blink of an eye. Thankfully, spells unleashed through the medium of music could be calibrated to effect only enemies or allies, otherwise this brand of magic would always have been a double-edged sword.

"Would you do the honors, Kizuna?" Therese suddenly asked, the Oreikul Bracelet of Enlightened Starfire aimed straight at the incoming horde. "Just like old times?"

"Naturally!" the Hunting Tool Hero sounded gleeful. "Steady, everyone! I'll give the signal!"

After that, everyone aboard the Boat Vassal Weapon fell silent. As the two opposing forces rapidly moved to meet each other, the tension in the air grew thicker and thicker by the second, until-

"Fire!" as a certain threshold was reached, the tension was abruptly cut by Kizuna's barked command.

Everyone unloaded all at once.

"Stardust Blade! Light Swords! Hidden Light Slash!"

"Melody: Slicing Wind Refrain!"

"Blood Flower Arrow Strike!"

"Circle Dance of Nothingness: Moon Break! Circle Dance Rupture Formation: Tortoise Shell Cracker!"

"First Form: Wind Slice! Second Form: Sky Blade! Deadly Dance!"

"Shining Stone: Ball of Flame! Shining Stone: Shooting Star Rain of Fire!"

"All Cannon: Fire!"

From the deck of the Boat Vassal Weapon, Skills, techniques, and spells of every stripe were unleashed in a staccato of ripple fire. An effect that was underscored by the actual cannons firing away continuously, shell after shell being shot one after the other in a refrain that continued with no end in sight.

Suffice it to say, the horde of harpies were torn apart before they could truly close the distance. Viscera, limbs, and bloody feathers fell to the ground in a macabre form of rain.

Like usual, however, Wave-spawned monsters were as suicidal as they were numerous. In the wake of the first horde of harpies, another horde was already waiting in the wings, flying in on an intercept course, only to be torn apart just as quickly as the first wave.

"Melody: Disconcerting Chime! Melody: March of Idleness!"

Atla continued to pluck the strings, plying her music and Debuffing every harpy in range of the soundwaves.

This in combination with their punishing assault allowed them to continue on ahead without slowing down, making rapid progress towards the main rift. The Boat Vassal Weapon continued its flight unobstructed, reaching the core of the Wave in record time.

"There! The Boss Monster!" Glass pointed down over the edge of the Boat.

Below them, the trail of devastation left by Heavenrend continued on into the distance. A little off to the side and right underneath the main rift, smackdab on top of a pile of knocked over trees, the Boss Monster was laid out on its side, writhing in visible agony.

The Boss Monster was a large, insect-like monstrosity, measuring around 15 feet long and obviously weighing a ton. Its body was covered in tough, chitinous rust-red armor, with a softer, pinkish underside. The Boss Monster resembled a monstrous fusion of centipede and mantis, featuring long antennae – obviously for sensing vibrations – and massive serrated mandibles one could tell from looks alone could crush rock and steel like tissue paper.

[Ankheg LV: 89]

The most surprising thing of all, however, was the fact that a good chunk of the left side of the Ankheg's body was outright gone, including part of its face and its left mandible. On the right side, three relatively spindly legs dug and scrapped into the trees and ground, twitching violently. The other three legs that should have been on the left side of its body were missing, the apparent result of having tried to dodge Heavenrend and only partially succeeding, crippling the beast from the outset.

Around the Boss Monsters and still being spawned by the rifts of the Wave, there was a writhing sea of much smaller insect-like monsters, but none of them paid said smaller monsters any real mind.

"Attack!"

After all, with the main threat crippled, it made sense to pile on with everything they had without delay.

The Ankheg looked up to see a deluge of attacks coming from above, and in spite of its horrific injuries, it still roared back in defiance. Opening its jaws as wide as they could go, it spat what appeared to be burning green sludge skyward like an outsized firehose at full throttle to meet the incoming rain of attacks.

…A doomed effort.

The burning sludge was cut through and bypassed without any apparent effort, everything from Skills, Techniques, Spells, cannon balls to even a singular arrow punching clean through to meet their intended target.

BOOM!

The Boss Monster disappeared underneath the mass of attacks, followed by a massive concussive explosion that rippled outward and ripped apart dozens upon dozens of its smaller insectoid counterparts, tearing through the monsters as if they were little more than tissue paper.

And as it turned out, the Ankheg fared no better itself.

The Boss monster in question was laid out in the same spot still, unmoving, its corpse being little more than a large, but still aflame and an utterly flattened roach on the ground. It had died on impact.

"Victory!" L'arc whooped.

"…That was a lot easier than I was expecting," Kizuna muttered to herself.

"Waves used to be more exciting," Atla pouted, agreeing with the sentiment of the Hunting Tool Hero.

"Good job, everyone!" Ethnobalt called, the cannons on the sides of the Boat Vassal Weapon still firing continuously in a staccato rhythm to ward away the other monsters. "That said, the Wave will end any moment now! If you want to go back to the other world, you have to do it now!"

"Right!" Shirou nodded, once again sheathing the Katana Vassal Weapon.

Down beneath them, four copies of said Weapon were flying around and stabbing the many monster corpses littering the forest floor, its green jewel glowing as several dozens of said corpses were quickly stored away in Shirou's Item Box. A blown off mandible and claw of the slain Ankheg were similarly taken, the Katana Hero taking his spoils from the Wave.

"We'll deal with the remaining monsters on this end!" Kizuna shouted, firing errant arrows at any monster that Ethnobalt's cannon fire failed to deter.

"Good luck on the other side!" Glass gave a respectful nod to Shirou and Atla.

But said gesture wasn't only aimed at the two otherworlders.

"Don't worry about us, Glassy! We'll be fine!" L'arc gave a toothy grin, once again shouldering the Scythe Vassal Weapon.

"Kizuna! You better not get up to anything rash while we're away, you hear that!" Therese was quick to add. "We still have a lot of catching up to do!"

"Right back at you!"

Above them, the murder red and cracked mess of a sky visibly flickered.

"It's now or never!" the Boat Hero said urgently.

Ethnobalt, Glass, Kizuna, and Chris staid their feet. In contrast, Shirou, Atla, L'arc, and Therese bend their legs, launching themselves skyward with superhuman strength. As if gravity had lost its hold on them, the foursome continued flying up, up, and up, right up to the now rapidly closing main rift of the Wave.

"See you guys soon!"

With those last words from L'arc, the four disappeared into the rift, returning back to the world protected by the Shield Hero and his allies. A world Shirou and Atla had left a little less than two months ago.

Mere moments later, the Wave came to an end. The cracks in the sky closed themselves completely, the blood red glow disappearing, though the monsters already spawned did not vanish as soon as the phenomena itself did, just like always.

And with that, the newly 'allied forces' had split up, trusting on the others to take care of things on their end.

---

…And now we have come full circle: Shirou and Atla had gone to Glass' world with the gang there being their enemy, and now they are going back to their own world with new allies in tow.

Anyway, a lot of important lore has been dropped and discussed in this chapter. I'd like to know if I conveyed it all in a way that was clear, understandable, and most importantly, interesting. Because in my experience, lore heavy chapters tend to be either awesome or lackluster with no in between.

So, I'm eager for you guys' verdict.

Stay tuned for the next chapter!