Fate Chapter 111: Underlying Emotions

Sometime earlier.

Shirou had been blinking in and out of consciousness for the past few days. He could smell the disinfectants around him, which confirmed that he was admitted to a hospital room. He had a similar experience after the incident that changed his life a decade ago — the great fire catastrophe that consumed hundreds of innocent lives. That time, he had managed to cling to his life, the aftermath leaving his soul with guilt and giving him an unachievable ideal.

“Shirou… wake up…”

The soft, reassuring voice echoed in his mind, slowly pulling him out of the deep fog. Slowly, he regained control of his limbs and opened his eyes to find a figure standing over him. His vision was blurry, but from the silhouette, he could tell it was a woman.

“Shirou, you are back.”

The way she welcomed him made it seem like she was glad he had awoken, yet he could not find any emotion on her expressionless face. This contrast unsettled him.

Then again, her beauty transformed that ‘unnerving’ impression into a positive one.

“Who are you?”

“Who I am doesn’t matter…” Angra Mainyu whispered. “You are… Shirou. You are my… Onii-chan.”

Shirou was left in confusion, unable to make out what she had said due to her hushed tone.

Angra Mainyu covered her face. “My Onii-chan… my family… family must be loved. Family must be protected…”

“Are you okay? You don’t—”

Shirou scuttled backward until his back was firmly against the wall. Angra Mainyu dug her fingers deep into her face and slowly dragged them across, tearing at her skin and flesh. Blood gushed out as flesh rich with magical energy was ripped out of her face. His chest shuddered with fear with each whisper that escaped her lips.

Despite his low aptitude for magecraft, he could sense the recoiling magical energy from her. It terrified him, as if he was facing a being that wasn’t a human.

“Love is pain. Love is suffering. Love is death.” Angra Mainyu’s eyes opened in enlightenment as her lips curled into a wide, malicious smile. “Family must die.”

Shirou gasped as he wrenched the medical tubes from his nostrils and wrist. He stumbled on rubbery legs, fighting to stay upright as he hurdled past the woman. His heart pounded fiercely against his chest, and his temples ran with sweat. The poisoning had taken its toll, leaving him far too weakened to outrun a kid - let alone a psychopath monster.

Even so, his survival instincts pushed him to escape the terror. The aspiring Hero of Justice wasn’t willing to die here.

‘Why is no one here? Where did everyone go?’

He took a pause to observe his surroundings again, which turned out to be a grave mistake.

A shadow darted past him and materialized into the familiar figure. “Don’t run, Onii-chan… Let me kill you. Let me take your soul and embrace it for our Otou-san.”

Shirou grabbed a broomstick leaning against the wall and reinforced it with his magecraft. “D-Don’t come near me. I’m warning you.”

Angra Mainyu continued approaching, each step echoing in the hallway. “Onii-chan, I’ll love everyone equally—”

She suddenly swiveled to her right, and her eyes narrowed. “Archer died? Did he make a move? Onii-chan, you’re so lucky… I’ll allow you to suffer in life before you become one with this world.”

Illyasviel’s life was riddled with suffering after Kiritsugu’s death. The Einzberns saw her as nothing more than an opportunity to reclaim their legacy. She was put through torture everytime she activated her magical circuits to feed Heracles.

The suppressed trauma had finally merged with Angra Mainyu’s ‘self.’ The amalgamation of Illyasviel’s hatred and the maliciousness of All World’s Evil gave birth to a terrifying entity who lacked any empathy except for one person.

Her servant Heracles.

“A-Ah.”

Shirou plopped on the ground as Angra Mainyu vanished from his sight.

“W-What was she? Why was she calling me Onii-chan?”

He couldn’t make anything out of the chance meeting with the All World’s Evil.

***

Haruki did not answer Kagetora’s request. In fact, he stood silently, gazing at the battle hungry warrior as though he was at a loss of words.

Nobunaga couldn’t hold her laughter. “This laughing tiger with the creepiest smile, have mercy on my retainer. He is still a fledgling.”

Semiramis furrowed her brows. “Your retainer? Isn’t it the other way around since you are his servant?”

Kagetora crossed her arms. “Nobu, this isn’t right. You can’t force Haruki to be your retainer after he helped us out of circumstances.”

Nobunaga pursed her lips and looked at Haruki. “Are you turning down the privilege of being the retainer of I, Oda Nobunaga, the Greatest Daimyo and the Demon King of Sixth Heaven? You will never get this opportunity again. Once in a lifetime, I tell you!”

“Nope.” He denied her without a second thought. “I am not becoming anyone’s retainer. As for Kagetora’s challenge, this isn’t the right place or time to fight. That being said. I’ll make some arrangements to fulfill your challenge later. Are you okay with that?”

Kagetora licked her lips, her smile becoming increasingly creepy. “Before we proceed, you must sever my connection with Angra Mainyu. We’ll do the contract after you make good on your promise. I’m willing to take a pledge if you do not believe me.”

“No need for pledges.” Haruki plunged the Rule Breaker in her heart. “Done. Follow me to your new home.”

“Our new home?” Oda Nobunaga grinned sheepishly. “You make it sound so romantic. Like we are a pair of newlyweds.”

“Nobu, stop messing around!”

“Hai, hai. Haruki, come here.” She slipped her arm around his waist, groaning at her height disadvantage. “Why did it summon me from my childhood?! I swear the Grail has a vendetta against this Daimyo.”

Haruki chuckled. “The Grail did you dirty.”

“Fuuuuck.”

Nobunaga kept things cheery as they strolled back to the mansion.

As soon as he reached his house, Nobunaga gave him a repulsed look. “Get your stuff out, Master. We’re taking over some rich snob’s mansion.”

Semiramis flicked Nobunaga’s forehead. “Stop acting like an entitled brat.”

“The house just looks small from the outside,” Haruki said. “I don’t have the energy to explain. Just come inside.”

“Do I receive an invitation as well?”

Haruki froze as he sensed the unnerving bundle of magical energy behind him. The amount was comparable or even stronger than Medea, who had gone through rigorous strengthening with him.

He turned around and met a familiar face.

Angra Mainyu raised her skirt and curtsied in a noble greeting. “Delighted to make your acquaintance, Master of Seven and my sole adversary. I’m Illya. Illyasviel von Einzbern.”