A Dimensional Journey Begins with the Dragon Clan

"Then I'll just die in vain, right..."

This is absolutely true.

Shirou Emiya was very clear about the result, but he could not accept it. In the end, he could only attribute it to his own lack of ability.

"Oh, shit. It's already five o'clock while I was in a daze."

The alarm clock rang, signaling the end of the break.

He stood up from the bench and walked quickly to where he worked.

When I finished working, the sun had already set.

It's not even eight o'clock yet.

It ended ten minutes earlier than scheduled, just because I tried too hard.

It seems that because I went to that kind of place before work, I worked recklessly.

Because this is in front of the station, the night is just beginning.

There were a lot of people and the vehicles on the road never stopped.

Looking up, I saw that the lights were still on in the building, which looked like an intricate lighting installation.

"I'll bring a present for Sister Fuji when I get back─never mind."

As he walked, looking up at the lighted building, Emiya Shirou gave up the idea.

As it is the largest building in Xindu, I still can’t see clearly what’s above.

Just as he was about to enjoy the night view and looked up at the building.

"────?"

It felt like I saw something strange.

"What was that just now?"

Emiya Shirou stopped and looked at the tallest building.

Focus your consciousness on your eyes and capture the thing that only looks like a grain of rice vaguely within your field of vision.

"What?"

That looks a lot like someone I know.

What's the point? Why are you staying there?

With her long hair flying, doing nothing, she looked down at the street.

"────"

It seemed as if she hadn't noticed him.

No, it's impossible to see.

That was the height he could see because his eyesight was much better than that of ordinary people and he used magic to enhance his vision.

And it was obvious that he could see it because he was standing alone in that place. On the other hand, it should be impossible for that person to notice me standing on the ground among the crowd, right?

She was just looking down the street.

Is he looking for something? His sharp gaze can be felt even from such a distance.

"────────"

Emiya Shirou forgot the time and looked up at the girl standing in the void.

That was on top of the tower.

With his back to the moon, he looked down upon the underworld, like a magician.

"what?"

There was nothing to do, so she simply turned around.

The figure disappeared from the rooftop, leaving only the beautiful night view.

"That was Toosaka just now, right?"

Although there is no definite evidence, it should be correct.

There weren't that many girls with such striking looks, and more importantly, he wasn't long enough to make a mistake... about the object of his secret admiration.

"I see. But... that hobby is really weird, Tousaka."

  ······

Unlike Shinto, there is no one to be seen in Miyama-cho.

After 8 o'clock in the evening, no pedestrians can be seen and the town returns to peace.

At the intersection, there is a house that I saw this morning.

There was no one there, only a no trespassing sign hung in front of the entrance.

In just one day, a house was deserted like a ruin.

His parents and sister were killed by intruders.

  What kind of life awaits the child of the one who survives in the future?

"────"

  Shirou Emiya bit his lip at his own powerlessness.

Although she vowed to become like Kiritsugu, she couldn't do anything about what was happening around her.

Although I wanted to help others, in the end, I didn’t even know what I could do right now.

We climbed up the ramp and arrived at Emiya's house.

The lights are still on, so Sister Fuji and Sakura are still here, right?

"I'm back──oh, is it just Fuji-nee?"

"Hmm? Ah, Shirou, you're back~"

Sister Fuji turned around while eating a pancake.

There is a lively variety show on TV.

"Really? You're back at this time again. The sun sets early in the winter. I said I'd come back early, right?"

"I did come back early. I chose a part-time job that lasts until eight o'clock. Stop talking nonsense. So, what happened to Sakura? It looks like she only made dinner."

"Sakura left early? She said she had something to do today and only came to cook dinner."

Sister Fuji seemed to be very happy when she spoke.

To this person, everyone who can cook is a good person, right?

"I see. Indeed, maybe it's better this way for the time being. It's dangerous right now, so why don't I cook dinner until the new semester?"

"Eh? I object! Shirou came back very late. If we cook after that, we won't be able to eat until after ten!"

"I say. Don't you have the option of eating at your own home?"

"Because this is my home?"

Fuji-nee tilted her head in confusion.

Honestly, Emiya Shirou didn't know whether he was happy or sad.

"Really? I get it. It's no use asking Fuji-nee to cook. That doesn't matter. What's that thing under your feet? Did you pick up something extra?"

Sister Teng has a habit of leaving unwanted trash at my house that is hard to change.

Like the giant bowl he got from a family restaurant, the heavy teapot he got from a shopping street, the suspicious guitar he started playing by himself, in short, he would use other people's homes as a convenient warehouse,

"Let me take a look. If it's trash, throw it away."

"This? Well, it's one of the extra posters in our house."

Fuji-sister handed the poster to Emiya Shirou.

  Maybe a poster of an unsellable enka singer or something?

"Let me see."

Look, against a fake blue sky background, there is a young man in military uniform smiling and giving the thumbs-up.

It looks like a title written in blood.

"Love's cute team, come on, join the Self-Defense Forces."

  ───Hey, isn't this a poster recruiting members for the Self-Defense Forces?

"Then I don't want it, so I'll give it to you."

"Woohoo! I don't want that either!"

Shirou Emiya quickly rolled up the poster and hit Fuji-nee on the head.

"Hey! Missed it!"

but……

This Fuji-nee fellow used another hidden poster to block the attack with the upper section, and fought back mercilessly.

There was a clang sound.

  Emiya Shirou was hit by a light poster────

“Guwaa!?”

  Stars! He just saw stars!

"Hehehe. Shirou's ability is too young to hit me. If you don't want to give up, just practice more!"

"Gu, that's not the question. Why does a paper poster make that kind of breaking sound?"

  Could it be that this is a master's technique of cutting the disposable chopsticks with the bag they came in! ?

"Eh? Ah, sorry, sorry. This poster is the first press bonus edition's deluxe iron plate version. Shirou, is your head okay?"

"Teng Jie, you will definitely kill someone one day, that kind of personality."

"Hehe. I'll feel relieved if I marry Shirou then~"

"Hmph, I will reject that outright. I have no intention of marrying a natural killer."

"Hmm. I don't think I'm that dangerous."

"As expected. It's true that people like that are often unaware of themselves."

Namo Amitabha, Namo Amitabha.

Shirou Emiya also had to be careful not to be killed one day.

"Hmph, tell me what you can. The important thing is, Shirou, I'm hungry. I've been waiting until now, so hurry up and prepare dinner."

Sister Fuji let out a whoosh and stood up.

It's really strange. Fuji-nee came to help (even if it was just to prepare the dishes), she must be very hungry.

"Yes, yes. Then Sister Fuji, get the plates and bowls. At least you can serve the rice."

"Yeah? Shirou, can I use a big bowl?"

"Sure. Sakura isn't here today, so there will be some leftovers anyway." "Very good, very good. The same goes for Shirou."

Sister Fuji quickly put rice into a large bowl.

"..."

Never mind. I'll have another bowl anyway, and if I interrupt Fuji-nee about what she's doing, that'll mean dinner's gone.

and……

Because messy dinners like this have been a normal occurrence in recent years.

The day is over.

After a noisy dinner, I walked Sister Fuji to the entrance and took a bath.

Then I hid in the warehouse to do my daily exercise.

After finishing it, I went to bed as usual.

One o'clock.

Nothing happened, the day ended peacefully.

Dream.

Shirou Emiya is in the fire.

Collapsed houses and burned people

No matter which way you turn, you see only red.

This was the scene ten years ago.

It’s been a long time since I last thought of the memories of the past.

Emiya Shirou was running in the middle of it, as if it was a replay.

Although I knew it was a nightmare, I had no way out.

Running and running, running non-stop.

In the end, he was saved after using up all his strength as a child.

"────────"

Woke up with a nasty feeling.

It feels like there's a lead weight in my chest.

I touched my forehead and found that I was sweating a lot even though it was winter.

"Ahh, is it this time already?"

It's past six o'clock.

Listening carefully, I could hear the sound of a kitchen knife banging on the floor.

"Sakura is early today too."

  It's not the time to admire.

He also had to get ready quickly and help prepare breakfast.

"Shirou, what are you doing today? It's Saturday so you have to work part-time in the afternoon?"

"No, I don't have a part-time job. I want to do something with Yicheng. What's wrong?"

"Yeah, it's nothing. I just thought I could come to the dojo if I had some free time. I'm in a crisis this month."

"? Crisis, what?"

"It's a financial crisis. I'd be happy if someone could make me a lunch."

"No. It's your own fault. It's better to skip a meal once in a while."

"Hmph, I don't expect anything from you Shirou. I'm only asking for help from Sakura. Sakura, are you okay?"

"Yes. If it's the same dish as my bento, I'll prepare it for you, Sensei."

"Okay, OK. Let's have lunch together today!"

Having breakfast as usual.

In addition to the usual menu this morning, we also prepared chicken with lotus root and konjac as the main course.

Although I don't think it's necessary to do something so troublesome so early in the morning, it must be a lot to do.

Use it in your lunch box.

Sakura is a member of the Kyudo Club, and Sister Fuji is also the advisor of the Kyudo Club.

It is only natural that both of them would bring the same lunch box.

"By the way, Shirou. It's a bit late this morning. What's up?"

Sister Fuji looked towards Shirou Emiya while drinking her miso soup.

Really. Fuji-nee is usually very dull, but only at this moment she is particularly sharp.

"I had the same old dream. I woke up feeling terrible, that's all."

"Why, it's normal. I'm relieved then."

Fuji-nee said nothing as if she had no particular interest.

Shirou Emiya really didn't care, and it wasn't something that needed to be taken seriously.

Ten years ago.

When he still had the memory of the fire, he often had nightmares.

That situation also disappeared with time, and now even if I have a dream, I can easily put it aside and stand up again.

However, it seemed to be very serious at the time, and since then, his sister Fuji at home has been very sensitive to this change in him.

"Shirou, do you have an appetite? Do you want to eat less today?"

"No. I'm fine, so don't use someone else's dream as an excuse to take away their food."

"Tsk. Although I'm happy that Shirou has become stronger, it would be better if he were a little more slender."

"That's what I'm saying. As a younger brother, I think it would be better if Fuji-nee could be a little cuter."

With a snort, they looked at each other and retorted.

Sister Fuji took this as proof that he was mentally competent and smiled with relief.

“────Hmph.”

Honestly, Emiya Shirou was glad she was worried.

However, thanking her would be overdoing it, so he snorted as usual.

"?"

Seeing them like this, Sakura, who had no idea what was going on, tilted her head in disbelief.

After Sister Fuji left, they also locked the door and left home.

"Senior. I can't come to help from tonight until Monday. Is that okay?"

"? It's okay. It's Saturday, and Sakura has to keep company, so don't worry about it."

"Eh──No, no! It's not like that. It's just a personal matter. I will definitely go to the club! So, if you have anything to do, please come to the dojo and I will find a way! I'm not going out to play on Saturday, so please don't misunderstand it in any weird way."

"???"

Sakura's behavior was a little suspicious, and she seemed very nervous.

I don’t know what she wants to say, but I guess she can’t come on Saturday.

"I understand. I'll go to the dojo if there's anything."

"Yes, I'd be glad if you did."

Sakura held her chest and breathed a sigh of relief.

Then Sakura looked down, her expression suddenly stiffening.

"Senior, hand───"

"?"

Sakura looked at his left hand.

Emiya Shirou took a look and saw red blood dripping down.

"Ah?"

He pulled up the cuffs of his uniform.

There was indeed blood oozing out of there.

"What's the matter? Did you cut yourself last night while you were working on that junk?"

But it doesn't hurt.

The wound was also just a red streak of swelling that looked like a bruise.

The bruise stretched in a straight line from the shoulder to the back of the hand, looking like a small snake moving from the shoulder to the palm.

"Never mind. It won't hurt. It should go away soon. It's okay. Don't worry about it."

"Yes. Since the senior said so, I don't mind."

Did she feel uncomfortable seeing the blood? Ying kept her head down and said nothing.

Shirou Emiya said goodbye to Sakura who was in the club and walked towards the school building.

The school grounds are filled with sports club members who are focused on running, and are full of energy since the morning.

"..."

However, Emiya Shirou felt a strong sense of disharmony.

School is just like normal.

The students who work hard at morning exercises are full of energy, and the brand new school building is spotless.

"Is this, am I overthinking?"

However, as soon as I closed my eyes, the atmosphere suddenly changed.

The school building was covered with filth like a sticky film, and the students running in the schoolyard felt like empty puppets. (End of this chapter)