Shirou's clones number 30 million

"Didn't you say we could start anytime?"

"As an adult, I allow the child Misaka to swim two meters first."

Misaki Shokuhou paused for a moment, then added in a low voice:

"I've never swum before, but I'm good at imitating. After watching Misaka swim once, I knew how to swim."

Although he cannot use magic due to his superpowers, the support magic that his senior bestowed upon him does not conflict with his superpowers.

Therefore, swimming shouldn't be considered a big deal.

"Uh……"

Misaka Mikoto was speechless and couldn't help but look at her with the eyes of someone looking at an idiot.

Since he's never swum before, why is he so confidently challenging himself to a swim? Just how stupid is this guy?

"Since you're a beginner, I'll allow you to swim ten meters first, please."

"No, Misaka-san, please go first. I'm an adult, how can I bully a child?"

After a while of passing the buck, Misaka Mikoto was the first to back down, sighing:

Do you need me to teach you how to swim?

"Is Misaka-san really that kind? She's not planning to teach me fake swimming techniques so I'll drown during the competition, is she?"

"Don't assume everyone is like you! If you don't want to learn, then forget it."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Misaka-san."

……

In the afternoon, as Makino Shirou was sitting in the classroom in a daze, the voice of Shokuhou Misaki suddenly echoed in his mind.

[Senior, what are you doing right now?]

"You're in class. You sound happy, did something good happen?"

[Can you tell? Hehe... I finally defeated Misaka Mikoto!]

'What competition? It can't be a fight, can it?'

Psychological manipulation is useless against Railgun, so she absolutely cannot win in a head-on battle.

[You're right, it's swimming.]

'Is this why you had me cast so many support spells on you last night? I'm so envious, though, to get to take swimming lessons.'

[Didn't your school have swimming lessons?]

'Yes, there are some, but very few; only a few classes a school year.'

[Since that's the case, how about we go swimming at the beach together during summer vacation?]

"Isn't it difficult to get the necessary travel permits?"

[Has the senior forgotten my abilities? Besides, with the senior's abilities, even if the application process fails, we can still go secretly.]

"That's right, then it's settled."

……

That night, inside the white fog space.

"That's great! I want to go swimming too!"

After shaking hands and sharing memories of the day, Kitahara Shirou couldn't help but sigh.

“Then go ahead, no one’s stopping you,” Makino Shirou said instinctively.

"I don't have time, I can't go. I have a performance coming up soon, and I've been busy practicing singing. I don't have time to relax."

Thinking about what had happened these past few days, Kitahara Shirou couldn't help but shake his head slightly.

Not long ago, through a relative's introduction, I got a chance to play for one night in his bar.

This is a great opportunity for a band that has been practicing but has never performed on stage.

The appearance fee is a minor matter; the most important thing is that it can increase stage experience.

Although all three of us are geniuses, we lack experience, our teamwork is not smooth enough, and we have too few songs to play. These are shortcomings that we must face squarely.

If the band wants to go further, it cannot avoid these issues.

At that moment, several sheets of paper suddenly floated down from the sky, and Shiro Sakurai appeared beside him at the same time.

"These are songs I bought for you in my own world. They were all tailor-made for you by top songwriters based on your personal information."

"Why……?"

Kitahara Shirou paused for a moment, then couldn't help but grab Sakurai Shirou's hand, saying excitedly:

"Thank you so much! I didn't even think of that, and you've already prepared everything for me. You're my guiding light."

"Didn't you see my memories before? I thought you knew about this."

"Hmm... I didn't pay much attention to those details, but anyway, thank you so much! You've been a great help."

Chapter 239: Both Glory and Prison

Chapter 239, Section 240: Glory and Prison

"Long time no see, Red A."

Upon discovering that among Shirou was a Heroic Spirit, Archer (Red A), whom he hadn't seen in a long time, Kitahara Shirou immediately went up to greet him.

However, just as I approached him, when we were still more than two meters apart, I suddenly noticed him taking off his clothes. I stopped in my tracks and asked in surprise:

"What are you doing? It's not hot here."

"Is that Kitahara? Come and touch me, and you'll know what I'm going to do." Red A glanced back at him, taking off his coat as he spoke with a smile.

"No, just tell me directly."

Kitahara Shirou looked at him with disdain and said with a hint of speechlessness:

"I always feel a bit uncomfortable touching someone who is taking off their clothes."

"Is such a strong reaction really necessary?"

Red A glanced at him and slowly began to explain:

“These past few days I’ve been sitting idly in Valhalla, with nothing to do, thinking about how to get out of this predicament.”

"Although this kind of life isn't bad, upon closer reflection, I still miss my past life more."

“For some time now, I have been organizing my own abilities and the strength that I have shared with you.”

"Because there are no clocks in Valhalla, it is impossible to calculate the time accurately. So, it was probably five or six hours ago that I integrated all my magic systems and developed a reincarnation magic."

"It sounds impressive, but in reality, it's just about giving up one's status as a Heroic Spirit and reincarnating while retaining one's memories."

"Wait a minute!" Upon hearing this, Roma Shirou quickly interjected, "Aren't you going to wait a little longer? I've been working tirelessly 'inventing' all this time just to provide you with skills and Noble Phantasms. And now, you're just going to leave like this?"

"Well... just do as you wish. There should be other Heroic Spirits joining in the future. All your efforts will not be in vain, I guarantee it."

At this point, Red A smiled and added:

"If no new people join, I will try my best to become a Heroic Spirit again. Of course, that will be at least several decades from now."

"Heroic Spirits are all dead people, right? With our lifespans, how could we die so easily?" Kitahara Shirou subconsciously interjected.

"Everyone dies. Even if someone has an endless lifespan, if they are determined to die, no one can stop them."

"So, you're looking for death?"

"It's just a hypothesis."

Kitahara Shirou fell silent. Given Archer's personality, this hypothetical scenario might actually come true.

After all, his personality is almost identical to Shirou Emiya's; both are the kind of people who would not hesitate to sacrifice themselves for others.

Such people are often the quickest to die.

No matter how strong one is or how long one's lifespan is, it cannot stop a person from constantly courting death.

"Reincarnation magic, are you confident in its effectiveness?"

"I'm 99% sure I'll be reincarnated. But I'm only 20% sure I'll retain my memories."

Red A paused for a moment and sighed:

“An infant’s brain is too fragile; after reincarnation, the memory will likely be sealed.”

"I wonder at what age the seal will be broken again? Perhaps, I won't be able to recall it until I die of old age."

"So, this is actually a gamble, a gamble that even with my memories sealed, I can still get in here."

"At that time, I will be back as soon as I shake your hands."

Too dangerous!

Kitahara Shirou thought to himself unconsciously, but when he recalled the dull and tedious life in Valhalla, he found it difficult to say anything to stop him.

"Are you sure you want to do this? The slower your memories recover, the more dangerous you become, and you might even stop being yourself."

The best time is naturally infancy. Otherwise, once the baby grows up and develops his own wisdom and values, even if he recalls memories of his past life, it's hard to say that he is still himself.

Red A was silent for a few seconds, then smiled and said:

"If you haven't done this before, who knows what will happen? Maybe I'll be back here again right after I'm reincarnated."

"There must be a better way, right?" Kitahara Shirou pondered.

"Perhaps, but I want to try. Heroic spirits are both an honor and a prison. They give me the chance to not perish, but they also deprive me of the possibility of being reborn."

Red A paused for a moment, then smiled and said:

"Thinking about it carefully, it's actually not so bad to lose the memories of my past life. I wonder what kind of personality I'll have in the future?"

It's acceptable, but incomprehensible.

After pondering for a few seconds, Kitahara Shirou could only sigh softly.

He's completely tired of living.