I am the protagonist

Shirou could understand Rin's pride; as magicians, Rin and Sakura did indeed have a clearer understanding than others. Therefore, Shirou didn't hide what he saw and began to try to understand Rin.

"Actually, this morning when I woke up, I saw a lot of black lines in my eyes."

"!?"

The mention of black lines seen through the eyes instantly caught Rin's attention. Shirou was seeing things that were normally invisible. The thought that this was the Mystic Eyes immediately popped into Rin's mind; only the Mystic Eyes could allow Shirou to see special things.

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Monarch - El-Melloi II

"Sister, is Senior's condition caused by the Demon Eye?"

Sakura realized that her senior's situation was actually a special phenomenon caused by the awakening of the Mystic Eyes, and Rin, of course, also knew that this was a phenomenon caused by the awakening of the Mystic Eyes. Many magicians transform their eyes into magic circuits; this Mystic Eye is a kind of magical engineering, and it provides many benefits to magicians. The Mystic Eye is also a symbol of a first-class magician.

"Shirou's ability to see different images is indeed due to the awakening of his Mystic Eyes. However, Shirou, who had just completed the materialization of his soul, has already awakened his Mystic Eyes... It's rare for the Mystic Eyes to awaken naturally."

There are quite a few self-awakening Mystic Eyes, but these self-awakening Mystic Eyes are extremely rare. Often, these Mystic Eyes, which are not created through magical engineering, are far more powerful. However, precisely because these self-awakening Mystic Eyes are so powerful, they are also quite rare.

[I never expected Shirou to have his own awakened Mystic Eyes, especially since such Mystic Eyes are quite rare. Could it be that the materialization of his soul caused Shirou's own limitations to be unleashed?]

Rin wasn't sure if Shirou's situation was as she imagined, but now that Shirou had awakened his Mystic Eyes, she first needed to understand their abilities. There were many different types of Mystic Eyes in the world, each with its own unique power, and knowing how to utilize them required a considerable understanding of the Mystic Eyes.

"If that's the case, Shirou, you need to know what type of Mystic Eye you have first. There are many types of Mystic Eyes. Self-awakened Mystic Eyes are not like Magic Engineering Mystic Eyes, which only have the ability to charm and suggest."

"Binding, coercion, contract, burning, illusion, misfortune—these are all special abilities possessed by the Mystic Eyes, which are born with them and awaken autonomously. Shirou, the Mystic Eyes also have certain levels of distinction, and they will shine with different colors when used."

"The usual Mystic Eyes emit a red or green light, while powerful Mystic Eyes emit a golden light, and even more powerful Mystic Eyes shine with a gem-like brilliance. The highest level of Mystic Eyes that can be seen is the gem level, and Mystic Eyes that maintain this level are already stronger than those of normal magicians."

Magicians with special Mystic Eyes are on completely different levels from those without. However, those special Mystic Eyes are innate, a personal talent that even Rin can't envy.

"Shirou, the Mystic Eyes you've just encountered allow you to see black lines... Strange, I've never heard of Mystic Eyes like that. Being able to see black lines doesn't seem like a normal Mystic Eye ability. Even the Mystic Eyes of Spirits can see Spirits. What kind of Mystic Eyes can see black lines?"

Rin was also momentarily stunned to realize what kind of Mystic Eye could see black lines. She really needed to know the detailed abilities of the Mystic Eyes, otherwise she wouldn't be able to confirm their capabilities.

"I don't know exactly what kind of magical eye it is, but when I open my eyes I can see a lot of black lines. Rin, a lot of black lines have appeared on your body."

Rin's consciousness suddenly became clear, and those inexplicable black lines appeared on her body? This information made Rin's nerves tense up immediately. It was not normal for the Mystic Eyes to see something unnatural about her.

For magicians, the Mystic Eye is a symbol of power, and its power serves as a warning. Anyone whose unusual behavior is seen by the Mystic Eye will experience some unpleasant events, since normal people don't develop the black lines that Shirou mentioned.

“I have a lot of black lines on my body… Even a Mystic Eye with special effects shouldn’t be able to see this. The key is the function of these black lines. Any Mystic Eye can allow its holder to see some special images, and these images all have a certain effect on the holder.”

Normal Mystic Eyes all have this ability, but Rin doesn't know what's going on with this kind of Mystic Eye that sees black lines on other people. But if we start from the perspective of Mystic Eyes, Rin can only understand those black lines as Shirou's Mystic Eye ability manifesting those black lines.

But what exactly is the purpose of those black lines appearing on people's bodies? I don't know much about the Mystic Eyes. By the way, the monarch of the Clock Tower seems to be very familiar with the Mystic Eyes.

Rin spent some time at the Clock Tower and also studied magic theory under that monarch for a period of time. That monarch had very comprehensive knowledge of magic theory, and her understanding of the Mystic Eyes came from him. Rin still has that monarch's contact information, so she could go and ask him.

"Shirou, wait a moment. I studied magic under a monarch for a period of time. That monarch was very familiar with the knowledge related to the Mystic Eyes. I think he should know the specific function of your Mystic Eyes. I'll go find that monarch's contact information first. It's been so long that I don't know where I put it."

Rin keeps all the contact information for different people in one fixed place, but she doesn't know if she and Sakura brought that contact book with them when they moved over this time.

Rin returned to her room and began rummaging through all the luggage she had just put away yesterday. Finally, she found the contact book at the very back of the luggage. However, this contact book had been stored for quite a long time; the cover was already very old.

"Thank goodness we found it, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to find that monarch's phone number either. Hmm, I remember that monarch's contact number was at the very end... Found it."

Rin didn't linger in her room and immediately went to the entrance of her home to dial the monarch's number, though she wasn't sure if the monarch had the time. Rin glanced at the time; it was 8:30 AM in Japan, which meant it was only around 6:30 AM in London.

Who is it?

The voice revealed the annoyance of being woken up, and Rin could understand that. However, this wasn't the time for her to worry about such things. Lacking sufficient knowledge about the Mystic Eyes, she could only consult the monarch. Fortunately, Rin knew that the monarch's personality was actually quite good; at least compared to other monarchs, he was easier to talk to.

“Professor El-Melloi”.

[Tohsaka...Rin?]

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Demonic Eye That Shouldn't Exist

"Ling ring ring~"

The piercing ringtone lasted for ten seconds. Finally, the man lying in bed couldn't bear the torture any longer and got up to answer the phone with a disgruntled expression. This had happened many times over the long years, but the man was always just as angry.

Couldn't they have called back in another hour?

The man had many complaints in his heart, but considering the many things he had been dealing with lately, he didn't want to complain too much. However, his rare day off for rest was ruined once again. The man felt helpless about his busy schedule, especially when he thought about the debts he was carrying.

"who is it?"

The man's voice was harsh; his morning sleep had been disturbed, and he was already in a terrible mood, so he wasn't going to give the caller any pleasantries. "If it's something trivial, then remember your name," the man thought, making a mental note of it.

【Teacher El-Melloi.】

"Tohsaka...Rin?"

The man found the owner of the voice in his memory, and his consciousness gradually returned. He clearly remembered the female student. The Master of the Heroic Spirit who had left a deep impression on him in the last Holy Grail War was Tohsaka Tokiomi. The Tohsaka surname was an indelible memory for the man.

However, he had completely different memories of Rin Tohsaka. The man remembered that this female student was an apprentice who had come to the Clock Tower before and had audited his classes for a period of time. The man still had a deep impression of Rin Tohsaka; her amazing magical talent was simply astounding, a talent that ordinary magicians could not possess.

Seeing her astonishing talent, the man devoted more time to educating Rin, allowing her to gain a deeper understanding of magic at the most fundamental level. The man remembered that he had given Rin his contact information, and he never expected to receive a call from her at this time.

"What's up?"

Yes, El-Melloi-sensei. A friend of mine has actually awakened a Mystic Eye, but I don't know much about them. I was wondering if you knew what kind of Mystic Eye my friend had awakened.

"The Mystic Eyes? The Mystic Eyes that we are born with, that we awaken naturally?"

[He just awakened this morning. He said he could see many black lines on my body through his demonic eye. I can't be sure what type of demonic eye it is, or whether it can be controlled.]

"...I see, a special type of Mystic Eye? Wait a minute."

The man sat up in bed, put on a robe, and took out a magic book about Mystic Eyes from his bookshelf. He had personally researched Mystic Eyes and had recorded a lot of information about them in the magic world.

"Through the magic eye, I can see black lines appearing on a person's body... I feel like I've heard of this kind of magic eye somewhere before."

Flipping through the magic book about the Mystic Eyes in his hand, the man did indeed see such a special Mystic Eye described in the book. That Mystic Eye wasn't ordinary; rather, it was extremely special, even mysterious beyond mystery. However, the magic world defined it as something that only existed in legends.

The man quickly flipped through the magic book in his hand, and soon found a type of Mystic Eye with very little information recorded at the very back. However, upon seeing the classification of the Mystic Eye, the man's expression darkened. If he wasn't mistaken, then the existence of this Mystic Eye was [unreasonable].

[It really is this type of Mystic Eye; I can see many black lines within its field of vision… those aren't just simple graffiti, they represent death. Normally, this shouldn't be a Mystic Eye that a normal person could awaken. Could it be that Tohsaka's friend is a Dead Apostle?]

Even though the man isn't in Fuyuki City, it's impossible to confirm whether Rin Tohsaka's friend is a Dead Apostle or not. However, the existence of these Mystic Eyes is definitely a huge secret, and this secret could even have a significant impact within the Clock Tower.

"Tohsaka, is your friend a Death Apostle?"

"…Professor El-Melloi, has my friend's Mystic Eye reached such a serious level that it involves a Dead Apostle? Please enlighten me, otherwise, for my friend's safety, I cannot say anything."

"It seems he's not a Dead Apostle... That makes sense, even among Dead Apostles, it's impossible for such a Mystic Eye to exist. Is it a coincidence? There's actually someone who can awaken such a Mystic Eye."

The man was certain that Rin Tohsaka's friend wasn't a Dead Apostle; he sensed something beyond friendship in that extremely serious attitude. Regardless, the birth of those Mystic Eyes would undoubtedly have many consequences, and the man felt he should at least keep Rin Tohsaka on her guard.

"Tohsaka, listen carefully to what your friend has about the Mystic Eyes that he has awakened... It's not a Mystic Eye that a normal person can awaken. If an ordinary person awakens that kind of Mystic Eye and sees that kind of world through it, their spirit will collapse. It's a Mystic Eye that normal people cannot obtain, and it's a Mystic Eye that normal people simply cannot use."

[A Mystic Eye that normal people can't use? Teacher, what kind of Mystic Eye is it?]

"It is an incredibly powerful magic eye, one that has never been seen even in the world of magic. It is rumored to exist only in mythology. Legend has it that this magic eye can easily expose any being with immortality, whether it is a Dead Apostle or a True Ancestor."

"The Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, the Mystic Eyes that are said to exist only in legends and can see death."

The man was also surprised that a demonic eye of this level could actually awaken in a person; he had originally thought it was just a legend. In fact, the man had some idea about the level of this demonic eye; if it were truly as the legends described, then it would definitely have reached the Rainbow level.

[Instant death...! But, but, shouldn't those Mystic Eyes never even exist?]

“Normally, there shouldn’t be a Demon Eye. Normal humans can’t understand the special messages brought by the Demon Eye. Being able to see the eyes of death means that the Awakened One needs to understand death. Normal humans would have their brains completely destroyed just by trying to understand more about death. It’s a very powerful Demon Eye, but it’s not something that normal people can use.”

The very existence of that level of Mystic Eyes is an incredible thing. Now, men need to ask Rin Tohsaka whether the person who awakened that level of Mystic Eyes is a Dead Apostle.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Shirou nowadays is practically a piece of Tang Monk's flesh.

"Tohsaka, you should understand what would happen if a Dead Apostle awakened those Mystic Eyes, right?"

If a Dead Apostle awakens a Mystic Eye of that level, things will become very serious. Men can't imagine how many magicians would be needed to fight against such a powerful Mystic Eye, especially since Dead Apostles are incredibly resilient. Even if they aren't immediately killed, there's always the possibility of being killed. Magicians can't face Dead Apostles with impunity, which could ultimately lead to a very serious situation.

"…Master, I can confirm that Shirou is not a Dead Apostle. It's just that something has happened to him recently, and perhaps his awakening of his Mystic Eyes is due to that."

"The reason I say that Dead Apostles can awaken such a Mystic Eye is because the way this Mystic Eye is awakened is very special, and generally only Dead Apostles can awaken it."

The first thing the man thought of when he thought of those demonic eyes was the Dead Apostles—that's how those demonic eyes awakened, something normal humans couldn't do. The magic book clearly stated that the way to awaken those demonic eyes was to truly die once.

This concept doesn't mean being pulled back from the brink of death, but rather confirming that someone has died once and come back to life. This very notion is already exclusive to Dead Apostles; only Dead Apostles can truly die once and be resurrected. However, the man also knew that the Mystic Eye wasn't something so superficial. If just any Dead Apostle could awaken such a Mystic Eye, then Dead Apostles would have already ruled the world.

Because no Dead Apostle has ever awakened such a Mystic Eye, it is now considered an eye that will absolutely never awaken in a Dead Apostle. However, the man believes that the resurrection of a Dead Apostle did not fulfill the conditions for awakening that Mystic Eye; fulfilling the conditions for awakening that Mystic Eye is certainly not that simple.

The idea that awakening that Mystic Eye requires truly dying once, but perhaps the real condition isn't actually dying once, but rather fulfilling certain conditions through death. If those conditions were known, perhaps one could awaken that Mystic Eye without dying.

[After all, it's an abnormal Mystic Eye, so it's not surprising that there are many conditions for fulfilling them. The key is the conditions for awakening that abnormal Mystic Eye.]

The man still wanted to know the same thing. He had done some research on the Demon Eye, even to a considerable degree. However, he also knew that he still knew too little about the Demon Eye. The Demon Eye could greatly enhance an individual's abilities, but knowing the types of Demon Eyes would be enough to handle most situations.

However, there is one type of Mystic Eye that cannot be measured by common sense: the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception. The very concept of being able to see death is difficult to describe using common sense. But if one knew how to awaken a Mystic Eye, perhaps one could find a way to restrain it. And that is what the man wanted to know.

[Teacher, I'm certain my friend isn't a deadbeat. Also, thank you so much for telling me this; I'll keep a close eye on my friend from now on.]

Then the call was hung up.

"It seems that a very important friend has awakened that demonic eye."

Judging from Rin Tohsaka's attitude, the man could tell how important his friend, who had awakened the Mystic Eyes, was to her. This importance was to be expected; otherwise, Rin wouldn't have called to specifically ask about the Mystic Eyes.

Normally, a magician who knew this would inform the Clock Tower, as this special demonic eye was not just ordinary but extremely threatening. However, the man knew that the Clock Tower would inevitably be watching this demonic eye, and being aware of the Clock Tower's darkness, he didn't bother to say anything.

[Forget it, some things are better left for Tohsaka to handle herself. She'll contact me if anything happens over there, so I don't need to worry about her too much.]

The man didn't focus too much on Tohsaka's problems; if she had any issues, she might come back to him. However, a phone call from Tohsaka drew his attention, reminding him of something else—the Holy Grail War.

The time for the Holy Grail War is approaching. Ten years have passed since then, and some things need to be prepared.

The man had never given up on the Holy Grail War, and even now he still longed to meet that king once more. Perhaps he should find some time to go to Fuyuki City to check on the situation; news from Fuyuki City had become increasingly scarce lately, making it difficult for the man to obtain information there.

Rin, from the Emiya family in Fuyuki City, didn't look too good. She knew Shirou was in deep trouble. The Mystic Eyes of Death Perception were undoubtedly legendary, the highest rainbow-level Mystic Eyes compared to any other. No one knew exactly how terrifying rainbow-level Mystic Eyes were, but they far surpassed gem-level Mystic Eyes.

[Luckily, I didn't tell the teacher Shirou's name earlier; I only mentioned that he was my friend, otherwise things would have been really troublesome. If the Clock Tower finds out, things could get very complicated, especially since Shirou has now completed the Third Magic… I still need to keep Shirou's situation a secret.]

Rin was relieved that she had only said he was a friend and hadn't named Shirou by name. Even so, Rin felt that Shirou's safety should be prioritized, otherwise he might really be taken away by a magician who appeared out of nowhere.

[Time is getting a bit tight now. It seems we need to get Shirou exposed to magic as soon as possible; we can't let him continue to be so harmless.]

In Rin's eyes, Shirou is now like a piece of Tang Sanzang's flesh—once he's targeted, someone will definitely want to devour him completely. Both the Third Magic, the materialization of the soul, and the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception are things many people crave but cannot obtain. If someone discovers Shirou's existence and knows he's harmless, the problem will be extremely serious.

Fortunately, the situation isn't entirely beyond repair. Rin believes that as long as Shirou demonstrates the power of a Third Magic Mage, everything that has happened to him will be acceptable. The key is that Shirou needs to acquire this power, meaning this stage is extremely urgent.

Thinking this, Rin quickened her pace.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Archer Became the Best Teacher

"Shirou's situation has become complicated."

Rin's sudden remark upon returning immediately stunned Saber and Sakura, as they could both tell that something had happened to Shirou's Mystic Eyes.

Rin was also preparing to give Shirou a heads-up, because Shirou's awakened Mystic Eyes were a bit beyond her imagination. Rin wasn't unfamiliar with powerful Mystic Eyes; as a magician who had apprenticed at the Clock Tower, she had that kind of experience. It was just that Shirou's Mystic Eyes were beyond her reach.

"Shirou's Mystic Eyes are a bit beyond my imagination. I just consulted the monarch at the Clock Tower and learned what kind of Mystic Eyes Shirou has awakened. They are Mystic Eyes that humans could never awaken."

"The problem now isn't just about Shirou's Mystic Eyes. There's definitely a way to fix them. But I'm more worried that Shirou might be targeted by some people in the Mage's Association."

This is probably what Rin is most worried about. This time, Shirou woke up from his coma, completed the Third Magic, and awakened the Mystic Eyes—something that can't be awakened in ordinary people. Both the Third Magic and the Mystic Eyes are things that many magicians want. If Shirou's news leaks out, any magician might try to kidnap him.

Oh~ Is there anyone else keeping an eye on me?

Shirou is quite confident in his strength. Even if he doesn't claim to be invincible, his ability to protect himself is exceptionally ruthless. The skills Time, Harmony, and Balance ensure that he won't back down against anyone, Curse Nullification guarantees he's not weak against curses, and now the Mystic Eyes further enhance his offensive capabilities.

Thinking about it this way, the people who are eyeing me are actually quite pathetic. They'll definitely be deceived by my harmless appearance and will willingly offer themselves up as my experience points.

Shirou himself knows how deceptive his current identity is. Even without past memories, judging from Rin's level of concern, the past [Emiya Shirou] was absolutely a quail, the kind of creature that anyone could easily squeeze.

The problem is that he's currently in disguise; Shirou is just wearing the skin of a "weakling Emiya Shirou," but inside he's the biggest boss behind the scenes in the dark world.

As a man who ruled over the darkest corners of the world, Shirou believed his strength would be just as formidable in a world teeming with magicians. Even disregarding other factors, his control over time alone was enough to annihilate almost any magician; there was simply no way any magician could escape his grasp.

"Sister, what should we do?"

"There is a solution. It may be relatively time-consuming and energy-intensive, but it should be the most useful one for Shirou."

The solution is actually quite simple, and Rin has already figured out how to handle it. The method may be a little troublesome and laborious, but as long as all the goals are achieved, Shirou will no longer have to worry about being targeted by magicians.

"You mean I should become stronger on my own?"

“That’s right. In the past, Shirou, your aptitude and conditions in magic were not up to par. Your aptitude for learning magic was still far from that of a standard magician. But now it’s different. You have achieved the materialization of your soul, and your magical power is almost limitless. Perhaps your aptitude as a magician is still somewhat lacking, but it is much easier for you to become like Archer.”

In the past, it was very difficult for Shirou to become stronger, but now it's far too easy for him. Archer has taken projection magic to an unprecedented level, and in the end, he even managed to create a powerful magic like a Reality Marble.

Rin knew, of course, that Shirou couldn't immediately create a powerful magic barrier like the Reality Marble, but with Archer as a role model, and since Shirou wasn't lacking in magical power, he could naturally learn Archer's fighting style.

If Shirou, with his infinite magical energy, fully mastered Archer's fighting style, wouldn't he just smash enemies in the face with his weapon? If he couldn't win, he could simply use his magical energy to overpower them.

Just thinking about this already conjured up a very vivid image in Rin's mind, especially with Archer's image in front of her. Rin felt that Shirou, freed from the constraints of magic, would definitely use projection magic in an extremely bizarre way. Not necessarily as powerful as Archer, even just a resemblance would be enough.

If we encounter any stronger opponents, we'll just overwhelm them with magic.

"Should we have Shirou learn Archer's fighting style? If it's Shirou now, that style would indeed be more suitable."