Many days later, standing before the Holy Grail, the King of Earth and Mountain, Xia Mi, would remember that afternoon when she sought Shirou's help for Heroic Spirit design inspiration.
And deep in her heart, she would sigh:
"I never thought hosting a Holy Grail War could feel so miserable."
…
In the backyard, Shirou was testing a new sword.
From within a blaze of rising flames, the newly forged blade glowed brilliantly. Hidden in its intricate surface were layers of advanced alchemical techniques. The leaping tongues of fire surrounded the edge like a miniature forge, and the power of spiritual reforging gradually seeped into the metallic blade through the medium of that flame.
Clang!
Shirou suddenly lifted a forging hammer and struck the sword's body with a powerful blow. Sparks burst out instantly, the flames twisted in shape, and the energy of the reforging let out a piercing screech that seemed to cut through the soul.
At the same time, the internal spiritual structure of the sword rapidly stabilized.
A Noble Phantasm was born.
This was a new method Shirou devised to improve the efficiency of forging Noble Phantasms.
Ever since acquiring the mysterious "Flame" believed to be from Muramasa Senji, he had been exploring whether he could integrate blacksmithing movements into the magical process of creating Noble Phantasms. And it turned out—yes, he could.
That recent hammer strike wasn't just forging—it was a ritual to enhance the magical effect.
Shirou put down the hammer and raised the long blade. The surface of the sword was as smooth as a mirror, and under the bright daylight, its edge reflected an extraordinary multicolored brilliance: red like blazing fire, blue like deep ocean trenches, gold like the shining sun.
It didn't feel like a sword—it felt like a solidified fragment of fantasy itself. A blade forged from lightning, storms, wild flames—all the terrifying forces of nature crystallized into one edge.
Now came the test.
This sword-testing technique was something Shirou associated with Muramasa Senji's abilities.
During the Warring States period of the East, countless swordsmiths with workshops accompanied armies to repair damaged weapons on the battlefield. Among them, the most famous was Muramasa Senji from Kuwana in Ise Province.
As the founder of the Muramasa school, his works all bore the "Muramasa" inscription. Over time, these blades birthed countless legends—such as being cursed swords fated to kill the Tokugawa shoguns.
Even during the Bakumatsu era, revolutionaries like Saigō Takamori believed in these tales and actively sought out Muramasa blades.
That's how revered Muramasa's craftsmanship was.
One of his special techniques was called "test-cutting"—meant to assess a sword's sharpness and performance. According to Shirou's memories, Muramasa could fully draw out a weapon's potential. If he wished, he could even unleash a blade's maximum power—enough to destroy itself with a single strike.
Sound familiar?
It was similar to Hōkai Gensō (Fantasm Collapse). But unlike Hōkai Gensō—which was an unstable, indiscriminate blast that required long-range deployment via bows to avoid self-damage—Muramasa's technique allowed for a controlled release of destructive power at close range.
The challenge? Control.
Shirou gripped the sword tightly. A mere swing felt like it could rip through the air and scream with deadly force. He raised the blade, aiming toward the clearing behind the house.
Reflected in the blade's surface was a flash of starlight. In Shirou's eyes, it looked like ancient rivers of stars shimmering and shifting in the night sky. Centuries of craftsmanship and soul were condensed into—
"Shirou-senpai! What are you doing?"
Xia Mi suddenly appeared, poking her head into view.
Shirou lowered the blade in alarm. He had been entirely focused on controlling the sword's power—if he had released it accidentally, it could have destroyed nearby buildings and seriously hurt anyone nearby.
"Nothing, just testing something... but I don't think I'm quite ready."
He turned to Xia Mi. As always, she looked like a masterpiece of nature—delicate features glowing under the sunlight, soft radiance brushing across her cheeks. She was holding a thick stack of documents, the tight fit of her pale-yellow shirt pulled slightly open at the edge by the weight, revealing her smooth waist and flat stomach.
"Senpai, now's not the time to be messing around with swords! Whether it's life or school, every second counts! If we waste too much time, nothing will get done!"
Xia Mi had caught a glimpse of Shirou's sword-testing posture. Though she didn't understand the technique, his focused demeanor reminded her of Norton—immersed in some complex alchemical challenge, lost in a world she didn't comprehend.
Norton would often stay in one position for hours, thinking. And now… Shirou too?
Was she the only one actually doing work around here?
Right now she had a mountain of Heroic Spirit blueprints to finish—including her own custom one—and she still had to write a paper on magical history. She had hoped Shirou could share something helpful—like that King Arthur story from yesterday, which would make a great Servant draft!
She would outwork everyone and rise again!
"Fine, fine, I almost forgot the schedule for today," Shirou said, realizing maybe he needed a reminder alarm.
He and Xia Mi crossed the backyard, her skirt swaying gently in the breeze, revealing fleeting glimpses of graceful legs.
"Still working on your research topic? Honestly, I can't offer much more guidance. Unless you want more stories?"
They sat quietly in a private study. Xia Mi laid out her materials—sorted historical documents spread neatly across the table. Shirou, with nothing else to do, began pouring tea.
"No, senpai, you've already helped me a lot! I still need your guidance!"
Xia Mi smiled with perfect form, revealing a flash of white teeth and a soft dimple.
"There's so much conflicting information in these old records. I was thinking of checking the local library too. But I figured someone like you might have unique insight."
Sure, that sounded like flattery, but Shirou wasn't about to refuse. It was just chatting about old history—not hard. And it beat staring at blades all day.
"I'm not a historian, so I only know bits and pieces. Why don't you tell me what you're researching?"
Xia Mi tapped her chin with long fingers, then snapped to a decision. "Oh, right! Senpai, do you know Attila the Hun?"
"Attila? Of course. The king of the Huns in the 5th century, descendant of the Xiongnu. He built an empire stretching from West Asia to Russia, Eastern Europe, and Gaul. His military genius made him infamous throughout Europe."
"In fact, he attacked Ravenna, capital of Western Rome, and became feared as 'The Scourge of God.' He was said to be the model for Atli in the Völsunga Saga and Etzel in the Nibelungenlied."
"Ooh, that's just what I needed." Xia Mi jotted down notes eagerly—though inside she was giggling smugly.
Because the real Attila was none other than the King of Earth and Mountain.
Or rather, two Kings—the siblings Fenrir and Jormungandr. During the time of Attila, Jormungandr handled strategy while Fenrir just charged into battle and wrecked everything.
And humans? They didn't stand a chance against dragon kings.
Fenrir, under the alias Attila, stormed across Europe unchallenged. But the Secret Party ambushed the siblings.
The Holy Church's knights drove them into a river of molten silver, severely injuring their dragon bodies. After escaping, Fenrir was seduced by a "Princess Honoria"—a Secret Party spy who slowly poisoned him. Finally, assassin Idico struck and killed him.
Fortunately, Jormungandr had prepared a resurrection "egg." The humans killed Attila the Hun, but not the King of Earth and Mountain.
Shirou continued, "Actually, they didn't kill the real Attila. That wasn't the original."
Xia Mi nodded… then paused.
Wait. Did he just expose my identity?!
The next sentence floored her:
"The real Attila was an alien—an interstellar weapon called a 'Stellar Vanguard,' designed to destroy civilizations."
"More accurately, he was the 'Giant God Attila,' who summoned a white giant named Sephalu to annihilate civilization. Sephalu absorbed technology and spread gigantification like a virus, turning all life monstrous. It even destroyed the gods, until it was finally defeated by a sacred sword."
"The so-called Huns just found a decayed head-core from the white giant and built their legend around it. Attila's life was just a dream fragment of the Giant God."
Xia Mi's face twisted into disbelief.
First thought: How the hell did you come up with something that crazy?!
Second thought: Can I ask Norton to make me one too...?
(End of Chapter)
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