Chapter 421: Also a Messenger of Justice
The universe is unimaginably vast; humanity has not yet perceived its end, and what we can observe is likely less than one percent. One could say everything is unknown.
If you were to replace a human's vision with that of the Sun, the Earth in your eyes would become a blue ball revolving around you, completing one circle over the span of a year before returning to its starting point.
This sphere rotates and moves according to a fixed time, and its surface is covered in complex textures. A single country is nothing more than a speck; the distance between cities is imperceptible. The so-called view of the Great Wall from space is merely a product of artistic idealization. Shinjuku? Shibuya? What are those? Contained within that ball, they are nothing more than minuscule bumps.
Humanity can only explore within a limited range. Even though we can now travel beyond Earth, the journey through the universe is one that cannot be finished in a lifetime. Finding a person from here is like trying to find an ant swept away by a gale on Earth; it is truly not easy.
It is either fate or opportunity. Without such slim hopes for coincidence, there are only miracles driven by various mysterious forces.
While in a dream, Merlin soared through the universe. Relying on the bond of once having been fused through spirit projection and invocation, he was familiar with Shirou's magical signature. With the aid of various connections, after spending several years, he finally found the drifting Shirou in a corner of the cosmos.
At that time, the place where Shirou was located was a void of space. There was nothing there—just a gray-black expanse, isolated from time, existing in a completely static space. The boy lay there in mid-air, sleeping, floating motionlessly, as if he would never change for eternity.
Yet, paradoxically, he was omnipresent. He drifted endlessly along with the universe, sometimes invisible to anyone, and at other times appearing simultaneously in different corners of the cosmos.
Merlin found a way to extract a part of Shirou, to awaken him and grant him a new life. However, due to the issues at the time, Shirou had lost his past memories, appearing like a blank slate. Thus, Merlin took Shirou with him, caring for him and raising him. Ultimately, because they were both related to the King, both Merlin and the Round Table Knights would help Shirou, both for the sake of affection and reason. Coupled with Shirou's inherently good nature and numerous merits, he was quickly accepted by everyone as a new family member.
They gave Shirou a new home, and Shirou, through earnest and diligent study, supported the entire family. He was truly a good child. During the years Shirou had lost his memories, Merlin had poured all his own past experiences into teaching him. Now, in certain aspects, Shirou could be said to have surpassed his master.
At the very least, Merlin couldn't remember the birthdays of all the guests who visited, though he certainly possessed the memory capacity. However, this aspect actually required a person's sincerity. If it wasn't done from the heart—if it were merely for show—it would sooner or later be exposed.
In the entirety of Shinjuku's Kabukicho, the only person who could remember the birthdays of all the regular customers, cook dishes for them personally, genuinely care for them from the bottom of his heart, and celebrate with them was Shirou. This was likely true for all of Tokyo, or perhaps even all of Wako (Japan).
Isn't the creed of an "ally of justice" based on the "one-for-all" principle? Shirou was absolutely impeccable in this regard. Even if his profession was that of a host, he was still carrying out his life choice: to make those around him happy.
His sincerity was not in vain. Although it was very out of place in such a venue of pretense, the more that was the case, the more people craved sincerity. Shirou's actions were initially misunderstood, but gradually they gained more and more recognition, ultimately becoming the acknowledged top host.
But now, he had recovered his past memories. Although he vaguely sensed that things were not so simple, his current state didn't seem to be a simple trans-dimensional crossing. He was different from the Shirou who had died previously in the mutual destruction caused by the space emperor Gilgamesh's bombardment.
"Excuse me, I'll be away for a moment." In order to figure out what was going on, Shirou turned down an invitation from a lady and walked alone to the dim corner where the Flower Magician was drinking by himself.
At this moment, the handsome man with long silver hair sat there, sipping his wine quietly, though no one knew what thoughts were running through his mind.
"Merlin, I have regained my memories. How do you intend to explain this?" Shirou walked up to Merlin, arms crossed, demanding an explanation.
"Is that so, Shirou? Then it is time for us to take action and save this street," Merlin said solemnly.
"Take action?" Shirou looked at the silver-haired man in confusion. He always felt he was being tricked, but when he heard the word "save," he felt it was necessary to hear him out.
"Yes. You have always wanted to be an ally of justice, haven't you? Now is the time for you to shine," Merlin said, lifting his wine glass.
"What are you trying to do?" Shirou asked, wary of the man with various past offenses and a very poor reputation.
"There is a mastermind on this street organizing a very dark criminal enterprise," Merlin said, his voice dropping mysteriously.
"A mastermind?!" Shirou said, surprised.
"Originally, I wanted to wait until your magical training was complete before telling you. But since you have regained your memories, there is no need to delay any further," Merlin said, putting on an inscrutable air.
In the year since Shirou was brought to this world by Merlin, an absolute villain had arrived here, seizing control of Shinjuku's entire underworld.
As for the "darkness," this place was never particularly clean. Various trades had permeated and infiltrated it; it had become a major problem that refused to die.
There were over a hundred yakuza-run companies here. Various organizations owned most of the real estate deeds in the area, using them to engage in all sorts of activities. From talent scouts on the street coercing young women into becoming entertainers, or photographers looking for amateurs with good looks and physical conditions to film movies; to companies providing online loans, managers handing out flyers for promotion, and debt-collection experts responsible for "after-sales service."
Shinjuku's Kabukicho, the city that never sleeps in Tokyo, has been a place where fish and dragons mingle since ancient times—the place with the most chaotic and complex interpersonal relationships. The legalized sex industry had spawned clubs of all sorts of forms and themes: robots, horror series, and bars where wild, earth-shattering shows were staged every night.
From cafes where high school girls provide companionship for eating and chatting, to the recently popular special services where women provide home-visit housekeeping services to other women. Adult goods stores on the streets even offered special discounts for foreign tourists—with a passport, limited items could be 15% off.
But this openness brought with it the fact that, since ancient times, those three things—gambling, prostitution, and drugs—are inseparable.
If you want to gamble, you surely don't carry that much cash, so you need a money lender to provide a loan. If you lose, and have no money to pay, the debt-collection company steps in. If you win and have money, you must show it off, so you need places to spend it.
People seek sensory stimulation and the release of desire. Moreover, the more numb they become, the stronger their need for these stimuli grows. Once you get involved in one, you aren't far from the other two. Some people love the pleasure of holding someone in their arms—the sensation of beastly blood boiling; others prefer the excitement of high-stakes gambling where one bets their entire fortune in a game of luck and intellect. Others want the changes to their nervous system that make them feel like they are floating. When people become addicted to these stimulating things, they soon grow weary and spontaneously seek new things, searching for new types of excitement.
In fact, even if he possessed sufficient self-control, others were pushing and pulling him, leading him toward that side, enticing him to develop in that direction. Once deemed "a fool with too much money," one is immediately surrounded by a group of swindlers. Not being cheated doesn't mean they are good to you; the "wine, women, wealth, and ego" act like meat attracting flies, drawing in everyone who wants to make a fortune.
Beyond the dark side, there were those of the "white" world: the geishas preferred by high-ranking officials and scholars—young ladies from good families trained from childhood in the tea ceremony, flower arranging, zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. They operated on a semi-closed, high-end membership basis, specifically for locals, and turned away foreign guests. If not led by an acquaintance, they would not receive you, even with money.
Originally, this special district, which had operated through ancient conventions and implicit understanding, achieved its own unique prosperity.
But now! This street had welcomed a dark king. On the surface, he was a math professor at a higher institution; in reality, he was the biggest criminal who had emerged this year and was currently the talk of the international stage.
This new ruler kept everything running in perfect order. It was difficult to see any problems on the surface; in fact, it was cleaner than before. Because of his arrival, the shops that had previously fought among themselves and were like loose sand had all been integrated, covering for each other while madly raking in money.
However, each of these was a "perfect crime." There were no flaws to be found; previous investigations and deductions seemed to have been in vain. For a time, the police couldn't find any effective evidence. Without salvation, they could not deal with it, so the new ruler could remain at large.
"As far as I know, he has recently begun to expand his territory frantically. If it weren't for the fact that he is wary of our Round Table Knights, most of the other host clubs would have already been acquired by him at low prices."
"That... could it be that the other party is a suspicious bearded uncle?" Shirou raised an eyebrow and asked, looking at Merlin.
"That's right~! As expected, is he someone you know, Shirou? He is quite the high-IQ criminal," Merlin said, laughing.
"Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho!!! Subarashii (Wonderful)! It is exactly as I thought!!!" The laughter of the suspicious uncle, whom he knew all too well, emerged from Shirou's mind.
"Why is he here?... And in Shinjuku, of all places?!" Shirou said, helplessly covering his face.
"This world is naturally a world where it is easy for Servants to descend, which is why I was able to get everyone to come here," Merlin explained, spreading his hands.
"Although I don't want to get involved, we do indeed need to stop him." Upon hearing Merlin's overview, as someone who had once personally experienced the Land of Shadows, Shirou understood the terror of the other party—what kind of villain that "Napoleon of Crime" truly was.
"By the way, Merlin, I have one more question," Shirou said.
"Is it about your own condition? You feel pretty good right now, don't you? But you still feel a sense of incongruity. However, that is perfectly normal. After all, your current physical body is actually closer to the spirit-constituted body a Chaldea Master has when transferring to a Singularity," Merlin said.
Merlin looked at Shirou and said, "The current you is actually searching for your own point of convergence, just like when the King participated in the Holy Grail War. You must choose your own fate through your own will."
Years ago, Artoria felt endless regret at the Battle of Camlann, which led to the contract with the Counter Force, seeking the Holy Grail at the cost of becoming a Guardian. Before her wish was fulfilled, the Counter Force stopped her time at the moment before her death.
However, Artoria later experienced the Holy Grail War in Fuyuki, from the ignorance and passivity of the Fourth War to the determination of the Fifth. She accepted her fate; she accepted the destiny of the ancient Kingdom of England's collapse.
The contract with the Counter Force was therefore automatically dissolved, and her time began to flow again at that moment, eventually forming the convergence of the world. As long as Bedivere returned the Holy Sword to the Lady of the Lake, the life of King Arthur would reach its end.
This full stop was inscribed within the Human Order. As long as it was in a universe with the same foundation, all Artorias in parallel worlds would welcome their end in this way.
The Knight King who resolved her inner conflict would die and become a Heroic Spirit. And every stage of her life, her inner journey, and the form she displayed in the Holy Grail War were all recorded by the world and injected into the Throne of Heroes. She would appear in multiple forms, turning into different types of Servants when summoned.
Shirou's current situation was very similar to Artoria's at the time, and he was also facing a problem. He was drifting in the void of the universe—a turbulent vortex of space-time that connected countless worlds while existing outside of them.
He would wake up countless times, be awakened by countless people in different ways, and then live in their respective worlds for a period of time as a spiritual entity possessing a physical body. Only when a certain turning point was reached could he end this experience. Only then could he make the sole choice according to his true inner thoughts.
Only then could his own existence truly settle.
At this moment, Shirou's true self was still in the space of the universe, searching for the true place he belonged to. As for specifically how to do that, Shirou still had to grope his way forward slowly.
However! He had to deal with Moriarty first!
"What should we do?" Shirou asked, looking at the silver-haired man.
"Of course... transform into a messenger of justice!" Merlin said, as if it were only natural.
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