Chapter 28 The Fuyuki Incubus (Not Really)
Heroes. Those who perform miracles, rescue the masses, and achieve great deeds are often enshrined as heroes. Alternatively, they are seen as the ultimate ideal born of humanity—the most exceptional existence among men.
If so, regardless of which definition one adopts, the human standing before Sigma might very well be the equivalent of a contemporary hero.
It is impossible to save everyone forever; thus, the path where "no one has to cry" is merely a mirage, a moon reflected in water. Yet, he challenges the entire world with his idealism, accepting whatever result follows with equanimity.
'I see, is this guy something like Sisyphus?' Sigma thought.
Sisyphus eternally pushes a boulder upward, never reaching the summit. He is a mythological figure, regarded by the world as the personification of futile torment.
Then Sigma thought again: That was rude of me.
Shirou Emiya's way of existing is decisively different. Because he is there to support it, parts of the boulder he pushes have not rolled back to crush countless nameless lives.
Sigma usually avoided making an enemy of the world's cruel reality. However, Sigma felt he understood a little now.
"Is this what an ideal—or rather, a wish—is?"
The sensation of some realization flowing into his heart must have been an illusion. But Sigma felt that this sensation was a very beautiful thing.
In the periphery of his vision, where only he could see, the shadow of the old man nicknamed "The Captain" smiled with satisfaction, much as he once did when hunting the White Whale.
Shirou Emiya is indeed a "comedian." Moreover, he passed the stage of feeling regret for his own "comedy" long ago.
'I really asked an unnecessary question.'
Acquiring an ideal is just the foundation. Then comes the unquenchable will, and the like. The courage to break through cruel adversity, and the like. The resolve to resist limitless despair, and the like.
Even attributing it all to an "ideal" is insufficient; these are the radiances originally engraved upon his soul.
"Then on what grounds does your ideal refuse to burn out? On what grounds can you break through cruel adversity? On what grounds can you continuously resist accumulated despair?"
There was no need to keep asking. He can do it simply because his personal existence is such.
Therefore, Sigma accepted it calmly.
"That said, things have certainly developed in an unexpected direction..."
Shirou seemed thoughtful, though he was actually sending a reassuring glance to the young girl behind him that said, "See? I told you it'd be fine."
Saber returned a defiant look that said, "Even so, I won't gamble with Shirou's safety!"
The two looked at each other with wry smiles, neither seemingly willing to abandon their own perspective.
Left ignored on the side...
'What kind of flirting bond are you two displaying in front of me?'
"Shirou Emiya, what was the direction you originally expected?"
"No, I actually thought you were here for revenge."
Revenge? Three question marks popped up over Sigma's head. Then, he recalled his previous statements and realized why it looked that way.
"Thinking that way is indeed logical; I have no rebuttal."
Sigma waved his hand and quickly corrected: "But I think my mother found a reason for living with Kiritsugu Emiya, so I hold no resentment toward him."
Shirou Emiya's expression was a mix of joy and bitterness as he looked up at the sky. "Then that's great."
-
-
-
Less than a breath after those words fell, a dark shadow suddenly expanded behind him, blotting out the sunlight that should have hit them.
The sound of a detonator exploding followed a beat later, startling Sigma into a freeze. The giant stone axe behind Shirou Emiya finally entered free-fall, carving deep cracks into the ground and becoming a shield that blocked an incoming attack.
Then, Shirou Emiya raised a small blade. He vanished.
Sigma couldn't react to where Shirou Emiya had gone. By the time Sigma's consciousness caught up, his entire body was pulled forward. Silhouettes crossed paths; someone parried something coming from behind Sigma, maintaining a posture where the blade extended along the arm.
The delayed sound of a gunshot only reached them after the youth had finished his move. The bullet was faster than sound, but Shirou Emiya was faster than the bullet.
"Tch, those guys still haven't given up. What kind of skill is persistence like that?"
Sigma's attention was frozen on the fleeting, beautiful flourish of the blade. Shirou Emiya's close-range complaining turned cold and cynical; though it was a sharp way of speaking, it seemed exceptionally fitting on him.
'I think I was just sniped. Why? Shouldn't the opposition be Faldeus's units?'
Sigma and Faldeus were essentially in a "direct subordinate of a collaborator" relationship. The units that followed his orders and recognized Sigma had no authority to fire on him. Yet, the bullet just now had definitely included Sigma in its target profile.
Before Sigma could react to the discovery that he'd gotten something wrong, ominous sounds rang out in succession. The only reason Sigma was still standing there unharmed was that two figures were crisscrossing to block all the projectiles.
Unlike Shirou Emiya's group, Sigma, who didn't know all the sniper positions, had thought this corner was a blind spot. In reality, Shirou and Saber's judgment that they had to go much further to reach a blind spot was completely correct.
"Saber, I'm leaving it to you!"
The youth shouted to his companion and then did something unexpected. Sigma was hoisted onto Shirou Emiya's shoulder with one hand!
"Wait?"
A bewildered Sigma instinctively flailed his limbs, but it was useless. Shirou Emiya simply began running forward with him. Saber ran beside him, cutting down every bullet in the vicinity.
He muttered as he ran: "Sigma, you don't need to use my full name every time. Just call me 'Emiya' or 'Shirou' from now on."
"Understood, Mr. Shirou Emiya."
"Are you even listening to me?"
Sigma didn't have time to reply that this was just a bit of mindless banter he'd let slip while dazed. Instead, he turned his head and used a silent mental link to question the "Captain" beside him: "Aren't those Faldeus's people?"
The old man raised his eyes and spread his hands nonchalantly. "Did I ever say the opposition consisted only of Faldeus's people?"
He really hadn't.
"Are you trapping me with word games? Why?"
The old man answered slowly. His tone was so matter-of-fact it would have made anyone but Sigma gnash their teeth in anger:
"Because this is a trial." —Part of the trial to make you a true Lancer. We exist precisely to help you break through the 'barrier'.
Sigma realized that effective communication wasn't going to happen in this brief window of time. Because he was Sigma, he decisively gave up on pursuing the true meaning and turned his attention back to Shirou, asking a question that had been bothering him:
"Wait, Emiya, I'm still holding a handgun in my hand!"
"It's fine, it's fine!"
'No, it's not! You're just carrying a former enemy who's still armed over your shoulder?'
Compared to the riddle-loving old "Captain," Shirou was so good it made Sigma feel uneasy. Of course, the more likely possibility was that he was so weak that Shirou was confident he could easily dodge even at this range. In that case, it wasn't Sigma's conscience that was wounded, but his pride.
"At least worry a little bit..."
Regardless of the reason, Sigma gained a brand new understanding of the extent to which Shirou practiced his convictions.
'He's practically a saint.' Sigma thought with Dead-fish eyes.
"Heh, so cold to me. Since you're showing such favoritism, I'll provide a complete set of intel. Don't worry, no secrets this time."
The old man, whom only Sigma could see, was somehow keeping pace without any effort. He explained leisurely:
"The snipers are split into two factions. One belongs to the Master Faldeus, and the other to the Master Bazdilot. Of course, Francesca, who called you here, is the third party. The way to distinguish the first two camps is that Bazdilot's side uses anti-materiel sniper rifles—so the ones with the louder gunshots are them. Snipers are everywhere, so there are very few safe spots. Currently, Shirou Emiya and the others are taking you to the nearest blind spot."
Sigma: ".........?"
'Terrifying. Just how many enemies is this 'ordinary person' being targeted by simultaneously? Did he go around mocking every single mastermind one by one or something?'
"...And haven't you told me yet why they stopped for a while and have now started firing again?"
Sigma naturally didn't know that it was because Bazdilot's camp had finally ended their internal debate.
"Returning to see Lord Bazdilot means certain death. Continuing to try and snipe only means we 'might' die. Let's keep sniping!" "Exactly!" "The boss is right!" Bazdilot's snipers simply had a very dark future ahead of them.
"...Furthermore, among the gunshots, there are clearly several that are a grade quieter! According to you, does that mean Faldeus's side also tore up the cooperation agreement?"
Sigma naturally didn't know that it was because Faldeus's camp had finally lost the energy to check IDs.
"Everyone else is firing! If we don't snipe this guy soon, my heart's going to give out! Death to anyone in my way!" Faldeus's snipers were simply seeing red.
A cacophony of demons. In this frantic tide, Sigma was being carried upstream by the only solid rock in sight.
A stone-faced Shirou shouted over the roar of noise and gunshots: "I don't know how you found me, but it would have been better if you'd come later! Because of my problems, you've been dragged into this too!"
Sigma was silent. After a while, he answered based on the objective facts he knew: "I don't think I regret it. If anything, the fault isn't yours at all."
As usual, Sigma was ambiguous about his own heart.
However, coming here to hear the answer was something Sigma considered one of the most correct things he had ever done.
Shirou's lip twitched as if he were about to give a wry smile. Contrary to him, Sigma felt guilty simply because he was originally sent by a related party to stir up trouble.
As the walls on both sides flew backward, the end of the passage appeared before Sigma's eyes.
"Emiya, there's a wall ahead."
Shirou understood and nodded silently. Facing that four-meter-high wall, Shirou and Saber charged straight at it.
The arm holding Sigma loosened. Before Sigma could hit the ground due to gravity, he was cleanly hoisted up by his back. Sigma saw Shirou kick off the ground in a jumping posture; there was no trace of reinforcement magecraft on those long legs.
He didn't use magecraft; he just jumped normally.
An altitude that should have been impossible for a mortal body to reach appeared beneath him in his flipped vision like a slow-motion film.
Perhaps it was an illusion, but Sigma thought he saw the silhouette of a youth shining brilliantly under the high afternoon sun...
'I see. A charm effect? Yeah, a practical charm.'
Read ahead (60 chapters) by supporting me on buymeacoffee com/varietl or ko-fi edwriting