Chapter 10: The Flaws of Projection
When the battle between Shirou Emiya and Jotaro Kujo reached such a swift conclusion—and with Shirou achieving victory in a crushing manner—the subsequent task of persuasion became much simpler.
Since the reason Jotaro Kujo was unwilling to leave the cell was because he believed the truly terrifying thing was the Stand on his body rather than anything else, what was there left for him to say now that Shirou Emiya had thoroughly defeated it?
Furthermore, once he heard about the crisis Holy Kujo was about to face, Jotaro, who inherently wanted to go out and defeat DIO, no longer had any reason to remain.
Everything followed naturally. Whether it was Jotaro Kujo wanting to find DIO, or Joseph intending to call the SPW Foundation, no one had any objections. Even the officers on duty in the detention center were immensely relieved that this "God of Plague," who could have left long ago, was finally departing.
Only Avdol sensed that something seemed slightly off. Or rather...
"Emiya, is your Stand ability capable of enhancing the Stand abilities you project?"
Avdol slowed his pace to walk beside Shirou Emiya and inquired curiously in his ear.
Indeed, this was what Avdol found most unusual.
Was his [Magician's Red] really that powerful?! If the [Fake Magician's Red] projected by Shirou had suppressed Jotaro by using its ability to control flames, Avdol wouldn't have found it strange. After all, having observed the fight, Avdol guessed that Jotaro's Stand was likely a close-range power type with exceptionally exaggerated values in speed and strength.
In other words, that type of Stand would find it very troublesome to deal with an opponent who maintains distance and attacks from afar.
But Shirou Emiya hadn't used a "kite-flying" strategy. Instead, he went into close quarters and used faster speed and stronger power to blow Jotaro away along with his Stand...
This exaggerated performance once made Avdol suspect that the "B" rank in Power and Speed on his own [Magician's Red] stat sheet was actually just a random entry.
Fortunately, after secretly manifesting [Magician's Red] to test its speed and discovering it couldn't possibly reach the speed of Jotaro's Stand, Avdol quickly looked for the difference in the user, Shirou Emiya.
"If I could, I would wish for my Projection to include enhancement as well."
However, Shirou shook his head at the question. "Avdol, the essence of Projection is fantasy. It is a copy based on my understanding and imagination of the Stand. If there is an error in that understanding or imagination—for instance, if I try to enhance the projected Stand—once I
subconsciously feel the projection is better than the original or view them as two different things, the projection will vanish. Therefore, my Projection can only manage to approach the original; it cannot surpass it."
This was an inherent flaw of the magecraft known as Projection. Even though Shirou, having awakened the memories of his past life, could perceive the mental energy images of Stands as "swords" through his understanding of the concept of "Blade," he still could not surpass the limits of Projection.
"But just now..." Avdol asked in confusion.
Since the projected Stand couldn't be enhanced, how did Shirou just suppress Jotaro in the field of close combat?
"It's quite simple, like a gambler who is dealt a Royal Flush from the start; no matter what hand the other players have, he holds the victory in his grasp."
Because he was about to become a comrade to Avdol—and because [Magician's Red], a wide-range, high-firepower elemental Stand, naturally held a suppressive advantage over most Stands—Shirou felt a sense of regret for Avdol's exit in the original story.
Whether it was for the upcoming trip to Egypt or to save Avdol's life if possible, he explained without much reservation: "This is a reverse utilization of [Magician's Red's] life-detector skill after I projected your combat experience, Avdol.
Instead of releasing it to detect the breathing and skin respiration of surrounding organisms, the movement of objects, or even the activity of Stand energy, I enveloped my entire body in this special flame skill. I let the flames react automatically upon detecting an attack, propelling my body to dodge and counter-attack."
It was a simple logic, much like how [Atum], with Power D and Speed C, could easily dodge [Star Platinum's] attacks after predicting Jotaro's thoughts, or how [Scary Monsters] with Double B stats could suppress [D4C] with Double A stats in close combat due to the dynamic vision of dinosaurization.
Shirou Emiya utilized this same simple principle.
However, principle was one thing; application was another. Avdol, who had never thought the skills he developed based on the characteristics of [Magician's Red] could be used this way, felt only one thing after hearing the explanation:
Shock!
Deeply shaken, he also felt an indescribable sense of shame for having previously suspected Shirou was holding back. Shirou, who could share such techniques without hesitation, was truly their comrade!
"By the way, Avdol. Actually, regarding the use of [Magician's Red], I have just a few more ideas..."
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On the other side, unlike the pleasant exchange between Shirou and Avdol, Joseph and Jotaro—who had learned from Shirou that Holy Kujo might not have long to live—did not find a café to slowly explain what was happening as they did in the original story.
Instead, after borrowing the phone at the station, they rushed back to the Kujo residence without stopping. After making Holy go to her futon to rest and waiting for the arrival of the SPW Foundation medical staff, Joseph began a "house-searching mode" in the Kujo residence to find as many cameras as possible.
Then, together with the numerous cameras he had brought along to manifest his Stand ability, he smashed them one by one using [Hermit Purple]!
Only...
"Nothing! Nothing! Nothing! Nothing! ...This one still has nothing!!!"