Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though the Moon Cell was capable of generating Attack Programs with similar Parameters to Heroic Spirits, it couldn't copy their Skills and Noble Phantasms. Thus, while the shadowy figures radiated a powerful aura, it didn't take long for Caenis to overwhelm the four sent to block her. She could easily read their mechanical movements, using her long glaive-like spear to shatter the crystalline material that formed their bodies.Eventually, perhaps realizing normal forces couldn't do anything to stop the intruder, the other eight shadowy figures moved to intercept. Around the same time, two figures appeared atop the bulwark of the castle, observing the ongoing battle with varying thoughts racing through their minds.Vahn, seeing the large army that had formed, was beginning to feel that the Photonic Abyss was full of potential. As for Artoria, she was still a little distracted after earlier events, but, seeing Caenis, most of her hesitation faded away, followed by her asking, "Should I capture her?" while gripping Excalibur in hand.Hearing Artoria's question, Vahn ultimately shook his head, saying, "We'll call the others so they can put their training to the test. Besides, I can tell you have other things on your mind. This time, allow me to be the one to say, 'Don't push yourself so much'. Now that Archimedes is gone, there are few enemies we genuinely need to worry about, so, for the time being, focusing on matters of the heart and mind is the best route forward..."As he spoke, Vahn gently caressed the top of Artoria's head, his fingers passing over her drooping ahoge a few times, trying and failing to get it to perk up. She was obviously in a depressive mood, and, after his experiences with Scáthach, it wasn't difficult to empathize with her. He knew that, even if the man he had beaten wasn't the 'real' Shirou Emiya, many people would want to talk with him. It was a way of achieving some kind of closure, as, in the case of people like Rin, Luvia, and Illya, he still held some significance within their hearts...Just as Vahn was about to suggest they head back inside to call the others, he felt the characteristic ripple of a Reality Marble being released. This brought his attention back to the battlefield, where, a stark contrast to the previous virtual space, a massive ocean had spread out toward the horizon. The sky overhead was now filled with black thunderclouds, while, in the distance, Caenis could be seen standing atop a craggy rock that jutted out of this vast ocean like a sword.Though Caenis wore 'very' revealing armor, at the best of times, Vahn stood with his mouth slightly agape as he saw her current appearance. Her body was almost completely exposed, revealing green, fish-like, scales covering her arms, legs, and shoulders. What stood out the most, however, so long as you ignored her exposed breasts, was that her hair had changed to a deep, sea-green, reminding Vahn of Tiamat, albeit only slightly...From atop her rocky perch, Caenis lifted a large golden trident, pointing it directly toward Vahn as she shouted, "So, you've finally revealed yourself, Sage Dragon Emperor! Bear witness to my Divine Authority. Feel the wrath of all the world's oceans as your-"Vahn was actually curious about the power behind Caenis' attack, but, before she was able to release it, the space behind her rippled, revealing Musashi. Then, using one of her sheaths, she smacked the rambling Caenis with enough force to cause a shockwave as she shouted, "Weren't you supposed to be trying to save Shirou!? How do you plan to accomplish that if you flood the entire castle!?"In response to Musashi's words, Caenis simply fell to the ground, the whites of her eyes indicating she had been knocked unconscious. At the same time, her Realty Marble fragmented, followed by the sound of glass shattering as the vast, seemingly endless, expanse of ocean vanished. This also restored Caenis to her previous appearance, albeit with a certain 'water-logged' quality...After exhaling an annoyed sigh, Musashi shouldered her katana while staring up at Vahn and Artoria in the distance. Then, with an awkward smile on her face, she waved at them before asking in a voice that covered the several kilometers between them without any difficulty, "If it isn't much trouble, can you return that hot-headed idiot to us? I'd also like to talk about what you said the last time..."Since Shirou and Caenis had both attacked, Musashi felt a palpable amount of embarrassment when asking for their release. To her surprise, however, Vahn just nodded his head, answering, "Sure. Come inside and grab him. Afterward, there are a few things I wish to discuss."Musashi wasn't the only one surprised by Vahn's words as, at his side, Artoria showed a complicated expression as she asked, "Are you really just going to let him go...?". To this, Vahn simply nodded his head, explaining, "He has a pure, bluish-white, aura. Though his killing intent is the real deal, there is no real animosity in that man's heart. He acts out of duty, and, while that makes him very dangerous, it also makes him susceptible to being reasoned with. So long as he only points his blade toward me, I don't really care how many times he tries to kill me."Hearing Vahn's remark, Artoria released a heavy sigh, but, atop her head, the tiny bundle of hair that expressed her true feelings perked up slightly. Though she didn't completely agree with how Vahn did things, she always found it strangely endearing how he allowed people to oppose him. The vast majority of rulers would kill any opposition, regardless of the nature and character of the ones trying to kill them. Vahn, however, readily spared everyone, so long as the opposite party never went out of their way to harm others with malicious intent...---A few minutes after his 'negotiations' with Musashi, Vahn had finished summoning the vast majority of the Imperial Militia, having them replace the largely destroyed Attack Programs. Fortunately, the programs in question seemed to obey his orders without hesitation, returning to the Photonic Abyss without any hesitation. This made things easier on Gawain, Lancelot, and Kenshin as, with another military present, morale and order could both be negatively influenced.With more people present, the Ivory Castle had quickly grown to its actual size, and, though it would likely take a few weeks, even Avalon had started to take shape around it. This was intriguing to both Vahn and Da Vinci, but, with four relatively powerful enemies waiting for his arrival, he left the latter to research the phenomenon while he visited the holding-cell-turned-medical-ward where Shirou was being kept.Despite his injuries being relatively severe, it hadn't taken long for Shirou to regain consciousness. As a result, he had been talking with Artoria about the actual goals of the Empire, all while Musashi and the unnamed Berserker listened in. As for Caenis, she was still unconscious, occupying the bed next to Shirou's with her wrists bound with golden bracelets that allowed her freedom of movement, but prevented the summoning of her weapons.Musashi had informed them of Caenis' aversion to being bound, something Vahn could empathize with, so, rather than tie her up to prevent her from causing trouble, he decided to compromise. This was often the first step towards future cooperation and understanding, so, while he still held a small grudge against the horse-like woman, Vahn elected to bury the past and look toward the future.Upon entering the room, Vahn became the focal point of everyone's gazes, followed by Artoria rising to her feet and politely greeting him. This caused Musashi to appear rather nervous while, but, as if the only thing that mattered to her were the snacks in her hand, the unnamed Berserker just spared him a momentary glance before returning to her meal. Artoria had tried to ask about her name, but, after being told 'Berserker' several times, she ultimately decided to just ignore her.In an effort to ease the tensions in the room, Vahn gestured to prevent Musashi from standing, a smile on his face as he said, "That is unnecessary. You aren't one of my people and I'm not fond of pretenses. If a time comes when you genuinely respect me, feel free to lower your head. Until then, we are more enemies and acquaintances than anything else..."Hearing Vahn's statement, Musashi issued a dry laugh, not sure of how to respond to such words. As for Shirou, however, he immediately opened his mouth to ask, "Your statement about allowing us to oppose you, so long as we don't target others...is it really true?"Though he would have preferred to make some light conversation first, Vahn didn't mind getting to the heart of the matter. Thus, after a casual nod, he explained, "I accepted the fact that others would see me as a villain long before I took action. Society is structured in a way that resists changes in the status quo, so, even if I tried to behave like a Saint, many would still vilify me. The foundation of the world had been built on corruption so I was left with no choice but to tear it out by the roots..."As was often the case when he spoke such words, Vahn's aura began to gradually increase, radiating outward like the warm, yet destructive, rays of Sol. This caused Musashi to lightly tap against the hilt of her katana while, still in his bed, wrapped in bandages, Shirou squinted before saying, "From what I have been able to ascertain...all of this was set in motion after someone tried to assassin...ate..."Before Shirou could complete his statement, the aura around Vahn had spontaneously increased, his eyes shifting from aquamarine to a pale-gold in an instant. This was enough to clarify things, causing Shirou to fall silent for a brief moment as he averted his eyes. Artoria had been trying to explain how Vahn wasn't a bad person, and, while it couldn't be denied that his actions had resulted in the deaths of millions, if not billions, the driving force behind Vahn's actions was something most people would be able to empathize with...Despite feeling as though he would do something similar in Vahn's case, Shirou still couldn't accept the fact that the former's actions had led to so much death and destruction. Thus, while he was able to empathize with him, he eventually mustered up the resolve to stare into Vahn's golden eyes, his own blazing with a silvery-white light as he said, "It is too late to undo what has been done...but the world deserves a chance at freedom. Your rule might result in a future with fewer crimes and less corruption, but it will be at the cost of what makes humanity envied by the other races...the freedom to choose how we live our lives..."Hearing Shirou's remark, Vahn wanted to comment about how naive and foolish it was, but, in the grand scheme of things, it wasn't exactly wrong. The only problem was, much like most humans, the young Hero prioritized his own race, elevating it to a 'special' status where it was the center of pretty much everything. This was often the difference between a Heroic Spirit and those who went on to become Divine Spirits, as, more often than not, Heroic Spirits were 'extremely' biased toward their original species.Understanding there was little point in trying to convince Shirou with words, Vahn just shrugged in a dismissive manner, saying, "You are free to oppose me. If you'd like, you can even build a resistance or structure a society around your ideals. So long as they follow the Common Law, I don't really care how people choose to live. You are free to believe what you will; it has absolutely nothing to do with me. I will continue to do what I believe is right, not just for humanity, but every sapient species, and, most importantly, the planet itself...good luck trying to oppose me with your fragile and misguided convictions, Shirou Emiya...you'll need it..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Behold, the power of my Nobl-','Vahn be like, "Come at me, breh"','Both sides of a conflict have their Heroes. History determines how they are remembered')(A/N: I am fine, just got a mild case of food poisoning after eating some Chinese food. My city is also in Quarantine now so things are getting a little hectic around here. Make sure you're drinking plenty of liquids and taking care of yourselves.)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Unaware of the fact Archimedes had died, many of the Heroic Spirits he had summoned using the power of the Moon Cell continued to follow his previous order. They, unlike normal Heroic Spirits, weren't bound by a Master-Servant contract. Archimedes lacked the mana capacity to summon two, let alone fourteen, Heroic Spirits, so, he relied on the technology harvested from 'Berserker' and the Moon Cell's ability to produce Heroic Effigies, mannequin-like constructs that served as the physical anchor for fragmented Souls.Despite being on the same side, the majority of the Heroic Spirits summoned by Archimedes would qualify as Anti-Heroes. This was a byproduct of using Altereactors as a catalyst to power the Heroic Effigies, but, as it also granted the summoned an increase to the damage they dealt against normal Heroic Spirits, it hadn't been an issue. Unfortunately, now that Archimedes was dead, it was only a matter of time before the entire group split apart due to their various personality flaws.Though some were bound to venture forth on their own, others would band together based on their familiarity with each other. The best example of this could be observed within an isolated section of the Photonic Abyss, where, in a very short period of time, several large Japanese-style temples had come into existence. One of these temples was much larger than the others, but, with an endless sea of sakura petals flowing about gracefully, the entire region gave off a peaceful, yet terrifying, vibe.Located a significant distance from the scenic temple environment, far enough that it was impossible to see one from the location of the other, an ornate, Chinese-style palace could be found, seemingly floating amidst pale-golden clouds. In actuality, it was set atop a monolithic mountain that appeared to jut straight up in defiance of natural laws. As for the golden clouds, which carried a very pleasant and mellow aroma, they were caused by a pristine golden waterfall. This peculiar water flowed from a single stream that connected to a small lake within the palace. Despite this, the lake never seemed to shrink, providing a constant volume of water to feed the adjoining stream.While its appearance was similar to something you might find in a painting, what stood out the most wasn't the landscape, but the creatures that inhabited it. There were rainbow-hued koi fish with large pectoral fins swimming in the golden clouds, defying the laws of gravity as they mingled about in a small communal group. Above them, dominating the land, various different kinds of rabbits could be seen happily frolicking around or nibbling on emerald-green clover weed. Some of these even had fantastical features, such as tiny horns or fluffy wings. The one that stood out the most, however, was the massive white rabbit that lounged near the golden pool, its size easily eclipsing an elephant as it curled up into a ball, appearing much like a ball of pure white mochi as it peacefully slumbered.Further distinguishing it from its kin, the giant white rabbit had a red lotus pattern on its head that, periodically, emitted ghostly red flames. Every now and then, a part of its body would also slough off, dropping to the ground before promptly turning into one of the hundreds of rabbits that came to reside within the strange palace. This was a very peculiar sight to behold, but, to the two women that sat peacefully at the side, enjoying tea, they paid the phenomenon no heed. It was only when one of the rabbits hopped over to their side that they even seemed to notice, extending their jade-like hands to pet the tiny creatures before sending them off the play...For a moment, it seemed like nothing could destroy the peaceful atmosphere within the palace's courtyard, but, as if such things didn't matter in the slightest, Jason emerged from the nearby room, a dour expression on his face as he muttered, "I swear...one day, I'll make that bitch pay for daring to lay her hands on a King...!!"Hearing the former's remark, the lilac-haired girl amongst the duo produced a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, while, seated across from her, the fair-skinned oriental beauty giggled mischievously as she mused, "You should not worry yourself over such matters, My Lord. Lady Musashi is similar to a barbarian with greater knowledge of the sword than the delicacy required of a woman. It will only tarnish your reputation if you associate with such people outside of military affairs."Though he wouldn't pass on the opportunity to embarrass Musashi, Jason still managed a smile in response to Change'e's words. The way she spoke elevated his position while insulting Musashi, two of the things that mattered the most to him, at least for the time being. Thus, with a lazy swagger in his step, he made his way over, taking the seat next to the lilac-haired woman as he said, "I cannot deny the truth in your words, Fairy Chang'e. You always know what to say to cheer me up...you're a good woman, you know that...?"Finding Jason's words amusing, Change'e covered her mouth with the sleeve of her robe, giggling in an elegant manner. This elevated her charm a great deal, causing Jason to swallow hard as he stared into her dark eyes, each glimmering like the night sky. Unfortunately, though Change'e seemed quite fond of him, she refused to lay with him unless he agreed to marry her, denouncing other women in the process.Jason didn't mind the thought of being married to a heaven-defying beauty like Change'e, but, as it would be him marrying her, rather than the opposite, his status would be lower than hers. While this was to be expected, as Change'e was actually a Goddess, Jason found it impossible to lower himself to a woman, no matter their status. He was also rather fond of sleeping with the various beauties he encountered during his travels, so, while his urge to ravish the unblemished Goddess increased with each passing day, he ultimately satisfied his urges 'elsewhere'.With that thought crossing his mind, Jason flexed his jaw a few times before releasing a frustrated sigh and saying, "Let me know if anything happens." Then, turning to the lilac-haired woman, whose eyes seemed to lack any semblance of life, he added, "You, come with me..." in a commanding tone.---After exchanging platitudes between themselves for a few minutes, Vahn ended up explaining the actual terms of his agreement with the 'Heroes Faction'. He explained the purpose of the Common Law, discussed the function of Companions, and, most importantly, learned more about their forces and the plans set in motion by Archimedes.Though it was hard to call him 'evil', the methods employed by Archimedes, combined with the fact he was basically ushering in the destruction of humanity, weren't points in his favor. Thus, as part of their agreement, they had to reveal the location of each Bounded Field used by their forces. All of Archimedes' projects would be shelved, and, while research into weapons and such wasn't actually against the Common Law, the types that could be designed were limited.Ultimately, Vahn didn't care what methods the Heroes used to try and defeat him, so long as it didn't involve innocent lives or cause irreparable damage to the environment. He wasn't going to just strap himself to a table and let them blast Anti-Divine lasers at him, but, so long as they informed him that they had prepared something, he wouldn't mind breaking it for them. The moment they violated the Common Law, however, these restrictions would no longer apply, and, though it may not end in their death, as accidents happen, there was a very good chance they would lose a limb or two...Once everything had been discussed, Vahn nodded approvingly, stating, "In summary, your group is allowed to freely oppose the Empire. If you want to challenge me, you must submit a request and designate an approximate time and location. Communication between our forces will be handled by the Companions that will be assigned to your group, and, should any of your forces refuse to honor these terms, they will be held individually accountable. Is there anything else...?"Surprisingly, the person to answer wasn't Shirou or Musashi, but, rather, the Berserker that had now been identified as 'Altria X Pendragon', a strange woman hailing from a Universe where, apparently, the vast majority of people and animals were Servants. She wasn't one of the Heroic Spirits that had been summoned by Archimedes, rather, much like Caenis, she had accompanied him in an effort to flee the pursuit of a 'troublesome assassin'.Without beating around the bush, Altria stated, "If I do not intake enough calories, my body will shut down. I do not care about fighting. If you can provide me with Japanese sweets, I would rather avoid conflict."Hearing Altria's words, Shirou and Musashi were awoken from their previous stupor, but, before they could say anything, Caenis' eyes snapped open as she shouted, "You traitorous wench! How can you betray your own allies for something like sweets!?"Though she wasn't able to manifest her weapons, this didn't stop Caenis from throwing herself at Altria, seemingly intent on strangling the much smaller woman with her bare hands.Unfortunately for her, Vahn had already seen this event play out, so, before she covered even half the distance to Altria, he appeared like a phantom to block her path. This caused Caenis to change her target to his face, her gauntleted right hand smashing into his cheek with a sound similar to metal colliding against metal.At this point, Vahn could 'ignore' damage below A-Rank, so, while Caenis certainly packed a punch, he wasn't even pushed back a single millimeter by her blow. Then, before she could react, he palmed her exposed abdomen, causing her to heave a mouthful of fluids onto his chest as she took a few shaky steps back. This was due to the fact that, instead of letting the force radiate out like a normal strike, he contained all of it within her body, exploiting her invulnerability by letting the force echo around inside of her.Due to having her diaphragm struck, Caenis found it difficult to release a battle cry, so, for several long seconds, she glared at Vahn as her body trembled with enough force to crack the marble floor. At the same time, Vahn stared back at her with a pointed expression, stating, "Nobody should have to fight if they don't want to. Your entire group fought on the premise of defeating me, yet, from the very beginning, you were just being exploited by Archimedes. You are free to continue fighting for what you believe in, Caenis, but you have no right to force others onto the same path."Though he had a bit of empathy for the horse-like woman, knowing what she had suffered through in the past, Vahn also found her character rather grating. She was an unbelievably headstrong and proud woman, quick to both anger and violence. It wasn't difficult to imagine her doing something drastic just to spite him, so, among the group of would-be Heroes, her name was near the top of the list when it came to 'death-seeking'...After recovering enough to breathe, Caenis glared back at Vahn, their gazes matching perfectly due to their shared height. This caused the tension in the room to gradually build, eventually reaching a climax as she venomously stated, "I hate men like you...people who think they can do whatever they want, whenever they want. This whole setup is just a farce to show off how powerful you are, isn't it? Does it make you happy, seeing us jump through hoops on command as you drive us further apart from each other!?"Hearing Caenis' remark, Vahn inhaled through his nose, restraining a sigh as he slowly stated, "My gender has no relevance to the current situation. I am doing what I can to ensure that fewer lives are lost. Even before your groups' arrival, I took action to protect children around the world. When I set my plan in motion, I even used the power of the Holy Grail to protect the innocent, giving them new lives in worlds of their choosing. Though this distanced them from their families, those close to each other would end up in the same world, free from the chaos my actions have wrought..."As Vahn's 'wish' wasn't exactly public knowledge, everyone, with the exception of Artoria and Altria, was surprised by the sudden revelation. Shirou even asked, "So the light that transports people...that is the result of a wish you made using the Holy Grail?"Feeling the momentum shift in his favor, Vahn unhesitantly nodded in affirmation, adding, "I may be willing to be labeled as the enemy of humanity, but, before I am an Emperor, I am a father. Though I was remiss to separate families, I took measures to ensure that everyone transferred ended up their ideal world. There are a functionally infinite number of Earth, so, while they will undoubtedly face a few hardships, the vast majority of people sent away will lead peaceful and happy lives. Some even get the chance to live the lives of Heroes within the world's of their choosing, and, if they truly desire it, returning to this world isn't out of the question...in fact, I intend to use a future wish to that effect, at least once things settle down."Hearing Vahn's response, various thoughts raced through Shirou's mind, not least of which was the fact he spoke about making wishes like it was nothing to him. Archimedes had already suspected he had access to the Throne of Heroes, but, based on these revelations, it seemed more accurate to say he had a version of the Greater Grail that could be used, likely with some kind of cool-down period...Before Shirou could think of his own response, a dull, monotone, completely destroyed the tensions that had built up, resulting from Altria asking, "So, will you give me candy? I'm tired of eating potato chips and curry bread every day. If you give me sweets, I will even fight for you..?"In response to Altria's words, Caenis seemed to regain her vigor, but, with Vahn blocking the way, she found it difficult to rush forward. She kept convincing herself that she wasn't afraid of him but the feeling he gave off was like facing a wall that pierced the Heavens. While not impossible to scale, she didn't even know where to start climbing as there wasn't a single sign of purchase to be found anywhere on the impossibly sheer surface...After staring down Caenis, Vahn turned his eyes away from her, matching gazes with everyone in the room before settling on Altria and saying, "Since you are willing to fight, I believe it is best that you stay with your current allies, at least for the time being. If it's just sweets, I don't mind parting with a few to keep you sated. I have some experience dealing with women who have an insatiable appetite so I'm confident you'll be satisfied."Following his words, Vahn tossed over one of Avalon's apples, a delicious fruit that was filled to the brim with mana and vitality. Though it was slightly tart, this created a perfect contrast to the apple's natural sweetness, elevating its taste even further.Altria wasn't particularly fond of apples, but, as she generally ate anything handed to her, she didn't hesitate to take a small bite of the ruby-red fruit. To her surprise, it was much sweeter than a normal apple. More importantly, however, was the fact that the apple contained a startling amount of mana, almost like it was a low-grade mana crystal shaped to emulate an apple. This caused her to scarf it down in a series of tiny bites, devouring even the core while everyone just watched on in silence.After finishing off the juicy apple, Altria used a small handkerchief to wipe her mouth, dabbing the edges of her lips before saying, "I will fight you. In exchange, you will provide me with more apples. If you don't...I will come and take them?"Hearing Altria's words, Vahn allowed a smile to spread across his face, but, while she was certainly endearing, he knew what fate awaited them both if he allowed her to spontaneously join the Empire. Her appearance all but guaranteed she would become a member of the Inner Sanctum, so, for the time being, Vahn would rather she fight on the side of their enemies. At the very least, he wanted her to want to join the Empire of her own volition, not just because he lured her in with candy...Since [Avalon Apple]s could be purchased from the system shop for only 8OP each, Vahn purchased a thousand of them before stowing them into a spatial ring for Altria's use. She already had a watch-like device that could create a pocket dimension, but, unlike the spatial ring, it couldn't preserve the freshness of goods for a long period of time.What Vahn didn't expect was, immediately after handing over the spatial ring and explaining its use, Altria's amber eyes glowed slightly, revealing a hint of emotion. At the same time, a could hear a tell-tale notification within his mind, causing his smile to turn slightly awry as he pretended not to notice it. As a result, a different notification sounded within his mind, causing him to dull slightly as, against his will, Altria became listed as one of his Followers...Deciding it was best to extricate himself from the current situation, Vahn turned his attention back to Caenis, stating, "If you have a problem, feel free to take it out on me until your heart's content. Don't go causing trouble in your own group, especially after throwing around baseless accusations." Then, turning to Musashi and Shirou, he added, "Now that Archimedes is out of the picture, I recognize the two of you as the leaders of the Heroes Faction. I will give you forty-eight hours to convince others to fight alongside you. After that, I will take matters into my own hands...now, go, allow me some peace of mind for a few hours..."(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The Photonic Abyss is a magical place~','Jason is over here digging his grave even deeper...','Vahn can't catch a break...? This is why you don't feed stray animals...!')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Vahn was curious about the Control Programs decision to call upon a philosopher to serve as its next Security Administrator, but, as it had very little to do with him, he simply introduced himself to the rather dour-looking woman before parting ways a few minutes later. He had other matters to attend and there would be plenty of time to familiarize himself with both her and the Moon Cell in the near future.Since Ayn refused to offer him any information regarding the locations of the Heroes, Vahn ended up having the Control Program just drop him off back in his original location. It was easier to think when you were surrounded by a familiar setting, and, though it wasn't the real Ivory Castle, having an appearance closer to the 'original', Vahn didn't mind borrowing Artoria's wooden Throne for a bit.Once it was just the two of them, something he could confirm using a combination of his instincts and senses, Vahn had Artoria take a seat at his armrest before asking, "What do you think, Artoria? We can either meet with the Heroes and negotiate with them individually or summon our people in order to shore up the defenses of this digitalized Ivory Castle. We also have the option of just ignoring them, at least until the poke out their heads and cause trouble..."Due to the nature of the Moon Cell, Vahn was no longer able to use the String of Fate that tied him and Musashi together, at least for the time being. He would need to contact Alaya and have her reactivate the ability, as, after being transferred inside the Virtual Reality Marble, the previous string had vanished. It undoubtedly still worked, but, at least for the moment, he didn't even know where to begin searching.Since it was a very serious matter, Artoria fell into deep thought for several minutes before she ultimately answered, "Though it is always best to end things without a conflict...I fear the morale of our people will diminish if their preparations were for naught. Even if it is only to secure this place for a short period of time, I believe it is best if we give them a stage to perform on. Those women fear being made useless more than they fear death...we should respect their resolution and desire to serve."Finding Artoria's point agreeable, Vahn ended up nodding his head before closing his eyes and focusing on his Unit Management function. He had already confirmed with the Control Program that summoning outsiders wouldn't initiate the procedure of establishing contact with the Root, an event that required an adequate number of willing participants to trigger. Since they would be arriving within the Moon Cell for an entirely different purpose, there was little chance of anything going wrong, something he had confirmed by viewing various currents.Just as Vahn was about to initiate a mass transfer, a singular, obscure, current caught his attention. As a result, he opened his eyes, turning his head towards a stained glass mural that lined the high walls of the Throne Room. At the same time, Artoria followed his gaze, her eyes sharpening as she manifested her [Excalibur] and shouted, "Show yourself!" due to her [Instinct] triggering.In response to Artoria's outburst, space seemed to contract within an area, almost like individual molecules were being pulled from nothingness to form the outline of a person. This only took a few milliseconds, but, from Vahn's point of view, he had been able to witness the entire event in slow motion. He found the technique rather interesting due to the fact that, prior to knowing the man was going to attack, the would-be assassin didn't even seem to exist...After fully manifesting, a rather tall man, standing at 187cm, wearing black trousers, black shoes, and a black hoodie dropped down from his perch. When he lifted his face, silver eyes with a very subtle tinge of gold came into view, peering through the gap between black fabrics. Despite this, Artoria's [Excalibur] dropped slightly, followed by her asking, "Shirou...?" in an uncertain tone.With his cover blown, Shirou ended up removing his hood and pulling down his face mask, a wry smile on his face as he said, "I guess hiding my identity doesn't work when you've already met the past and future versions of myself, huh?"Despite the fact she recognized the man standing before her, Artoria didn't completely lower her sword. Instead, she furrowed her brows deeply, stating, "You shouldn't be here...how is it possible for you to manifest a second time after becoming a Counter Guardian? You aren't the same man I knew...it is impossible..."Rather than refute her words, Shirou nodded his head in affirmation, explaining, "Though I have the same memories, I am not the same Shirou Emiya you knew. It would be more accurate to say I am how the Moon Cell remembers me, a pale imitation of a foolish man's dreams of becoming a Hero. Even then...its good to see you...Artoria..."Hearing Shirou's words, Artoria's shoulders trembled lightly, but, from start to finish, her sword had continued to point toward him. This was noted by both Shirou, and, of course, Vahn, the latter of which slowly rose to his feet before placing his hand on Artoria's shoulder. It was only after this that she lowered her sword, understanding that Vahn had taken control of the situation in order to ease her burden.Seeing Artoria shrink behind Vahn, Shirou took a deep breath through his nose, his eyes shining in the low light of the Throne Room as he turned his gaze upon the Emperor who had thrown the world into chaos.Truth be told, Shirou didn't actually disagree with Vahn's views, only the methods he had used to bring them to fruition. Thus, if the circumstances had been different, there is a good chance they would have been on the same side, not opposing each other. Unfortunately, the die had already been cast, and, though he had a fair number of inhibitions about the current situation, Shirou was not the type to let his emotions interfere with his mission. That was an aspect of his character that had died in his youth, a time before he understood the true nature of the world and became the modern era's most infamous assassin.Understanding what Shirou intended, Vahn squinted his eyes slightly, cautioning, "I am not a foe you can defeat...if possible, I'd like to avoid fighting, at least for the time being. That isn't even the reason you came here, is it? You wanted to determine the truth behind my words and discuss the terms of our future engagements..."Though Vahn's words struck at the heart of the matter, Shirou proffered forth a wry smile, his mana beginning to surge as he said, "You're right...that is the reason I came here. However, I also have a bit of a grudge to settle. I trust you aren't petty enough to hold others accountable for my actions so I'm afraid I can't really hold myself back...hahaha-"In the middle of his laughter, Shirou leaped backward, kicking up a plume of magical energy in a similar manner to [Mana Burst] as he pulled out two pistols, one black, and the other white. As he pulled their triggers, runes glowed along the length of the barrels while, inside the chamber, pale blue energy created a swirling vortex that discharged the rounds within at a speed several times faster than even the most advanced, modern, firearms.After training with Scáthach, who had harassed him with countless projectiles, Vahn developed the ability to identify various curses and effects through intuition alone. At times, he had less than a microsecond to respond, so, while the projectiles fired from Shirou's pistols were quite fast, they moved a negligible speed from his perspective. Though it wasn't quite an accurate depiction of the situation, Vahn even felt like he could slowly reach out, grabbing the engraved bullet out of the air like an inert pebble without any effort whatsoever...Ultimately, Vahn did extend his hand outward, but, instead of grabbing the bullets, he created two small tears in the fabric of space, seemingly absorbing them. In actuality, however, he had created an exit point behind Shirou, taking advantage of the fact he was still mid-leap to hit the man's left shoulder and right calf, fully aware that it wouldn't deal much damage to him.Feeling the impact of his own bullets against his body, Shirou's eyes widened slightly as, from his perspective, Vahn had countered him without any discernible effort. Unfortunately, by the time his mind had processed this thought, the man in question had disappeared from view, followed by a much stronger impact that sent him sliding along the hard marble floor before slamming into the adjoining wall.Without giving Shirou any time to recover, Vahn appeared at his side, coinciding exactly with the moment he impacted the wall. He used this as an opportunity to kick the defenseless man again, this time sending him crashing through the wall as he remarked, "If you try to activate your Noble Phantasm, I will cut off both of your arms."Hearing Vahn's remark, Shirou's mind began to race, as, after the second kick, that was the main thought running through his mind. This caused him to raise his head, staring at Vahn with shaken yet resolute eyes as he asked, "You can see the future?" while forcibly accelerating the healing of his body.As it wouldn't matter if Shirou was injured or fighting at full capacity, Vahn didn't mind the man's attempt to heal his wounds. Instead, he maintained a calm and composed demeanor as he shook his head and answered, "Some may refer to it in such a manner, but, the true nature of my ability is to read the Flow of Fate. I don't simply see the future, Shirou Emiya...no, I see something much more concrete...the present, and the many paths available to us all..."Following Vahn's statement, he reached out his right hand, grabbing at the void just as Shirou's body began to disperse. Then, before the latter could react, he slammed the man into the dense white stone with enough force to kick up a cloud of debris more than 10m high. This left Shirou, who had attempted to sneak attack him, completely unconscious as blood dripped from most of his orifices.If he were being honest, Vahn didn't really like Shirou all that much, but, knowing he had great sentimental value to many people, killing him outright seemed wrong. While it may not be the 'real' Shirou Emiya, Vahn knew he could provide the girls some degree of closure due to the fact he possessed the same memories. He could also sense a 'very' potent Flow of Fate around the man, and, despite the fact Shirou had been trying to assassinate him, his aura was a pale blue, indicating he had no malicious feelings, only the purpose he believed in...---Though they were still several kilometers away, Musashi and co could feel the fluctuations of a battle taking place within the Ivory Castle. This caused the former to release a tired sigh while Caenis, ever-thirsty for battle, shouted, "We should charge in! That man might be an idiot but he is still our ally! We can't just stand and here and do nothing...!!"Musashi didn't completely disagree with Caenis' sentiments, but, knowing Shirou and having a decent understanding of Vahn, she felt it would be foolish to intervene. The latter wasn't likely to kill Shirou outright so it would only make matters worse if they were to throw themselves into the fray. Thus, rather than respond to Caenis' outburst, she turned to Berserker, who, despite only a few minutes passing since Shirou's departure, was now surrounded by empty plastic wrappers as she ceaselessly devoured some kind of curry bread.Noticing Musashi's gaze, Berserker blinked her amber-eyes in surprise before turning away and saying, "You can't have any..." in a threatening tone. This caused Musashi to release another sigh, followed by her asking, "Is Shirou okay? He should have contacted you, right...?"Before answering Musashi's question, Berserker finished the rest of her curry bread, large pieces vanishing with each of her tiny bites. Only after the final crumbs had vanished did she finally nod her head, explaining, "He said to leave it to him...do not interfere..."Hearing Berserker's response, Caenis hissed through her teeth, hefting her spear and shield as she shouted, "Fuck that! I'll go in there and drag that dumbass out by his ass hairs if I have to!"Not expecting such a remark from Caenis, Musashi was temporarily at a loss for words, silence the former took as acquiescence. As a result, Caenis kicked off the ground with enough force to cover nearly the entire distance between their perch and the Ivory Castle in an instant. This caused the veritable wall of automatons to immediately react, each working together to form a defensive line as four of the shadowy figures moved to intercept...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'You ain't sneaky','An absolute difference in power...','Shirou's cheeks just clenched...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1438: Perspective