24 Chapter 23 - Archer

It was morning. Rin told everyone right after breakfast to prepare for the the battle with Caster.

The timeline was a mess (Author's fault). Caster used Rule breaker on Saber and Archer betrayed them at the worst moment. Rin took back Saber, becoming her master and Shirou, officially, wasn't a master anymore.

Rin made a quick plan. Illya was to defend Taiga from any intrusions, I was to fight with Shirou, Rin, and Saber against Archer, Caster, and Souichiro. So from now to the afternoon, I was teaching Shirou how his magic could be used while teaching him how to blacksmith. Rin and Illya went out to talk with Kotomine about something and Saber went out to eat. After all of this, it was almost night time.

"Its up to you then, Berserker." (Rin)

"Yeah, I got this." (Zhong Yuan)

I went up to Archer and waited.

"So, are you my opponent?" (Archer)

"I guess I am. Are you going to use your noble phantasm?" (Zhong Yuan)

"It's the only way I can beat you." (Archer)

"I'll wait."

Archer, then took a pose of praying and started his chant.

"I am the bone of my sword."

"Steel is my body and fire is my blood."

"I have created over a thousand blade."

"Unknown to Death."

"Nor known to Life."

"Have withstood pain to create many weapons."

"Yet, those hands will never hold anything."

"So as I pray, Unlimited Blade Works-."

And a shining bright fire covered everyone's sight. Everyone took a second to see where they were. It was a hill, with different weapons scattered around. Smog was emanating everywhere, hazy to everyone's eyes. Gears rotated in the skies and ash could be smelled.

"This is my noble phantasm, Unlimited Blade Works, the crystallization of my efforts for the concept "hero of Justice."" (Archer)

"You must have had a sad life Archer?" (Zhong Yuan)

"Same goes for you. Ever since I first saw you, you felt so different, like if you were hollow... empty." (Archer)

"...you guessed right. I'm like you in many ways." (Zhong Yuan)

"Care to tell me which Heroic Spirit you are? I never encountered you when I was a master." (Archer)

"... I guess I have to spill it out. I'm a hero of the future like you, meeting a sad ending, and came back from the dead to work some more." (Zhong Yuan)

"Ha ha ha ha... Berserker... You're broken, just like me. So please, let me kill my younger self so I won't suffer anymore." (Archer)

"You know I won't agree. Convince me with your ability." (Zhong Yuan)

"I guess this is it." (Archer)

Archer summoned a bunch of swords pointing at me. I just got my sword out of my sheath.

"This is my noble phantasm: Shigemura. It contains my emotions of love and pain. Good luck surviving it." (Zhong Yuan)

Archer didn't care and just made the weapons burst to me. I dodge sideways and closed my distance with him. Archer summoned Kanshou and Bakuya and also charged, summoning more weapons.

*Clang*

*Ting*

*Swoosh*

I had experience fighting against someone like Archer, but stronger so Archer didn't have much of a chance.

"Are you going to give up yet?" (Zhong Yuan)

"Not yet you tough bastard." (Archer)

Archer then threw his swords to me.

"Spirit and technique, flawless and firm." (Archer)

I blocked it with my sword and they flew out still rotating.

"Our strength rips the mountains." (Archer)

Archer made extra pairs of his swords and slashed at me. I just slashed back, making our blades touch into a stalemate.

"Our swords split the water." (Archer)

Archer grinned and the blades I blocked at first came to my back. So I stepped back to avoid Archer and to block the blades.

"Our names reach the imperial villa."

I rendered the swords useless and looked back at Archer who was making his blades grow like wings.

"The two of us cannot hold the heavens together!" (Archer)

And Archer slashed as best as he could at me. Seeing this attack for the first time, I smiled and laughed.

[Emotion Storage - All the World's Evil]

"Emotion Burst! Arashi (Storm)!"

My blades sliced Archer's Kanshou blade into smithereens and Archer sidestepped and slashed his blade at my waist.

"What a pity..." (Zhong Yuan)

And his blade only entered around 5 cm inside my body. I smiled coldly.

"You were a worthy opponent Archer." (Zhong Yuan)

Archer, a bit frighten, jumped back before a black tentacle caught him.

"...What did you do to your body? It wasn't like this when I fought you before." (Archer)

My equipment seemed the same. A gray coat with some defense armor under my shirt. However, black tattoos, black scars, and glowing neon blue magic circuits were surrounding me.

"You can say that I remodeled it a bit. Kind of like when you remodeled your body unconsciously with Avalon, making yourself a sword. I just integrated magic into my body and soul, making me stronger." (Zhong Yuan)

"That's quite broken isn't it? If you are this strong, why didn't you just kill all of us?" (Archer)

"... I have two goals, one is to get the Holy Grail, and try to get my emotions back." (Zhong Yuan)

"... *sighs* You're similar to the Kirei Kotomine. That man was born without the feeling of emotions. End him quick because he is might be plotting something." (Archer)

"I'm not like him at all. I'm more like your father you know? I lost my emotions slowly and slowly. Haven't you met him in the Throne of Heroes database or the Counter Force's?" (Archer)

"...He is a hero?" (Archer)

"Specifically, an Assassin. Ask him later though, the fight isn't over you know?" (Zhong Yuan)

"Then... I surrender. You must have known my plan from the start." (Archer)

"Yeah. Doing everything as effectively as you can to accomplish your goal. It's like a machine you know? Well, I'll see you later." (Zhong Yuan)

"See you at the end." (Archer)

I left the church back to Emiya's villa, leaving Archer to do whatever he wants to.