The 9th World Champion Tournament 6
"WHOO-WEE! NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALLED A THROWDOWN!" The voice of Bob echoed out, drawing roars from the audience after witnessing the intense exchange between the two combatants.
"`COURSE, NOW THEY'RE JUST STARING AT ONE ANOTHER. ANY LONGER, AND I'D WONDER IF THIS MATCH SUDDENLY TURNED INTO A STARING CONTEST."
Many shared the commentator's sentiment, wanting the fight to resume after almost a minute of an impasse between The Mountain and Shirou.
"It's not that surprising." Sam added. "Though brief, both Players got their fair share of licks in. It's only natural that they would both be on alert for each other."
"RIGHT YOU ARE MY FRIEND, BUT THIS MATCH HAS TO END SOMETIME TODAY. THE QUESTION IS, WHO WILL TAKE THE WIN?! WILL THE MUSCLEBOUND MONARCH CLOBBER HIS WAY TO VICTORY OR WILL THE PLAYER KILLER ADD ANOTHER NAME TO HIS LIST?!"
Shirou made the first move.
With a swift motion, he extended his arm in a broad sweep, calling forth a surge of prana as the air shimmered, coalescing into weapons once more, including his trusty black bow. The Mountain fortified himself with another set of skills and pivoted to make a break for it. However, instead of firing at him, they fired downward, littering the ruin's ground around the silver-haired Player.
The Mountain blinked, and the action was mirrored by those in the audience. He would have little time to wonder further as arrows rained down upon him to little effect, much like before. He looked back, catching the archer seemingly retreating; the gap between them stretched.
"Shit..." He cursed under his breath.
Shirou wasn't giving him any more time. The longer he hesitated, the further the distance between them would widen.
With a stomp, he chased after his opponent, vigilant for any more tricks that he might pull out.
The Mountain's eyes tracked him as Shirou deftly circled around a nearby dune and was out of his sight.
Suddenly, a violent explosion erupted from the very mound of sand that the faker hid behind, leaving a spiraled hole at the base of the dune. An all-too-familiar spiral-shaped arrow shot towards The Mountain, coming in low and fast.
Like before, The Mountain found himself with scarcely any time to react as the arrow struck his leg. He took the full brunt of the explosion. The Mountain lurched, tumbling against the sand.
His eyes immediately went to his legs, and no surprise, they were a mess. The leg that was struck, his left, was nearly gone, with only bits of flesh and strands of meat and muscle hanging limply from the limb. His right leg also suffered damage, being twisted and burned due to the arrow's special property, but not to a significant degree.
Again, the detail of the damage and gore stunned him, but he was quicker to react this time around.
Another set of skills restored his limbs.
He looked up, his eyes squinting before widening as he barely made out Shirou's silhouette across the horizon, shimmering as if some desert mirage.
The gap between them stretched even further.
The Mountain could barely make out Shirou looking back at him. In his hand was another Caladbolg II, showing it off as if deliberately calling attention to it.
Desperation rose within him as he forgoed tactics and rushed after the crimson archer, doing all he could to close the distance between them. He dismissed the volley of arrows as useless. What took precedence were those spiral arrows.
'Just how many of them does he have?!' The Mountain felt sweat rolling down his face.
With such a distance separating them and clear lines of sight on the man, the archer was in his element.
He watched as Shirou came to a stop and nocked back his arrow. He could see it glowing, the air around him vibrating with power.
The Mountain recognized he was charging up an attack, just like before. If the arrows he fired before were at their weakest, he did not want to think about what a fully charged attack would do.
The Mountain burned through his reserve of skills, increasing his speed and defenses and using whatever he could to shorten the gap between them.
He managed to close the distance between them, some fifteen meters or so.
The two locked eyes. He feared for the worst when the arrow seemed primed and ready, only for the unexpected to happen.
Both the bow and arrow dissipated into motes of light.
The Mountain blinked oddly at what he just saw. Shirou didn't give him a moment to think as he rushed headlong toward the Player.
The battlemaster froze before skidding to a stop, hastily preparing himself for the confrontation.
"[Counter Guard]!"
His skill activated, and he took a stance. This skill boosted his defenses, and whenever an enemy landed an attack, it allowed him to land an immediate counter.
The Mountain anticipated an attack, but yet again, Shirou did something out of the ordinary. Stepping within reach of him, the magus swerved, dashing to the side and avoiding him completely.
The two locked eyes. Shirou's face gave nothing away from his action.
He continued running away, forcing The Mountain to give chase once more.
To say that The Mountain was puzzled would be putting it lightly. He couldn't make sense of what exactly the silver-haired Player was up to.
'Why did he not shoot that arrow? Even at that distance, it wasn't like he would be caught in the explosion. He could've easily used it to damage me and make me use the last of my regen skills. Now, he's running away even when he can already take me on in a straight-up fight… Is he just playing it extremely cautiously, or is he trying to buy time as well to come up with a proper plan of attack?'
His mind tried to rationalize Shirou's bizarre actions, only to fall short as their fight devolved into him passively fleeing while keeping The Mountain just out of arm's reach.
Why was he constantly running? Why didn't he employ his powerful abilities? Was it because he didn't have the opportunity with The Mountain hot on his trail? Or, was it because he couldn't?
These questions were shared by not only The Mountain but also those watching.
Many in the audience voiced their displeasure at the sudden direction of the fight. They clamored in their seats, demanding some real action instead of the farce in front of them.
Not even Ainz Ooal Gown was spared from the confusion of Shirou's odd strategy. One that sparked contemplation and discussion over their friend's out-of-the-blue strategy.
"Just what the heck is he doing?" Sigfrida said. "Is he trying to stall out the clock or something?"
They watched as the holographic screens captured the fight, which turned into a game of cat and mouse. Shirou ran and maneuvered around The Mountain, keeping close but constantly out of reach. Occasionally, arrows peppered him, kicking up small explosions, but that did little against the goliath.
Her eyes drifted, catching the sight of Peroroncino sitting cozily in his seat.
"Hey." The Valkyrie nudged her boyfriend. "Do you have any idea what Emiya-san has planned?" She inquired, hoping that her boyfriend might have a clue.
Peroroncino chuckled smugly.
"I haven't the slightest clue!" He declared with an almost comical level of confidence.
Sigfrida and the others around her who leaned in to hear Peroroncino's insight looked at him in silence.
"That's not something you should be proud of…" Sigfrida deadpanned.
The avian Heteromorph shrugged, laid back as he could be.
"Honestly, this ain't the first time Emiya-senpai has done something weird or unorthodox, and it's doubtful it'll be the last time we see him doing so."
"But aren't you confused or curious?"
"Oh, without a doubt." He nodded. "I wasn't kidding when I said I had literally no clue what Emiya-senpai got planned. If anything, it makes it more fun and interesting to see what else he'll pull off!"
"Then shouldn't you be a bit worried that he might lose?"
"He won't."
Peroroncino's answer was immediate.
"Trust me, he won't. If I've learned anything about senpai over the years, it's that he has quite a competitive streak. Whatever he's planning, it's with victory in mind. No matter how strange or convoluted. So rather than worrying about what's what, why not just sit back and enjoy the show?"
Sigfrida mulled over his words.
She was no stranger to hearing her boyfriend's praise for the man. Although Sigfrida couldn't claim to know Shirou very well, it was the exact opposite when it came to Peroroncino. She knew when her boyfriend was bold and exaggerated and when he was cool and assured, even if the two would often intertwine.
Here, there was no doubt within him. This confidence wasn't born of our favoritism or arrogance, but rather of trust.
Trust in the man who instructed him. Trust in the friend who has supported him. A trust in Shirou Emiya.
A sentiment that was shared among the rest of Ainz Ooal Gown. Their questions settled, soothed by Perorocino's words.
It was as the golden archer said, they could speculate all they wished, but it was only when the match reached its conclusion that Shirou's action revealed their purpose.
And so they sat back and watched, waiting for the finale that was to come.
[—][—][—][—][—][—][—][—][—]
"What's the matter?! You were talking all that good shit before, yet now ya' running like a bitch! Too scared to fight The Mountain again like a man?!" The Mountain called out mockingly, having regained some of his earlier confidence.
Despite his best efforts, his words failed to get a rise out of Shirou. It only garnered a casual glance back as he answered with a spray of arrows.
The Mountain growled, his aggravation building and reaching a fever's peak, as for the last odd minutes, it has been nothing but chase and stall for ad nauseam.
He likened it to a game of tag, one that the archer showed exceptional skill at as he kept a steady tempo, running and zigzagging across the scorching desert field. Shirou was no stranger to sudden tricks, using feints and employing sudden heel-turn maneuvers to throw The Mountain off. This forced him to hasten to keep up the pace with the fleet-footed Player.
Shirou would occasionally fire from his bow, despite the futility of his attack being shown over and over again. By this point, The Mountain had opted to ignore them entirely. He'd gotten over his wariness over those spiral missiles of his, seeing as how he wasn't going to use them anytime soon at the pace they were going.
"Looks like you were all talk after all! Big bad Player Killer, running away with his tail between his legs. Weren't you going to make me eat my words? Well?! I'm waiting!"
Derision spewed freely from his tongue like a lunging viper, hoping to latch onto its prey. The colossal Player had hoped to annoy him, make him angry, or bait him into doing something, anything, but to no avail.
Shirou remained tight-lipped and nimble, always a step ahead of the Mountain, constantly just out of his reach, no matter his effort. That was perhaps what aggravated him the most. Every time he got close, he would be outmaneuvered, and the weapon spamming Player would glance over his shoulder at the brawler.
To The Mountain, he was all but mocking him, as if to say, "You can't catch me!"
The longer the chase continued, the more impatient he became.
The mountainous Player's attacks grew restless, his pursuit sloppier as he gave himself up to blindly catching him. Attacking wasn't his goal anymore. All that mattered was getting his hands on him.
"How about you save everyone the trouble and just do the dignified thing and stand still so I can kill you and win already?!"
The magus glanced at him. He could feel the frustration seeping in and anger boiling off of him at the cowardly strat.
The air was filled with his angry shouts. With how much he was shouting, it was a surprise that his voice hadn't given out yet.
"IT SEEMS EMIYA IS IN QUITE THE PICKLE. HE'S BEEN DOING NOTHING BUT RUNNING AND SHOOTING, BUT HIS ARROWS HAVE BEEN DOING DIDDLY-SQUAT! JUST WHAT THE HELL IS HE UP TO?!"
"I can't help but concur. Despite the versatility he's shown in the beginning, it seems as if Emiya is playing the waiting game. Perhaps the exchange we saw before spooked him, and he's choosing instead to employ a safer alternative?"
"WELL, WHATEVER HE'S PLANNING, I HOPE HE'D HURRY IT UP! WE GOT OTHER MATCHES TO LOOK FORWARD TO."
'I'd say he's good and riled.' Shirou thought, dodging another attack and evading The Mountain's grab as a loud and inappropriate curse followed him.
Feigning weakness, his leaps grew shorter and his dodges less refined. Gradually and noticeably, the gap between them shortened. Something that The Mountain instantly latched onto as he closed in on him.
The Mountain figured that weariness must be settling in, similar to himself. He already felt a sense of mental exhaustion creeping in and a growing headache throbbing from how long the match dragged on.
Exactly as Shirou planned.
'It's high time I end this dog and pony show.' The Mountain thought with a vindictive smile, rushing forward with renewed vigor.
He had already burned through much of his cache of skills throughout the match, far more than he'd liked. He still had to think about his future matches, after all.
The Mountain's prediction paid off as he appeared, towering over the weapon-spamming Player and cutting off his escape route.
"[Heavy Impact], [Bala]!" He struck with a powerful right hook following the activation of his first skill and timing it correctly in conjunction with his second skill, adding more striking power to it as [Heavy Impact] and [Bala] struck Shirou point-blank.
The Mountain grinned, savoring the satisfying sensation of knockback in his fist behind the hit.
Just before contact, Shirou threw up his left arm to defend, taking the brunt of the attack. Reinforcement helped to mitigate the damage taken, but his arm was left bruised and limp from the direct attack. With a boom, he was sent flying, careening backward.
Despite the pain, he didn't scream and managed to right himself before landing on his feet.
He was back at the ruins.
Shirou had led them right back to where they were before, and The Mountain was none the wiser.
"Rargh!"
With a battle cry, he flourished his uninjured arm in a wide arc, his magic circuits ablaze with fervent energy. The very air seemed to ignite with an otherworldly luminescence as a tempest of vibrant neon lightning burst forth from magus. Dozens upon dozens of swords materialized, filling the air with an army's worth of sharp, glinting steel. Interspersed among the sea of steel were a handful of scarlet spears, no more than two dozen in total. The blazing glare of the sun reflected softly off the resplendent shaft of Gáe Dearg, casting burning rays of scarlet across the battlefield.
[Gáe Dearg: Crimson Rose of Exorcism – Divine Tier Spear]
Diarmuid Ua Duibhne's second Noble Phantasm, much like its golden-yellow counterpart, possessed an altered function in addition to its original ability within YGGDRASIL. Not only could it sever any magical enhancements or projections of the target.
The same applies to enchantment skills.
It also had added the effect of halting the flow of mana when struck, preventing any form of immediate counterattack that involved spells or magic. Should a Player be struck by Gáe Dearg while attempting to cast a spell or just before the casting, not only would the spell be canceled, but the MP cost for the spell would be wasted as well. Furthermore, they were also unable to use any form of magic for a few short seconds.
Gáe Dearg was a nightmare of a weapon for mages to fight against, as the likes of Momonga and Ulbert could attest firsthand. Both it and Rule Breaker were banned from being used in casual duels in the guild due to how unfair they were.
While The Mountain wasn't a mage, Gáe Dearg would serve just as effective.
A bid of panic seized The Mountain at the raw display of power, his blue, glowing eyes catching the distortion in his opponent.
[Mana Sight] was a skill that showed the target's MP, identically to the spell [Mana Essence]. It was what he used at the beginning and kept using throughout the fight to gauge and keep track of the Player Killer's MP.
It was thanks to this skill that he noticed the significant drop in his opponent's MP. He figured that the armada of swords was a last-ditch effort.
'He barely has enough to make that troublesome spiral arrow again.' The Mountain noted, his victory feeling secured by the second.
With a war cry of his own, The Mountain met the challenge head-on.
Shirou's projections fired forth, not all at once, but a steady stream of steel as Gáe Dearg flew one by one amidst them. Gáe Dearg sliced through the orange desert and arid sky, leaving behind a trail of scarlet light that shimmered like a mirage come to life.
"[Heavy Metal]!" Instantly, a metallic sheen washed over the Player, his skin taking on a metallic chrome color, followed by a multitude of other enchantment skills and buffs.
The Mountain brought up his fists, swatting and punching the incoming projectiles out of the air. Unlike their predecessors, these projectiles did not detonate upon impact. Instead, they were meant to serve as a diversion. The crimson tips of the legendary spear were unable to fully penetrate the Mountain's impenetrable steel skin, but each one of them struck true. Had the brawling goliath been a bit more attentive, he might have noticed the subtle discoloration that washed over his avatar with each piercing blow. However, swept up by his eagerness to emerge victorious, his impatience and battle frenzy consumed him, making him have tunnel vision for a victory that was well within his grasp.
A conclusion made all the more evident by the fact that his quarry didn't bother running or escaping like before. The magus stood there as if welcoming him.
The Mountain grinned viciously, all too eager to finally bring this match to a close.
Shirou waited, his body relaxing and his posture straightening out, ready to meet the charging giant. He inhaled and let out a steady breath.
The very moment the brawler set foot on the outskirts of the ruin, he snapped his finger.
The swords he had projected earlier and scattered across the ground lit up and detonated. Both they and their surroundings were engulfed in a wild storm of sand and debris. With his vision suddenly blinded by a whirlwind of sand, The Mountain staggered and veered off course, his fist striking nothing but air.
He tumbled slightly, recovering quickly.
Although the thick coat of dust hindered his vision, through narrowed eyes, he caught a faint flicker of light within the sand storm. It clued him in on Shirou's position, and he continued his blitz fearlessly, regardless of the condition.
Shirou's silhouette became more defined as the distance between them shortened, enough for him to act.
"[Inner Discipline], [Power Draw], [Charge Force], [Boost Durability], and [Titan's Rush]!"
With a final burst of skills, The Mountain put everything into his shoulder charge, blue pulsating energy wreathed around him as he barreled towards his opponent.
'Gotcha ya!'
His smirk widened, only for it to freeze as the veil of sand receded to reveal what awaited him.
Shirou confronted him, wielding some kind of great weapon in his hands. It was a weapon that was unlike any that came before it. It took the form of a large stone sword-axe with a wicked bladed edge like a butcher's knife. The weapon looked ostentatious and crude, nearly twice in length as the wielder's own height.
A split-second hesitation overtook The Mountain before his mind rationalized it. There was no way the silver-haired Player could swing such an unwieldy weapon in time. Especially one that looked more in place in the hands of a [Warlord] or a [Highlander] class, Players with the appropriate strength stats and job classes needed to wield it properly. Furthermore, The Mountain's skills and attack were already active, and he was a second away from tackling the man into oblivion. And, even in the unlikely scenario he was to somehow get his swing in, The Mountain was confident that his own attack would surpass Shirou's and cave in his body first, thus negating the Player Killer's pitiful attempt. Additionally, he was practically at full health, with several enhancement buffs and skills still in effect, making it highly unlikely that he would suffer any significant damage even if the attack landed.
That was right. It was imposs—!
The gazes of the two combatants met, their eyes locked in a final moment of intensity.
It would be here where The Mountain's eyes caught something awaiting him. A glimpse of something - something more, something greater - standing before the Player.
The Mountain was large, and with him looming over Shirou and his shockwave tackle ready to make contact, he appeared all the grander in size.
Yet, he was dwarfed by what he saw.
A towering figure, not just in terms of height but presence, awaited him.
A true warrior.
A true hero stood before him.
A pair of golden eyes flashed, swiftly followed by a flash of golden amber and steelish silver.
"[Trigger Off. Set — Nine Lives Blade Work: Shooting The Hundred Heads]!"
One moment he had his eyes on Shirou, dead to rights, and the very next, all The Mountain could see was the sky.
'W-what...?' His mind conjured.
Indeed, The Mountain did get his skill off first.
However, Shirou's was faster.
Just as The Mountain reached him, Shirou delivered all nine earth-rending slashes at godspeed simultaneously, chopping through the gargantuan Player's attack and defenses. His body scattered into eight pieces. The sheer intensity of his attack radiated outward, dispelling the swirling maelstrom of sand that surrounded them. Nine deep scars stretched across the barren ground, a testament to his power.
Cracks spread across the dismembered pieces of The Mountain's body before shattering into polygons all around him, leaving only the projection magus remaining.
Shirou let out a single, tremendous breath. At the same time, the world around him cracked, giving away, and in a blink, he was back in the stadium again.
With a small show, he swung Nine Lives around and rested it on his shoulder, basking in the moment with a small smirk. He stood with his head held high, victorious for all to see.
There was nothing but silence for the first few seconds before the world exploded into noise, louder and greater than ever seen before. A medley of cheering, incoherent shouting, turbulent questioning, all manner of curses, and everything in between filled the air. The amalgamation of noises was so immense that it echoed not just within the stadium but throughout the entire expanse of Und Ljósinn, and possibly even beyond. The ground beneath him seemed to shake, resembling the tremors of an earthquake.
"HOLY SHIT! WHAT A TURNAROUND!"
"I-indeed. It would seem that Emiya is more resourceful than he may appear." Sam joined in, his voice in equal parts disbelief and excitement following his co-analyst.
"WELL, THEY DON'T CALL HIM THE PLAYER KILLER FOR NOTHING! AND HERE I THOUGHT THE FIRST ROUND WAS GOING TO BE A SNOOZEFEST! HAHAHA! NOW THAT'S HOW YOU KICK OFF AND END AN OPENING MATCH! CHOCK ANOTHER NAME TO THE LIST, FOR IT SEEMS THAT THIS MOUNTAIN CRUMBLED AFTER ALL. THE WINNER OF THE FIRST ROUND GOES TO EMIYA!"
"Woah…" Sigfrida muttered breathlessly as she reclined back from the edge of her seat.
Several of the holographic screens replayed key moments in the match, each one ending with Shirou's climatic finisher from different angles of the fight. The noise refused to die down even as the two analysts exchanged insight and intrigue over the match. Heavy debate passed between them and the audience, with each trying their best to solve the mystery and discover the answer to what they just saw.
She gently tugged at her boyfriend's arm, her eyes still affixed to the replays. A burning question of 'how' lingered within her mind.
"Hmm? What's up, babe?" Peroroncino turned to her.
"How'd he do it?" Sigfrida asked him. "How'd he pull something like that just out of nowhere?!"
"What do you mean? I once explained it to you before, didn't I?"
"Yeah, but with the way you told me, I assumed he could only make arrows, swords, and whatever else. Reasonable stuff. That giant 'fuck-you' axe-sword thing that can one-shot someone is kind of another story!"
"Oh, that…" The golden archer trailed off before shrugging. "It's one of Emiya-senpai's trump cards. You'll be shocked at just how many of those he got hiding under his sleeve. Slipped my mind, I guess."
Sigfrida pouted, relenting without any further issue. However, that led to a whole other question.
"But wait, if he had such an ace up his sleeve this entire time, why didn't he use it sooner? What was the whole point of wasting so much time on that goose chase? He could've ended the match at any time he wanted." She pointed this out.
Questions shared by not just her but many others as well. Why did Shirou delay the match for as long as he did when he had the means to end it this whole time?
Before Peroroncino could reply, her question was answered by another.
"Because the right opportunity didn't present itself."
The two glanced over their shoulders, finding that it was Momonga who answered. The necromancer realized that he must have spoken out of turn as he quickly tried to apologize, only for Peroroncino to gesture to his Guildmaster, giving him the go-ahead.
"As I said, it wasn't the right time. As we all saw, throughout the beginning, it was Mountain-san that remained dominant, but the moment Emiya-san switched onto the offensive, it was he that was left reeling. Seeing the raw damage Emiya-san was able to deliver, no doubt put him on high alert. He would be a fool not to be cautious, especially when he was against Emiya-san's unknowable arsenal. You are correct in that it's powerful, but Emiya-san couldn't afford to use it so early or haphazardly, not when Mountain-san was overly weary of what else he could pull out. There was a possibility that it might not have taken him out in one go, or maybe he caught Emiya-san's intention due to his prior weariness. He couldn't afford to tip his hand far too early."
"Ok… But that still doesn't quite answer why the heck he decided to stall out the fight for so long." Destana chimed in from Momonga's side.
"In a PvP matchup, a fight isn't determined by who has the strongest spells or skills, or whose build is better, or even who has the better stats and can do the most damage." Bukubukuchagama added, taking over from Momonga.
"There's an ebb and flow to it, a push and pull, action and reaction. You can even liken it to a dance. One needs not to be solely stronger than their opponent but also smarter and more cunning. It's not about who can land the most powerful attack first or deal the most damage. If that were the case, then he would've spammed those spiral arrows of his. Instead, he took a step back, assessed the situation and planned out his next move. As Momonga-san said, he couldn't afford to tip his hand too early. You can think of it in terms of Super-Tier Magic. They're crazy strong, capable of one-shotting a Player, but you don't see everyone begin with a move like that every time. It comes down to knowing when to use the correct moves at the right time to deal the final blow."
"I think I get it…" Sigfrida said. "Basically, he did what he did to lure The Mountain in and set him up for his ultimate attack?"
"Precisely. After all, all warfare is based on deception." Tabula weighted in, drawn into the growing discussion.
"Rather than give Mountain-san any elbow room to rethink a plan of attack, Emiya-san made him play to his tune when he decided to go with the tactic that we saw. If Mountain-san didn't give chase, then Emiya-san had free reign to spam those powerful powerful spiral arrows - Caladbolg II. It forced his opponent to move, lest he suffer any further catastrophic damage by his hands. On top of that, Mountain-san's caution against those powerful spiral arrows was well warranted throughout their match. That was perhaps why he used and showed it off so often, making Mountain-san focus on that over everything else. A thing to note was that he kept what he was capable of creating to a minimum. It was as to why Emiya-san's trump card - Nine Lives Blade Work - worked so well as a finisher."
"Ahhh." Destana let out an understanding sound, with Sigfrida nodding along.
To a newbie like Sigfrida, and even to a casual Player like Destana, the intricacies of PvP remained a complex discussion as they didn't have much experience when it came to that aspect of the game. However, they were able to follow along thanks to the guild member's helpful explanation and came to better understand the magus's method.
Those within Ainz Ooal Gown knew Shirou's build and abilities were fundamentally unconventional. It was this ambiguity and versatility that made him so dangerous. None, be they a newbie or a veteran, could actively ascertain the exact scopes and limits of his projections.
An archer who was capable of firing arrows and launching exploding swords in addition to wielding small-bladed weapons? Extraordinary, but far from impossible.
Pulling out a disabling lance and two heavy-hitting clubs? That was certainly stretching it, but within the realm of possibility.
But a large and raw weapon that was capable of dropping a Player like The Mountain with all his defense was something so ludicrous no one would think possible on the first go.
Tabula had seen Touch Me be on the receiving end of Nine Lives Blade Work once. As he later shared with the Brain Eater, from firsthand experience, it was near impossible to avoid or defend against, even if one knew what it was capable of.
The skill, or technique, as it would be appropriately called, was devastatingly powerful and insanely quick, to the point of instantaneous. It rivaled the ultimate warrior skill [World Break] in terms of instant power and damage values. The trade-off was it relatively short effective range. Shirou resolved this issue by devising a scenario where The Mountain came to him instead of the other way around.
"It was a well constructed gambit. By switching it up and fighting the way he did, he gave the illusion that it was his only option available to him. And by putting focus on those specific spiral arrows and running away, resulting in the roundabout chase sequence, Emiya-san effectively imprinted the idea that it was his main trump card. Hence, why he switched to using strictly his bow in the latter portion of the match, despite the results from the previous beatdown against Mountain-san." Tabula quickly delved in.
"Indeed. To him, it was unthinkable that Emiya-san would possess another potential weapon that could match him head-on and overpower him. Especially one that could one-shot him. A narrative he spun by abandoning to engage in further close-quarter combat for a seemingly safer alternative. And so he bided his time, setting up the board. A process that was helped further along by Mountain-san's growing impatience, a purposeful act to rile him up, which helped blind him to Emiya-san's true goal." Punitto Moe contributed, the PK & PKK Chief Strategist nodding in approval of his guildmate's tactic.
"By the end, he created a false sense of security for him, and when he saw what was perceived as a moment of weakness and an opening on Emiya-san's part…"
"The dumb fucker ran right into it without a second thought." Ulbert finished, rousing some bemusement from the others.
The World Disaster grunted. It served to remind him of a memory. Years ago, Shirou and Ulbert had a duel. The reasoning behind their match was lost on him and ultimately unimportant. For much of the match, it was Ulbert that remained dominant, keeping the projection user at bay with a flurry of destructive spells, yet he could never score a critical hit. The longer their fight endured, the more restless he grew. It culminated in where the magus had purposely left himself open, and as the magic caster readied his ultimate attack, he was defeated in an instant.
Ulbert could still remember the sting of defeat even after Shirou had taken the time to explain his strategy and review the fight with him. A defeat he resolved to himself to never endure again.
Seeing it repeated brought both a sense of sharp satisfaction and begrudging acknowledgment from him.
[—][—][—][—][—][—][—][—][—]
With the other World Champions, they too shared in the audience's astonishment and excitement. Touch Me remained as he was. Though his face was hidden behind a helm, the others could feel the smugness radiating from the paladin.
"Seems like we might've spoken a bit too early, Touch Me-san." LichtKing said, a timbre of excitement in his voice after what they just saw.
"My only complaint is that the second half turned into such a borefest until the end. I mean, I was expecting a bombastic fight and crazy shit like what he showed off earlier." Duskindal slumped in his seat.
Elementum V patted the assassin's shoulder, an understanding looking emoticon appearing over him.
While boring, none would fault the man for resorting to the strategy that he employed. The point of the matches was to win, to determine who was better and who was more worthy. In the end, it was Shirou who won and The Mountain that lost.
"No need to mope, Duskindal-san. It's only the first match. The tournament is only just beginning, and he'll have plenty of chances to wow you and show off just what he's capable of in the matches to come." Touch Me assured.
Duskindal perked up, eager for what was to come. "I'll hold you to that, Touch Me-san."
Touch Me smiled. Before turning back, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.
"So, what do you think, Luciferno-san? I'd say he has shown he's more than a bag full of tricks, wouldn't you say?"
Touch Me's question earned the attention of the others as the rest of the World Champions turned to their final seated member in his little corner. Where before he sat slouched and bored in his seat, here he sat upright, his posture leaning forward and giving the slightest hint of intrigue following the conclusion of the match. A far cry from his usual dismissive attitude.
The World Champion of Múspellsheim threw Touch Me a sideways glare.
"Whatever..." Luciferno grunted before going back to ignoring everyone.
A reaction that drew silent amusement from the rest, especially Touch Me.
[—][—][—][—][—][—][—][—][—]
Dismissing Nine Lives, he turned and walked back to the entranceway. Halfway across, he spotted his friends standing and waving passionately, trying to see if they could catch his attention.
They did.
He waved back in thanks, with some of the members of Ainz Ooal Gown jumping for clear joy, earning a soft chuckle from the magus.
'One down, many more to go...' He thought.
The 9th World Champion Tournament was just getting started.
Omake: The Pose of Dominance
The roar of the crowd grew insistent following The Mountain's trash talk. Many looked to Shirou, waiting to see what his reaction would be.
Slowly, his arms unfurrow. The crowd watched on as Shirou's arm extended forth from his body and came to a stop when they were completely straight and horizontal.
ゴゴゴゴゴ
There Shirou stood, T-posing.
Seconds passed as The Mountain and everyone watched him remain in the pose. He was unmoving and silent, asserting his dominance.
The crowd grew louder, demanding action. However, Shirou remained as he was, like a statue.
ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ
"W-well, I suppose we should get the tournament underway! Let the first match between Emiya and The Mountain begin—!"
Just as the announcer spoke these words, Shirou moved.
One second, the two Players were facing one another, and the next Shirou was standing where The Mountain was. As for the man himself? He was launched into the stratosphere in the blink of an eye. In the sky, everyone could see the faint twinkle of a star from where he was launched.
The entire stadium was silent.
"...WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK…?!" The voice of Bob spoke, voicing what everyone was thinking.
"Uh… I guess the winner of the first round is Emiya!" Said Sam, announcing the victory.
The massive stadium was filled with loud, awkward applause and sounds from the audience. Many were still trying to understand what they had just witnessed.
And Shirou?
ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ
He remained where he was.
"Will Emiya please exit the arena? I repeat, will the contestant, Emiya, please vacate the arena so that the rest of the matches may continue?"
The voice of Sam echoed from the commentator booth. Yet Shirou remained unmoving.
By now, he, along with the rest of the audience watching, was starting to feel nervous.
"Just what is he doing?"
"HE JUST STANDING THERE... MENACINGLY!"
ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ
Slowly, Shirou turned, no, that wasn't the right word to describe it. He rotated while still remaining in his immovable pose. Turning to face them all.
The Player Killer slowly rose, levitating in the air for all to see.
"Oh my god…" Came the horrified voice from the commentator booth.
And then he blitzed the booth, and the world was filled with the sounds of screams and explosions.
In his own private abode, Zelretch watched it all happen from the comfort of his extravagant chair. The various screens displayed different recordings of the stadium and stage. All of them but one were filled with static, with the last one showing the remaining fighters for the tournament in the waiting wing screaming as the video feed shook and Shirou's menacing form crashed through the room.
And then the feed cuts to black.
Zelretch puckered his lips at what he just witnessed.
"Well… That just happened…"
ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ
The room rocked violently, and Zelretch was thrown to the floor.
"What the—!"
The wizard looked up; his shock was quickly replaced with horror. There floated Shirou, still in his T-pose position.
"H-how?!"
This room was his own private retreat. Separated from every known part of reality. Only through the likes of Kaleidoscope could one even hope to perceive his hiding spot, let alone reach it.
Shirou said nothing.
"Now, now, let's not do anything hasty! Let's talk this out!"
Zelretch slowly retreated, holding out a steady hand and trying to talk with him as sweat began to run down his face. Shirou remained impassive, floating slowly towards him.
"I'll do anything! I'll give you Saber! Rin! Sakura! A harem of Saber!face and Rin!face. Hell, even Illya, if you want! All of it!"
Zelretch's desperate plea went unanswered as he backed away. His back hit the wall as his eyes frantically looked around for an escape.
There were none.
ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ
The shadows lengthened, shallowing the room in a dark light as he floated ever closer towards the Apostle. Shirou's T-shaped shadow loomed over him. Darkness shrouded all of Shirou's face, leaving only his eyes nothing more than red dots that grew all the more menacing as the distance between them closed.
ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ
"No! Please...!"
Zelretch's screams echoed across the infinite void.
Omake: WWCS Mania (World Wrestling Champion Smackdown)
In the middle of the arena, within the wrestling ring, Warrior Takemikazuchi and The Mountain circled one another.
"THIS IS FOR ALL THE MARBLES, FOLKS. LET'S SEE WHO WILL TAKE HOME THE CHAMPIONSHIP BELT!"
The bell went off and the two charged.
The Mountain swung with a lariat, but Warrior Takemikazuchi blocked it, knocking him back.
The Heteromorph ran and jumped, hitting The Mountain with a powerful dropkick.
"The Mountain is reeling... But wait! What's this?!"
Shirou appeared behind The Mountain, wielding a folded steel chair. He smacked him behind the head, staggering him.
"EMIYA OUT OF NOWHERE WITH A STEEL CHAIR!"
"Here comes Warrior Takemikazuchi!"
Warrior Takemikazuchi ran up, his arm wrapping around The Mountain's throat in a cutter as he dropped, bringing him with him.
"WATCH OUT, WATCH OUT, WATCH OUT!"
The Mountain's head and face slammed into the ground with a heavy thud.
"RKO!"
"It's not over yet folk! What's Emiya doing?!
Shirou projected a tall ladder.
Warrior Takemikazuchi climbed all the way to the top with The Mountain's body in tow.
Grabbing the body, he lifted him up and held him in the headscissors position and then jumped.
Shirou generously projected a table for his guildmate on the ring.
Warrior Takemikazuchi fell and slammed The Mountain on the table, smashing it into pieces with a brutal slam.
"A powerbomb from the very top! No mercy!"
"BAH GAWD AS MY WITNESS, THAT MAN IS BROKEN IN HALF!"
Warrior Takemikazuchi's body pressed down on The Mountain's, holding him down.
"One... Two... Three...!"
Shirou slid in, his hand slapped the ground with every count.
"Ten!"
"And that's ten, people! The match is over!"
Warrior Takemikazuchi got up. The roars of the crowd cheered him on as he threw both hands into the air.
A pair of showgirls walked forward, holding his championship belt.
Accepting his covetous prize, he hoisted it up for all to see.
"W-wait, what's this?!"
Suddenly, a commotion.
From one of the entrances, smoke and pyrotechnics went off. And a surprise challenger approached.
"IT'S ZELRETCH! THIS FIGHT AIN'T OVER JUST YET!"
Character Sheet Stat Screen:
Rider – Lvl: 100 (True Name: Ushiwakamaru - Minamoto no Yoshitsune)
The Great Wandering General
Job: NPC Servant of Emiya
Resident: The Great Tomb of Nazarick; can travel with summoner.
Alignment: Neutral. Sense of Justice: 150
Race: Heroic Spirit
Racial Level: No Race Levels.
Job Level:
[Sword Master]: 10 Lvl
[Expert]: 10 Lvl
[Wander]: 10 Lvl
[Rider]: 5 Lvl
[Tactician]: 5 Lvl
[Hero]: 5 Lvl
[Other]: 55 Lvl
Total: 100 Job level = 100 level
Ability Chart:
HP: 79
MP: 84
Phy ATK: 60
Phy DEF: 55
Agility: 100+
Mag ATK: 45
Mag Def: 60
Resist: 95
Special: 100+
Total Stats: 678+
Author's Note:
And so, the first match of the World Champion Tournament begins and concludes. I feel like I'm repeating myself, but hopefully, I can still write an enjoyable fight scene. Honestly, that was what I had some trouble getting back into, even more than the character interaction and story.
It's a strange conflict, where I both enjoyed and had fun with writing the scenario yet every time I read over it, it feels choppy and unsatisfactory for some reason. And no matter how many times I reread it and edited it, the feeling persists. It might have something to do with a new implementation I tried when writing the tournament event or perhaps its me still being rusty.
For this chapter and tournament arc, one of the things I wanted to try my hand at was character commentary. The ones commonly seen in anime and show with cut-away shots or panels, dispersed within the fight to help elaborate and give snippets of voice to the various characters by showing their thoughts, expertise, and their take on the fight. As well as making the fights more tactical. Rather than giving it out as straight exposition or narration as the fight continues. I know some find it annoying and cliché, cutting away to catch a reaction or commentary, but I always found it fun. When used appropriately and in moderation.
Of course, there's the problem where the character commentary simply doesn't always work or simply drags and ends as unneeded filler. So do let me know if it does, that way I can know to cut and trim it down in the future, allowing for the fight to tell the story then just having the characters exposit it all out. Helping to streamline the process.
That's always been the tricky part of being a writer I've found - having so many ideas, potential interactions, characters, and inclusions and trying to juggle them together in a scene/chapter. It's the leading cause of the chapter and word count stretching and stretching and before you know it, you've written nearly 15K+ words and you're still not quite done! Well, at least it won't be a short read.
And regarding Shirou and Zelretch's discussion and promise, there's still a bit more to it and it'll be unveil in the later chapters.
With that said, thank you very much for reading to the end of the chapter and hopefully it was enjoyable. Please do leave a review or comment on what you may or might not like about the chapter and do let us know.
Next Chapter: The 9th World Champion Tournament