Sword of Fate | Chapter 7

"...Let's wait." Shirou nodded. That was the best course of action. This way, he didn't have to worry about the Master getting caught in the crossfire between the two Servants. And if they were coming to kill him, well at least Shirou wouldn't feel guilty for their deaths. They had decided on that course of action, after all. "This house has a Bounded Field to detect malice from any visitors. We'll know their intentions soon enough."

In less than a minute, a pair of red figures appeared at the gate.

Shirou let out a sigh in relief when he didn't hear the sound of ringing bells. They meant no harm.

He turned towards the black swordsman and smiled. "It's alright Kirito, they're not here to fight. Let's go see what they want."

The swordsman loosened his grip on his blades, but still kept them close. "...If you say so, Shirou."

Shirou headed towards the gate with Kirito shadowing him. He froze when he saw who he was greeting.

Tohsaka Rin. An unapproachable beauty that was the idol in Shirou's school for both her looks and her intelligence. With silky black hair and an elegant figure, as well as consistently ranking at the top in exams, it was no mystery how she earned that title.

That same beauty stood at the gate to his house, wearing a red coat over her clothes and tapping her foot.

"T-tohsaka?! What are you doing here?"

The idol brushed her hair aside and gave Shirou a wide smile. "Good evening Emiya-kun." Her expression faltered when she saw Kirito. "And to you Saber-san."

A contempt-filled voice came from behind her. "...I still say this is a waste of time, Rin."

Shirou pulled his eyes away from Rin and towards the voice. It was the red Servant that Shirou had seen earlier. The man had gray hair and was well-built, wearing form-fitting black armor that emphasized his strength underneath a red cloak of sorts.

The man's arms were crossed, a scornful look on his face. He scoffed when he realized Shirou was staring at him. "An idiot like that doesn't deserve your help."

Rin rounded on her Servant. "Archer! I thought I told you to be quiet!"

The red Servant shook his head and then faded from sight, his gaze lingering a moment on Kirito before he vanished.

Rin, sighed and turned back to Shirou. "Sorry about that. Anyway, let's talk inside. You don't know anything, right Emiya-kun?" She didn't give Shirou time to reply, marching towards the house after her declaration.

"Wait, wait, wait! Tohsaka, you're a Master?"

Before Rin could give her biting retort, Kirito spoke. "Shirou. A pretty girl's offering to come to your house at night and that's what you ask?" The black swordsman laughed as the two flushed red.

"A-anyway, come on Emiya-kun!" Rin dashed ahead leaving Shirou and Kirito at the gate, but not before they heard her mutter. "...Geez, are all Servants like that?"

Shirou sighed and followed her.

After a fixed window and some brief chatter between Rin and Shirou about his lack of magical capability and her musing about why Kirito was summoned to someone like him, the three arrived in Shirou's living room.

"So Emiya-kun," Rin began. "You don't know anything about what kind of situation you're in now, do you?"

Shirou glanced at Kirito and then shook his head. "Only that I'm a 'Master' of some kind and that I summoned Kirito over there."

Rin gave Shirou a pointed look. "Kirito? Geez Emiya-kun, you're not supposed to give your opponents the true name of your Servant." She sighed and shook her head.

"I'm not?"

"Of course not! It's supposed to be the most guarded secret of each Master and Servant!" Rin sighed as she saw Shirou's confused expression and Kirito's nonchalant stance. "Look Emiya-kun. A Servant is a hero of the past given a body. Because of that, if someone knew your Servant's name they could easily find out their weaknesses and exploit them. Although I don't remember any famous hero called Kirito. It's obviously Japanese, so I should, but-" Rin mumbled and shook her head. "Anyway, don't go telling anybody else Saber's name, got it?"

Shirou nodded, although he was contemplating her statement.

It was true, there weren't any mythical or historical figures in Japanese history that went by the name of Kirito. It was possible that it was an alias, but the way he had introduced himself told Shirou that it held some significance to the black swordsman. And his weapons, a pair of long swords... The only person Shirou could remember that used two blades in Japanese history was Miyamoto Musashi. Even then, the man had used a katana and wakizashi, not the European styled blades that Kirito wielded. Although, Kirito did say that he doubted anyone would know his name.

Just who was his Servant...?

Rin tapped her chin. "Now, where was I...? Ah, that's right." Rin nodded as she recovered her train of thought. "Emiya-kun, put simply, you've been dragged into a game."

Shirou saw Kirito stiffen at those words but turned his attention back to Rin. "A game? What do you mean Tohsaka?"

"You've been chosen as a Master in a survival game called the Holy Grail War. A battle royal between seven Masters that won't stop until you kill all the others."

This time, Shirou stiffened. "Kill? Wait, what do you mean Tohsaka?"

She glared at Shirou. "What? You're a magus. Death shouldn't be an unfamiliar concept to you."

"I know, it's just..." Shirou shook his head. "Never mind. So I've been chosen as a 'Master' and Kirito is my 'Servant'?"

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