Chapter 46: Day 9 ⑨

It seemed that while I was being scolded by Tohsaka for several dozen minutes, Alto had been busy preparing lunch.

Once Tohsaka finally finished her lecture toward me, she immediately grabbed the collar of Alto—who had just finished cooking—and marched her off toward the Western-style room in the detached building.

Apparently, it was now Alto’s turn to receive a lecture from Tohsaka.

It seems they had been waiting for me to wake up around noon without eating themselves; everyone, but especially Lia and Alto, must have been starving. The image of Alto’s sorrowful eyes as she was dragged away in silence after finishing the meal preparations wouldn't leave my mind. According to Lia, despite not getting enough sleep, Alto had only nibbled on a bit of bread this morning because she felt it would be hard to eat a full meal right after waking up.

I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry, Alto. My careless remarks ended up dragging her into the line of fire, so this is entirely my fault. …As a small apology, I’ll give her the yokan I secretly hid in the cupboard later. I pressed my hands together in a silent prayer toward Alto in my heart.

After waiting for Tohsaka and Alto to return, we laid out the lunch that was already prepared.

I had noticed the scent earlier, but today’s lunch was Japanese style. The fatty, dried horse mackerel (aji no himono) was incredibly appetizing. The simmered taro (satoimo) must have been cooking since this morning; the flavor had seeped deep into it, yet it hadn't lost its shape.

For some reason, Alto is skilled at making not just Western food, but Japanese food as well. I have to honestly admit that even while I was listening to Tohsaka’s words in the living room, a good portion of my consciousness was being drawn away by the aroma wafting from the kitchen.

Lately, Sakura has been pulling ahead of me in Western cuisine, and I don’t feel like I can match Tohsaka in Chinese cooking. Japanese food was the only specialty I had left, but I’m still one step behind Alto.

Looking at how Alto usually eats my cooking, it’s not that she finds it unpalatable, but I personally feel that I haven't reached her level.

There’s certainly a sense of frustration. I know it’s not right to rank meals as superior or inferior, but someday I want to make a dish that makes her say "it’s delicious" from the bottom of her heart. The fact that I’m not too depressed despite losing in my own specialty suggests that I might be more happy about having a clear goal than I am frustrated.

I pondered this while stuffing my mouth with taro.

Looking at the cook herself, Alto’s forehead was red as she served a second helping into Lia’s bowl. …Did Tohsaka give her a forehead flick (dekopin) or something?

After finishing the meal, I tried to wash the dishes as a small apology for the trouble I caused, but the response in my hands was dull. My right arm only felt a slight sense of discomfort, but my left arm had almost no sensation from the bicep down.

Even so, I insisted on doing the dishes, but as soon as I broke a plate, Tohsaka told me she would take over.

I tried to decline, saying I was fine, but—

"If you're not feeling well, just be honest and say so."

As Tohsaka said that while putting on an apron, I found myself captivated by the sight and lost my voice.

Once I had nothing to do and returned to the living room, I realized something. There was a hint of apology in Tohsaka’s attitude and tone.

She must have sensed that the cause of my physical slump was Projection Magecraft. …And here I thought I was acting well enough so she wouldn't notice.

After the washing was done, we held a meeting about our future plans. However, Tohsaka informed Lia and Alto about the condition of my hands.

I didn't think it was that bad since they weren't completely immobile, but I was firmly told, "At least rest for the whole day today." Between my arms and the fact that Tohsaka had consumed a large amount of Prana in yesterday’s battle, we decided to rest quietly today.

As for what to do from tomorrow onwards, since we have a rough idea of Illya’s location, we will likely scout the forest on the outskirts of town. Tohsaka’s reasoning was that simply pinpointing the enemy's exact position opens up various options.

The only thing left was what to do with Shinji, but since we can’t ask for his wishes if he’s not here, that topic was tabled until he returns. —Where on earth did that guy go?

"Shirou. Could you accompany me for a moment?"

Alto spoke up immediately after the discussion ended. When I looked up, I saw both Alto and Lia standing there, their tension as high as if they were on a battlefield.

"W-what’s wrong? Is it an enemy Servant?!"

"Don't tell me—!"

At their behavior, I instinctively stood up and scanned the surroundings. A beat late, Tohsaka also stood up and began focusing her senses toward the gate visible from the living room.

"No! Th-that is not it."

Alto raised her voice to calm Tohsaka and me, her hands hovering restlessly in front of her chest. An air of embarrassment overflowed from her voice.

Lia also realized that their demeanor had caused a misunderstanding and let out a small, relaxed smile. Seeing that, Tohsaka and I finally lowered our guard.

"Um, it’s this."

Saying so, she picked up Kanshou and Bakuya, which had been left in the corner of the living room. She unerringly grabbed the ones she had materialized, not the ones I had Projected which Tohsaka said were "indistinguishable to an onlooker."

I couldn't fathom her intention. Did she have something to say about me Projecting the items she possessed? Given her intense aura from earlier, perhaps she felt some displeasure at having fakes of her possessions created.

However, Alto showed no such sign and stood there with a smile.

"I told you before, didn't I? 'Perhaps twin swords suit Shirou better than Lia’s swordsmanship.' I am still far from perfect, but I thought I could show you a mock battle for reference."

"Ah, but didn't you say you'd never used twin swords before, Alto?"

"Yes. However, even if it is a makeshift imitation, I believe it will serve as a reference for your movements. Since your hands don't seem to be moving properly yet, I thought you could at least get an image of the movements."

I see. So that’s why she chose 'Kanshou and Bakuya.' Having understood, I gave a simple "Please" and stood up. Tohsaka, wearing a smile as if she had thought of something, walked toward the dojo while chatting with Alto.

While Tohsaka and Alto walked ahead, I stayed in the living room for a moment, simply clenching and unclenching my hands as if to test them.

—As for me, I want to actually participate. I have a desire to test how far the techniques I gained from yesterday's Tracing would work against Lia or Alto. Even if I were only on the defensive, I might be able to hold out longer than before against a Servant. Perhaps I have gained at least some power to fight.

If I could do that, I might be able to lighten their burden—that impatient feeling hurried me along.

I tried clenching my left hand to see if I could get it to work, but although it moved, the sensation was dull.

In this state, I probably wouldn't even be able to lift a sword of that weight. Even if I could manage a stance, it was obvious that the sluggishness of my left arm would lead to a result even more pathetic than usual.

—Dammit. I cursed myself in my heart.

"Shirou, Rin and Alto have already gone ahead."

"Ah, sorry. I'm coming right now."

At Lia’s voice, my consciousness surfaced from my thoughts. To catch up with Lia, who was walking ahead, I started heading toward the dojo.

I sat at the edge of the dojo. From here, I should be able to see their movements clearly. Beside me, Tohsaka was already sitting in seiza, her gaze fixed on the center of the room.

Following her gaze, I saw Lia and Alto. Facing each other, neither looked away nor spoke.

Lia wasn't holding a shinai yet. In contrast, in Alto’s hands were the Kanshou and Bakuya she brought from the living room—Wait, are they both wearing their armor?!

"Wait a minute! Why are you both in armor? You were in your casual clothes when you sparred last time."

During their previous mock battle, both were in casual clothes and used the shinai kept in the dojo.

This time, everything was different. Both Lia and Alto had been radiating bloodlust before the fight even began, and as I was seeing now, they were fully armored. On top of that, the twin swords Alto held were, of course, not blunt practice blades.

"Shirou. This time, Alto and I are not both using longswords. …Training is one thing, but if we are to show you model movements, a real combat scenario where the characteristics of twin swords are evident is better."

The moment she spoke in a tone firmer than usual, wind began to swirl around Lia’s hands.

—Lia is serious, too. She was taking a stance with the Invisible Sword she used against Berserker, Rider, and Caster.

"Tohsaka, isn't this getting out of hand?!"

"Lia—! Alto—! Try not to damage the building as much as possible—!"

Wait, is that okay?! You're not going to stop them? Does "as much as possible" mean they should go wild enough to at least partially damage the building?!

More importantly, this is the dojo of my house, right? I'm not mistaken?

I had a lot of things to point out, but seeing the atmosphere around Lia and Alto tighten, I could only swallow my words.

Prana was erupting from Lia’s body like a geyser. Even I, who am dull at sensing the flow of Prana, could tell its vast amount. To think she calls this a Prana deficiency—Servants really are on a different level from Magi.

In contrast, Prana was quietly accumulating within Alto’s body. It wasn't an eruption that stirred up a gale like Lia, whom she was facing. If Lia were compared to a raging storm, Alto was like a vortex storing power.

It was being sharpened. This was clearly different from the way Alto had fought until now.

As if time had stagnated, there was no movement from either of them.

However, I could see that Lia was hesitant to attack Alto’s new combat style. Unlike last time, there was no sign of Alto initiating the assault.

Her arms were lowered, and her eyes were fixed on Lia, as if not to miss even a single blink.

Concentrating my consciousness to observe Alto, I began to see her solidifying her Prana in specific parts. I wasn't entirely confident, but she seemed to prioritize her legs and arms. Next were her eyes, ears, and other sensory organs.

In a way, it was the opposite approach to Lia. Instead of releasing Prana to give instantaneous bursts to her movements, she retained it to efficiently gain power, even if it wasn't as explosive as a release.

Suddenly, the air flowed. Lia must have struck at Alto. In that instant, there was a change in my field of vision, but my eyes couldn't keep up. It only looked as if a streak of blue had extended toward Alto.

Unlike me, Alto, who was facing her, was already moving. At a speed barely visible, she took a low stance and swung the twin swords in her hands upward, overlapping them above her head.

The moment Alto swung Kanshou and Bakuya upward, a high-pitched metallic sound echoed.

Even though the two blades were overlapped, Kanshou was shattered, its iron shards dissolving into the air. The weight that couldn't be fully neutralized forced Alto’s center of gravity slightly lower.

It was an impact obvious even to an onlooker. If I had received the same blow, even if my defense had been in time, I wouldn't have been able to withstand it and would have been cleaved in two.

—Is that the strength of an existence called a Hero?

Alto funneled the impact, which would normally have blown her away, into the ground and swung the remaining Bakuya in her left hand down toward Lia in a diagonal slash (kesa-giri).

There was no stiffness in that movement. The transition from defense to offense was so beautiful it was captivating.

However, not just Alto, but Lia’s movement had also shifted to the next attack.

Lia never had any intention of receiving the blow. In a sword duel, she simply attacks and strikes down. Letting her body follow the momentum of her step, she now swung her downward-slashed sword back up.

It was a strike to sever the enemy's neck—coincidentally released in a way that directly opposed the trajectory of Alto’s diagonal downward slash.

Bakuya, like Kanshou, was shattered. A single strike that could break one of the two blades used to block it was, of course, more than a single Bakuya could withstand.

Though its momentum had been slowed, the sword's trajectory was still aimed at Alto’s neck.

It’s over. Lia must have been certain. Of course, I, watching from the side, thought so too.

No, regardless of what I thought, the outcome was already decided. The moment the opponent's weapon is destroyed, the victory should be confirmed.

However, what echoed in my ears was the resonance of iron striking iron that filled the dojo.

The Kanshou that should have been shattered was once again held in Alto’s right hand, clashing blades with Lia’s invisible sword.

—A momentary void was born in Lia, caused by an attack that should have been unblockable being blocked.

Due to the recoil of the clash, Alto’s Kanshou and Lia’s invisible sword bounced away in opposite directions.

Lia’s step—the forward momentum she had—was reduced to zero as the sword held in both hands was forced backward.

Similarly, Alto, whose sword was deflected, flung her right hand far to the rear, but in exchange, she swung her opposite left hand from the inside out. Again, she was converting the opponent’s force into energy for the next action.

In that hand, which should have been empty after the weapon was shattered, was the white sword already gripped—Bakuya.

Lia, unable to help it, leaped backward. From Lia’s combat style of always advancing, that was an unmistakable opening.

Not missing it, Alto threw herself into the vacated space and immediately began hounding her.

"Fu——uuuh...!"

Alto’s barrage did not stop. Despite the overwhelming number of strikes, she skillfully gauged the distance and attacked whenever she found even the slightest gap.

With every strike, she kicked off the floor further, alternating the swords in both hands against Lia as if performing a dance.

—The sound of clashing metal echoed incessantly within the dojo.

The twin swords held in both hands would sometimes shatter and vanish with a high-pitched sound that grated on the ears.

But the next time her arm swung, a sword was held as if nothing had happened.

Even if her entire arm was deflected, she converted even that impact into her body movements, creating a flow into the next strike.

Against Alto’s offensive, Lia naturally fell into a defensive role. Faced with Alto’s swordsmanship, which was completely different from before, even the Heroic Spirit of the Sword was forced to be entirely on the defensive.

Yet, she still parried every single one of Alto’s countless, breathless slashes without missing a single blow. She blocked every strike of a barrage that must have been delivered three times per second.

However, this simultaneously meant that Lia couldn't unleash the "certain-kill blow that used her entire body and was laden with a massive amount of Prana" that she specialized in, ever since that initial charge.

She couldn't move forward.

Occasionally, she would counter-attack during the split second of receiving a blade, but it would be blocked. A strike delivered without moving forward would, at best, end with shattering one blade.

"——!!"

Ziri. It was so slight I thought it might be an illusion, but Lia definitely retreated. In the next instant, Alto’s Bakuya swung through that opened space.

Alto’s speed had increased compared to the beginning. Every time she grasped a new sword in her hand, her movements gained more speed and sharpness.

My body instinctively gasped. The sheer intensity was enough to make my mind go haywire. Tohsaka was also staring wide-eyed at the battle before her.

Lia, Alto. Both were swinging their swords with the intention of defeating the other.

The duel I saw before was both of them swinging their swords to gauge their own and their opponent's strength. A fight that seemed to respect the opponent—no, that was a mock battle in the literal sense.

If they were fighting with the same mindset as before, they would have sheathed their swords the moment Alto’s twin swords were broken.

This time was different. Which sword is superior? Who is stronger? To me, it looked as if they were simply seeking that answer.

Alto was unsparingly using her ability to manifest weapons, which was her unique trait, and Lia’s sword was also delivering strikes aimed unerringly at vital points.

It was unmistakably the atmosphere of real combat. Their sharpened consciousnesses were clashing.

While feeling that sensation on my skin, I stared intently at the battle before me.

I couldn't take my eyes off their fight, which was completely different from before, yet still appeared beautiful.

Alto’s fierce assault continued without a moment’s rest. In the heat of battle, her movements seemed to become even more refined.

Lia received all of it. No—she had been receiving it. That retreat earlier, which looked as if she had been unable to endure and had instinctively backed away, must have been an evasion after seeing through Alto’s sword flashes.

The speed at which the twin swords were unleashed was still increasing. However, of the attacks delivered with those movements, she began to evade one in five, then gradually one in four.

Seeing Lia evade by a hair’s breadth, I finally realized.

Alto’s attacks, which seemed to be overwhelmingly dominant, hadn't delivered a single effective hit or slash to Lia.

While they might have grazed her clothes, every strike was inevitably blocked by Lia’s invisible sword or cut through the air.

I wonder how much time had passed. Seizing a tiny gap in the barrage, Lia made her move.

The distance was about five meters. Having dodged Alto’s Kanshou by a hair's breadth, she leaped far backward.

Meanwhile Alto, having the distance suddenly opened, immediately stepped in and kicked off the floor to give chase.

The speed of that step wasn't as fast as Lia’s earlier. However, she approached Lia with an acceleration that exceeded human limits.

As Alto began to accelerate, a blue shadow pierced through her at an invisible speed.

Lia’s afterimage—a blue figure that barely lingered on my retina. Without even waiting for Alto to attack, Lia must have accumulated the energy to strike the moment she landed after leaping back.

The sound of wood splintering echoed just as I confirmed Lia’s afterimage.

The intersection of a moment. I don’t know how Lia and Alto moved or how they clashed swords.

But to state the result, there was only the sight of Alto, blown away, lying on her back inside a hole in the wall.

Belatedly, the blades of the Kanshou and Bakuya, snapped in two, pierced into the alcove (tokonoma) and returned their existence to the atmosphere in less than a second.

The match must have been decided. Lia let out a deep breath, and once she finished regulating her ragged breathing, she dismissed her invisible sword and her silver armor.

Alto didn't move, and a small groan of "Ugh..." could be heard.

"Alto! Are you okay?"

Tohsaka, who had stood up at some point, rushed toward the fallen Alto in a panic.

Checking on Alto’s safety was the first priority. After a quick glance at Lia, who was silently looking down at Alto’s fallen form, I ran after Tohsaka.

Before I could reach Tohsaka’s side, there was the sound of wall material crumbling.

Alto sat up, shook her head, and stood. As she stood, fragments of the wall that had piled on her fell away.

"Owww—! Dammit, even this isn't enough? I thought I was doing pretty well this time."

Alto spoke with a disgruntled expression. Her tone was a bit odd, which bothered me, but from what I could see, there wasn't a single scratch on her body.

Though her Kanshou and Bakuya were broken, she must have blocked with the gauntlets on both arms at the last second. —There was a large gash on the gauntlet of Alto’s left arm, and a large dent on the gauntlet of her right arm.

I couldn't see what kind of trajectory Lia’s sword had traced, but I could infer the clash between the two from the scars on those gauntlets.

Lia, unable to keep up with that volume of strikes, must have backed off once to reset, and then unleashed an unblockable blow toward Alto.

Even though it broke Kanshou and Bakuya and damaged the gauntlets, it was still blocked. However, since it rendered Alto immobile even for a brief moment, Lia could have defeated her if she had followed up.

"To think you blocked that... I intended to strike in a way that would leave you unable to move for a while, even if it didn't defeat you."

Lia murmured, her expression unchanged.

Hearing those words made a chill run down my spine. A strike that would leave a Servant—who can recover even if their neck is broken—unable to move...

"Hmph. It seems I was found out."

Alto looked at her hands, then raised her face and questioned Lia. Her hands were shaking slightly, likely still numb from that blow.

"Yes. —You lack a decisive move. Both that speed and the volume of strikes were troublesome, but if they can be parried, they aren't that much of a threat. Besides, I get the impression that Alto is still unaccustomed to being on the offensive."

"Mmu."

Alto, who looked at Lia with a pouting expression and her mouth in a straight line, let out a sigh and deactivated her armament.

Come to think of it, does she still say she’s not used to twin swords even after all that? No, she did say it was a "makeshift imitation" earlier, so that must be the unmistakable truth.

"Had you mixed in other techniques, I might not have known the outcome of this match. But if it’s just those twin swords, I can deal with them without any problem."

"...You’re harsh. I thought I was holding my own."

"You realized yourself that there is still room for improvement, didn't you, Alto? —Though it’s true that your skill far exceeded what I had anticipated."

Lia replied with a faint smile to Alto, who murmured with a bitter laugh. At those words, Alto gave a small "Hehe..." laugh.

"It seems I'm still no match for Lia."

"Oh? Did you think you could snatch victory from me so easily, Alto?"

That must have been a joke. Hearing the response, Alto laughed loudly, as if she couldn't help it.

"Hehe! You’re right, I was being a bit overconfident."

Hearing that laughter, the tension finally left my body. Tohsaka was also watching with a relieved look, murmuring "These two..."

"Hey. I was wondering, why didn't you use that invisible sword, Alto? Not to repeat Lia’s words, but wouldn't you have been able to fight better if you had used it?"

I asked Alto what had been on my mind for a while. Hearing that, Alto looked at me with an exasperated face.

W-what?

"Shirou, do you remember what we talked about before this duel? The purpose of this spar was to show you how to fight with twin swords."

"Ah, right. That’s true."

Because the battle was so heated, that fact had completely slipped my mind.

"—So, how was it? Was my movement of any help?"

"Yeah. I don't think I can reproduce that kind of speed, but the way you moved and positioned yourself will be really useful."

"And once Shirou masters Projection, he might be able to fight like Alto even if his weapons are destroyed. Oh, but don't overdo it. It would be putting the cart before the horse if you became unable to move from training."

Tohsaka, who had been silent until now, chimed in from the side. Her eyes were on my left hand. I nodded back, telling her I understood.

"It’s true. If I can use Projection properly, I might be able to use it like that."

When I said that, Alto nodded, as if she had expected as much.

I said the movements would be useful, but even if I were told to reproduce them, it’s impossible. I was conceited to think I might be able to fight against a Servant; it was a huge misconception. If even Alto is told she’s "still far from perfect," someone like me would have been finished in the first exchange.

However, I saw the path I should aim for. I’ll have Alto spar with me starting tomorrow. I’ll start by imitating her movements.

It seems I have a lot to learn from Alto.