Fate: Gremory [Remake] (ENG)

Translation: Word (Microsoft), there are probably errors in the masculine and feminine pronouns.

Chapter 9

We had returned to Tokyo. I could still feel the faint trace of last night's explosion in the air, as if the ashes and chaos wanted to remind us of what happened. Our goal was clear: to look for any hint of what had happened to Senji. But until now, we had found absolutely nothing.

"There's no way to investigate what happened to Senji..."

Kuroka's voice broke the silence, though it sounded as tired as my own mood. We were looking for answers in a place that seemed determined to hide them.

I stopped short in front of a street full of debris. The remains of a house, or rather what once was one, were now just pieces of wood and concrete scattered everywhere. My gaze was fixed on a small pool of water mixed with ashes.

"That doesn't mean we're going to give up, Kuroka," I replied firmly.

She glanced at me sideways, her feline double tail moving slowly with a gesture she knew well: pent-up frustration.

"We have already checked this place and there is no trace of Senji's energy," she replied. "It's as if... it would have simply disappeared."

I didn't want to admit it, but I was right. There was nothing here, not even a faint echo of his spiritual presence, which was absurd. Senji couldn't disappear, just like that, not without leaving some sort of clue.

"Still," I insisted, "there is something odd about all this. Such a big explosion doesn't happen without a reason, especially when he was right in the center."

Kuroka sighed and crossed his arms, his cat-like ears lowered a little, reflecting his discouragement.

"Then what do you propose, Izayoi-chan?"

My eyes swept the area again, looking for anything out of place. My instinct told me that something was slipping away, something important.

"We are going to divide. You search the surroundings, and I will check what is left of that house."

"Are you sure? You might end up trapped in something bigger," she said, though there was no concern in her voice, just a warning.

"Of course I'm sure," I replied with a half-smile. "Besides, if there are problems, you know I can handle myself."

She hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"It's okay. But if you find something, let me know right away, understand?"

"Yes, yes, whatever you say, Kuroka."

As she walked away, I approached what was left of the structure. Every step I took felt as if the ground wanted to swallow any evidence, but I couldn't give up. Senji was many things, but disappearing without a fight wasn't one of them.

When I arrived at the center of what used to be home, something caught my attention. Among the rubble, there was an object that did not fit with the rest: a burnt mark on the ground. It was a circle, or at least what was left of one. Its irregular shape and barely visible symbols made me stop.

"A stamp?" I whispered.

I reached out and ran my fingers over the drawing. Although it was incomplete, he could feel a faint trace of magical energy. It was old, dense, and didn't belong to Senji.

This wasn't just a blast. Someone had planned it.

"Senji... what the hell did you do?"

As I continued to rummage through the rubble, I felt something that made my body tense. It was a faint, almost imperceptible presence, like a whisper in the air. But for someone like me, with superhuman senses, it was as evident as a roar in the silence.

My eyes swept around the environment, looking for the source of that energy. Although I tried to hide, it was clear that someone was watching me.

"Get out of there right now," I warned, my voice low but firm. "Or I can assure you that you won't enjoy what comes next."

There was no immediate response, but no movement either. The silence lasted for a few seconds, tensing the atmosphere like a rope about to break.

"Last warning."

Without waiting any longer, I picked up a rock from the ground and threw it towards the place where I felt the presence. I didn't need to use all my strength, just enough to force whoever was there to reveal themselves. The rock cut through the air, and before it could hit, someone emerged from the shadows.

It was a girl. Shorter than me, with an elegant demeanor that contrasted with the chaos around us. Her black kimono with light blue details flowed smoothly with each step, as if ignoring the dirt and debris beneath her feet. Her white hair, so silky that it almost seemed to shine, fell in soft waves around her face. But what was most striking were the small black horns that protruded from his forehead.

His golden eyes with fine pupils looked at me with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. A delicate hand held a fan that she used to partially cover her face, although she could not hide the growing smile that was drawn on her lips.

"Wow, wow," he said in a soft, melodic voice. "What sharp senses you have, young lady."

I frowned, my body still tense. "Who are you? And more importantly, what are you doing here?"

The girl did not respond immediately. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, as if he were evaluating me.

"Ah, how rude I am," she finally said, closing the fan with a fluid, graceful movement. "My name is Shiroyasha. And you... you must be Izayoi Saigou."

"How do you know my name?"

"Let's just say I've heard of you," she replied with a smile that only added to my distrust.

My hands clenched into fists as I stared at her, trying to decipher if she was a threat. "That doesn't answer my question. What do you want?"

She didn't seem intimidated by my tone, quite the opposite. He took a step forward, his golden eyes shining with an intensity that made my hair stand on end.

"I want to know what happened here, just like you," she said, her voice calm but full of ulterior motives.

"And why should I believe you?"

Shiroyasha let out a small laugh, covering his lips with the fan again. "Because if I wanted to hurt you, I would have tried it by now."

I couldn't help but let out a dry laugh. "Do you really think you could do it? You look like a breeze can knock you down."

His eyes flashed with a spark of amusement. "Oh, little Izayoi, appearances can be deceiving."

Something in his tone made me uneasy, but he wasn't going to show any weakness. "If you're here for Senji, you'd better talk at once."

She nodded slightly, as if she was granting me something. "Maybe yes, maybe not. But something tells me that this place is just the beginning of a much more interesting story."

The girl's smile remained intact as her golden eyes locked into mine, as if she were dissecting me. That look bothered me more than I wanted to admit, as if he knew something I didn't.

"So, Shiroyasha, what do you really want?" I asked, stiffening my tone to show that I wasn't in the mood for games.

She let out a soft laugh, covering her lips with the fan. "Always so direct, Izayoi. I guess that's part of your charm."

"Save yourself the compliments." I crossed my arms, not looking away. "If you have something to say, say it now."

Shiroyasha closed his fan with an elegant movement and let it rest on his palm. "Alright, I'll cut to the chase. I was here evaluating you, little one. And I must say that you have not disappointed me."

"Evaluating me?" I repeated, arching an eyebrow.

"Exactly. You see, I'm... let's say, an old friend of Senji's. And I wanted to know if the young woman who accompanies him is as promising as he said."

His mention of Senji made my heart skip a beat. "What do you know about Senji?"

The amusement on his face softened for an instant, just enough for him to notice a flash of something deeper. Something I didn't want to admit.

"Much more than you imagine, Izayoi," he replied in a more serious tone. "And I'm sorry to tell you this, but... Senji is dead."

I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. "What...?"

"No joke," Shiroyasha added, though his smile reappeared, this time more subdued. "Last night's explosion was no coincidence. It was the result of someone trying to kill him. And he succeeded... in a way."

"No... it can't be." The words barely left my mouth as I tried to process what I had just heard.

Shiroyasha took a step towards me, with an expression that combined amusement and melancholy. "Relax, little one. It's not the end of the world. Well, at least not for him."

I looked at her, confused and furious at the same time. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Senji, as you probably already know, is a special case," she explained, moving the fan as if she were telling a trivial story. "By its nature, it cannot be permanently eliminated. Let's say that... He has a contract with the cycle of reincarnation. So, technically, yes, he died. But he's on his way back."

"What does that mean exactly?"

"It means that, at this very moment, he could be reincarnating anywhere in this world," he replied, laughing softly. "Maybe as a baby, maybe as a young man in a distant village... or even like a flower, if the universe feels playful."

His light laugh infuriated me. "How can you laugh about this? It's not a game!"

"To him it is," Shiroyasha said, her golden eyes gleaming with malice. "Do you know how many times he's played this same trick? Die and reincarnate, leaving everyone else to deal with the chaos he leaves behind. Believe me, Izayoi, this is not the first time, and it will not be the last."

"Why would I?"

She shrugged, as if the answer was obvious. "Because it's Senji. He loves to see how others react, how they try to make sense of his actions. It's his way of playing with destiny."

I clenched my fists, feeling the frustration boil inside me. "And what am I supposed to do now?"

"That's up to you, little one." Shiroyasha opened his fan again, partially covering his face. "You can stay here and cry over his absence, or you can move and find him. Because I assure you that it will be somewhere... waiting."

I was silent, processing his words. Every fiber of my being wanted to scream, but I also knew I was right.

Shiroyasha took a step back, turning slightly on his heels. "Well, it's been fun to meet you, Izayoi. Now that I know what you're capable of, I have no doubt that you'll be fine. See you soon... or maybe not. It's all up to you."

"Wait," I called out to her before she could disappear. "If you're such a friend of Senji's, why don't you look for him yourself?"

She stopped and looked over her shoulder at me, with an enigmatic smile. "Because this time, the game is yours, not mine."

And with those words, Shiroyasha disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving behind only the echo of his laughter and a cloud of questions in my mind.

❅──────✧❃✧──────❅•

Two years later

In a small town surrounded by mountains and green fields in Japan, a young figure stood out under the morning sky. Among the trees that formed a serene landscape, the rhythmic sound of a wooden sword cutting through the air could be heard.

Zekka Miyamoto, a beautiful girl of just fourteen years old, trained with a dedication that exceeded her young age. His movements, though still crude, were swift and full of passion. Her dark hair was tied in a messy ponytail, while tiny beads of sweat glistened on her forehead in the sunlight.

The makeshift dojo where he practiced was made up of little more than a clearing surrounded by stones. Around him, marks on tree trunks and remains of cut bamboo testified to his constant effort.

"Musashi Miyamoto..." The name echoed in her mind, an inspiration that had prompted her to pick up a sword for the first time. Her grandmother had told her stories of the legendary swordsman, an ancestor whose legacy weighed as much as it motivated. From that day on, Zekka had decided that she would also master the art of the sword.

"Hyaaaah!"

Zekka let out a scream as he made a downward slash, his posture trembling slightly as he completed the move. He paused to catch his breath, resting the wooden sword on the ground and watching his hands redden from the effort.

"I need to be stronger..." he thought, gritted teeth. His training, although arduous, still failed to meet the expectations he had set for himself.

However, on that day something different was about to happen. A gentle breeze swept through the clearing, colder than usual, and the sound of light footsteps echoed through the trees. Zekka raised his head, alert, searching for the source of the disturbance.

From the shadow of a tree emerged a figure that Zekka would never have expected to see. A tall, slender woman with white hair and a relaxed expression was advancing towards her with an enigmatic smile. He wore a tight kimono, decorated with patterns that evoked elegance and danger, and carried two swords at his waist.

"Wow, it looks like the blood of the Miyamotos is still flowing strong," the woman said, stopping a few steps away from Zekka. "Although... looks like you need a little polishing."

Zekka instinctively stepped back, raising his wooden sword as if it were a barrier between them.

"Who are you?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady, though his eyes betrayed a mixture of surprise and distrust.

The woman bowed slightly, bringing a hand to her chest in an elegant gesture.

"I'm Miyamoto Musashi," he said in a clear and confident voice, as if those words were enough to explain everything. "And I have come here because I am curious about you, Zekka Miyamoto. Would you mind if I watched you a little?"

Zekka blinked, bewildered by the mention of his name. But more than that, the weight of that statement left her speechless.

"Miyamoto... Musashi?" she repeated, incredulous.

"That's right," the woman replied with a mischievous smile, drawing one of her swords in movements so fluid they seemed to dance in the wind. "Let's say I'm a different version of the legendary Musashi of this world. But don't worry about the details. Now, how about you show me how far you've come?"

Zekka's heart was pounding. Despite the confusion, he felt a strange connection to the woman who claimed to be Musashi Miyamoto.

"Okay," he finally said, raising his wooden sword with both hands.

Musashi adopted a relaxed posture, as if his sword was a natural extension of his body.

"Perfect," he said with a spark of excitement in his eyes. "Show me the spirit you have, Zekka Miyamoto."

❅──────✧❃✧──────❅•

The sun shone brightly on the road to Kuoh Academy, where Izayoi walked with carefree confidence, his hands behind his head, as he stared at the clear sky. Beside him, Kuroka walked forward with graceful steps, sporting a calm expression, though his eyes reflected a faint melancholy.

"You know, Nyaa~? I didn't think the day would come when Shirone and I would be so close again," Kuroka remarked, breaking the silence as she reminisced about the days with her sister, Shirone.

Izayoi let out a slight laugh, looking away from her.

"It took you quite a while, don't you think? But I would say it was worth it. At least you don't have to dodge his blows every time he sees you anymore."

Kuroka snorted, though he couldn't help but smile as he recalled his first encounters with his younger sister after years of separation.

"It was complicated... But she had every right to be mad at me. I let things fall apart between us. But thanks to you, I was able to take the first step, nyaa~."

"Well, it wasn't easy," Izayoi admitted, shrugging his shoulders. "I had to endure a lot of fights between you. I would say I even learned to dodge better because of that."

Kuroka let out a light laugh, but his eyes softened as he looked straight ahead. It had been months since she and Shirone managed to reconcile. It was a long process full of mixed emotions, but patience and persistence had played a crucial role in bringing them back together.

"I don't know what I would have done without you, Izayoi," she said, letting out a sigh. "I guess I owe you more than I can count."

Izayoi turned his head toward her, flashing his trademark confident smile.

"Well, what can I say? I am incredibly talented at solving family problems. But you don't need to thank me. The important thing is that the two became sisters again."

The silence that followed was comfortable, as they both advanced towards the imposing gates of Kuoh Academy. From a distance, the campus could be seen, with students walking around and enjoying the early morning.

They both walked through the doors of the academy, the sound of their footsteps echoing on the paved path.

Inside the Student Council office, Sona Sitri meticulously reviewed a report while Rias Gremory sat across from her, her arms crossed and her gaze calm but attentive. The two were discussing the implications of recent changes at Kuoh Academy, which had begun accepting male students for the first time.

Rias leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees.

"Sona, that boy you mentioned two years ago? The one who caught your attention for his potential... is he the same one you've been preparing for this moment?"

Sona looked up from the documents, her serious expression barely softening.

"Yes, it's him. Genshirou Saji. He has proven to be dedicated, hardworking, and most importantly, someone I can fully trust."

Rias raised an eyebrow, cracking an amused smile.

"So you finally found him worthy of a major role. I wonder how much effort you put into molding it to meet your very strict standards."

Sona adjusted her glasses with an elegant gesture, though there was a faint gleam of pride in her eyes.

"A lot, but it was worth it. Saji has exceeded all my expectations. Although he still has a lot to learn, I'm sure he'll do a great job."

Rias laughed softly, leaning back in the armchair.

"It's interesting. You always have a long-term strategy, while I let myself be carried away more by my instincts. I guess in this case, your methods work better."

Sona folded her hands on the desk, staring back at Rias.

"We both have different approaches, but our goals are similar: we want to surround ourselves with people who are really worthwhile."

Rias nodded, observing the care with which Sona spoke of Saji. It was evident how much I trusted him.

The conversation, which until now had been relaxed, took a more serious turn when Sona took the report she had been reviewing and slid it towards Rias. His expression changed to one of total concentration.

"Rias, there's something else we need to talk about."

Rias took the document and read it carefully. His eyes narrowed at the sight of the prominent name: Issei Hyoudou. But what caught his full attention was the term that appeared in bold under his name: Sekiryuutei.

"The Sekiryuutei..." Rias murmured, putting the document down on the desk. "Sona, how much do you know about him? Is it really what it seems?"

Sona nodded, her face reflecting a mixture of worry and calculation.

"Everything indicates that it is authentic. His Sacred Gear, Boosted Gear, confirms this. But there is something else: the danger it represents. We know what happened in the past in the Underworld, and the last thing we need is a mess that could unleash a similar disaster."

Rias folded her arms, her expression darkening.

"I get it. But I can't allow someone like that to enter my nobility. It's too risky. If it gets out of control or if someone uses it as a weapon against us, it would be a catastrophe. Besides, I don't need it. I already have everything my group requires."

Sona nodded slowly.

"I understand your position, and to a large extent, I share it. But we cannot ignore it. If we don't do something, another faction might recruit him. In the wrong hands, the Sekiryuutei would be an even greater threat."

Rias exhaled deeply, leaning against the back of her chair.

"So what do you plan to do? Will you recruit him to your nobility?"

Sona was silent for a moment, looking at the report in front of her. Finally, he shook his head.

"Not for now. I want to look at it first. We need to understand who he really is before making such a risky decision. I will keep a close eye on it and, if circumstances allow, make an informed decision."

Rias stood up, looking at Sona with a mixture of respect and concern.

"That sounds like something you would do. I hope you're prepared to deal with the consequences, whichever path you choose. I, for one, will stay out of this matter."

Sona nodded, saying goodbye with a steady gaze.

"Thank you, Rias. I'm sure I'll find the best way to handle it."

Rias left the office, leaving Sona deep in thought as she looked at the document. The Sekiryuutei's presence in Kuoh Academy was a significant change, and handling it properly would be a challenge for anyone.

The sun shone on the grounds of Kuoh Academy, illuminating the paths filled with students coming and going. Among them, three figures stood out for their laughter and the energy they radiated, although not necessarily for admirable reasons.

Issei Hyoudou, accompanied by his two inseparable friends, Matsuda and Motohama, walked towards the main building with expressions of pure emotion.

"Guys, this is paradise!" exclaimed Issei, raising his arms as if he were giving thanks to heaven. "Can you believe it? Girls everywhere! And now that it's mixed, we're the lucky ones who can be close to them!"

Matsuda, with a mischievous smile, adjusted his backpack and nodded.

"Of course! Did you see that first-year girl with long hair? I wonder if it would be our senpai in something other than studies."

Motohama, pushing his glasses with an almost scientific gleam in his eyes, added: "Based on my ability to calculate proportions, I can tell you that he has a perfect bust of 87 centimeters. A masterpiece!"

Issei paused for a moment, putting his hands to his head as if he were having an epiphany. This place is a dream come true! I'm sure it's my destiny to be surrounded by beautiful girls. Life begins now, guys!"

The laughter of the three echoed in the hallway as they made their way to their respective classrooms. Although most of the students around them threw them looks of disgust or embarrassment, they were too immersed in their conversation to notice.

At that instant, a female figure passed by them. Her black hair fluttered behind her, and her graceful demeanor caught the attention of everyone nearby, including Issei." Whoa! Who is that goddess?" he muttered, stopping in his tracks as his friends pushed him forward.

"Stop dreaming, Issei. First we need to survive the classes," Matsuda said with a sneer.

"Yes, but remember," Issei replied, with a determined look. "This school is my battlefield, and I don't plan to lose!"

And in that spirit, Issei took another step forward in what would be a day full of challenges, laughter and, without a doubt, problems.