Amakusa Shirou
Let's Talk About Saving the World
Narration:
The act of saving someone is arrogant by nature.
Narration:
But unless one accepts that arrogance, one cannot hope to help others.
Narration:
Saving someone is a simple act.
One simply needs to sincerely care about others.
Narration:
But then, what about saving the world?
Narration:
I thought I understood what that involved, but perhaps I do not have the answer at all.
Narration:
What's necessary is uncompromisable power.
Narration:
The power of salvation that would equally save, with ruthless efficiency, everything in this world.
Narration:
Of course, I answered this summon for the purpose of saving humanity.
Narration:
But somewhere in my heart I'm searching for that power.
Narration:
...That's right. The ruthless salvation that is the Holy Grail.
Mash:
...Take this!
Mash:
Enemies eliminated. Good work.
Dr. Roman:
Understood. Please keep moving forward.
Dr. Roman:
After the Incineration of Humanity, we can't ignore even a small Singularity.
Dr. Roman:
I know you're busy, but destroying them when they're small is much more effective.
Mash:
Yes, both Master and I agree.
Mash:
This time, Amakusa is helping us, so we should be fine.
Amakusa Shirou:
Please think nothing of it. A Servant that only speaks in irony would have been finished long ago.
Amakusa Shirou:
Make full use of me.
Mash:
Doctor, are we going the right way?
Dr. Roman:
Of course. Once you're through that forest you'll find a cave.
Fujimaru 1:
Let's hurry!
Amakusa Shirou:
Please calm down, Master.
Easy does it.
Amakusa Shirou:
Patience is important as well.
I've been patient for 60 years, so I can be sure of it.
Mash:
...60 years?
Fujimaru 2:
Let's take it easy.
Amakusa Shirou:
That's the right answer, Master.
Hurrying won't lead to good results.
Amakusa Shirou:
...Especially in this unknown forest. We should be cautious since we don't know what lives here.
Dr. Roman:
I've been meaning to ask.
Amakusa, why do you use Black Keys?
Dr. Roman:
They didn't exist in the place and time you were alive in, right?
Fujimaru 1:
The black what?
Fujimaru 2:
The Black Keys?
Dr. Roman:
They're the Holy Church's Craft Essence. I don't know the details, but it's some kind of ranged weapon that uses Bible fragments.
Dr. Roman:
There's no record of you belonging to the Holy Church, and that technology hadn't been imported into Japan at that time...
Amakusa Shirou:
Oh, it's simple.
Amakusa Shirou:
I incarnated during a certain Holy Grail War, then joined the Holy Church after.
Mash:
Wha–
Dr. Roman:
You what!?
Mash:
You incarnated...? There are records of some Servants have been incarnated through the power of the Grail, but...
Amakusa Shirou:
But what I just described contradicts the records in this world. Perhaps what I went through was some occurrence brought forth by an impossible process.
Amakusa Shirou:
Even so, this form is without a doubt my most useful form as a Servant.
Amakusa Shirou:
Normally, I am a third-rate Servant who can't even become a Ruler.
Amakusa Shirou:
The best I could possibly hope for is to be a Caster.
Fujimaru 1:
Maybe you could get Medea to teach you?
Amakusa Shirou:
Hahahaha.
No way. I'd die.
Amakusa Shirou:
Mages from the Age of Gods are like... Well, if they are a motorcycle, modern mages like us would be regular bicycles.
Amakusa Shirou:
Besides, I'm probably more of a simple spellcaster.
Amakusa Shirou:
I don't treat magecraft as something mystical.
To me, it's just useful.
Amakusa Shirou:
...Well, it seems like there are other Servants who feel the same way.
Fujimaru 2:
Maybe you could get Edison to teach you?
Amakusa Shirou:
Edison, huh...
Amakusa Shirou:
...
...
Amakusa Shirou:
I just got an epiphany where a “Shin Amakusa Shirou,” conceptually improved with Rocket Arms, is revealed...
Dr. Roman:
But if you don't have the right to be summoned as a Ruler, how can you appear as a Ruler now?
Amakusa Shirou:
Oh, it's simple.
Amakusa Shirou:
Because, in the Holy Grail War where I was incarnated, my Master broke the rules.
Amakusa Shirou:
Normally Rulers are an eighth class. Their role is to mediate the Holy Grail War; their Master is the Grail itself.
Amakusa Shirou:
It is a Ruler's duty to remain neutral.
Amakusa Shirou:
...But my Master ignored all that and tried to summon one directly. Master wanted to win the war, see.
Amakusa Shirou:
A normal Ruler, summoned during a regular Holy Grail War, possesses Command Spells that affect all participating Servants.
Amakusa Shirou:
...Spells so powerful they can even be used to order Servants to commit suicide.
Amakusa Shirou:
As such, making a Ruler into a familiar would, in my Master's eyes, guarantee victory in the war.
Amakusa Shirou:
...And so that's what my Master did–with me. My summoning as a Ruler was a violation of the rules. It shouldn't have happened.
Amakusa Shirou:
...But because it did, I was able to be summoned as a Ruler from there on out. I suppose I gained that right.
Amakusa Shirou:
Of course, unless it's an urgent matter such as restoring humanity, it's almost impossible to summon me...
Dr. Roman:
I see.
Dr. Roman:
...So you weren't summoned as a Ruler because you naturally had the right.
Dr. Roman:
You were summoned as one because there was a precedence from some other time.
Dr. Roman:
So then if that is the story, regardless to the particulars, it established a pathway to call you in this form again.
Dr. Roman:
The second summoning was probably much easier.
Amakusa Shirou:
I couldn't win the Holy Grail War I participated in, but through a series of coincidences I gained a physical body.
Amakusa Shirou:
...Oh! It looks like this is not the time to be talking about the past.
Dr. Roman:
Oops, I was so invested in the story I stopped paying attention!
Dr. Roman:
Yeah... Incoming enemies! Watch out!
Mash:
Doctor, you're a little late!
--BATTLE--:
Amakusa Shirou:
To be honest, I've never performed any miracles.
Mash:
I-Is that so?
Mash:
But legends unmistakably state that Amakusa Shirou performed miracles...
Amakusa Shirou:
In that sense... Yes, I performed something magical.
Amakusa Shirou:
But I did that subconsciously. My own body didn't realize what it was doing.
Amakusa Shirou:
But faith is a strange thing. After I died and became a Heroic Spirit, I was able to perform miracles.
Amakusa Shirou:
By miracles, I mean my original Noble Phantasms, “Right Hand - Evil Eater” and “Left Hand - Xanadu Matrix.”
Fujimaru 1:
I'm getting an Immortal Chaos Brigade vibe.
Amakusa Shirou:
Yes, you have the right idea.
Fou:
Fou!?
Amakusa Shirou:
Hehehe, I do feel a strange sympathy towards Sakata Kintoki and Fuuma Kotarou.
Amakusa Shirou:
I invited Lu Bu too, but...
Lu Bu:
!!!!
Sakata Kintoki:
I see. That's pretty golden!
Fuuma Kotarou:
Kintoki, what did Lu Bu say?
Sakata Kintoki:
Well...
Sakata Kintoki:
“Unfortunately, my Noble Phantasm's name is art, brought to life with strong will and passion. It cannot be changed.”
Sakata Kintoki:
Lame!
Amakusa Shirou:
So I couldn't get Lu Bu to join.
What a shame.
Dr. Roman:
Hahaha. I see Chaldea's Servants are developing some relationships we don't know about.
Dr. Roman:
Something tells me that's no laughing matter... But I suppose it's a good thing if it makes it easier to work together!
Dr. Roman:
...Still, I'm surprised to learn that Amakusa Shirou was a spellcaster.
Dr. Roman:
And by “spellcaster,” I suppose you mean you never actually learned magecraft properly, correct?
Amakusa Shirou:
Yes. It was one of those very rare natural occurrences.
Amakusa Shirou:
I was born with the ability to use magecraft.
However, no one around me could tell its true nature...
Amakusa Shirou:
And so I was worshipped as a miracle.
Amakusa Shirou:
Perhaps Mori Souiken kept the rumors from spreading too far.
Amakusa Shirou:
At this point, there's no way to know the truth...
Dr. Roman:
From what you're telling me about your magecraft and its uniqueness, the Mage's Association at the time wouldn't have let you be, no.
Amakusa Shirou:
In any case, it was all in the past–when I was alive. For now, let's focus on saving this world.
Fujimaru 1:
Do you want to save the world?
Amakusa Shirou:
Yes. I will save everyone. No matter what atrocities they may have committed.
Mash:
You really are a saint...
Amakusa Shirou:
No, I'm not. Besides, I'm not recognized as one by the Church.
Amakusa Shirou:
I try to be one. However, there are things I must let go of in order to reach that point.
Amakusa Shirou:
...Hatred. As long as I have hatred in my heart, I will never be a saint.
Amakusa Shirou:
Of course, some people, like Jeanne d'Arc, are basically born saints.
Mash:
Jeanne doesn't seem to think of herself as a saint.
Mash:
I hear people teasing her about that sometimes.
Amakusa Shirou:
How she sees herself and how others see her are two different things.
Amakusa Shirou:
No matter what she believes, I believe she is a saint.
Amakusa Shirou:
...Of course, she probably wishes I didn't.
Dr. Roman:
Come to think of it, are you related to Jeanne d'Arc somehow?
Dr. Roman:
You're both Rulers, but you don't seem to get along too well.
Amakusa Shirou:
Oh, that's...
Amakusa Shirou:
...I'll keep that a secret.
It has to do with both of our core beliefs.
Fou:
...Fou!?
Dr. Roman:
Wait! The Singularity in that cave is rapidly establishing itself!
Dr. Roman:
It's fast... What is this!?
Hurry! Something bad is happening!
Amakusa Shirou:
...!
Mash:
This is...!
Dr. Roman:
A tainted Grail!?
What's this doing here?
Dr. Roman:
Be careful! The black mud coming out of it corrupts Servants!
Amakusa Shirou:
...Hmm.
Amakusa Shirou:
Calm down, please.
We can just blow it away before it establishes itself.
Mash:
Th-That's true, but...!
Fujimaru 1:
How?
Amakusa Shirou:
With Noble Phantasms, of course.
It will be a race against time, but...
???:
I won't let you do it, Ruler...!
This Grail is mine!
Fujimaru 1:
A human...!?
Dr. Roman:
No! That's no human!
Dr. Roman:
It's a remnant of a record, created by the Grail mud!
Fujimaru 2:
Nurarihyon...!?
Dr. Roman:
No, no. No, no, no.
What would a Japanese monster be doing here?
Dr. Roman:
It's probably the remnants of a record created by the Grail mud.
Dr. Roman:
...Not exactly a common occurrence, but anyway...!
Just don't hold back against it!
Amakusa Shirou:
Oh, it's possible it's someone I fought during the Holy Grail War. But I'm sorry, I don't remember that well.
Amakusa Shirou:
But if he's here...
???:
You... You want this too, don't you! If this Grail fully forms, it will be a powerful weapon!
???:
One that surpasses the Fuyuki Grail!
Amakusa Shirou:
...Master, let's destroy him.
Talking to him is a waste of time.
Amakusa Shirou:
Here we go!
--BATTLE--:
Mash:
Enemy defeated.
Confirmed elimination.
Dr. Roman:
Whoa, whoa! Hurry! The Pseudo-Grail's like a volcano about to explode!
Dr. Roman:
As soon as it explodes, it will properly establish itself as a Holy Grail.
Amakusa Shirou:
Activating Noble Phantasm.
Please stand back.
Dr. Roman:
...Something else came out of the mud!
Amakusa Shirou:
They just keep coming...!
???:
Hey pretty boy.
Is this my first time meeting you? It is, right?
???:
I'm a sewer rat, born from the mud.
I got no business with a saint!
???:
But... I see.
I can see you've led a hard life.
???:
That Heroic Spirit smell you're giving off is pretty damn close to my own!
???:
And that exhaustion you just can't shake? Clear as day! That tired state of mind leaves you open to danger...
???:
...but I guess we can't help it!
???:
You chose to go through all that!
Nobody will sympathize with you!
Amakusa Shirou:
You're right. I have no intention of seeking sympathy.
If anything, I am the one who sympathizes with others.
???:
Seriously? Damn, you think just like our new recruit!
???:
An iron will... No, more like the power to get things done, eh? I'm weak to that stuff. In the sense that it makes me want to puke.
???:
So...? My being born means that someone here wants this Grail...
???:
Who is it? Who's the tasteless human?
You?
Fujimaru 1:
No way.
???:
I know, right!?
I mean, didn't think it'd be you!
???:
And it's not that delicious tender-looking Servant over there, either.
Mash:
Tender-looking?
???:
Which leaves... Hey now, saint.
???:
Are you serious about joining our side?
Only bad guys want the Grail. Everyone knows that.
Mash:
Huh...?
A-Amakusa?
Dr. Roman:
Hahahaha.
Hey, you're kidding me.
Dr. Roman:
...Amakusa?
Amakusa Shirou:
...Don't worry about me.
I know how to deal with Grails.
Amakusa Shirou:
I will take this Grail and make good use of it.
Dr. Roman:
What... Are you insane!?
That's highly corrupted matter!
Dr. Roman:
Even the resistance power of a Ruler has its limits!
Dr. Roman:
You'll be corrupted instantly!
Amakusa Shirou:
Yes, I'm well aware of that.
Amakusa Shirou:
But even if it means taking risks...
I can't give up on saving the world.
Amakusa Shirou:
So I'll try to do so every chance I get.
???:
Wait a minute... You want to use the power of destruction to save the world? You might as well start the doomsday clock right now.
???:
No human, good or evil, can handle the power to save the world.
???:
Right, Master?
Did my words move you?
Fujimaru 1:
I suppose so.
???:
Right???
Fujimaru 2:
Since when were we friends?
???:
Hey now! You may have a point, but still, that hurts!
Amakusa Shirou:
...That mud is right. However, not giving up in the face of adversity is exact what's necessary for salvation.
Amakusa Shirou:
Master, please decide.
Amakusa Shirou:
Will you let me take care of this incomplete Grail?
Fujimaru 1:
Nope.
Amakusa Shirou:
...I figured.
Then I'm sorry, but...
Fujimaru 2:
...Sorry.
Amakusa Shirou:
I see.
That leaves me no choice.
Amakusa Shirou:
In that case, let's have ourselves a good old-fashioned Holy Grail War. Winner takes all.
???:
Hahahahaha!
Man, you really are like our new recruit!
???:
Especially the way you'll do whatever it takes!
???:
But our black-caped recruit always puts so much effort into aesthetics.
???:
You're colder, and more efficient. Which makes you impossible to persuade.
???:
Master, you're gonna have to defeat him.
???:
And when a Ruler gets out of hand, what you need is an Avenger to stop them!
???:
Lucky you! You won the chance to try out a rare dark Servant!
???:
I won't last the night anyway.
Might as well die in style!
???:
Let's go, Boss!
--BATTLE--:
Amakusa Shirou:
...It seems... I'm the one who lost this fight.
Mash:
But the Grail...!
Dr. Roman:
This is bad. I'm getting you all out of there now!
Dr. Roman:
Without a way to destroy it, you have no choice but to evacuate...!
Amakusa Shirou:
No, I will destroy it. Now that I've lost, this is my way of taking responsibility.
Amakusa Shirou:
...My conversation with you was worthwhile,
Aŋra Mainiiu. Farewell.
Aŋra Mainiiu:
Yeah? If it helped you vent a bit, then I guess it was worth the risk.
Aŋra Mainiiu:
I'll let you clean up after yourselves. I'm a slacker at heart, you know. Don't go knocking on my door too often!
Amakusa Shirou:
Activating Noble Phantasm.
Twin Arm - Big Crunch...!
Dr. Roman:
...That was a close one.
Amakusa Shirou:
Indeed. But unfortunately, I don't feel bad at all.
Dr. Roman:
Now then... Fujimaru, you're his Master.
Dr. Roman:
Since he's rebelled against you, it's up to you to decide on his punishment.
Amakusa Shirou:
...
Fujimaru 1:
Rain check.
Fujimaru 2:
Just don't do it again.
Amakusa Shirou:
Is that all?
Dr. Roman:
(Sigh) I had a feeling you'd say something like that...
Amakusa Shirou:
Master. To me, the Grail is–no, the power the Grail brings is my greatest desire.
Amakusa Shirou:
If the same thing happens again, I can say with almost certainty that I'll try once more for the Grail.
Fujimaru 1:
It can't be helped.
Amakusa Shirou:
It can't be...helped...?
Amakusa Shirou:
...Um, if it happens again, what will you do, Master?
Amakusa Shirou:
Will you stop me again?
Fujimaru 1:
Yes.
Amakusa Shirou:
I see... We'll never see eye to eye on this matter.
Fujimaru 1:
That's fine.
Amakusa Shirou:
What did you say?
Fujimaru 1:
I'll stop you as many times as it takes.
Amakusa Shirou:
As long as you're my Master, you'll stop me?
As many times...as it takes?
Amakusa Shirou:
Well, that's a problem. As a Servant, I cannot betray my Master.
Amakusa Shirou:
...Very well. As long as you're my Master, I won't pursue my dream.
Amakusa Shirou:
Even if we can't understand each other, we can fight together. Even if we must someday part, we can still hold hands.
Amakusa Shirou:
If you will believe in me like that, I swear that I won't give in to my desire.
Amakusa Shirou:
...Anyway, at least give me some form of punishment.
Amakusa Shirou:
It wouldn't sit well with me otherwise.
Fujimaru 1:
...Clean my room, or something...?
Amakusa Shirou:
Thank you, Master.
Amakusa Shirou:
I, Amakusa Shirou Tokisada, will give your room the best cleaning ever!
Let's Talk about Evil
Narration:
There is nothing helpful to be gained by separating good and evil.
Narration:
Good people miraculously cause evil to rain down upon us, and the same is true for evil people and good.
Narration:
...It is instinct itself that gets in the way of doing good. People resort to evil for all manner of reasons.
Narration:
To eat... To sleep... To escape pain... To earn praise...
To gain respect... To avoid having to think...
Narration:
To connect with others... To form bonds... To rest...
To have peace of mind... To avoid death...
Narration:
That is why, sometimes, people choose evil.
It's just not as simple as telling them to be better.
Amakusa Shirou:
...So I can't blame the samurai we fought at the Shimabara Rebellion for killing my compatriots and myself.
Amakusa Shirou:
...Of course I can never forgive them for what they did.
And I have no desire to do so.
Amakusa Shirou:
But would we have been any more merciful had the tables had been turned? I doubt it.
Amakusa Shirou:
Demanding that others do things we can't is one of mankind's worst habits.
Fujimaru 1:
Hey, so... Maybe we could talk about something else now?
Fujimaru 2:
I gotta say, this isn't really what I had in mind for tea talk.
Amakusa Shirou:
Hahaha, I can't blame you at all for feeling that way.
But I'm not about to stop now.
Fou:
Fou, fooou.
Amakusa Shirou:
There have been lots of heroes and such who have tried to resolve the problem of evil once and for all...
Amakusa Shirou:
...but unfortunately, none of them ever succeeded.
Amakusa Shirou:
Some of them went about it the wrong way...
Some of them got bogged down in the details...
Amakusa Shirou:
And some of them were mistaken about what the end result of their endeavor would be.
Amakusa Shirou:
Strangely enough, it turns out that in order to eradicate evil...
Amakusa Shirou:
...one must resort to the decidedly evil measure of sacrificing the few for the sake of the many.
Amakusa Shirou:
And of course, in doing so, such an endeavor ceases to be good.
Amakusa Shirou:
That is the part that tripped up everyone who attempted this, be they hero, genius, or otherwise.
Amakusa Shirou:
Which is exactly why you shouldn't lose heart.
After all, this is the only option you have.
Fujimaru 1:
Huh?
Amakusa Shirou:
I'm talking about the Lostbelts. You seem to be taking their loss pretty hard, after all.
Amakusa Shirou:
You may give us orders as our Master, but at the same time you also have your own orders to follow.
Fujimaru 1:
I appreciate the thought, but I can't let myself get used to this.
Amakusa Shirou:
Yes, that's true.
Amakusa Shirou:
Getting used to it would erase one of your key advantages.
Amakusa Shirou:
Most Servants are merciless, myself included.
Amakusa Shirou:
After all, whether it's for a greater cause, our country, our loved ones, or ourselves, we wield our blades.
Amakusa Shirou:
And we would never have become heroes had we not grown accustomed to fighting.
Amakusa Shirou:
But you're an ordinary person. And as long as you remain so, you'll never get used to that.
Amakusa Shirou:
One slight misstep on the path to your destination, and you could even end up with lifelong trauma.
Amakusa Shirou:
However, that willingness to hold your ground even as you get hurt, despite not being a hero...
Amakusa Shirou:
...is also why you shine so bright.
Fujimaru 1:
I...think I get it?
Amakusa Shirou:
It's fine if you don't understand everything.
Amakusa Shirou:
As long as you continue to do what you can, that's all that matters.
Fujimaru 2:
I just try to help however I can.
Amakusa Shirou:
Indeed. That's all you need to do.
Amakusa Shirou:
Simply doing what they can is all any human can hope to do.
Amakusa Shirou:
Expecting anything more requires us to stand on the shoulders of those who came before us.
Amakusa Shirou:
Oh my, look at the time. I didn't mean to go on this long. All right, I think I'd better bid you good night now.
Amakusa Shirou:
Sweet dreams.
Amakusa Shirou:
...There we go.
Amakusa Shirou:
I'm sorry, that was more than a little intentional.
I expect when [♂ he /♀️ she} goes to sleep tonight, [♂ he'll /♀️ she'll} end up wandering into the rift.
Amakusa Shirou:
I can't let [♂ him /♀️ her} depart this world now,
so I'm going to tag along and tie up some loose ends.
Amakusa Shirou:
...Luckily, it should be easy for you to carry me there, right?
Amakusa Shirou:
Thank you. Now I can finally clean up this mess.
Fujimaru 1:
What the!? Where am I!?
Amakusa Shirou:
Hello again, Master. Can you see how horribly everything is burning here?
Amakusa Shirou:
...Oh? You seem suspicious about something. It's almost as though you think I'm responsible for us being here.
Fujimaru 1:
Aren't you?
Amakusa Shirou:
Indeed, I am.
Fujimaru 2:
Aaamaaakuuusaaa!?
Amakusa Shirou:
That's me. Amakusa Shirou Tokisada, your faithful Servant.
Amakusa Shirou:
Hahaha, now you seem more suspicious than ever.
Hahaha.
Amakusa Shirou:
Unfortunately, you've every right to be.
Amakusa Shirou:
This is as much your nightmare as it is mine.
Amakusa Shirou:
Do you remember seeing this scenery before?
Fujimaru 1:
Yeah, I do. This place is–
Amakusa Shirou:
Indeed. Reality Marble: The Hell of Shimabara...
Amakusa Shirou:
The living hell you once experienced in the Shimousa Province Pseudo-Singularity.
Amakusa Shirou:
I too experienced something very similar to it back when I was alive.
Fujimaru 1:
But, why are we seeing this again now?
Amakusa Shirou:
That would be my doing. Do you remember what we talked about before bedtime?
Amakusa Shirou:
About Lostbelts, and evil, and all that jazz?
Amakusa Shirou:
It was through that talk that these memories came back to life and merged with the curses you've been accumulating.
Amakusa Shirou:
Normally, driving such curses away falls to another Servant, but tonight, I asked him to let me handle it.
Amakusa Shirou:
...So yes, this was all intentional.
I'm sorry I dragged you into it, but...
Fujimaru 1:
Oh well, I guess it's okay.
Amakusa Shirou:
Oh? You really don't mind? Even though, by all accounts, this is a fairly serious situation?
Fujimaru 1:
You had a reason for doing this, right?
Fujimaru 2:
I know you didn't do this for no reason.
Amakusa Shirou:
...
...
Amakusa Shirou:
Well, now I'm kind of embarrassed.
Amakusa Shirou:
All right, if you trust me that much, I'll go ahead and tell you everything. No more lies.
Amakusa Shirou:
But first...
Amakusa Shirou:
We need to dispose of these riffraff.
Let's talk more once this is over, shall we?
Fujimaru 1:
Sounds good!
--BATTLE--:
Amakusa Shirou:
Now then, as I was saying.
Amakusa Shirou:
Over the course of your adventures, Master, you've been unwittingly collecting some...less than desirable things.
Amakusa Shirou:
I speak of the kind of residual feelings wild beasts can only dream about. In a word: grudges.
Amakusa Shirou:
And while you may not usually be aware of them, these grudges still find ways to cause you pain.
Amakusa Shirou:
Of course, Da Vinci and the rest of Chaldea's staff do everything they can to care for your mental health...
Amakusa Shirou:
But it's just not enough.
Amakusa Shirou:
And because it's not enough, an Avenger has also been secretly helping you, even as he pretends not to care.
Amakusa Shirou:
However, there are some things that not even he can do.
Amakusa Shirou:
As you've escaped Chaldea and gone on journey after journey, you've continued to accumulate curses slowly but surely.
Amakusa Shirou:
Curses that will destroy a core part of you someday.
Amakusa Shirou:
So this time, I decided to try handling one of these...let's say karmic debts before it got too big.
Amakusa Shirou:
Left unchecked, curses can grow into dreadful, powerful things.
Amakusa Shirou:
But, if I can give this one some form of direction...
it might just change into something I desire.
Fujimaru 1:
Wait. You don't mean–
Amakusa Shirou:
I do. I've always wanted to meet this other being who called himself by my name ever since I heard about him.
Amakusa Shirou:
Now, what other name did he go by again?
Amakusa Shirou:
Ah yes. Sorcerer.
???:
Haha, hahaha. Hahahaha!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
???:
Foolish. Foolish! How incredibly foolish! I knew my Heroic Spirit self had been reduced to slaving for humanity...
???:
But I would never have dreamed he was this foolhardily ignorant!
Amakusa Shirou:
Well now, that didn't take long at all.
Amakusa Shirou:
I don't suppose you could also manifest Onriedo Castle while you're at it?
Sorcerer:
...I cannot.
Sorcerer:
All I can do now that I am a mere dreg of my former self is to recreate this very place.
Sorcerer:
But now, to my surprise...
Sorcerer:
...that [♂ boy /♀️ girl} there has chosen to throw
[♂ his /♀️ her} life away of [♂ his /♀️ her} own volition!
Sorcerer:
I was prepared to spend years–decades, if necessary–clinging to life in the darkest recesses of [♂ his /♀️ her} brain stem, but–
Amakusa Shirou:
Hahaha, I can't imagine that would have worked out for you.
Amakusa Shirou:
It would've only been a matter of time before you were discovered and scrubbed away...
Amakusa Shirou:
...or burned to ashes by a certain someone I could name.
Sorcerer:
Exactly.
Sorcerer:
A tiny mouse can never hope to defeat a tiger, after all. But now, you have committed a crime of arrogance.
Sorcerer:
One that resulted in giving me an opportunity with which to manifest my very self!
Sorcerer:
My next step will be to destroy that [♂ boy's /♀️ girl's}
mind, turn [♂ him /♀️ her} into my puppet, and then–
Fujimaru 1:
Um, am I in as much danger as it sounds like?
Amakusa Shirou:
Don't be silly. Surely you haven't forgotten that I'm here too, have you?
Amakusa Shirou:
Everything will be fine. I promise.
Amakusa Shirou:
In fact...I'll even say this.
Amakusa Shirou:
Hehe.
Amakusa Shirou:
According to my calculations...
Amakusa Shirou:
...I'm ninety-nine point nine percent sure to win!
Fujimaru 1:
Wha... Are you nuts!? You just doomed us!
Amakusa Shirou:
Oh good, you got what I meant. Excellent.
Fujimaru 2:
Why would you even voice that possibility!?
Amakusa Shirou:
Hahaha, I'm just kidding.
Amakusa Shirou:
I always wanted to say something like that once in my life.
Amakusa Shirou:
I never thought I'd get the chance to actually say it loud and proud like that.
Amakusa Shirou:
Of course, chances like that are few and far between in reality, but here...
Sorcerer:
Huh?
Sorcerer:
What in the world are you talking about?
Sorcerer:
No, never mind that. How can you be so confident!?
Sorcerer:
You think me an imposter!? Do you make light of me, as a fragment of my former self!?
Amakusa Shirou:
Not at all.
Amakusa Shirou:
I'm not making light of you in the slightest, nor do I think you're anything less than a formidable opponent.
Amakusa Shirou:
I'm just fully confident that I can beat you anyway.
Amakusa Shirou:
To be completely honest, I wasn't sure how this would go until I came face-to-face with you.
Amakusa Shirou:
But now that I have, I can say this with complete certainty:
Amakusa Shirou:
I will never end up like you.
Sorcerer:
...!
Sorcerer:
No. No, you absolutely won't!
Sorcerer:
How could you, now that you've thrown away your revenge, and forgotten these flames!?
Amakusa Shirou:
...
...
Amakusa Shirou:
You're wrong there, Avenger.
Amakusa Shirou:
I've never forgotten these flames or this hell.
Amakusa Shirou:
All I've done...is make peace with them.
Sorcerer:
Ridiculous!!!
Sorcerer:
How can you claim with a straight face that you've forgiven such cruelty? Such despair?
Sorcerer:
Are you telling me I should just forget it ever happened? That I should wash my hands of it like so much soap!?
Amakusa Shirou:
I'm afraid you've fundamentally misunderstood me, sorcerer. We may be similar, but you are definitely not me.
Amakusa Shirou:
Just because I've made my peace with it doesn't mean I've forgotten it, or my hatred.
Amakusa Shirou:
But my hatred was only reserved for mankind's sins.
Amakusa Shirou:
Then, we come to everything good in the world.
Amakusa Shirou:
Until my body completely falls apart, I'm going to keep searching for a way to purge evil and save all of humanity.
Sorcerer:
...You're no hero. You're not even a saint.
Sorcerer:
You're just broken! A half-wit chasing delusions!
There is no possible way I will fall to the likes of you!
Amakusa Shirou:
It seems we really are fundamentally the same at heart then, right down to the things we say.
Amakusa Shirou:
Which means this battle will all come down to the strength of our trump cards. All right, let's get to it, shall we?
Amakusa Shirou:
My name is Amakusa Shirou Tokisada.
Amakusa Shirou:
Though you may look like me, if I must destroy you in order to purify your curse...I won't hesitate to do so.
Sorcerer:
...!
Sorcerer:
Very well then! If you truly think you're capable of it, then go ahead and try!!!
--BATTLE--:
Sorcerer:
You... You bastaaaaaard! You're nothing but a damn hypocrite pretending to be a good Samaritan!
Amakusa Shirou:
Well, I can't say you're wrong there.
Amakusa Shirou:
But...it's still better than going around doing evil while not even trying to pretend otherwise, don't you think?
Sorcerer:
Why!? Why don't you loathe them!?
Why don't you despise them!?
Sorcerer:
I have every right to hate the Tokugawa family! Shimabara was hell on earth, in every sense of the word!
Sorcerer:
Ordering their starving citizens to die...
Killing mothers in front of their children...
Sorcerer:
The Tokugawas exploited us mercilessly for years on end! And you would have me forgive them!?
Amakusa Shirou:
Yes, it was hell on earth. Which is why I'm going to make damn sure it never happens again.
Amakusa Shirou:
My goal is to save all of humanity and usher in an era of permanent peace.
Amakusa Shirou:
I'll admit...your grudge is not without merit.
Amakusa Shirou:
That anger and hatred are like scars carved into my Spirit Origin. I'll never be entirely free of them.
Amakusa Shirou:
In that sense, the only difference between you and me is that you're still giving them voice.
Amakusa Shirou:
But when it comes to hurting my Master,
our goals couldn't be further apart.
Sorcerer:
...I see...
Sorcerer:
But...that doesn't mean I'm about to give up!
Sorcerer:
I will never lose to the likes of you! Never!
Amakusa Shirou:
This is as far as that spirit of yours goes, sorcerer.
Come. Let's finish this.
Sorcerer:
...
...
Amakusa Shirou:
...
...
Narration:
...In strength, skill, and striking distance, they were each practically identical. Between two such opponents, a single ordinary strike could render all their prior injuries meaningless.
Narration:
Given that their fortune, compassion,
and resolve were each perfectly matched...
Narration:
...victory would go to the one with greater determination.
Sorcerer:
...
...
Amakusa Shirou:
...Phew. For all my big talk, that turned out to be disturbingly close.
Fujimaru 1:
So...that sorcerer was you?
Fujimaru 2:
Was he another way you could have gone?
Amakusa Shirou:
Yes, I suppose so.
Amakusa Shirou:
In my case, I just happened to end up with a mission to save all of humanity.
Amakusa Shirou:
But if I had never found that mission, and continued to nurture my hatred...I may well have ended up like him.
Amakusa Shirou:
Or perhaps he's simply another side of me who could have been summoned under different circumstances.
Amakusa Shirou:
But either way, that's just an empty hypothesis now.
Amakusa Shirou:
For my part, I've never forgotten that promise.
Amakusa Shirou:
“Even if we can't understand each other, we can fight together. Even if we must someday part, we can still hold hands.”
Amakusa Shirou:
While I am still trying to save all of humanity, my vow to you comes first.
Amakusa Shirou:
You know...
Amakusa Shirou:
...that sorcerer's purity may be the same quality I just lost in myself.
Fujimaru 1:
Even though you're clearly having fun?
Amakusa Shirou:
Ah, you'll have to forgive me for that.
Amakusa Shirou:
Let's just say that in losing some things, we gain others.
Fujimaru 2:
But you're okay with that, right?
Amakusa Shirou:
Of course.
Amakusa Shirou:
If I wasn't, I would have left right after humanity had been restored.
Amakusa Shirou:
Now then, Master, give me your hand, and let's wake up from this nightmare together.
Narration:
Some time later...
Amakusa Shirou:
All right, the library is nice and organized. Now I just have to go through the things from Chaldea that have been left lying around...
Inshun:
Pardon me, Lord Amakusa.
Amakusa Shirou:
Oh, hello, Lord Houzouin. What can I do for you?
Inshun:
Well...
Inshun:
...I'm just about to have a sparring session with Lord Yagyu in the combat simulator.
Amakusa Shirou:
I see. But I'm afraid I'm not sure what that has to do with me...?
Inshun:
I'm getting to that. Would you mind if I copied your catchphrase during our duel?
Amakusa Shirou:
My catchphrase?
Amakusa Shirou:
...Oh no!
Inshun:
I'm ninety-nine point nine percent sure to win!!!
Amakusa Shirou:
Khh...!
Amakusa Shirou:
H-hearing it from someone else's mouth is even more devastating than I'd imagined!
Amakusa Shirou:
Wait, hang on. How do you even know about that? On second thought, don't tell me.
Amakusa Shirou:
It was Master, wasn't it? Hehehe, I can't believe
[♂ he /♀️ she} of all people would blab about that!
Amakusa Shirou:
...On third thought, I absolutely can! Dammit!
I knew I should have paid [♂ him /♀️ her} to keep [♂ his /♀️ her} mouth shut!
Inshun:
Well...
Inshun:
I believe all will be clear once you pay a visit to the cafeteria.
Amakusa Shirou:
The cafeteria!? Crap! I'll go there right now!
Inshun:
...Alas, I'm afraid it may already be too late.
Fujimaru 1:
Then he held up his sword and said this!
Fujimaru 2:
“I'm ninety-nine point nine percent sure to win!”
Amakusa Shirou:
Gaaah! I'm too late!
Sakata Kintoki:
Damn, Amakusa, that's really golden!
Fuuma Kotarou:
I'm so sorry, Amakusa.
Fuuma Kotarou:
I confess I may have been a bit wary around you, especially since the Shimousa incident.
Fuuma Kotarou:
I had no idea you were capable of saying something like that so earnestly. On behalf of the Fuuma clan, I apologize for my misconception. That was indeed worthy of praise.
Jack:
That's so cool! We wanna say it too!
Jack:
“We're ninety-nine point nine percent sure to win!”
Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
That's so logical of you to account for the remote possibility that you might lose, Mentor!
Jeanne Alter Santa Lily:
I want to be ninety-nine point nine percent sure of winning too! What's the trick? Is it glasses? Do I need glasses!?
Osakabehime:
I'm still amazed you actually won after saying something like that.
Osakabehime:
I mean, that kind of line is just begging for dramatic irony to come and smack you down!
Osakabehime:
Still, it's so good that I absolutely have to use it in my next book. Arigathanks for the inspiration!
Amakusa Shirou:
How could I let this happen!?
Semiramis:
Hmm, interesting. Veeery interesting.
Semiramis:
Being cool and collected is all well and good, but in your case, you always use your smile as a mask to hide your true feelings.
Semiramis:
I never thought I would see you panic with such urgency. This has been most entertaining.
Amakusa Shirou:
Not you too!
Semiramis:
What is wrong with it, Amakusa Shirou?
Semiramis:
“I'm ninety-nine point nine percent sure to win!”
Semiramis:
Yes, I have taken a liking to it as well. I think I will continue to say it for the time being.
Amakusa Shirou:
Please don't...
Semiramis:
Oh, worry not. These sorts of fads die as quickly as they begin. You need merely suffer humiliation until this one blows over.
Amakusa Shirou:
(Sigh)... I guess you're right.
Amakusa Shirou:
I'll just have to chalk this up as another punishment to endure.
Amakusa Shirou:
...
...
Amakusa Shirou:
Besides, to be honest...
Amakusa Shirou:
I still can't entirely deny that catchphrase's sheer coolness.
Semiramis:
Hm? Did you say something?
Amakusa Shirou:
Oh, it's nothing.
Amakusa Shirou:
Ninety-nine point nine percent...nothing at all!