To love a sword

Chapter 39: Possession

Beta read by Shigiya, Paragon of Awesomeness and FabledLife

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-Guyana, Secret Hunting Grounds- 

Rito had seen his brother fight many times before, whether it be against the Anti-Emiya Alliance members, in Lala’s games, or in his more recent and serious battles. In truth, his earliest memory of his brother was the sight of Shirou doing basic exercises every morning without fail. Back then, Rito had been nothing more than a small boy. He remembered trying to mimic his brother’s routine, only to give up when the strain made his body ache. Pain, he had quickly learned, did not suit him. The exercise routines were monotonous and difficult, and his young mind sought distractions far more colorful than doing push-ups or jogging laps.

Yet, whenever the mood struck him, he would tag along on his brother’s runs through the neighborhood. On rare occasions, even Mikan asked to join them — though halfway through, she would end up needing to be carried by one of them. 

Back then, Rito simply assumed his brother was one of those health fanatics, people who believed sweat was the currency of a good life. Someone determined to keep his body sharp for no reason beyond the simple desire to remain healthy and fit.

But as the years slipped by, Rito began to notice things he hadn’t before. The redhead was also quite gifted with the sword. The ease with which he handled himself with such weapons, even though he had never actually seen him use a bokken in the past before. The first true glimpse of that came during the duel against Rin. One-on-one during a club event where the kendo club sought to get more members—where he was the one who wanted to give it a try and had dragged Emiya along. 

Somehow, one thing after another led to him wielding a shinai and facing Rin of all people in a duel. Now he knew it was because she approached him first and outright demanded a match. He won, and with such ease it not only surprised the others but also the girl he’d fought, who since then never stopped following him, always looking for a rematch.

And then came Lala. Her sudden arrival brought with it pure chaos to say the least, some parts fun and others dangerous in equal measure. Through her, Rito saw even more of his brother’s… talents. Someone who could fight against superhuman aliens as though the laws that bound ordinary people simply didn’t apply to him. He possessed magic too… somehow, and was also quite good at it according to others.

Now that he remembered all of these, it made the boy curious.

‘How has Nii-san become this powerful?’ The question slipped into Rito’s thoughts as he stood frozen, eyes locked on the scene before him. He barely had time to process the Amazon chieftess’ voice as it thundered across the field.

“Ginga Kong, catch this man for us, and we will provide you a year’s supply of your favorite fruits and meats!”

The words left her mouth, and then it moved. The gigantic hairy figure — which for some reason wore a metal helmet — surged forward, towering higher than most of the trees on this resort. Its colossal arms swung low as it lunged for Emiya, its fingers like steel girders closing in to crush.

“Nii-san!” Rito’s voice cracked under the weight of his fear. His chest tightened as guilt clawed at him, feeling responsible for leading them into this situation in the first place. The Amazonesses had captured him first, and now his brother was about to fight a whole tribe of warrior women and a giant gorilla that was wearing a helmet. Even if he could conjure up swords, what good would they be against a creature that big?

But the moment Rito dreaded never came. Emiya slipped free of those monstrous fingers by a hairsbreadth, pivoting at just the right moment and letting those swords he held sink deep within the flesh of Kong’s fingers. Cutting through the thick skin as if it were butter. Scarlet lines bloomed across its palm, recoiling it backwards and holding its hand.