[Ding!] [Today’s superpower, Unlimited Blade Works—EMIYA Version, has been delivered.
Please remember to claim it.
We hope you have a wonderful day.] Natsuki woke to the familiar notification on Sunday morning.
A flood of information poured into his mind.
The Reality Marble known as Unlimited Blade Works—the version belonging to Emiya Shirou’s future self, Archer.
It also included Projection Magecraft and every weapon EMIYA had copied throughout his life.
“Two abilities for the price of one today?” Natsuki sat up and examined the complex magical formulas that had appeared in his mind.
A Reality Marble was one of the highest forms of magecraft in the Nasuverse, allowing a magus to manifest their inner world and overwrite reality with it.
But under the rules of Jujutsu Kaisen…
‘Isn’t this basically a Domain Expansion?’ “Manifesting an inner world and using it to overwrite reality…” Natsuki murmured to himself as he raised his right hand.
With a small shift of will, pale blue points of magical energy gathered above his palm.
“Trace on.” A short blade rapidly took shape within the glow.
Its polished edge gleamed coldly, sharp enough to cut with ease.
“The energy cost was converted by [Energy Equilibrium].” Natsuki could feel it clearly.
The magical energy normally required to perform magecraft had been replaced by the balanced power within his body.
The entire process felt smooth and natural.
He released the dagger.
Before it could hit the floor, it dissolved into specks of light.
Projected objects could be dismissed whenever he wished.
“Now let’s see the armory.” Natsuki closed his eyes and allowed his consciousness to sink into the landscape within his soul.
A barren wasteland stretched endlessly beneath a sky filled with enormous turning gears.
Countless swords and other weapons stood embedded in the earth as far as the eye could see.
Kanshou and Bakuya, Caladbolg II, Hrunting…
Replicas of Noble Phantasms filled the desolate plain.
“They may only be projections…” “But turning them into Broken Phantasms would still cause one hell of an explosion.” Natsuki opened his eyes with a faint smile.
With this ability, dealing with demons and Cursed Spirits would be much easier.
He could also channel Hamon through the projected weapons.
“And more importantly…” Natsuki glanced out the window.
“Once Unlimited Blade Works is active, I’ll have complete control of the battlefield.” “In that sense, it isn’t too different from the sure-hit advantage of a Domain Expansion.” He suddenly remembered what Gabriel had told him the day before.
The barriers between worlds had begun to fail, allowing monsters from other universes to slip through the cracks.
In that case, using magecraft from another world to fight them seemed perfectly appropriate.
A knock sounded at the door as Natsuki checked the time.
Nine fifty.
When he opened the door, Gabriel was already dressed and ready to leave.
She wore her usual sailor uniform, but this time her golden hair had been carefully brushed, and her holy radiance had returned in full force.
“Good morning, Natsuki-kun.” “Good morning, Tenma-san.” “Shall we go?” “Sure.” The two left the apartment building together.
The streets were quieter than usual for a weekend morning.
The library was only three blocks away, roughly a fifteen-minute walk.
Partway there, Gabriel suddenly spoke.
“You feel different today, Natsuki-kun.” “Hm?” “There’s something sharper about your presence.” An angel’s senses really were impressive.
Natsuki smiled.
“You could say I made some progress.” He did not elaborate.
Explaining his daily superpowers would be far too complicated.
Gabriel did not press him either.
Everyone had secrets, and she respected his privacy.
When they reached the second intersection, Natsuki suddenly stopped.
“What is it?” Gabriel followed his gaze toward a nearby park.
A boy stood among the trees wearing a dark navy high-collared uniform, matching loose trousers, and brown shoes.
His spiky black hair immediately stood out.
At first glance, he looked exactly like the sort of delinquent most people would avoid.
The boy was scanning the area while a shikigami resembling an enormous owl circled overhead.
Nue, one of the shikigami summoned through the Ten Shadows Technique.
Ordinary people could not see it, but Natsuki and Gabriel could make it out perfectly.
“A jujutsu sorcerer?” Natsuki raised an eyebrow.
It was hardly surprising.
If Cursed Spirits existed in this world naturally rather than arriving from somewhere else like the demons, then characters from Jujutsu Kaisen being here made perfect sense.
Fushiguro Megumi the potential man…
He was certainly a complicated one.
When Sukuna took over his body, Megumi had given up after the death of his sister, Fushiguro Tsumiki.
Then, after the others nearly died trying to save him, he finally chose to fight back and declared that he wanted to live.
For some reason, Natsuki still remembered that part of the story vividly even after spending so many years in this world.
That was probably another benefit of [Photographic Memory].
His memories from his previous life had been preserved like a vast mental archive, ready for him to access whenever he wished.
Gabriel nodded.
“He probably is.” The boy seemed to sense their attention and turned toward them.
His gaze lingered on Natsuki for a moment before he walked straight over.
“You can see it, can’t you?” He got straight to the point, his voice calm and even.
“Yeah.” Natsuki admitted it without hesitation.
“I’m Fushiguro Megumi, a first-year student at Tokyo Jujutsu High.” The boy introduced himself with little ceremony.
“I’m carrying out a mission nearby.” “A mission?” “I’m tracking a Grade 2 Cursed Spirit.” Megumi glanced toward the deeper part of the park.
“It escaped into this area.” “Do you need help?” Natsuki asked.
Megumi studied him briefly.
“You aren’t a jujutsu sorcerer.” “But you possess an unusual ability.
I sensed a powerful technique from you a moment ago.” Natsuki raised an eyebrow.
As expected of the Zenin clan’s inheritor of the Ten Shadows Technique, his perception was excellent.
“Something like that.” Natsuki saw no reason to deny it.
“Where’s the Cursed Spirit?” “In the woods on the north side of the park.” Megumi brought his hands together in a seal.
“But I’ve already found it.” “Divine Dogs!” Two canine shikigami, one black and one white, emerged from his shadow and raced toward the trees.
Natsuki and Gabriel exchanged a glance before following him.
Deep in the woods, a spider-like Cursed Spirit clung to the trunk of a tree, all eight of its compound eyes gleaming with malice.
“A Grade 2 spider-type Cursed Spirit,” Megumi assessed calmly.
“It uses traps and venom.” “Divine Dogs, attack!” The black and white hounds lunged at the creature.
The Cursed Spirit spat out thick strands of white silk, attempting to bind the shikigami.
The two sides quickly became locked in a struggle.
“Are you going to help, Natsuki-kun?” Gabriel asked softly.
“I might as well test my new ability.” Natsuki stepped forward and raised his right hand.
“Trace on.” Points of magical light gathered together, forming a long black bow in his hand.
An arrow appeared next.
“Caladbolg II.” Spiraling patterns twisted along the shaft.
Natsuki drew the bowstring.
He took aim—And fired.
The arrow tore through the air like a streak of light and struck the Cursed Spirit directly in the head.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion shook the woods.
The Cursed Spirit was annihilated instantly!
Megumi dismissed his shikigami and looked at the black bow in Natsuki’s hand.
“A construction-type technique?” “Close enough,” Natsuki replied with a smile.
Megumi nodded, though a flicker of surprise passed through his eyes.
Natsuki released the projection, and the bow dissolved into motes of light.
“The mission is complete.
I should get going.” Megumi withdrew his shikigami.
“Thanks for the help.” “No problem.” Natsuki nodded.
Megumi turned to leave, but after taking a few steps, he looked back.
“If you encounter another Cursed Spirit, you can contact me.” He held out a slip of paper with a phone number written on it.
“Fushiguro Megumi, Tokyo Jujutsu High.” “Got it.” Natsuki accepted the note and watched him disappear around the corner.
Gabriel stepped closer.
“Did you know him?” “That was the first time we’ve met.” “He seemed rather interested in you.” “Probably because of my ability.” Natsuki tucked the note away.
“Come on.
The library is about to open.” They continued on their way.
Ten minutes later, they arrived at the municipal library, a three-story building with a large and varied collection.
Gabriel stopped in the section dedicated to folklore and culture and began searching through the shelves.
Natsuki picked out a few books that caught his interest and settled down to read.
A little while later, Gabriel returned carrying a stack of books.
“Natsuki-kun, I found them.” Her eyes shone with excitement.
“These have detailed records of human festivals and customs!” “And these explain how folktales and mythology changed over time…” “Looks like you found plenty.” Natsuki smiled.
“Mm!” Gabriel nodded enthusiastically.
“These will be very useful for my angelic studies.” The two sat down together in the reading room and quietly worked through their books.
Warm sunlight streamed through the windows and spilled across the open pages as the hours passed peacefully.
…
It was already afternoon when they left the library.
On the way back to the apartment, Natsuki suddenly remembered something.
“Tenma-san.” “Mm?” “You said before that I had the potential to become a Guardian of Human Order.” “What exactly is a Guardian of Human Order?” Gabriel stopped walking and looked at him with her blue-gray eyes.
“So you finally decided to ask.” “I was curious.” “Well…” She paused to carefully choose her words.
“Guardians of Human Order are special individuals who protect the continuation of human history.” “They appear whenever the world faces a major crisis.” “A crisis?” “Mm.
Something like the Incineration of Humanity…
or an invasion by the Foreign God.” Gabriel’s expression became serious.
“But those threats are still far in the future.” “For now, all you need to do is become stronger.” “I see.” Natsuki fell into thought.
This world was clearly far deeper and more dangerous than he had imagined.
Still, that was fine.
He received a new superpower every day.
Eventually, he would become strong enough to uncover the truth for himself.
“It looks like it’s going to rain.” Gabriel looked up at the sky, where dark clouds were beginning to gather.
“Let’s head back.” “Right.” They quickened their pace.
The first drops began to fall just as they reached the apartment building.
“We made it in time.” Gabriel sighed with relief.
“See you tomorrow, Natsuki-kun.” “See you tomorrow.” Natsuki returned to apartment 302 and closed the door behind him.
Standing before the window, he watched the rain pour down outside.
He slowly raised his right hand.
“I am the bone of my sword.” Pale blue energy gathered above his palm as he quietly began the incantation.
Projection—Begin!