Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Due to the nature of the Photonic Abyss, finding someone else wasn’t a difficult feat to achieve. The abyss itself was an endless virtual space, but, unless someone was nearby, it didn’t simulate an environment or its Laws, reducing waste and saving processing power. Thus, it was only when people inside that the environment began to change, perfectly adapting to suit the entities within, even allowing fish to swim around in the air as if it were water.

As a result of the phantasmal nature of the Photonic Abyss, it was possible to find other people by simply following the existing paths. Though these paths could be unstable, often as a result of the various Attack Programs that aimlessly wandering about, anyone with the capabilities to clear the path could quickly find other people. Everything was connected, one way or another.

With his unique Skill, [Nameless Hero:EX], derived from the fact his ’original’ was never inscribed on the Throne of Heroes, Shirou was able to functionally erase his existence from the perception of others. The only people this Skill didn’t work well against were those who knew the original, as, despite Alaya having erased his existence from the world, their Od allowed them to remember he existed. This was the reason he had needed Musashi and Caenis to serve as a distraction during the previous operation, as, the moment he got anywhere near Artoria, she would undoubtedly be able to sense his presence.

Due to the nature of his Skill, Shirou was able to ’walk’ right past massive Attack Programs, some the size of blue whales, without drawing any attention. He would only be revealed if he decided to attack, but, knowing Caenis needed something to relieve her stress, he elected to leave them be as he searched for the location of Jason and his other allies. Dealing with him before Caenis could cause a conflict would save them a lot of trouble.

Fortunately, while the Photonic Abyss was functionally infinite, it took less than an hour before he discovered the first landmark, a dirt path that seemed to float atop nothingness. It had several red Torii-style gateways, leading to what appeared to be an ancient Japanese city in the distance. This caused Shirou to manifest, his body forming together in an instant as he considered following the path or taking a detour. He knew full-well that Jason couldn’t be found along the left path, but, as he needed to convince everyone, starting with those closest to him wasn’t a bad idea.

As he considered his options, Shirou heard the sound of feathers ruffling in the wind, followed by a swift pitter-patter of footsteps. Then, appearing from atop the nearest Torii, a petite young girl, standing at only 130cm in height, jumped down, landing silently on the ground. When she raised her head to stare back at him, Shirou smiled awkwardly before saying, "Benienma...it is good to see you again. How are Raikou and the others?"

In response to Shirou’s greeting, the young girl, wearing a modified kimono that seemed to be formed of large feathers, perked up slightly before bowing politely and saying, "Shirou-dono, I am pleased to see you in good health. Have you come to stay the night or were you intending to send a message to Raikou-sama? I just opened an Enma-tei so you can be my first customer, free of charge."

Since Benienma had the ability to see through lies, Shirou knew better than to try and deceive her. She didn’t carry around a katana that was longer than she was tall for decorative purposes, so, if you intended to deceive her, you needed to prepare yourself both mentally and physically.

Though Benienma had the appearance of a child, she was actually a yokai, an Oni Spirit that had existed since 1885. She had burgundy hair, cut short to frame her face, with a long ponytail that was impossibly straight and flat, transitioning from burgundy to gold at the end. To prove that she wasn’t human, she had a sparrow’s beak poking out between her bangs, while, seated in the hat atop her head, a rather creepy ’sparrow’, stared unblinkingly at anyone speaking to Benienma. It had a rounded, ball-like, body matching the color of Benienma’s hair, and glowing red eyes set in an abyssal black circle that also housed its metallic black beak...

While Benienma’s peculiar appearance stood out quite a bit, especially with a long katana at her side, what truly made her stand out were her clothes. She was wearing a smock-like kimono that only reached her waist. Beneath that, she wore a too-short black skirt, but, to protect her dignity, she also had a pair of form-fitting hot pants on underneath. As for the rest of her outfit, she wore a feathered mantle that extended into two large sleeves, much like a pair of wings. To complete the outfit, she also wore an apron made from several layers of white downy feathers, finishing things off with a pair of black geta that artificially increased her height from 130cm to 135cm.

Overall, Benienma was a very adorable ’creature’, so long as you ignored her milky-white pupils, how the beak on her head would periodically open, and the persistent gaze of demonic sparrow that nested within her hat. These things made it readily apparent that Benienma wasn’t a human, a lesson many had, unfortunately, learned the hard way. If you weren’t aware of her true nature and ended up telling a lie, she would either shave off a portion of your skin or, depending on the nature of the lie, attempt to slice off your tongue. This was the manifestation of her legend as the Shitakiri-Suzume, the ’Tongue-Cut Sparrow’.

Though he was confident in being able to escape, Shirou wasn’t all that fond of lying in the first place, so, with a wry smile on his face, he explained, "I was actually searching for Jason. I don’t mind paying a visit to your Enma-tei, but it will have to wait until I finish my other business."

Hearing Shirou’s response, Benienma showed a slightly saddened expression as she muttered, "I see..." in a deflated tone. Immediately afterward, she turned tail, leaping up to the top of the Torii and scampering away with such speed it was nearly impossible to follow her movements. Despite this, her voice still reached his ears without any issues, adding, "I will prepare a room and keep the bath warm in preparation for your visit."

While it wasn’t that noticeable when you were talking to her, as she spoke with minimal mouth movements, the most peculiar part of Benienma was that she could speak coherently, despite the lack of a tongue. She had the [Ventriloquism: EX] Skill, allowing her voice to carry vast distances without any interference from things like wind or, in the most extreme cases, physical barriers. She could use this to easily catch opponents by surprise, making use of her A++ Rank Agility to strike them before they realized her true location.

If he were being honest, Shirou was a little perturbed by all the girls that had been summoned using Raikou, herself, as a catalyst. They were all a type of Yokai, giving them a myriad of strange, and often lethal, abilities. One, Shuten-douji, even had the ability to phase her hands through any person that had ingested her alcohol, removing their bones while leaving their organs and blood vessels completely intact. It was a terrifying ability that made anyone think twice about sampling the ’Demonic Dragon’s Wine’ she was reputed for.

Since the Yokai summoned by Raikou had seemingly all gathered together, Shirou was in no hurry to meet with them, at least on his own. It was never safe to associate with Yokai alone, as, similar to the Faeries common in European Folklore, they could mess with your perception of time. As a result, you could spend weeks drinking a single cup of sake or engaging in a conversation, even if it only seemed like a few minutes from your perspective.

Now that she was gone, Shirou realized he had been too hasty in agreeing to Benienma’s offer to stay at her Enma-tei. She had likely influenced him with her ’yokai aura’, making it impossible for him to make rational, spur of the moment, decisions. Now, he would have to visit her Enma-tei in the future, as, with the passage of time, her ability would manifest in the form of a grudge, a very powerful curse that could even claim the lives of powerful Onmyouji and Gods.

Realizing his mistake, Shirou released a tired sigh before taking a seat and waiting for the others to arrive. There were only two other paths to take, and, while this gave him a 50% chance to track down Jason, it could be increased to 100% with Caenis’ ability. Considering where he might end up if he made the wrong decision, Shirou felt it was best he exercised some patience. He didn’t want to encounter someone like Tamamo-no-Mae or Brynhildr on his own, both women who had a very ’dangerous’ inclination towards the opposite sex. In fact, due to the conditions used in their summoning, most of the Heroic Spirits summoned by Archimedes had some severe personality flaws...himself included.

Unbeknownst to Shirou, one of the more troublesome women in their group had, for reasons only she was aware, stumbled across the Ivory Castle. This was a woman with remarkable beauty, sleek red hair, and a lithe, yet mature, figure. What stood out the most, however, was the chariot upon which she stood, pulled along by a host of immaculate black stallions, each possessing muscular bodies and silken manes. They were perfect equine specimens, their bodies radiating the kind of majesty you would expect from a King, not a horse.

Without losing to her cherished companions, the woman also radiated an aura of confidence as she viewed the Ivory Castle in the distance, her crimson red tongue slowly licking her lips as she considered conquering it. She had been summoned for a very specific purpose, so, after idling around for several months, she had started to lose her patience. Thus, without thinking too hard, the woman’s smile grew into a sadistic grin as she mused, "It’s been a long time...I wonder how my beloved sister is doing~?"

Following her musings, the woman lifted a peculiar spear, similar in structure to [Gae Bolg], but, rather than a deep scarlet, it possessed a sapphire blue hue. She raised this spear high into the sky, causing a phenomenal amount of mana to surge out from her body as she shouted, "Heed my call to arms! Armorican warriors, answer your Queen’s summons! Become a tide of death that lays waste to my enemies! Drown them in my fervent passion! [Tochmarc Emire la Coinculaind]!!"

In response to the woman’s outburst, a massive calvary of skeletal riders, each riding crystalline horses made from the same sapphire blue materials as her weapon, formed into existence. They numbered more than six-thousand, each possessing long spears that, on their own, could rival C-Rank Noble Phantasms. Together, their combined might qualified them for the EX Classification, as, so long as the woman provided an adequate amount of mana, they would regenerate without end.

As a result of the large cavalry appearing, a vast plain appeared between her position and the location of the Ivory Castle, providing ample room for maneuvering. This caused the smile on the woman’s face to twist into an expression of maddened glee as she pointed her spear towards the majestic fortress and shouted, "Ride forth! Defeat my enemies! Let the Empire quake under the might of my, Queen Aife’s, might...!"

Though they didn’t have lungs, the skeletal warrior managed to release a phenomenal war cry, spears raised high as they charged down the sloped plain leading to the Ivory Castle. From a distance, they looked like a wave of sapphire blue water pouring into a basin, but, as gaps began to open in their charge, it became very apparent that an enemy army was approaching the Ivory Castle’s mighty walls...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: ’So many broken Skills...’,’Yokai are terrifying o_o...’,’Aife descends...!!’)