Anomaly Ch. 42

The ringing clang of steel was startling to hear. Not because Shirou was unaccustomed to such a sound - quite the opposite, in fact. No, what was startling was hearing it come from the impact of Kanshou and a Yaga's teeth.

Telltale impact sparks that should not have come from the mouth of any living being. Granted, he was only using the minimum amount of power in order to not hurt them too much, as doing so might make them even less inclined to surrender. Shirou had to once again reevaluate whether the Yaga were closer to humans or monsters.

No human would willingly try to bite swords, after all.

The Yaga's teeth continued to grind against the edge of Kanshou, their feral eyes locked onto Shirou's with a mix of rage and desperation. Shirou twisted his wrist, forcing the blade to slide free from their grip, and followed up with a swift kick to their midsection. The Yaga staggered back, but they didn't fall. Instead, they let out a guttural roar, their claws flexing as they prepared to lunge again.

His momentum carried his leg to the side, intercepting another Yaga as they tried to jump at him. This one was impacted straight in the head. Frankly speaking, looking at how annoyed the Yaga looked, it had done more damage to Shirou than he had to them.

'Naturally stronger bones? Or magical energy-infused ones?'

Even if he was still holding back, getting hit in the head should have still disoriented them more than that. Clearly, he could afford to hit just a bit harder. That this also became a decent way to gauge how non-starving Yaga performed in combat was just icing on the cake.

Shirou adjusted his stance, his grip tightening on Kanshou and Bakuya as he prepared for the next wave of attacks. The Yaga's movements were almost unpredictable. The weapons they held had no history on their current wielders to speak of, so he couldn't rely on them for information. However, neither of those issues were all that problematic.

While they moved erratically, Shirou could still notice some formation that they had. The ones with guns - reloading now - would always be accompanied by a group of Yaga as they stayed behind, while the melee users would form tight groups of three, with a fourth member dipping in and out to try and flank him.

The Yaga he had kicked in the head shook off the blow with a snarl, their eyes narrowing as they lunged again. This time, Shirou didn't hold back. He met the charge head-on, his blades flashing in a precise arc. Kanshou struck first, deflecting the Yaga's claws, while Bakuya followed up with a sharp slash across the creature's chest. The Yaga hissed, stumbling back as dark blood welled from the wound.

But they didn't retreat. Instead, their eyes gleamed with a renewed intensity, their movements becoming even more aggressive. Shirou frowned. He was starting to think that the Yaga were just incapable of feeling pain at this point. The ones that had gone mad had certainly acted like they hadn't been wounded.

He didn't have time to dwell on it. The Yaga were on him, relentless in a way that forced him to play defensively. Attacking head on would leave him exposed to the riflemen that still hadn't shot.

'Fine.'

In a move that took the Yaga by surprise, he threw Bakuya at their backline. A buzzsaw flew through the air, circling towards them at rapid speed. Still, the Yaga reacted fast enough that they were only grazed by the incoming blade.

Closing ranks quickly, the Yaga tried to take advantage of Shirou's sudden halving of combat capability. The gunners reformed their line, aiming at Shirou. The magus only stared at them in indifference. The Yaga gave a collective shout as they pushed forward.

Only to be caught by Bakuya's return.

Blood was spilled as it cut into several of the Yaga.

The Yaga's collective shout turned into a chorus of pained snarls and growls as Bakuya sliced through their ranks on its return arc. The blade carved a bloody path, cutting deep into flesh and bone before spinning back into Shirou's waiting hand. He caught it effortlessly, his grip firm as he adjusted his stance, Kanshou and Bakuya now both firmly in his grasp once more.

The Yaga who had been charging at him faltered, their momentum broken by the sudden attack from behind. Shirou didn't waste the opportunity. He surged forward, his blades a blur of motion as he pressed the advantage.

That didn't mean he was winning, however.

With a frown, he could see that the wounds he was inflicting were already rapidly healing. Yet another difference from the enslaved Yaga. Those ones didn't show nearly as much combat prowess as these ones. Was this the difference between Yaga with proper meals and those without?

Shirou's mind raced as he parried another clawed strike, the force of the impact reverberating through his arms. The Yaga's regenerative abilities were troubling, to say the least. Each wound he inflicted closed almost as quickly as it was made, leaving him with little room to gain the upper hand. He needed to adapt, and fast.

The Yaga's formation tightened, their coordination becoming more apparent as they adjusted to his tactics. He had not spotted any of them talking to one another. Instinctual, perhaps?

Nevertheless, Shirou knew he was in no real danger, not if he wanted to go all out, anyway. Regardless of the strength of arms of his opponents, he doubted they would be strong enough to withstand one of the stronger Noble Phantasms in his arsenal.

The real question was whether the district would survive the resulting explosions.

Still, Shirou neither needed nor wanted to use them. Even an Anti-Unit weapon like Gáe Buidhe would not be ideal, since he didn't want to kill them.

"Enough."

But with how much the Yaga were going at him, he might not have a choice, if they refused to listen.

"As you can clearly see, there's not much you can do against me. Surrender now, and I can assure you that you'll be treated fairly."

The Yaga didn't respond to Shirou's words, at least not in the way he had hoped. Instead of yielding, their snarls grew louder, their eyes gleaming with a feral intensity that suggested they had no intention of backing down. If anything, Shirou's attempt at diplomacy seemed to only fuel their aggression.

Shirou sighed, his grip tightening on Kanshou and Bakuya. It seemed negotiation was off the table. He had hoped to avoid escalating the fight further, but the Yaga's relentless assault left him with little choice. If they wouldn't listen to reason, he would have to force them to.

"Stop!"

All at once, the Yaga halted their charge. Shirou could only raise an eyebrow at the directed shout.

From the shadows of the ruined merchant district, a figure emerged. Unlike the other Yaga, this one carried an air of authority, their posture straight and their movements deliberate. Their fur was darker, almost black, and their eyes glowed with a sharp intelligence that set them apart from the others. In their hand, they held a curious looking spear, its tip gleaming an almost neon blue. Shirou Traced it, and immediately frowned. From what he could tell, it was some sort of...gun-spear? A spear that shot magical energy, at least.

The Yaga leader - Shirou assumed that's what they were - stepped forward, their gaze locked onto Shirou. The other Yaga parted to make way, their growls softening into something resembling respect. Shirou lowered his blades slightly but kept them at the ready, unsure of what to expect.

"You." The Yaga leader said, their voice rough but clear, "You are not like the others. You fight, but you do not kill. Why?"

Shirou blinked, caught off guard by the directness of the question. He had expected more mindless aggression, not a conversation. Still, he saw an opportunity here, and he wasn't about to waste it.

"I don't want to kill you." Shirou replied, his tone steady. "I'm not here to fight unless I have to. But you attacked me, and I defended myself. If you're willing to talk, I'd rather settle this without more bloodshed."

The Yaga leader tilted their head, their glowing eyes narrowing as they studied Shirou. For a moment, the only sound was the low growls of the other Yaga and the faint rustle of the wind through the ruins. Then, the leader let out a huff, their grip on the spear tightening.

"You speak of fairness," The leader said, their voice tinged with skepticism, "But the humans who came before you spoke the same words. They lied. They took our food, our homes, our kin. They left us to starve or die in the cold. Enslaved my brothers and sisters. Why should we trust you?"

"I'm not like them." Shirou said firmly, his voice carrying a weight of conviction, "I don't take what isn't mine, and I don't abandon people to suffer. If you've been wronged by others, I can't change that. But I can promise you this: I won't add to your pain. I'm here to help, not to harm."

"Help?" The leader repeated, their tone laced with bitterness. "You speak of help, yet you come armed with blades that cut through flesh and bone. You speak of fairness, yet you stand against us as if we are nothing more than beasts to be tamed. What help can you offer, human, that does not come with chains?"

"A way to get out of the capital without the Imperials coming after you."

"...You are not an Imperial?" The Yaga were collectively confused, that much Shirou could tell. Tension gave way to an air of awkwardness as the Enforcer sighed, "Why are you helping them, then? Surely one outside the Imperial system can see the injustice that they have wrought upon this world and be disgusted by it?"

"More of an alliance of convenience, not that they know who I am - that, and they have two of my actual allies with them right now. Technically, my nation is at war with them since they invaded one of our cities."

The Yaga leader's glowing eyes narrowed, their grip on the gun-spear tightening as they processed Shirou's words. The other Yaga shifted uneasily, their growls softening into murmurs of confusion and suspicion. Shirou could see the gears turning in the leader's mind, weighing his words against the bitter experiences they had endured at the hands of humans.

Shirou met the leader's gaze squarely, his expression unwavering. "I'm not fighting for them." He further clarified. "I'm using them. They have resources, information, and access to places I can't reach on my own. But that doesn't mean I agree with what they've done - or what they're doing. If I can help you without jeopardizing my mission, I will. But I need you to meet me halfway."

There was a moment of contemplative silence as the leader stared at Shirou. The Enforcer had already dismissed Kanshou and Bakuya, seeing as the Yaga were seemingly relaxing their stances. A click of the tongue from the leader, and the rest of the Yaga fell back into an orderly line.

"I will trust your word, human, just this once. Betray it, and the fury of the Mother Russia shall brook you no quarter."

"I understand."

"See that you do." With a grunt, the leader turned around and nodded towards a building, "Come, it is unwise to speak in the open. I suspect that the Imperials you accompanied do not know that you planned to meet with us like this."

"They do not." With a nod that went unseen, Shirou followed the Yaga, even if the rest of them glared at him in suspicion still, "Thank you for your hospitality…?"

Evidently, his attempt to fish for a name was clear enough that the leader paused in his steps. Turning his head towards Shirou, he gave a glance as he spoke, "You may refer to me as Anatoly, leader of the Yaga you see before you."

"Shirou Emiya, Enforcer of the London Clock Tower."

Then, as they were walking into one of the buildings while being escorted by the other Yaga, a small, yet no less significant detail clicked into place.

'How the hell did these Yaga know about Russia?'

…