Emiya Shirou Doesn't Want to Work Overtime [247]

“All for the Master!”

“Kill that human!”

“Don’t let him escape!”

These high-level Rinne, whether in craftsmanship or battle prowess, were incomparable to the decrepit dolls Shirou Emiya had encountered before.

In speed, strength, and defense—they vastly surpassed those lesser Rinne who had previously devoured humans. But that wasn’t even the main issue.

Compared to the dolls with only the simplest logic, these Rinne clearly possessed superior intelligence. Each Rinne had its own thought process, its own logic guiding its actions.

Even their battle methods varied, and they coordinated amongst themselves, multiplying their strength.

Be they humanoid or beast-like, each glared murderously at Shirou, who’d just emerged from underground, and lunged at him with claws and teeth bared.

Yet Shirou Emiya, encircled as he was, showed not a hint of panic. Beneath his armor, his gaze became utterly resolute.

He calmly reached out, gripping into empty air, and two reverse-bladed katana materialized firmly into his hands.

Perhaps it was because Shirou recognized his swordsmanship as lacking—or perhaps because he felt wielding two swords would end the battle faster—compared to single-handed sword techniques, Shirou clearly favored a dual-wielding style.

If one looked closely at the reverse-bladed katana that appeared in Shirou’s hands, they would notice, surprisingly, that the blades were no longer as slender as those he initially forged.

As if adapting to Shirou’s personal preference for dual-wielding, both blades had become shorter, thicker, more compact—progressing steadily toward the form of short swords.

Bang—!

With an explosive burst of air, Shirou shattered the ground beneath his feet, his figure turning into a blurred shadow as he surged forward.

First, I need to grasp exactly what situation I’m in!

As he charged forward, Shirou’s thoughts raced, analyzing the current situation and circumstances.

Temporarily setting aside these considerations, he accelerated again. Without hesitation, Shirou slammed head-on into the incoming Rinne.

"[SWORD BREATHING, WIND FORM: COLD MOUNTAIN WIND]!"

An enormous, swirling blade of wind surged upward around Shirou as he swung his dual blades from below.

Shrrk—! Shrrk—! Shrrk—!

Countless tearing sounds echoed through the air. Dolls and Rinne alike were effortlessly sliced apart.

Having self-awareness and greater strength did nothing to shield them from Shirou’s merciless slaughter.

Reverse blades didn’t mean the weapons couldn’t kill. For Shirou, slicing these Rinne into pieces was effortlessly simple.

Though he frequently employed Projection Magecraft to reproduce the swordsmanship of others, one shouldn’t forget that Shirou himself had extensively trained in swordsmanship. Performing single-handed techniques with dual swords was hardly difficult for him.

After all, these sword techniques weren’t particularly esoteric; Shirou’s ability to adapt and modify them was only natural.

It was also fortunate that Friagne had chosen a sparsely populated area. Otherwise, Shirou wouldn’t dare use such wide-range, destructive sword techniques.

But then again, perhaps the reason these streets were empty was precisely because the Crimson Lord known as the "Hunter" had already devoured all the humans in the area, intending to overcome Shirou.

Since his location had already been exposed, there was no longer any need to hide his movements with Torches. Why not crudely obtain vast quantities of Power of Existence?

Compared to Torches, directly consuming human Power of Existence required certain procedures—one couldn't simply kill a human and seize their existential energy immediately.

Merely killing humans would scatter their existence into the air. Precisely because human Power of Existence couldn't be harvested as conveniently as that of Torches, Crimson Denizens who preyed upon humans had reason to evade Flame Hazes.

“Sword Breathing, Flame Form—Flame Demon!”

"[SWORD BREATHING, FLAME FORM: BLOOMING FLAME UNDULATION]!"

Different Breathing Styles embodied different exertion techniques and breathing patterns. When shifting from one Breathing Style to another, the change in muscle movements and breathing patterns inflicted severe bodily pain and often prevented optimal performance of the subsequent style’s full power.

Just like Tanjirou switching from Water Breathing to Sun Breathing, the body would feel extreme discomfort, sometimes even experiencing shortness of breath.

Hence why Tanjirou sought a breathing style that integrated both Water and Sun Breathing into a form suited specifically to himself.

Perhaps due to Shirou Emiya’s own talent—or perhaps due to Avalon’s regenerative effects—Shirou’s extensive mastery of diverse techniques meant he’d long grown accustomed to seamlessly switching between them.

Differing exertion methods or breathing rhythms caused Shirou no bodily discomfort. He could freely shift between breathing styles at lightning speed.

Even switching instantly from Water Breathing in one moment to the extremely violent Flame Breathing in the next caused him no shortage of breath.

Sword Breathing was Shirou Emiya’s ultimate fusion of all these various sword techniques.

If Sun Breathing could be seen as a general form that branched out into specifics, then Shirou’s Sword Breathing was the reverse—a specific form that encompassed the general.

He adapted the exertion methods of all breathing styles specifically to his own body, making it easier for him to shift smoothly between differing forms.

In simpler terms, although breathing patterns differed, they all operated under the unified framework of Sword Breathing. Within this framework, slight modifications occurred to breathing patterns and exertion methods, creating the distinctive techniques.

“What—!”

“How is this possible?!”

“No!! Aaaaah—!!”

A roaring pair of flaming dual-sword strikes lashed out, and screams erupted among the Rinne.

For some reason, though these Rinne were created solely for combat, they could still experience pain and fear death. Yet Shirou Emiya would show no mercy toward these beings capable of suffering.

His fierce strikes swung down mercilessly, without hesitation.

Shrrk—! Shrrk—! Shrrk—!

The sounds of tearing flesh continuously echoed through the street.

Aaaagh—! Aaaagh—! Aaaagh—!

Screams from the Rinne endlessly reverberated.

Every Rinne that charged into Shirou’s vicinity was sliced cleanly in two, as effortlessly as cutting paper, by his horrifying, dance-like slashes. Limbs and wreckage scattered through the air amidst pale-white flames, swiftly turning to ash.

Shirou Emiya’s expression was utterly calm, yet his relentless movements never slowed. He charged forward, searching—searching for the figure of the Hunter, Friagne.

Because Shirou knew clearly, no matter how many Rinne he killed, it was meaningless. Only by slaying the Crimson Lord would all of this finally come to an end.

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This is a fan translation of 卫宫士郎不想加班 by 此世无存. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!