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"What?! He's the Envoy? He looks way too young!"
Shinomiya Seiryu and his brothers froze, their eyes locked on the poised, handsome youth standing before them. His figure was straight as bamboo, exuding an effortless grace. They couldn't believe this young man was the Envoy, the one even the government held in awe and fear.
"What Envoy?" Kaguya tilted her head, catching the uneasy looks her brothers and father directed at Yuto. A flicker of curiosity stirred in her chest.
"You know me?" Yuto asked, his gaze shifting to Shinomiya Gan'an with mild surprise.
"Yes, Envoy," Ganan replied, his voice low and tinged with courteous expression. "Our family received a warning from the government. They told us not to provoke you under any circumstances."
His tone bordered on submissive, and for good reason. Yuto's reputation was staggering: in a single day, he'd defeated two Special Grade sorcerers—one dead, the other wounded. A man like that could crush the Shinomiya family with ease if he chose to.
"Since you know who I am, you should also know what kind of person I am," Yuto said, his cold eyes sweeping the room. Everyone shrank back, heads bowing under the weight of his stare.
"From now on, I don't want to hear a word about Kaguya being married off. If I do, you'll wish you hadn't tested me."
In an instant Yuto released his pressure on everyone in the room except Kaguya.
Gan'an and Kaguya;s brother stopped on their knees before Yuto and pleaded for forgiveness.
'This should lift Kaguya's status in the family,' Yuto thought, tossing a quick wink at the stunned girl before vanishing from the room.
Gan'an summoned Kaguya to his study after a long silence.
"Kaguya, is the Envoy your boyfriend?"
It was the first real conversation he'd had with his daughter in years.
"Father, I…" Kaguya faltered, her soft lips parting as she struggled for an answer. She liked Yuto earlier today, he'd even taken her first kiss but he already had a girlfriend.
"Relationship is not set in stone yet? Or is the Envoy being chased by other women?" Gan'an mused, reading her conflicted expression with the sharpness of experience.
He let out a slow breath. "Don't worry about that, child. For someone as powerful as him, drawing attention from others is only natural. You need to understand, the world's shifting. Transcendents will shape the future. Our family has to seize this chance to ride the tide, or we'll sink."
As head of the Shinomiya Group, Gan'an's duty was clear: ensure the family's survival. He began explaining the hidden world of the supernatural to Kaguya, including Yuto's triumph over Gojo Satoru, the strongest sorcerer.
"What?! " Kaguya's eyes widened, shock rippling through her.
"Yes," Ganan said gravely. "Yuto is strong enough to topple a nation single-handedly. We can't afford to make an enemy of him."
His goal was plain: he wanted Kaguya to win Yuto's affection.
"The family will back you with everything we have. If you bear his child, we'll hold the wedding that very day."
"F-Father…" Kaguya's fair cheeks flushed a deep red.
Born into the Shinomiya clan, she'd long accepted her role. The luxuries and status came at a price—serving the family's interests. She was a tool for their future.
But if it meant a life with Yuto, the boy she cared for, maybe that future wasn't so bleak.
"Very well," Ganan said, a faint smile crossing his face as she nodded. Satisfied, he dismissed her.
......….
The next day, Yuto sat in his courtyard, sipping black coffee brewed by his maid. Last night's date with Kaguya had been a quiet thrill—her shy blush, her slender frame, the way her waist fit perfectly in his hands. She was innocent yet magnetic.
He set the cup down and headed to the sprawling gymnasium for his daily magecraft practice.
"Unlimited Blade Works!"
The sky twisted, giving way to a boundless, flame-seared wasteland. Swords jutted from the earth, and massive gears churned overhead.
Standing in the desolate expanse, Yuto chanted again. This time, the world darkened: a blood-red sword graveyard stretched beneath a black sky, its gears bound by chains—EMIYA Alter's corrupted Unlimited Blade Works.
Merging both into one strained his mana to the edge. Unlike his earlier, smoother fusion against the Demon Mother, these two versions each at three Ascensions clashed fiercely, their ideals at odds.
Teeth gritted, Yuto adjusted his mana flow, even drawing from the local leylines to hold the dual worlds steady. The crimson sky reflected the warring philosophies of the two EMIYAs.
He exhaled, a rush of satisfaction washing over him. He'd done it—two Unlimited Blade Works at once. The thought of double sword barrages and synchronized explosions sent a shiver of excitement through him.
But when he tried folding in Muramasa's Unlimited Blade Works, the landscape shattered. A mana storm erupted, ripping through the gymnasium. Yuto flew backward, barely activating his dragon scales and Bulletproof Processing to shield himself.
"Almost," he muttered, eyeing the ruined field. Merging Muramasa's version was too much for now.
He wondered if fusing all three could transform his Projection Magecraft into Creation Magecraft—forging original works instead of copying Noble Phantasms.
Whoosh!
Nero sped by on top of Pan-san, gawking at the wreckage. "Magus, your strength is staggering for a non-Servant."
"Flattery." Yuto said, glancing at the tiny empress atop his cat. "Since when are you two pals?"
"Hehe, my Riding skill, remember?" Nero beamed. "Cats, planes, I can handle anything!"
"Ahh! Magus, tell this stupid cat to stop—I'm slipping!"
Yuto rubbed his temple as Nero thrashed on the racing Pan-san. For now, she was more mascot than fighter.
......…
Monday rolled around. Yuto rode his Motorcycle to school, parking near the academy. As he parked it, footsteps approached.
"Hey, I'm Hayasaka Ai. Can we get to know each other?"
A blonde girl with a playful ponytail stood before him, her cheeks lightly flushed. Her makeup was flawless, her painted nails catching the light. Long, shapely legs gleamed beneath her skirt.
'Hayasaka Ai? What does she want?' Yuto thought, suspecting she was here for Kaguya.
'A meddlesome blonde walking right into my hands—too good to pass up.'
He flashed a warm smile. "Sure. I'm in Class 2-C. You?"
Hayasaka batted her lashes, her sweet charm enough to unsettle most boys. But inwardly, she smirked, 'Playboy. You won't trick the young miss. I'll unmask you.'
They chatted on the way to the school building, swapping Line contacts and even setting a weekend outing.
"Such a loyal maid," Yuto murmured as she vanished around a corner.
...…..
Heading to class, he caught a commotion from an empty classroom.
"Hey, you're Aki Tomoya, right? Chasing after third-year Kasumigaoka-senpai? "
"Yeah! Don't you know she's Yuto's girl?"
"You're a joke!"
Through the window, Yuto saw Aki, a bespectacled otaku, cornered by a handful of girls.
"Enough," Yuto called out. He didn't care for his name being thrown around like that.
"Yuto?!" The girls paused, startled. "We're just teaching him a lesson. He's been spreading rumors—saying you're a womanizer and Kasumigaoka-senpai's one of your victims."
"Aki, that's true?" Yuto asked, eyebrows raised.
Aki looked up, his glare venomous, like a coiled snake.
"Never mind. Go ahead," Yuto said, turning away. He'd thought about stepping in, but that hostility changed his mind. He'd handle Aki later.
.......
Aki stood, staring at the mirror in the toilet, resentment boiling inside.
'Why does he get to be the star while everyone despises me?'
His malice thickened, almost palpable. Then, a young man with stitched scars across his face stepped in, grinning.
"Tomoya-kun, want to get even with those who look down on you?"
........
Lunchtime hit, and the rooftop was packed. Utaha, Yuto's official girlfriend, was there, joined by Megumi, Yukino Yukinoshita, Kaguya and Marin.
"Wow, so many people!" Fujiwara Chika chirped, blind to the tension. "Yuto, want to play a game?"
Sometimes, Yuto envied her oblivious cheer. Couldn't she see the standoff brewing?
"Heh, Yuto, you've got quite the crowd," Utaha teased, sliding onto his lap to stake her claim. Her eyes glinted with jealousy as she whispered, "Swim club's off today. I've got a school swimsuit ready. Want to have some fun?"
"Yuto, I made lunch—your favorite, eel rice," Kato said softly, her calm presence soothing yet firm.
"Yuto, come over after school. I've got a Demon Liz cosplay you'll love," Marin added brightly.
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