Hello again and welcome to 'Fate and thus the JSDF fought there'!

I have some good news and some bad news. Since I'm a firm believer of bad news first, I'll start with the bad news.

Bad news: I had a virus on my computer which shut down my internet, my applications and pretty much everything I could do on my laptop. The only thing I could do was to wipe the computer clean and restore the computer to factory settings. "No biggie." I thought naively, "I have everything important on Google Drive anyway." Turns out I didn't have everything important on Google Drive. The chapters I had written for 'A Rusty Edge', 'Archer of Black' and 'Is It Wrong To Be A Hero In A Dungeon?' as well as all the other updates I thought I had backed up were not uploaded at all. In short, I had lost every single fanfic update I had been working on for every single fanfic I had. Altogether it was somewhere around 80,000 words. To make matters worse, it happened on my birthday of all days.

After that happened I did what every respectable human would have done if put in that situation. I ate in self-pity, I drank mildly alcoholic beverages and acted like I was drunk as a skunk, I slept three fourths of the day and finally I stood up in proud defiance of my circumstances and screamed: "Fuck it! I'm going to watch Star Wars: The Force Awakens!"

…I'm not a social person, what did you expect?

Which brings me to the good news!

Good News: I finally got my hands on Fate Stay Night Realta Nua! No more walkthroughs on Youtube for me! All I have to do now is get all the tiger dojos and catch up to the walkthroughs I had already watched. That'll take me about a week so I better get to work.

On another note, The reason I'm releasing a new story instead of re-writing the chapters I lost is because this was the only chapter I had left on Google Drive. If I simply started writing the same chapters all over again I would simply lose myself in frustration and anger. So enjoy!

Fate

August 14, 2015.

It began like any other day of the year. The men and women of japan would wake up, eat breakfast and go to work. The sun rose from the horizon just as it had done the last hundreds of millions of years and grass continued to grow. The fish in the sea ate and got eaten and the birds in the sky watched as the ants below them scurried around, unable to see the difference between humans and insects aside from their size. The rats living in the city plundered the trashcans and the cockroaches multiplied in number as the exterminators were called.

The housewife living in Fukagawa went to visit her boyfriend in the apartment next to her husband's office, not knowing her husband had called in sick in order to have a secret rendezvous with her sister. The local politician accepted the bribe from the local yakuza and toasted with sake made from a local brewery, only to drop their glasses as the local police made a raid due to an anonymous tip from a local payphone. The firemen rushed out to put out a fire after a woman had informed them of one in her house, then telling them old woman not to call them for something as little as burnt food and smoke.

All in all, August 14, 2015 appeared to be just another summer day. In fact, the only factor which stood out was the surprising heat Tokyo seemed to be suffering from. Recorded as the hottest day of the decade so far, everyone was feeling the heat as they removed their jackets and blazers to reveal shirts drenched in sweat. Even the strictest of companies declared that it would turn a blind eye to any employees wearing shorts and t-shirts for today only. When even the AC failed to keep the heat away from the men and women wearing black and grey suits then the employees didn't need to be told twice. Within minutes of the announcement you could see khaki shorts and whatever casual clothes the dehydrated salarymen could find.

For Japan and the rest of the world, august 14 2015 was promising to be yet another crime filled, but productive day. For Emiya Shirou, a magus living in Fuyuki City and the owner of a successful restaurant and car repair shop, today was turning out to be a not-so good day to be a repairman.

"So the engine just stopped without any reason whatsoever?" Shirou asked the troubled car owner. The car they were looking at was an old muscle car from the US. A 1968 Chevrolet Impala, painted black with the exception of a red line running across the hood of the car. The tow truck which had carried it to the garage lowered its ramp and gently let the broken down vehicle onto the asphalt.

"No, actually it started making a sound, kind of like a rattling and groaning noise. I tried to activate the AC, but it didn't help at all." The wealthy car owner said as he explained what had happened. His eyes told Shirou that the man was telling the truth, but that just made him want to sigh even more.

"I think I know what the problem is." He said as he opened the hood of the car. "The coolant is running low and when you activated the AC you just made the engine hotter." If he had rolled down the windows and put on the heater instead then the heat from the engine would have been vented, circumventing the problem slightly. The summer heat should probably have tipped man off that the coolant needed refilling, but judging by the expensive suit and the lack of knowledge of cars despite owning a classic impala told him all he needed to know.

He was a rich kid who wanted to maintain an image. Old cars require a lot of service and owners were typically people who had financial problems, car fanatics or posers. Seeing how the man avoided stepping close to the equipment and wore a shirt probably worth more than the average office worker earned in a month, Shirou guessed the customer was the latter. Still, it made no difference to him whether or not the man actually knew what he was driving, Shirou would help him all the same.

"Oh, is that it?" The man asked. "Can you just refill the tank then? I'm kind of running late for a meeting." He said, glancing at his Apple Watch.

"I'll need to check in case of any damage or warping around the engine, but that'll take fifteen minutes at most. We have coffee in the reception if you want a cup. All customers get the first cup for free." He offered, pointing his hand in the direction of the reception. "Just ask Gotou-san how to use the machine." Nodding thanks to Shirou, the wealthy businessman left for the promised cup of coffee. The moment the man left the room, Shirou turned his attention to the car.

"Trace on."

Information and blueprints to the vehicle surged into Shirou skull, giving him more knowledge of the black car than anyone else in the entire world. Age, crashes, repairs and paintjobs, all of it became clear to Shirou's eyes.

"So the engine stalled due to overheating, but the radiator is getting old as well?" Fixing the radiator would take a while so he could do it now if the owner wanted to get to his meeting, but there didn't seem to be anything wrong with it aside from the lack of coolant. Picking up a bottle of the liquid, he poured an adequate amount into the radiator before closing the lid. Hopefully, the owner would listen to him when he said that the radiator needed to be changed soon. If the rest of the summer was as hot as today was then it wouldn't be the first time the engine would stall.

"How does it look?" the owner said as he returned with a cup steaming with coffee. Maybe having a hot drink on a hot day wasn't the best idea, but it most people didn't seem to care as long as it was free.

"Everything except the radiator seems to be in perfect condition. You might want to have it changed within the week if the temperature doesn't drop soon. Otherwise it's fine." Shirou said, closing the hood as he did so. The owner's eyes widened in surprise at his words, his thoughts of being late for his meeting being unfounded.

"Seriously? Already? It's barely been five minutes." The businessman said.

"Three minutes, but who's counting?" Shirou assured him. "Leave your information with Gotou and your method of payment and you're good to go."

An hour later, after two more cars had been brought in with the same problem, Shirou was relaxing on the couch. Under normal circumstances, Fridays were spent working nonstop as broken cars and motorcycles were brought in on the last workday of the week, their owners hoping to be able to have them fixed by the Monday morning. However, this morning was turning out to be quite different. Or afternoon as he should say, the clock was already 12:30 and not a single customer had entered the shop in over half an hour.

Had something happened? In the five years Shirou had owned the car shop, this was the first time he had been able to sit still for more than fifteen minutes on a Friday. As the reputation of the garage grew, more and more customers would appear. It hadn't gotten to the point of needing a second garage, but they were in need of some more space. Now the entire hall garage was filled with fixed cars, but their owners were nowhere to be seen. It was odd, that was for certain.

"Yo, Shirou!" Gotou's voice emanated from the doorway. After graduating from Homuhara and receiving mediocre grades, Gai Gotou had worked as a part-timer until Shirou had opened up the garage. Working as a receptionist wasn't the most glorious of jobs, but Gai hadn't complained much.

The only time Gai had been openly complaining about his job and pay was when he found Shirou also owned the restaurant Sakura managed. Knowing that his former classmate was becoming more and more successful in life whereas he was his employee wasn't the greatest feeling in the world. Not that Shirou blamed him, he wasn't sure how he ended up as the owner of not just one, but two businesses. All he knew was that he never should have mentioned how he had won an award for his cooking in a professional competition in front of Rin. Apparently, the thought of having him and Sakura as chefs in a restaurant was not a bad idea as the small café quickly became the most popular tourist attraction in Fuyuki. He had no idea how Rin managed to invite all those food critics, but he was determined to find out.

Still, owning not one, but two successful businesses was not how Shirou had imagined his life after meeting his future self. Even though he periodically accepted missions from Clock Tower as a freelancer, Rin never allowed him to lose himself in his desire to become a hero and save everyone. She had imposed a set of rules on him, rules which were ironclad to the point of dictatorship.

'Visit Fuyuki City at least once a month.' The one time he had violated this rule she had bought a plane ticket to the Middle East and thoroughly beat him black and blue.

'Spend at least a week in Fuyuki every time he was there.' A rule he was finding harder and harder to fight ever since Rin forced him to become the owner of the restaurant and the garage. He had a suspicion that had been her plan all along, not the additional income they brought in.

'Never establish any kind of workshop outside of Fuyuki.' He could understand this one, seeing how even the slightest trace of his magecraft could lead to the discovery of his reality marble. Of course, if he needed to do any kind of research he would have to return to Fuyuki and spend at least a week inside the city. Considering he would have to balance out his time researching magecraft with the repair shop and restaurant along with Rin and Sakura, he was lucky if he could leave before a month had gone by.

So here he was, a successful 'businessman', enjoying the prime of his life on the couch of his office. He hadn't even fought a dead apostle in over three… actually two weeks. He had told Rin and Sakura a little white lie to ease their worries. It wasn't like he was in danger or anything.

"What's up?" He answered, opening a cold can of Pepsi. He grimaced as the carbonated drink met his dry throat and the momentary pain that came with it. Only after the third sip was he able to drink it without the stinging pain in his oesophagus kicking in. Blinking away the tears in his eyes, he looked at the other man in the room.

"It's weird, isn't it?" Gotou said, his eyes scanning the empty room. "Most Fridays are crowded and stressful, but aside from the occasional person running out of coolant we haven't' seen anyone come in with a car for repair. Feels odd, as if something is happening that we're unaware of." The twenty-eight year old man said.

"Yeah, maybe. Do you think something could have happened? Maybe an earthquake?" Four years ago, they had seen a similar lack of customers when an earthquake and tsunami had devastated the area. People had found more important things to do that week instead of sending their cars in for service.

The thought of something similar happening sent a shiver down his spine. Four years ago he had gone to help the rescue efforts and had seen some gruesome sights, on level with the Fuyuki fire. Seeing a family of five dead, trapped under their collapsed house after the quake only to be drowned by the following tsunami was enough to make the fellow rescue workers cry. Thousands had died that week, even with the help of dozens of magi. If the lack of customer meant another earthquake had happened then it looked like he would have to give the Mage's association a call. Waver Velvet would listen to him at least, if only to ensure the next Admirable Great Tactics game wasn't delayed by the catastrophe.

That guy had a one-track mind, regardless of what his fangirls said.

But first he would have to make sure Rin and Sakura were alright. Rin was at home, her work in jewelcraft taking up the time she wasn't making sure the restaurant and garage wasn't losing money rather than earning it. Sakura spent her hours cooking for the restaurant, even when he was there to help her she seemed intent on taking over his dishes. For the student to chase the master out of the kitchen, should he laugh or cry at this predicament?

"Breaking news!" The news reporter practically yelled at the camera. The volume of her voice and the frantic tone of it was enough to catch his attention. Gai also seemed taken back by the drastic change in news.

"Half an hour ago, the Ginza district was attacked by men riding horses and wielding swords and spears. They started cutting down people indiscriminately, sparing no one as they charged. Accounts vary, but the attackers seem to number in the hundreds. Some of the men seem to be wearing costumes depicting demons and monsters. We now go live to a journalist student on the scene. Kuribayashi-san, what can you tell us?" Half the screen was replaced with the image of a young woman holding an unsteady camera. Judging by way she was holding the camera and the quality of the video, he was fairly certain it was a cheap smartphone. The image was grainy and there was barely enough light to properly see the one being recorded.

The only thing he was certain he could see was the terrified expression on her face.

""I-I'm not sure what happened, but around 11 o'clock a massive structure was seen in the Ginza district. Witnesses say that the structure appeared similar to roman buildings, with the whole white pillar things, you know, and that the terrorists suddenly appeared out of it and started attacking everyone! T-There was so much blood and- and then the men in costumes showed and started… It looked like they were eating the corpses of the people they killed." The tears running down the woman's face smeared her mascara and ruined the professional look she had undoubtedly had just an hour ago, but she didn't seem to care. To be honest, Shirou doubted he would find anyone who cared about how she looked after surviving something as horrible as what she is describing. Makeup took a backseat in the face of traumatizing events.

"Kuribayashi-san, do you have a picture of the attackers?" The reporter asked the obviously terrified woman.

"I don't, but I have a video of them when they started appearing. I thought… I thought it was just a strange event so I started filming it, but when the people started bleeding and dying, I…"

"It's alright, we understand. Is there anyone in charge of the situation you can speak to?" Changing the subject meant the interview could last longer, even if the few details she could get were gory and sure to attract a few more viewers.

"Well, there were a few police officers, but they don't seem to know what is happening. There was a man earlier, he was the one who directed the civilians to the Imperial Palace. I think his name is… Itami? It seems he's either a police officer or a member of the JSDF. He saved us when we were about to be…" She stopped speaking and suddenly the screen turned black, the only sound the viewers could hear of the sound of gagging and the wet splash of vomit hitting a hard surface.

Realizing the interview was over, the image focused once more onto the reporter. "We will wait until she recovers before we ask any further questions. Hopefully we will be able to show you the video she asked for and…" She paused as if she was listening to someone before she continued. "Our sources tell us that the JSDF have been ordered to take control of the scene in conjunction with the police. We'll be back as soon as we have more information."

"What the fuck?" Gotou said, his eyes wide. "A terrorist attack? In Tokyo?! Riding on horses and using swords? Is this for real? This isn't just an April fool's prank or something?"

"It's August so I doubt that the case. Maybe they're part of some religion that demands they use swords or something." Shirou replied, himself unsure of what was happening. If he could, he would be there fighting the attackers and stopping them from killing anyone else, but Ginza was in Tokyo and Fuyuki was all the way over in Kumamoto, Kyushu. Half of japan was between him and the terrorists. Heck, they weren't even on the same island as him. Even if he booked a ticket on the next available flight (If the planes were still flying that is. Acts of terrorism tend to complicate travel by air), by the time he arrived in Tokyo the terrorists would have been taken care of already. Ignoring speed limits, it would take him at least 11 hours on his motorcycle.

There was nothing he could do to help, except to grit his teeth in frustration.

Putting his Pepsi aside, he got up and walked to the phone. He needed to call Rin and tell her about it. She was going to fly to Sapporo tomorrow for a Mage's association meeting, but if the planes weren't working them she might have to drive there instead. He was not looking forward to staying inside a cramped car with Rin on a road trip lasting several days.

All of a sudden the hairs at the back of his neck stood up, as if an electrical current had run through his body. Not just the hairs on the back of his neck, every single hair on his body was standing straight up. His muscles tensed up and his heartbeat increased in tempo. Suddenly he could feel something edging towards him, like an enormous tsunami about to crash into him. Before he could speak or warn Gotou of what was happening, it had already happened and Shirou knew immediately what was wrong.

Prana.

An enormous shockwave of prana had hit him, stopping him in his tracks. Despite not having any actual physical force behind it, the sheer magnitude of it was enough to make his head swim. Perhaps it was because his sensitivity to prana, but he had to sit down before he tripped over something. Crashing onto the couch again, he heard Gotou's voice somewhere around him.

"Oi, Shirou? You okay? Don't faint on me, you hear?" the panicked voice of Gotou spoke as the sound of him pushing the buttons on a phone, most likely to call an ambulance.

'Too late not to faint, Gotou.' Was the last thing he could think before he passed out.

Fate

August 14, 2015.

Unlike the days before, this particular Friday was not an ordinary day. This day was known as 'The Day of Calamities'.

An incident had occurred that day, leading to hundreds of people being killed and the ramifications of the event would be felt for years to come. However that was but the top of the iceberg. The incident had let to two revelations:

Other worlds besides Earth existed…

…And the discovery of magecraft.

If the knowledge of other worlds had been the only thing the mundane part of society had discovered that day the the consequences would have been negligible. Unfortunately the situation was not so simple. At the time of the attack a few magi had been present to defend themselves from the otherworldy invaders. They had been recorded by a nervous young woman studying to become a journalist and the authorities had discovered they were japanese citizens. Wathcing the japanese magi throwing fireballs and turning cement into giant golem-like creatures on LIVE TV, every single magus on the planet had to resist the overwhelming urge to punch their monitors as they realized the effects this would have. Using magecraft in the middle of the day was bad enough, but to use such flashy and showy techniques in a busy street? Were they trying to expose magecraft to the world?

With the massive surge of prana echoing around the planet, there was not a single magus unaware of the event which took place in Ginza that day. 'The Ginza Massacre', a tragedy which had shaken Japan to its very core, had revealed the existence of magecraft and magic to the world. How could it not, with a portal to an alternate dimension sitting in the middle of the shopping district? As the Mage's Association tried to cover up the existence of the 'Gate' using hypnosis and assassination, the JSDF was adamant in not letting anyone even touch it.

Knowing that an all-out assault would reveal even more secrets rather than to hide them, the Mage's Association turned to Zelretch in an attempt to close the Gate. His reply, you ask?

"Nah, don't want to. This seems interesting!" He said as he informed the world that he was siding with the mundane side of the world.

The cat was out of the bag. Thaumaturgy, the world's greatest kept secret, was known to each and every one on the planet. The month following the appearance of the Gate was called 'The Silent Month', due to the fact that everyone was quietly listening for any signs of conflict between the Mage's Association and the nations wanting to know the secrets of magecraft. Alliances were made between countries and organizations were founded, all for the sake of harnessing the power of magecraft. They thought magecraft was magic, an inexhaustible source of energy, despite the warnings of the Mage's Association. Offers were made to the Magi fighting against them, promises of reward in exchange for magecraft.

The Mage's Association in turn gave every magus on the planet an ultimatum: 'Share you knowledge with the governments and you and everyone you know will die.' Because thaumaturgy was a finite resource, the more people use it the weaker it became. Should the government harness its power then the deterioration of the entire world's magecraft would increase exponentially.

After two weeks of failed assassinations and interrogations on both sides, there was finally a truce between the combatants. Seeing as the magi had an advantage in stealth and assassinations, but the countries around the world had numbers, authority and Zelretch on their side, it was obvious that the only result was mutual destruction if the conflict continued. So for the first time in history, the leaders of the thaumaturgical side and the mundane side sat down to talk.

It became apparent that neither side would be able to have their way with the debate. Precautions had been taken to ensure hypnosis could not be used. Instead of sitting down at the same table, cameras and monitors had ben set up to allow for an online conference. The presidents and kings wanted to, naturally, control the power of thaumaturgy, but the magi wanted to, naturally, conserve the right to use it. The mundane side realized they were dealing with something far worse than a simple nuclear misssile. Once they heard of existences such as ORT and Primate Murder, as well as the Dead Apostle Ancestors, they understood it was imperative that the Mage's Association became allies rather than enemies. The debate carried on for several days before they realized what had to be done. Laws had to be passed to limit the amounts of magi practicing magecraft. Prohibitions had to be made and overseers had to be picked. Every nation on the face of the Earth must be a part of the global treaty of thaumaturgy conservation. Neutrality or refusal was not accepted, threats of invasion being the number one method of engagement.

Within a week, every single nation was in agreement of the laws which would be passed. These included:

'All Nations are given a quota of Magi depending on the current amounts of magi already in their population. Learning magecraft without the permission of a government or an already established lineage of magi is a criminal offence according to The Law of Magecraft, Article 2.'

'Prohibiting an already established family from studying, researching, performing or passing down their magecraft is against the Law of Magecraft, Article 5.'

'Theft of a Magic Crest is against the Law of Magecraft, Article 7.'

'Each Nation is to form an organization to control and observe the numbers of magi in their population, Article 9.'

And so it continued until both sides were satisfied. Of course, everyone knew it was not going to be easy, even with the new laws and fancy words. In a world where democracy is praised and loved, for some people to be allowed to use magecraft simply because they were born in certain family while others were denied was outrageous. Regardless of what everyone said about magic crests and bloodlines, magecraft should be for everyone, shouldn't it?

Revisions were made and retracted. Armies around the world created a branch for Magi and special permissions were granted. Riots broke out, religious demonstrations were held and terrorists bombed, but the laws held. Not matter how much people pushed and argued, magi were there to stay.

In the end however, life carried on. Magi everywhere were registered and categorised with their local organization and it seemed as if everything was about to return to normal. If only…

The Gate…

The Gate…

The Gate…

The Gate…

The Gate!

The moment the peace treaty had been passed was when the Gate had been brought up again. The calamity which had been the cause of over a million deaths world-wide. Everyone wanted to know what was happening on the other side of the Gate, what riches could be found or what discoveries could be made.

The problem?

It was on Japanese soil.

It wasn't the fact that it was in Japan that was the problem. It was the fact that it wasn't in any other country that wanted to send their forces into it. The US wanted it to be in the US, China wanted it to be in China while Russia wanted it to be in Russia. The US was on friendly terms with Japan so it could expect some kind of trade agreement, but that wasn't true for the other two major powers. China had suffered greatly at the hands of Japan during World War 2, especially in Nanking, and hostilities had not lessened due to the Senkaku Islands dispute. Russia was bad terms with Japan and had no allies in cooperation with the country either. Claims and accusations went wild in the various debates around the world, each more vicious than the other.

"As an ally of Japan, The United States of America will spare no expense in aiding Japan in the crisis the Gate has started!" President Dirrel declared.

"Not only has Japan caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands in the Second World War, they have not even returned the territory they stole since then, namely the Senkaku Islands. As compensation for the insults the People's Republic of China has suffered of the years, we demand that Japan allow other countries, such as ourselves, access to the Gate as well relinquished control of the Senkaku Islands!" President Dong Dechou argued.

"The Gate is an unnatural phenomenon, one that should be destroyed immediately! We of the Russian Federation cannot stress enough the threat the Gate poses to our world. Humanity was not created to meddle in alternate dimensions." President Zyuganov warned.

As the three major powers continued to argue back and forth over who should be allowed to enter the Gate and claim its riches, the one announcement that surprised them all was from Japanese Prime Minister.

"The JSDF will enter the Gate!"

The JSDF? Was the Prime Minister joking? It was a self-defence force, not an army meant for invasion! It was a foolish idea, one the Japanese people would never agree to. It was against their constitution, the one made after the Second World War. For the Prime Minister to say such things, his career in politics was surely over after such a statement.

"Our specialists in thaumaturgy claim that merely destroying the Gate would not sever the connection between our worlds. Breaking the physical medium would simply allow it to reappear somewhere else. We must therefore make contact with the inhabitants of the other world. To do so we need intelligence of the political climate and cultural situation. However, sending in unarmed civilians would be suicide as the Massacre of Ginza has shown us. We must enter using the JSDF to ensure the safety of our citizens. Even so, the Gate is a mysterious entity, one which must be controlled using magecraft as a tool. Hence, we will start recruiting magi into the JSDF!"

The moment had come, when the Prime Minister declared that the JSDF would militarize magecraft. It was not an unforeseen move; countries all over the world had already started recruiting magi into their ranks. North Korea had even created a law forbidding any magi from not joining the army. Japan should not be any different from the rest of the world in that regard. The difference was that Japan had renounced all rights to wage war using an army, navy or air force. It was in their constitution.

Magecraft was not a part of their constitution. Japan could in theory create a military force composed entirely of magi and it would not violate their laws. For a country which had based its military founding on a constitution which forbids any kind of armed forces meant for warfare, the thought of a force composed entirely of magecraft wielding soldiers was daunting.

"To accommodate the magi joining the JSDF, we, with the permission of the diet, hereby declare the founding of a thaumaturgical branch of the JSDF. Thanks to the public approval and suggestions, a base will be made available for the new branch shortly."

The words of the Prime Minister were like the words of a madman, but the numbers didn't lie. After the attack in Ginza and hearing how an off-duty JSDF officer had protected the citizens, the public had grown to appreciate the JSDF more due to their efforts. People wanted revenge, people wanted justice, people wanted compensation. The announcement of creating a branch meant for magi was also met with approval. Whether it was because they had started to accept magi as fellow citizens more or because they thought magi should do more for the nation considering the privileges they were given compared to ordinary citizen was unknown, but the branch was created in no time flat. Documents were signed, officers were promoted and budgets were declared. The energy which was put into the fourth branch of the Japan Self-Defence Force was astounding, on the border of frightening.

That didn't mean everything was perfect with the way it was handled. The longer it took for japan to enter the Gate, the longer the attackers had to prepare as well. Despite Prime Minister Houjou Shigenori's declaration of invasion, Japan had not been capable of invading another country for decades. Their entire organization was based on fighting on Japanese soil, close to supplies and support. The last time japan had invaded another country was during WW2, when the Imperial Japanese Army invaded Korea and China. Since then, the JSDF had spent most of its effort as a (as their name implies) defence force and disaster relief aid. As the grim realization that they were not equipped for an offensive action set in, the officials put their energy into correcting that weakness.

What ensued was a mad scramble for any and all equipment which could be useful for offensive actions. Mess kits and other personal equipment from WW2 and the Cold War were collected and inspected, the desperate JSDF looking for anything which could be of use to the soldiers who had no idea of what would be waiting for them, even if the items had not been in use for over fifty years and had since long been replaced or discarded in favour of more modern technology such as Mobile Field Kitchens and large scale machines. If they could not be manufactured then they could be collected. If they could not be collected then they could be purchased. This kind of thinking was spreading though the Ministry of Defence like wildfire, with mess kits from Eastern Germany, Sweden, NATO and the US flooding the JSDF's storage facilities.

In fact the only thing the JSDF did not require help in gathering was what the entire world thought Japan would beg for: Weapons. Japan had an impressive collection of weapons, quite logical considering they did have the seventh largest military budget in the world. It would be foolish to think they had not used that budget to arm their soldiers. Aside from firearms, Japan had a large collection of military vehicles and aircraft, more than enough to storm through the Gate it seemed. They were even considered to be highly capable of nuclear warfare, despite not having any nuclear weapons, due to their advanced technology and large number of nuclear power plants.

So even when the US declared that they would do all they could to aid Japan in advancing through the Gate, all Japan asked for were food rations and old mess kits.

The outside world simply assumed it was old Japanese joke.

A month after the attack on Ginza revealed the newly established HQ of the Thaumaturgical Self-Defence Force, or TSDF. Due to noise concerns for training drills, it was decided that the HQ would be based in one of the less populated area of japan. It was finally agreed upon that the base would be built on a small island called Ubushima in Amakusa, Kumamoto located near the island of Kyushu. It was hoped that the base would attract people to visit the area to stop the fast depopulation of the city as a whole, bringing businesses and companies alike.

It was also not far from to Fuyuki City.

FATE

"Senpai, did you cook dinner again?" Sakura said, a pout on her face. Shirou had to repress a smile at her expression, she probably wouldn't appreciate him laughing at her even if she looked like a kitten trying to appear intimidating.

"Yup, it's curry today." He said, patting his friend on the head.

"I told you that I would be cooking dinner today, you didn't have to start cooking without me." The lavender haired girl sniffed, her jealousy over his theft of the kitchen showing.

"It's fair, isn't it? It's rare that I get to cook now that I have the garage to take care of, besides you get to cook all day at the restaurant don't you? Please grant me this final boon." He said, holding his hands together and bowing his head in apology. His underclassman, actually she hadn't been his underclassman in over 8 years now, accepted his apology with a barely hidden smile.

"Very well, I shall take it into consideration, but you will not do this again. Understand?" she waved her finger to get her point across, but she wasn't fooling anyone.

This had been their routine for the last ten years or so. Ever since Shirou had found out that Shinji had been hurting her, he had taken Sakura away from the Matou household and placed her under his protection. When Zouken had demanded he return Sakura to her family and revealed that she was the heir to the Matou crest, Shirou had not been happy with the old monster. Using Rule Breaker and Avalon, he was able to remove the worms nesting in Sakura's body after he had utterly destroyed everything he could of Zouken's workshop.

Sakura had been given the place as the head of the Matou household and everything that came with it. Shinji had complained, but a subtle threat from Rin had shut him up. If subtle meant having a Gandr destroy the pavement in front of him.

So he, Rin and Sakura became the only magi in Fuyuki city and were therefore in charge of protecting it. Rin had taken the responsibility of teaching Sakura proper magecraft and, to her surprise, had discovered that Sakura had more talent for magecraft than Shirou will ever have. It was only after that he found out they were sisters, but it seemed talent ran in the family. Unlike him, whose only saving grace was his Reality Marble and his odd gift with Formalcraft. Rin had a theory that Shirou's habit of using structural analysis had given him an unusually logical mentality uniquely suited for formalcraft. She had given him the task of writing a report on his discovery, which had been rather popular in Clock Tower among first and second generation magi learning formalcraft. At least the Emiya name was being associated with something other than murder, even if it wasn't very glamorous.

Now he and Rin were twenty-eight years old and Sakura twenty-seven. Shirou and Rin had dated for a while, almost two years actually, but had in the end broken up. While they did have feelings for each other, they just weren't meant to be romantic feelings. They had realized that they were better friends than lovers and had decided to remain friends rather than to break off completely. They still owned a restaurant and a garage together with Sakura, though Shirou was the 'owner' due to Rin's responsibility as a Second Owner and Sakura's blunt refusal to step away from the kitchen. Had he realized the owner wouldn't have time to cook then he would have refused as well. Sakura had been more prepared for it than he had thought.

Despite the years which had gone by since the Holy Grail War, Rin and Sakura hadn't changed that much, Rin had filled out somewhat, but so had Sakura. He on the other hand, had changed a lot. His skin had turned the same brown as Archer and his hair was as white as white could be. He had finally reached Archer's height and then some, the last time he had gone to measure his height he had topped at 193 cm, an anomaly in japan. He had been asked on several occasions where he was from, only to be given a questioning look when he answered he was Japanese.

"Why don't you set the table while I go get the mail? I haven't had time to get it yet." He had been busy fixing his motorcycle to get it and had forgotten about it after finishing the repair, proof of the damage done to the bike on his last mission from Clock Tower. The sealing designation he had been hunting had used a spell causing extreme corrosion to metals and organic matter. The Yamaha had suffered greatly in the confrontation.

"Sure thing, Senpai." The gentle chef said with joy as she took off in the direction of the kitchen. Putting his shoes on, he stepped outside in the evening air. The summer heat was still in the air so even late in the evening he was still comfortable as the wind blew.

Opening the mailbox and picking up the letters and flyers inside, he skimmed through the contents.

"Bills, bills, letter from Taiga, bills, letter from Waver…?" His eyes froze at the sender of the last letter. The letter was so official it was boring. The paper was stark white with a plastic window to show the address of the sender. It was the average size of an envelope, a standard A5, but the weight of it told him there was more than just a sheet of paper in it. The sender was…

"JSDF?" He raised his left eyebrow at the sender. Why would he be getting a letter from them now? Had he done something on his latest hunt? He didn't recall any soldiers or bases being attacked by the magus. He tore open the letter and picked out the content.

Five pages of standard A4 paper and some kind of brochure on the JSDF were inside the package. Holding the papers into the light of the streetlamp, he began reading.

Emiya Shirou.

According to the Japanese Mage's Association, you are a registered magus in Fuyuki city. If this is incorrect, please contact the Japanese Mage's Association to inform them. If the information above is correct then please continue reading.

Japan is facing an unprecedented danger, a threat which has never before been seen. One month ago, on August 14, the Gate appeared and the terrorists appearing from it killed over six hundred civilians. It is the duty of the JSDF to protect Japan from attacks such as the Massacre of Ginza. We are the shield of japan, but we can only do so with your help.

The JSDF has historically consisted of three branches; Japan Ground Self-defence Force, Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force and Japan Air Self-Defence Force. However, with the reveal of magecraft and the Gate, the JSDF has decided to create a fourth branch; Japan Thaumaturgical Self-Defence Force.

With the four branches of the JSDF, Japan will march through the Gate and demand justice for the crimes committed that day one month ago.

Are you interested in helping people? Do you believe in justice and fairness? Do you want to make a difference? Do you believe you are what we're looking for? If you do, then contact the JTSDF and volunteer for service.

Included in this envelope you will find details of the JSDF and our work.

He read the page, but once he got to the bottom of it he had blanked out. Reading the paper once more, he blinked at the words. The JSDF was going through the gate? This was the first he had heard of it. The last thing he had heard about the JSDF was that they had recently built a base in Amakusa for magi, but he had not heard anything about the Gate.

On the other hand, how had the JSDF known he was a magus? When he registered his name and address with the Mage's Association of Japan, he had been told his information would not be given out to anyone without his explicit permission. Even if it was the de facto army of Japan, the JSDF did not have the authority to demand that kind of information. He knew that because Rin had been one of the people who had argued with the Mage's Association that anonymity was vital for magi.

Assuming that all the magi in Japan were sent a letter of recruitment, both Rin and Sakura would have received one. But Sakura had not mentioned anything about a letter and Rin hadn't called him to tell him of the letter. Why had he been contacted if she hadn't?

He was just an apprentice magus compared to her. His accomplishments in the field of magecraft was pitiful when his name was mentioned alongside hers so why was it that they had contacted him for this? He wasn't a researcher of the Kaleidoscope.

That was Rin's interest.

Rin.

All of a sudden it became clear to him why he had been contacted. She must have known about this. As one of the few disciples of Zelretch still sane enough not to spend the rest of her life in a mental hospital, she must have done everything she could to find out about the Gate and how it was created. When it became apparent that the JSDF was going to do something about the Gate, she would have jumped at the chance to investigate the otherworldly contraption. Had she been the one to recommend him?

His head was filled with questions, but he had no way to answer them except to call Rin. Not that he was mad, but being confused was not something to be happy about. Of course, it could all be a mistake and Rin was innocent. Perhaps he had been seen hunting down the sealing designation and had been identified by someone in town?

Walking inside and picking up the phone, he dialled the number to Rin's house. Even now, when they had been friends and apprentice and teacher for over ten years, Rin still spent most of her time in her ancestral home while he spent most of his time in the Emiya household. The moment she picked up the phone and she replied with a knowing tone, he knew she had been the one to give his name to the JSDF.

"Hello." She said, her voice calm and composed. As sign of preparation, she had been ready for this call all day it had seemed.

"Did you recommend me to the JSDF?" He asked bluntly. He was never good with subtlety. He much preferred being direct.

"Of course, who else do you know in Japan who would?" Her voice was steady and confident, which meant she must have a good reason for doing it. That was good at least, it implied that she had thought about it carefully before acting. He had been able to trust Rin to do what was best for both of them for years and never had she betrayed him. She wasn't about to start now it seemed.

"Mind telling why you did it? And how come you didn't tell me in person? All I got was a letter from the JSDF telling me to join the army. A little harsh, don't you think?" He asked, wincing when he realized he sounded exactly like Archer. Damn it, ten years and he still thought hadn't gotten used to his voice and appearance!

"I was going to first thing in the morning, but I hadn't counted on them acting so fast. I thought for sure they would wait a few days before contacting you. Mind if I come over? We might as well get this over with as soon as possible." she said, exhaustion seeping through her voice. He realized she hadn't meant for him to find out that way so he apologized and agreed.

"Sure thing, just try not to crash into anything. I fixed your car last week, I don't want to do it again so soon." He joked, hearing her groan at his barb.

"Oh hush you." She said and the call ended.

Putting the phone down, he guessed it would take her a while before she showed up. Rolling his sleeves up, he went to join Sakura in the kitchen. Maybe she hadn't decided to claim his domain for her own just yet…

Who was he kidding? The chances of him being allowed to cook after being gone for such a long time were abysmal.

Fate

"So what's this about?" He asked Rin when they finally sat down by the dinner table. He had told Sakura what he heard before Rin arrived so both of them were eager to find out what had happened to make Rin sign him up for the JSDF.

"Can't we eat first?" Rin moaned. "I'm starving."

"Nobody eats until you explain why you did it, Nee-san." Sakura said darkly. Her tone made Rin sit up straighter and all thoughts of complaining disappeared it seemed. She took a deep breath before she began her explanation.

" Fine, did you read the letter they sent you?" she asked. "The part about the Gate?"

"Yeah, the JSDF are going to send troops into the Gate and want magi to help them. What was so urgent about it that could you not tell me before you signed me up for the army?" He responded, his tone curious. Even if he had been recommended, he didn't need to apply. There was no reason to be angry over it, even though he was slightly annoyed.

"I got word from Zelretch last night. He wants me to study the gate and find out the similarities between it and the Second Magic. If it's the same as his magic then I was to find anything I could on who created it and how they learnt of it. It was a direct order from the Wizard Marshall, and it wasn't something I could refuse just like that. He promised he would, I quote, 'Make you appreciate life as a multicellular organism more' if I refused." She sighed in exasperation. "That old man is unbearable once you get to know him even a little."

"So in order to get closer to the Gate, you gave the JSDF my name? How does that help you in any way? I'm rubbish compared to you when it comes to identifying complex magecraft." Unless it was formalcraft or runes, the best he could do was to shove a Rulebreaker at whatever thaumaturgy the opponent was using. At least in the case of combat situation, he was slightly better at identifying and dismantling magecraft if he had time on his hands.

"Indeed you are, my poor apprentice, but worry not, for I have a plan. The Mage's Association has declared that it would commit all possible resources to investigate the Gate and Japan has decided to accept their assistance. Unlike the US, the association is not a country nor is it tied specifically to any nation in particular. Seeing as I was ordered by the Wizard Marshall himself I was told I'd be put in charge of the Gate-project immediately. Once I get acquainted with the place I can study the Gate all I want, but I can only study one side at a time and that will take too long. I will need someone else to help me study the surrounding area on the other side, help me compile the data, analyse the various factors and leylines of the land and so on. It's too much work just one person, but if you come along and help me then it's a manageable task."

So that's how it was. "So basically you made me into your assistant to make your job easier?" Shirou summed up. It could have been worse, instead of Zelretch telling her to do it, the Mage's Association could have given her the order. They wouldn't have stopped at the Gate, they would have ordered her to take living samples from the human living on the other side and what not. Old man Kaleidoscope was the lesser of two evils, despite what anyone in Clock Tower tried to tell you.

"Aren't you happy? You get to go into the great beyond, fight evil monsters and rescue beautiful maidens. You should be more appreciative of my efforts, apprentice." Rin smirked, her dark humour taking over. "Perhaps you get to become the superhero you always wanted to be."

He scowled, Rin's joke hitting a little close to home. He had been imagining what it would be like to go to the other side. Judging by the weapons the attackers were using, they were in the middle of the Middle Ages on the other side of the Gate, maybe even earlier. To arrive in the Middle Ages, to live in a world similar to Saber's, could you blame him for being curious?

"Wait, you said Zelretch contacted you yesterday. The letter came in the mail today, are you saying they contacted me within the day of you giving them my address?" Working fast was admirable, but the mail had arrived this morning. That was some crazy pencil pushing.

"Judging from what I heard, they're pretty desperate for recruits. Everyone wants to head through the Gate, but they're not sure how safe it is for humans to pass through from this side. The army wants all the magi they can get, it doesn't matter if they're theoretical or practical. They'll be going to a world where magic exists and is being used by humans, wouldn't you want some magi of your own, just to be safe? Even if they are cooperating with the association, allowing foreign magi to go near the Gate is still a pipedream. They want Japanese soldiers and magi to set foot beyond the Gate first. Even if you don't look like a Japanese citizen anymore…" Rin pointed out. "You're still preferable over American or Chinese magi." That did make sense, he would still have preferred hearing it from Rin first. Being told via a letter was colder than hearing it directly from his ex-girlfirend. Hearing it from a cold and dry recruitment letter instead of in person was just… He wouldn't say heartless, but it did require a certain degree of callousness.

Wasn't there a term for that kind of thing? A 'Dear John'-letter? Or was that just when the girlfriend broke up via letter?

"So now I'm supposed to apply to the JSDF in order to go through the Gate? Anything else you want to tell me about that I need to know? Is King Arthur actually a man? You're really Luvia in disguise? Gilgamesh is actually my biological father?" He said, aware of that particular joke Rin had made while drunk at a Christmas party. She had been truly wasted that night and had pointed out, to no one in particular, how similar Shirou was to Gilgamesh. He would never let her live that down, even if she did shoot a Gandr at him if he made that joke too often.

"Haha." She said, her tone revealing the strain it was under not to yell at him for bringing it up. "Basic training lasts three months, which is exactly how long until they start sending troops through the Gate. Seeing as you'll be on the fighting on the other side rather than simply researching, you'll be signing up for the TSDF as a soldier, unlike me. I'll be joining the Research Department as a scientist. Assuming you'll be accepted, which I assure you will happen, l will be in contact with the general on the other side who will be forwarding your reports to me. Anything you see or hear beyond the Gate must be written down and reported to command. You'll be fighting on unknown lands against unknown magecraft. It doesn't matter how trivial it might seem, if you find anything which does not exist in our world, you report it to me. Got it?" She warned him, her eyes narrowing in an unspoken, but obvious threat.

'If I'm turned into a single celled organism because of you then I'm taking you with me.' The glare said.

"Couldn't Zelretch deal with the Gate himself? It seems like he's just shirking his responsibilities." Sakura pointed out for the first time in the conversation.

"Part of me thinks that's true, but another part of me thinks there's another reason. What if there's another user of the Kaleidoscope out there, or the Gate is just part of a larger mystery? Ultimately I'm going to write it off as Zelretch being Zelretch. I'm not even going to try and understand the thought process in that man's head. I have a feeling it would be worse than losing my status as a multicellular organism." Of all the things Rin had said that day, Shirou thought that was the most sensible of them all. He had a rule to avoid the old man as much as possible whenever he had to visit Clock Tower. Waking up in the Amazonas with just his underwear once was enough.

"So what do we do about the shop? Seeing as Sakura didn't receive any letter, I'm assuming she'll be in charge of the restaurant while we're gone?" He turned to Sakura. "Do you think you can watch over the garage while you're at it? I can ask Fuji-nee to help you out and I promise to come back as soon as possible." He asked his lavender haired friend. Sakura hesitated for a moment before she answered.

"I guess I can, but… I don't want you to go, senpai. Why should you have to go to the other side just because some old man asked Rin to research something? It's not fair." She said. "I wanted you to help me renovate the restaurant together. We've been talking about doing this for months now."

Shirou smiled bitterly. Yeah, he had promised Sakura to help her renovate not just the kitchen, but the entire restaurant. Ever since the restaurant had gained a star in the Michelin Guide and become the first Michelin starred restaurant in Kumamoto, the popularity had risen exponentially. The small former-café was becoming more and more packed and required extensive renovation to increase the space available. He had planned on starting a month from now, but with this…

Rin interjected, stating her own opinion on the situation. "I don't like it either, but some time we just have to deal with it. I promise to ask the people in charge for as much vacation as possible on Shirou's behalf, so will you take care of things while we're gone? I'll convince Shirou to allow you to cook for him for just as long as he's on the other side? A single trip is usually six months, imagine cooking food for six months without him being able to complain a single time." She joked, an attempt to liven up the mood. While it didn't work and Sakura's eyes darkened at the forced humour, it seemed she accepted the situation.

Hugging her, Shirou stroke the hair of his long-time friend. "Listen, this isn't Rin's fault or mine. Someone needs to make sure the Gate is safe and Rin is one of the few people capable of studying it. She also needs someone to help her on the other side, and aside from you and I, Rin doesn't have a lot of friends." He said, ignoring the glare Rin sent his way when he spoke the honest truth. "She needs someone to watch her back and I'm the only one she can rely on. You know how she is with other magi; she'd be crucified by her colleagues if I'm not there to help her."

Sakura sighed in resignation. "Fine, but you better come back soon. I can handle the restaurant, but I don't know how long I can manage a repair shop." She warned, her eyes promising him punishment if he broke his promise to come back as soon as possible.

"Not to worry, unlike Shirou who will be away for months, I will still have weekends and vacations. I'll make sure to drop in and make sure our employees don't slack off. Gotou looks like the kind of guy who would take the first chance he got to ditch out on work." Rin assured her, giving her a thumbs up in encouragement. Shirou wanted to defend his friend, but knew that Gotou really was a slacker. More than once had Shirou warned him not to ditch out on the paperwork.

As they sat down to eat, he thought about what he needed to do. Getting his affairs in order, write a will and ensure Fuji-nee didn't try to break into his workshop again. For some reason, everything he thought about didn't seem daunting to him anymore. Had he grown used to the unexpected surprises to the point that he needed something which surpassed even Zelretch's mischief to be shocked anymore?

He hoped not, if only because he didn't want to make Zelretch think it was a challenge.

FATE

Five days later.

TSDF HQ, Amakusa Base.
Monday, 10:00 AM.

When Rin had said they were desperate for recruits he had not expected it to be this bad.

After going to the nearest JSDF office and told them he wanted to join the TSDF, the recruiter had been struggling to hide the excitement on his face. After signing a few papers and being given a few brochures about the JSDF as a whole and their various branches, including the Thaumaturgical Self-Defence Force, he had been told he would be interviewed as soon as possible. He had barely made it home before the office he was just at called him and asked him if the next day was a good time for him. Answering yes, he began to look for information regarding the recently created branch of the JSDF.

According to their website and other sources, the ministry of Defence had put tremendous resources into the construction of the base. Not only was it a military base, but it was also a place where magi from all over Japan would gather. The secrecy required to conceal the magecraft of the magi was of outmost importance. To that end, the JSDF had taken over the south side of the small island and had turned it into a base capable of hosting over three thousand personnel. Not only did it have a small airstrip for fighters and bombers, it possessed two platoons of tanks, four Type 10 and four Type 90 Main Battle Tanks. That was all he could get from Wikipedia, which was more than he had expected, but less than what he wanted to know.

The next day he had arrived twenty minutes before the interview was scheduled, dressed in what Rin deemed an 'Acceptable interview suit'. It was basically a black blazer with a white shirt and red tie. He had wanted to wear jeans, but Rin had given him a look which made him question his own intelligence. Wearing black pants he head not known he owned, he felt decidedly out of place in a suit as men and women wearing military uniforms hurried around the place.

Five minutes after arriving and informing the receptionist, he had been brought into a small office with sparse decoration and white walls. The interviewer introduced himself as Major Miyamoto Daisuke, a pleasant enough man with a receding hairline and a somewhat unpleasant breath. As they sat down and Shirou began answering the questions Miyamoto had for him, Shirou realized what Rin had said about the JSDF being desperate might be true. Although Major Miyamoto might have been experienced in talking to new recruits, he obviously had no idea on how to talk to a magus. He would avoid eye contact sometimes, as if he suddenly remembered that some magi could hypnotize people incapable of magecraft and he would hesitate on answering questions regarding the magi who had signed up. He adamantly refused to shake hands in what was considered to be rude behaviour under normal circumstances, but was polite and respectful aside from that.

The Major asked why he wanted to join and if he had any previous experience in police work or private security. He looked intrigued when Shirou mentioned his time as a freelancer, hunting dead apostles and sealing designations in Siberia and Africa. Once he realized Shirou had been in practically every warzone in the world he looked positively cheerful at Shirou's experience. Since Shirou had passed the security test, as in he was not on any international Most Wanted list, he was told he could expect an answer within the next two days in the mail. The entire interview lasted about three hours and most if it him telling the Major of his experience in various warzones or hunts. The last half hour was spent listening to the Major about the details of joining the TSDF.

The base which had been established on Ubushima was designed to hold over a thousand military personnel. Budget cuts were made on all aspects of Japan's government, from education to health care to create an appropriate budget for the fourth branch of the self-defence force. Weaponry from the other three branches had been collected as well as equipment and vehicles. As one of the soldiers to join the first generation of 'Mage Officers' (Shirou had suppressed a snort at the unscientific name. It was bound to piss off a magus or two who thought spellcasters like Shirou didn't deserve to be called mage, or magus at all for that matter), Shirou and his fellow recruits would set the precedence for the next generation. Unlike the Ground Self-Defence Force, who had decades to standardize their equipment, the TSDF would have a mixture of weapons and vehicles. Not that he had a problem with that, Shirou had never grown a standard in his entire life. If it looks stupid, but works then it ain't stupid.

He was a little disappointed that the base was located on an island, since the journey to the island would be longer and more tiresome if he had to catch a boat to it. On the other side, Ubushima was a part of Amakusa, which also happened to be part of the same prefecture as Fuyuki. Not counting the boat trip, he could make it to the harbour in less than two hours by car.

He could make it in an hour if he ignored the speed limit and activated his bike as a Mystic Code.

Thanking the Major for the opportunity, he once more noted the Major's reluctance to shake his hand. He ignored it, he understood people's hesitation in dealing with magi. Even he knew better than to trust a magus he had never met before. They usually had no problem using your body for their own nefarious research.

Actually, aside from Rin and Sakura, most of the times he met other magi was when he was hunting down sealing designations. Maybe he should to get out more often, talk to some enforcers back at the association. He needed to have more positive contact with the rest of his society, otherwise he'd turn into Rin, with her mask of politeness concealing her true thoughts of the people around her.

The next day he had seen a military jeep drop off a box by his mailbox. Opening it, he read the plain letter by the mailbox under the scorching sun.

It was a surprisingly short letter, congratulating him on his acceptance into the JSDF. It gave him instructions to appear by the branch office of the JSDF he had volunteered at on Monday morning 06:00 AM and to wear the Type 3 uniform delivered to his house. He would then be taken to the base facility on Ubushima to begin his basic training.

He had done so and a jeep had arrived to pick him up. Now four hours later, he was standing in a hall made for five hundred people, looking at the recruits around him.

The sight which greeted him was the only confirmation he needed to convince himself that Rin was definitely right, the JSDF was desperate for recruits capable of magecraft.

According to the Major who had interviewed him, the base was made to accommodate over a thousand troops. Even if not all of them were supposed to be magi, at least half of them were meant to use magecraft according to what the recruiter had said. With a population of over 127,000,000 people, a group of 500 was almost laughable. That was not even 0.0004% of the population! With the incredibly rich leylines of Japan, the amount of magi on Kyushu alone surpassed that.

Not just that, the incentives the Japanese government had been proclaiming was more than enough reason for magi to join. They would be stepping foot in another world, with phantasmal species to study and different kinds of magecraft to learn. Any magi worth his grain of salt would want to go through the Gate. Except for Shirou, since he wasn't all that interested in studying magic or dissecting carcasses.

Not only was the Gate a treasure trove for the average magus, the paycheck was more than what he had initially expected. While he earned more as the owner of the Garage and restaurant, the monthly salary wasn't small by any means. He was fairly certain it was more than what the average soldier earned in the JSDF because there was no way it could employ so many troops with such a large salary as their basic paygrade. If Zelretch hadn't ordered Rin to apply then he was certain that she would have signed up the minute she heard about the paychecks.

With all these reasons to join the JSDF, how come a base meant for five hundred magi…

Was currently only hosting thirty?

Thirty people were standing in a row, each and every one wearing the Type 3 uniform the JSDF had given them. Ten of them were women while the rest were men. He had actually been worried about there being too many magi around, but it looked like his worries were for naught. The entire hall felt positively empty with the thirty recruits and five officers standing in front of them.

Speaking of the officers, the five men in front of them were noticeably disturbed by the low number of volunteers. The one in the back even went so far as to sigh at the poor results of their recruitment campaign. He was quickly silenced by the glare his superior shot him before he addressed the room.

"I am General Kurusugawa Shinji." The man said in a heavy Kansai dialect. It was a surprise actually. It had been a long time since he had heard anyone speak with a Kansai dialect he had almost forgotten what it sounded like. "I am the commanding officer of this base and the Thaumaturgical Self-Defence Force as a whole. In the next three months of training, I will be inspecting your progress and reporting your results. If you have any questions about your stay here then you will direct them to Major Himemiya Makoto." He said motioning with his hand to the dark haired women beside him. The woman elegantly gave them a short bow before the general continued.

"I do not need to tell you that the first batch of Mage Officers will be you only. We had hoped to recruit at least a hundred, but interest in the Gate is apparently not enough for magi. Nevertheless, those of you who have signed up for this will be trained and trained hard. We have only three months before the first offensive into the Gate commences. The entire First Regiment of Ubushima will deploy through the Gate when that happens, in cooperation with the Ground Self-Defence Force. To make this possible we will now give you a schedule on your training here." He nodded to Major Himemiya and stepped aside as the woman took the podium from the general. Clicking on something on the podium, a projector behind them activated and showed a horizontal line marked with several colours and lines.

"As you heard from the general, I'm Major Himemiya Makoto and I'll be the one in charge of your training from now on. Even though we said basic training, it will not be the same as what a normal recruit is given. Seeing as we have a deadline of three months, we have decided to incorporate a schedule to get you ready for combat by the time the Gate-offensive begins. The first month will be divided into two parts; Firearms and explosives." The image changed to show a variety of rifles and handguns, none of which Shirou could recognize. "The first two weeks will be spent learning about the firearms the JSDF uses while the rest of the month will be spent learning how to use the various explosives we use." The picture changed to show different kinds of grenades and rocket launchers. "Explosives include grenades, mines, grenade launchers and rocket propelled grenades. This training is particularly dangerous so fooling around will not be tolerated."

He had a feeling Major Himemiya did not suffer fools gladly. She resembled Rin more and more by the minute.

"The second month involves vehicles training and teamwork. The JSDF have a variety of vehicles at our disposal in the field, from jeeps and tanks to helicopters and fighter jets. You will not learn how to pilot a helicopter or a jet unless you request such training after you complete basic training, but you will be expected to know how to drive a jeep and tank adequately." Somehow he had a feeling her level of adequately was above anyone else's here. The way she stressed the word in the end didn't bode well for those who had trouble driving modern cars.

"Teamwork is a vital part of our organization and out on the field you will have to work together will members of the other three branches of the Japan Self-Defence Force. The second half of month two will involve you training with other branches to learn how to cooperate with them. This will include battle exercises, scouting exercises, physical training and construction." Several pictures showed up on the screen, depicting several men holding guns or crawling around bushes or erecting tents. "The JSDF has a major role in disaster and emergency relief operations. You will be expected to aid citizens in peril while you're in JSDF's employ."

"The third month will be a combination of the two earlier months' activities. You will be taught how to utilize your skill with firearms, vehicles and field tactics. Keep in mind that the skills you learn during the first two months here will be tested during the last month so do your best to succeed in training. I do hope you'll give it your best. That is all." Major Himemiya spoke, her voice resounding in the nearly empty hall. Standing aside for the general to take command, she sat down on one of the chairs the other officers had pulled forth.

General Kurusugawa spoke once more, his Kansai dialect filling the hall with its distinctive sound. "As I'm sure you are all tired from getting up in the morning to arrive here today, we have given you today off to familiarize yourselves with the base. After you go to the supply office and get your equipment, you'll be free to socialize with each other. The barracks are located to the south while the mess hall is to the east. The north part of the base houses the airstrip and the aircrafts so it would be wise to avoid it. Likewise with the western part of the base, it is where combat practice will be carried out. Training commences tomorrow at 08:00 so I suggest you get plenty of sleep. You'll most likely need it for tomorrow." He said before nodding to them. He gave them a salute and it took the thirty magi a moment to realize they were supposed to return it. They awkwardly raised their right arm to their forehead in what was in all likelihood a terrible salute. Satisfied with the response, even if it was sloppy, the general lowered his hand and turned away.

Leaving with those words, the officers left the hall. Shirou and the rest of the recruits looked at each other, unsure of what to do. Or at least that's what it looked like. The people in the room weren't simply academic magi. They were experienced fighters if the lean muscles and prepared postures were any indication. Shirou had spent the last few years hunting down criminals and murderers and had developed sixth, or perhaps seventh, sense for dangerous people. He could walk into a room filled with people and tell who was the most dangerous.

Every single person in the room was dangerous. Every single person who had applied for the TSDF had killed before and possessed magecraft meant for killing and fighting, that's what his instinct was telling him. Some looked more professional than others, while some looked like they wouldn't hesitate to stab their mothers for a dollar. Although to be fair only the guy with the gold tooth looked that unhinged.

And now Shirou had to learn how to work as a team with these people.

Picking up his luggage, he decided to head for the barracks. He might as well take a nap, or he might collapse on his feet. Even if he and Sakura weren't dating, she had snuck into his bedroom last night. She had snuggled so hard he had trouble sleeping and it hadn't gotten any better when Rin joined in.

A week ago he was a successful restaurant and repair shop owner with the best friends in the world. Now he was a soldier-in-training, heading for a world he had not known existed until a month ago.

It was still nowhere near the weirdest month in his life.