Normal stopped being something I could convince myself of, not after another incident of accidentally using my abilities. If anything, that only confirmed what I already knew about myself. Staying idle would just lead to more mistakes, and that could be fatal in a world like this.
I had no clear idea when things were going to start.
That was the problem.
In my past life, I had watched enough to understand how dangerous this world could become, but the exact timing, the details, the sequence of events… they were already starting to blur. The Fourth Holy Grail War wasn't something I could pinpoint with certainty anymore.
It could be soon.
Or it could already be approaching.
Either way, I couldn't afford to wait and find out the hard way.
If I wanted to avoid unnecessary attention and actually make use of what I had, I needed a place where I could train without being seen. Somewhere far enough from the orphanage to test things properly.
I headed toward a forest in Fuyuki, keeping an eye out just in case one of the magus families residing in the city might take notice of my movements. I didn't know how active they were in this area, but it was better to assume that someone was always watching rather than be careless and regret it later. With that in mind, I kept my pace steady and my behavior as ordinary as possible, making sure nothing about me stood out as I left the orphanage behind and moved deeper into the quieter outskirts of the city.
As I continued forward, the atmosphere slowly changed. The noise of daily life faded, replaced by the rustling of leaves and the steady sound of my own footsteps. I didn't rush, but I didn't linger either, keeping a steady pace until I was far enough from the main routes that no one would likely follow or stumble upon this place by accident.
Eventually, I reached a small clearing surrounded by tall trees. It wasn't particularly remarkable, just an empty space hidden away from the usual paths, but that was exactly what I needed. Somewhere isolated, somewhere I could focus without worrying about being seen or interrupted. I stepped into the center of the clearing and paused for a moment, letting out a slow breath as I took in my surroundings.
Time to train.
The moment I tried to reinforce my hand, the sensation came quickly, but something about it felt wrong. The flow wasn't smooth or stable, and before I could properly adjust it, a sharp, burning pain spread through my hand.
"Shit—" I hissed under my breath, gripping my hand tighter as the pain intensified. "I knew it was going to be painful… but damn."
The reference I had in mind wasn't comforting anymore. Watching Shirou struggle with magecraft had always looked harsh in theory, but experiencing even a fraction of that backlash firsthand made it clear this wasn't something that could be treated lightly.
"That's not how you do it, boy."
The voice came from behind me, calm and unexpectedly close, as if the speaker had been there for some time already. My body reacted before my thoughts could catch up, and I turned sharply toward the direction of the sound. Standing a short distance away, watching me with quiet interest, was a woman with short, reddish-orange hair. Her presence hadn't registered at all until she spoke, which meant she had either concealed her approach exceptionally well or I had been too focused on my own mistake to notice anything around me.
My eyes widened in shock.
Holy shit… that's the "Scarred Red"
Touko Aozaki.
What is she doing in Fuyuki?
I felt a chill run down my spine as the realization settled in. Someone like her wasn't the type to just wander around without a reason. If she was here, then it had to be for something important.
Did she have business with one of the magus families?
...
I'm now sitting inside a hotel room in front of Scarred Red.
…Nah, I probably shouldn't call her that. The last time someone used that name, it didn't end well—even switching bodies wasn't enough to get away from her.
"Don't look so stiff, kid. I won't hurt you," Touko said.
"Sorry, miss. Can't really stay calm when someone kidnaps you and drags you into a hotel… are you a pedophile by any chance?" I replied.
Touko didn't look irritated at all. If anything, she seemed more amused than anything else, like my reaction was something mildly entertaining rather than offensive.
"Don't worry, I'm not. I'm just surprised a kid like you was practicing magecraft on the outskirts of Fuyuki," she replied, her gaze studying me with quiet interest. "Are you an illegitimate child of the Tohsaka or the Matou by any chance?"
"Tohsaka? Matou? What are you talking about,lady?" I tried my best to put on my clueless face. "I was raised in an orphanage here inFuyuki"
She narrowed her eyes at me, and I just stared back without breaking eye contact.
After a brief pause, she seemed to come to a conclusion of her own.
"Guess you're not lying. What's your name, kid?"
"Amamiya Eiji. Not so glad to meet your acquaintance."
A faint smirk tugged at her lips, as if she found my attitude mildly amusing.
"Touko Aozaki."
"If you aren't a pedophile may i ask why you kidnapped me miss?" I questioned
"Curiosity that's all, its not everyday you see a kid almost tear his arms apart"
I broke into cold sweat. I really almost killed myself during training.
She seemed to notice my reaction, her expression shifting slightly as she began to explain.
"Structural reinforcement is basically shaping Od to fill in the gaps within an object's molecular structure, strengthening it by stabilizing what's already there. If too much Od is forced in or if it isn't controlled properly, the excess disrupts the structure instead, causing it to break apart at its weakest points."
She held her gaze as she continued.
"It works the same way on the body. Reinforcing muscles or bones increases their durability, but if the output is mismanaged, the body ends up taking the damage instead of beingenhanced."
Touko watched me for a moment longer, as if measuring something in my reaction, before she exhaled lightly and leaned back in her seat.
"Show me how you were doing it," she said. "Don't try to impress me. Just do it the same way you did before."
I hesitated for only a second before raising my hand again. The memory of the pain was still fresh, but there wasn't much point in backing out now. I gathered Od once more, trying to replicate the same process as earlier, carefully channeling it into my hand.
"Stop."
Her voice cut in sharply, and the flow of energy wavered.
"…You're still relying on instinct to force it out," she said at last. "That's inefficient."
She tilted her head slightly, studying me as if deciding how to explain something that was obvious to her but not to me.
"Listen carefully. Before you can reinforce anything, you need to properly activate your magic circuits."
I faked a slight frown, as if the term was unfamiliar to me.
"Magic circuits?"
Touko gave a small nod, as if confirming that was the expected reaction.
"They're the pathways that allow a magus to process and circulate Od. Right now, you're trying to force Od outward without properly opening them first. That's why your control is unstable."
She gestured lightly toward me.
"Think of it as a switch. You don't just dump energy into your body, you open the circuit, let the flow begin, and guide it. If the circuit isn't properly activated, the flow becomes erratic, and your body treats it like something foreign."
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"Close your eyes. Focus inward. Find the point where your circuits respond, and deliberately 'turn them on.' Don't rush the reinforcement this time. Just activate them first."
I closed my eyes and focused inward, searching for the so-called circuits she mentioned. I didn't force anything this time, simply letting my awareness settle deeper into my body.
For a brief moment, there was nothing. Then, without any resistance or hesitation, something inside me responded.
I closed my eyes and focused inward, letting my awareness settle without forcing anything. I searched for that internal response Touko had described, the flow of Od began circulating through my body in a steady, controlled manner. It wasn't erratic, nor did it require constant adjustment to maintain. Once it started, it continued on its own with little interference.
I held the state for a few moments before slowly opening my eyes.
Touko had been watching the entire time.
"…Hmm."
She let out a small, measured sound, her expression unreadable as she studied me.
"You activated them on your first attempt."
Her tone was calm, almost indifferent, as if stating a simple fact rather than praising anything.
"That's not unheard of. I've seen others manage it as well."
A brief pause followed.
"Still…"
Her gaze sharpened slightly, just for a moment.
"…you're reasonably talented."
"Uh… thanks, I guess," I replied.
"Where did you say you were living again?"
"An orphanage. It's not far from here."
"Can you go back on your own?"
"Yes, I'll manage."
"Good. You can go back now."
Touko's tone was casual, almost dismissive, as if the conversation had already served its purpose. She didn't move to stop me or offer any further questions, simply watching as I stood up, her gaze lingering for a brief moment before shifting away as though she had already filed everything she needed away in her mind.
The moment I stepped out of the hotel room, I bolted right out of there.