- An Assassin's Sword: Archer Mode!Shirou faces off against Sasaki, the Fake False Assassin. During their fight, Sasaki somehow manages to survive an explosion by cutting a void into the air after Shirou uses a Trick Arrow. Shirou still defeats him, makes national news as a vigilante, and promptly escapes the police.
- Breaking the Rules: Shirou defeating Vincent, a magus who specializes in Blood Magic, with a degraded version of Tsubame Gaeshi.
- Broken Junction: Dojima unloading a pair of Uzis into one of the mercenaries attacking Caster, only for Shirou to show up Big Damn Hero style after that doesn't work.
- The mercenaries themselves deserve credit for surviving a fight with a Servant. Granted, Caster was underpowered due the lack of a contract at the time, but she was still firing a storm of Frickin' Laser Beams at them.
- Caster's subsequent re-powering and Curb-Stomp Battle show us why, under most circumstances, the vast majority of humans have no chance whatsoever against a Servant.
- The measure of a monster and Darker after Dawn: Ciel versus Shirou.
- And just when Ciel has finally worn Shirou down and closes in for her killing blow, a Big Damn Satsuki enters stage left and clobbers her with a street lamp.
- Shirou managing to make a mark on Saber during their fight. Considering that he's human and she's a Heroic Spirit, that's pretty darn impressive.
- Shirou and Satsuki taking down a rogue Dead Apostle.
- Shirou and Medea finally getting together after 38 chapters qualifies.
- Shirou manages to catch Rider off guard with his abilities and manages to Rule Breaker her.
- Note that Shinji cornered him alone, as a Magus is practically useless against a Servant without the support of another. Unfortunately for Shinji, Shirou is far from the garden-variety Magus.
- Another thing worth mentioning is that Shirou's entire plan hinged on trust. First, trust in himself and his training to not get himself immediately killed by Rider. Second and more importantly, his absolute trust in the Witch of Betrayal. After all, using Ruler Breaker on a Servant only cuts their connection to their Master. Forging a new Contract, especially without the contractee Servant's agreement takes serious talent, especially if done during the fraction of a second Rider was caught off-guard. In order to pull this one off, Shirou had to relinquish complete control of his body and Magic Circuits so Caster could perform the ritual remotely, the latter meaning that she could have easily fried him inside out according to canon. To say nothing that Shirou had to trust that Medea would figure out his plan, agree with it and prep the ritual literally within the time it took him to swing a blade, i.e. between the moment he Traced her Noble Phantasm and the moment it made contact with Rider's body.
- Shirou and Saber sparring in "Gathering (1)". After seeing this, and hearing about his previous spars, Rider is feeling a bit better about him getting the drop on her.
- When Shirou runs into Lancer, he is able to hold his own against the Servant, even if only for a moment.
- He follows up by breaking Gae Bolg with Reinforcement and his own knack for all things sharp and pointy. He then uses the Snake style to beat Lancer enough that reinforcements can come up and allow them to finally talk.
- When Shirou goes to talk to Illya, she has Berserker attack the ground right by him. Shirou doesn't even flinch.
- Medea willingly destroys Rule Breaker, apparently to make sure that she won't end up betraying Shirou.
Return to Path of the King
