《Fate: Hero of Justice Takeover》
Chapter 1: Twisted Fate
Let''s start with a man.
[Weaving the container... Weaving sessful.]@@novelbin@@
The man who once had brief happiness, but was ultimately deprived of it by fate.
[Fate Diagram imntation in progress... Imntation sessful.]
His sister was taken by his best friend, bing a sacrifice for all of humanity.
The kouhai who deeply loved him had her heart taken by her brother because of him.
In his despair, he cried out to the Hall of Heroes, but the only one who responded was... himself.
[Heroic Spirit (Emiya) temte loading... Loaded sessfully.]
The people who mattered to him were gone, the honour he had inherited had been abandoned. What remained, what was exposed was an irreparable emptiness.
[ss proof: Berserker, Assassin, Archer... Registered.]
He abandoned his dreams, betrayed his role as Guardian of Humanity (Emiya), and became the most reckless, the most thoughtless evil, ending the Holy Grail War in a single night.
He never became a hero of justice, but... he won.
[Detected Gaia''s interference... Interrupted.]
[Detected ya''s interference... Guardian status revoked, all abilities reduced.]
He sessfully made his wish, redeeming his sister, but ultimately, he was no match for the sword that cleaved the world. He fell, defeated amidst the neverending snowstorm.
In a quiet dungeon, the dying man awaited his end¡ªhis Fate.
[¨€¨€ has been returned, converting... Fusion sessful.]
Just like how King Solomon, the moment he became an ordinary person, glimpsed humanity''s incineration; and just as King Gilgamesh, in his half-dreaming, half-awake state, observed the true cause of humanity''s destruction¡ªthis man too, saw the fleeting glimpses of the future before his consciousness faded away.
It was a brief moment of fleeting joy.
It was an inescapable spiral of fate.
The man realised that his sister, in the end, would still return here, to this despairing world¡ªFate.
[Innate skill: Endless Regret... Forcibly acquired.]
Ah... it''s all still futile.
In his final moments, the man sighed like this.
Inside a broken, doll-like body, the emotion of regret struggled to surface. If only he had realized his limitations earlier, if only he had understood his true feelings sooner... If only there were someone more resolute and stronger than him, to take his ce and walk this path...
Then...
Maybe...
Such a fate...
Might have been saved.
[¨€¨€ Activated... Searching... Suitable individual found.]
[Individual name: Emiya Shirou.]
[New individual imnted. Container activating... Activation sessful.]
[Transferring memory... Transfer sucessful.]
[Ability parameter Luck increased to B.]
When the new consciousness awoke, opening those pale golden eyes, what he heard was the dying man''s final wish.
"Don''t forget, you promised her... You''d take her to the seaside¡"
So, this was the beginning of the distorted origin.
Chapter 2: King of Heroes and the Transmigrator
Inside a certain department store.
Endless corridors, disordered intersections, and doors that appear hazy under the setting sun.
A figure with golden hair and d in armour walks through the scene, seemingly gathering all the brilliance around her.
Amid the crisp sound of armour brushing, the woman d in extravagant attire, with blood-red patterns adorning her body, strides through the fire escape door¡ªonly to be met by a small changing room and a lethal de shot towards her!
Facing the sudden attack, the woman named Angelica Ainsworth lets out a cold snort. Golden ripples radiated around her body, and even sharper des emerged from the ripples, intercepting and shattering the iing weapon before it disintegrated into particles of light.
Roughly pulling aside the curtain of the changing room and stepping inside. She was met with what looked like an electronic store, with numerous TVs of various models before her eyes, like an audience of onlookers mocking her dishevelled state.
"Enough!"
As herst shred of patience was exhausted, she let out an angry roar. Her fury erupted into a storm of des, with countless weapons emerging from the golden ripples, wreaking havoc on everything around her.
Fragments of LCD screens scatter, reflecting her grim expression.
Angelica knows that this building has already transformed into another dimension. The concept of space has been twisted into iprehensibility by magic. Even with her knowledge of simr magic, she cannot untie this tangled mess¡ªunless she''s willing to spend the entire night solving this mess.
But doing so would fulfil the man''s objective.
Therefore, she needed a quicker, more decisive way to escape this situation¡ªand there was only one method that came to her mind in this situation!
Angelica, versed in ancient mysteries, raised her right hand high as uncountable golden ripples revealed behind her.
"Open Gate of Babylon!"
With hermand, the gates to the treasure vault of the Golden City openedpletely. Unleashing countless treasures and miracles from the golden ripples, bringing one of the most violent and raging destruction to the space around her.
The twisted dimension was torn apart, returning to order.
The concealed magic was separated, and its mysteries dispelled.
The dimensional magic in this space disappeared along with the department store, reduced to nothingness.
Under the red setting sun, only the golden figure stood alone amidst the ruins of the building, her cold, apathetic blue eyes locked onto a white-haired figure before her.
"I''ve caught you¡ Emiya Shirou, don''t even think of resisting. Hand over the servant card crafted by Lord Darius and return to Ainsworth Castle to continue your imprisonment¡ªdo that, and you a pathetic Faker, might live a little longer."
Under her murderous re, the young man''s lips curled into a small mocking smile, one utterly different from his former self.
"First of all, I''m not the Emiya Shirou you think I am. You can call me Sakatsuki. Secondly, Angelica Ainsworth, a doll who used a ss Card to borrow the power of the ancient King of Heroes..."
A sharp weapon pierced through the youth''s body before he could evenplete his sentence. Yet, with a faint smile, he continued provoking her.
"You think you can catch me?"
More weapons flew out, stabbing his face and tearing apart his smile. But, when the dust settled, what remained before Angelica was a lifeless doll.
"Discement magic... Tch, Emiya Shirou¡ªno, Sakatsuki!"
Angelica crushed the doll underfoot, but her anger red due to the elusive mouse.
"How did this guy even manage to obtain Ainsworth''s magecraft?"
***
Kilometres away from the department store, inside a church, a white-haired, golden-eyed youth opened his eyes, scratching his head in frustration.
"Ugh, thest doll I swiped from Ainsworth Castle is used up¡ What a pain, that shy woman..."
Remembering the golden figure gives me a headache.
Though he managed to mock her and escape unharmed, no one knows better than him how troublesome that woman truly was.
At a thought, an ethereal blue text appeared before his eyes, forming a small panel.
[Fate Compendium: New Data Unlocked]
[001: Angelica Ainsworth]
[Character Info: A doll from the Ainsworth family, also working as a maid. She is adept in using Ainsworth''s Discement magic, sh Air, capable of warping objects through space, or moving a target''s consciousness to substitute a person''s soul and create dolls with virtual consciousness.]
[Hidden Info: Locked]
[Record Conditions: 2/3]:
[?Escape Ainsworth Castle (Completed)]
[?Evade her pursuit for seven days (Iplete)]
[?Hidden condition (Iplete)]
At this point, the youth''s identity is clear.
Indeed, he is a transmigrator who has been reborn in Shirou Emiya''s body, possessing a cheat ability called the Fate Compendium!
Upon awakening, and analyzing the remnants of this body''s memories, the youth, now Sakatsuki, quickly piece together his situation. He has entered a vast, fictional world that was created by a certain mushroom. A world of endless wonders, branching paths, and worldlines.
When he discovered this truth, as a devoted fan of the Nasuverse, he nearly struck a JoJo pose, but reality bound his hands, stopping him.
The memories from the original body, from Shirou Emiya are deeply etched, making him realize that this is a world of Fate/Kaleid liner, within the worldline of Magical Girl Illya.
At this moment in time, the events of the movie ''Fate/Kaleid liner Prisma¡îIllya: Oath under the Snow'' have just concluded. Shirou Emiya, unable to withstand the onught of the Ea, the Sword of Rupture, wielded by Angelica Ainsworth, was ultimately defeated and captured, and imprisoned in the depths of Ainsworth Castle.
However, in this world, Shirou Emiya didn''tst until Miyu returned but died after summoning a soul from another world.
Even though the original will of Shirou Emiya has faded, Sakatsuki, inheriting this power and will, would continue to oppose the Ainsworths.
Thus, he concealed his presence.
Thus, he broke free from the chains.
Thus, during Angelica''s absence, he stormed out of the dungeon and into the heart of the castle.
Though Darius Ainsworth, the family head, escaped during the chaos, Shirou Emiya¡ªno, Sakatsuki¡ªstill managed to seize fivepleted ss Cards and one nk card, with imbued power but no ss, leaving triumphantly.
As his mind refocused, the white-haired youth sighed softly.
"Speaking of¡ It''s already the seventh day, isn''t it?"
The ethereal blue panel in his vision faded away, and five ss cards bloomed like flowers in his hand before closing again. Standing up under the moonlight, Sakatsuki stretchedzily.
"Why hasn''t Kirei Kotomine, that fake priest, returned yet¡ Could he be hiding from me?"
Sakatsuki sighed helplessly, stepping outside the church.
"Fine, I''ll spare him this time. I''d better leave before that shy woman shows up."
Diamond patterns formed under his foot. As magic activates, space appears to warp, eliminating distances, and Sakatsuki swiftly vanishes from the church vicinity.
Discement Magic.
Though a basic and low-level spell, based on the fundamental rule that the recement will always suffer from degradation, only a few use it. But in the hands of the Ainsworth family, who specialize in it, the scale, uracy, and application range of their discement deviates from themon sense of magecraft, even touching upon abstract concepts like space and spirit.@@novelbin@@
Yes, it is the Ainsworth family''s speciality magic, against whom Sakatsuki is now fighting. Inbat, it is incredibly powerful and impossible to defend against. Angelica survived Shirou Emiya''s fatal strike precisely due to this magic.
For the Ainsworth family, Discement magic is their strength. But when such power falls into the hands of someone opposing them¡ªlike Sakatsuki¡ªit bes a nightmare.
As for why Sakatsuki could use this magic¡
Chapter 4: Divine Creations
With the fall of the sword, all things were left with only one oue¡ªDestruction.
Not only the earth, but even the sky crumbled like destruction fell upon even the heaven, and all things returned to chaos.
At the moment when the divine sword destroyed everything, the miracle of creation also descended.
But can the new order built upon the ruins of old human civilization still be understood and epted by humanity? In the shallow and ignorant eyes of humanity, perhaps the rules of this new world are as iprehensible and uneptable as chaos itself.
Thus, wherever the power of the Sword of Rupture, Ea reached, what was presented to the world wasplete anhtion.
When the aftermath of the creation or destruction could no longer be distinguished and finally dissipated, what appeared under the curtain of the night was a trench spanning tens of kilometres, tens of meters wide, and deep enough to bury several people.
If pilots were observing from above at this moment, they would undoubtedly be horrified to find that this massive trench almost cut the city in half, the terrifying destruction nearly connected with the crater in the city centre.
Sheathing the violent divine sword, Angelica took out the tracking device again and calmly reported.
"Release of Noble Phantasmplete, the target''s location has been destroyed, pursuit mission over... Hmm?"
The woman''s hand suddenly clenched, and the tracking device and her gauntlet emitted a creaking sound under the strain.
On the tracking device what was disyed was, a clear shing red dot.
After a long silence, Angelica tossed the tracking device back into the King''s Treasury and resumed walking.
"The hunt continues."
***
Elsewhere, a white-haired youth standing atop a high-rise building gazed at the destruction caused by the Sword of Rupture, which spanned nearly the entire Fuyuki city. His cold golden eyes were locked onto the scale of destruction as if he were calcting something in his mind.
Finally, the youth, Sakatsuki, concluded.
"If this is the maximum output... perhaps it is possible."
When he looked up, the stars in the night sky were shining like diamonds. It wouldn''t be long before sunrise illuminated this long and cursed night.
Unfortunately, he wouldn''t live to see that day.
Sakatsuki withdrew his gaze, looked at the golden figure rushing at him far away, pressed his lips together, and then revealed a bright smile.
"Trace on!"
Apanied by the young man''s low whisper, countless phantom swords appeared behind him, slicing through the cool night breeze.
The swords hovering behind him shot out.
The golden figure halted, unleashing treasures without hesitation, shing head-on with the swords shot by Sakatsuki. Then raising those cold blue eyes she asked.
"Despicable imposter, how did you avoid my attack?"
"Well, who knows?"
Sakatsuki stood up with his casual reply. The sportswear stolen from the department store was reced by a more lightweight magical garment.
The edges of his clothes fluttered in the strong winds, his messy white hair tied back with a white headband. d in light armour Sakatsuki looked directly into her eyes and said with sharp intent.
"You''ve been tracking me for seven whole days, did you think I wouldn''t have the means to avoid your surveince?"
At his words, Angelica took out the tracking device once again. She looked at the erratically moving red dot, clenched her hand, and crushed the tracking device into pieces.
Although curious about how Sakatsuki evaded tracking, it no longer mattered.
"I see... So you''re not nning to run anymore, huh?"
In response to her, he gave a fearless smile and spoke.
"Exactly, Angelica Ainsworth, let''s put an end to all of this tonight."
Faced with the young man''s fierce deration, dripping with killing intent, Angelica remained unfazed and spoke indifferently.
"Although I don''t know why you insist on a meaningless escape, I''ve said it before, an imposter like you could never achieve a miracle."
Golden ripples emerged behind her, unleashing a torrent of des, swords, spears, and axes, going straight ahead towards Sakatsuki.
"The clownish act of yours ends now, mongrel!"
Responding to her was a simr fierce storm of des, along with the fluttering silhouette of the holy shroud.
Rushing ahead, the young man red at Angelica. The moment the golden ripples entered his sight, he began analyzing them.
The magic power within him began to rage.
Presented before him were fourteen Noble Phantasms.
Rapid Analysis, Full Replication.
In a fleeting moment where time seemed to stand still, Sakatsuki endured the searing pain of the raging magic power within him, muttering softly.
"Sword Barrel! Full Open!"
Azure streams of light flew from behind him, blocking the treasures before Angelica could release them.
"Again before release, even though it''s not in a Reality Marble...!"
Angelica, who had previousbat experience with Shirou Emiya, realized his next move, swiftly withdrew and raised a massive shield in front of her.
"Too slow!"
With an earth-shaking step, his boots struck the ground as his headband fluttered in the wind. The young man roared, supporting himself on the massive shield with his left hand, vaulting over it, and then, in mid-air knocked an arrow on his bowstring!
A modified spiral arrow was knocked on the bowstring, and without aiming shot the arrow under the astonished gaze of Angelica.
"Cdbolg II!"
As the arrow left the bowstring, Sakatsuki clenched his hand tightly.
"Broken Phantasm!"
The spiral arrow ignited in a ze of magic power mid-flight, and upon reaching a critical point, exploded.
A tremendous destructive force, apanied by mes, surged up into a massive mushroom cloud. At the edge of the explosion, a figure was flung backwards, eyes reflecting the burning mes, already drawing a new arrow.
If the opponent could be easily defeated by thisbo, then his seven-day and seven-night escape would indeed be nothing more than aughable farce.
And Angelica did not disappoint Sakatsuki, who had prepared himself. Before the smoke and dust of the explosion dispersed, her icy voice pierced through the fog, apanied by a massive golden ripple expanding behind her.
"Come forth, Sul-Sagana, Ig-Alima!"
The heavens and earth dimmed in an instant. Even Sakuya''s light golden eyes darkened momentarily, overshadowed by two towering colossal shadows.
One resembling the wings of the dawn, burning with purifying mes, the legendary me sword that is said to cleanse and eradicate all matter.
The other was a massive sword that seemed to be carved from emerald, covered in dark soil, the legendary boneless greatsword capable of carving through thousands of mountains.
This is the ultimate form of divine craftsmanship, forged by the gods. Together, they possessed the power to burn and purify the endless ocean. These are not nearly weapons for cleaving and shing, they were transcendent weapons of creation and destruction.
One was named Sul-Sagana, the burning horizon that scorches the seas. The other was named Ig-Alima, the emerald that cleaves the mountains.
The twin swords, wielded by the war god Zababa of Mesopotamian mythology intertwined, bestowing divine judgment upon the mortals with their massive form spanning thousands of meters.
Sakatsuki withdrew his gaze from these divine constructs and closed his eyes for a brief moment, when he reopened his eyes, the golden glow in his eyes was almost overflowing.
"If magic power is sufficient, why not forge these divine constructs myself?"
Veins bulged in his hands as the white-haired, golden-eyed young man roared as if tearing apart heaven and earth.
"Aaaaahhhhh¡ª"
The killing intent of the iing des stung his skin. In a trance, Sakatsuki''s memory ovepped with Emiya''s, recalling the first time he used projection magic.
Magic power flowed through circuits, analyzing the structure of an object in an instant, and materializing his understanding in a tangible form¡ªeven if it''s just the shell!
Amidst his roar, Sakatsuki finally broke the invisible shackles binding him. Mana surged and roared, condensing behind him into two equally menacing giant swords¡ªperfect replicas of the originals, colliding with their identical counterparts!
"Zzzzzzzz!"
"Boom! Boom!"
After two loud crashes, the four giant swords fell like meteors. Judging by the damage, there was no doubt that the original Sul-Sagana and Ig-Alima had won, while the two giant swords projected by Sakatsuki were cleaved in half from top to bottom.
But such a victory was meaningless. The performance of the weapons was not the decisive factor for victory. For Sakatsuki, as long as he could deviate the trajectories of the two giant swords, his purpose was achieved.
Angelica looked up at this magnificent scene, without joy in her eyes, silently retreating to avoid the aftermath of the falling giant swords.
However...
"Swing!"
A de swept through the air in a chilly arc.
"What...!"
Angelica turned around in shock, trying to block the sudden de with her gauntlet.
Golden fragments scattered as she was sent flying backwards, blood streaming from her left hand, losing the strength to raise it.
"Sure enough, the Discement magic is too useful."@@novelbin@@
After the sessful sneak, Sakatsuki wielding two ck and white twin des, rushed towards Angelica without waiting for her to rise, aiming for her vitals.
"Admit it, I''m stronger now!"
Chapter 7: An Innocent Serial Killer
Pushing open the door, Ryuunosuke Uryuu felt the cold, bone-chilling killing intent emanating from Sakatsuki along with the overwhelming scent of blood. He couldn''t help but feel a surge of happiness, a wide smile spreading across his face.
It was three days ago, while hiking through the scenic Alps, searching for the thrill and excitement he once felt during torture and interrogation. Unexpectedly, he stumbled upon Sakatsuki, leaning against a hillside, blood pooling around him.
The intense, tragic atmosphere that enveloped the scene gave Ryuunosuke Uryuu a sense of belonging, like a drifting ship finding its harbour.
"Ah, this... this is truly¡"
The joy in his heart left Ryuunosuke almost speechless. After standing in awe for a while, he finally spoke, deeply moved.
"So cool!"
To his eyes, Sakatsuki, though weak, was still surrounded by a terrifying aura of killing intent, as if he had just walked through life and death. Having just seen the scenery of the endless river of the afterlife, and returned to the world without any attachment.
Like a leopard¡ªarrogant and heartless.
In Ryuunosuke Uryuu''s life, he had never encountered such a noble being. Even during his travels through the war-torn regions of the Middle East, he had only seen war mongers devoid of beauty and appreciation of art. Anyone with a gun can make a grotesque figure.
He had thought he would never find someone with the same heart as his in this world.
He had thought he would have to enjoy this unique sense of beauty alone.
But the presence of Sakatsuki gave him the joy of finding a kindred spirit.
Ryuunosuke Uryuu couldn''t wait to share his joy with his new and firstpanion¡ªby devoutly demonstrating his coolest methods of torture, murder, and corpse disposal with his friend.
However, in the next moment, Sakatsuki snapped his head up like lightning, his golden eyes gleaming with a cold light, and the intense killing intent surged weighing down at Ry¨±nosuke.
Sakatsuki realised that the figure before him was just a harmless-looking hiker with a backpack, the killing intent dissipated. He spoke while looking at Ryuunosuke.
"That style... Do you like leopards too?"
"Too?"
Sakatsuki''sst words made Ryuunosuke reconsider.
Perhaps, before dying they could talk about aesthetics a little more.
With this thought, Ryuunosuke bent down, hoisted the dying Sakatsuki onto his back, and headed toward a hospital in the nearby town.
Thus began the origin of the serial killer who appeared in the town.
***
Let''s return to the morning three dayster.
After Ryuunosuke pushed open the door and found that Sakatsuki had already recovered, the two young men soon left the town together, heading towards the Alps.
The invitation to climb the mountain came from Ryuunosuke, and for some reason, the still heavily injured Sakatsuki agreed to the abrupt request.
After introducing themselves, the two quickly became acquainted.
"By the way, you mentioned ''you like leopards too,'' didn''t you, Sakatsuki?"
Ry¨±nosuke said casually while climbing.
"I''m curious, does ''too'' refer to you or someone you know?"
He didn''t care why Sakatsuki had been there or how he had gotten so heavily injured¡ªfor Ryuunosuke, knowing these things were meaningless.
Following him leisurely, and admiring the scenery of the Alps, Sakatsuki shifted his gaze to his so-called ''Savior'', Ryuunosuke Uryuu.
A man, with orange hair, named Ryuunosuke Uryuu, someone who likes leopards.
If two or three of these conditions were met, it might be a coincidence. But meeting all four was unmistakably certain.
"Fate/Zero..."
Sakatsuki murmured, finally understanding the reward he got from the [Fate Compendium].
[Condition 2 Reward: Leave this world and travel into the timeline of Fate/Zero.]
The origin of the Fate series, Fate/Zero.
The hidden story of the Fourth Holy Grail War, a brutal battle between fourteen servants and their masters.
Heroes of the past summoned by mysterious means, all gathered, to fight for the single reward the Holy Grail.
The King of Conquerors, the King of Heroes, the King of Knights.
The ck Knight, the Ill-Fated Knight.
The Demon Marshal, and the Hundred-Faced Hassan.
Seven masters each fought for their desires, throwing themselves into the ughter.
A Killer Obsessed with Saving Humanity, a Priest in Pursuit of Pleasure.
A Scheming Family Head, a Young Magus Apprentice.
A Dying Avenger, a Genius Magus in Pursuit of Honor, and a Serial Killer who finds Joy in Death.
Seven pairs of Masters and Servants, battle across the entire city to seize the supreme miracle¡ªthe Holy Grail.
This is the origin of the Fate series, spawning countless worldlines, countless scenarios, and countless miracles.
Never again would such splendour be seen.
Coming out of his internal monologue, Sakatsuki looked at his ''Saviour,'' Ryuunosuke Uryuu
He was one of the Masters in the Fourth Holy Grail War, a disruptor, a hedonist, and a sacrifice in the war.
Facing the question from the orange-haired young man, Sakatsuki smiled faintly and replied.
"He''s someone I know."
"What kind of person is he? Can you tell me?"
The innocent serial killer eagerly asked, genuinely curious.
Sakuya answered with a calm tone.@@novelbin@@
"He is cheerful and lively, sensitive to others'' emotions but not overly concerned with details."
"Cool!"
"He always maintains an optimistic and constructive attitude, never giving up even in of failure."
"Cool! Cool!"
"He''s an animal lover, particrly fond of hunting parks or nature documentaries. However, his interest in torturing subjects is limited to humans. While he admires sharks and carnivorous animals, he''s never considered bing one."
"Cool! Cool! Cool!"
With each sentence, Ryuunosuke''s eyes sparkled more, he was so excited that he rushed and grabbed Sakatsuki''s hands, as if afraid he might escape and shouted.
"Who is he? Where is he? Can I visit him?"
Sakatsuki smiled politely, subtly pulling his hand back.
"Unfortunately, he can''t meet you because¡ª"
"Why not?"
Ryuunosuke''s face twisted with tension.
"It''s not time yet."
Sakatsuki smiled faintly again and said.
"He asked me to tell you that if you reach the mountain''s peak, you can meet him."
"This is so cool!"
Sakuya''s vagueness did not anger Ryuunosuke. Instead, it made him shout with excitement.
"This is exactly what I wanted to hear! My goodness, is he a mind reader? How does he always know what I''m thinking? Cool! So Cool! Let''s go! Let''s go!"
In his overwhelming ecstasy, he forgot everything else, fervently moving his legs, his eyes fixed only on the alluring peak.
Because of this, he failed to notice the peculiar gaze Sakatsuki cast at his ''Saviour,'' as if he were a unique, soon-to-disappear object.
[002: Ryuunosuke Uryuu]
[Character Info: A serial killer, highly sensitive to the reality of death, a manic performance artist seeking to understand death, and skilled in the art of murder, killing and death.]
[Hidden Info: Locked]
[Record Conditions (1/1)]:
[?Kill Ryuunosuke Uryuu (Iplete)]
¡ªNever again would such splendour be seen.
This doesn''t mean other works can''t reach simr heights, but that such a story could never be repeated. This is a story unique to Fate/Zero.
Chapter 9: The Little Princess of Einzbern
Let''s start with a man.
A man filled with ideals more than anyone else, yet driven to despair because of them.
His dream was simple.
He sincerely wished for everyone to be happy.
Every boy has harboured such dreams, but they abandon them when they understand the harshness of reality, deeming such ideals childish.
Happinesses at the cost of sacrifice¡ªthis is a lesson everyone learns as they grow up.
But this man was different.
When he realized that all life in this world is bnced on the scales of sacrifice and salvation and that it is impossible to clear either sidepletely...
He decided to be the master of the scales.
***
In the snow-covered forest, a small passage had been made in the defensive barrier, enough for someone to sneak into the Winter Castle undetected.@@novelbin@@
...That is if the infiltrator had a map.
Unfortunately, Sakatsuki didn''t have such a thing, so he chose a simple and crude method¡ªfollowing the trajectory of the ley lines.
As the base of the Einzbern family, the Winter Castle was naturally built on the best leylines in the Alps, amon knowledge among the magus families.
Thus, by following the ley lines, he would eventually reach the core of the castle.
Amid the snowstorm, Sakatsuki used Discement magic to swap and disrupt the alert functions of the defensive magic array, dismantling the mystery as if breaking apart building blocks, feeling somewhat smug.
As an ordinary person from a normal world just half a month ago, he was quite satisfied with his decisions.
However, the result of his proud actions ended up in an unexpected failure.
Crunch! Crunch!
The sound of little snow boots struggling through the thick snow, small hands pushed aside the bushes, and a little girl wearing a purple felt hat and a purple dress curiously looked around, slowly approaching Sakatsuki''s location.
If it weren''t for the heavy snow affecting visibility today, she might have spotted the intruder, Sakatsuki, immediately.
Damn, big mistake.
Sakatsuki silently reflected as he watched the small figure walk towards him.
He had considered every magical variable but failed to ount for the possibility of being discovered by someone.
There was still a chance to escape though, if he withdrew before being noticed, he could avoid the Bad End of a failed infiltration.
Yes, with speed beyond the ordinary humans, he could surely leave gracefully.
But as he was about to act, the face of the approaching girl stopped him as if he had lost power in his body.
The blood in his body seemed to flow in reverse, trembling with excitement as unfamiliar emotions coursed through him, forcing Sakatsuki to stare at the small figure walking towards him.
Silver hair, ruby-like eyes, a purple dress. She looked just like a fairy.
All these features pulled a single name from Sakatsuki''s mind, from within Shirou Emiya''s body¡ª
Illyasviel von Einzbern.
The child of his adoptive father, Kiritsugu Emiya, and wife, Irisviel von Einzbern, and also his, Shirou Emiya''s, adoptive sister¡ªthough Sakatsuki was taller and older than her by a considerable margin.
Perhaps due to the memories of the original host, even when facing a family member from a different worldline, he felt an intense sense of joy. As if someone who had nothing realized they were not alone on their wandering journey.
At this moment, Illya finally noticed the unfamiliar big brother standing in the snow.
Without alertness or shouting, the silver-haired girl gazed at the tall white-haired young man with a look of surprise and smiled.
Although she was only six years old and barely able to stand, Illya still curtsied in ady-like manner, then eagerly stood up, her ruby eyes full of anticipation.
"Big brother, big brother, do you know what walnut sprouts are?"
Under Illya''s expectant gaze, Sakatsuki couldn''t bring himself to say "no" and could only smile wryly as he crouched down.
"Yes, I do. They are the new buds growing out of walnut trees, right?"
"Yes, yes!"
Illya smiled happily upon hearing the affirmation.
"Hey, big brother, could you do me a favour?"
"Of course, go ahead."
"Help me find walnut sprouts in the forest!"
Illya clenched her little fists and said with determination.
"I must beat Kiritsugu in tomorrow''spetition!"
So, it was the reason for today''s sneaky outing? No wonder no one else was with her... Shuyue thought for a moment and then smiled as he extended his hand.
"It would be my honour, Princess of the Winter Castle."
However, his gesture seemed to have been misunderstood by Illya, who happily grabbed his arm, climbing up like scaling a mountain while saying "Heave-ho, Heave-ho."
Sakatsuki wavered slightly but quickly stabilized himself.
The petite, frail body of the girl wasn''t as heavy as Sakatsuki had anticipated. Holding her felt like scooping up fresh snow, so delicate and fragile.
She weighs less than fifteen kilograms... Sakatsuki quickly concluded.
Inherited magical knowledge from the Einsworths coldly assessed. This girl''s body had long been altered, resembling more a vessel for some artefact than a human. Her growth would likely cease during early puberty.
Illyasviel... She embodied the culmination of a millennium of the Einzbern family''s achievements, as well as their umted sins.
"Let''s go, big brother!"
Illya, unaware of Sakatsuki''s thoughts, quickly adjusted herself on his shoulders, catching her breath before excitedly shouting.
"I''ll beat Kiritsugu tomorrow!"
Breaking out of his chaotic thoughts, Sakatsuki disyed a gentle smile to Illya.
"At your service, my most adorable little princess."
"Wow, so high! Illya is flying...!"
The clear, carefreeughter of a child echoed through the snow-filled walnut forest.
"Big brother, what''s your name?"
"Saka... no, just call me Shirou. At least here, you can call me that."
"Oh... so, big brother Shirou, have you found any walnut sprouts?"
"Look over there, are those walnut sprouts?"
With his inherent skill [irvoyance: C], Sakatsuki could see the sprouts wrapped in snow clearly.
"Where, where? Wow, they really are walnut sprouts! Big brother Shirou, you''re amazing!"
"Haha! Of course, I am."
Amid theughter, Sakatsuki and Illya slowly traversed the forest, with the magnificent silhouette of the Einzbern family''s castle bing faintly visible in the distance.
"So this is Winter Castle..."
Sakatsuki''s sigh of unfamiliarity caught Illya''s attention, her seven-year-old mind finally making sense of the situation.
"Wait... does this mean, that big brother Shirou isn''t a member of the Einzbern family?"
The snow in the forest seemed to fall heavier, and after a moment, the Sakatsuki''s pleasantughter rang out.
"You caught on quickly, Illya. You''re smart."
"Of course, Illya is very smart!"
The little girl sitting on Sakatsuki''s shoulders proudly put her hands on her hips, soon asking curiously.
"I heard Kiritsugu say that magi outside the castle can perform magic. What about you, big brother? Can you throw fireballs? Or make a potion that turns into a rabbit when you throw a bunch of stuff into a pot like Kiritsugu said?"
Seemingly not expecting it to go this far, Sakatsuki paused for a moment before letting out augh.
"Hahaha... My princess, really, perhaps the entire Einzbern family should be grateful that you were the first to meet me."
"???"
The little girl tilted her head, her small head filled with multiple question marks.
But Sakatsuki''s gaze wasn''t on her; instead, he looked up at the snowden sky, as if talking to himself.
"Illya, don''t you think today''s weather is too bad?"
"Big brother Shirou really doesn''t live here, does he? It always snows here, but Kiritsugu said the weather would improve tomorrow?"
"No need to wait until tomorrow."
"...Huh?"
Illya froze, and in the next moment, a cold, piercing aura emanated from beneath her.
It was a sensation she was very familiar with, something Kiritsugu called mana, but even she had never witnessed such a massive surge of magical energy.
"Watch closely, Illya."
Sakatsuki narrowed his golden eyes. The overwhelming magical energy surged out, transforming into a dazzling magic circle that enveloped the entire forest.
"This is one of the magics I possess."
The wind ceased.
The snow stopped falling.
The sky turned milky white.
Sunlight streamed down from the clear sky.
"Wow..."
Illya gazed at the suddenly brightened sky, eximing in disbelief.
In her innocent little head, only one thought echoed.
With this, she could look for walnut buds in the forest with Kiritsugu every day!
***
ording toter reports by the German Meteorological Service, within a ten-mile radius centred on a certain spot in the Alps, the snowstorm that was supposed to continue until the next day abruptly cleared, while in contrast, heavy snow suddenly began to fall in the distant town of Lauterbrunnen.
It was as if an invisible hand of God had swapped the weather of the two ces.
Later, this report was archived by the Mage''s Association, the Clock Tower''s Sealing Designation Bureau, with the assistance of the Holy Church, preventing massive panic in the modern world due to this weather anomaly.
Of course, that''s a story for another time.
Chapter 10: Awakening of the Magus Killer
A man saves lives indiscriminately. Simrly, when he kills, he does so without distinguishing between good and evil.
But when he realizes this, it is already toote.
cing equal value on all lives also means not loving anyone.
If he had realized this unbreakable rule earlier, perhaps there was a chance for redemption.
Had he frozen his young heart sooner, allowed it to wither, and be a soulless measuring machine, perhaps he could have lived a life detached, coldly choosing the living from the dead without any remorse.
But that man was not such a person.
***
The strange weather phenomenon over Einzbern was like a forceful invitation, weing the uninvited guest, Sakatsuki, into the thousand-year-old Winter Castle.@@novelbin@@
Surrounded by countless artificial humans holding weapons, all bearing simr features, Sakatsuki was led toward the Einzbern family chapel¡ªthe most magnificent yet also darkest ce in this snow-bound winter fortress.
This was not a ce to praise God''s grace or soothe the soul. In a magus''s castle, the so-called prayer hall was simply the venue for conducting magical rituals.
Thus, the stained-ss windows Sakatsuki passed by disyed not images of saints, but the long history of Einzbern''s long pursuit of the Holy Grail.
Even among the founding three families, the Einzbern family had spent the longest time pursuing the Holy Grail.
But now, those magicians who once gathered to pursue the Third Magic had either left the castle or ended their own lives, leaving only the artificial beings they created in this snow-covered castle.
These artificial humans, with their mechanical nature, inherited the magicians'' goal to, reproduce the Third Magic and continued to operate the Einzbern workshop. From that moment on, all the artificial humans created by Einzbern were modelled after Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern, with silver hair and red eyes.
Two hundred years ago, the artificial humans finally gave up on independent exploration and began coborating with external families like the Tohsaka and Matou.
However, in the subsequent Holy Grail Wars, Einzbern''s family never won, always falling short due to their master''s inferiorbat abilities. As a result, nine years ago, they were forced to recruit a skilled magus from the outside world.
Interestingly, Emiya Kiritsugu was the trump card that the Einzbern family prepared by abandoning their pure bloodline.
As Sakatsuki walked along the corridor, his gaze unintentionally lingered on a newer stained-ss window.
It depicted the Einzbern family''s Winter Saintess, Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern, with two magicians on either side of her reaching up to a chalice in the sky. A careful look at theposition of the image revealed just how much Einzbern had once despised the Tohsaka and Matou families¡ªonly to now depend on their assistance, which brought great shame to the Einzbern.
Sakatsuki walked through the corridor, his presence starkly contrasting with the solemn atmosphere, as though one of the two parties would inevitably lead to the other''s downfall.
The old magus who ruled over this frozen castle was already waiting for his arrival at the altar.
The old man''s name was Jubstacheit von Einzbern. After inheriting the title of the eighth-generation head of the family, he went by the alias Acht. He had prolonged his life several times, living for nearly two centuries. Even after the exploration of the Holy Grail turned into the Holy Grail Wars, he continued to rule the Einzbern family.
Upon facing the master of the castle, Sakatsuki casually nced at him, but his gaze quickly shifted to the couple standing next to him, not leaving them again.
The man was dressed in a long coat, with neat ck hair and a tall, slender build. His eyes appeared dull, but a burning me of obsession could be seen upon closer inspection.
The woman wore a tinum-coloured coat, with silver hair flowing smoothly and ruby-red eyes gleaming warmly. She looked like a snow princess from a fairy tale, as beautiful as Sakatsuki had seen through the screen.
Emiya Kiritsugu and Irisviel von Einzbern are representing the Einzbern family in this Holy Grail War.
At the same time, they were also...
"Then, a magus who invaded Einzbern''s territory and cast powerful magic in our Winter Castle, since you haven''t harmed Illyasviel von Einzbern, I will allow you to speak of your intentions."
The old magician''s arrogant words made Sakatsuki turn his attention back to him.
Acht, the Einzbern family head, stroked his long white beard, resembling an icy waterfall. His piercing eyes shot through Saktsuki with an intense, unrelenting pressure, making one feel repulsed.
And that feeling of repulsion was clearly conveyed into Acht''s mind.
"Iri."
Kiritsugu''s eyes subtly changed, and he quietly pulled his wife behind him, shielding her.
Only those who have seen mountains of corpses or experienced the hardship of time can sense the shift in the atmosphere. Sakatsuki, just standing there, was enough to make Kiritsugu and Acht feel as if they were on the verge of being crushed, with even the old magus trembling.
This was not a disy of brute violence from Sakatsuki, but once exposed to his cold golden gaze, people could not help but realize how fragile and powerless they were.
Before, a figure who was not a heroic spirit but seemed like one, any human would feel their life force as weak as a moth in front of Sakatsuki.
"Then allow me to make my request, Einzbern."
The youth stood at the door, azure light gathering in his palm.
"I came here for your artificial human-making technique, the data on the Lesser Holy Grail, this Holy Grail War relic, a cute little loli..."
He paused for a moment, and under Acht''s incredulous gaze, Sakatsuki made his final demand.
"...and the Third Magic."
"Kill him!"
As if touched by a trigger, the white-haired old man gave the order without hesitation. He struck his staff heavily on the ground, and countless magic circles rose from the floor, surrounding the entire chapel.
As the doors opened, countless artificial humans armed with axes and spears rushed in, attacking the lone Sakatsuki.
"Run! This man is dangerous!"
Emiya Kiritsugu, having been a mercenary for a long time, was the first to retreat, grabbing his wife and moving toward the door.
"But, Kiritsugu, I can fight..."
Irisviel hesitated, unwilling to leave her husband to face danger alone.
Yet that hesitation cost her thest opportunity.
"Trace on!"
Swords, axes, spears, and halberds.
At the moment when the de flew toward them, Irisviel only had time to push her husband away before being mercilessly struck by the des.
"Iri!"
Kiritsugu''s pupils contracted.
There was no blood, no scream¡ªcountless sword des, gleaming with the cold light of steel, embedded in the ground like tiny graves.
A piece of white cloth was lifted by the st, vanishing into the dark chapel like melting snowkes.
His heart ached, and the familiar taste of rust filled his mouth.EmiyaKiritsugu''s eyes went hollow as he drew two pistols from the inside of his coat.
"Time Alter, Triple el!"
The guise of a good husband was torn away.
Seven yearster, the former magus killer had once again found his unyielding target, beginning his hunt!
Chapter 12: Unharmed by the Origin Bullet
[003: Kiritsugu Emiya]
[Character Info: Known as the Magus Killer, Kiritsugu is a dreamer who desires world peace but executes his ns with cold, ruthless realism. He is a man who loves everyone yet is prepared to kill anyone if necessary. Of course... he''s also your dear Papa Kiritsugu.]
[Hidden Information:
Innate Charm:
Kiritsugu emits a charm akin to that of a gal game protagonist, attracting women who inevitably end up meeting tragic ends, almost as if cursed. The only woman to break this misfortune is Taiga Fujimura, known as the "Tiger of Fuyuki."]
[Record Conditions: 3/3]
[?Defeat Kiritsugu Emiya (Completed)]
[?Experiance Kiritsugu''s magecraft, Time Alter (Completed)]
[?Hidden condition: Survive an attack of the Origin Bullet (Completed)]
[Condition 1 Reward: Modern Firearm Projection Data.]
[Condition 2 Reward: Agility parameter restored to normal.]
[Agility: D ¡ú C]
[Hidden Condition Reward: Kawasaki Ninja H2R and Manual!]
Origin Bullet¡ When did that happen?
Sakatsuki knows about the Origin Bullet. It is a conceptual weapon using a person''s origin as ammunition. Kiritsugu''s Origin Bullets are made from the powdered twelfth ribs on both sides of his body, condensed into bullet cores through magecraft, and sealed into sixty-six bullets. These bullets embody Kiritsugu''s origin: Severing(Kir) and Binding(Tsugu).
Unlike destruction and regeneration, Kiritsugu''s binding does not mean repair. For example, after a thread is severed and reconnected, the knot''s thickness changes. In other words, the action of "Severing and Binding" causes irreversible deterioration to the target.
For something as delicate as magic circuits, being affected by Kiritsugu''s origin will result in irreversible alteration to the magic circuits. So, such a weapon is fatal to any magus.
Then¡ªwhy wasn''t he affected?
Sakatsuki stared at the ethereal blue panel for a long time before summoning Kiritsugu''s beloved gun, Contender, to twirl it effortlessly between his fingers. He then lightly leapt off the high wall and headed toward the side hall.
In the face of the Reality Marble, something like a great forbidden spell, Kiritsugu Emiya and Acht offered little resistance, either calmly or unwillingly epting their defeat and narrowly escaping death in the lethal graveyard of swords.
The Einzbern family, with a legacy spanning a millennium, officially fell under Sakatsuki''s control during this battle¡ªa piece of news that could shake the entire magecraft world. However, due to the Einzbern family''s reclusive nature, it might be a long time before the world learns of it.
Thinking this, Sakatsuki passed by Acht, who was directing homunculi to clean up the aftermath of the battle and knocked on the rtively intact side hall door.
"Excuse me."
With that, Sakatsuki pushed the door open.
As he entered, he saw Kiritsuguforting his frightened family. Seeing Sakatsuki with a firearm, Kiritsugu immediately stood up, shielding his wife and daughter behind him.
"You''re hurting my feelings, Kiritsugu."
Sakatsuki smiled wryly, tossing over the Contender to him.
"Here, try it."
Kiritsugu hesitated to refuse, "No need, my weapon is custom-made..."
But as he caught the gun Sakatsuki tossed, he stopped mid-sentence.
The familiar feel, the familiar weight, and even the gun oil''s scent wereforting.
"This is..."
"I know you use a custom-made gun, Kiritsugu."
Sakatsuki, who had inherited all of Shirou Emiya''s emotions and memories, shrugged with a sly smile.
"All that''s left is to enchant the barrel and firing pin, right?"
"...?"
Obviously, having his secrets revealed so thoroughly by the ''enemy'' made the Magus Killer ufortable.
Meanwhile, Sakatsuki''s attention shifted to the little girl in a dress hiding behind her mother.
"Illya."
"Ah, yes!"
Illyasviel instinctively responded, then folded her arms and turned her head, eyes closed.
"I already know everything! Not only did you wreck our home, but you also imprisoned my mom... Big brother Shirou is a big meanie, I won''t y with you anymore!"
"Ah, how can that be?"
Sakatsuki feigned shock, sping his hands together.
"I''m sorry, I apologize."
"Hmph!"
Illya lifted her head proudly but still didn''t let Sakatsuki off the hook.
"You have to apologize to my mom too!"
"Illya..."
Irisviel tugged at Illya''s clothes and looked at her husband.
If Illya''s words angered the young man, the Einzberns couldn''t withstand a second round of devastation.
However, Sakatsuki didn''t react as she feared. Instead, he smiled naturally, bowing to Irisviel.
"Then, my apologies, Irisviel, for my earlier offence."
His sincere words and genuine expression made Illya stop pretending to be angry. She cheerfully ran to Sakatsuki, tugging at his sleeve.
"Hey, hey, brother Shirou, let''s go y in the forest. Today, for some reason, the weather suddenly cleared up."
"If Illya wants good weather, just tell me anytime."
Sakatsuki knelt, gently stroking her silver hair.
"But not today. I have some matters to discuss with your dad, so..."
"Eh¡ªokay."
Illya dragged her voice in disappointment.
But if it''s about Dad, then it can''t be helped.
"Goodbye, brother Shirou, let''s y tomorrow!"
Finally, Illya obediently took Irisviel''s hand and left the side hall.@@novelbin@@
In the room bathed in the sunset''s golden hue, only two men remained.
"Kiritsugu, I have a question for you."
Waiting for the footsteps to fade, Sakatsuki pointed to his blood-stained left abdomen, speaking softly.
"Earlier, you shot the Origin Bullet with the Contender, right?"
Even this? Why ask this question? Kiritsugu tensed up but replied nonchntly.
"Yes, so what?"
"So what... huh?"
Feeling the genuine pain in his left abdomen, Sakatsuki repeated Kiritsugu''s words, lost in thought.
In the fiery sunset, his hands emitted a faint, crystalline blue light.
From the start, he should have realized this abnormality.
"Kiritsugu, I think the Einzbern family should have the equipment to examine the body, right?"
Chapter 13: The First Einzbern Racing Competition Begins!
At dawn, the little girl opened her eyes, gazing at the unchanging white world outside the window.
White.
White.
White.
She was born in this ce. She was the princess of this cold city.
She had parents who loved her. When the weather was fine, Kiritsugu would take her to y in the forest, and her mother would prepare snacks and meals in the castle, waiting for the father and daughter to return.
"Living happily ever after"¡ªthis was a phrase she had learned from books Kiritsugu brought back from the outside world. In those books, after experiencing all sorts of adventures, the protagonists always end their stories with such words. It seemed that all efforts would be rewarded, and every journey would reach its shining star.
So, why did Papa and Mama look so sad? Why did Kiritsugu cry when looking at Mama?
Her body ached. When would the adjustments be over? Grandpa Acht''s expression is so scary¡
Though she didn''t fully understand the meaning of life yet, little Illya had already vaguely sensed her fate.@@novelbin@@
If nothing changed, she would grow up in this cold castle like her mother, waiting for the day she would be ''used.''
By then, would someone as reliable as Papa Kiritsugu be there to protect me?
It still feels a bit scary.
Fixing her gaze on a certain part of the forest outside the window, Illya suddenly smiled expectantly, jumped off the now empty bed, put on her snow boots, and ran towards a certain ce.
But this monotonous life had begun to change with the arrival of one person.
Just as the forest outside, after a brief period of clear skies, had gained a few patches of fresh new green.
***
Einzbern Winter Castle, Front Courtyard.
[004: Irisviel von Einzbern]
[Character Information: Created by the Einzbern family for the Fourth Holy Grail War, she is the wife of Kiritsugu Emiya. Although an artificial human, she gained emotions because of Kiritsugu. She deeply loves and trusts her husband Kiritsugu, supporting his ideals even if it means her demise.]
[Hidden Information: Locked.]
[Record Conditions (0/1)]:
[?Gain Irisviel''s approval (Iplete).]
[?Additional Condition: Protect Irisviel von Einzbern (Not epted).]
...
...
...
Flipping through the 250-page manual, Sakatsuki, with the same dead-fish eyes as Kiritsugu, nced at the panel disyed on his retina, then at the strands of silver hair peeking from behind the door. He held back and finally sighed in resignation.
"Madam, you''re making it hard for me to concentrate."
Seemingly surprised at being discovered, a small gasp came from behind the door, followed by the woman dressed in a beautiful gown stepping out. Covering her face, she bashfully said.
"Sorry, I was just curious¡"
Curious? Curious about what?
Lowering his head, Satsuki looked at the dual-wheeled beast before him
Kawasaki Ninja H2R¡ªthat was the beast''s name, the reward from the [Fate Compendium] after Satsuki was hit by the Origin Bullet and fulfilled the hidden condition.
Equipped with a 1000 CC inline four-cylinder, four-stroke, water-cooled engine, it boasted a maximum power of 310 horsepower, reaching 326 horsepower under ram air, with a peak torque of 165 Nm. Its unique supercharged centrifugalpressor spun at 130,000 RPM, pumping over 200 litres of air per second into the engine, creating a pressure of up to 2.4 atmospheres without needing an intercooler.
With technology decades ahead of its time and top-notch aerodynamic design, this monstrous speed exceeded that of Form 1 cars and even jetliners and fighter jets on the Osman Gazi Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey¡ªearning the title of Land Aircraft.
Admittedly, although Satsuki understood the many oddities of the [Fate Compendium], getting a motorcycle from decades in the future was still beyond his expectations. After a brief shock, he quickly embraced it.
Look at that nted carbon fibre wing! The high-rigidity carbon fiber fairing! The matte grey body is ented with green stripes! This is the essence of a man''s dreams!
It wasn''t just Sakatsuki who was captivated by this motorcycle; a certaindy passing by was equally entranced.
Watching the woman, with her hands covering her face in feigned shyness but her crimson eyes fixed on the motorcycle, Satsuki''s mouth twitched as he suddenly recalled another nickname of thisdy: Queen of Fuyuki''s Roads.
Though a mechanical novice, she enjoyed driving the luxury car Kiritsugu had given her through the Einzbern estate''s forest. Despite her excellent skills, she had no concept of speed limits or basic traffic rules, even performing perfect drifts on the mountain roads, and treating sports cars like cherished toys.
It seemed the Einzbern family''s isted environment could foster both the innocent devil that Illya would be and the innocentdy standing before him¡ though Illya is still a little angel for now.
A sigh from either Satsuki or Shirou echoed in his heart, as the young man cleared his throat and casually invited.
"By the way, Madam, I heard you have a luxury car. How about a race? There''s still some time before my check-up."
"Really? Can we?"
Irisviel''s crimson eyes lit up, her excitement evident as she clenched her fists.
"Though I''m not sure why you call me Madam, if it''s a race, I won''t lose!"
"My pleasure, Lady."
Sakatsuki bowed wlessly, a mischievous grin hidden in the shadows.
If a certain assassin lurking under the eaves saw this, he would undoubtedly turn and flee.
Unfortunately, by the time Kiritsugu realized it, he was already standing before Irisviel.
"Well, as a knight who silently protects his love would be delighted to join Lady Irisviel in battle, right?"
Using discement magic, Satsuki grinned mischievously at the surprised Kiritsugu and the expectant Irisviel.
Even Saber was terrified of her racing skills; one can only imagine what Papa Kiritsugu might feel.
"Brother Shirou! Daddy and Mommy, you''re ying games without me! I''m angry!"
A small figure huffed, clinging to Satsuki like a ko.
"I want to y too, big brother, you promised!"
Now, Satsuki couldn''tugh anymore.
"Even Illya''s joining? No way, Mom doesn''t want to lose!"
Irisviel turned her gaze towards Kiritsugu turning pleadingly coquettish.
"Kiritsugu~~"
"¡"
Kiritsugu''s mouth twitched, his gaze darting around until it met Satsuki''s, who was being pestered by Illya.
The two men, sharing the same plight, had eerily simr expressions of joy.
***
Einzbern Forest, Entrance
A luxury car and a racing motorcycle stood side by side, their engines growling like beasts ready to pounce.
Inside the Mercedes-Benz, Irisviel, in the driver''s seat, rolled down the window, waving with a smile, while Kiritsugu in the passenger seat silently adjusted his seatbelt over and over again¡
"Illya do her best. Mom won''t go easy on you!"
"Illya doesn''t need Mom to go easy! Brother Shirou is the best!"
Seated in the back, the little girl shouted. A blue magical strap was tied around her waist, connecting her to Sakatsuki, to prevent her from being blown away by the wind pressure.
Momentarily stunned by Illya''s words, Sakatsuki quickly donned his helmet,ughing loudly.
"Ready, Madam?"
"Of course, right, Kiritsugu?"
Rolling up the window, Irisviel took a deep breath, a rare, udylike, excited smile on her face.
"Contestants, prepare!"
With dark circles under his eyes, Acht, who Sakatsuki had forcibly dragged along, waved the g viciously.
"The first Einzbern Racing Competition begins!"
"Woohoo¡ª!"
Turning the throttle, gripping the clutch, and shifting gears, the motorcycle beneath Sakatsuki roared. Amidst Sakatsuki''s excited shout, the 1000 CC engine unleashed its 310-horsepower might, violently propelling the beast forward!
Chapter 14: Fragment of Third Magic and Shocking Revelation
A few momentster...
"¡Lost."
At the finish line, Sakatsuki held Illya in his arms, leaning against a Kawasaki Ninja H2R. Both had their mouth half-open, looking like souls leaving their bodies.
"Yay, we won, Kiritsugu!"
On the other side, even before the smoke from the car''s tyres had settled, Irisviel had already grabbed Kiritsugu, shaking him vigorously. Her triumphant expression made her look more like a child than Illya.
As for Kiritsugu...The usuallyposed and cool assassin, always d in a coat, now resembled a ragdoll being tossed around by his wife.
To make the formidable magus killer helpless¡ªtruly, the terror of Fuyuki''s racing queen is not to be underestimated.
How did a 90s sedan outpace a bike with far superior performance? The answery in the driver''s skill... or rather, the driver''s sheer recklessness.
Having grown up in Einzbern, Irisviel''s familiarity with the forest far surpassed Sakatsuki''s. After Sakatsuki sped ahead at the race''s start, Irisviel decisively turned the steering wheel, veering into a side path. This shortcut, though potentially quicker, was perilous for a bulky sedan, with any misstep risking a crash into the trees.
Despite her previous hesitations, today Irisviel boldly faced the challenge for the sake of victory! Whether it was due to her well-earned title as Fuyuki''s racing queen or sheer luck, Irisviel navigated the shortcut safely, surpassing Sakatsuki to reach the finish line first.
At least, that was how the innocentdy perceived the race. For the other three involved, it was apletely different story.
For instance, the infamous magus killer who used Time Alter multiple times is now wracked with pain, being tossed about by his wife.
Or a little girl, nearly thrown out like on a roller coaster ride, who was close to tears.
And Sakatsuki who employed Projection and Reinforcement magic nonstop to smooth the road for the car, almost causing his magic to spiral out of control, nearly making Illya fly out¡ªhis heart nearly giving out from fright.
Only Irisviel''s joyful world remained intact. Thus, with four votes in favour and one against, the first and only Einzbern Racing Grand Prix concluded.
"By the way, Mr. Shirou~"
Supporting Kiritsugu and Illya, Irisviel turned her radiant smile to Sakatsuki.
"I may not understand your purpose, but I believe you are a good person!"
After the Emiya family left, Sakatsuki looked at his hand and smiled.
A good person card huh? She could hand those out, but calling him a good person wasn''t necessary.
What Sakatsuki inherited wasn''t the idealistic Hero of Justice version of Shirou Emiya but a different possibility¡ªsomeone willing to oppose the world for his sister.
Even Sakatsuki knew he couldn''t bear such lofty praise. Yet, recalling Irisviel and Illya''s pure smiles, even he felt a desire to protect something.
[Aditional Condition Completed, Reward Issued.]
[Reward Obtained: Fragment of the Third Magic.]
[Fate Compendium Updated.]
[004: Irisviel von Einzbern]
[Character Information: Created by the Einzbern family for the Fourth Holy Grail War, she is the wife of Kiritsugu Emiya...]
[Hidden Information: Enthusiastic about cooking, though her creations deviate towards "dark cuisine." With only nine years of umted life experience due to her homunculus nature, she possesses the elegance of a noblewoman and the innocence of a child, abination that can be quite troubling.]
[While Irisviel''s physical traits are mature, her psychological age is only nine, which presents challenges for Papa Kiritsugu.]
[Record Conditions (2/1)]:
[?Gain Irisviel''s approval (Completed).]
[?Additional Condition: Protect Irisviel von Einzbern (Completed).]
A small shard emitting a colourless glow appeared in Sakatsuki''s consciousness, sparkling and pulsating like a brilliant star.
With a mere thought, Sakatsuki could ess the Third Magic, one of the five great magics in existence¡ªa treasure that could drive countless magi mad with desire.
However, Sakatsuki had no intention of using the shard just yet. If the Third Magic were so easily grasped, Einzbern wouldn''t have spent a millennium pursuing it in vain.
He had more pressing matters to resolve. His golden eyes shifted to his hands, reflecting the blue particles flowing within, Sakatsuki clenched his fist. During the race, his magic power suddenly halted, causing Illya to almost fly out off the bike, and him to fall behind Irisviel.
It was like a momentarypse of consciousness, and by the time he realized, Illya was already crying out, having slipped from her seat.
He needed to uncover the abnormality within himself.@@novelbin@@
With a lingering sense of unease, Sakatsuki turned to Acht, his tone colder than usual.
"I hope the Einzbern family doesn''t disappoint me. Let''s go."
"Hmph, just follow me."
Einzbern, known for its top-tier artificial human-making technology, possessed equally advanced diagnostic instruments. It wasn''t long before Acht handed Sakuya a report he had written himself.
"Your hands are trembling, Jubstacheit von Einzbern."
Sakatsuki took the report, his tone icy.
"If I sense your greed again, it might be time for Einzbern to find a new head."
The two-hundred-year-old elder lowered his head deeply, hiding the turmoil in his eyes from Sakatsuki.
Only then did Sakatsuki take a deep breath and read the paper in his hands.
"After three rounds of magical stimtion, it was concluded that the individual''s magical power exceeds the standard parameter by a factor of 100, with the potential to connect to the Akasha... perhaps even more."
"No human factors detected, ability parameters surpass any known data, suspected to be a Phantasmal Species..."
"Experienced magical overload within five hours, resulting in an abnormal reaction. The adverse effects are expected to subside within two hours."
"Subject operates by magical energy consumption. Aside from the absence of magic circuits while still performing magic, other physiological responses are normal. If not subjected to further overload, activity is expected to cease after 8,520 hours."
With each line, Sakatsuki''s heart grew colder, his shock deepening. By the end, his body felt as cold as standing alone on a snowy night.
So that''s why origin bullets didn''t affect him, why his magical parameters spiked, and why the race had gone awry...
Ah, so that''s how it is.
The young man had been residing in a non-human body since his awakening.
He had no magic circuits, and every battle, every use of magic¡ª
Was at the cost of his life.
Chapter 15: Fuyuki City
Magic Circuits are pseudo-nerves present within a Magus. They have two basic functions; one is to convert life force into magical energy and another is to allow their owner to ess Thaumaturgical Foundations.
The number of Magic Circuits a person is born with is predetermined, and the purpose of Magus families is to produce offspring with even one more Magic Circuit.
Once opened, the Magus can freely activate these circuits. The talent of a Magus is often judged by the number of their Magic Circuits¡ªfor instance, Shirou Emiya has 27 Magic Circuits, while Rin Tohsaka has 40 main and 30 sub-magic circuits.
There are also some unique cases, such as the homunculi of the Einzbern family, who are created to serve as the core of the Holy Grail. After bing the Grail, Justeaze''s Magic Circuits expanded to a diameter of nearly one kilometre.
Another anomaly is those who bypass Magic Circuits altogether, using life force to perform magecraft directly¡ªa path not to be proud of.
For Sakatsuki, this devastating revtion meant abandoning his carefree attitude. Instead, he had to proactively use his foresight and special abilities to prolong his declining lifespan.
After tearing apart the report, Sakatsuki forced Acht to sign a Geis contract. He then rode his Kawasaki Ninja H2R out of Einzbern Castle.
***
The night passed in silence.
Einzbern Castle has regained its former tranquillity, though now it houses a white-haired, golden-eyed young man who avidly absorbs centuries-old magical knowledge in the castle''s library.
Illya continued to seek out Sakatsuki for ying, and he never refused her requests. Each time, he would reluctantly set his book aside, instructing her not to disturb him next time, while indulging her with his magecraft and apanying Illya alongside Kiritsugu or Irisviel to watch her y, sharing in her joyous childhood.
Just like this seven days passed in a blink of an eye.
Now, the Fourth Holy Grail War was only a year away.
***
The following morning, dressed in a new suit and holding his motorcycle helmet, Sakatsuki bid farewell to the Emiya family.
"Are you leaving, brother Shirou?"
Illya clutched Sakuya''s coat, her ruby eyes filled with reluctance.
"Can''t you stay with me forever?"
Sakatsuki knelt, gently stroking Illya''s hair as he did when they first met, his voice soft and distant.
"I can''t. The destiny of a Kamen Rider is to wander the world."
"Brother Shirou is saying things I don''t understand again."
Illya puffed her cheeks adorably, drawing smiles from everyone except Kiritsugu.
The Magus Killer''s gaze was fixated on Sakuya''s left hand, or more precisely, the ck fingerless glove he had worn seven days ago and never once removed.
Could it be...
"Goodbye, Kiritsugu, Irisveil, and the lovely little princess. Although it''s a pity I couldn''t wait for that girl''s arrival, I must continue my journey. Farewell, everyone."
Sakatsuki was not one to linger. After a brief farewell, he rode his motorcycle away from the snowy city.
"That girl...?"
Irisviel tilted her head in confusion.
"Will someonee to visit our castle?"
They couldn''t understand that when that girl arrived, the fate of the Emiya family would meet its irreversible conclusion¡ªunless Sakatsuki had never existed.
***
Annecy, France.
Annecy is one of the most beautiful towns in the Alps, known as the ''Balcony of the Alps'' by the French and ''Venice of Savoy'' by locals. It is said that the water of Annecy Lake, fed by the snowmelt of the Alps, is the cleanest in all of Europe.
Visiting Annecy, Sakatsuki had to explore its famed sites. By theke, he met a young man from the East. After helping an elderly man whose wallet was stolen, they stuck up a conversation and became temporarypanions.
"So, why are you here, Sakatsuki?"
The ck-haired man in sportswear asked as he gazed at the shimmeringke.
"Just trying to enjoy myst moments before fate arrives."
Sakatsuki repliedzily, lying down on the grass, showing no sense of urgency.
"Wow, you''re always talking about fate."
The man chuckled, yfully taking a jab at Sakatsuki.
"At your age, what''s with the fate talk? Marriage jitters?"@@novelbin@@
"I''m not one to fear women."
Sakatsukizily nced at him.
"Speaking of which, you were mumbling something about ''as long as Aoi is happy'' and ''what''s so great about Tokiomi Tohsaka'' when drunkst night. Could it be... your crush ended up with someone else?"
Pausing, Sakatsuki spoke the man''s name.
"Am I right, Kariya Matou?"
"Shut up!"
Kariya''s teasing expression vanished, reced by panic and embarrassment.
"I never said that! You must have misheard!"
"Sure, sure."
Sakatsuki dismissed the poor lie.
[005: Kariya Matou]
[Character Info: The second son of the Matou family, a descendant of Zouken, brother of Byakuya, and uncle to Shinji and Sakura. The only Matou descendent with slight magical aptitude among the Matou family''s younger generation. In the original timeline, he was the Master of Berserker in the Fourth Holy Grail War. Zouken initially considered making Kariya his heir. During his youth he was introduced to Aoi Zenjou, daughter of the Zenjou magus family, to foster a connection.]
[Hidden Information: Unwilling to subject Aoi to the Matou family''s grotesque worm magic, Kariya epted Tokiomi''s interference, severing ties with the Matou family and leaving on his own alone.]
[Record Conditions: None.]
"You punk, you just enjoy seeing me embarrassed!"
Kariya kicked Sakatsuki''s leg in exasperation.
"You''re catching a flight soon, right? Go already, stop teasing me."
Being kicked by hispanion, Sakatsuki stood up reluctantly and suddenly asked.
"Why don''t you return with me? Our routes match, after all."
"Fuyuki City... Huh!"
Pain and resistance shed in Kariya''s eyes before he shook his head.
"No, I''ll leave in five days. I still need to buy some gifts for two little girls. I''ll find you once I''m back."
"Gifts, huh..."
Sakatsuki chuckled lightly, casting a sympathetic nce at Kariya before donning his helmet and riding off.
"Hey! What''s with that look?"
Kariya''s protest faded behind him as Sakatsuki hummed a newly learned song, riding through the sunny town.
***
An hourter, a ne roared into the sky from Annecy airport, carrying weary and excited passengers and their unknown destinies.
Without interference from a Magus Killer wielding anti-aircraft missile, the ne took off andnded safely, eventually arriving on the runway of a western Japanese airport.
Minutester, a mobile stairway connected to the exit door, which then opened.
A ck-suited, dashing youth stepped off, stretchingzily as he gazed at the bright Fuyuki City.
On his left hand, revealed after removing his gloves, were three sigil-like marks.
These were Command Seals¡ªa ticket to war.
Chapter 16: The Declaration of War
On a peaceful holiday morning, warm sunshine bathed the park''s grassy fields. Children ran and yed, while parents watched them with smiles. Citizens strolled through the streets, enjoying the usual calm of Fuyuki City.
Ah, the serene Fuyuki City.
However, the rumbling of a motorcycle engine injected an unusual tension into this peaceful atmosphere.
A young man, d in a ck suit embroidered with gold patterns, his posture honed from years of training, riding a sleek, futuristic motorcycle through the streets and alleys of Fuyuki City. Even his helmet couldn''t conceal his zing golden eyes.
"Mom, there''s a Kamen Rider!"
A child by the roadside eximed excitedly, catching a fleeting glimpse.
"Where?"
The mother didn''t turn, but the father did, only to find the young rider''s figure had vanished, leaving only the resonant engine roar in the air.
Where had this mysterious rider gone? To Fuyuki City''s most famous Ryudo Temple, the historic Miyama Town, the rumoured "City of Dreams" forest, or the pristine, aloof Shinto district?
Did he race across the ocean bridge, taking in the city''s beautiful scenery?@@novelbin@@
By noon, the gathered crowd realized through conversation that the rider had traversed the city in mere hours, visiting its every corner.
Ah, would he appear again in the afternoon? That charming, mysterious young man on the motorcycle?
People eagerly anticipated a ripple in their peaceful fate.
But their hopes were soon dashed. By afternoon, the silver-green motorcycle was already parked at the foot of a hill in Miyama Town. Removing his helmet, Sakatsuki gazed at the two equally grand mansions atop the hill, then began his ascent.
He intended to disrupt a ritual.
He intended to attend a funeral.
He intended to dere his presence.
***
To Fuyuki City''s magus, the two mansions atop the Miyama Town hill were always focal points, as they housed the city''s mysterious leaders¡ªthe Tohsaka and the Matou families.
For years, any magi stirring trouble in the city, tampering with its leylines, or coveting its mysteries would fall before the family''s guardians. Some even had their magic crests stripped, dying as mere mortals in obscurity.
This blood-earned reputation made Fuyuki City a peaceful heaven in the mysterious world, deterring even the most audacious magi from causing chaos, lest they face the guardians'' wrath.
asionally, magus would murmur: Were the Tohsaka and Matou families overreacting? Why respond to every minor disturbance?
But being inherently cold and ruthless, magus would quickly return to their pursuits, leaving Fuyuki City''s secrets well-guarded under the two families'' watchful eyes.
Today, however, the Tohsaka and Matou families, rarely in contact despite both being guardians, had unusually lowered their defences. The heads of the families usually engrossed in their magical research, had emerged for a rare meeting.
The reason was simple¡ªthe Matou family wished to adopt a child to continue their magical lineage. In response to an ancient ally''s request, the Tohsaka family''s head decided to give one of his daughters to the Matou family.
In the Tohsaka mansion''s hall, Tohsaka Tokiomi, the fifth-generation head with ck hair and blue eyes, his features deep and sharp, met with an elderly man, skeletal like a mummy, whose sunken eyes gleamed brightly.
After a brief exchange, they reached a consensus. Even before a monstrous figure, Tohsaka Tokiomi remainedposed, nodding steadily.
"It seems we agree. If so, Matou Zouken, you may take my younger daughter today¡ª"
"Objection!"
Before he could finish, the Tohsaka mansion''s doors burst open. A young man with white hair and golden eyes, wearing fingerless gloves, strode into the reception hall and loudly questioned the two astonished magus.
"As signatories of the ancient covenant, have you forgotten who provided us with the Holy Grail?"
"To silently breach over twentyyers of defensive wards..."
Tohsaka Tokiomi narrowed his eyes, discreetly gripping a gem. Beside him, the grotesque Matou Zouken let out a sinisterugh.
In response, Sakatsuki sneered.
"It''s not the ''Seventh Sanctum''s Sixty-Four Layers.'' Such trivial wards, I can break with basic magic."
Amid the wet, gutturalughter, the shrunken elder coldly identified the intruder.
"The signatory of the ancient alliance, the creator of the Holy Grail ritual, unlike us, is the homunculus family from the snowy ins¡ªEinzbern."
"Indeed."
Sakatsuki revealed a token acquired from Acht, smiling as he presented it.
Confirming the token''s authenticity, Matou Zouken''s expression darkened further.
"Then what objection does the mere envoy of the Einzbern family have to the Tohsaka and Matou families'' contract?"
Facing Matou Zouken''s gaze, Sakatsuki''s lips curled into a dangerous smile.
"Because we, Einzbern, also wish to adopt one of the Tohsaka family''s gems.''"
"You?"
Tohsaka Tokiomi''sposed demeanour wavered slightly but quickly regained his elegant poise.
"Even so, what can you homunculi teach my daughter? Homunculi-making techniques? The Tohsaka family does not need such skills."
"I can teach her many things."
In response to Tohsaka Tokiomi''s inquiry, Sakatsuki summoned a de with his left hand, embedding it in the ground. His right hand closed around a dazzling purple gem.
"Moreover, I promise to protect her, even if she refuses to be a magus."
"Projection magecraft, mastered to such a high level... How terrifying."
Amid Matou Zouken''s sinisterughter, he acknowledged the young man''s skills with grim praise, aware of Tohsaka Tokiomi''s likely decision.
"Though your magical prowess is impressive, these are merely the basics of magecraft guidance, aren''t they?"
As expected, after a brief surprise, Tohsaka Tokiomi dered with authority.
"Then this gem will serve as the Tohsaka family''s gift to the Einzbern family. Now, envoy, please depart."
To Tohsaka Tokiomi, in terms of magical tutge and proximity, the Matou family far surpassed the self-isted Einzbern.
Moreover...
"Can the Einzbern family, like the Matou family, entrust their magic crest to my daughter?"
The Tokiomi''s query was like the final hammer at an auction, determining the girl''s fate.
"Sigh..."
The young man sighed regretfully, then turned and left without hesitation, leaving behind a forewarning of theing storm.
"I promised her freedom, a future, even the blessing to escape the shackles of magic for a peaceful, happy life."
"Yet you chose to reject my hand."
***
"Then my kindness has reached its limit."
Looking at the hilltop from its base, Sakatsuki smiled at the two towering mansions, the hunting pistol in his hand gleaming coldly.
"From now on, only endless night remains."
From the beginning, he never intended to achieve his goal through such means.
Chapter 17: Annihilating the Matou Family
Kariya Matou walked swiftly through the familiar scenery of his hometown, a ce he thought he would never see again.
Even when he returned to Fuyuki City a few times in the past, he never crossed the river to enter the area of Miyama Town. It had been almost ten years since hisst visit. Unlike the ever-changing urbanndscape of the new district due to city development, this area remained untouched, as if time had stood still here.
The quiet alleys and street scenes were exactly as he remembered. However, despite slowing his pace to immerse himself in the nostalgic sights, none of the memories that surfaced were pleasant. Especially after his conversation with Aoi an hour ago, he finally understood the unease and fear that drove him to change his flightst night and return to Fuyuki City earlier than nned.
It was the pitying gaze of his young travellingpanion, the tear at the corner of Aoi''s eye as they parted, that revealed the truth he had been afraid to face.
He had seen his childhood friend safe and sound in the park, along with her two daughters she had with her husband, the head of the Tohsaka family. But upon learning that Aoi''s younger daughter, Sakura, had already been sent to the Matou family to be "Sakura Matou" that afternoon, a new, gaping wound tore open in his heart.
"Was this truly the right decision, Aoi?"
"...I''vee to terms with it... It was wrong to dream of a normal family''s happiness, to begin with..."
Those words were lies.
When Aoi epted the Tokiomi''s proposal eight years ago, the expression on her face, of her believing she would find happiness was a stark contrast to her current weak and helpless smile. These images alternated in Kariya''s mind, and he regretted ever trusting that smile and epting defeat.
Perhaps if he had stopped Aoi back then and held her back, the future might have been different. If she hadn''t married into the Tohsaka family, maybe she could have lived a life free from the cursed fate of a magus family.
Now, standing in front of the Matou mansion''s gate, the low rumble and bright shes ahead signalled that something was terribly wrong.
''What''s happening?''
Kariya wondered, quickening his pace. He was finally back at the ce he had vowed never to return to after ten long years.
And there, at the gate, he saw a familiar figure once more.
Golden eyes shimmered brilliantly in contrast to the dark sky, but what captured Kariya''s attention was the monstrous weapon in the young man''s hands.
"...Sakatsuki?"
"Hmm?"
Turning around, Sakatsuki saw Kariya Matou standing frozen with his mouth agape and smiling, despite holding an RPG-7.
"You''re just in time, Kariya! Though I don''t know why you''re back early, you''re just in time to witness this historic moment with me!"
"What... What are you nning, Sakatsuki?"
Facing Kariya''s incredulous question, Satsuki beamed like a child and loudly dered.
"Of course¡ªI''m going to blow this bug nest to smithereens!"
Before Kariya could react, the 84mm rocket sted through the mansion''s fragile defences and struck the Matou house directly.
Boooom!
As the mes erupted, Sakatsuki cheered and charged into the eerie mansion, clutching a stack of incendiary bombs.
"Burn it all down!"
"Wait! Stop! Don''t go in there!"
Kariya shouted, his heart conflicted as he saw his family home being destroyed. But despite his turmoil, he chased after his youngpanion.
***
Explosions.
Fire.
Destruction.
Amid this apocalyptic scene, the agonized cries of countless arthropods echoed through the mansion.@@novelbin@@
Eggs,rvae, pupae, adults.
Crawling, slithering, pping wings.
The swarm, sensing imminent doom, emerged from hiding and fled towards the exit.
But merciless mes reduced them to ashes.
"Hahaha! Hahaha!"
Sakatsukiughed wildly, the methrower in his hands spewing fiery tongues that engulfed everything, cleansing all filth and corruption in a ze of crimson.
Behind him, Kariya Matou watched in shock, as if seeing his youngpanion in a new light.
Just moments ago, he had watched Sakatsuki exhaust his supply of incendiary bombs, only to conjure a methrower from nowhere,ying waste to everything magical within the house.
His mind was filled with one thought¡ªwhy hasn''t this decrepit house copsed yet?
"I wondered who dared to visit the Matou house with such crude weapons... It seems you''ve truly fallen, Einzbern!"
Amidst the mes, a stunted old man appeared before Sakatsuki and Kariya, the surrounding fire seemingly extinguished by his presence, shadowed by his ominous aura.
"Matou Zouken."
Kariya muttered with seething anger, ring at the head of the Matou family.
The true age of this man was unknown. Officially registered as the father of Kariya and his siblings, yet the family records listed him as the progenitor for generations past. No one knew how many lifetimes this elder had presided over the Matou family.
An immortal magus using unspeakable methods to extend his life repeatedly, Kariya''s most detested ancestor of the Matou lineage, a living monster in the modern age¡ªthis was Matou Zouken.
Kariya could feel an overwhelming urge to strangle this decrepit man and end his tyranny, imagining little Sakura falling into the clutches of this fiend.
But he also knew. Despite his frail, withered appearance, Zouken was a magus. Any physical confrontation would result in Kariya''s immediate defeat.
Suddenly a chilling gleam shed through the air, and before the methrower even hit the ground, Sakatsuki had already wielded Kanshou and Bakuya, slicing Zouken''s figure in half with inhuman speed.
"Old relics should return to the earth. Your stench of decay is as foul as Jubstacheit von Einzbern''s."
Sakatsuki said coldly. His body released a bone-chilling killing intent and dered.
"Your time is over, Makiri Zolgen!"
Chapter 18: The Thirty-Ninth Origin Bullet
[006: Zouken Matou]
[Character Info: Formerly known as Makiri Zolgen, he was one of the founders of the Holy Grail War, participating in the construction of the Greater Grail two hundred years ago. Reluctant to die before achieving his wish, he remained the head of the Matou family. Over time, his soul deteriorated, and his intentions and memories either faded or became twisted, leading him to prioritize the pursuit of immortality over his original goals.]
[Hidden Information: Locked.]
[Record Conditions (0/2)]:
[?Rescue Sakura Matou from Zouken Matou''s clutches. (Iplete)]
[?Completely kill Matou Zouken. (Iplete)]
Makiri Zolgen.
When this ancient name was mentioned, the shadow that had shrouded the Matou family for centuries seemed to bepletely enraged. Swarms of insects surged out from the basement, extinguishing the mes and sketching a deep ck silhouette.
A withered old man emerged from the insect swarm, his twisted smile devoid of any human emotion.
"How do you know that name?"
In response, a methrower spewed out its fiery tongue.
But this time, MatouZouken, provoked to his core, decided not to hold back, revealing a sinister grin.
"Even though the mysteries are fading in this era, thinking you can defeat me with such a weapon is naive, kid!"
With a slight movement of his bony fingers, a swarm of insects, enhanced by magecraft and glimmering with a ghostly blue hue, flew out, ignoring the mes'' heat and swiftly absorbing the zing fire. Unsatisfied, they swarmed towards Sakatsuki and Kariya Matou.
"What do we do now? Even fire can''t handle these bugs!"
Kariya, already traumatized by Zouken''s insects, panicked.
"Why panic? You think I only y with technology?"
Sakatsuki nonchntly tossed the methrower aside, raising his right hand.
"These bugs can''t harm me!"
The insect swarm, infused with dark light, rushed forward. Behind them, the old man chuckled ominously.
"So, Einzbern has be so foolish¡ªthis is my magecraft workshop!"
A magecraft workshop is an alternate realm created by magi to hone their craft. Even the most powerful magus are heavily limited when in someone else''s workshop, whereas the workshop''s master gains immense power.
If magic circuits are internal organs, then a workshop is an external alternate realm.
For instance, during the battle at Einzbern, Acht used the workshop''s power to suppress Sakatsuki''s magecraft. If Sakatsuki hadn''t severed the leylines, he wouldn''t even have been able to use his Reality Marble.
Likewise, the mystery-infused Sakatsuki, capable of wielding the discement magecraft, essentially carried his workshop with him.
When two workshops collide, the craftsmanship and the degree of mystery are what matter.
However, Diaplcement Magecraft has other uses.
"Rho Aias!"
Seven petals unfolded, blocking the overwhelming swarm of insects. In the sh of magical light and shadows, Zouken Matou''s expression grew grim.
"A mystic code? Conceptual weapon? No, this aura is... a Noble Phantasm!?"
As a creator of the Holy Grail system, Zouken Matou, despite forgetting his original intent, could never forget the fearsome power of the summoned Servants!
"Are you a Servant? Have you contracted with my useless grandson? No, impossible! He doesn''t have the qualifications!"
Zouken''s tone was filled with shock, dismissing his own conjecture, and revealing his inner turmoil.
"The Holy Grail War is still a year away¡ªhow can a Servant appear now?"
Sakatsuki merely smiled, turning to Kariya behind him.
"How does it feel to see your home destroyed?"
Kariya, snapping back to reality, looked at the zing surroundings and the furious Zouken. After a moment, a gleeful smile spread across his face.
"Honestly, I''ve never felt better!"
"You?"
Zouken, now regainingposure, looked at his descendant with contempt.
"You, a worthless escapee, think you can defeat me and the Matou family''s century-old foundation with a random Servant?"
In his workshop, even a second-rate magus would have the confidence to confront a typical Servant, let alone a two-hundred-year-old monster like him!
With a fierce strike of his staff, the full power of the workshop was unleashed, overwhelming defences surging towards Sakatsuki and Kariya. Although Sakatsuki''s petal shield remained firm, it wouldn''tst long.
Despite the dire situation, Sakatsuki continued conversing with Kariya.
"Do you hate Zouken Matou?"
"Of course!"
"Do you want to protect Sakura, to guard the child of the one you love?"
"Absolutely!"
"Do you want to blow this old bug''s head off?"
"More than anything!"
In the face of danger, Kariya, driven by rage, took the handgun Sakatsuki handed him, aiming at the embodiment of his lifelong hatred and contempt.
"It''s just a gun."
Despite the gun aimed at his head, Zouken maintained his unsettling smile.
"You''ve grown bold, daring to point your paws at me. Aren''t you afraid I''ll kill the Tohsaka child?"
Kariya''s hand trembled.
Indeed, his initial goal was to save Sakura. But now, with the Matou mansion nearly levelled, where was she?
"Oh, you''re talking about this child."
A voice like heavenly music rang out. Sakatsuki turned around, revealing a ck-haired girl peacefully asleep in his arms.
Who else could she be but Sakura?
"No, impossible!"
Faced with this unexpected turn, Zouken lost allposure.
"I locked her in the basement! How did you rescue her and evade my detection?"
"Noment."
Sakatsuki replied smugly, patting Kariya on the shoulder.
"Your turn."
"Haha... hahaha! Old man, your day hase!"
With Sakura saved by Sakatsuki''s discement magecraft, Kariya had no more reservations. Laughing maniacally, he pulled the trigger without hesitation!@@novelbin@@
The bullet, breaking the sound barrier, struck Zouken''s head without obstruction, sending him flying like a ragdoll.
Yet, the old man''s eerie voice lingered.
"It''s useless, my foolish offspring. I told you, it''s just a gun... oh... Oh! Ahhhh! Ughhhhhhh!"
His words turned into a scream, a ghastly sound that reverberated through the Matou household!
"What have you done!"
Zouken, writhing in agony, felt his magic circuits being destroyed and forcibly twisted together, irreparably damaged!
Even Kariya, surprised by the bullet''s devastating impact, instinctively pulled the trigger again.
Click, a crisp sound.
"Don''t bother; there''s only one bullet."
Sakatsuki stopped Kariya, his expression both exasperated and triumphant.
"Though the thirty-eighth shot was a miss, at least the thirty-ninth Origin Bullet finished off a centuries-old monster, doing justice to its name."
The Origin Bullet is Kiritsugu Emiya''s most powerful artifact.
Having spent a week at Einzbern, how could Sakatsuki not acquire such a treasure from Kiritsugu?
Amid the zing inferno, Sakatsuki gazed at the fallen old man, a glint of pity in his cold stare.
Under the Origin Bullet, the stronger the magus, the quicker they die.
This time, Zouken Matou''s life finally reached its end.
"Two hundred years have passed. Tohsaka Nagato is dead, Einzbern stagnates, and the Winter Saint has vanished. Why, then, do you cling to life, bing a monster, betraying your original wish?"
Sakatsuki gazed at him as if mourning a lost glory.
"Answer me, Makiri Zolgen."
Chapter 19: Teach me Magecraft!
Why?
Why resist death?
Enduring daily pain, unable to bask in the sun, living inhumanly, a life worse than death.
Ending it all would bring release from suffering, yet the desire to cling to life, embracing all the agony, persists. Why?
I remember now.
Yes, at first, it was for a noble purpose.
To eradicate all evil, to seek a miracle.
"If humanity is beyond saving if evil cannot be cut off by human means¡"
"If the utopia is a ce humanity cannot reach¡"
"Then seek something beyond humanity, a new form of human existence."
"Indeed, to eliminate all evil in the world, we dedicate our lives to this cause."
Grasping all things, understanding all truths, reaching an unprecedented realm. Surpassing the limitations of the flesh, reaching the infinite soul.
The species known as humanity is confined by predetermined boundaries, striving to escape the endless spiral. All hatred, all suffering, aimed at healing and erasure.
¡ªI remember now.
Upon realizing the absence of paradise. If the world is void, if even the creation of the flesh is not permitted, then strive towards a ce where it is allowed.
The goal was not to create a new world but to transform oneself, to turn human life into something new.
¡ªFor this.
For this, I sought the Holy Grail.
Seeking a miracle beyond human capacity.
Until it is achieved, there is no reason to vanish.@@novelbin@@
Thus, I must persist and keep on living.
"Indeed, that''s it, Einzbern''s envoy."
Zouken Matou whispered, his magic circuitspletely destroyed, unable to retain even thest remnants of his soul, helplessly watching himself disintegrate like sand.
"So, you finally remembered."
Sakatsuki nodded slightly, his golden eyes shedding the previous disdain, turning solemn.
"I will inherit yourment, pursuing the Third Magic, the miracle of soul materialization¡ªnot for the salvation of all humanity, but to survive, to explore another possible future."
"Ah, I see¡"
The voice faded, and with its disappearance, the massive swarm of insects came to a halt,pletely obliterated in the mes.
The shadow that had loomed over Fuyuki City for two hundred years finally dissipated.
[006: Zouken Matou]
[Character Info: Formerly known as Makiri Zolgen...]
[Hidden Information: In his youth, Makiri Zolgen was a confidant of the 16th-century Renaissance physician and alchemist Paracelsus von Hohenheim. Although their research differed, Hohenheim regarded Makiri as a respectable idealist. At his peak, Makiri Zolgen possessedbat prowess on par with Servants, capable of defeating a single Servant under specific conditions.]
[Record Conditions (2/2)]:
[?Rescue Sakura Matou from Zouken Matou''s clutches. (Completed)]
[?Completely kill Matou Zouken. (Completed)]
[Condition 1 Reward: Advanced guide to Imaginary NumbersMagecraft.]
[Condition 2 Reward: Water and Worm Magecraft Mastery.]
A torrent of magical knowledge poured into Sakatsuki''s mind, momentarily halting his thoughts. When he recovered, Kariya''s words were at their conclusion.
"Though taking down that old worm felt great, won''t we be discovered by the Tohsaka family?"
After all, the Tohsaka residence isn''t far from the Matou estate, especially since Sakatsuki sted the ce with an RPG. With such amotion, if Tohsaka Tokiomi noticed, aside from the friction among magi, he might deem the Matou family unfit to raise Sakura and take her away¡ª
Thinking of this, Kariya clenched his fists, feeling helpless once again.
"Rest assured, I''ve already concealed the Matou estate with magic. From the outside, it looks perfectly peaceful."
"More like sinister."
Kariya retorted, gazing at the small figure cradled in Sakatsuki''s arms, his eyes brimming with tenderness.
"Come, let me hold her."
"Oh..."
Sakatsuki stretched the sound, deftly turning away, keeping the girl he had rescued out of Kariya''s reach.
"Sakura is someone I worked hard to save. Why hand her over to you?"
"Hey, you can''t say that!"
Kariya argued.
"Our Matou family had an agreement with the Tohsaka family; this child should be under my care!"
But Sakatsuki wasn''t buying it.
"Do you know the reason Tokiomi allowed Sakura toe here was to inherit the Matou family''s magic crest?"
As the Matou estate burned, with Kariya''s expression frozen, Sakatsuki''s expression turned mischievous.
"Now that I''ve destroyed the Matou family, with its magic crest obliterated, Kariya Matou, what reason do you have to convince Tohsaka Tokiomi to let his daughter stay here? Rush over and get struck down like a dog? Or kneel and beg for mercy from the man who took Aoi Tohsaka''s happiness?"
Hearing this, Kariya''s fists clenched, his nails digging into his palms, unnoticed.
Sakatsuki continued without pause.
"Don''t delude yourself that Sakura will be happy after leaving. To maximize his daughter''s potential, Tokiomi will send her to another family. And as for the magus families... you know exactly what that entails."
Kariya Matou fled because he feared everything rted to magi.
"I-I won''t let Tokiomi take Sakura away. I won''t let her lose her happiness."
Kariya''s eyes filled with blood.
"But you cannot protect Sakura. Even if you escape far away, you can''t evade the Tohsaka family''s reach, cing Sakura in constant fear."
Kariya Matou remained silent.
He wasn''t stupid and understood why Sakatsuki was so harsh, but no matter what, he didn''t want to let go again.
"I know, you want Sakura to stay with you, right?"
"Exactly¡"
"No, there''s another option!"
Kariya stepped forward, grasping Sakatsuki''s arm, his gaze resolute.
"Hey, just so you know, I''m straight, so don''t get any ideas!"
Sakatsuki, noticing Kariya''s fervent gaze, took a step back instinctively.
"I already have someone I like!"
With a thud, Kariya knelt, prostrating himself before Sakatsuki in a perfect dogeza.
"Sensei, I want to learn magecraft!"
"¡Oh, so that''s it."
Sakatsuki rxed, a normal expression returning to his face.
"I do have some use for the Matou family, otherwise I wouldn''t have bothered with you for so long. But honestly, even if I teach you magic now, you''re unlikely to defeat Tokiomi Tohsaka¡ªunderstand?"
"Of course."
Kariya looked up, not caring about his humiliating posture.
For Sakura, he could abandon everything.
Seeing his expression, Sakatsuki finally understood Kariya''s intention.
"¡I see, you want to tie me to your cause."
After all, someone who could destroy the Matou family wouldn''t fear the Tohsaka family''s threats.
Under Kariya''s anxious gaze, Sakatsuki pondered for a long while before revealing a mischievous smile.
"Though this deviates from my ns, but since you''re so eager, I won''t hesitate to seize your fate."
Chapter 23: Heroic Spirit Summoning
It was 1994, a year etched deeply in my memory.
A fire broke out in Fuyuki City.
The Fuyuki City Civic Hall, with an investment of more than 8 billion yen, copsed overnight. A destructive ck torrent descended from the sky, pouring down like a waterfall, and engulfing everything in its path.
And thus, the ughter began.
At this time, people were enjoying a peaceful sleep. The ck Death mud, sensing their life force, turned into a searing curse and attacked them.
Homes were burned down, gardens were destroyed. Whether they were sleeping or trying to escape upon waking, everyone was burned to the point that not even bones remained.@@novelbin@@
The death toll exceeded five hundred, and 134 buildings were destroyed.
The feast of death turned the night sky into a fiery red, lingering for a long time.
Amid this unparalleled destruction, the only survivory on the ground, eyes wide open with no light in them, deeply imprinting the horrors before him into his mind.
Although he was a survivor, he knew that this title would soon be a thing of the past.
Next, I will be burned by the mes, drowned in ck mud, or suffocated by the thick smoke, right?
The pain was beyond imagination. Even staying alive was a torment. I even felt that dying might be easier.
But a dishevelled man found me.
...I still remember the expression on his face.
Tears filled his eyes, genuinely happy from the bottom of his heart to find a living person.
¡ªBecause his expression was so full of joy.
I thought that I was the one being saved, but it turned out that the person saved wasn''t me, but himself.
However, that feeling, that emotion, was so real, and it was passed on to me.
Ah...
It was decided. I would carry this man''s expectations and live as a survivor, living for those who perished.
My life is for others, it is to be lived for them.
The red figure shed in the silvery light, and by now, it was hard to distinguish if it was the memory of a traveller or fragments that hade from distant times.
Only that obsession was incredibly real, engraved deeply in the young man''s mind.
If I could, if I could go back to before that disaster¡ª
I would, absolutely, absolutely... absolutely stop it!
***
Magecraft, which transcendsmon sense, refers to the phenomena where things that can be done undermon sense are achieved in ways that defy it.
But magecraft does not include "things that humans cannot achieve." The ability to perform such things is called "sorcery."
In the end, Magecraft is both human wisdom and the world.
Sorcery is not included; it is a loneliness suspended beyond the heavens.
The first one began everything.
The second one acknowledged countless things.
The third one showed the future.
The fourth one hid its figure after beginning.
And the fifth one, which ended, had long lost its meaning.
The only remaining magecraft in the world, except for the second and fifth, remains like the fruit of Eden, awaiting mankind''s picking.
The Third Magic¡ªsoul materialization¡ªrelies on the infinite energy of the ever-moving soul and uses the immortal soul as a temte to create a perfectly matched body.
It depicts a brand-new possibility for humanity''s future.
During the dormant time, Sakatsuki gradually absorbed fragments of the Third Magic and finally began to see some of its true nature.
As long as the soul does not perish, the energy possessed is infinite. The so-called immortal soul is sustained by emotions¡ªemotions be the power, the soul creates miracles, and those who have lost their seven emotions and six desires are unqualified toplete the Third Magic and are mere walking corpses.
Therefore, as a homunculus, the Saintess of Winter cannot grasp the Third Magic, and even Einzbern, secluded in the snow, could never achieve his long-cherished wish.
Even with the Holy Grail.
"...You have a familiar aura."
The ck sludge swelled up, outlining a delicate figure, leaning down beside the sleeping person to breathe.
"Empty, nothing, a person who does not belong to this world, one who both hates and loves humanity."
"If you wish for redemption, fill me."
And so, the sleeping person awoke from the bizarre dream.
***
[Consciousness awakening, existence reconstruction in progress.]
[Reconstruction sessful.]
[Estimated activity time: 700 hours.]
tinum particles gathered, reshaping the young man''s slender body. He stood in the centre of therge cavern, eyes closed, stretching out his hand to retrieve the clothes from the diamond-shaped space and dress himself before opening his golden eyes.
The long-lost magical energy filled his body, elerating Sakatsuki''s return to consciousness, and the spiritual veins around him became active, silently announcing the arrival of a certain moment.
Now, it had been a year.
The seemingly peaceful Fuyuki City had gathered clouds of change, weing challengers who would risk everything for their wishes.
"I see... It''s starting."
The handsome young man said with a smile, a year seeming to not affect him, even his elegant kimono remained as pristine as ever.
But now, he was ready to face the Holy Grail War.
Now¡ªit was time to summon the heroic spirits.
He spread his hands, his fingers moving rhythmically as if connecting two ces outside the circle, flowing out the already sealed molten iron.
For Sakatsuki, whose element was "Sword," the molten iron, melted from a ritual sword, was the best material for summoning.
The molten iron traced the patterns of the magic circle on the ground, drawing four corners, then surrounding it with the summoning array, the sequence of which must not be altered.
Though this was knowledge he had thoroughly mastered in the Einzbern family, Sakatsuki still repeatedly reviewed it to avoid any potential mistakes.
Taking a deep breath, the young man closed his eyes, as if sensing something, and spoke aloud.
"Fill, fill, fill, fill, fill!"
"Repeat five times, but abandon it once filled."
As the sybles rang out, a switch within Sakatsuki''s body, between the tangible and intangible, was turned on.
From this moment, Sakatsuki would remove his human part, bing nothing more than aponent for a mysterious mechanism.
The pain of human consciousness was transmitted, and Sakatsuki despised abandoning his "human" attributes.
And this pain urred simultaneously in secret corners of different ces.
***
"Made of silver and iron, based on stone and the great contract of the duke, my ancestor''s fix upon the old."
In the mansion of the Tohsaka family, deep in the mountains, Tokiomi Tohsaka recited aloud while drawing the magic circle.
Instead of using fresh blood from a living sacrifice, the materials for the magic circle were gems melted into liquid form. Over the years, Tohsaka had collected many gems filled with magical power, and today he used them all for the ceremony, even if it meant umting a huge debt.
Standing by his master''s side, Kirei Kotomine stared at the holy relic ced on the altar.
It was said to be the first-ever shedding snake skin fossil in the world.
Just thinking about the heroic spirit this relic would summon made Kirei feel a sense of fear.
Now he understood why Tohsaka was so confident¡ªno servant could defeat the heroic spirit chosen by Tohsaka.
***
"Can such a simple ritual work?"
In the snow-covered city of Winter, Irisveil looked at the modest and almost shabby summoning circle on the ground, somewhat surprised.
"You may be disappointed, but summoning a servant doesn''t need such an borate ritual."
Emiya Kiritsugu exined, checking carefully if the mercury-drawn pattern had any irregrities or fading.
"This is because, in reality, the one summoning the servant isn''t the Magus, but the Holy Grail. As the master, I only need to anchor the summoned servant to this world and provide enough magic to materialize them."
Seemingly satisfied with the state of the magic circle, the man stood up and looked at the holy relic ced on the altar in the centre.
It was a golden sword sheath with blue markings, emitting a faint glow that illuminated the inscription on it.
Emiya Kiritsugu stared at this significant relic, a serious expression shing across his eyes.
If his guess was correct, this Holy Grail War would be even more troublesome than he had anticipated.
"It''s starting, Iri."
He murmured quietly.
***
"Let''s begin, Sakura, stand back."
In the hidden basement, Kariya Matou drew the magic circle and signalled the purple-haired girl to move away.
Seeing the worried expression on the girl''s face, Kariya couldn''t help but smile.
"If Sakatsukies back and sees you like this, he might get quite a shock."
"Is this the time to say that, Uncle Kariya?"
Sakura reminded him.
"To summon a berserk heroic spirit, we must be serious."
"Mm, you''re right."
Kariya pped his cheeks, refocused himself, and said.
"Now, let me see who will respond to my call."
***
In a corner of a Mountain Town, deep in a thicket of trees, dripping blood formed an incredibly precise magic circle, looking almost like a cult ritual site, but the body of a chicken discarded nearby exined where the blood came from.
"Great, now it''splete."
The boy who hade from the foreign clock tower wiped the sweat off his face, carrying his passion for magecraft and unwavering will toward his goal as he began chanting a mysterious incantation.
The boy named "Waver Velvet" aimed to prove to his teacher and to the old clock tower that, even without noble blood, he could achieve great aplishments!
"¡ªProim!"
With his youthful determination and recklessness, Waver began his chant.
"You who hear my call, my fate is entrusted to your sword!"
"If you wish to reside within the Holy Grail, ept this will and follow thisw!"
The sensation of magic surrounding him, an unavoidable chill and pain caused by the cycle of magical circuits inside his body, was something any magus would experience.
Yet, this pain, in Emiya Kiritsugu''s eyes, was merely a necessary means to an end.
Now¡ªspeak the true thoughts in his heart!
"I swear here that I will perform all the good deeds in the world, and I will suppress all the evil deeds in the world!"
Biting his teeth, Kariya''s low growl echoed through the basement.
"You shall blind your eyes with chaos and serve me!"
Compared to others, Kariya''s chant had two more lines, and the suffering he endured doubled as well¡ª but this time, it was Kariya''s own choice.
To defeat that person, he was willing.
Under Sakura''s worried gaze, Kariya gritted his teeth, full of determination in his voice.
"You, the one trapped in the prison of madness, I, the one holding the chains!"
"Now,e, the berserker who will trample that person underfoot!"
Sakatsuki, fascinated by the allure of magic and the thrilling chant, didn''t realize that a smile of excitement curled at the corner of his mouth.
"You are bound by the three great words of seven days, arriving from the wheel of self-restraint¡ªGuardian of the bnce!"
In the coincidental, miraculous shared chant, different figures descended to the world in a dazzling light.
Some shone goldenly, some were pure and solemn, some were mighty and imposing, and others were surrounded by ck mist.
And standing before the young man with golden eyes was one who shone like the stars¡ªclear, beautiful, and so very familiar.
Then¡ª
A cold question echoed through the forest, the hidden basement, the grand hall, and under the vast void of night.
"Answer me, are you the master who called me?"
Chapter 24: Miyu Edelfelt
"Answer me, are you the one who summoned me?"
Before Sakatsuki stood a girl in a strange blue-purple outfit, holding a magic staff. Her voice was cold as she asked the question.
The summoning ritual had been a sess, and at this moment, Sakatsuki should have shown the poise of a Master, speaking calmly and confidently about his identity and wish, making an initial contract with the heroes of human history and preparing to fight together.
However, in front of this unexpected figure, Sakatsuki''s pupils trembled. The shock from both Emiya Shirou and the traveller stirred his heart into a chaotic mess.
"You are...?"
"What is it, Master?"
The girl tilted her head in slight confusion.
In the next moment, she saw the young man step forward, open his arms, and gently, but firmly, embrace her.
The girl''s eyes widened.
There was no doubt this was a rash action. The servant summoned from the magic circle wasn''t a "familiar" who could be freelymanded, but rather a hero from history, whose personality was far stronger than that of an ordinary person.
If a female heroic spirit with a more violent temperament had been summoned, she might have immediately considered this an insult, killed the Master, and returned to the Throne of Heroes.
However, this girl did not react in such a way¡ªnot because she was indifferent to such contact, but quite the opposite. She, too, despised sudden touches from the opposite sex, and with her rational nature, she almost began preparing to attack.
But...
"Miyu..."
Sakatsuki murmured in joy and affection, causing the girl to freeze, and the magical power she had prepared dissipated.
This person... knows my name?@@novelbin@@
After her anger and embarrassment subsided, the girl, whose true name was "Miyu Edelfelt," felt a familiar and nostalgic aura emanating from him.
It was as though there was nothing to worry about as if she could depend on him no matter the situation¡ªshe seemed to have shared a precious and wonderful time with this young man.
But...
"Who... are you?"
Miyu blinked, asking softly.
Her serious tone caused the young man to hesitate for a moment. Looking at the girl''s youthful and beautiful face, Sakatsuki smiled with aplicated expression.
"I used to be Shirou Emiya, but now, call me Sakatsuki."
The two unfamiliar words, "Emiya Shirou" and "Sakatsuki," crashed into Miyu''s mind, filled with a sense of familiarity, trying to unlock her sealed memories.
Even though the Holy Grail''s seal was deep-rooted, Miyu instinctively realized that this young man was the most important person in her life.
In a strange feeling of closeness, Miyu wrapped her arms around Shakugetsu, hesitated for a moment, and spoke that familiar name.
"Onii-chan..."
Setting aside Shirou''s memories, even Sakatsuki couldn''t help but smile affectionately when he heard her.
"Yes, I''m here, Miyu."
This summoning was worth it!
After a brief moment of warmth, Sakatsuki regained hisposure and began examining Miyu''s data.
Something strange caught his attention¡ªhis ability as a Master to analyze was appearing in the Fate Compendium.
=====
[010: Miyu Edelfelt (Caster)]
[Ability Parameters]
[Strength: E]
[Endurance: D]
[Agility: C]
[Mana: A]
[Luck: C]
[Noble Phantasm: A]
[ss Skills]:
[Magic Resistance: B]
[Unlimited Mana Supply: B]
[Personal Skills]:
[Cheerful Model Mystic Code (Younger Sister): A]
[Hypnotic Radio Waves: A]
[Noble Phantasm]:
[Wish Upon a Star: EX]
[Hidden Information: Younger Sister.]
[Record Condition: None]
=====
Looking at Miyu''s status panel, Sakatsuki frowned.
Her parameters clearly matched that of a Caster, but the issue was with her personal skills. The typical Caster ss skills of "Item Construction" and "Territory Creation" were absent, reced instead by "Magic Resistance" and "Unlimited Mana Supply."
[Magic Resistance: B]
[Immune to basic spells and has some resistance to high-level magecraft and rituals.]
[Unlimited Mana Supply: B]
[As the name suggests, the Kaleidostick provides unlimited mana, though the output is limited by the practitioner''s magical circuits.]
There was no doubt that these personal skills were unusual. In a normal Holy Grail War, it would be impossible for them to exist. In fact, they reminded Sakatsuki of a certain gacha game from his past life.
Was it an anomaly in this Holy Grail War, or... was it something about me?
"Onii-chan?"
Miyu asked with concern, noticing Sakatsuki lost in thought.
"Is something wrong?"
Snapping out of his reverie, Sakatsuki smiled and gently patted her head.
"No, it''s just a bit surprising."
"Mmm..."
Miyu nodded obediently, her eyes squinting like a cat.
Feeling the soft touch of her head in his palm, Sakatsuki smiled wider.
"Let''s go, Miyu. Although I want to talk more, the Holy Grail War has begun, and we need to hurry."
At his words, the girl opened her eyes. Though she longed to remain in the warmth of his embrace, she obediently let go.
"Okay, Onii-chan."
The two figures left the cave, moving swiftly.
***
Deep Mountain Town''s Brushwood Forest.
When Weber saw a tall, imposing figure slowly rise from the smoke-filled summoning circle, he nearlyughed in excitement.
Uponpleting the summoning, the Servant''s abilities flowed into Waver''s consciousness. The Servant''s ss was Rider. Although not one of the three main knights, the Servant''s abilities were above average, clearly a powerful Servant.
The towering giant in front of Waver had a presence that was simply overwhelming. Weber could almost smell the wild aura emanating from his muscled, powerful body.
Weber already knew that when a Servant was summoned, they were not just a spiritual entity but also manifested physically. But standing before him now, this muscr, towering figure felt like an enormous wall of force.
"I ask you, are you my Master?"
"Eh?"
This was the second time the giant spoke. The heavy voice shook the ground, and Waver, stunned by the sheer presence of the giant, hadn''t even heard the first question.
"Y-Yes! I am... no, I am your Master, Waver Velvet. Your Master is me!"
Although many things had gone wrong, Waver still tried to bluff.
"Hmph, with that, the contract is formed. Boy, take me to the library."
"Ah?"
"I said, books!"
The Rider Servant impatiently repeated, extending an arm that looked as thick as a tree root, seeming to press down on Weber.
Just as Waver thought his life was in danger, the giant lifted him effortlessly by his cor.
"If you are a magus, at least you must have a few libraries. Lead the way, we need to prepare for battle."
"Battle...?"
"You know the saying, ''Know thyself and thy enemy, and you will win every battle.'' If you don''t even understand this era, not even I can casually sing praises of domination."
"Ah, I see."
Waver awkwardly responded, but before he could guide him, the giant''s aura suddenly shifted.
"Hmph, looks like the library visit will be postponed. Really, even in war, unexpected things happen so quickly¡ªsomeone can''t wait to act, surprising indeed."
By the time the giant finished speaking, Waver heard the roar of enginesing closer.
A man in a ck suit broke through the trees, approaching Waver, with a girl in strange attire holding him tightly from behind. Her magical power was immense.
"C... Caster!"
As Waver looked at the girl, he immediately recognized her ss and screamed.
To be honest, before this, he had almost forgotten about the Holy Grail War, just basking in the joy of summoning a Servant.
Now, the arrival of another group of opponents made Waver realize once more that he was in the middle of a life-or-death war.
"Aren''t you in a hurry?"
The giant''s shout was cut short as his eyes gleamed at the oing bike.
"So this is the mount of this era? Truly impressive!"
Rider''s "Riding" skill told him that this steel beast was indeed a remarkable mount.
"Is this the time to talk about this? They''re about to crash into us!"
As the bike, like a cket, sped toward them, the giant ignored Waver''s panic andughed heartily.
"Is this how we''re starting the battle of might? Then let''s make some noise!"
The giant drew his sword from his waist and raised it high, shouting.
"With this sword, the King of Conquerors, Iskandar, will im the world''s supremacy!"
After the roar, Rider swung his sword violently through the air, creating a deafening crack that shook the surrounding air.
"This is!"
Miyu, who had been sitting behind Sakatsuki, leaned forward, surprised by the sight.
The air itself was torn apart by the giant''s sword, and from the rift, a massive chariot emerged, drawn by two giant oxen that roared to the heavens. Their hooves crackled with lightning, and a storm of lightning descended toward the tiny humans below.
"If you want to meet me, then pass this trial, Caster''s Master!"
"Then as you wish! King of Conquerors!"
With a loud cry, in the face of what seemed like certain doom, the young man disyed incredible skill, swiftly manoeuvring the bike to weave through the thunderous web of lightning, finally stopping just in front of Weber and Rider.
The moonlight highlighted the bike''s sleek form as the young man in a tailored suit gave a formal bow.
"Master Sakatsuki and his Servant, here to pay a visit!"
***
[T/N: In a normal summoning, Miyu wouldn''t have appeared, but because the protagonist himself is an anomaly, some things will be clearter.]
Chapter 25: Rejection
"Good!"
The giant red-armoured man, resembling a titan, pped his hands loudly, offering a thunderous round of apuse for Sakatsuki''s performance.
"I didn''t expect to witness such heroic spirit right after I returned to the world. Very good! Very good! Caster''s Master, speak your intentions!"
After a slight bow, Sakatsuki straightened up and, facing the King of Conquerors, smiled without arrogance or submission, and spoke.
"I am here to propose an alliance."
"An alliance?"
Waver, who was hiding behind his servant, spoke his head out in disbelief.
"Hasn''t the Holy Grail War just begun? Are alliances being formed already? And how did you find me? Exin yourself¡ªhow can I trust you?"
Despite the intense questioning, Sakatsuki maintained his calm smile.
"Since Alexander the Great, the King of Conqurours, has returned to this world, how could I note with joy to wee him?"
"Ah!"
Waver finally understood, giving a resentful nce at the burly man beside him.
"So that''s how it is..."
Iskander is the Persian name for Alexander the Great, and his title as ''Dhul-Qarnayn'' is well known in the Imic world. His legendary Eastern conquests are famous, and the mere sound of the phrase, ''King of Conqueror, Iskander, who with this sword shall dominate the world!'', is enough to frighten even the enemy''s warhorses.
However, in the Holy Grail War, revealing one''s true name is like exposing a weakness¡ªonce an enemy learns a Servant''s true name, they can find strategies to counter them.
Yet, Rider remained unfazed by Waver''sints and burst into a loudugh.
"As the King of Conquerors, I disdain such sneaky tricks. Conquering freely is the true way of the king!"
"Exactly!"
Sakatsuki echoed the king''s deration, looking at Waver''s evasive gaze with sincerity.
"Although I believe I have greatly benefited from Caster''s assistance, the King of Conquerors should know that the three knights summoned in the Holy Grail War¡ªSaber, Lancer, and Archer¡ªeach have ''Resistance to Magic.'' If I were to face them, it would not bode well."
"Resistance to Magic? Do you mean they have Magic Resistance?"
Waver asked instinctively, checking Rider''s profile and seeing [Magic Resistance: D], but his brows furrowed at the low rank of the skill.
Waver, still learning, looked embarrassed, but Sakatsuki simply smiled, and Iskander seemed to realize his Master''s naivety, cing Waver behind him protectively and continuing.
"So, you wish to ally with me to deal with the three knights with Magic Resistance, correct?"
"Exactly. While the King of Conquerors has no fear of the three knights, my side is at a disadvantage, so it is only natural to seek a mighty ally."
"Then what can you offer me?"
Iskander stepped forward with a mocking expression.
"If you''re trying to take advantage of me, don''t me me for being ruthless."
"Of course not."
Sakatsuki sighed and smiled bitterly.
"At this point, it''s impossible to hide things, so I''ll be frank. My lovely Servant possesses a special magic to track other Servants."
"What?"
In shock, Waver jumped again, pointing at the quiet Miyu standing behind Sakatsuki.
"She can use such magic? This means you could easily find other Masters'' hiding spots! No wonder you found us so quickly!"
In the Holy Grail War, intelligence is crucial. Gaining the upper hand by learning an enemy''s information can almost guarantee victory.
"Indeed, you''re quite clever, Master of the King of Conquerors."
Sakatsukiplimented without missing a beat, gently holding Miyu''s hand.
Waver, flustered by the praise, smiled foolishly.
"Well, it''s not that great, really..."
Regardless, if they could have an ally to provide them with intelligence, Waver and Rider could rest and, with Rider''s high mobility, strike other teams at any time¡ªthis was an enticing proposal for Waver.
Clearing his throat, Waver tried to appear moreposed and turned to his Servant.
"Rider, if what he says is true, then we could¡"
With a sharp smack, a loud p echoed through the night sky as Miyu flinched in surprise. Waver clutched his swollen forehead, tears in his eyes as he crouched down in pain.
Apart from his middle finger, Rider acted as if nothing had happened, looking back at Sakatsuki and asking.
"By the way, I haven''t asked for your name?"
"Sakatsuki. Just call me Sakatsuki."@@novelbin@@
"Sakatsuki, huh? Hmm, interesting name."
The red-haired, burly man nodded seriously and then suddenly asked.
"Sakatsuki, I want to ask you something."
"...Go ahead."
Sakatsuki finallyughed bitterly.
Iskander scratched his head, appearing troubled.
"I''ve encountered many magus who wanted to surrender to me during my conquests, but you''re the first one who came to me in person without using a familiar tomunicate."
"Unlike those warriors who overestimated their strength and feigned submission only to try and assassinate me, I''ve often had to deal with such tricksters."
As he spoke, the King of Conquerors couldn''t conceal his killing intent.
"Ah, right!"
Waver, reminded by Rider, suddenly remembered, raising his head and looking at Sakatsuki and his Servant standing before them, who imed to be "weak."
Had he forgotten the true nature of magus because of the unique nature of the Holy Grail War?
Magus are typically reclusive, rarely leaving their workshops unless absolutely necessary¡ªhow could they be so defenceless in front of Servants?
Faced with Rider''s wary group, Sakatsuki sighed.
"As a king who knows right from wrong, you should sense my sincerity in allying."
"Indeed, you truly want an alliance."
Iskander said, drawing the Sword of the Kupriotes, and pointing it at Sakatsuki.
"To be honest, your offer is tempting, and I nearly epted."
"Then why¡ª"
"BUT!"
A furious roar startled even Waver, as the King of Conquerors''s eyes red. He shouted.
"From the beginning, you never mentioned giving up the Holy Grail! Since you''ve chosen to block my path to conquest, then we are enemies!"
"Come, divine chariot!"
The sky darkened, and the mighty bull, long agitated, snorted and charged through the air, releasing purple lightning like the wrath of Zeus descending from the heavens.
Grabbing the feeble Master by the cor, Rider leapt onto the chariot, roaring as they charged at Sakatsuki.
"Feel the power of the King of Conquerors, and hand over your head and mount! I''ve wanted this cool mount from the start!"
"You''re not refusing the alliance just because you want to steal Sakatsuki''s motorcycle, are you?"
Waver, crouching on the chariot amidst the rumbling thunder, looked green with fear.
"How could it be? Hahahaha...!"
In a burst of forcedughter, the divine chariot descended, chasing after Sakatsuki!
Boom!
Chapter 27: Reunion After One Year
[011: Iskandar (Rider)]
[Character Information: A famous military strategist and politician in ancient history. He ascended the throne at age 20, unified all of Greece, and then led an eastern campaign, creating one of the few great empires in human history, profoundly impacting mankind''s history. His dream was to see the end of the sea. Due to this persistent dream, even after their death, the wills of his soldiers still faithfully guard Iskandar.]
[Hidden Information: Locked.]
[Record Conditions (0/3)]:
[?Gain the approval of the King of Conquerors. (Iplete)]
[?Defeat/Kill Iskandar. (Iplete)]
[?Defeat the Noble Phantasm ''Ionioi Hetairoi'' without using Reality Marble. (Iplete)]
[012: Waver Velvet (Youth)]
[Character Information: A young Clock Tower student once overflowing with confidence. He submitted a thesis critiquing the concept of aristocratic bloodlines to Kah, the leading figure of aristocracy and was publicly humiliated. To prove himself, he stole Kah''s holy relic and secretly came to Fuyuki City to participate in the Fourth Holy Grail War.]
[Hidden Information: Locked.]
[Record Conditions: None.]
***
"Onii-chan, is that red-haired man really the legendary Alexander the Great?"
The silver-green motorcycle had already left the forest and was slowing down, travelling along a dimly lit street. Miyu sat sideways in her seat, looking up, seemingly still able to see the chariot shining with lightning in the starry sky.
In front of her, Sakatsuki, feeling the cool night wind,ughed softly.
"What''s wrong? Does it not seem like him?"@@novelbin@@
"Well~"
Miyu, now out of her magical outfit and wearing what seemed like a school uniform, blushed slightly and shook her head.
"It''s just¡ it feels so¡ strange."
"Really?"
Sakatsuki''sughter echoed in the wind.
"The shining stars of history, their originally unrted paths converge in this small city. They converse through the sh of swords, singing of their lives at banquets, freely pouring out their brief second lives. And we, these small humans bathed under the stars, can stand side by side with them, fight against them... it truly is a strange feeling."
"The night is still young, Miyu."
On this quiet night before the storm, the most special Master of this war spoke his wish to his equally unique Servant, his sister.
"With anticipation and joy, let''s enjoy this dreamlike journey together."
"Mm..."
After a soft reply, Miyu turned around, wrapping her hands around Sakatsuki''s waist, feeling the reassuring aura of his presence.
Even though her memories of the past were blurry, the girl still knew clearly who the person she needed to protect was.
"Look, Miyu."
Her brother''s call made her snap back to reality.
Following the direction of Sakatsuki''s finger, Miyu suddenly widened her eyes and let out a small exmation.
"Wow..."
Kawasaki had been driving forward, the buildings on either side of the road now gone, and the gentle sea breeze brushed past her cheeks.
They were now on the Fuyuki Bridge, a bridge spanning the entire length of the Mion River near the mouth of the sea. Looking out from the bridge, the spectacr scenery of the water and sky blending together wasid out before them.
Beneath the bridge, the Mion River shimmered under the brilliant starlit sky, giving off a dreamy glow.
"If it were daytime, it would look even more amazing."
Sakatsuki turned his head slightly, looking at his sister''s shining eyes and smiled contentedly.
"If we have time tomorrow, let''s go farther and I''ll show you the real sea."
From beginning to end, Sakatsuki never forgot the wish of the man who gave everything for his sister, the wish made before his consciousness faded.
He promised to show Miyu the sea, so Sakatsuki would take her to see it.
Even though this war was filled with cruelty and bloodshed, even though Miyu had lost her past memories, she was an anomaly summoned by Sakatsuki.
In the following time, the two siblings did not speak again. The sound of the Kawasaki engine was gentle as it carried them across the Fuyuki Bridge, eventually stopping in front of a Japanese-style mansion.
"Get off, Miyu."
Sakatsuki took his sister''s hand, snapped his fingers, and the silver-green motorcycle disappeared, turning into magic particles that dissolved into the earth''s veins.
"Where is this, Onii-chan?"
Miyu curiously looked at the door, which was distinct from the surrounding buildings. After removing her magical girl transformation, she nearly appeared like an ordinary person.
"Is this our home?"
"Home... well, I guess it''s something like that?"
Sakatsuki thought for a moment but did not deny it.
"But others are living here. Besides a middle-aged man, there''s also a little girl I rescued. Miyu, you should be prepared to make friends."
"Eh?"
Miyu froze, quickly bing flustered.
"But... I..."
Before Miyu could react, Sakatsuki stepped forward, knocked on the door symbolically, then unlocked the magical lock and pushed the door open.
What greeted him was an extremely enthusiastic strike!
ng!
The double swords shed with a kitchen knife infused with dark energy, both shattering. Sakatsuki raised an eyebrow and advanced, watching as the broken swords reformed into a fearsome de that shed toward the ck knight.
Boom!
The small entryway trembled as the sh sent shockwaves. The giant swords screamed as they cut toward the knight but were blocked by the knight''s gauntlets, which squeezed tightly.
Feeling the control of the weapon slowly shifting to the opponent, Sakatsuki stepped forward, released his swords, and didn''t care as they fell into the enemy''s hands. He charged in, mming his shoulder into the knight''s abdomen.
With the sound of the knight''s armour shaking, the ck knight staggered back a few steps without even groaning, twisted his waist, and swung his swords at Sakatsuki''s neck and chest!
"Stop it, Berserker!"
The man''s scolding voice camete, and upon hearing the Master''s voice, the ck knight''s fiery red eyes zed even brighter, but he finally lowered his hands. The broken swords fell to the ground with a ng and dissipated into magic.
"Onii-chan!"
Only then did Miyu snap out of her daze and hurriedly run to hide behind Sakatsuki, tightly gripping his clothes.
She never imagined her brother was not only so skilled in magic but also capable of facing off against a Servant in closebat, even overpowering them!
Sakatsuki patted Miyu''s head, then looked past the ck knight toward two figures standing behind him.
On the left, Kariya Matou, with three marks on his hand, and beside him, a shy Sakura Matou.
A year had passed, and the two men, each with a girl they wished to protect, reunited in the entryway.
And the first thing they said upon meeting again was.
"Yo, isn''t that Kariya? Been a few days, and you''ve let yourself go?"
"Get lost!"
Chapter 29: Arrogant King
Imaginary number is a type of magecraft based on imaginary elements, defined in the magical world as "which is not possible, but materializes," standing in contrast to the attribute of "Hollow." This means imaginary number magecraft deals with the concept of possibility itself.
To Sakatsuki, the most useful ability within imaginary number magecraft should be this one.
"Imaginary Number Space."
With a short chant, invisible particles swept through the air, and from a tear in space, the void within was revealed.
Sakatsuki observed the space no one else could see, casually tossing a nearby cup into the void. With a simple wave, the imaginary particles flowed over it, as if zipping up a zipper, sealing the pocket.
He then lightly illuminated the tip of his finger.
"Discement Magecraft."
His first attempt at the magic failed, as the discement magic couldn''t reach the imaginary space. On his second attempt, however, Sakatsuki simply exchanged himself for a spot on Fuyuki Bridge.
The damp, chilly sea breeze brushed against his face. Standing at the top of the bridge, Sakatsuki''s golden eyes glowed as he reached into a non-existent space and retrieved the cup, undamaged.
The tea inside the cup rippled as if it had never been in the eternal silence of that space.
Possessors of the imaginary element can freely open the imaginary space and ce items¡ªor even living beings¡ªinside. Only others with the same attribute or those who know the method can open it. This space is timeless, making it ideal for exiling enemies.
Until Sakatsuki encountered the right enemy, the imaginary space functioned like a portable storage, with near-infinite capacity. It was far more useful than discement magecraft.
Unlike discement magecraft, which disregards time and space and exchanges things to a safe location, the imaginary pocket can be essed anytime, unaffected by the outside world. Discement magecraft, however, is dependent on the destination remaining safe and undestroyed, otherwise, the items stored would be lost.
"Now, for the second ability."
Sakatsuki closed his eyes, and even for him, he had to use this ability with care.
"Imaginary Infiltration."
As the imaginary particles flowed, Sakatsuki''s figure slowly became enveloped, sinking into the imaginary space. To the outside world, it seemed as if his figure flickered, like a bad signal, then returned to normal. He bent down, panting heavily, as he had just narrowly escaped the dangers within the imaginary space.
"Ha¡ Ha¡ Ha¡ What was that situation inside the imaginary domain? The difficulty just increased greatly. Was there interference in this space?"
Just as he finished speaking, a voice responded, cold yetposed, more arrogant than the King of Conquerors, Iskandar, and crueler than a serpent lying in wait.
"While I do enjoy watching court jesters perform, unwanted mongrels will only ruin the mood for tonight."@@novelbin@@
A voice echoed, clear and slow. The moment he heard the words "mongrel," Sakatsuki immediately realized who the voice belonged to. When he looked up, the golden light reflected in his eyes confirmed it¡ªhe was facing none other than.
"Archer, Gilgamesh, the servant of Tokiomi Tohsaka."
Gilgamesh was the fifth king of the ancient Sumerian city-state of Uruk. He is the protagonist of humanity''s oldest epic, The Epic of Gilgamesh, and the "King of Heroes. " He possessed a divine nature of "two-thirds god, one-third human."
Of course, Sakatsuki didn''t vocalize this. He focused on the armoured golden-haired man, who radiated an aura of arrogance, as Sakatsuki''s imaginary particles dispersed and were reced by his twin des Kanshou Bakuya.
Under normal circumstances, anyone caught by another during magecraft experiments would immediately go on guard. However, the golden-haired servant, as if offended, narrowed his red eyes and started to exude a brutal killing intent.
"Not only do you fail to kneel and beg for forgiveness, but you even raise a weapon against me? It seems this era''s humans are truly beyond saving!"
As Gilgamesh finished speaking, space around him distorted like a mirage, and in the next moment, a brilliant spear appeared in the void.
The spear was beautifully adorned, and it emanated a powerful magic aura, indicating that it was no ordinary weapon. It was undoubtedly a Noble Phantasm.
"Die and redeem your sins."
Gilgamesh coldly dered as the spear shot forward.
The moment the spear closed in, Sakatsuki was still thinking about other things.
As described in the original work, Gilgamesh, as an Archer, possesses a high level of independent action, equivalent to an A rank. This allows him to maintain his present form in the world and even appear as a helpful civilian in Fuyuki City. So, it wasn''t unexpected that Sakatsuki and Gilgamesh would cross paths tonight.
While Gilgamesh is the most powerful Servant in this Holy Grail War, Sakatsuki still doesn''t feel the same level of crisis as when facing Iskandar¡ªthis was due to his frequent battles with Angelica Ainsworth, whose full power could sometimes even surpass Gilgamesh''s in certain aspects.
With this in mind, Sakatsuki casually stepped backward, dodging the explosion of light caused by the spear.
For a brief moment, Gilgamesh''s face stiffened, but soon, his murderous intent resurfaced.
"Very well, continue to amuse me, mongrel!"
Golden ripples expanded around Gilgamesh, revealing a total of eight Noble Phantasms, each radiating a terrifying aura of death.
There were swords and spears, as well as axes, hammers, and bizarre weapons of unknown origin.
Each weapon was polished to a mirror-like shine and imbued with incredible magical power. They each represented an element of divine mystery, and none of them were ordinary weapons.
To any other Master witnessing this scene, it would be nothing short of a shock, because the Noble Phantasms of a Servant are a manifestation of their legend¡ªakin to the nuclear weapons of a nation. Even a few of them would be considered overwhelming.
Yet, this "King of Heroes" seemed to possess an endless supply of them, continuously drawing one after another from the void.
Sakatsuki, upon witnessing this spectacle, didn''t lose hisposure. Instead, he sighed as if seeing a child showing off their toys.
He was used to it.
Out of a desire to conceal his true strength, Sakatsuki refrained from using projection magecraft to counter the weapons and instead turned to his newly acquired ability.
The dual des of Kanshou and Bakyua fell, and Sakatsuki lowered his gaze as his white hair was swept by the magical currents.
"The night is silent, and my shadow shall cover the world."
In an instant, the young man''s shadow twisted and stretched, bing an ominous giant before Gilgamesh.
Imaginary particles flowed, and Sakatsuki, his golden eyes filled with negative emotions.
"Shadow of the Imaginary Numbers!"
Chapter 31: Lancelots Story
Two dayster, in the morning.
[013: Lancelot (Berserker)]
[Character Information: Lancelot, one of the twelve Knights of the Round Table under King Arthur, was known as the "Knight of the Lake." His forbidden love affair with Queen Guinevere led to the downfall of Camelot, making him a symbol of King Arthur''s tragic defeat.
While receiving great honour, he also lived in deep regret. His obsession¡ªespecially his conflicting love and hatred toward the King and the Queen¡ªtrapped him in madness forever. Seeking to suppress this torment, he continues his battles as a ckened knight, longing for that fateful encounter.]
[Hidden Information: Locked.]
[Record Conditions (0/3)]:
[?Earn Lancelot''s acknowledgement. (Iplete)]
[?Defeat Lancelot. (Iplete)]
[?Free Lancelot from his madness. (Iplete)]
"Mm..."
Sakatsuki stood side by side with Kariya, facing the silent knight d in ck armour. He stood still, like a wind-up puppet that had run out of energy, with only the tassels on his back trembling slightly¡ªproof that there was still some instinctive awareness left in him.
"A wielder of a holy sword matching Excalibur, raised by the Lady of the Lake, and once known as the ''Knight of the Lake''... To think he has fallen to such a state."
"You recognize him...?!"
Even though Kariya had grown ustomed to Sakatsuki''s vast knowledge, hearing him casually reveal a Servant''s true name still made him ufortable.
"Of course. The one responsible for the fall of the Knights of the Round Table¡ªLancelot, the ''Knight of the Lake.'' Anyone who''s read the legends of King Arthur would know him."
As Sakatsuki spoke, he attempted to draw the sword from Lancelot''s waist, only to have his wrist seized in an iron grip. The Berserker would not let him step forward.
"Kariya."
"I know, I know. Berserker, let go."
With a helpless sigh, Kariyamanded his Servant. The knight, who resembled more of a beast than a chivalrous warrior, released his grip, allowing Sakatsuki to draw the long sword from its sheath.
The engraved runes on the de glowed faintly, shining like the waters of a moonlitke.
The holy sword Arondight, also known as the Unfading Light of the Lake.
Though it had be a cursed weapon, its brilliance remained undiminished.
The underground training room, unlit, was suddenly bathed in an ethereal sapphire glow as if submerged beneath the waters of a mysticalke. The breathtaking sight left both men momentarily entranced.
"Compassion, generosity, wisdom, honour, valour... I too once passed the Five Virtues of Knighthood trial and imed the Lady of the Lake''s sword from the waters of Toussaint''s Lac Cvy."
Sakatsuki ran his fingers over the de, sighing wistfully.
"But unfortunately, I lost it once again. Completely, this time."
"You''ve done something like that before?! Also, where is Toussaint? Some ind where mysteries still linger?"
Kariya''s astonishment was quickly met with a disdainful re.
"Of course not. In this day and age, mysteries have long faded. Fairies and spirits are hidden on the reverse side of the world¡ªwhere would I find a divine-forged sword?"
"Then why did you sound so convincing?!"
Sakatsuki merely chuckled and returned the Unfading Light of the Lake to its sheath. The basement returned to darkness once more.
Night had fallen. A perfect time for storytelling.
"Let''s tell a tale of knights..."
His voice was calm, gently picking up pieces of history long past.
It was thest era of romance on this. A time when inds still held onto mysteries, when magic and fae still existed, and when the sacrednds had not yet fully faded into twilight.
The legends of the Knights of the Round Table mostlye from this era.
Their King, Arthur Pendragon, still led them, driving out foreign invaders, protecting his people, and leaving behind countless tales of bravery sung by bards.
Among them, a knight from France, upon hearing rumours of the Sword in the Stone and the Ideal King, waspared to Arthur by his people. Unconvinced and curious, he set foot on the shores of Britain.
In a battle, he fought alongside the King of Knights and ultimately realized that Arthur''s greatness did note from physical strength, but from his unshakable conviction.
Moved by the King''s will, he willingly pledged his loyalty and became one of the Round Table''s knights.
As a foreigner in Britain, he paid closer attention to individuals rather than the collective, allowing him to notice the growing rifts between the King and his knights. When Sir Tristan left, saying that Arthur "did not understand the human heart," the knight was deeply disturbed.
Sharing a simr concern, he and Queen Guinevere reached an understanding.
In the tenth year of King Arthur''s reign, their forbidden affair was exposed.
In his attempt to rescue the Queen, the knight killed Agravain, identally slew Gawain''s brothers, and gravely wounded the Knight of the Sun himself.
In the end, he fled Britain with Guinevere, returning to hisnds in France.
Even so, Arthur forgave him.
But during the rebellion of Mordred, he received a letter from the dying Gawain, pleading for aid, he rode to Britain to help suppress the rebellion¡ªonly to arrive toote.
The war between the King and his treacherous child had already ended.
The legend of King Arthur hade to an end.
The kingdom had fallen.
The knight spent the rest of his life in regret.
When Sakatsuki finished his tale, he realized that two more listeners had joined them unnoticed¡ªMiyu, with her ck hair, and Sakura, with her violet locks.
For young girls, nothing was more captivating than a tragic knightly tale.
Meanwhile, Kariya had unknowingly stepped closer to Berserker. His gaze toward the mad knight was filled withplex emotions.
"I see... So that''s why I summoned you."
Berserker, King Arthur, and Queen Guinevere.
Matou Kariya, Tokiomi Tohsaka, and Aoi Zenjou.
How simr their fates were.
"¨¨¨¨..."
The man shrouded in madness, murmured. A voice more of a beast than a knight.
"If it were you, Kariya, what would you do?"
Sakatsuki''s question pulled Kariya back to reality. He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again.
Theplexity in his gaze faded, reced by an unwavering determination.@@novelbin@@
"I will not let the one I love suffer. If Tokiomi is wrong, then I will correct him."
"Even if Aoi will never choose you?"
Kariya clenched his fists and turned away, answering in silence.
And at the same time, hiding the burning ambition in his eyes.
The Holy Grail War.
Sakatsuki, oblivious to Kariya''s true thoughts, merely patted his shoulder in encouragement. Then he turned to Miyu, crouching down to meet her amber eyes.
"Have you tried it?"
"Yes."
Dressed in her violet-themed magical girl outfit, Miyu nodded. A new band adorned her left leg.
"The ss Card is stable. Everything is working fine."
"Good."
Satisfied, Sakatsuki smiled.
"If you''vee to find me, then that means there''s been movement in the Holy Grail War."
"Yes."
Miyu nodded again, her expression calm, but her voice held a rare trace of disbelief.
"Last night, Assassin tried to breach the Tohsaka estate''s boundary."
"And?"
Hearing the keyword, Kariya''s expression turned serious.
Miyu paused for a moment, then spoke in an almost incredulous tone.
"And then, Assassin was killed."
***
[T/N: Toussaint, the Five Virtues of Knighthood, and the Lady of the Lake''s sword are referencing from The Witcher 3.]
***
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Chapter 33: Reunion with the Irisviel
The mobile lift connected to the aircraft cabin, which then opened.
A young woman dressed entirely in white stepped out of the cabin. She wore a white fur hat, a white coat, and a white knee-length skirt. Her snow-white skin and long silver hair made her look like a princess straight out of a fairy tale, blending perfectly with the winter scenery.
Irisviel von Einzbern, the "Master" from the Einzbern family, looked up at the gentle afternoon sunlight and smiled in rxation.
Behind her followed a young man. His looks were in no way inferior to the woman before him. His golden hair was simply tied up, and his ck suit, styled with a minimalist touch, exuded bothpetence and elegance. He was a perfectplement to the woman in white, who was smiling at him.
Together, they seemed like a princess and her knight straight out of a Western fairy tale. Apanied by three maids, they naturally drew the attention of onlookers wherever they went.
If anyone could hear their conversation, they would be even more convinced that these two were otherworldly beings¡ªpure and extraordinary.
"I''m really happy to travel with you, Saber. No matter how much I look at you, I never get tired of it."
"Irisviel, is something strange?"
"Nothing, don''t worry about it."
"¡Every time you smile like that, it means something''s up. I''d appreciate it if you''d just tell me honestly."
"I was just thinking that your inability to turn into spirit form isn''t entirely a bad thing. Thanks to that, I get to enjoy picking out clothes for you."
"¡"
The one called Saber¡ªArtoria¡ªsighed. Being unable to take spirit form was a serious w; normally, it would warrant a scolding from her Master. But instead of that, her Master actually enjoyed it? And now she had to warn her Master not to joke about it? This waspletely backwards.
"Irisviel, does my outfit really blend in with the people of this era?"
"Hmm¡ probably. It''s my first time in this country too, so I''m a bit unsure."
If a Japanese person with a normal sense of fashion were present, they would certainly have something to say about Irisviel''s opinion.
Before their departure, Irisviel had specially prepared a modern outfit for Saber, picking it up at the airport store. It consisted of a navy blue dress shirt paired with a tie and a dark European-style suit. It was, without a doubt, men''s clothing.
On a petite girl about 155 cm tall, this outfit would likely look odd or even amusing¡ªbut on Saber, that wasn''t the case.
It wasn''t a mere "handsome woman in men''s clothing" aesthetic. Artoria''s beauty carried a dignified sharpness that was different from typical feminine allure. Dressed in men''s attire, she looked more like an ethereal and noble young man¡ªher slender frame and pale skin evoking the image of a pure-hearted youth untouched by maturity.
"To be honest, this outfit was meant for a young man, but he left in a hurry, so I didn''t get the chance to give it to him. Luckily, you''re here, Saber. Otherwise, this outfit would have just collected dust."
Irisviel sped her hands together and gave a yful smile as she admired Saber''s refined appearance.
"Are you talking about that ''Shirou''?"
Artoria knew exactly who Irisviel was referring to. After all, when she had arrived, the chapel had just been repaired, and the lingering divine energy in the Winter Castle''s leylines had not escaped her perception.
The young man who had practically turned Winter Castle upside down¡ªShirou¡ªnaturally piqued the interest of someone as meticulous as Saber.
However, the way he was described varied greatly depending on who spoke of him.
"Illya says he''s kind, gentle, and a wonderful big brother. Acht, on the other hand, calls him a cold-blooded executioner. And Kiritsugu¡ he doesn''t say anything, but the way he''s wary of Shirou is as if he''s facing a Master from the Holy Grail War¡ªmaybe even worse.
"Come to think of it, I never asked you, Irisviel. What do you think of him?"
"Him?"
Irisviel walked ahead, bouncing slightly as she went.
"He''s a very interesting, very mysterious child."
She paused, then added.
"Yes, he''s a good person."
A good person?
Saber thought seriously for a moment, then chuckled and shook her head.
For Irisviel, anyone who treated her well was a good person.
But then again, who would harbour malice toward this pure-hearted princess of Winter?
And that was precisely why Saber was willing to protect her.
With that thought in mind, the knight in the "Saber" ss took a step forward and followed after Irisviel.
Unavoidably, her curiosity toward this young man named "Shirou" grew stronger.
Who exactly was he?
***
After their luggage was unloaded from the cargo hold, the maids handled everything, allowing Irisviel and Saber to proceed to customs empty-handed. However, their opinions diverged regarding their next course of action.
Artoria, being serious by nature, wanted to reunite with Kiritsugu as soon as possible, while Irisviel, for some reason, was deeply intrigued by Fuyuki City.
Under Saber''s questioning, Irisviel seemed to realize that her desirecked any real sense of urgency. After hesitating for a moment, she chose to reveal the truth.
As a homunculus created for the Holy Grail War, Irisviel had spent her entire life in Winter Castle¡ªthis was her first time ever leaving it.
Artoria was visibly shocked by this revtion.
Her own past had not been particrly happy, but for this woman before her to have been confined to an ice-bound castle since birth, living like a caged bird¡
After a brief silence, Artoria signalled for the driver to stop, then stepped out of the car herself and opened the door for Irisviel.
"Saber?"
"Though this is also my first time walking in this city, it is a knight''s duty to guide ady."
The golden-haired, blue-eyed knight removed her right glove and extended a hand to the princess, her gaze full of warmth.
"Shall we?"
Blinking in surprise, Irisviel''s expression brightened with pure joy as she took Saber''s hand.
Leaving the isted confines of their car, the naturally elegant woman and the dashing "young man" strolled leisurely through the bustling city.
At that moment, somewhere along the street, a white-haired, golden-eyed young man sensed something.
He gazed into the distance, his lips curving into a smile.
"I''ve found you¡"
***
Even amid the lively city, Saber and Irisviel stood out.
The silver-haired young woman carried an undeniable air of nobility. Her Kashmir wool coat didn''t seem shy¡ªit suited her perfectly. Beside her, a stunning "youth" walked gracefully, arm in arm with thedy. Normally, one would only see such an impably matched pair at a star-studded Hollywood g.
To witness such an ethereal scene on the streets of a Japanese city¡ªpedestrians couldn''t help but stop and stare, eyes wide with awe.
Yet, despite their amazement, no one dared approach them.
The two carried themselves with an air of untouchable dignity. Though they walked among the crowd, they seemed to exist apart from it, merely observing the city''s activities.
At that moment, the door of a nearby shop opened, and a ck-haired girl stepped out¡ªonly to identally bump straight into the silver-haired woman.
"Careful there."
Irisviel said gently, steadying the girl so she wouldn''t fall.
At the same time, Saber instinctively stepped forward, shielding Irisviel with a sharp, alert gaze.@@novelbin@@
A powerful premonition had struck her, warning of danger from inside the shop.
Under her scrutiny, a striking young man in a dark suit embroidered with golden patterns smiled.
Looking at the stunned Irisviel, he grinned and greeted her.
"Long time no see, mydy."
***
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Chapter 34: The Entanglement of Fate
Danger.
Extreme danger.
That was Artoria''s first reaction.
This was not just baseless spection. She possessed a unique skill called "Instinct," ranked at A, which allowed her to momentarily glimpse into the future.
Just now, she had glimpsed a possible future where she was impaled by countless des.
Though the probability of such an event was minimal, it still proved that this young man before her possessed the power to kill her.
But soon, Saber realized her vignce was unnecessary.
After a brief moment of shock, Irisviel quickly revealed a delighted smile.
"Shirou! I didn''t expect to run into you here. Illya really misses you."
Shirou?
Saber stiffened, then quickly turned her head.
Red hair, brown eyes, and eyebrows that curved at the ends like lightning.
But the illusion soon faded. The young man standing before her had white hair and dazzling golden eyes.
Strange...
The handsome knight frowned, sensing both familiarity and incongruity.
Meanwhile, Miyu, who had returned to Sakatsuki''s side, looked up and secretly observed her brother.
"...Shirou?"
That name again. But no matter how hard she tried, Miyu couldn''t recall anything.
Yet it felt so familiar.
More than once, she had been troubled by the gaps in her memory.
Fate was a fascinating yet cruel force, bringing together individuals whose destinies were intertwined while simultaneously severing their recognition of one another. It maliciously awaited their bted realization, leading them towards inevitable tragedy.
But this time, an otherworldly soul stood above it all, overlooking the intricate web of fate, seeing every thread clearly.
"Hello, Irisviel, Master of the Einzbern family."
Sakatsuki deliberately used a formal, unfamiliar title. He removed his left hand glove and extended his hand toward her.
The three Command Spells on his hand glowed like burning mes.
"As a fellow participant in the Holy Grail War, I, Sakatsuki, greet you."
Irisviel instinctively reached out. It wasn''t until Sakatsuki let go that she finally processed what had happened.
"So... ''Shirou'' is...?"
"Just a name I used on a whim. Don''t mind it."
Sakatsuki suppressed the turmoil in his heart and replied casually.
"Oh..."@@novelbin@@
Irisviel nodded in half-understanding.
"Kiritsugu told me long ago that you might join the Holy Grail War, but I didn''t expect to meet you so soon."
"Kiritsugu..."
Remembering that man, Sakatsuki nodded.
"If it''s him, I''m not surprised."
After all, that was the man who had ended this Holy Grail War.
"Oh, right!"
As if recalling something, Irisviel pped her hands and spoke as casually as if she were deciding what to eat for dinner.
"Sakatsuki, what ss is your Servant?"
"Caster."
Sakatsuki answered straightforwardly, without hiding anything.
At this, a triumphant smile appeared on Irisviel''s face.
Before Artoria could sense something amiss and stop her, it was already toote.
"My Servant is Saber, the strongest ss in the Holy Grail War!"
Like a child showing off her best friend, Irisviel proudly hugged Artoria''s arm.
"Irisviel!"
The golden-haired, suit-d knight gave her a sharp look, her blue eyes filled with helplessness. Yet, she still stepped forward and performed a knight''s bow.
"Servant, Saber. Pleased to meet you."
Sakatsuki was about to return the gesture when Miyu suddenly stepped forward, her small face serious.
"Servant, Caster. Pleased to meet you."
"Oh my!"
Irisviel covered her mouth, her red eyes sparkling.
"What an adorable girl!"
"Be careful, Irisviel. Her power is not to be underestimated."
Sensing the immense magic within Miyu, Artoria cautioned her.
But Irisviel, as carefree as ever, ignored the warning. Instead, she lowered her gaze to the quiet girl, and after a moment of thought, she simply spread her arms and hugged her tightly.
"Mmph..."
Overwhelmed by softness, Miyu struggled slightly, only for Irisviel to hold her even tighter.
Under Sakatsuki and Saber''s helpless gazes, the Einzberndy lifted her head, blinking her bright red eyes, and asked in her usual innocent tone.
"So... Sakatsuki, are you here to form an alliance, or are we enemies?"
"You''ve already captured my Servant. What else can I say?"
Sakatsuki chuckled in resignation.
"I''m just here to have some fun."
***
The sun, already low in the winter sky, had long since vanished behind the distant mountains. Now cloaked in night, the city transformed into a dazzling spectacle, with colourful lights illuminating the streets like countless twinkling stars.
And, without a doubt, the most energetic among them was Irisviel.
Hand in hand with Miyu, she walked ahead, herughter bright and carefree.
There were certainly many cities in the world with even more breathtaking nightscapes than Fuyuki.
But to Irisviel, this was her first time seeing such a view¡ªthis first, precious experience.
"It''s so beautiful..."
Moved, she murmured words that reached Miyu''s ears.
Miyu looked up at this woman, who appeared to be an adult yet had the innocent heart of a child.
And unconsciously, memories stirred within her.
Because of the Holy Grail''s rules, much of her past had been sealed away.
Yet even so, Miyu clearly remembered the years she had spent confined, unable to step outside.
She still recalled the loneliness and sorrow of that istion.
Which was why she understood, more than anyone, how precious Irisviel''s feelings were.
Squeezing the hand in hers, Miyu suddenly stood on tiptoe and lightly kissed Irisviel''s cheek.
"Let''s go have fun, Irisviel."
She wasn''t sure why she did it.
But somehow, it felt like something she had long wanted to do.
"!!!"
Irisviel''s eyes widened in silent surprise. Then, she covered her mouth and giggled.
"Alright! Where do you want to go, Miyu?"
Miyu thought for a moment.
She nced back at Sakatsuki, who was walking side by side with Saber.
Seeing how their dark suits matched so well, she pouted slightly.
"First, a clothing store."
***
Momentster, Sakatsuki emerged, now dressed in a traditional kimono alongside Miyu, who also wore one.
Seeing Saber''s bewildered expression and Irisviel''s amused smile, he couldn''t help but feel that something was off.
Was there something wrong with his previous suit?
But in the next instant, the expressions of everyone present suddenly changed.
***
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Chapter 35: Drinking Buddies
That was the presence only participants in the Holy Grail War could feel.
It shattered the illusion of peace, piercing through the harmonious atmosphere surrounding the group, sharp enough to make it impossible to ignore.
This is the domain of war.
Peace has never belonged to them.
Saber naturally grabbed Irisviel''s arm, gently pulling her to her side. A simple action like this caused Irisviel to lock eyes with Saber, her gaze calm.
"...An enemy Servant?"
"Yes."
Artoria spoke, but her azure eyes were fixed on two figures in kimonos, onerge and one small.
As a Servant of the Saber ss, she wasn''t particrly skilled in detecting enemies, but even she noticed this presence. That meant the Caster faction had likely sensed this provoking presence as well.
So...
"Don''t even think about it."
Artoria''s words were cut off when Sakatsuki stopped her. Sakatsuki, dressed in a kimono and exuding an air of elegance, picked up his Servant and sternly said.
"The world is such a beautiful ce, and you''re so quick to anger, always thinking about fighting and killing. Aren''t you tired of it?"
Eh?
The blonde girl with blue eyes widened her mouth, stunned.
Someone who could pierce her heart with a thousand swords in a moment of instinctual warning was now holding a Servant and talking about world peace with a straight face?!
Yet Irisviel actually believed him, nodding in agreement.
"Indeed, how could we let Miyu-chan be involved in such a cruel battle? Saber and I can handle it."
"Is... is that so?"
Meanwhile, Miyu, who was being held in Sakatsuki''s arms, stared vacantly as she watched the two irresponsible Masters toy with Saber. Finally, the two groups of Masters silently parted ways. Irisviel chased after the source of the presence, while Sakatsuki turned to walk in the opposite direction, leading them into a small shop down a winding alley.
As soon as they entered, the strong smell of alcohol made Miyu cough repeatedly, her cheeks turning bright red.
"Good liquor knows no alley."
Sakatsuki muttered as the sound of the door opening caught the attention of the shop owner.
An elderly man emerged from behind the counter and, seeing Sakatsuki, smiled warmly.
"It''s you again, young man. What will it be today? I have everything you need."
The old man wasn''t lying. Shelves behind him were filled with fine alcohol from around the world.
There were cocktails from Singapore¡ªSling; Dutch Gin; Spanish Sherry stored in bottles, and the famous Portuguese wine, Porto; Japanese sake, a spirit inspired by Chinese Huangjiu; and even Moutai, one of the world''s top three liquors, quietly disyed at the top of the shelf.
The intoxicating scents of these diverse drinks almost made one wish to drown in them, never to wake up.@@novelbin@@
Sakatsuki was a regr here, and without hesitation, he said.
"Bring me some strong liquor, the stronger, the better. Red Star Erguotou, Life Water, bring it all. Oh, and throw in a bottle of sake and beer, just charge my card."
"You know your stuff! Quick and easy!"
The old manughed, quickly preparing the drinks and handing them to Sakatsuki.
The sound of the bottles clinking echoed as Sakatsuki politely refused the old man''s offer for a drinking contest, leading the slightly tipsy Miyu out of the shop.
As they stepped out into the alley, the cold winter wind helped clear Miyu''s head.
"Onii-chan, you bought so much alcohol. Where are we going with it?"
Facing the wind, Sakatsuki smiled as a silver-green motorcycle roared to life beside him, its engine growling.
"To find someone to drink with, and..."
"To watch a show!"
***
The Fuyuki Great Bridge, spanning the entire length of the Mion River, stood near the estuary. At 665 meters long, it was a three-span continuous arch bridge.
The top of the arch reached over 50 meters high. If one were to be blown by the sea breeze from such a height, the result would be certain¡ªa fall into the river. Without safety ropes, no matter how skilled the worker, no one would venture up.
Waver Velvet, however, was not using any safety ropes or equipment. He was simply clutching the cold steel beams with his hands and feet. Normally, he told himself to remain calm, but right now, he could no longer care about that.
His Servant, Rider, sat beside him, legs crossed. He lookedpletelyposed, exuding a regal aura that made one want to grind their teeth in envy.
"We... should get down from here..."
Waver''s teeth chattered from the cold and fear. His voice, however, was nothing more than a whisper in Rider''s ear.
"This is the perfect vantage point. Let''s stay up here for a while and observe."
Rider, holding a bottle of liquor, asionally tookrge gulps while overlooking the vast seaside park below. Although Waver couldn''t make out much, Rider had spotted their target¡ªafter spending four hours tracking the Servant''s presence.
Rider, a king who had battled across manynds, immediately recognized the other''s intentions. He decided to remain a passive observer, waiting for other Servants to enter the fray and hoping for the chaos to lead to an opportunity.
That said...
"This is too high! I... I want to get down! No, let me down! I''ve had enough!"
Waver shouted, but his cries were lost in the wind, unheard by Rider.
"Alright, wait a minute. A restless guy like you should learn that waiting is part of the war."
Rider said casually, continuing to drink, not even sparing a nce at Waver''s increasingly desperate expression. It seemed there was no mutual understanding between them about the dangers of high ces.
"If you''re bored, read the books you brought..."
Rider suddenly stopped speaking, turning sharply to look toward the bridge entrance.
Even Waver saw it this time, a sleek motorcycle came speeding towards them, skidding to a stop at their feet.
The man in the kimono removed his helmet, as if he had known of their presence all along, and called out.
"Conqueror King Iskander, why are you standing so high? Come down, let''s drink together!"
"Who wants to drink with you?!"
Even if he was terrified, Waver wasn''t foolish enough to jump down. This Caster''s Master had been fighting against them just a few days ago. Now, suddenlying over... who knew if it was some trap?
Suddenly, the steel frame of the bridge trembled, startling Waver. He instinctively looked at Rider, only to find the red-haired giant standing up, reaching out with a hand the size of a boulder.
Then, he grabbed Waver by the cor, lifting him like a kitten, and shaking him once or twice.
"W-what are you doing, Rider?"
Waver swallowed hard.
Rider, however, smiled kindly.
"Ready, kid?"
Amid the screams of impending doom, Waver felt like he was riding a free-fall ride without any safety precautions, starting to plummet.
"Ahhhhhh¡ª!"
The scream echoed over the Fuyuki Great Bridge for a long time.
Chapter 37: The Clash of Sword and Spear [1]
The golden hue briefly illuminated the dim darkness, soon to be overshadowed by the gathered winds.
Only the two participants truly understood the brief, strange phenomenon that had just urred.
The wind came from Saber''s sword¡ more precisely, from her ability "Invisible Air."
By gathering arge amount of air with magic and binding it around her sword, she could alter the refraction of light, rendering the entire sword invisible. As a Noble Phantasm, it wasn''t particrly exaggerated, but it was highly effective in closebat.
Enemies facing Saber would suffer unseen sword strikes, and their attacks would also be deflected by the invisible sword.
Unpredictable, impossible to gauge.
As a result, Lancer, to deal with Saber''s sword, could only distance himself, staying out of her attack range. While using elegant spear techniques that flowed like a dance, he appeared to have the upper hand, but it was only superficial. Despite repeatedly confusing Saber with trick moves and weakening her spirit, he also found no chance tond a decisive blow.
However, under Lancer''s crimson spear, the Invisible Air''s Barrier failed.
Thepressed air, which could alter light refraction, dissipated in that instant when the sword shed with Lancer''s spear¡ªunbinding the magical flow that had been holding the wind in ce.
In that moment, Lancer glimpsed the true form of the Golden Sword.
"I''ve seen the de now. I will no longer be misled by the invisible sword length."
Lancer shouted loudly and immediately thrust his spear.
As mentioned earlier, after mastering the sword''s length, Lancer''s spear strikes suddenly became more intense and urate. Saber realized that if she didn''t block just one of those strikes, it could lead to fatal damage¡ªso she couldn''t simply dodge. She had to spin her sword to deflect every thrust, going into full defence.
The shape of the Golden Sword flickered in shes.@@novelbin@@
"Ugh..."
The air pressure leaked out from the "Invisible Air," turning into a continuous rolling gale that fiercely blew through Saber''s golden hair. Lancer''s red spear was indeed weakening the "Invisible Air." Every time the sword shed with the approaching spear tip, Saber''s once invisible sword would take shape. As the weapons continuously collided, the full form of the Golden Sword gradually revealed itself like frames of an animation.
"But... if it''s such speary..."
Saber encouraged herself.
If it was a one-handed thrust, it would be a normal spear technique that Saber was used to.
In the battle, Saber keenly detected a gap. Lancer''s next strike was aimed at her abdomen, but she didn''t block it. The hardness of her armour would be enough to protect her from Lancer''s attack.
This was a perfect opportunity for a counterattack.
Without hesitation, Saber turned her sword and thrust it toward Lancer''s shoulder, intending to strike him with a single blow, ignoring the spear tip grazing her side.
"Sigh...!"
From afar, on Fuyuki Bridge, two men watching the battle sighed in unison.
It was like a ser match¡ªif a yer makes a terrible shot, even non-fans wouldment.
"That was a miscalction."
"Yeah, sometimes overconfidence is a weakness."
Waver, who had finally recovered, fell into confusion once again after hearing their judgment.
"W-Why?"
With the aid of magic, Weber could barely make out the sh between the Servants.
"Lancer''s spear strike did indeed miss the mark, as long as Saber''s armour is strong enough, she can counterattack... There was no mistake in her decision, right?"
As his words fell, the two Servants in the magical projection had already passed each other.
At the critical moment, Saber suddenly pulled back her sword and retreated, but it was a bit toote, as Lancer''s spearhead had already drawn a few drops of blood.
It was obvious who was bleeding.
Clink!
The sound of two cups clinking echoed as Sakatsuki and Iskandar toasted, using this exciting sh to apany their drinks. However, the topic shifted elsewhere.
"Did you notice, Rider?"
"Hah, even I didn''t expect that. If this were the ancient days, he (Waver) would surely have made a good military strategist."
"Eh, me?"
Waver btedly realized and pointed at himself, surprised.
"But I clearly made a misjudgment."
"Don''t sell yourself short, Waver!"
A giant hand like a mountain pped his frail shoulder, nearly knocking Waver down.
The red-haired, burly manughed heartily as he pointed out Waver''s oversight.
"Because Lancer''s spear doesn''t cut the air, it cuts through magic. Anything woven with magic is nullified when it touches that spear."
Hence, Saber''s armour, made of magic, was useless against that magic-destroying spear.
On the battlefield, Artoria also reached the same conclusion.
The knight with the appearance of a young girl pressed her side, where the wound had already been healed by Irisviel. She did this to confirm the source of her injury.
There was no scratch on her armour.
But there had been a wound, and Lancer''s spearhead was still stained with blood.
Moreover, the "Invisible Air" had ruptured astonishingly¡ªonly when the wind barrier collided with Lancer''s spear would it tear open.
So the truth was now clear.
"A spear that can nullify magic..."
"Exactly. If you think you can rely on that armour to protect you, Saber, I''d suggest you forget it. In the face of my spear, you''re as vulnerable as if you were naked."
Lancer''s teasing words made Saber sneer.
"Just because you''ve removed my armour doesn''t mean you''ve won. I''ll have a headache dealing with you."
Now that Saber understood the threat of Lancer''s spear, she felt no fear. The situation was still evenly matched.
A crisp, clear breath filled the air, and the silver-blue armour covering Saber''s body suddenly scattered like water droplets.
Irisviel gasped in surprise, and Lancer narrowed his eyes in caution.
Saber had voluntarily removed her armour¡ªher chestte, gauntlets, skirt-shaped armour, and even foot guards¡ªall disappeared. The shattered armour fragments, losing the magical energy that sustained them, vanished like mist.
"Mm, no wonder Saber''s average attribute is A. She''s an A in this regard too."
Sakatsuki stroked his chin, admiring the stunning figure under the moonlight, his golden eyes gleaming.
"Huh?"
Iskandar, unfamiliar with modern ng, didn''t understand.
"This regard? Which regard?"
By the way, this muscr giant''s chest would easily rate as B or B+.
"Nothing."
Sakatsuki smiled without borating.
"Let''s continue watching. This battle is about to reach its final decisive moment."
As though to confirm Sakatsuki''s words, Saber, now in light attire and holding her sword low, faced Lancer with a fierce shout.
"Since I can''t stop your spear, then I''ll kill you before I defend myself. Brace yourself, Lancer!"
Saber took her stance again, lowering her sword and swinging it backwards, positioning herself sideways in front of Lancer. This stance showed she no longer cared about defence; she intended to use all her strength in a rising diagonal sh.
Clearly, she was ready to gamble everything on a single strike to decide the oue.
"How decisive. Are you nning to end it all with one strike?"
Lancer''s expression showed satisfaction, as though he''d seen something he cherished. But there was a clear hint of tension in his voice.
"I admire your courage and decisive determination¡"
The agile man moved like a bullfighter, lightly stepping to the side to provoke his opponent.
"But considering the current situation, this is a mistake, Saber."
***
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Chapter 42: The Shock Caused by Rho Aias!
Swords, spears, sabre, halberds, and axes.@@novelbin@@
Without any unnecessary probing, the heroic spirit at the height of his arrogance waved his hand, sending out thirty-two noble phantasms, flying toward the new moon.
It should be noted that in the original work, during his battle with Lancelot, Gilgamesh did not release his treasure vault to such an extent.
And this action, this disy of power, undoubtedly brought astonishment to others.
"To make such an arrogant guy so furious, this ''Sakatsuki'' kid''s strength must be beyond imagination..."
Iskandar, who had sparred with Sakatsuki, stroked his chin, deep in thought.
"Is this really the time to be worried about that, Rider?"
Waver nervously tugged at his cloak.
"What''s going on with that Archer? Those must be noble phantasms, right? They must be!"
Meanwhile, the Saber faction was also whispering among themselves.
"Saber, can you recognize Archer''s true name?"
Irisviel asked softly.
Artoria watched the noble phantasms fired by Archer and shook her head after a moment.
"I''m sorry, Irisviel. I can only recognize some of the noble phantasms, and these do not have any particr directionality. They evene from different civilizations."
"Yes, among the thirty-two noble phantasms, I only recognized Fragarach, Gouging Sword of the War God, but its aura is different from what I''ve seen before. It seems more primitive and pure."
Lancer naturally joined the conversation, and Saber nodded, acknowledging the point.
"I see. So, Archer is using the original weapons from their respective legends..."
Normally, there wouldn''t be two identical noble phantasms in the world, because the deeds of heroic spirits are unique, and the noble phantasms derived from them are also one of a kind.
But there are two exceptions. First, if two heroes have a shared legend involving the same noble phantasm, they might both possess it when summoned. For example, Heracles once took the War god''s Military Sash, of the Queen of Treacher, Hippolyta. When both Hercules and Hippolyta are summoned, the one carrying the Sash could be either the hero or its original owner, and the Sash remains identical, even though it was originally crafted by the God of War.
Archer''s case is different. He possesses the original versions of all noble phantasms in existence. His noble phantasm, "Gate of Babylon," is the result of Archer''s life of collecting all the treasures of humanity and storing them in ancient Babylon. As the oldest, these treasures and techniques represent the foundation of human development and the "originals of human wisdom." Whenever humanity creates something new, its prototype appears in the Gate of Babylon. This means that the noble phantasms in the Gate of Babylon are constantly increasing.
Even after a millennium, Gilgamesh can no longer remember how many treasures he has.
And because of the "Gate of Babylon," Gilgamesh is known as one of the "Golden Three Targets." No matter what opponent he faces, he can always pull out a noble phantasm that counters them, ensuring an easy victory¡ªprovided, of course, that the proud king is serious.
"Truly a cheating heroic spirit."
Diarmuid said with a bitter smile.
"That kid will be in danger if he doesn''t summon a Servant soon."
Hearing this, Artoria pursed her lips and slowly nodded.
Although her intuition hadn''t warned her, she didn''t think Sakatsuki could withstand such a bombardment.
Only Servants can defeat Servants¡ª
This has been the unchanging consensus in every Holy Grail War.
Or rather, it should be... but that''s not the case!
"I am the bone of my sword."
In the deadly atmosphere, the youth whispered.
"He''s not using amand spell; he''s casting a spell!"
Waver''s face changed dramatically.
"Has he gone mad?"
"No!"
Iskandar pped the chariot, his eyes widening.
"He blocked it!"
Under the watchful eyes of all the heroic spirits, seven pink petals slowly unfolded, forming a shield of concepts that blocked the oing storm of noble phantasms.
"That''s the shield of Aias, son of Tmon from the Trojan War¡"
Lancer, with the knowledge granted by the Holy Grail, immediately recognized the famous noble phantasm.
It was precisely because of this that he couldn''t help but gasp in awe.
"Could it be the shield that blocked Hector''s spear?!"
The shockwaves from the noble phantasm impact blew through her golden hair, but Saber stepped forward, her golden eyes showing some disbelief.
"How does he have something like that? That shield should have been destroyed!"
A Master, clearly a mere mortal, but the abilities on disy were enough to leave all the heroic spirits stunned.
Sensing the shock of those around him, Sakatsuki slightly curled his lips and slowly spoke the name of the shield¡ª
"Rho Aias, The Seven Rings that Cover the Burning Heaven!"
The only defensive equipment Emiya was skilled at using, each petal was as strong as an ancient city wall in terms of defence.
Excluding unreasonable Anti-Armament projectiles and other advanced scientific weapons, Rho Aias'' defence was sufficient to withstand most magical attacks. Even a full barrage of noble phantasms would require B-rank or even A-rank noble phantasms to break through.
Unfortunately, no matter how angry Gilgamesh became, his arrogance wouldn''t allow him to use high-ranked noble phantasms to attack¡ªsuch an act would be an insult to him.
When did a mere magus warrant the use of precious treasures from my vault?
Sakatsuki couldn''t help butugh, imagining Gilgamesh''s arrogant expression when uttering such words.
Arrogance is the original sin, Gilgamesh.
At that moment, Sakatsuki sensed a familiar magical energy¡ªone of his insect-like familiars suddenly stiffened, then shattered and vanished.
This was a one-timemunication spell, meaning... that the preparations on Kariya''s side wereplete.
In that case!
Sakatsuki clenched his hand, slowly retracting the broken but still intact shield. After blocking the final few noble phantasms, it disappeared from view.
He nced at Archer, whose face was twisted in fury, and gave a carefree smile. Then, raising his left hand, he shouted aloud.
"Most ancient King of Heroes, Gilgamesh, your opponent is not me!"
"Who allowed you to call my name, you mongrel!"
Gilgamesh didn''t care that his true name had been exposed, instead raging because of Sakatsuki''s disrespect. Just as he was about tounch another attack, a shadow suddenly fell from the sky.
More precisely, it looked like it had fallen from a great height as if it weremitting suicide.
Bang!
The dull sound of impact echoed as the body collided with the ground, sending sshes of bright red blood, which quickly dissipated as mana.
This could only mean one thing¡ª
"Another Servant!"
Before they had recovered from Archer''s true name being revealed, Waver was once again shocked by the Servant''s dramatic entrance.
"What... What?! This can''t be!"
As the only true Master present, Waver rasped out the Servant''s ss.
"Servant... Assassin!"
"He''s already dead!"
Before Waver could finish his words, Iskandar pped him on the shoulder.
"Boy, didn''t you say Archer killed Assassin?"
"I... I don''t know!"
Waver staggered, struggling to exin.
"The familiar''s visions can''t be wrong! Assassin was indeed pierced through by a noble phantasm and died! Unless..."
"Unless the vision captured by the familiar was fake, and this is just a show staged by Archer and Assassin''s Masters."
Sakatsuki''s seemingly casual words woke everyone up.
Lancer said gravely.
"So, Archer and Assassin have allied?"
"But Assassin''s Master sought refuge from the church, and the church agreed!"
Irisviel asked in confusion.
"The Holy Church, which is in charge of overseeing, should have detected the presence of the Servants!"
The mastermind behind it all, Sakatsuki, smiled without answering, keeping the alliance between the church and Tokiomi a secret.
Revealing that secret prematurely would cause all the animosity to focus solely on him.
In other words, it would be a full-blown enmity.
His preparations were not yetplete, and his goals had not been achieved. It wasn''t time to flip the table just yet. Revealing the alliance between Kirei and Tokiomi would be enough to make the other Masters wary, preventing them from retreating before Sakatsuki took action.
Standing behind the others, trying to minimize his presence, the youth''s golden eyes shimmered as he watched the figure slowly emerge behind Assassin.
As for the grudge exposed by the spying Assassin... well, someone else would take the me.
ck mist enveloped a knight d in eerie armour, who roared as he revealed himself from the shadows.
"Berserker!"
***
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Chapter 43: Assassin Dies Again!
Fifteen kilometres southeast of the increasingly chaotic warehouse district, the Fuyuki Church stood under the quiet night sky. A man in a ck robe sat in the basement''s darkness, his eyes tightly closed.
To an outside observer, it appeared as though Kirei was meditating. However, what few would know is that his ears were hearing the howling sea wind and his eyes were watching sparks flying from the sh of steel.
At that moment, the man''s state was far from good. Sweat was beading on his forehead, and his hand gripped the armrest tightly, nearly crushing the steel pipe chair.
"Kirei? Kirei! Kirei Kotomine!"
A voice urgently called from a brass horn connected to an old-fashioned phonograph.
The man groaned slightly at the external disturbance and finally opened his eyes.
"I''m fine, Master."
"Ah, that''s a relief."
The voice of Tokiomi came through the phonograph, clearly relieved.
"What happened, Kirei?"
With a troubled expression, Kirei spoke.
"Assassin has been discovered, and the one who found him is... Berserker."
"Ah..."
An eerie silence descended. Assassin, who was known for his stealth, had been found by the wild and reckless Berserker.
Kirei continued, his tone grim.
"The telepathic link... hasn''t been severed."
"Ah, I see..."
Tokiomi responded with a slightly troubled tone.
"So, you are feeling Assassin''s pain?"
The telepathic link¡ªthis was a technique Kirei had honed over three years. It allowed him to share sensory information with his contracted servant, enabling him to monitor his servant''s movements at a distance. In the context of the Holy Grail War, this was a highly practical skill, especially if one''s servant was skilled in reconnaissance like Assassin.
However, this ability had one drawback, it required the consent of the linked entity. For example, Tokiomi had been refused by Archer, who, being a proud King of Heroes, considered such a breach of privacy an insult.
Kirei, still connected to Assassin, was enduring the same excruciating pain as his servant. While a normal human would have perished from such injuries, Assassin''s servant nature prevented death. Still, the torment beyond death''s grasp was something even hardened agents like him could not withstand.
"Thank you, Master."
Kirei said as he ended themunication and closed his eyes again.
With the final trace of fear, pain, and despair flooding through him, Kirei''s face, instead of showing sorrow, subtly lifted into a smile.
***
After themunication ended, Tokiomi rubbed his brow and sighed deeply.
At that moment, the warehouse district had be the battlefield for six heroic spirits: Saber, Lancer, Rider, Archer, Berserker, and Assassin. This scale of engagement had never been seen in any past Holy Grail Wars.
Six heroes from different eras and backgrounds were now assembled. No one could predict how chaotic the situation might be.
And now, if he were to send his familiars to intervene, there would be a period of information ckout. He wouldn''t be able to react in time.
What''s worse, the alliance had been exposed, and Assassin had been thrown into Gilgamesh''s path. Was Berserker''s master trying to prevent Archer from acting?
But with Gilgamesh''s personality...
***
Warehouse Street
Under the astonished gazes of everyone present, the swirling magical energy gradually solidified, forming a towering shadow. This shape could only be described as an "apparition."
The "man" was d in full armour, covering every inch of his body with not a single gap. However, this armour was unlike the silver-ted armour of Saber or the luxurious golden attire of Archer. The ck armour worn by this knightcked any intricate decoration or polished sheen. It was as if the darkness itself had manifested, deep and bottomless. Even his face was concealed by a hardened facete, leaving no trace of identity.
The only thing that could be seen was a pair of zing eyes burning like mes, peering from the narrow slits in the facete.
This was undoubtedly a servant, but what kind of heroic spirit could possess such an ominous appearance? All of the previously revealed spirits had their own distinct glories. Saber, Lancer, Rider, and Gilgamesh all carried a unique radiance¡ªan embodiment of their legends, built on admiration and respect, forming their Noble Phantasms.
But this ck knight exuded none of those qualities. In fact, he seemed more akin to an Assassin in his absence of glory.
The ck armour around him radiated a powerful wave of "negative energy," suggesting he was something far more sinister.
"Hey, Rider, why don''t you go invite him to join?"
Lancer asked, his voice carrying an air of teasing despite his caution. His eyes remained fixed on the ck knight.
Rider frowned.
"Even if I wanted to, that guy looks like there''s no room for negotiation from the start."
The malevolent aura emanating from the ck knight was overwhelming. Even the magical winds swirling around seemed to carry the eerie groans of despair.
Everyone instinctively knew this was Berserker. There was no need to ask. Only Berserker could possess such a terrifying aura.
And yet...
"I can''t see him!"
Waver stammered, his voice filled with shock.
"No matter how much I focus, I can''t make out anything about him¡ªno stats, no information!"@@novelbin@@
It wasn''t just Rider. Even Saber, Lancer, and Irisviel could feel it. No matter how intently they observed, they could never get a clear picture of Berserker''s appearance.
The ck armour around him seemed to distort like out-of-focus imagery. Sometimes, it split into two or three shadows, making it impossible to see his true form. It appeared that not only were their visual senses distorted, but even the Masters'' abilities were being affected.
Berserker had to be using some kind of special ability or curse, one that could confuse enemies and hide his true nature.
"Even the Masters'' abilities don''t work?"
Iskandar muttered.
"A Berserker who can hide his identity... The quality of this Holy Grail War is truly something else."
At that moment, the ck knight stood on the street, facing Gilgamesh, the golden king, who stood tall beneath themplight.
Between themy the bloodied and battered Assassin, lying on the ground like some grotesque mixture of solid and liquid, twitching asionally to show he was still clinging to life.
But soon, a golden spear pierced Assassin''s skull, mercifully ending his suffering.
Gilgamesh, the one who threw the spear, didn''t even look at the "ally" who had been killed. His eyes were locked solely on the pitch-ck knight, his gaze burning with volcanic anger, akin to that of a serpent about to strike.
Only Gilgamesh knew¡ªBerserker''s terrifying gaze was fixed solely on him.
"You think I''ll save him?"
Gilgamesh scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain.
"How foolish."
The swords and spears floating around Gilgamesh slowly turned, their sharp points now aimed at the new primary target¡ªBerserker.
"Die, mongrel. At least die with some dignity and entertain this king."
With those cold words, the weapons shot forward, speeding toward their intended target.
***
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Chapter 45: The Missing Kiritsugu Emiya!
The Walther WA2000 sniper rifle.
Originally designed for Olympic shootingpetitions, it boasts uracy on par with the semi-automatic PSG-1 sniper rifle. With only 176 units produced and now out of production, each rifle costs around 90,000 USD.
For a monster like the Magus Killer, this unusual weapon suits him perfectly.
A 7.62mm round is shot at Waver''s forehead. If nothing unusual happens, the young magician will have his skull pierced without resistance.
In that moment, even Waver realizes his fate.
Is it over¡?
Scenes from his past sh before his eyes like a revolvingntern, and in the end, he can''t help but feel a wry smile.
His past was really boring, dull, and childish to the point of beingughable.
He had only joined the Holy Grail War out of spite, much like a person running away from home and stumbling into a war zone in the Middle East¡ªundoubtedly a suicidal action.
Perhaps only at the point of death do people truly understand, but it was toote for him now.
The bullet cuts through the air, and the kiss of death is just a step away.
But then, a silver light cuts through the air, blocking in front of Waver.
Bang!
Sparks fly as the Sword of the Kupriotes deflects the bullet. The recoil sends the sword back into Waver''s head, much like a king''s "gentle" flick of the finger, snapping Waver back to reality from the illusion of death.
"What are you standing around for, kid? Get ready to defend!"
Iskandar shouted while maintaining his posture of throwing a short sword.
"Ouch, ouch, ouch!"
Waver clutched his forehead, the red mark appearing where the sword had struck. Just as he activated a defence spell, he suddenly heard the suppressed sound of a submachine gun firing.
Another assassin?
Although the Steyr AUG''s bullets don''t have the prating power of the Walther WA2000, the overwhelming barrage is enough to shred a person''s flesh.
"Why is it only aimed at me?!"
Waver eximed in despair, but instead of giving up, he gritted his teeth and cast a new defensive spell.
Even though the modern bullets easily tore through his magical barriers, Waver was able to buy himself some time.
A heavy sound like a weight falling to the ground echoed, and next, Waver felt the wind whoosh past. Rider, who had fallen faster than him, wrapped his arms around Waver''s waist, pulling him into his broad chest. Rider then drew his short sword and swept it across the iing bullets with a stern expression.
At that moment, as Waver was sheltered by Iskandar, he felt a sense of peace he had never experienced before. But soon, he realized the problem. Without using his Noble Phantasm, Iskandar was just a stronger-than-average ancient soldier. How could he possibly avoid modern gunfire unscathed?@@novelbin@@
"Rid¡ª"
Just as Waver was about to call out, his pupils contracted as blood sttered from Rider''s wounds.
Indeed, while the Sword of the Kupriotes blocked many of the bullets, Iskandar, after all, was a king known for leading armies, not a master of personalbat. He couldn''t stop all thirty bullets.
For the remaining threat, the red-haired king chose a simple solution.
His muscr arm was thick enough, like a small shield, to block the weaker bullets.
Thus, blood sttered, and Iskandar''s arm was riddled with gruesome holes, with smoke still rising from the wounds.
This was no ordinary bullet.
After a moment of shock, Waver quickly performed a healing spell to mend Rider''s wounds.
"R... Rider! Are you okay?"
In the end, still a student, Waver''s voice trembled.
"You idiot! You big fool!"
"Don''t panic! For a servant like me, this injury is nothingpared to the gues I''ve faced in battle!"
Iskandar waved his hand dismissively. The wound on his arm healed at a visible rate, with dark miasma flowing out before vanishing.
"It''s a bullet enhanced with necromantic magic."
Despite his panic, Waver, being an elite of the Clock Tower, quickly recognized the source of the damage.
"These bullets can break your magical resistance. It seems they''re at least enhanced with two levels of curses¡ Can you locate the assassin, Rider?"
"No, I''m not good at enemy detection."
Iskandar lowered his head, looking at Waver, who, despite tears still in his eyes, suddenly seemed more mature. He smiled and, with a touch of teasing, asked.
"So, what do we do next, Master?"
Waver, still deep in thought, did not realize the change in Rider''s title. After a brief pause, he sighed helplessly.
"Although I''m reluctant, we''ll have to retreat, Rider."
Perhaps tempered by the threat of death, Waver spoke inly.
"My presence holds you back, and you, as a cavalryman, cannot fight freely on the battlefield because of me."
In the end, the small Master seemed a little downcast.
"I''m sorry, Rider. You must be so disappointed to have me as your Master."
A heartyugh interrupted his self-pity. Suddenly, Waver was lifted by Iskandar, and with the sound of thunder in the distance, the divine chariot came crashing through the air, carrying them away.
"For now, the Conqueror King shall withdraw. Enjoy the rest of the night, my fellow spirits!"
Even as he departed early, Iskandar''s grandeur remained, and the swordy and sh of des in the warehouse street paused for a moment, almost like a farewell.
Then, the battle resumed.
***
"Target elimination failed. ording to the original n, moving to target point two."
In a Bluetooth headset, a woman named "Maiya Hisau," the other half of the assassin mage Kiritsugu Emiya, emotionlessly dismantled the AUG and quietly left.
But inevitably, as she recalled the image of the red-haired man and his lion-like eyes full of fury, she concluded in her heart.
"Heroic Spirits¡ Humans cannot defeat them."
Only she and Kiritsugu knew the true meaning behind the bullets they had fired earlier.
The origin is traced back to the winter city one year ago when Maiya was out gathering information. When she returned, the young man named "Sakatsuki," who had single-handedly defeated the Einzbern family, was nowhere to be found.
But the impact he left behind remained¡ªthrough interactions with the young man, Kiritsugu had realized how ineffective ordinary bullets were against true power.
Thus, without Irisviel''s knowledge, Kiritsugu and Maiya had made several trips out and eventually found a mercenary and necromancer freak¡ªLioness Keijiri.
After paying nearly half of their wealth, Kiritsugu obtained a new magical artefact¡ªbullets enhanced with necromantic curses, apart from the "Origin Bullet."
From the wound on the red-haired king''s arm, it was clear these bullets could indeed pose a problem for Servants.
That was enough¡ªafter all, it wasn''t the Master''s job to defeat the Servants.
At that moment, Maiya suddenly stiffened, realizing something.
"¡Kiritsugu?"
Even now, the Bluetooth headset remains silent.
"Kiritsugu Emiya?"
No response!
***
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Chapter 46: Assassin Dies Again!
On the building''s rooftop.
"The sniper failed."
After the gunshot was blocked by a sword, KiritsuguEmiyaknew that the n to assassinate Rider''s Master had failed.
After all, the essence of assassination is surprise. Once discovered, it''s no longer an assassination.
Hmph, no one would consider wielding a massive sword and hacking down anyone in sight as assassination, would they? That would beughable.
As for the attack by Maiya afterwards, it was merely an experiment to confirm the effects of magical bullets; if it could kill Rider''s Master, that would be a bonus.
With lightning speed, Kiritsugu dismantled his firearm, his expression cold as he prepared to leave before Rider could react.
However, just then the warning signs he had honed through life-and-death experiences red up.
Not bothering with the expensive parts, Kiritsugu tossed the items in his hand aside, opening his magical circuits and activating the only specialized magic he knew, at the fastest possible speed.
"Time Alter, Double el!"
With his magecraft activated, Kiritsugu''s internal reality marble expanded, pushing him to a speed nearly that of a servant, and he leapt backwards, narrowly dodging a streak of cold light like flowing water.
His ck trench coat red out like wings before being torn to pieces, drifting away in the wind.
"Ha... ha..."
The strain of using magecraft caused his blood vessels to rupture, and with every breath, there was a metallic taste in his mouth. Narrowing his eyes, he looked at the shadowy servant in front of him, slowly retracting a short dagger.
"Assassin."
The figure before him, wearing a skull mask and a coarse ck robe, could only be the Assassin who had been killed in front of everyone earlier.
Now, this servant resurrected from death, raised its weapon at him again.
The murderous intent of the servant, the resistance to its own death, the fear of repeated deaths and resurrections¡ªif it were anyone else, they would have crumbled under this immense pressure.
However, Kiritsugu Emiya was not that type of person. In battle, he would remain calm, analyzing and processing information like a machine, always seeking a way to defeat or kill the enemy.
Thus, when Assassin appeared for the third time, Kiritsugu immediately overturned his previous judgment and concluded.
"...I see now. It wasn''t a mere escape from Tokiomi''s mansion, but rather, the servant has truly died twice and exists in a multiple form."
If Sakatsuki were here, he would likely smile and tell Papa Kiritsugu.
"Congrattions, you''ve got it right."
In the Fourth Holy Grail War, the Assassin summoned by the priest Kirei Kotomine was known as Hundred-Faced Hassan, and her (or his?) only Noble Phantasm, Zabaniya, was what made this servant so elusive.
[Zabaniya: Delusional Illusion]
[Rank: B+]
[Multiple souls exist within a single body. By splitting their soul, the servant can exist in multiple forms in the present world, up to 80 versions of themselves. The separated souls can sometimes act independently, but they are usually unaware of each other.]
In simpler terms, this skill is akin to dissociative identity disorder, allowing Hundred-Faced Hassan to split into up to eighty individuals, dispersing across Fuyuki City, acting like human surveince cameras, monitoring the actions of other participants. Due to the Assassin ss''s inherent skill "Presence Concealment," Hassan''s surveince is nearly undetectable.
Putting asidebat strength, Hundred-Faced Hassan''s functionality in the Holy Grail War, which relies heavily on intelligence warfare, is crucial. In the original work, the corrupted Kirei Kotomine used the information provided by Assassin to steal the Lesser Grail, sow discord between Rider and Saber, drive Shinji Matou insane, and nearly win the Holy Grail War.
Also, Assassin''s so-called lowbat strength is merely rtive whenpared to other servant sses.
Against ordinary magus, even the weakest servant could easily tear them apart.
For example, right now.
Whoosh!
A faint sound of air being cut echoed as a nearby stone flew and shattered the handgun that Kiritsugu had just pulled from his pocket.
The recoil from the shattered gun caused a cut in Kiritsugu''s palm, but his face remained unchanged. With the enhancement from his magecraft, he increased the distance between him and Assassin and threw a grenade.@@novelbin@@
"Such trivial items cannot harm me."
Hundred-Faced Hassan casually said, flicking a stone and detonating the grenade in midair.
However, Kiritsugu knew that ordinary weapons could not harm a servant, and he would never be so careless.
Was the purpose of his thrown items merely to cause damage?
As the explosion clouded the view, Kiritsugu threw all the other items he had into the nearby area to confuse Assassin''s line of sight. Then, he leapt into the air and fell straight down from the building.
The wind howled as he fell. Only a few meters from the ground, Kiritsugu clenched his teeth and silently muttered.
"Time Alter, Triple el!"
His internal Reality Marble expanded once again, making Kiritsugu move as though his actions were at triple speed. To an outsider, it would look like a figure falling from the sky, then vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Even a servant would instinctively assume that Kiritsugu had used magic to escape by jumping.
Who would have guessed that the window on the third floor had briefly opened and closed, and the famous Magus Killer was already lying in a soundproofed secret room?
"Cough... cough..."
A barely audible cough, Kiritsugu swallowed the blood rising in his throat, enduring the pain as he retrieved a first aid kit and began treating himself.
Of course, his n didn''t stop there. Kiritsugu had already set up traces around the building, and if Assassin followed them, they would find nothing.
The safest ce is often the most dangerous. This safe house was constructed by the Fuyuki City underworld''s Fujimura Group, with almost no connection to him. It was for this reason that it could fool the guardians of Fuyuki City, as well as the Matou and Tohsaka families.
After sending Maiya a signal, Kiritsugu quickly treated himself and closed his eyes, intending to rest for a while to regain some strength before nning his next move.
However¡
Riiippp.
The sound of soundproof foam being torn apart, and Assassin, holding a de, stepped into the safehouse, looking down at the man who had almost fooled him.
"If not for my Master''s reminder, you would have truly deceived me, modern assassin,KiritsuguEmiya."
Had he been found out? Kiritsugu''s mouth twitched bitterly, his mind filled with both frustration and confusion.
Who saw through his disguise?
But at this moment, there was no time to ponder that. Before he could rise, Hundred-Faced Hassan had already raised her dagger and thrust it toward Kiritsugu''s chest.
"I won''t kill you. Instead, I will offer you to my Master. Prepare yourself."
Is this the end? Kiritsugu''s pupils slightly widened.
At that moment, he saw behind Assassin, a girl in a strange ceremonial dress, holding a blood-red spear.
"Hello, nice to meet you."
With a polite greeting, the spear transformed into a red sh and pierced through Assassin''s heart.
"G¨¢e Bolg: Piercing Scarlet Spear!"
Clearly, this Assassin''s actions were Kirei Kotomine''s initiative, driven by his interest in Kiritsugu. The priest, with his wicked ways, was more than capable of doing such a thing.
***
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Chapter 47: The Suppressed Diarmuid
The G¨¢e Bolg, the Noble Phantasm of Lancer, C¨² Chinn, pierced through Assassin''s heart.
The reversal of causality, the magical spear of fate.
By reversing causality, the result of the attack is determined first¡ªthe heart being pierced¡ªand the cause of that oue is the strike of the spear. Once the result is determined, no defence or evasion can stop it. This effect is a curse that interferes with fate.
Because the result is already decided¡ªthe piercing of the heart¡ªthere''s no way to prevent it, even if Lancer is defeated before using it. Thus, the trajectory of the spear is inevitable.
There are only four ways to counter it:
1. Destroy the spear before Lancer uses it.
2. Have a skill like Heracles'' automatic resurrection after death.
3. Create a defence stronger than the spear''s magic.
4. Possess enough luck of at least B rank to reverse the predetermined fate.@@novelbin@@
Though often joked about as the "spear that doesn''t kill who it stabs," it still depends on who C¨² Chinn stabs. Someone with strong luck like Artoria, or a protector like Emiya, isn''t easily killed by it. But this time, the spear pierced through Assassin''s heart without hindrance.
"Cas...ter."
Assassin''s final words, as one of his bodies fell, dissipated into spirit particles.
Even though wounded, Kiritsugu Emiya heard Assassin''sst words. Though risking angering the girl, the injured assassin muttered bitterly.
"A Caster using a spear... Just like her Master, they''re both freaks. Well, not that I have a position to say so."
"Servant Assassin eliminated."
Said Miyu, unfazed. She simply twirled her weapon, deactivated it, and stored it away.
She nced at Kiritsugu, aplex look in her eyes. She hesitated, then, seeing her attire, blushed and turned away.
Emiya Kiritsugu was left confused.
***
Elsewhere, while Caster killed Assassin once more, while on the battlefield, Caster''s entric Master was locked in a fierce battle with Lancer.
ng!
The sound of des meeting. Both figures were knocked back. In midair, Sakatsuki grabbed his white robe and tossed it into the sky, then tightened his grip on his dual des, his arms slightly trembling.
In front of him, Diarmuid''s pupils contracted. His red and yellow spears lowered, his body twisting, and he swung his arms!
Golden and red light intermingled, and magic exploded as they closed the distance. They exchanged strikes and then distanced themselves again. Diarmuid stepped back and raised his spear, thrusting!
Sakatsuki stepped sideways, advancing instead of retreating. His left hand wielded the ck de, narrowly grazing through the red spear, propelling Sakatsuki into a spin toward Diarmuid''s body.
For most spear users, this would be a dangerous distance. However, Diarmuid had more than just the "Crimson Rose of Exorcism"; he also held a short spear!
The bright yellow spear streaked through the air, its brilliance turning into gold.
The spear''s tip aimed at Sakatsuki''s neck, a deadly blow for someone like him, who wasn''t a Servant!
"Your life is mine!"
"Heh!"
Sakatsuki scoffed, flipping his wrist, striking with a sword from behind. The cold gleam gathered on the de, sharp like iron spikes, extending its de into a thick, elongated form. It swiped away the deadly yellow spear in advance, while Sakatsuki''s right-hand sword, shed horizontally from left to right toward the same area on Diarmuid''s body!
The red spear anchored to the ground, and Diarmuid used his legs to leap into the air, narrowly evading the strike. He then quickly pulled back using the spear''s force, but a scratch was still drawn across his neck. The wound healed rapidly due to his magic.
"Thank you, Master."
Diarmuid said quietly, then looked at Sakatsuki, who had the upper hand.
"As a knight, I apologize for underestimating you."
With the grace of a leopard, Lancer fully unleashed his power. Facing Sakatsuki, he wore a serious expression as he prepared to fight.
"As a warrior, I will give my all to defeat you! Let''s go, Master Sakatsuki!"
"dly, the Radiant Diarmuid."
Sakatsuki grinned with excitement, his movements fluid as he kept his stance with Kanshou and Bakuya at the ready.
After a brief sh of momentum, Diarmuid took the first step, throwing the Crimson Rose, G¨¢e Dearg like a spear!
A weapon capable of nullifying magical defences, even if Sakatsuki opened Rho Aias, the spear would pierce through them.
However, who could throw weapons better than someone with projection magecraft like Sakatsuki?
Sakatsuki lowered his gaze, running his fingers across the worn symbols on his dual des. He didn''t hesitate and threw them immediately.
The two des spun, crashing with the red spear, bothnding on the ground.
And as Sakatsuki lost his weapons, Diarmuid wasted no time in delivering a merciless horizontal strike!
Sakatsuki, prepared, leapt into the air, but Diarmuid''s arm flexed. The yellow spear, like a dragon from the earth, shot up from below, piercing through Sakatsuki''s body!
"Sakatsuki!"
Irisviel yelled, and even Saber instinctively held her breath.
Had the battle been decided?
The look of shock on Diarmuid''s face showed that the battle was far from over.
The magic spear, capable of cursing Saber with an incurable wound, passed through Sakatsuki as though it struck air, leaving him unharmed!
Though I inherited Emiya''s power, that doesn''t mean I''m merely Emiya.
I never represent him. Even as the guardian Emiya, that''s just one of the powers I possess!
Golden eyes shining brightly, Sakatsuki grinned, looking at Diarmuid who had yet to recover his spear. The left hand''s projected light expanded, and he gripped the ck Kanshou and Bakuya. Both hands held it, and he struck!
"The magic particles are changing¡ Is he an Imaginary Number Magecraft practitioner?"
Kah, standing atop the roof, grimaced.
As one of the twelve Lords of the Mage''s Association, even though Imaginary Number Magecraft practitioners are rare, he was familiar with them. He had briefly interacted with Trisha Fellows, an Imaginary Number Magecraft practitioner, and quickly recognized Sakatsuki''s magic.
"Imaginary Infiltration¡ Tch!"
A mere Imaginary Number Magecraft practitioner isn''t scary.
But an Imaginary Number Magecraft practitioner capable of fighting Servants in closebat and using magecraft against enemies? That''s terrifying.
Especially now.
Boom!
The bright yellow spear was raised to block Sakatsuki''s heavy strike!
After Sakatsuki dodged the fatal blow using his magic, Diarmuid''s momentum faltered. Forced to turn to defence, the spear fighter found himself in closebat with Sakatsuki, unable to use the Lancer ss''s speed advantage.
In terms of physical strength, Diarmuid, a Servant, wasparable to Sakatsuki. However, without the "Reset Stance" ability, he couldn''t pull away, forcing him to endure Sakatsuki''s relentless assault, desperately seeking an opening.
This opening, however, would be created by the other Servants on the battlefield.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
In the st from a Noble Phantasm, the Berserker in ck armour was knocked back, his body colliding with Sakatsuki and Diarmuid!
***
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Chapter 48: The Declaration of War by the King of Heroes
If the battle between Sakatsuki and Diarmuid was a pure contest of "technique," then the sh between Archer Gilgamesh and Berserker Lancelot may better fit people''s imagination of a fantastical world.@@novelbin@@
It all started with Berserker using the Spiral Sword, a jet-ck energy cannon that forced Archer to the ground. In his humiliation and fury, Gilgamesh once again unleashed the power of the Gate of Babylon.
"How dare you touch my treasures with those filthy hands... Do you wish to die, dog?"
Archer was surrounded by dazzling light as a new batch of treasures appeared like a saint''s halo, floating around the Golden Hero.
"Come then! Let me see how long your dirty hands can withstand!"
With amand, the treasures in the air surged forward to strike Berserker.
The rumbling sound shook the air, and the explosion''s light nearly wiped out the darkness, lighting up the night sky.
Who could believe that throwing swords and other weapons could cause such massive destruction? Countless treasures rained down on the warehouse streets, turning them into a carpet-bombed ruin.
Archer''s relentless attack showed no signs of stopping. The treasures fell like thunder as if intending to annihte not just Berserker but the entire street. One strike after another, the barrage grew fiercer and fiercer ¡ª but Berserker still stood tall and unwavering.
Anyone watching could easily understand Berserker''s ability ¡ª the ability to take any weapon in hand and seize ownership of it.
The Knight of Owner, with an A+ rank, wasn''t a skill but a Noble Phantasm. It gave the weapon in hand the attributes of a Noble Phantasm. Even a metal pole or an airne could be turned into a D-rank Noble Phantasm.
Thus, for Archer, who confidently relied on his massive number of treasures to overwhelm opponents, Berserker''s abilities were practically a perfect counter.
This situation repeated itself. Berserker caught the first spear with his empty left hand, then raised it, using both it and his right-handed sword to sweep and deflect the iing treasures.
Such skill was both meticulous and bold, almost elegant. Even though the treasures were taken from Archer, Berserker wielded them with ease, like an extension of his own body. The fluidity and finesse with which he handled the weapons made it seem as though they were his regr armaments.
The sh continued until a particrly loud boom echoed, and thest of the treasures fell.
In the eerie silence that followed, only Berserker remained standing in the thick dust, while the surrounding warehouse, streetlights, and buildings were allpletely destroyed. The ck-armoured knight held a battle axe in his right hand and a single-edged scimitar in his left. The remaining treasuresy scattered around his feet or embedded in the debris. Not a single weapon had touched his ck armour.
Suddenly, Berserker raised his remaining weapons ¡ª positioning himself defensively.
Though he could seize any weapon in hand, he couldn''t nullify the shockwaves from the treasures fired by Gilgamesh.
And so, even a Berserker with A-level strength and endurance took up a defensive posture. The only kind of weapon capable of pushing him back like this was...
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The battle axe and scimitar shattered as they made contact with the shockwaves. Berserker''s eyes glowed red as he reached out to grasp the iing weapon, but the violent thunderbolts sent it flying back into Gilgamesh''s grasp.
When the blinding lightning subsided, the weapon in Gilgamesh''s hand revealed itself.
It was a short-handled giant hammer.
The hammerhead was forged from the hardest metals and rocks, with the handle carved from a segment of the World Tree Yggdrasil. Engraved on the hammer''s head was the Celtic Triquetra, symbolizing "eternity."
If Odin''s spear was a sharp lightning bolt, then this giant hammer was a violent thunderp.
"To think I had to bring out a treasure from my vault. You truly are bold, mad beast."
With the anger seemingly dissipated, Gilgamesh lowered his gaze and slowly raised the Nordic divine weapon, aiming it at Lancelot.
With a crackling burst of thunder, the killing intent of Ragnarok itself filled the air.
"Die."
Apanied by the roar of thunder, the Thunder God''s Hammer shot forward, striking Berserker square in the chest before he could react!
The ck-armoured knight silently flew backwards.
At that moment, Diarmuid and Sakatsuki, locked in their own fight, collided with Lancelot, who was flying toward them from the south gate.
"Hey, what''s going on here?!"
"I don''t know!"
Reacting swiftly to the iing projectile, Sakatsuki and Diarmuid broke off from their duel, with Sakatsuki raising his dual des and Diarmuid holding his red spear, both putting all their strength into blocking the oing Berserker.
Boom!
The ck armour and weapons collided with a massive force, causing the two of them to slide backwards for several meters. Berserker, weighing over a hundred kilograms in full armour, finally came to a stop, his chest te dented and crackling with electric energy, looking both terrifying and damaged.
For ordinary people, such a wound would require a long recovery. But for Servants...
Roar!
Berserker leapt into the air, his chest wound rapidly healing under the influence of his magic.
Without attacking those around him, the beast-like instincts of Berserker warned him of the impending blow.
Now, if all your enemies are gathered in one ce and you happen to possess a wide-range, unrestricted, powerful AoE attack... what would you do?
"Hahahaha,e, let me enjoy this to the fullest!"
The manicughter echoed through the sky, and golden ripples quickly spread across the heavens!
d in golden armour, with weapons spilling from behind him, Archer Gilgameshughed madly. In the next moment, he unleashed a wild barrage of attacks against all three, including Sakatsuki!
"How could he do this?!"
Irisviel felt her heart tighten with an indescribable frenzy.
Does this mean Archer is now making enemies of all three groups?
When did Tokiomi be so reckless?!
No matter how Irisviel felt, however, the weaponsunched by Gilgamesh had already reached the sides of Sakatsuki and the others.
The king, proud and haughty, had just dered war on all three!
***
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Chapter 49: Gilgamesh, One Against Three!
There was no escape¡ªthat was a rain formed by the overwhelming power of Noble Phantasms.
Even the Dromeus Kom¨¥t¨¥s, swift as a shooting star, could not emerge unscathed from this torrential downpour.
If they didn''t want to lose their lives prematurely, there was only one option left¡ªto defend with all their might!
Berserker was the first to step forward, taking the brunt of the assault head-on. Even if struck directly by Mj?lnir, he showed no signs of retreating.
Perhaps Gilgamesh deemed it wasteful to bombard them with prized treasures, or maybe he was simply venting his fury. Though the assault was fierce, the power of the Noble Phantasms had reverted to their initial intensity.
Since that was the case, things became simpler. They only needed to replicate the defensive strategies from before¡ªseizing the first weapon they obtained and using it to strike down the iing barrage of Noble Phantasms one by one!
However, this strategy relied on Berserker''s "Not For One''s Own Glory", a Noble Phantasm unique to him. For the other two, it was impossible to replicate.
"So, do you need help, Lancer?"
Sakatsuki''s golden eyes darted through the falling rain of weapons, his voice carrying no tension.
"For a pure warrior, an attack like this isn''t exactly friendly, is it?"
The warrior of Fianna responded with a fearless smile.
"No need to trouble yourself. I have some confidence in my spear techniques."
"Heh..."
Sakatsuki spread his hands, and Gan Jiang and Mo Ye materialized in his grip.
"Humility is a virtue, but too much humility bes hypocrisy, Diarmuid. How about a littlepetition?"
Diarmuid immediately understood Sakatsuki''s meaning. His smile widened in excitement as his twin spears shed through the air, assuming an offensive stance.
"Then allow me to learn from you!"
With that, the handsome warrior let out a sharp cry and thrust his crimson spear forward, sending a battle axe flying. His golden spear followed, sweeping in an arc, clearing everything in his path with the force of a hundred warriors.
"In that case, I won''t hold back either!"
The young man, though not a Servant, possessed strength rivalling one. He licked his lips in anticipation, his ck-and-white twin des nowyered with countless iron barbs, extending their reach while drastically enhancing their durability and destructive power.
Kanshou and Bakuya Overedge!
Sakatsuki closed his eyes for a moment, tapping into the battle memories of the Guardian Emiya as the transformed twin swords danced in his hands.
His movements were fluid, natural, soft yet unyielding, merging grace with strength.
The ck and white des wove seamlessly through the air, forming an imprable sphere amidst the relentless storm of weapons, cutting down one Noble Phantasm after another. Soon, the fallen treasures were piled into a graveyard of swords.
"Well done, Sakatsuki!"
"You too, Lancer!"
"ROOOOAAAR!"
Like the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, each disying their unique abilities, all present were either Heroic Spirits or warriors who had inherited their powers¡ªhow could they be defeated by something as simple as a barrage of Noble Phantasms?
The wind howled. The sh of steel rang endlessly.
Surrounded by golden radiance, the ancient king continued to unleash countless treasures. Opposite him, a ck-armoured knight roared, a gant warrior wielded twin spears, and a white-haired, golden-eyed youth stood tall, his radiant smile defying the tempest of weapons.
Their presence was undeniable, a beacon of defiance amid the dazzling storm.
"So... incredible¡"
Irisviel, the only one not caught in the battle, sped her hands to her chest, watching with shining eyes like a maiden witnessing heroes from the pages of legend.
Beside her, Saber took a deep breath, exhaling her battle lust and restlessness. Yet, her azure gaze never wavered from Sakatsuki and the others.
"You''re right, Irisviel. Whether it''s Lancer, Berserker, or Sakatsuki, they are all warriors worthy of admiration. Even I feel the urge to wield my sword and fight alongside them."
Atst, she shifted her gaze from the three warriors to their golden adversary.
The ancient King of Heroes stood with his arms crossed, his cold, reptilian eyes watching those who dared to stand against him, his lips curling into an amused smile.
Like a VIP in a grand theatre, he leisurely enjoyed the spectacle of warriors giving their all on stage.
Seeing hisposed demeanour, Saber instantly understood Gilgamesh''s strategy. Her face turned solemn as she murmured.
"Archer¡ is he trying to wear them down?"
After all, for Gilgamesh, merely keeping the Gate of Babylon open meant an endless supply of weapons fighting in his stead.
On the other hand, for Sakatsuki and the others, each sh cost them stamina, magic, and physical strength¡ªresources that were constantly being depleted.
At this rate, the ceaseless rain of Noble Phantasms would eventually overwhelm them!
Should she warn them? Saber bit her lip, hesitating.
But if even she could see through this strategy, how could Sakatsuki¡ªwho knew Gilgamesh better than anyone¡ªbe unaware?
No, for him, this was an opportunity for growth¡ªone he would not let slip away!
The radiance of the Gate of Babylon remained dazzling, but the relentlessbat had begun taking its toll. A dull ache spread through Sakuya''s arms.
Even with a Servant''s physique, he was still human.
CLANG!
Another pair of Kanshou and Bakuya shattered. Unfazed, Sakuya conjured another set, gripping the fresh des as he advanced¡ª
But the pain in his arms caused a slight hesitation.
That momentarypse led to his de merely grazing an iing weapon. A halberd, undeterred, hurtled straight for his right shoulder!
Just as he prepared to use Imaginary Magic, a golden spear tip shot forward, piercing through the halberd, shattering it into fragments before it dissipated into magical energy.
Turning his head, he saw Lancer retracting Yellow Rose of Mortality, his technique as steady as ever. Yet, the smug smile tugging at his lips was impossible to hide.@@novelbin@@
Realizing he had lost theirpetition, Sakatsuki snapped his fingers in mock regret. Rho Aias unfolded, shielding them from further attacks.
"284. How about you?"
"299¡ Including the one I saved you from, exactly 300. Looks like I win, Sakatsuki."
Diarmuid rested his crimson spear on his shoulder, gripping his golden short spear in his left hand. Hisposure remained unshaken, his stance effortless.
"I concede."
Sakatsuki cupped his hands in good sportsmanship, acknowledging his defeat.
"You honour me."
Though there was no reward, Diarmuid couldn''t hide his joy. But soon, his expression turned serious.
"I trust you''ve noticed¡ªArcher is using his advantage to wear us down."
"Yeah. But since our match is over¡"
Sakatsuki let out a whistle. Dark shadows unfurled from beneath his feet, taking form in Imaginary Shadow, while a diamond-shaped Dimensional Shift materialized beside him.
"I won''t hold back¡ªI''ll return Archer''s hospitality in full."
"¡Terrifying. Are you sure you''re from this era?"
Diarmuid chuckled bitterly, his previous triumph quickly overshadowed.
"Cover me, Sakatsuki. Berserker, I will pierce Archer''s heart!"
"ROOOAARRR!"
Even in his maddened state, Lancelot roared in agreement.
The Pink Flower Shield began to dissipate.
As the trio steeled themselves tounch their counterattack against Gilgamesh¡ª
Gate of Babylon''s bombardment abruptly ceased.
A brief silence followed.
Then, the King of Heroes'' furious roar shook the heavens.
"You think mere words from the likes of you can quell my wrath, Tokiomi?! How dare you?!"
***
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Chapter 51: Second Command Spell
Chivalry.
It is a standard established to fulfil the duty of protecting one''s lord. The spirit and ethics of chivalry are part of the noble culture of the upper sses, based on the honour of an individual and embodying certain positive aspects of the ancient martial spirit of Western Europe.
In the dark ages of Europe, heroes who adhered to the code of chivalry rode across vastnds, swinging their spears and swords with joy, rescuing civilians and driving away wild beasts. They shone like beacons, lighting the future path of Europe.
Humility, honour, sacrifice, bravery, mercy, honesty, justice, and soul.
The warriors who followed the code of chivalry became the mark of a nation and an era, immortalized in legends sung by poets and passed down through generations.
At this very moment, Lancer, who had turned his back to Saber while pointing his spear at Berserker, was embodying the dignity of those heroes who walked the path of chivalry.
The severed iron pole flew through the air and, with a heavy sound, nted itself into the ground.
"This Saber already has an agreement with me... If you insist on interfering, I won''t stand by."
"Lancer..."
Saber was touched by the nobility of his actions.
However, not everyone in the scene shares the same sense of high morals.
"What are you doing, Lancer? This is the perfect opportunity to defeat Saber!"
A cold, unseen voice questioned, but Lancer, maintaining a very serious expression, lowered his head in humility while his body stood tall, like a spear nted in the earth.
"I, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, swear by my honour that I will defeat Saber!"
He shouted loudly into the void.
"If you don''t believe me, I can first deal with this mad dog to prove it! Please permit me, my lord!"
The street fell into silence as if the entire world was listening, hearing the high noble request of the man.
A breeze swept through, bringing a refreshing chill of the night.
"By themand spell, I order."
The silent atmosphere froze in ce.
"Assist Berserker and finish Saber..."
The light in the man''s eyes dimmed, and a soft sigh escaped from Sakatsuki, who stood nearby.
"Kill."
The hidden area was illuminated by red light, and when it faded, Kah''smand spell had been reduced to two marks.
Themand spell is an absolute order over a Servant, and no matter how great the Heroic Spirit is, they cannot defy thismand.
This meant¡ªLancer had lost his free will.
The head of the red spear turned, now aiming at Saber. Saber, narrowly avoiding it, leapt back just in time as the spear tips of two different spears passed by her.
Lancer''s astonishing spear skills allowed him to strike even before turning around, sending the two spears straight at the enemy in the back, demonstrating his remarkable mastery. There was no mercy in the tips of his spears.
"Lancer!"
Saber cried out, but her words were cut short when she saw Lancer''s twisted face, contorted with anger and shame. That expression of immense sorrow spoke louder than any words about his internal struggle.
The soul that once prided itself on the code of chivalry had now been twisted into a killing machine that only obeyedmands. The skills and abilities that Diarmuid Ua Duibhne had mastered would now be used without regard for his beliefs, merely to fulfil his master''s orders.
As a fellow Heroic Spirit, Saber could deeply empathize with the regret in his heart.
"...Saber... I''m sorry..."
Lancer groaned in pain as he closed the distance, his face filled with shame and fury. However, his spears surged with lethal magic power, shimmering like mirages above them.
Meanwhile, Berserker slowly advanced, standing alongside the attacking Lancer. The red veins on the broken iron pole wrapped around it, turning it into a terrifying weapon even more dangerous than a sword.
The two formidable Servants released ruthless killing intent, pushing Saber to her limits.
There was no escape.
Had her left hand not been injured, perhaps she could have found a way out, but right now, even dealing with Berserker alone was taxing her strength. With Lancer now her enemy too, she had no chance of survival.
"Irisviel, I will block them. You need to run, as far as you can!"
Irisviel shook her head resolutely, refusing Saber''s request.
"Irisviel, go!"
Saber urged with a determined heart.
"Don''t worry, Saber, trust your Master."
Irisviel said firmly, standing motionless with her fists clenched. She spoke with a knowing tone.
It was a secret known only between them¡ªIrisviel was not the one who had summoned Saber; her true Master was hidden behind the scenes, watching every move on the battlefield.
"So¡ªplease, my dear."
With a clear and focused heart, Irisviel prayed for her husband, wherever he might be, to assist them.
On a building above, the figure of Kiritsugu Emiya, his coat billowing in the wind, was back at his sniping point. Despite the bandages wrapped around his abdomen, he raised the WA2000 sniper rifle, aiming the thermal scope at Lancer''s Master¡ªKah El-Melloi Archibald.
The Rider group had already retreated, and the Assassin who had threatened Kiritsugu''s life had been killed by an unknown Caster.
Now, no one could interfere with the assassin''s work.
"Maiya, have you found Berserker''s Master?"
"No."
"Then the only way to break this stalemate is to kill Lancer''s Master."
Kiritsugu concluded.
Counting down to zero, he prepared to attack. This time, there could be no mistake.
"...Six!"
As he began his countdown, he carefully adjusted the crosshair of the thermal scope to align with Kah''s position.
"...Five!"
The crosshairs were now set to zero at 500 meters. As the distance decreased, the point of impact would shift upward. Kah was about 300 meters away, and Kiritsugu carefully adjusted his aim.
"...Four!"
Lancer was forced to act against his will due to themand spell. While Kiritsugu couldn''t predict how Lancer would react after losing his Master, he thought Lancer would stop attacking Saber. With the primary threat reduced to only Berserker, Saber could find a way to escape with Irisviel.
"...Three!"
A hand grabbed the corner of his coat.
"I won''t let you do this."
The cold voice of a girl rang out, pausing as if she were carefully choosing her words.
"Kiritsugu."
"That''s my brother''s prey."@@novelbin@@
One who offers, and one whomands¡ªyet, in the end, both met a tragic fate in the original story. It seems fate truly loves to toy with people.
***
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Chapter 55: Hyatt Hotel Special Feast
[014: Diarmuid Ua Duibhne (Lancer)]
[Character Information:A famous hero from Celtic mythology, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, First Spear of the Knights of Fianna. His tragic life began when hisrade Fionn married Gr¨¢inne, daughter of King Cormac.]
[Hidden Information: Locked.]
[Record Conditions (1/2)]:
[?Gain Diarmuid''s approval. (Completed)]
[?Defeat/Kill Diarmuid. (Iplete)]
[Condition 1 Reward: Agility Parameter slightly increased.]
While the agility parameter didn''t level up, the improvement in reaction and movement speed was noticeable, roughly adding one point to the stat if we had to quantify it.
With his gaze returning to the screen, Sakatsuki reached into the imaginary number space and pulled out several steaming, fragrant dishes.
Inside the Hyatt Hotel''s first floor, the crowd that had been subtly manipted by magecraft hurriedly exited, while the three inside the reception area were shielded by a barrier, as though rocks standing firm amidst a torrent.
The Fianna warrior and the magical girl sat across from each other, and the dinner spread before them continued to grow.
Teriyaki chicken rice, spring sushi, stir-fried eggs with silverfish, seaweed miso soup, and tinfoil-baked salmon.
Dutch pancakes, fries with white wine soup, smoked pork with potatoes, cheese fondue, Spanish pae, fava bean cream sd, French-style pan-seared foie gras¡
For some reason, there were far more Western dishes than Japanese ones, at least enough to satisfy two Servants. What appeared to be a culinary masterpiece requiring the cooperation of several chefs was actually all prepared by the same person.
"In this regard, magic is great. Even after a few hours, the dishes still taste as fresh as ever."
Sakatsuki said, pping his hands as thest dish arrived.
"Alright, Miyu, eat up! This was prepared specially by your big brother! Lancer, don''t hold back either, taste my cooking! It took me the whole morning to prepare this!"
"Mm..."
Miyu replied calmly, but her eyes were already narrowed into crescents as she took her first bite.
"Itadakimasu."
Meanwhile, Lancer, who had only reluctantly sat down after being coaxed by Sakatsuki, put down his knife and fork with an amused expression.
"I say, Master Sakatsuki..."
"Just call me Sakatsuki, Diarmuid."
"Fine, Sakatsuki."
The handsome man coughed lightly.
"Still, I''m technically an enemy Servant to you. Even if we haven''t fought, we shouldn''t be sitting at the same table, should we?"
Implying: Aren''t you afraid I might stab your Caster with a spear?
In response, Sakatsuki smiled and stood behind Miyu, pinching her cute chubby cheek.
"But the thing is, can you really bring yourself to kill a cute girl who holds no ill will against you? Lancer, wouldn''t your chivalry cry at such an act?"
"Ugh..."
Diarmuid fell silent because in his era, protecting women and children was a knight''s duty. It was hard for him to bring himself to hurt a little girl.
"Besides, Kah only asked you to stay downstairs and fend off the enemy. He didn''t say you had to defeat my Servant, right?"
Sakatsuki continued nonchntly.
"I''ll leave Miyu behind and challenge Kah''s magic workshop alone. There''s no need for a battle between us. Surely, the Fianna knights'' ''Radiant Beauty'' is not just a bunch of simpletons obsessed with fighting?"
"Of course not."
Diarmuid replied instinctively but finally sighed. Sitting down to eat with an enemy Servant¡ªthis was too strange. With a resigned expression, he cut a piece of foie gras and tasted it.
His eyes widened.
Even as a Servant, he could still appreciate the exquisite texture that melted instantly, the light fragrance akin to fine wine¡ªa taste he had never experienced before, in either life.
ncing up, he saw the little girl across from him enjoying the food with her eyes closed. Diarmuid finally understood why she hadn''t spoken¡ªshe was savouring her meal to the fullest.
Wait a second... was there a flower blooming around Caster? Why is the background so warm now? This is Fate/Zero, right?!
Diarmuid stared at Miyu for a while, then gave up thinking and continued to eat.
Delicious!
The two Servants were enjoying their meal, and Sakatsuki himself leisurely sipped some orange juice while secretly taking out his phone. He snapped a picture of Diarmuid and Miyu immersed in the food, along with the spread of dishes, and nced at the time.
It was 11 PM, the time when night owls were most hungry.
Grinning maliciously, Sakatsuki typed away at lightning speed. Then, realizing something, he put his phone down and used magic instead.
The 90s phone''s image quality was poor, but magic could capture every detail of the scene.
With a lock on their presence, a magical pathway was established, and the scene was sent away in four streams of light, each heading to a different ce.
***
A national highway stretched westward from Fuyuki City, winding through an undeveloped, dense forest. The twone road was mostly dark and empty, its stillness untouched by passing cars.
Suddenly, a silver-white beast cut through the stillness of the night, speeding forward.
It was a 300SL Coupe Mercedes-Benz. The ssic, graceful lines were like a nobledy, while the roar of the straight-six engine was like a wild beast.
Driving this high-ss, ssic car at a dangerous speed of over 100 km/h was, of course, the elegant and gentle Irisviel!
To be fair, driving 100 km/h on a national road wasn''t that fast, but the road was winding and had a cliff on one side. Driving at this speed around bends would require either an expert driver or a reckless maniac.
Thus, after Kiritsugu and Sakatsuki, it was now Saber''s turn to experience Irisviel''s terrifying driving skills.
"You see, this car is fast, right?"
Irisviel said, a satisfied smile on her face as she gripped the wheel.
"Y-Yes."
Saber said from the passenger seat, cold sweat trickling down his face, feeling more pressure than facing both Lancer and Berserker''sbined assault.
"Right? Don''t be fooled by my looks; I''ve been practising hard."
Irisviel said, shifting gears with a simple flick of her hand. It seemed her skills had improved significantly since her race against Sakatsuki.
"Wait a minute, Irisviel. Haven''t you been driving on the left side of the road this entire time?"
"Ah, I have?"
Irisviel smiled, as if it was no big deal, and immediately swerved the car into anotherne.
Just then, a stream of light mixed with magical energy flew toward them, and Irisviel quickly mmed on the brakes, stopping just in front of the magical orb.
"This... is it Sakatsuki''s?"
The magical orb expanded, revealing the scene of Diarmuid and Miyu enjoying their meal.
Thevish array of dishes immediately caught the attention of the two women.
"Could it be...?"
Saber swallowed nervously.
"The Hyatt Hotel?
"No, this seems to be something Sakatsuki made himself. I had the pleasure of eating his cooking in Winter City with Illya."
Irisviel said, cupping her face in a dazed, blissful expression.
"But I''ve never seen so many exquisite dishes before."
"Ugh, what a sneaky trick!"
Saber''s hair stood on end, then quickly drooped in defeat.
"How could I have missed such a magnificent feast?!"
The cries of the once-proud King of Knights echoed through the empty hallway.
Perhaps it was also the hungry sounds of someone ashamed?
Finally, with her emerald eyes now steely, Saber made a momentous decision.
"That''s it! As Saber, I''ll go and defeat the traitor! I cannot let those delicious dishes fall into enemy hands!"
Fueled by the irresistible temptation of food, the petite figure of the girl unleashed an overwhelming burst of action, taking Irisviel''s ce behind the wheel, shifting gears, and mming on the elerator!
"Wait, Saber! Kiritsugu said¡ªAHHHHH!"
The Mercedes-Benz roared as it swerved, its direction now set for the Hyatt Hotel, faster than ever.
"Forget Kiritsugu! Forward, Don Stallion!"@@novelbin@@
Lured by the temptation of gourmet food, Artoria, unaware that she was showing signs of her Alter side, mmed on the elerator. Amid Irisviel''s excited shouts, the Mercedes-Benz sped off, racing towards the Hyatt Hotel!
***
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Chapter 56: The Storm Caused by a Photograph
Opening the door with a key¡ªjust this simple action took nearly three minutes. For Kariya Matou, already utterly exhausted, this small task was a heavy burden that was as difficult as climbing a mountain, even if he strained everyst bit of his energy.
Like a small employee returning home after a long day of socializing, Kariya dragged his weary feet, not even bothering to turn on the lights. He threw himself onto the sofa and let out a long sigh that was half relief and half helplessness.
Although he had prepared himself for it, the amount of mana consumed by supporting Berserker''s actions was truly excessive. Thinking back to the magic-infused bugs he had exhausted, Kariya couldn''t help but sigh once more.
He was unlike other Masters; he was a self-taught magus. Carelessness, arrogance, and other such attitudes had no ce with him. Even though he, like others, fought alongside his Servant on the battlefield, he didn''t have the confidence to battle other magus. Moreover, his Servant was Berserker, and even if Kariya wanted to issue strategicmands, Berserker would never follow them.
So, he simply "threw" Berserker into the enemy''s camp after releasing him, allowing him to rampage uncontrobly. Kariya figured that his priority was to stay safe and watch the battle from a secure location.
It really shouldn''t have drained this much mana¡ But when Berserker saw Saber, hepletely lost control. The chaotic emotions from the contract still made Kariya shiver as he recalled them.
That blonde, seemingly delicate girl knight, who was she to Berserker, who was she to the original Lancelot, one of the Knights of the Round Table?
He silently suppressed the question deep inside his heart and began to consider another pressing matter.
That golden, arrogant Archer, the King of Heroes, Gilgamesh.
Could Berserker defeat him? How far was the road to defeat Tokiomi Tohsaka? And after that, how far would it be to defeat all the enemies... and reach the Holy Grail? But for the sake of his own pursuit, of his dreams, Kariya had no choice but to keep moving forward. He could not afford to be eliminated. Even if it meant burning thest bit of flesh and blood, he would achieve his goal. Otherwise, everything would have been in vain.
Moreover, the Holy Grail had another purpose for him...
As Kariya pondered, a glowing sphere of moonlight-tinged mana drifted into the room, casting a soft light on his dazed face.
Seeing Miyu and Lancer enjoying their meal on the screen, Kariya stared at it for a long time, feeling the emptiness in his stomach.
He had been tracking Lancer''s presence since early morning, so he hadn''t eaten all day...
"Grrr...!"
His empty stomach protested.
"Sakura... sigh~"
Kariya started to call out but stopped himself. It was already thiste, and he didn''t want to wake Sakura.
Hungry, Kariya turned his head to look at Berserker, who was silently standing.
The ck-armoured knight said nothing, only the red glow inside his helmet flickered like a signal light, and he subtly tilted his head.
Berserker: "What are you staring at?"
Matou Kariya: "..."
You can''t expect a Berserker to cook dinner.
Kariya closed his eyes in disappointment, a resentment building inside him, as intense as Berserker''s.
"Sakatsuki, you little shit..."
***
Kirei Kotomine sat in the church''s underground, quietly observing the two small creaturesid out in front of him.
One was a bat corpse with its head twisted off, and a palm-sized electronic device was tied to its abdomen. The device had a circr battery¡ªit was a wireless pinhole camera.
The other had no proper form, appearing like a floating shadow, clearly a product of imaginary number magecraft.
After Assassin was exposed by Berserker, and the alliance with Archer was revealed, Kirei immediately sent out another Assassin to the scene. At the same time, he ordered periodic patrols around the church.
That''s when he discovered these two familiars with their master''s signature.
Without a doubt, the bat was the familiar of that "ruthless, utterly unscrupulous" Magus Killer, KiritsuguEmiya.
As for the imaginary number, so far only Caster''s Master, Sakatsuki, had mastered it.
Did he suspect me from the very beginning? Was this unusual attention because I''m Assassin''s Master, or... because of me?
Kirei spent a long time staring at these two familiar corpses. Compared to the chaos among the Servants tonight, these bodies held much deeper significance and upied a ce in his mind.
What he didn''t realize was that a golden king was sitting on the sofa opposite him, not materialized but hidden, quietly observing his troubled expression with an intrigued smile.
In Archer''s hands, the light balls Sakatsuki sent were crushed in an instant.
"Master of Caster, Sakatsuki, huh? Interesting. This round of Masters, aside from Tokiomi, all seem quite intriguing... It''s worth the trouble for this king toe here."
***
"Hey, hey Master, I want this!"
"No matter how you call me, it won''t help!"
Waver was helplessly lifted by Rider, but he stubbornly clutched his wallet.
"Even if you sell me, you won''t be able to afford such expensive food! That''s something only a star chef can make!"
"Sakatsuki is that skilled?"
Rider seemed shocked but quickly thought of a solution.
"We could ask him for it!"
"No, I don''t want to go there!"
Waver immediately struggled.
"Let go of me, Rider! If this goes on, I''ll have to use amand spell."
"Ugh, so boring..."
Muttered Iskandar as he released Waver.
"It''s just a slightly stronger magus, what''s there to be afraid of?"
Weber adjusted his dishevelled clothes and shot a re at the red-haired giant.
"Although I am scared, since I did steal the relics used to summon you from my teacher, that''s not the reason we shouldn''t go."
After walking through the line between life and death, the once naive student of Clock Tower now seemed to have a different demeanour.
"Don''t forget, Sakatsuki publicly announced that he''s going to challenge professor''s magecraft, and whether it''s for intelligence gathering or muddying the waters, other Masters with ideas are probably already on their way."
"Strictly in terms of mana capacity, I''m definitely inferior to most Masters. And with all the intelligence to analyze and future strategies to n, I can''t afford to waste energy tonight."
Waver frowned, looking every bit like the future second-generation heir.
"We won''t join this disturbance, just send familiars to gather information."
This time, Rider didn''t argue but instead smiled slightly as he looked at the flustered yet calm Waver.
"Alright, we''ll do it your way, kid."
"Servants obeying the orders of their Master is natural, right?"
Waver sighed, though as he looked out the window, he couldn''t help but feel some anticipation for the uing battle.
"How will it all end, professor, and Sakatsuki?"
***
Meanwhile, the guests of the Hyatt Hotel had finally been dispersed.
Sakatsuki tossed his empty cup into his imaginary number space, then stood up and stretched his limbs.
"Alright, it''s time for me to go."
"Good luck, Onii-chan."
"May victory be yours."
With the blessings of the two Servants, Sakatsuki smiled slightly and began his journey to the magecraft workshop.
"I, Sakatsuki, an unremarkable magus, challenge the Lord of the Department of Mineralogy. Please grant me your guidance!"
***
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Chapter 58: Is Miss Illya Here?
Ig-Alima, Sul-sagana.
Their true names are "Green Field Cutting Through the Thousand Mountains," and "The Horizon of Dawn that Purifies the Seas," following the principles of ''separation'' and ''purification.''
Even though Sakatsuki only projected the essence of these two divine weapons, they were once enough to sever the ley lines of the Einzbern Castle, preventing Acht from controlling the central magecraft workshop.
For both magecraft workshops and magus, losing contact with one another is fatal. This means the magecraft workshop could onlyunch basic autonomous counterattacks, while the magician loses the workshop''s advantages, relying solely on their own strength to confront the enemy.
Had Sakatsuki projected these two massive swords from the start, the three mana furnaces sustaining the 32yered magecraft workshop would have been overwhelmed by a higher level of mystery, crushed, and ultimately, the entire workshop would have lost its energy and ceased to exist.
But that would be like Kiritsugu blowing up an entire building¡ªbypassing the process and directly destroying the workshop itself. That wasn''t Sakatsuki''s intention, so he had no ns to project these god-forged swords.
Well, that was the... original n.
However, in this alternate world, seeing the vast army of Dragon Tooth Soldiers, who could resist the urge to use arge-scale AOE attack?
Moreover, this was in the alternate world, where whatever happens wouldn''t affect the real world. Sakatsuki had no psychological burden whatsoever!
With his gigantic swords, he easily swept through the helpless Dragon Tooth Soldiers, their destruction giving Sakatsuki a sense of satisfaction.
It was like a grass-cutting spree, and once thest Dragon Tooth Soldier was obliterated, this alternate world, painstakingly crafted, also disintegrated, turning into dissipated magic.
Before the alternate world faded, Sakatsuki retrieved the twin swords. When he returned to the observation point, Kah was stunned to find that Sakatsuki waspletely unscathed, his golden eyes shining brighter, filled with anticipation.
It was as if a king was looking down, asking, "What''s next? What other interesting tricks do you have for me?"
That pure and unfiltered gaze, seen through his familiars'' surveince, sent an unprecedented pressure surging through Kah''s heart. The blond magus clenched his trembling fists, a rare sense of defiancering within him.
"Then, as you wish..."
Behind him, the invisible, intangible, yet seemingly full of endless malice, wraiths screamed. The moment Kah lifted the restraints, they vanished, rushing to another being on the floor.
***
At the Hyatt Hotel, downstairs.
Guests were jolted awake by thering fire rmand ushered outside to the parking lot. The crowd gathered their expressions a mix of fear, grogginess, and difort from the cold. Hotel staff hurriedly moved among them, checking names.
"...Mr. Archibald! Mr. Archibald, are you here?"
The front desk staff called out loudly, looking for thest group of guests whose names hadn''t been checked off. Everyone in the hotel was very concerned about this VIP, who had booked an entire floor of the penthouse suite. In some sense, he was the most important person in the hotel, and they didn''t want anything to go wrong.
"Mr. Archibald! Are you here?"
"...Yes, I''m here. Please, don''t worry."
A calm and steady voice responded from behind. The front desk staff turned around, confused, only to find that the person speaking was an unremarkable Japanese man in an old coat.
The joke didn''t seem funny at all. As the front desk staff was about to scold him, the man''s eyes froze him in ce. There was a mysterious allure that prevented him from looking away, and even speaking was impossible.
"I am Kah El-Melloi Archibald. My wife and I have already taken refuge."
The foreign, oriental-sounding voice was calm and clear, and under the influence of magecraft, the front desk staff''s thoughts became fuzzy. He believed the man without question.
"...I see. Ah, yes, that''s right. You''ve already taken refuge."
The staff marked "safe" on the guest list and sighed in relief. After their brief interaction, he no longer felt any doubt or suspicion.
Kiritsugu Emiya watched the staff hurriedly leave to assist the other evacuees, then moved away from the crowd, making sure no one noticed him. He pulled out his phone from his pocket.
"I''m ready. What about you?"
"No abnormalities, you can act at any time."
On the other end of the phone was his partner, Maiya Hisau, stationed in a high-rise building under construction across from the Hyatt Hotel. From there, she could monitor Kah''s every move.
Kiritsugu exhaled slowly, pulling a pack of cigarettes from his pocket with one hand and entering a string of numbers into his phone with the other. He hesitated slightly before pressing the final key and nced at the brightly lit hotel building.
After the n was changed, the bomb setup waspleted far quicker than expected¡ªindeed, by the time Sakatsuki arrived at the Hyatt Hotel, Kiritsugu had already prepared everything for the building''s demolition.
Had the explosion gone off then, not only would Lancer''s master, Kah, have fallen from 150 meters, which would have been fatal no matter what magical defense was in ce, but also Caster''s master...
Unfortunately, he had deliberately increased the bomb''s power for the first floor.
A near-zero distance st¡ªthere was no way Sakatsuki could have escaped unscathed.@@novelbin@@
Despite such a good opportunity presenting itself, Kiritsugu kept silent, choosing to wait as the guests evacuated before finally initiating the explosion.
Why wait?
Had he not already decided to make himself a Scale of Judgement, making this Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City thest bloodshed of humanity? The people in the hotel were necessary sacrifices for that.
But...
¡ªWas that really the whole truth? Wasn''t there a hint of sentimentality, an unconscious desire to protect the innocent evacuees?
If that was the case, such a na?ve sentiment could very well cost him his life on the battlefield.
To quell the brief moment of doubt in his heart, Kiritsugu lit another cigarette.
Just then, a distant, ethereal voice pierced his thoughts, sharp as an arrow to his heart.
"Miss Illya? Is Miss Illya here?"
***
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Chapter 60: Hotel Collapse
Irisviel had never seen her husband make such an expression.
The look of utter desperation on his face resembled that of a frightened and injured child, as though he were about to burst into tears at any moment. The man standing there was no longer the highly skilled Magus Killer, but a weak and timid man.
"Kiritsugu, you..."
Irisviel could feel his chest trembling. The strong and reliable wrists of her husband, once a symbol of power, now felt as weak as a child clinging to his mother''s hand.
"If I..."
Kiritsugu held onto Irisviel so tightly it hurt, his hoarse and weak voice asking in her ear.
"If I decide to abandon everything and run away¡ªIri, would youe with me?"
This was perhaps thest thing Irisviel could have imagined hearing from Kiritsugu.
"What about Illya... what will happen to our child in the Winter Castle?"@@novelbin@@
"I''ll go back and bring her out. Anyone who stands in the way will be killed."
The man answered urgently and concisely, his response showing his resolute will.
"From now on¡ I will invest everything in us. I''m willing to give all my life just to protect you and Illya¡"
"..."
At this moment, Irisviel finally understood how far Kiritsugu had been pushed. Before their arrival, it seemed that someone had used a mysterious method topletely break down this warrior''s once-firm body and mind.
He was no longer the Kiritsugu of nine years ago¡ªthe one with the sharp instincts of a hunting dog, the cold and ruthless killer, as sharp as a bullet or de, who had pushed himself to the extreme as a killing machine. He had changed too much, bing fragile and worrisome.
Irisviel knew what had caused this change¡ªit was his wife and daughter, the emotional ties that were never meant to exist in the life of Kiritsugu Emiya.
Before arriving in Winter Castle, Kiritsugu had nothing left to lose, not even the heart that could feel pain. That was why he could be so cold and ruthless, sacrificing everything in his relentless pursuit of the distant dream of saving the world.
Now, what Kiritsugu needed to do was return to the past. But turning back time caused his soul to cry out in agony. Ten years of change had been too profound, and the existence of Irisviel and Illya had allowed Kiritsugu to find new attachments to the mortal world.
The man who had once dedicated everything to his ideal was no longer there. In his ce was a man with a weakness, unable to remain cold and detached.
Kiritsugu''s rejection of Saber only highlighted his weakness. Simply holding himself together had be a struggle, leaving him with no strength to ept Saber, nor to consider how to mend their rtionship.
Irisviel''s chest felt heavy. Her beloved husband was suffering like this, and yet she couldn''t save him. The one torturing Kiritsugu was not anyone else, but herself.
If she agreed to Kiritsugu''s request, their future would undoubtedly take a different path, whether good or bad.
However, Irisviel only smiled gently, as if seeing through her husband''s soul, and said.
"Can we escape?"
"We can. If we leave now, it''s still possible."
Kiritsugu replied immediately. But his words didn''t stem from genuine belief; they were just an attempt to force himself to believe in an almost nonexistent hope.
"You''re lying."
Irisviel countered softly but cruelly.
"That''s a lie. Kiritsugu Emiya, you can''t escape. You won''t forgive yourself for abandoning the Holy Grail, for being unable to save the world. You will be the ultimate judge, erasing the existence of ''Kiritsugu Emiya.''"
The man in her arms fell silent.
Was he crying? Or was he letting out a silent sob?
Because he knew, deep down, that there was no other choice.
The curtain had already fallen. The moment they stepped into Fuyuki City, there was no ce left to run.
Once he realized this, it felt as though something inside him had shattered.
In its ce, a new resolve began to form in Kiritsugu''s heart.
"Ah, yes, we can''t escape anymore."
Gently and resolutely pulling away from Irisviel''s embrace, the cold and meticulous "Magus Killer" was once again revealed before her.
"At least, before Fate arrives, let me struggle a little longer."
With a voice dripping with sarcasm, Kiritsugu signalled Saber to take Irisviel away. He then took out an old pager, which neither vibrated nor made any sound. The signal was sent through a modified line into the detonator connected to a C4 bomb.
He pressed the final button without hesitation.
With a thunderous rumble, blinding fire clouds suddenly engulfed the hotel.
Although the explosion was notrge, and the sound of it didn''t even reach the nearby restaurant, what reced the explosion''s noise was the eerie wail of steel and concrete grinding together.
The hotel copsed!
The 150-meter tall hotel, once standing upright, now seemed to be swallowed into the ground as it copsed. Since all the exterior walls fell inward, no debris flew outward. The only thing that spread was the dust from the copse, which buried the surrounding streets.
With Kiritsugu''s expert demolition skills, he destroyed the hotel by targeting the load-bearing walls and key pirs. The Hyatt Hotel, under its own weight, copsed inward, achievingplete destruction.
There was no unnecessary setup, and the impact on the surrounding area was minimal. The sound was barely noticeable¡ªonly the copse of a building over 150 meters tall could testify to how skilled and terrifying Kiritsugu''s demolition techniques were.
However, the man responsible for all this didn''t even spare a nce at the explosion. His coat was blown up by the wind created by the copsing building, and he walked calmly through the crowd, where he could hear the sobs of frightened children and the hurried reassurances of their mothers.
But these scenes no longer shook Kiritsugu''s steps.
He walked indifferently forward, watching the crowds flee. Once the wind pressure subsided, he lit the cigarette dangling from his mouth and made a phone call.
"Maiya, how''s it going on your end?"
"The 32nd floor showed no activity until the end, the target didn''t escape the building."
"Good."
Kiritsugu reached the base of another building and, in a hidden corner of the hallway, took out a case that resembled a cello box.
"Prepare for the sniper, Maiya."
Opening the case, the well-maintained gun partsy quietly inside. Kiritsugu, the Magus Killer, quickly assembled them into a dangerous weapon.
With a cigarette in his mouth, Kiritsugu raised the sniper rifle and coldly dered.
"Even if Kah is dead, Caster''s master, Sakatsuki won''t get taken downso simply."
"When the timees, we''ll personally put a bullet through his head."
***
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Chapter 61: Kiritsugus Killing Trap
A few minutes before the explosion.
"Dilectus Incursio!"
"The night is silent, my shadow shall engulf the world!"
"Shadow of the Imaginary Numbers!"
Dark emotions surged as the shadow of a giant, returning from the void, descended upon the battlefield. Devouring all lingering phantoms, it shed with the toxic mercury des before each force rushed toward their intended targets.
However, strikes as powerful as the chaotic space disrupted theser beams. The imaginary giant lost its target, causing its attacks to miss entirely.
After a brief pause, the two magi unleashed their next moves.
"Anfang!"
"Trace on!"
A tempest of wind and fire erupted as the sh of gemstones and reckless sword strikes led to mutual destruction. Twin yin-yang swords shot out from the explosion, embedding themselves into the cylindrical mercury defence, unable to move further.
"No need for defence, automatic attacks¡ªwhat an advantageous tactic. As expected of the supreme mystic code of the El-Melloi family, ''Volumen Hydrargyrum.''"
"The same could be said for you. A magus who can summon giants from imaginary space¡ªperhaps you''ve already reached the rank of Brand or even Grand?"
"Hah, I''m just good atbat, that''s all."
Exchanging casual remarks, Sakatsuki and Kah met each other''s gaze, their eyes filled with unwavering confidence and murderous intent.
For magi, whose lives were often long and dedicated to the pursuit of the Root, at least there was the asional opportunity for secret technique exchanges¡ªsomething to add a bit of colour to their otherwise predictable existence.
But don''t expect these people, who have never experienced nine years ofpulsory education, to think like normal humans.
A "secret technique exchange" was nothing like a noble socialite''s salon, with soothing music and exquisite cuisine.
Want to exchange mystic arts? Fine!
Then wager your life and use your own body to experience the power of magecraft. Survive the exchange, and surely, you''ll be one step closer to your lifelong goal!
Call it sick, call it a survival game¡ªit was all just a means to approach the Root. To orthodox magi, both the mysteries of magecraft and their own lives were mere chips to be traded at any time.
That is what it means to be a magus.
In reality, Sakatsuki wasn''t truly a magus. He had no interest in the Root, treating magecraft simply as a useful tool¡ªjust like a certain Kiritsugu. People like him were merely "magic users," a term the self-proimed noble magi would use to belittle them.
Regardless, even though magic user Sakatsuki and magus Kah had different ideologies, at this moment, they were both enjoying the thrill and beauty of their shing magecraft.
Then, suddenly¡ªan explosion shattered everything.
As if the very earth had abandoned them, the intense tremors of the building shook them to their core, spreading from their feet to every part of their bodies before shattering like fragile ss.
Rumble¡
The magically reinforced floors copsed instantly. The glow of mystery paled under the sheer destructive force of the explosion. Caught off guard, Sakatsuki and Kah faced a world crumbling around them.
Their reactions differed in the face of imminent destruction.
Kah, after a brief moment of shock, sighed in relief¡ªonly for panic to seize him immediately afterwards. He hastily activated Volumen Hydrargyrum, clinging to the debris like a giant spider as he rushed toward a certain room.
Sakatsuki, on the other hand, simply sighed in resignation, his expression filled with the helplessness of a child dealing with a troublesome parent. Then, stepping forward, he vanished into a diamond-shaped discement space.
When he reappeared, he was already outside the Hyatt Hotel, where two Servants anxiously awaited. Upon seeing him, one of them broke into a joyful smile.
"Onii-chan, wee back!"
"Yo, Miyu. I''m back."
Sakatsuki ruffled her hair with a smile before turning to the visibly worried Lancer.
"Kah should be fine. With Volumen Hydrargyrum, he''ll survive."
"Thank you, Sakatsuki."
Hearing the reassurance, Diarmuid rxed and quickly departed to aid his Master.
The siblings exchanged smiles.
But before Sakatsuki could speak further, an eerie chill crept up his spine.
Innate skill ''Mind''s Eye (True),'' irvoyance activated.
Eliminating interference.
Locking onto an object, tracing trajectory, and target analyzed.@@novelbin@@
7.62mm sniper rifle round!
The shooter was identified as Emiya Kiritsugu.
Calibre matches¡ suspected Origin Bullet!
And the target¡ª
"Miyu!"
Sakatsuki barely had time to push his sister aside before searing pain shot through his right hand.
There was no sound of a bullet prating flesh, no bloom of blood.
Miyu''s pupils shrank as she stared at the sudden gaping hole in Sakatsuki''s hand, momentarily forgetting to breathe.
But Sakatsuki couldn''t afford to care about her reaction. He yanked Miyu behind him with his uninjured left hand before stomping hard on the ground. A broad, shield-like greatsword descended from above, blocking the line of fire between him and Kiritsugu.
Even he hadn''t expected Kiritsugu to go straight for the kill.
He had ced powerful suggestion magecraft on the personnel list and ensured the receptionists called out names that would cause Kiritsugu unbearable pain. Under normal circumstances, without outside interference, Kiritsugu shouldn''t have recovered so quickly!
Yet reality was what it was. The shock was secondary¡ªwhat mattered now was correcting his mistake.
Clenching his injured right hand, Sakatsuki''s golden eyes sharpened as he rapidly calcted Kiritsugu''s next move.
Due to his unique constitution, he couldn''t confirm whether this bullet was truly an Origin Bullet. That meant he had to consider both possibilities.
If it was an Origin Bullet, then Kiritsugu''s goal was to cripple Miyu and weaken mybat strength. Even I would struggle to survive this Holy Grail War without a Servant¡ In that case, he must be retreating by now. Kiritsugu knows how dangerous I am when enraged.
But if it wasn''t an Origin Bullet¡
I know Origin Bullets threaten magi. Even a Caster-ss Servant couldn''tpletely negate their effects. Miyu''s Mystic Code, Sapphire, is crucial¡ªit must not be damaged. There''s no way Kiritsugu would take that risk¡
Which means his target was never Miyu.
It was me all along!
That man knew I would take the bullet for her!
Since he had anticipated this, Kiritsugu''s attack couldn''t be simple. There had to be a deeper purpose¡ But what?
Sakatsuki recalled his own actions¡ªblocking the shot with an enchanted hand, shielding Miyu, and establishing a defence against further sniping. Every movement had been seamless, with no apparent ws.
A night breeze blew, slipping past Sakatsuki''s barrier from the sides.
His defence wasn''t airtight.
And Kiritsugu Emiyawasn''t alone. There was one more person who would definitely be here¡ª
"Damn it, Maiya Hisau!"
Sakatsuki turned in haste, but it was toote.
As if sensing Sakatsuki''s panic, Kiritsugu allowed himself a faint smirk.
Still too green, kid.
For an assassin, even a revealed trump card could be a new killing move.
He issued the order into his earpiece.
"Maiya, do it."
In an instant, a barrage of gunfire erupted from the other end of themunication line.
***
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Chapter 62: Kirei Kotomines Interference
Emiya Kiritsugu''s strategy was actually quite simple.
As the only Master who understood the power of Origin Bullets, there was no way Sakatsuki would allow him to attack the Servant of the "Caster" ss. Given his physical abilities that rivalled those of a Heroic Spirit, it was inevitable that he would shield the little girl from the bullet.
All Kiritsugu had to do was use this predetermined future to deal a significant blow to Sakatsuki''s group.
By using sniper bullets with the same calibre as the Origin Bullets as a decoy, he could force Sakatsuki to raise his defences. From his attitude toward Caster, it was clear that Sakatsuki wouldn''t use magic to escape on his own. Based on Kiritsugu''s observations, Sakatsuki''s defensive techniques were usually unidirectional, meaning that no matter how strong they were, they couldn''t block an attack from a different direction.
Servants could be spiritual bodies, but Masters couldn''t.
The real assassination opportunity was left to his other half¡ªMaiya Hisau.
With her marksmanship, by the time Sakatsuki realized what was happening, the bullet would have already pierced his unguarded head.
Just as Kiritsugu predicted, the moment he issued hismand, gunfire rang out from Maiya''s location.
However, his expression instantly changed.
This was supposed to be an assassination, not a chaotic shootout!
The gunfire that dense could only mean one thing¡ªMaiya had encountered trouble and was engaged inbat with someone!
Flicking his coat aside, Kiritsugu was about to rush to her aid when the wall beside him suddenly exploded, the shockwave throwing him backwards.
Quickly getting up, he found himself facing Sakatsuki wielding dual des, his expression unfriendly.
"You really are something, Kiritsugu. I almost lost my life there."
Sakatsuki muttered.
Though he was slow to realize it, once he sensed Kiritsugu''s n, Sakatsuki had already prepared himself to take serious injuries. But since Maiya''s attack never came, he breathed a sigh of relief and understood that, just like in the original timeline, KireiKotomine must have appeared and stalled Maiya.
If not for the interference of a third party, he would have been the one lying on the ground.
Now that he no longer had to worry about other threats, Sakatsuki immediately ordered Miyu to spirit form and then charged at Kiritsugu with his des, aiming to slice him into pieces.
Let''s be clear once again¡ªhe, Sakatsuki, had merely inherited the memories of Hero Emiya!
Even if those memories carried some emotional ties, they were not a reason for him to allow Kiritsugu to do as he pleased. Especially not when Kiritsugu had nearly cost him his life this time.
Ruining his ns¡ªPreventing Sakatsuki from obtaining the Holy Grail¡ªStopping him from saving his fading body¡ªHolding murderous intent toward him¡ªDie!
Not to mention that Kiritsugu had also targeted his dearest, most adorable, and most well-behaved Imouto (little sister).
A heretic within the family!
The ck-and-white twin swords, Kanshou and Bakuya, shed mercilessly toward Kiritsugu''s arms¡ªonly to be blocked by an invisible sword.
"Apologies, Sakatsuki. I can''t let you harm my Master."
Saber dered, her golden hair flowing, her noble and beautiful face bathed in moonlight.
As Kiritsugu quickly retreated, Sakatsuki''s golden eyes turned cold. He also stepped back, causing his twin swords to vanish while a ck iron bow appeared in his hands.
He notched an arrow¡ªno, a sword¡ªonto the bowstring.
Murderous intent turned into whispered words as Sakatsuki''s voice dropped to a chilling tone.
"Pseudo Spiral Sword¡ªCdbolg II."
Since Irisviel was the Lesser Grail and had a good rtionship with him, Sakatsuki wouldn''t harm her. But Kiritsugu was a different story¡ª
As a filial son, disassembling his father''s limbs and making him spend hister years in a wheelchair, preventing him from indulging in unrealistic world-saving fantasies, while also ensuring he received the utmost care from his wife¡ªwouldn''t that be a great idea?
A storm of magical energy condensed into a single point. Beneath the momentary silencey an undeniable killing intent.
Not only Kiritsugu, but even Saber''s expression changed, her gaze filled with unease and urgency.
"This is dangerous! Irisviel, get back!"
Irisviel? Wife?
Sakatsuki''s hand hesitated for a fraction of a second.
She was here too?
Was this why Kiritsugu had reacted so quickly to his n?
Unaware that his own food photos had indirectly led to this situation, Sakatsuki watched Kiritsugu''s trench coat disappear around the corner. Clicking his tongue in frustration, he withdrew a portion of his magical energy and released the spiralling arrow.
"Broken Phantasm!"@@novelbin@@
Just like the Hyatt Hotel before, a nearby office building groaned as it began to copse.
The shattered mystery engulfed every corner of reality, leaving only a swirling blue tempest stubbornly protecting a small area from destruction.
As the two buildingspletely crumbled into history, Sakatsuki lowered his bow and stood silently.
In front of him, a blonde knight wielding a golden sword panted heavily, with a guilty-looking Irisviel behind her.
As for Kiritsugu, he was already long gone.
Once her breathing steadied, Saber, whose sword was now fully revealed, scolded angrily.
"Do you have any idea how dangerous that was, Sakatsuki? Irisviel was nearly caught in the st!"
Sakatsuki tilted his head slightly, then sneered coldly.
"Oh, what a coincidence. I also nearly got my head blown off just now."
He didn''t bother showing his wounded hand, but Saber still noticed the horrifying injury, her teal eyes trembling slightly.
"Sakatsuki, you¡"
"There''s no need for extra words, King of Knights."
At some point, Sakatsuki''s expression had be eerily calm, as if he had never once healed Saber''s wounds before. Raising his twin des once more, he dered.
"Kiritsugu really gave me a reminder¡ªthis is war. I need to take back some of my na?ve thoughts. Things won''t always go ording to my ns."
There was no anger in his voice. Just as he saw it, emotions like rage, shock, and sorrow were merely reminders¡ªreminders of his shorings. And once reminded, he had to correct those mistakes.
Just like tonight''s battle¡ªif he hadn''t let his guard down and had continued monitoring the movements of the other Masters, this crisis wouldn''t have happened.
"Still, even if I rationally understand my mistakes, the frustration in my heart won''t disappear so easily."
Sakatsuki''s battle attire fluttered as he pointed his de at Saber, a smirk ying on his lips.
"You wanted to hold me back, didn''t you? Well, I just so happen to need to vent a little. What do you say, Saber? Shall we have a match?"
"Phew¡"
Saber exhaled softly, discreetly pushing the still-dazed Irisviel to a safer distance before raising her radiant golden sword.
"dly."
The next moment, the two figures shed in an intense battle!
***
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
A steel framework loomed over the city. Oncepleted, this structure would be the 38th floor of the Fuyuki Central Tower.
The construction is only halfway done, and exterior instations have yet to begin. This futurendmark of Fuyuki still has its steel and concrete exposed, left to withstand the chilly night breeze.
At the same time, this was also where Hisau Maiya had taken her position.
"I didn''t expect you to blow up an entire building. Such ruthless methods are very unlike a typical Magus¡ or should I say, he''s someone who specializes in targeting a Magus''s weaknesses?"
A deep, cold male voice echoed through the unfinished floor, signalling the arrival of an uninvited guest. Maiya gripped her handgun tightly, warily staring at the robed man before her, instinctively uttering his name.
"Kirei¡ Kotomine¡"
***
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Chapter 63: The Clash Between an Executor and an Assassin
It was during the copse of the Hyatt Hotel that MaiyaHisau sensed the anomaly.
It wasn''t a sound or scent¡ªnothing so tangible. It was something more abstract, a shift in presence that only warriors honed by life-and-death battles could truly perceive.
And a skilled assassin never ignored such warnings.
Sharpening her focus like a de, Maiya drew her 9mm Glock pistol from its holster while scanning her surroundings.
Someone had found her.
"You have sharp senses, woman."
A deep, emotionless male voice echoed from behind her, reverberating among the steel pirs. The echoes distorted the origin of the sound, making it impossible to pinpoint.
Something arced through the air from the shadows of the steel framework,nding at Maiya''s feet.
She immediately aimed her gun at the object, but upon realizing it wasn''t a threat, she shifted her aim toward the thrower''s location.
However, her peripheral vision remained locked onto the item at her feet¡ªbecause she recognized it.
It was the corpse of a bat, its abdomen tied to a small CCD camera. It was the familiar she had deployed near the Fuyuki Church, which had gone silent after being stationed there.
The fact that someone could return it to her meant their identity was self-evident.
And the person didn''t bother hiding any longer.
A tall man stepped out from his concealment, calmly facing Maiya and the barrel of her gun.
His expression was grim, and he exuded an oppressive presence that was difficult to describe. His ck priestly robe seemed like a three-dimensional shadow as if darkness itself had taken form and wrapped around everything in his vicinity.
Maiya was not unfamiliar with this man.
"Kirei¡ Kotomine¡"
The Master, Kiritsugu was most wary of¡ªthe most dangerous one.
As for Sakatsuki, Maiya had automatically categorized him as a Servant.
"Oh? This should be our first meeting. What reason do you have to know me?"
The man responded.
Maiya mentally clicked her tongue, realizing she had muttered his name aloud.
Kirei showed no fear toward her gun, standing there indifferently as he continued.
"If that''s the case, then I can guess your identity as well."
Maiya remained silent, trying to deduce why Kotomine Kirei¡ªwho had stayed hidden until now¡ªwould suddenly appear here, so brazenly.
Meanwhile, Kirei slightly turned his head toward the city skyline, looking at the location where the Hyatt Hotel had been. The only thing left now was a rising cloud of dust. He let out a sigh of mild surprise.
"I didn''t expect you to destroy the entire building. Such ruthless methods are unlike those of a typical magus¡ or should I say, he is someone who specializes in targeting a magus''s weaknesses?"
Maiya''s expression stiffened.
This man knew so much about Kiritsugu Emiya¡ªjust as Kiritsugu knew about Kirei Kotomine.
"Don''t make me do all the talking, woman. You only need to answer one question¡ªwhere is the man who was supposed to be here in your ce?"
With that question, Maiya stopped trying to analyze Kirei.
There was only one course of action¡ªeliminate him.
She disengaged the safety and pulled the trigger.
The rapid gunfire rang out¡ªthree consecutive shots.
The 9mm rounds, though ssified as military-grade, weren''t fully lethal on their own. Hence, professionals always aim at the abdomen, firing multiple times to ensure severe injury. It was a fundamental rule of assassination¡ªinstead of risking a miss on a smaller, fatal target, it was more effective to aim for arger area to incapacitate the opponent.
But her bullets didn''t pierce flesh.
Instead, they struck solid concrete.
Kirei moved with unbelievable speed, but human reflexes couldn''t possibly outrun a supersonic bullet. What he did was far more terrifying. He predicted her actions faster than she could think.
By reading her aim from her gaze and gauging the moment she would fire based on the tension in her limbs bracing for recoil, he dodged the bullets before they even left the barrel.
In both the mundane world and the realm of mysteries, this was an ability beyond human limits.
And not only that¡ª
In that instant, it was not Kirei who dodged but Maiya.
Her right hand, now soaked in warm, sticky blood, was empty. The Glock had fallen to the ground with a hollow ng.
Her shocked gaze locked onto the cold gleam of a de embedded in the steel column behind where she had stood.
It was that razor-sharp projectile that had silently wounded her hand and disarmed her.
A de over a meter long, thin and reminiscent of a Western sword. But by standard sword design, its hilt was far too short.
This was a unique throwing weapon used by Executors of the Holy Church¡ªa ck Key.
The man in priestly robes had thrown it the very moment he dodged her bullets, seamlessly counterattacking in the same motion.
ck Keys, a signature weapon of the Church''s Executors, were powerful but notoriously difficult to wield. Only true masters could bring out their full potential.
Kirei Kotomine, who had undergone self-inflicted hellish training since childhood, was unmatched in this aspect. Even among the elite Burial Agency, the Church''s most fearsome enforcers, few could surpass him in wielding ck Keys.
He was an Executor of the Holy Church.@@novelbin@@
This brief but intense exchange fully revealed Kirei''s terrifying nature.
Maiya, a seasoned battlefield veteran with impable technique and a ruthless killer''s mindset¡ªperfect in almost every way¡ªhad been incapacitated in mere moments.
She had been wounded, disarmed, and rendered incapable of furtherbat.
Against Kirei, she had no resistance.
If he had intended to kill her rather than capture her alive, she would already be a corpse on the ground.
"What''s wrong, Maiya? What happened?"
Kiritsugu''s voice came through her earpiece, urgent with concern.
Her ear twitched slightly¡ªbut she didn''t respond.
Not because she couldn''t, but because she refused to.
She wouldn''t let this dangerous man get anywhere near Kiritsugu.
Kirei''s true target wasn''t her¡ªit was Kiritsugu.
And just as Kirei had suspected, she was indeed Kiritsugu''s subordinate, acting under his orders.
She could not, under any circumstances, allow Kirei to obtain proof of that.
"Oh? You''re not calling for help?"
Kirei''s voice turned almost amused.
"KiritsuguEmiya must be nearby, isn''t he?"
He did not need to conceal his words anymore. He was certain¡ªif the Einzberns had recruited Kiritsugu, then he would undoubtedly be in action tonight.
Yet, this woman refused to speak.
As an Executor operating on his own authority, Kirei was beginning to lose patience.
He wouldn''t kill her¡ªhe needed her alive. But she only needed to be able to talk. He didn''t need to leave her arms or legs intact.
With that decision made, Kirei advanced step by step toward the wounded woman, concealed behind a steel column.
She had no weapons left.
Her dismantled rifle couldn''t be reassembled in time.
She had no chance to retrieve her fallen handgun.
The battle was over.
But at that moment¡ª
A sudden burst of white smoke erupted between them,pletely obscuring his vision.
A sharp chemical stench flooded his nostrils.
"A smoke grenade?!"
***
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Chapter 64: The Command Spell Shines Again
Kiritsugu Emiya must be nearby.
Kirei was certain of it.
Even though he had never met the Magus Killer, even though his past and the man known as "Kiritsugu Emiya" were two parallel lines that never intersected, the moment he obtained information about him, Kirei felt a shiver from the depths of his soul.
He was staring into the abyss of that man, convinced that the same abyss existed within his own heart.
The Holy Grail, capable of granting any wish, the Heroic Spirits gathered here throughout history¡ªthese things, thrilling as they were, paled in importancepared to the existence of "Kiritsugu Emiya" in Kirei''s eyes.
He had endured a hollow, empty life for too long.
Unable to feel happiness, devoid of personal desires, his religious devotion was merely a search for answers to his own confusion. Yet, the more he studied principles, the more he honed his skills, and the further he drifted from finding the correct path for himself.
He became a priest because of his father''s expectations. He became the Master of Assassin because of his teacher''s wishes... It was as if "Kirei Kotomine" could only continue existing in this chaotic world by using the requests of others as fuel.
If he had been born in an era of war and turmoil, then the yet-undiscovered KireiKotomine would have likely be someone like "Siegfried," wielding the holy sword Balmung, ying the evil dragon Fafnir in response to the people''s cries, forever fulfilling their expectations as a hero.
But unfortunately, this was an era of peace. People''s wishes would not be trampled upon, nor did they need a champion to fight for their justice in blood and battle.
And so, the emptiness within Kirei only grewrger. He could not experience joy, yet he found a strange pleasure in the suffering and disgrace of others¡ªsomething that his lifelong teachings told him was forbidden by God.
Oh Lord, what should I do?
Day after day, the priest prayed devoutly. And finally¡ªhe found what he believed to be the answer in one man.
Find Kiritsugu Emiya. Unearth the meaning of his own existence through him. For Kirei Kotomine, this matter took precedence over everything else¡ªeven his own survival.
Even Kiritsugu himself would never know that from the moment he stepped into Fuyuki City, he had been ensnared in a vast web woven by countless shadowy Heroic Spirits.
That was why Kirei hade to this ce.
Through Diarmuid''s legend, the curse effect of the yellow spear had already been revealed. With all six remaining Servants still active, Saber had lost the use of one hand in the first battle, making her the most likely to be eliminated first. She was already teetering on the edge of defeat.
Kiritsugu Emiya would undoubtedly recognize this danger. Eliminating Lancer, the source of the curse, as soon as possible would be the Einzbern faction''s top priority.
Thus, Kirei cast his near Kah''s stronghold, waiting for the attacker to take the bait. He had expected it to be Kiritsugu, yet another person appeared instead. However, Kirei was certain that this woman was connected to Kiritsugu. The woman he was now pursuing was the key to finding him.
But just as he was about to capture her, a sudden smoke grenade disrupted the situation.
Thick smoke rapidly spread from a military-grade portable smoke canister, enveloping the surroundings. Taking advantage of Kirei''s momentary hesitation due to the obscured vision, swift footsteps echoed across the concrete floor, quickly fading into the distance.
Kirei initially considered throwing a ck Key to follow the sound of her escape but ultimately chose not to.
Someone else had thrown the smoke canister at Kirei''s feet, clearly to cover the woman''s escape. However, there was no third person inside this building. In other words, the smoke canister had to have been thrown from outside.
If he carelessly attacked now, regardless of whether the woman survived or not, his position would be exposed.
And if the third party outside the building were a sniper, even Kirei Kotomine would find survival difficult under the cover of smoke.
But if the canister had been thrown from ground level up to this floor¡
Kirei stepped to the edge of the building, his priestly robes billowing wildly in the wind as he peered downward.
The Hyatt Hotel had already vanished, and another building had inexplicably copsed. Now, there were no longer any structures of simr height nearby.
If the canister had been thrown from ground level to this floor, there was a height difference of over 150 meters. Even using a grenadeuncher, achieving such precision would be incredibly difficult. If it was thrown by hand, the very idea was beyond absurd.
But as an Executor specialized in hunting heretics, Kirei was long ustomed to battling the irrational. A phenomenon of this degree was not enough to shock him.
The streetlights flickered, patches of darkness swallowing the glow between them. Somewhere within that darkness lurked the magus who had obstructed him.
As long as he confirmed this, tonight''s efforts would not have been in vain.
Suddenly, Kirei''s battle-honed instincts screamed in rm.
He flipped backwards to evade, and twin arcs of red and blue light shed past him, reducing the spot where he had stood to rubble.
Without pausing, Kirei hurled six ck Keys in three rapid volleys¡ªtracking, suppressing, intercepting¡ªall within a single second. His throw was even faster than the standard 0.3-second single-toss technique.
The six ck Keys split into three groups, each fulfilling a different role. And this was only the beginning. As soon as hended, the robed man kicked off the ground again¡ªnot retreating but advancing¡ªto close the gap for his true killing strike.
But when he finally saw his attacker''s face, he abruptly stopped.
Amid the sound of his own body straining against the sudden halt, Kirei Kotomine raised his right hand without hesitation, and three crimson markings red to life.
"By the power of my Command Seal!"
***@@novelbin@@
[015: Artoria Pendragon (Saber)]
[Character Information: Known in legend as the King of Britain, also referred to as King Arthur. Hailed as the King of Knights, she drew the Sword of Selection from the stone and lived as the idealized figure of King Arthur, concealing her true gender. However, as her kingdom fell into ruin due to civil strife, she came to believe she was unfit to be king. For the sake of her country, she sought to use the Holy Grail to select a new ruler¡ So how could someone like this possibly fall in love so easily?]
[Hidden Information: Locked.]
[Record Conditions (1/3)]:
[?Earn Artoria''s approval. (Completed)]
[?Defeat/Kill Artoria Pendragon. (Iplete)]
[?Help Artoria resolve her inner conflicts. (Iplete)]
A pale blue notification shed before his eyes, signalling thepletion of a certain condition. Without hesitation, Sakatsuki discarded the dual des in his hands and leapt backwards, drawing his bow and nocking an arrow!
At the same time, a golden figure burst through the spinning des. Her emerald eyes locked onto the iing arrow, and with a dazzling arc of light, the holy sword Excalibur sliced the supersonic projectile in two!
Then, magical energy surged forth. The petite King of Knights unleashed wild, brutal strength, shattering the ground beneath her feet. In an instant, she closed the distance to Sakatsuki, gathering wind upon her de.
"Strike Air!"
"Shoot, A Hundred Heads!"
The chaotic storm cleared everything within a dozen meters. But behind the enormous, heavy ck axe de, the young man had already vanished.
Somehow, he had disappeared without a trace.
***
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Chapter 65: The Assassins Mobilize
A pitch-ck axe-sword spread open like wings, its height exceeding that of most humans¡ªperhaps only a nearly three-meter-tall giant could wield it with ease.
And because of this, when Sakatsuki swung this ferocious weapon, the impact it created was more intense than ever before.
Saber had unleashed a variant of her Noble Phantasm, "Invisible Air"¡ªa momentary release ofpressed air that shed at her enemy in a sweeping strike, "Strike Air."
However, the violent storm was torn apart by the rapid nine-fold shes of the axe-sword. The once-lethal wind des were reduced to nothing more than chaotic air currents. Even Saber hadn''t expected that Sakatsuki, whose arms appeared so slender inparison to the massive weapon, would be able to wield such a monstrous thing.
Style: Shooting the Hundred Heads.
The Noble Phantasm most trusted by the Heroic Spirit Heracles, once used to y the immortal Hydra.
Through wielded weapons or even barehandedbat techniques, this skill had been crystallized into a "Technique Noble Phantasm" akin to "A Knight Does Not Die with Empty Hands." It maximized a weapon''s full potential, shifting between different forms to suit the situation¡ªranging from anti-personnel strikes to anti-army and even siege-level attacks.
If used with a sword, it manifested as nine instantaneous shes. If used with a bow, it became nine dragon-shaped homingsers.
Sakatsuki''s Projection Magecraft had been inherited from Shirou Emiya¡ªa rule-breaking ability that allowed him to replicate weapons while also acquiring fragments of their original wielder''s skills. That was why, even as Sakatsuki wielded Heracles'' secret technique, he still had enough leeway to retreat and vanish from Saber''s line of sight.
Once Saber confirmed Sakatsuki''s presence had disappeared, her signature ahoge twitched slightly. She retracted her radiant Sword of Victory and returned to Irisviel''s side.
"Are you alright, Irisviel?"
"I''m fine, thank you, Saber."
But there was little relief on Irisviel''s face. She gazed at the massive axe sword, which was slowly dissipating into magical energy, her ruby-red eyes filled with concern.
"You''re worried about Sakatsuki, aren''t you?"
Saber asked.
"Why not just say it?"
Her concern turned into guilt. The pure-hearted Winter Princess lowered her head and remained silent.
What was Irisviel looking at?
Curious, Saber imitated her gaze but saw nothing more than a t concrete surface.
After a long pause, a faint voice broke the silence.
"I have no right to look at that child."
The silver-haired homunculus, whose emotions were more delicate than anyone else''s, murmured softly.
"He''s helped us so much¡ and yet we are forced to be his enemies."
That was the contradiction Irisviel carried within her¡ªthe reason she had remained silent from the beginning.
Since his sudden appearance a year ago, Sakatsuki had never shown hostility toward her. Even now, as they stood on opposing sides in the Holy Grail War, the young man had been silently protecting her and Saber¡
At least, that was true tonight. If Sakatsuki hadn''t intervened, they would have faced Lancer''s spear and Berserker''s onught instead.
But the Holy Grail was singr. Irisviel understood that they had no choice but to fight, and she had steeled herself for it. What she hadn''t expected was Kiritsugu''s decisiveness¡ªbombing an entire hotel during Sakatsuki''s battle with Lancer''s Master, andunching an immediate assassination attempt when Sakatsuki appeared. Judging from Sakatsuki''s response, he had likelye within a step of seeding.
On one side was Sakatsuki, who had never harmed her. On the other was the Einzbern family''s wish and her husband''s mission.
Caught between the two, Irisviel, with her kind heart, naturally felt tormented.
Saber silently watched the woman she had sworn to protect and sighed inwardly.
Had she not faced the same dilemma in the past?
She had not condemned Guinevere for her affair with Lancelot, yet the Knights of the Round Table had not forgiven them. In the end, as king, she had been forced to send Guinevere to the stake, setting off a chain of tragedies.
Until the battle between Sakatsuki and Kiritsugu was settled, even Saber could not free Irisviel from this pain.
The golden-haired knight gazed up, her azure eyes reflecting the cold moonlight.
All she could do was follow her oath and silently protect the pure-hearted Winter Princess.
As she stood in silence, another thought suddenly struck her.
Where had that Sakatsuki gone after their battle?
***
"By the power of my Command Seal!"
Kirei Kotomine raised his right hand, chanting swiftly like a precision machine.
"Assassin, appear before me immediately!"
The Command Seal on Kirei''s right hand burst into a dazzling light, activating an abnormal level of magical energy.
For the Assassin collective scattered throughout Fuyuki City, the moment Kirei''smand was issued, their perception of space waspletely ripped away¡ªforcibly dragged into an unknown "transfer."
This was an ability only possible through a Command Seal specialized in Servant control.
At speeds reaching a fraction of lightspeed, moving so fast it defied causality, the Command Seal instantly warped Assassin across the battlefield.
Between KireiKotomine and his attacker, a swarm of ck-robed figures emerged like a dark tide¡ªafter all, the Command Seal had targeted "Assassin", and even if they had split into hundreds using "Zabaniya: Delusional Illusion," they were still fundamentally the same Servant.
Though caught off guard, their assassin instincts kicked in instantly, and they swiftly tookbat stances, scrutinizing their attacker.
Golden eyes zed like a burning fire in the darkness.
Master: Sakuya.
A Master who fought Lancer head-on.
A monster who exchanged blows with the King of Heroes.
His white cloak billowed, his red attire fluttered, and his ck-and-white twin swords gleamed sharply as they reflected the light.
Faced with an army of Servants, the young man did not falter nor retreat. Instead¡ªHeunched a ferocious attack as if he could hardly wait!
Caught off guard, Assassins'' heads flew into the air, severed by his merciless des.
"Trace on!"
His initial twin swords were discarded¡ªwhirling through the ck-robed ranks like a reaper''s scythe. Then, Sakatsuki''s hands crossed, grasping tightly¡ªnew des materialized instantly, and he plunged into the fray once more.
"Eight of you, cover my retreat! The rest, dy him¡ªdo not engage directly!"
From the moment Kirei summoned Assassin, he had already made up his mind.
Despite having Servants at his disposal, despite his own formidablebat skills, he had no intention of fighting Sakatsuki.
His only goal was to escape.
"You think you can run?"
Easily dodging several flying daggers and shattering an Assassin''s skull with the t of his de, Sakatsuki sneered as he saw Kirei retreating.
A cold, ruthless smile spread across his lips.
"Full Projection: Continuous Layer Writing!"
A golden storm of countless weapons roared toward Kirei¡ª
A tactic eerily reminiscent of the King of Heroes.
In that moment, Sakatsuki''s resolve became clear¡ª
He was determined to kill KireiKotomine.
At the same time, a deep, resonant incantation shook the magical energy in the air.
"I am the bone of my sword."
***
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Chapter 66: Unlimited Blade Works
The so-called Assassin ss is one that specializes in stealth abilities but is weaker than other sses in various attributes.
The Hassan of the Hundred Faces summoned byKireiKotomine, through the Noble Phantasm "Zabaniya: Delusional Illusion," can split itself into multiple different individuals. While the number of individuals increases, the total power remains the same. Based on this, the more it splits, the weaker each individual bes.
What''s more dangerous is that if any of the split individuals die, they do not return to the original Assassin, but arepletely annihted. This is because it is not the typical mechanism where a "higher" body creates "lower" copies; instead, all Assassins exist on the same level.
So, every time a split individual dies, the Hundred Faces Hassan grows weaker. It might be fine for gathering intelligence, but now Kirei Kotomine has used hismand spell to send all of them into the path of the killing god, wielding two giant des.
Sakatsuki, an anomaly among the Masters, is a peerless, rugged man capable of even withstanding an all-out Lancer at his peak.
Sending this guy into the Assassin ranks? There''s no better word for it than "harvesting grass" (a metaphor for easy kills).
The Hassans are suffering, but they do notin.
After all, for the "Assassin Sect," the employer''s orders are absolute. Since Kirei Kotomine hired (summoned) them, the Hundred Faces Hassan must faithfully carry out hismand.
Even if it''s a mission that guarantees death.
"Steel is my body and fire is my blood."
"I have created over a thousand des."
Kirei Kotomine is retreating rapidly, but the torrent of sword rain is tearing apart the ck robes around him. With each step he takes, a gap forms beside him, forcing him to use more Hassan bodies to fill the void.
"Unaware of beginning,"
"Nor aware of the end."
¡
"Yet, my me never ends."
The enemy''s prolonged chanting didn''t reassure Kirei Kotomine. Instead, it made him feel even more disturbed.
He doesn''t understand why Sakatsuki has murderous intent toward him from the start, but escaping is his current top priority.
But will the prepared Sakatsuki allow him to escape?
The final magical particles gather into a giant arm, blocking Kirei Kotomine''s way, leaving only a small gap in the door, thest obstacle that will determine his life or death.
"My whole body was still..."
The flow of mana grew even steadier and more majestic. Even a half-baked magus like Kirei Kotomine could tell that Sakatsuki''s ultimate strike was nearingpletion.
Clenching his teeth, Kirei Kotomine unhesitatingly grabs one of Hassan''s bodies beside him, using his wrist to throw her toward the phantom barrier!
"...Unlimited de Works!"
The stairway is shattered as a figure steps on the dissolving Hassan''s body. The figure crouches, crashing through the cement wall, a wound carved into their side by virtual particles, blood pouring out as they tumble down the stairs.
The egg of the world expands in an instant, swallowing the entire floor.
***
Snowkes flutter as the cold, lonely moon hangs in the sky.
Reality Marble¡ªUnlimited de Works.
A young man in a white robe and red clothes stands atop a hill, his god-like eyes looking down on the fragile ck shadows below.
"Ten, fifty¡ Hmm, fifty-two people. Including those I killed earlier, that means I''ve only killed twenty-five, huh?"
Only twenty-five? That''s only?
Do you think we''re just cabbages? You''ve killed almost a third of them!
Although the split Hassans have different personalities, the stubborn ones were all killed by this killing god. The remaining fifty-two are nothing more than prisoners still awaiting judgment under the Reality Marble.
However, the young man passing judgment did not act immediately. Instead, he muttered to himself.
"Although Iunched a beautiful blitzkrieg, in terms of results, it was a failure... Tsk, I''ll pay more attention next time."
Blitzkrieg?
The Hassans exchanged nces, and through their shared memories, they understood Sakatsuki''s meaning.
When Kirei Kotomine approached Maiya Hisau alone, he naturally had the Assassins keep an eye out for any other Servants that might approach, so he wouldn''t be caught off guard.
During the battle, Saber and Sakatsuki certainly didn''t escape the eyes of Hundred Faces.
Because he had been attacked by the Magus Killer, Kiritsugu Emiya, he chose to oppose Saber and engage inbat... This logical chain was simple and clear, leaving no room for criticism, so it was only natural that Hundred Faces lowered their guard against this fight.
Who would have expected that Sakatsuki would decisively sh with Saber as she released her Noble Phantasm, using magic to interfere with Assassin''s surveince, and then instantly appear beside Kirei Kotomine tounch an attack?
The so-called blitzkrieg truly lived up to its name, with Sakatsuki''s discement ability even surpassing Rider''s mobility.
"I didn''t expect Kirei Kotomine would use one of the Assassins as a meat shield, using her as a springboard to escape. Sigh... it''s also because I used too much mana when fighting with Kah, leaving me with no strength topletely block the exit."
After revealing how Kirei Kotomine escaped, Sakatsuki seemed to lose interest in the matter. He looked down at the remaining Assassins, a strange smile appearing on his lips.
"What do you think, Hundred Faces Hassans, about your Master Kirei Kotomine using you all as cannon fodder?"
After a brief silence, one of the shadowed Servants stepped forward and said coldly.
"We, the shadows, will devote the rest of our lives to our Master, even if it costs our lives."
"Oh?"
Sakatsuki whistled lightly, his golden eyes scanning the rest of the Hundred Faces Hassans.
"Is that what you all think?"
A thousand faces for a thousand people¡ªeach split from the Hundred Faces Hassan, inheriting different aspects of her personality. While some remain calm in the face of the enemy, others are willing to bow their heads before death.
But no matter what, they all maintain an eerie silence.
For the killing intent radiating from Sakatsuki was so thick it seemed to materialize¡ªlike the tolling of a funeral bell, announcing their inevitable demise.
Listen, that is the ancient sound of the bell.
The clear, crisp ringing, the deafening sh of swords and des rising behind the young man, sweeping everything in sight like a tsunami.
Boom¡ Boom¡ Boom¡
The symphony of swords and spears, the roar of axes and halberds, all ultimately transformed into the sacred rites of death.
Thete bell has revealed your death date.@@novelbin@@
Hand over your heads!
***
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Chapter 67: Midnight Talk in the Church
Kirei Kotomine fled back to the Holy Church.
His left abdomen was continuously bleeding due to the corrosion of the imaginary number particles.
However, he dared not treat it; to be precise, he dared not use magic for healing.
If his magical aura were to be exposed... that young man might find him.
The fierce figure of Sakatsuki shed through his mind, and a surge of regret filled Kirei''s heart.
He never expected that Sakatsuki would harbour such a strong desire to kill him, to the point of abandoning the almost-gunned-down Kiritsugu Emiya just to target him. It was a huge mistake.
But why?
Even though he had sacrificed Assassin to cover his retreat, Kirei still couldn''t rx. He rushed back to the protected church at the fastest speed, leaving a trail of blood along the way. By the time he reached the church, he was so weak that even his vision had started to double.
"Kirei? What happened?"
A familiar yet blurry voice reached his ears. The executor, having lost too much blood, copsed to the ground and lost consciousness.
In that brief moment before passing out, he felt something within him snap.
It was the contract.
***
After a briefmotion, the Holy Church once again fell into silence.
Kirei Kotomine walked down the quiet corridor, his eyes nk as he pondered something.
The wound at his waist hadpletely healed. His mentor, Tokiomi Tohsaka, used a precious gem from his collection to heal the wound and eliminate the deficit caused by the imaginary number particles. Kirei Kotomine was now in peak condition, without a doubt.
However, from the perspective of the Holy Grail, the master named Kirei Kotomine was in a dangerous situation.
Just earlier, with the joint confirmation from the overseer of the Holy Church, Kirei''s mentor, and the Tohsaka family''s sessor, Tokiomi Tohsaka, they had to face a painful truth¡ªthe core of their earlier ns, the intelligencework led by Assassin, had just been confirmed to be destroyed.
The killer was the master, Sakatsuki.
The so-called Holy Grail War was essentially a battle of intelligence before the final showdown. Assassin''s loss was a devastating blow for Tokiomi Tohsaka, meaning he had lost his greatest advantage and would have to rely on basic familiars to gather intelligence, significantly reducing efficiency.
Despite this, the elegantly dressed Tokiomi did not direct his anger at anyone. He didn''t even me Kirei for his rash actions. After a briefpse inposure, he buried the bad news in his heart and insteadforted the "despondent" Kirei, kindly suggesting that he return to his room to rest.
Such grace was a testament to the Tohsaka family''s principle of "always maintain elegance."
If anyone else had been in Kirei''s position, they would have been ovee with shame and gratitude,pletely captivated by the man''s charm, ready to risk anything for him.
But Kirei Kotomine was not that kind of person. The concern from Tokiomi was not genuine in his eyes; his heart was as still as dead water, unaffected.
The priest in his robes stopped walking.
No, there was indeed something.
At that moment, something had stirred within him.
But... it was when his mentor lost all semnce of grace upon hearing of Assassin''s death.
At that moment, Kirei realized his almost instinctive desire.
He wanted to savour that troubled expression, to enjoy... the pain of others.
"!!!"
Reason finally returned, and upon realizing his thoughts, Kirei''s first reaction was not to ept them, but to bury them deep inside his heart, where even his memories couldn''t reach.
"Lord..."
He instinctively recited the Bible, but his prayer felt as hollow as the wind passing through the corridor.
Nevertheless, with the help of the Lord, Kirei once again avoided confronting his true nature.
After the emptiness in his heart faded slightly, he suppressed his thoughts and sighed, pushing open the door to his room.
Immediately, Kirei felt an unnatural sense, as though he had identally entered someone else''s room.
It wasn''t the smell or the temperature that felt different, but the atmosphere. The room, once in, now had a luxurious, regal air, almost like a pce.
Of course, the furniture and lighting hadn''t changed; it was simply because a man waszily lounging on the long couch.
"...Archer?"
A golden-haired heroic spirit, dressed in a fur-trimmed enamel coat and modern leather pants, holding a highball ss, gave Kirei a secretive smile.
Like a serpent, lying in Eden, flicking its tongue.
***
With zing golden hair and ruby-red eyes, the man was none other than Tokiomi Tohsaka''s servant¡ªGilgamesh, the King of Heroes.
Since his summoning, this heroic spirit had been freely roaming, enjoying his independent action skill. Recently, he had even be bolder, manifesting physically and casually strolling through the streets in "leisure wear." Kirei had heard Tokiomiin about this, but he never expected Gilgamesh to show up in his room.
Archer showed no concern about intruding into someone else''s room, even helping himself to red wine from the cab, elegantly tasting it.
"Though it''s not much, this ce has a better selection than Tokiomi''s wine cer. What a terrible disciple."
He remarked.
"..."
Kirei couldn''t determine Archer''s intentions. The table was filled with wine bottles, and it seemed like he had brought out all the alcohol in the room, apparently indulging in tasting it.
It might seem surprising to others. Kirei had a peculiar habit of buying top-tier wines whenever he heard about them, no matter the cost.
Wine, being a field where quality equates to endless depth, was something Kirei believed might somehow fill the void within him. He had even half-seriously thought that drowning himself in alcohol might be an option.
However, so far, his exploration of wines had yielded no results other than umting expensive wine bottles. Of course, he never intended to share them with guests¡ªlet alone an uninvited one. Even if the other person praised his collection, Kirei wouldn''t want to entertain someone like that.
"What exactly is your purpose here?"
Kirei asked, trying to keep hisposure.
"Nothing. I''m just interested in you."
Archer said, peering through his wine ss, his eyes filled with hidden meaning.
"So? Are you dissatisfied with always following Tokiomi and still unable to find satisfaction for your soul?"
"..."
Kirei didn''t answer Archer''s question. Instead, he coldly asked.
"Are you dissatisfied with the contract? Gilgamesh?"
Even though Archer was a legendary King, Kirei felt no fear. No matter how Tokiomi felt about him, a servant was still a servant. No matter who this heroic spirit was, as long as he remained Archer, he was merely a servant beneath Tokiomi, of equal standing to Kirei as his direct disciple. There was no need to be overly humble before him.
Kirei''s attitude didn''t offend Archer; he merely snorted and tasted his wine.
"To summon me was Tokiomi''s decision, and my presence in this world is maintained thanks to his sustenance. More importantly, he shows me the proper respect. It''s not impossible for me to respond to him."
After stating this surprisingly polite statement, Archer''s abnormal blood-red eyes showed a look of disgust.
"To be honest, I didn''t expect him to be such a boring person. There''s nothing interesting about him."
"..."
Kirei was truly surprised. The anger he felt toward Archer''s attitude and his suspicion about his visitor''s intentions gradually faded. In this strange, rxed atmosphere, Kirei almost allowed Archer to upy a space in the room.
And so, they began to converse.
Starting with Kirei''s mentor, Tokiomi Tohsaka, they swirled their wine sses and discussed the Holy Grail, magicians, the Holy Church... Eventually, they even touched on topics like the "Root" and the inner workings of the world.
It wasn''t just that. Watching Archer, who dered "I am satisfied as long as I enjoy this vast universe that belongs to my garden," Kirei sensed something like fate drawing closer.
In the past, Archer had numerous opportunities to enter this room and converse with him, but this heroic king had never done so.
So why, at this moment, when Tokiomi had used amand spell to control his actions, did this ancient King of Heroes approach him?
"I''m just interested in you."
Archer repeated as if sensing Kirei''s doubts, finishing his ss of wine. Then, seemingly casually, he asked.
"Kirei, what about you? What wish do you have for the Holy Grail?"
Upon hearing Archer''s question, Kirei found himself unsure of how to answer.
"I..."
Yes, that was the biggest question. Why had the Holy Mark appeared on Kirei Kotomine''s right hand?
"I... don''t have any particr wish."
Kirei answered, his voice filled with confusion. Archer''s red eyes glimmered with an eerie light.
"This is impossible. The Holy Grail only gathers those worthy of it, doesn''t it?"
"That should be the case... But... I don''t understand. I have no ideals to achieve, no desires that should be fulfilled. Why was I chosen to participate in this war?"@@novelbin@@
"Is such a question really so difficult?"
Archer chuckled softly, almost mocking Kirei''s stiff expression.
"If you have neither ideals nor desires, then shouldn''t you just pursue pleasure?"
"That''s not possible!"
Kirei''s tone instinctively became agitated.
"You mean I, who serve God, should pursue pleasure¡ªindulge in such a sinful, corrupted behavior?"
Kirei eximed.
***
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Chapter 68: The Surviving Assassin
"This is really too much, Kirei. Why would you equate pleasure with sin?"
"Because the pleasure gained from doing evil is indeed a form of sin, but doing good can also bring joy. Why then should we im that pleasure itself is evil?"
"So-called pleasure is, in other words, a form of the soul''s spirit. When discussing pleasure, it''s not about ''having'' or ''not having'', but about ''knowing'' or ''not knowing''. Kirei, you still don''t understand your own spiritual world. You say there''s no pleasure in your heart, but that''s precisely it."
"Anyway, first, you should learn what entertainment is."
"Don''t say that. This task can be done during your leisure time while you''re carrying out the work assigned by Tokiomi. Kirei, your duty is to track the other five Masters, isn''t it? Not only investigate their intentions or strategies, but you should also find out their motives and tell me about them. This should be simple enough, right?"
"I know you''ve lost Assassin¡ªdo you think the person standing before you right now is who?"
"I have treasures in my vault!"
"Didn''t I just say? I enjoy the entanglements of human emotions. Right now, someone is trying to defy fate and even relying on miracles just to fulfil their persistent desires. Among them, there will surely be one or two interesting individuals. At least they should be more interesting than Tokiomi, right?"
"In the future, I''ll stille by to enjoy your good wine. Although it''s not the finest, it''s a decent vintage, and it''s a pity to let it sour in a monk''s wine cab."
After Archer left, the light in the room faded, and the atmosphere in Kirei''s room returned to its usual dullness.
Kirei, with a calm expression, sat on the sofa, gazing at several small objects on the table resembling eyeballs.
These were the treasures Gilgamesh had given him. Though they were inferior to Assassin''s abilities, they were much more discreet than ordinary familiars and would certainly fulfil Archer''s request.
Upon further reflection, those participating in the Holy Grail War¡ªwhether Masters or Servants¡ªwere all individuals desperately trying to achieve their long-held wishes. But this hero king, who marched to the beat of his own drum, wasn''t participating in the Holy Grail War for the sake of the Grail. He merely disliked seeing others fight for treasures behind his back, which was why he joined the fray.
Among the Servants in Fuyuki City, there was probably no one with a more indifferent reason for participating in the war than Gilgamesh. In this respect, Kirei and he were quite simr¡ªKirei himself didn''t understand why he was taking part in the Holy Grail War, and there might not be anyone else who shared his sentiment.
No, there must be a reason for Kirei''s participation; otherwise, it wouldn''t exin why he was the second to obtain a Command Spell, after Tokiomi Tohsaka. Perhaps deep inside, unbeknownst to Kirei himself, he also yearned for the miracle of the Holy Grail.
But what he sought was definitely not the "pleasure" Archer mentioned¡ªno, absolutely not!
Kirei began to tidy up the table, his thoughts drifting.
The true answer wasn''t something Archer knew¡ªit must lie elsewhere.
Kiritsugu Emiya. That man was closer than anyone to the answer Kirei was searching for. Kirei couldn''t help but think, just like when he spoke to Archer earlier, what if he could have an exchange with that man?
Of course, their positions were entirely different. Their rtionship would not be one of conversation but one of bullets and des. But that didn''t matter¡ªKirei merely wanted to understand Kiritsugu, and a life-or-death battle would reveal his true heart more clearly than any words.
And there was also... Kirei''s hand paused as he cleaned up the table.
The young man who had been relentlessly pursuing him from the start¡ªSakatsuki.
Where did his murderous intente from? What was it about Kirei that attracted him?
Somehow, Kirei felt that understanding the will of either one of them would bring him closer to understanding his own nature.
As for survival or destruction, that would be something to consider after finding the answer.
***
The next morning, Kariya Matou''s residence.
After a night that left them mentally exhausted, Sakatsuki and Miyu woke up together in the same bed.
Sakatsuki sat up, stretched, scratched his tousled hair, and turned to sit on the bed''s edge to put on his slippers.
¡ªThese movements werepletely in sync with Miyu.
She wore white child''s slippers with bunny ears, which made adorable sounds as she walked¡ªthese were Sakura''s keepsakes.
The two moved in perfect harmony as they crossed the living room, which was scattered with books and snacks, and walked into the bathroom.
Once in the bathroom, Sakatsuki skillfully used his foot to pull out a small stool from under the sink. He then passed his arms under Miyu''s armpits, lifting her up and cing her on the stool so she could reach the mirror.
He filled two cups with water, applied toothpaste to two toothbrushes¡ªonerge and one small¡ªand handed the child-sized toothbrush to Miyu. The two then began brushing their teeth in sync.
"Brush up and down, gargle, gargle, gargle..."
"I know, Onii-chan!"
From the mirror, the sight would be a harmonious one; twozy individuals with sleep still in their eyes, diligently getting ready.
Next, Sakatsuki used warm water to wring out a small towel and ced it on Miyu''s face. She obediently stretched out her little hand and began wiping it herself.
During this time, Sakatsuki also finished his own routine. When they both looked up at each other, their eyes met.
In unison, they extended their hands¡ª@@novelbin@@
"Rock, paper, scissors."
They yed the age-old game to settle disputes, and the result was Miyu maintained her champion status. Sakatsuki withdrew his hand, and Miyu, with a victorious smile, lifted her chin proudly and dered her win.
"Fresh milk pancakes, honey-roasted banana yoghurt, and..."
"Sushi, sushi. By the way, I bought salmon yesterday. Let''s make teriyaki salmon, Sakatsuki."
Just as they were speaking, the bathroom door opened, and in came a pair of synchronized figures¡ªKariya, squinting, and Sakura, looking like she hadn''t slept well either.
Their conversation was interrupted, and Miyu pouted in displeasure. However, her body was gently lifted as Sakatsuki carried her out of the bathroom.
"You wanted yuzu tea, right? I''ll make it for you. I''ll make everything for you."
Sakatsuki teased, gently tapping Miyu''s nose. He then turned and headed for the kitchen.
"Let''s go, we still have things to doter."
"Don''t forget the teriyaki salmon!"
"Go away!"
***
After enjoying a delicious breakfast, Kariya and Sakura went off to attend to their own matters. Meanwhile, Miyu and Sakatsuki descended the stairs and entered the basement, which was protected by severalyers of magical barriers.
They pushed open the door to reveal figures of various appearances, all bound by magical energy and wearing skull masks, heads bowed as though still unconscious¡ªlooking like a human trafficking den.
[Fate Compendium Updated.]
[016: Hassan of the Hundred Faces (Assassin)]
[Character information: One of the neen Hassan''s of the Assassin Sect. Assassin, as a ss, is used to summon Hassan as a catalyst. Therefore, when summoned using the standard procedure, Hassan-i-Sabbah will appear.]
[Hidden information: Although Hassan-i-Sabbah is guaranteed to appear when summoned through the proper procedure, there are other, unorthodox methods of summoning, like the one used in the Fifth Holy Grail War when Caster summoned Assassin, or others like Sc¨¢thach, Heroine X, and Assassin Emiya...]
[Record conditions (2/2)]:
[?Find the assassin under Presence Concealment. (Completed)]
[?Defeat, kill, or capture Hassan-i-Sabbah. (Completed)]
[Condition 1 Reward: Presence Concealment.]
[Condition 2 Reward: Initial @ÓÄ#£¤%!]
***
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Chapter 69: Yay, Ive Conquered Assassin!
You can''t help but admire Assassin''s stealthy reaputation¡ªeven the rewards gained from them are just as elusive.@@novelbin@@
Pushing hisints about the rewards from the Fate Compendium aside, Sakatsuki looked up at the individuals in front of him who urgently needed handling.
The Assassin who severed the contract with Kirie Kotomine was still alive and well here. However, due to the loss of mana supply, most of them had be incredibly weak and were hanging their heads, appearing as if they werepletely asleep.
In response to their silent resistance, Sakatsuki gave a peculiar smile and pped his hands.
"Miyu."
"Mm!"
Miyu turned around and left, returning shortly with a delicious scent filling the air.
She was holding a rich breakfast; crispy yet tender milk pancakes, gleaming eel sushi, and yuzu tea as clear as if it held no impurities.
Just by looking, you could tell that the food was incredibly appetizing, making it hard to resist the urge to taste it.
As mentioned before, the so-called "Delusional Illusion" was essentially the manifestation of multiple personalities, and as the split personalities of the Hassan lineage, they were bound to have a weakness¡ªan irresistible love for food.
With a devilish grin resembling a certain red demon, Sakatsuki ced the steaming breakfast in front of the Hassans, allowing the irresistible aromas to enter their noses. He even secretly used a magical barrier to enhance their sensory experience.
The scent quickly filled the sealed underground room, and the senses, particrly the perception of hunger, were amplified multiple times, forcing various personalities of Hassan to grit their teeth and resist the temptation.
Stay calm!
We are the shadow assassins who inherit the name "Hassan-i-Sabbah!" How can we sumb to mere food?
"Still not giving in?"
Sakatsuki snapped his fingers and projected a small fan to blow the scent toward them.
One of the Hassan personalities, unable to resist the temptation, was restrained by another personality who wouldn''t let him ruin their pride.
However, when Sakatsuki mischievously increased the fan''s speed, the fragile defence finally copsed.
"I... can''t stay calm any longer!"
One of the slightly plump Hassan personalities, looking like a wealthy merchant, howled toward the sky in frustration.
"At least let me eat one bite of food!"
A purple-haired Hassan, seemingly the leader, sighed deeply, realizing the situation was lost.
Though she inherited most of the personalities of Hassan, she couldn''t control all of them.
After all... the ominous sound of a bell still echoed in her mind. No one knew its meaning better than they did.
"First Master..."
She muttered.
***
In the background, a speaker yed ''Break Through the Sky.'' Over twenty hooded Hassans sat on small stools in a neat row, giving off the distinct impression of a pyramid scheme recruitment session.
"Ahem, all eyes on me, I''m announcing something!"
The young leader banged his hand on the table, raising it dramatically.
"Let''s get straight to the point, give up your previous Master! Think about how Kirei Kotomine treated you all!"
"He lied about you being killed by Gilgamesh, let your allies die without help, and then used you as cannon fodder to escape!"
"Join me, be my servant, and from now on, everything''s covered¡ªfood, shelter, utilities, even health insurance! How''s that for a great deal?"
Sluuurp~
Unfortunately, the passionate atmosphere was ruined by the sound of someone enjoying their food. All the other Hassan personalities turned their heads, ring at the first to surrender, their gazes clearly saying: "Embarrassing, just leave the group."
Knowing that she couldn''t rely on the chaotic split personalities, the purple-haired Hassan coughed lightly and took on the responsibility ofmunicating with Sakatsuki.
"We can agree to the contract, but first, you must answer a few questions. First, how was our connection with our previous Master, Kirei Kotomine, severed?"
Upon hearing this, Satsuki smiled brightly.
"You want to know our secrets before bing my subordinate? Fine, Miyu."
"Mm!"
Now fully transformed, Miyu took a card from a holder strapped onto her thighs and ced it onto her magic wand.
"Sapphire."
"Understood."
With a glow of Include spell, the magic card, inscribed with the Caster ss symbol, merged with the Sapphire wand, transforming into a magnificent dagger.
Unlike a tactical dagger, this one had a jagged de like lightning and shimmered with an ominous, poisonous, and betraying gleam.
"Rule Breaker... Now, with the knowledge granted by the Holy Grail, you should understand."
Sakatsuki, wielding the weapon, aimed it at the purple-haired Hassan''s heart and demonstrated how to break their contract with Kirei Kotomine.
The weapon, taken from the Ainsworth Castle, was one of five ss cards, a Caster card. Miyu, holding the sapphire wand, could use these cards to summon or even dreamlike call upon other Heroic Spirits'' powers¡ªone of the trump cards of Sakatsuki''s group.
As Medea''s life manifestation in tangible form, Rule Breaker was a tool capable of breaking any magical contract, easily undoing the agreement between Kirei Kotomine and Assassin.
You should know, that in the Unlimited de Works route of the Fifth Holy Grail War, Medea used this weapon to contract with both Saber and Archer, almost ending the war and iming the Holy Grail for herself.
With the Rule Breaker in his hands, Sakatsuki''s group enjoyed an unpredictable, overwhelming advantage.
"Unlike Tokiomi Tohsaka''s clumsy tricks, I''ve ced mana links on you all that connect to the Imaginary Number Space. Not even the Holy Church''s ''Spirit Graph'' can detect your existence anymore. Assassin¡ªHundred Faced Hassan¡ªyou are now the true shadows of this war. And the one who will wield these shadows¡ is me."
And with Sakatsuki''s foresight and strategic acumen, along with the elusive Assassin by his side, thisbination was a nightmare for any Master or Servant.
"No."
Suddenly, the purple-haired Hassan shook her head, her voice quiet.
"You may call us ''Hassan,'' but we no longer deserve the title ''Hassan-i-Sabbah.''"
"Why?"
Sakatsuki asked, puzzled.
"This is what I want to ask you."
The purple-haired woman removed her skull mask and bowed respectfully as if seeking guidance from the long line of Hassans.
"Do you¡ªhave any connection to the First Generation?"
The first generation? The original Hassan-i-Sabbah? The Old Man of the Mountain?
Wait... King Hassan!
Remembering the achievements of that iparable Assassin, Sakatsuki shivered.
"I-I''m don''t¡ªI don''t know him at all!"
"Is that so?"
The Hassan, not giving a definite answer, nodded slightly and suddenly spoke.
"Then, please check how many of us there are."
Numbers? Sakatsuki reflexively scanned the faces of the Hassans.
One, two, three... twenty-four... Hmm?
Sakatsuki froze and suddenly widened his eyes in realization.
Why... is someone missing?!
***
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Chapter 72: A Change in Fate
Mount Miyama Shopping Street.
As thergest pedestrian street in Miyama Town, this ce is home to supermarkets, markets, clothing stores, and various shops. Though itcks the bustling prosperity of the New City, it carries a warmth of everyday life that the New City does not have.
After casting a concealment spell, Sakatsuki and his group of four blended into the crowd, savouring the rare moment of normalcy, their steps feeling lighter with each passing moment.
"So you found out about it from Acht a year ago?"
Saber, now understanding the earlier confusion, simply nodded and dropped the topic before asking.
"Where are we heading next?"
"To a clothing store first."
Sakatsuki said, now holding a taiyaki in his hand, its delicious aroma wafting through the air.
"Aside from the custom suit from a year ago and the kimono Miyu picked for me, I don''t have any decent casual wear. Not to mention you all¡ªour out-of-touch Winter Princess and the Knight King of ancient Britain. Oh, and of course, my kawaii little sister."
With Saber in formal wear and the madam draped in luxurious fur, they stood out awkwardly in this small seaside town.
"Hmm, so it really is our outfits?"
Saber nced at Irisviel in mild exasperation.
In the past, Irisviel would have sped her hands together,ughed, and yed it off. But today, she simply returned a faint, apologetic smile and continued hiding behind Saber, looking hesitant and uneasy, as if she were avoiding something.
She had been like this sincest night.
Saber sighed inwardly, while Sakatsuki, pretending not to notice, led the group to a clothing store.
"This is the best clothing store in Fuyuki. We don''t have time for custom orders, but some of their ready-made outfits are quite nice. Miyu, help me pick out some clothes for our two lovely sisters. I''ll take care of myself."
"Okay, Onii-chan."
Miyu nodded seriously, her face full of determination.
As Saber went to try on her selections, Irisviel, instead of changing, quietly approached Sakatsuki from behind while Miyu was still browsing.
"Hmm? What''s the matter, madam?"
Sensing her presence, Sakatsuki turned around¡ªonly to be startled by what he saw.
"Um¡ I''m really sorry!"
The madam bowed at a perfect 90-degree angle, nearly making Sakatsuki jump back.
"I feel very apologetic for what Kiritsugu did!"
To Irisviel, who had the emotional maturity of a nine-year-old, Kiritsugu''s actionsst night were essentially a betrayal. It must have troubled her deeply.
She wouldn''t oppose her husband''s decisions, yet she still felt guilty toward Sakatsuki, who had been helping them. This internal conflict had left her downcast all day, finally culminating in this moment.
"So that''s why you''ve been so quiet today?"
Sakatsuki scratched his cheek, offering a calm smile.
"Irisviel, lift your head. You don''t need to apologize."
"Eh?"
Irisviel looked up nkly, her ruby-like eyes filled with confusion.
Sakatsuki continued picking out clothes as he casually asked.
"Madam, what do you think my rtionship with Kiritsugu is?"
"Um¡ friends?"
"Wrong. We''re opponents."
Sakatsuki shook his head.
"As his wife, you should understand¡ªwhen I chose to participate in the Holy Grail War, no matter how close Kiritsugu and I were before, we inevitably became enemies destined to fight."
"Looking back, I even have to admire Kiritsugu''s strategy. If Kirei hadn''t intervened, I probably would have been seriously injured by him."
The young man smiled faintly. His golden eyes held only admiration, with no trace of resentment.
He turned to the window, gazing at the bustling crowd outside, and spoke softly.
"I don''t me Kiritsugu. If both of us are fighting for our own wishes, then we should both give it our all. There''s no need to hold back. After all, it''s just a matter of staking our lives on the line. If one''s wish outweighs everything else in their life, then even death is nothing to fear."
Irisviel fell silent. She suddenly recalled Kiritsugu''s wish¡ª
To bring peace to the world.
To make Fuyuki''s Holy Grail War thest bloodshed humanity ever experiences.
For that, he was willing to pay any price, even his own life, without hesitation.
How could someone like him ever hold back in the name of mere friendship?
But¡
Butst night¡
When her husband had shown his pain, when he had considered abandoning everything and running away¡ªwhen he had pleaded for her to leave with him, his face had held a rare, fragile expression that Irisviel had never seen before.
"This¡ isn''t right¡"
Irisviel murmured.
Sakatsuki smiled as he affirmed her words.
"Exactly. Humans are human because we have thoughts, emotions, and souls. If we see ourselves as nothing but machines, how can we, as humans, ever achieve our wishes?"
Sakatsuki raised his hand slowly before slicing it downward as if cutting through something.
"If there''s doubt in your heart, it must be corrected."
"If the one you love is making a mistake, you must be the first to stand up and challenge them."
"Irisviel, Kiritsugu didn''t teach you to just obey orders, did he?"
Something shifted in Irisviel. She clenched the clothes in her hands tightly and responded with newfound resolve.
"No. Kiritsugu gave my life meaning, so I will respect his ideals and fight for his wish."
The young man smiled, waiting for her next words.
"But, as you said¡ªif I ever find that he is fighting by sacrificing his own emotions, if I discover that he is harming himself for his ideals..."
The beautiful homunculus, the lesser Holy Grail created by the Einzberns, lifted her head with unwavering determination and dered.
"Then, even if it means the Holy Grail War ends in failure, I will not allow him to keep hurting himself!"
"Bravo!"
Sakatsuki grinned, his golden eyes brimming with joy and satisfaction.
He was delighted to witness this moment of growth¡ªrelieved that his small actions, like the fluttering of a butterfly''s wings, had truly changed someone''s fate.
Having spoken her piece, Irisviel finally felt a sense of release. She turned to Saber, who had been standing nearby in a newly chosen outfit, her eyes lighting up.
"Saber, you look stunning in that!"
"Ah¡ um¡"
Saber responded absentmindedly, her blue-green eyes fixed on Sakatsuki, full of bewilderment.
His words just now¡ª
Why did they sound so much like¡
Sir Ghad?
At that moment, Shuo Yue''s gaze finallynded on her, and he, too, froze in ce.
***
"My name is Mash Kyrielight. The Heroic Spirit granted to me bears the true name¡ªGhad!"
"I stake my very existence to sever the corruption of the Round Table!"
"If you harbour doubts about your king, they must be corrected."
"If your king is in the wrong, you must be the first to stand against her mistakes."
"Isn''t that the very essence of the chivalry you uphold?!"
¡ªMash Kyrielight.@@novelbin@@
***
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Chapter 73: Saber Defeated
A lightweight tracksuit in blue and gold, paired with mid-thigh sports shorts that revealed a pair of snow-white legs.
Youthful. Energetic. Without the solemn armour and formal suit, the girl exuded a vibrant charm, as if she were a blooming flower.
When the blonde, blue-eyed Saber emerged hesitantly from the fitting room, her face flushed with embarrassment, she naturally became the centre of attention.
Among those watching, one young man with memories of another world reacted most strongly¡ªhis eyes widened in shock.
"T-This is¡!"
Realizing something, Sakatsuki sprang forward like an arrow, but instead of embracing Saber¡ªhe scooped up Miyu beside her, lifting her high into the air with excitement.
"Amazing! You''re a genius! My most adorable little sister, as expected!"
"Put me down, Onii-chan!"
Miyu protested in embarrassment.
Meanwhile, Saber nced at Sakatsuki with confusion, then looked down at her outfit, fidgeting ufortably as she rubbed her exposed legs.
"M-Maybe I should change¡ at least wear longer pants¡"
"No, Saber, you look great like this!"
Irisviel held Saber''s hands, her eyes sparkling.
"I knew I was being too conservative before¡ girls should dress beautifully!"
"Mm¡ Irisviel, I am not a little girl!"
Saber protested, though her petite figure and youthful face made it hard to argue otherwise.
"I am the King of Knights!"
As the two bickered, a baseball cap fell from above,nding perfectly on Saber''s head. At the same time, a blue scarf embroidered with gold patterns wrapped itself deftly around her slender neck, fluttering slightly before resting on her back.
"What do you think, Miyu?"
"Mm! Onii-chan, you''re amazing!"
The siblings exchanged a triumphant high-five, while Saber could only sigh in exasperation.
"I don''t recall agreeing to this¡"
"No, no, you definitely would''ve agreed."
Sakatsuki grinned as he nudged her toward the mirror, adjusting her cap and scarf before stepping aside to let her see herself.
Gone was her Servant''s battle attire. Now, dressed in blue and gold, she looked strikingly fresh and clean. The scarf added a dashing touch, and the cap¡ªwell, her signature ahoge stuck straight out, proudly unrestrained!
As an FGO yer, Sakatsuki recognized this outfit instantly.
This was "Mysterious Heroine X''s" outfit.
Realizing this, something in Sakatsuki''s mind clicked¡ªsome strange, forbidden switch.
As Fate fan knows, for the sake of a ''better yer experience'' (or more urately, "mization"), FGO features numerous versions of characters with different settings, sses, and personalities¡ªbut all with the same face.
From the ''Mysterious Heroine X'' series to the ''Jeanne'' series, ''Nero'' series, ''Okita'' series, and the ''Mo-chan'' series¡
Dozens of them! No wonder Mysterious Heroine X considered the Saber face Servants a "cancer of the universe" and swore to eradicate them (even though she herself was one).
And now, the original Artoria, in her youthful knightly form, was standing right in front of him.
A perfect clothes model!
If he could convince Saber to change into different outfits and take some pictures¡
"I feel like you''re thinking something very disrespectful."
Saber''s ahoge twitched like a radar. She instinctively took two steps back, adopting a defensive stance.
"Oh my, your eyes are practically glowing, little Satsuki~"
Irisviel teased with a yful smile, fully enjoying the spectacle.
"Irisviel!"
Saber shot her Master a re before turning to Satsuki, lips pressed in a firm line. With the pride of a knight, she dered.
"No matter what you have in mind, I will not agree to it, Sakatsuki!"
"Oh? I haven''t even said anything yet, King of Knights."
Sakatsuki''s golden eyes gleamed with mischief, sending a shiver down Artoria''s spine. It reminded her too much of a certain Flower Magus¡ªa literal nightmare.
Thus, Saber''s impression of Satsuki downgraded significantly.
''I was too naive¡ I thought he was an honourable man like Sir Ghad¡''
Saber mentally chastised herself for being too lenient.
The next moment, as Sakatsuki took a step forward, Saber smoothly sidestepped behind him. With precise grappling technique, she locked his arms in a hold, firmly restraining him.
"Control yourself, Master of Caster! Otherwise, I will consider this an act of war!"
"You take things too seriously¡ Ow, ow, ow!"
Feeling the overwhelming strength of the red dragon-blooded knight, Satsuki winced. Still, he forced out a defiant deration:
"No FGO yer could resist the chance to unlock a real-life Spiritron Dress¡ªno one!"
"I''m saying, I just want to pick out some nice outfits for Saber! What''s wrong with that?!"@@novelbin@@
Sakatsuki''s righteous promation didn''t fool Miyu, who sighed inwardly.
''You''re just a pervert who wants to see her in different outfits!''
''My brother can''t possibly be this shameless!''
Saber seemed to share the sentiment. Her blue eyes grew colder, and the strength in her arms increased¡ªjust as if she were about to strangle him like a certain purple-d mage.
But then, Sakatsuki mustered all his strength and raised a single finger.
"One meal!"
"¡Huh?"
Feeling her grip loosen slightly, he seized the opportunity to strike the final blow.
"I''ll treat you to lunch today! No matter how much you eat, it''s on me!"
Then, taking a deep breath, he delivered the killing move.
"I''ll cook it myself!"
"W-What?!"
Saber''s blue eyes wavered visibly.
Critical hit! Super effective!
Saber¡ªDefeated!
"¡Y-You said it yourself¡"
Remembering the feast she missedst night, Saber subconsciously swallowed. Reluctantly, she released Sakatsuki.
"When''s lunch?"
"Patience, my dear King of Knights."
Stretching his arms, Sakatsuki smirked devilishly.
"First, you fulfil my request."
"Damn it¡ using food to tempt me like this¡"
Saber gritted her teeth in humiliation as she was pushed back into the fitting room.
***
By the time the group left the clothing store, Irisviel had to use Sakatsuki''s magecraft to teleport dozens of shopping bags back to Einzbern Castle.
As for our dear King of Knights, she was now leaning lifelessly against Irisviel,pletely drained.
The joy of dressing up was one thing, but being treated like a dress-up doll, by a certain shameless young man¡ªenduring it just for the sake of lunch¡ªwas pure suffering.
She had already changed out of the tracksuit, but under heavy protest from both Irisviel and Sakatsuki, she did not return to her ck suit. Instead, shepromised¡ªopting for a white blouse, blue tie, blue skirt, and ck stockings¡ªher casual FSN attire.
On a side note, because the clothing storecked some items, Sakatsuki used Projection Magecraft to create them after consulting Irisviel.
Which was precisely why Saber now looked so drained.
If he had been some lecher or had ill intentions, she would have already sted him with Excalibur.
The real problem was¡ this annoyingly grinning young man was genuinely doing this out of goodwill.
More than exhaustion, Saber simply felt helpless in the face of such sincerity.
"I''ve been meaning to ask, Sakatsuki¡ªyou seem oddly knowledgeable about Saber''s outfits."
Irisvielmented with amusement.
"Almost as if you were prepared for this."
Sakatsuki didn''t deny it. Smirking, he answered.
"Of course. I used to be a King enthusiast."
"¡A what?"
"Ten thousand Mooncell fans. A million Artoria fans."
Pausing, he added.
"Oh, and ''enthusiast'' just means ''fan'' in this context."
"So Saber is your idol?"
Irisviel asked, surprised.
Even Saber, Miyu, and other Masters and Servants would be stunned to hear this.
A human, strong enough to stand among Heroic Spirits, fanboying over a past legend?
"¡Something like that."
Sakatsuki nodded.
And then, a new voice scoffed from afar.
"Don''t make meugh, jester! This is my domain! My radiance already covers every corner of this city!"
They turned to see another golden-haired king, standing across the street¡ªexuding arrogant majesty.
"Archer!"
***
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Chapter 74: Freeloder
Dressed in a sleek ck jacketyered over high-quality casual trousers, even his hairstyle had be more in line with that of a normal person. The overwhelming arrogance he exuded seemed to have diminished somewhat.
To be honest, judging by his attire alone, Gilgamesh had quite a refined sense of style.
"Archer, Gilgamesh¡"
Saber immediately tensed up, stepping forward to shield the others behind her.
"Why are you here?"
"This king is merely inspecting the lives of themon folk, yet I happened to hear some mongrels spouting nonsense."
Standing across the street, the golden-haired king in his biker jacket spoke with his usual overwhelming arrogance.
"Clearly, you''re just wandering around aimlessly, right?"
Sakatsuki muttered under his breath.
"At least this time, you''re not standing on top of a streetlight. Seems like you do have a shred of shame."
Hearing this, Archer crossed his arms and replied with a haughty expression.
"Foolish! To reign from the throne and guide the people is the duty of a king. But if one is merely enjoying the world, then what need is there to appear in a kingly manner?"
So in other words, he doesn''t see anything wrong with standing on streetlights¡
Irisviel and Miyu had ck lines on their faces, while Gilgamesh shifted his attention to Saber, who was dressed in casual clothing. Narrowing his crimson eyes, he remarked.
"Sensing magical fluctuations, this king came to see if there was anything entertaining¡ but I never expected to witness such a fascinating sight, Saber."
"You''re too kind, King of Heroes."
Saber remained vignt, but it was Sakatsuki who responded instead.
"It seems my aesthetic sense is not too bad after all."
"A mere mongrel, and yet you dare to bark? Did this king ask for your opinion?"
For some reason, Gilgamesh''s expression darkened slightly, and golden ripples appeared behind him.
"Oh my, the great King of Heroes actually dares to start a fight in broad daylight?"
Sakatsuki returned a provocative smile.
The pedestrians had long since fled, leaving only the two men staring each other down in a suffocating atmosphere, their wills shing like drawn swords.
Saber, focused entirely on protecting Irisviel, waspletely unaware of who had actually sparked this tense encounter. Miyu only half-understood the situation, while Irisviel seemed thoughtful¡ªbut wisely chose not tough out loud.
Recognizing that neither would back down easily, Gilgamesh scoffed and was the first to avert his gaze.
"As an opponent in battle, you are surprisingly willing to support another''s Servant. If you''ve already given up on the fight, this king does not mind having another dog grovelling at my feet."
"Since we have no personal grudges and are merely fighting for the same wish, there''s no harm in conversing outside of battle. Or¡ are you telling me that the great king of Urukcks even that much magnanimity?"
Sakatsuki paused but refrained from adding, ''No wonder that mud puppet perished because of you.''
Had he said that this would have truly be a life-or-death confrontation.
"Hmph, boring. Without pride, there is no king."
The golden-haired king scoffed at Sakatsuki''s remark.
"Since ancient times, I have had only one true friend. The rest are merely jesters for my amusement."
"Oh?"
Sakatsuki narrowed his golden eyes, probing.
"Even the high priestess Siduri?"
"Siduri¡ So even after thousands of years, there are still those who remember her name."
For a brief moment, something flickered in Archer''s eyes, and his usual aggressive aura softened slightly.
"Verbal battles are meaningless, mongrel. There''s no need to rush¡ªI shall personally disy the majesty of a king to you tonight."
"I''ll be waiting, Archer."
Sakatsuki blocked Saber, who was itching to act."Let''s go. I still need to make lunch."
"Lunch?"
Watching them leave, Archer pondered.
"If that chef personally prepared it¡"
***
"Why did you stop me, Sakatsuki?"
Once they were out of Gilgamesh''s sight, Saber couldn''t hold back her frustration.
"He''s arrogant, overbearing¡ªa tyrant! Archer''s idea of kingship ispletely wed!"
"wed, is it?"
Crouching by a store entrance, carefully selecting ingredients, Sakatsuki didn''t even lift his head. His voice was calm.
"And so what? He is not like you. He is merely an echo of a hero walking through the river of history¡ªa portrayal of Gilgamesh at a certain point in time. What exactly do you want to prove to a tyrant like him? And what do you hope to gain from him?"
At the unprecedented coldness in his tone, Artoria froze.
Had the King of Conquerors, Iskandar, been here, he would have simplyughed off anything Gilgamesh said, no matter how outrageous.
After all, Alexander the Great spent his entire life celebrating domination, trampling over the world. Countless kingdoms and rulers fell before his iron hooves¡ªprecisely why he understood that the path of kingship could only be shattered, and conquered, but never swayed by mere words.
Otherwise, it was not true kingship, but merely a thin, perilous road walked by a ve burdened with a "nation."
But Saber was different. She felt anger. She would loudly denounce such behaviour as wrong.
As if someone had struck a wound that would never heal.
Since their objective today was different, Sakatsuki didn''t discuss the matter further. After finishing his ingredient selection, he led the group to a wooden lodge on the beach.
It was originally a tavern, but Sakatsuki had rented it for the day, keeping it closed to the public. They were quietly awaiting a party of four¡ª
No, five.
A golden-haired man leaned against the lodge entrance. As they approached, he opened his snake-like eyes, full of displeasure.
"You''rete! You dare make this king wait so long?"
"Archer! You again?!"
"What are you doing here?!"
"Uh¡ All-Knowing, All-Powerful Star? Isn''t that a bit much¡?"
Faced with the group''s outburst, Gilgamesh smirked devilishly, pushed open the tavern door, and walked inside.
"Enough chatter. Chef, I''m hungry!"
"If you''re going to freeload, at least have the proper attitude, damn it!"
The title of ''mongrel'' had now been upgraded to ''chef'' as Sakatsuki carried his ingredients, loudly protesting.
His voice was loud, but it never reached the ears of a Gilgamesh who had no interest in listening.
***
Though the tension between Saber and Archer remained high during the meal, once Sakatsuki ced dish after dish on the table, the ancient king of hunger forgot all else and indulged in the feast.
To prevent the certain golden-haired menace from antagonizing Saber further, Sakatsuki made the ultimate sacrifice¡ªcoaxing and persuading Gilgamesh to move to another table, inevitably roping himself in as well.
"So, what exactly do you want, King of Heroes?"
Sakatsuki sat down, frowning at the king who had insisted on staying.
"I''m simply interested in you, chef."
For some reason, after their brief separation, Gilgamesh''s attitude seemed to have improved. Even when Sakatsuki deliberately showed impatience, the king merely tapped the bento box beside him, a dangerous smile ying on his lips.
"You actually want this king to bring food to Kirei Kotomine? You''ve got some nerve, chef."
"ttering me won''t change anything."
Sakatsuki rolled his eyes.
"Just tell me¡ªyes or no?"
"Do not mistake this king''s tolerance for indulgence, chef."@@novelbin@@
Crossing his legs leisurely, the Gilgamesh sneered.
"Exin your reasoning, and this king may grant you this favour. Why, after harbouring the intent to kill him and eliminating his Servant, are you now doing this? Do you think it will ease your conscience?"
"Ease my conscience? King of Heroes, are you misunderstanding something?"
Leaning back in his chair, Sakatsuki chuckled coldly.
"Why can''t you see it as a provocation? A deration of war?"
"Deception means nothing to this king."
Gilgamesh let out a coldugh as if he had lost patience.
"My eyes can see through all things. Lies are nothing but uglyedies before me. Stop trying to amuse this king."
Then, with a piercing certainty, he spoke the truth.
"You don''t actually care whether Kirei Kotomine lives, or dies, do you?"
***
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Chapter 75: Golden Apple
Regarding Gilgamesh''s sudden remark, Sakatsuki showed no reaction, his gaze merely growing colder.
In the face of the somewhat irritable young man, Gilgamesh mmed the table andughed without care.
"Yes, this is the look I wanted to see, haha! Arrogance, coldness, merely because it''s too troublesome, you preemptively kill off certain possibilities. In the end, it''s not about justice, it''s simply because someone got in your way!"
Lifting his bento box, Gilgamesh stood up as if he had eaten to his heart''s content, looking satisfied.
"Truly, this world has be too kind to people, disgustingly kind, like a sweet-tasting vile wine. But you, Sakatsuki, you''re different."
"You see the filth by the roadside and feel disgusted. If it refuses to change, you''ll even get rid of the nearby grass and flowers with it. If you judge a person to bepletely rotten, you treat them like trash and toss them back into the garbage. If the entire world is beyond salvation, then it''s better to destroy it all¡ªtruly, a downright tyrant, even more unreasonable than me!"
Listening to Gilgamesh''s judgment, Sakatsuki, with his golden eyes as noble as a god''s, suddenly looked up and smiled.
"What do you see, Hero King?"
In the chilling killing intent that seemed to freeze the soul, the usually proud Gilgamesh didn''t choose to retort, instead calmly saying.
"Do you intend to settle this with me right here and now, Caster''s master?"
"You don''t look like you have much time to live?"
***
After tossing out a "not bad," the golden king, who seemed more like a street rogue than a hero, left without even a proper farewell. He simply took his box and left leisurely.
Although he said that, the empty tes on the table revealed a certain fact.
Only Sakatsuki remained at the table, staring at the golden apple before him.
The Golden Apple¡ª
A wedding gift from the Earth Mother Gaia to Zeus and Hera, the legendary treasure that sparked the quarrel among the three goddesses in Greek mythology, indirectly leading to the ten-year Trojan War. Now, Gilgamesh had casually tossed it to Sakatsuki as a meal gift.
"Since you''ve pleased me, I''ll reward you with this treasure, Chef."
The smug expression on the Gilgamesh''s face when he tossed the golden apple was so vivid that Sakatsuki almost felt an impulse to throw it away.
Though valuable, the golden apple in Gilgamesh''s treasury was marely a relic¡ªit''s divine potency has long since faded.
To put it simply, it could only help maintain Sakatsuki''s physical state, preventing him from burning out during the Holy Grail War.
"But only a fool would eat it directly in this day and age. If Ibine it with other ingredients to make a potion, wouldn''t it better serve its purpose?"
After muttering under his breath, Sakatsuki tossed the golden apple into his imaginary space, lifted the soundproof barrier, and stood up to walk toward Miyu and the others.
***
After a satisfying meal, Saber was practically dragged by Irisviel into a car sent by Kiritsugu, gazing at Sakatsuki through the car window with "affectionate" eyes until the vehicle drove off and disappeared into the distance.
For Saber, who was used to mashed potatoes or dark cuisine, this meal masterfully prepared by Sakatsuki must have been painful.
The brief happiness didn''t matter, especially when Irisviel, who had been mentally provoked, nned to cook personally...
"Pfft!"
Sakatsuki couldn''t help butugh.
"Let''s go, Miyu. We need to prepare for tonight''s battle."
"Alright, Onii-chan."
Miyu followed behind Sakatsuki, her cold face now showing a barely noticeable trace of worry.
Though she obediently sat at another table and didn''t eavesdrop on her brother''s conversation with Archer, she had heard thetter part of Gilgamesh''s words through the soundproof barrier.
"You don''t look like you have much time to live?"
And her brother, Sakatsuki, didn''t deny it.
"Onii-chan¡"
Back at the Matou mansion, Kariya and Sakura hadn''t returned yet. After all, in Kariya''s eyes, Sakura''s happiness was far more important than the so-called Holy Grail War.
"Given all this, Lancelot, you''ve been a hopeless backup option too, huh?"
Sakatsuki patted the ck Knight''s shoulder, whistling as he leisurely walked into the basement, showing no sign that Gilgamesh''s words had affected him.
"Ah, Miyu doesn''t need toe down. What I''m about to do isn''t suitable for children."
"I''m not a child anymore, Onii-chan."
Though she said that, Miyu still obediently returned to her room.
Aside from the spoils of their day out, she needed time to think of ways to help her brother.
Back in the basement, Sakatsuki, losing his carefree smile when in front of Miyu, narrowed his eyes, thinking for a moment before snapping his fingers.
"Assassin, report."
"At yourmand, Master."
The purple-haired assassin materialized quietly from the darkness.
"ording to your instructions, we''ve sessfully infiltrated the Tohsaka Mansion, Einzbern Castle, and the specific Japanese-style house, cing surveince. As long as you wish, you can monitor their every move."
"Wait... ce some bombs in Einzbern Castle. Make sure it''s in Kiritsugu Emiya''s room."
"Understood."
Leaning against a wall, Sakatsuki closed his eyes briefly in exhaustion.
"Today was supposed to be just a simple outing with Miyu, but running into Saber and Archer while their master wasn''t around was quite a pleasant surprise."
Opening his eyes, he looked at Assasin and asked.
"But that''s not what I want to ask, Assassin.Did you find the person I asked you to search for?"
"I''m sorry, Master."
The purple-haired assassin lowered her head.
"Though we''ve tried our best to search, we''ve only found one of them."
After a brief pause, she revealed the name.
"e Grand Puppeteer¡ªTouko Aozaki."@@novelbin@@
"Heh, so the hardest one to find was the first to be found... Perfect. I need to get some materials from her."
"Do you want us to take action?"
"No, don''t underestimate the Grand Puppeteer."
Sakatsuki shook his head.
"Once you find her, just activate the familiar I gave you."
As he spoke, Sakatsuki suddenly smiled.
[Fate Compendium Updated.]
[Hidden Condition 2: Make food that stimtes Kiritsugu Emiya. (Completed)]
[Hidden Condition Reward: Eight Extremes Fist (Master Level)]
The sudden message made Sakatsuki pause, but he quickly smiled again.
"Not bad, just as I expected. It seems that the fake priest really can''t resist Mapo Tofu."
Though he mentioned Assassin''s former master, the Hundred Faced Assassin remainedpletely unmoved.
Under the Third Magic''s miracle, Assassin''s loyalty to Sakatsuki skyrocketed, easily surpassing her original master, Kirei Kotomine.
"Continue to stay undercover, Assassin. Tonight will likely be another sleepless night."
"At yourmand, Master... Please be sure to stay safe."
***
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Chapter 76: Einzbern Castle
After scraping thest bit of sauce clean, Kirei Kotomine finally put down his spoon.
The entire te of bright red, specially made Mapo Tofu had disappeared, leaving only the smooth, pristine white porcin te.
"It''s my first time seeing you like this, Kirei."
Archer saidzily from the sofa beside him, smiling.
Only he had witnessed the whirlwind feast that had taken ce just minutes ago.
After confirming that it was just a normal te of Mapo Tofu, Kirei had taken a bite. After that¡ªthis was the result.
Whether it was due to a sensory difference or some other reason, Kirei''s sense of taste wasn''t very sensitive. Only when experiencing extreme spiciness, which bordered on pain, would he notice the deliciousness of food.
For him, this te of Mapo Tofu was already a rare delicacy.
But... It was made by Sakatsuki. Even Kirei, who had seen all sorts of things in the world, found it quite strange.
The person who wanted to kill you didn''t make any threats, but treated you to a good meal? What is this? A "death feast"?
Or is it... a challenge?
"Seems like you share the same thoughts. Interesting..."
Gilgamesh said as if seeing through Kirei''s mind. His serpent-like eyes narrowed with interest.
"Why not think that Sakatsuki wants to reconcile with you?"
"Even jokes have limits, Hero King."
Kirei replied calmly, wiping the corner of his mouth.
"From the moment he pursued me... No, I knew it a year ago. He truly wants to kill me, though I don''t know why."
"That''s because he sensed your true nature, Kirie."
Gilgamesh, sitting elegantly, raised his ss, looking down at Kirei''s troubled expression.
"That chef figured out that your future actions would affect him, so rather than letting you roam free, it''s better to kill you before youmit a crime."
Kirei didn''t respond immediately, as he was distracted by a particr word that Gilgamesh had casually mentioned.
"Did you say...mit a ''crime''?"
"Oh, did you hear something? I didn''t say anything."
Gilgamesh said with a yful smile, like a child ripping up some papers because they had too many questions.
Realizing that he couldn''t extract more information from Archer, Kirei stood up and walked out in silence.@@novelbin@@
"Where are you going, Kirei?"
"Just some casual stroll. No need for you to follow, Hero King."
After saying that with a touch of sarcasm, Kirei put on his custom robe and attached several ck Keys to his belt. Through the walls of the church, he looked towards a certain ce in Fuyuki City.
Though Tokiomi Tohsaka didn''t show any response, after Kirei had lost his servant, he had indeed reducedmunication with his disciple. But this also gave Kirei more opportunities for action.
ording to the information Assassin had found "before his death," the base of the Einzbern family should be located in the deep mountains near the national highway.
Although Kirei firmly believed that he could find the answers he sought through the sh of swords, Sakatsuki''s repeated attacks had already shown that his killing intent was unwavering. If Kirei appeared rashly, he would be easily killed by the Sakatsuki.
So the only remaining candidate for answers would be the Magus Killer, Kiritsugu Emiya.
What answers could he give me?
With the purest desire for knowledge, the troubled man began his journey for the night.
Behind him, the golden king smiled mysteriously.
Those who have not realized their own nature.
Those who suppress their desire to save others for the sake of their wishes.
Those who follow only their own principles.
These were the ones Gilgamesh found the most fun in this Holy Grail War, especially with the unexpected collisions between Kirei, Kiritsugu, and Sakatsuki. The drama they would create would be more interesting than any high-ss film.
Amid the king''s carefreeughter, the empty wine ss fell to the soft carpet, and the king who had once used it disappeared without a trace.
***
Evening.
More than thirty kilometres west of Fuyuki City. A national highway runs through a remote mountain area, with dense green forests on either side, as though it had been forgotten by the recent wave of residential development.
Rumour has it that in the deepest part of this forest lies a "dream city." Only a few magus know this castle''s true existence.
It is a magical city that wees its master every sixty years and serves as a base during times of war.
This castle is a space protected byyers of illusions and magical barriers, making it nearly impossible for the outside world to discover. Those who know the true origin of the castle refer to this deep forest as the "Einzbern Forest."
When the Holy Grail War began in Fuyuki, the head of the Einzbern family, Jubstacheit von Einzbern, disdainfully chose not to establish a base on Tohsaka''s territory. Instead, he used his wealth to purchase arge piece of spiritualnd near Fuyuki and made it the Einzbern base.
The night before the Third Holy Grail War began, the world was facing the onset of World War II, a tense era. It is said that the Einzbern family used this forest as a boundary, moving an entire sub-city from Einzbern to there. This shows the astonishing wealth and determination of their family.
What''s even more ironic is that the intermediaries who facilitated thend purchase or the local undercover work were all done by the Tohsaka family.
At this moment, thebatant living in this castle, Kiritsugu Emiya, was waking up from a corpse-like sleep.
Spiritual Disassembly Sleep¡ªthis is the method of sleep Kiritsugu Emiya practised. By using self-hypnosis spells, he disassembles his consciousness and uses powerful drugs to eliminate fatigue along with his awareness.
This spell, as far as self-hypnosis is concerned, wasn''t particrly difficult, but even temporarily, most people would hesitate to split their consciousness into meaningless fragments, let alone willingly do so. Kiritsugu, however, purely viewed it from an efficiency standpoint and considered it the best method for rest, so he often used this.
A dreamless sleep was only a moment from the sensory perspective. Afterpleting three hours of mental maintenance, Kiritsugu opened his eyes and quickly regained hisposure. He slightly sat up and subconsciously scanned his security.
Almost in an instant, his expression froze, and his body tensed, not daring to move a muscle.
Someone had infiltrated his security during his sleep, bypassing everyone and even Saber''s vignce.
The small traps he had set were dismantled, and in some ces, there were several deep shadows under the blood-red sunset.
That figure, that outline¡ªhe knew immediately what it was.
It was a bomb.
***
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Chapter 78: Berserkers Arrival
The winds of battle blew into the forest earlier than anticipated.
The Berserker, d in ck armour, howled to the sky, squeezing out fragmented words from his chaotic soul.
"...Ar...thur..."
Who was he speaking of? What name was he calling out from that twisted, fractured awareness?
Even the most clever strategist could not deduce anything from the scattered clues. But his Master knew all too well.
He had abandoned his pride and dignity, tainted his soul and identity, and degraded himself into this grotesque form, all in pursuit of that one figure.
"Indeed, we really are quite simr..."
A dark-haired figure, wearing a hood to conceal his face, sighed and stretched out his hand, gently pushing the ck-armoured knight forward.
"Go ahead, do what need to do."
The Master''s strength was so insignificant, but the Servant''s eyes glowed with red light. Like a cannonball leaving its barrel, the Berserker tore through the air and charged toward the Einzbern Castle.
"Arthur¡ª¡ª!!!"
Behind him, his Master silently turned and disappeared down the path from which they came.
***
"We found them."
The members of the Einzbern faction gathered again in the meeting room. In front of Kiritsugu, Maiya, and Saber, Irisviel projected the image of the invader captured by the barrier onto a crystal ball.
The ck armour swayed silently, and the ck mist on the armour seemed to have absorbed enough resentment, wrapping around the branches in the forest.
"Berserker, the Matou family''s servant, huh..."
Kiritsugu furrowed his brows.
This waspletely different from what he had expected. It should have been someone like Sakatsuki or Kirei who discovered the Einzbern base, not the Matou family. The Matou family and the Einzbern family were both creators of the Holy Grail war, and there was no reason for them to be enemies from the start.
Could it be that Berserker''s Master allied with someone?
"Berserker has entered the Area Effect range."
Irisviel''s calm voice echoed.
"We need to dy the invader until we evacuate."
She calmly made her conclusion.
"Understood."
Irisviel nodded, signaling to Saber.
"Saber, defeat Berserker."
"Understood."
Saber''s reply was short. By the time the others heard her voice, Saber had already vanished from the room. Only the wind she left behind told of her resolve.
The moment Saber left, Kiritsugu, who had been silently preparing his weapons, spoke up.
"Maiya, take Iri and leave the castle. Go in the opposite direction of Saber."
Maiya nodded immediately without hesitation. Irisviel, however, couldn''t hide her surprise.
"Can''t I... stay here?"
"If Saber is fighting far away, the castle is no longer safe. Someone might have the same idea as me."
After Saber left, there was a chance that someone would attack the Master left in the castle, taking advantage of the situation. If someone wanted to kill the Master, the best opportunity was when the Master and Servant were separated.
Which is easier to deal with, a Master protected by a Servant or one left in the workshop alone? Kiritsugu''s judgment led him to choose thetter. Any other magus who came to the same conclusion would target Irisviel, who stayed behind in the castle, seeing that Saber was engaged inbat elsewhere.
After exining briefly, Kiritsugu secured grenades and bags of cursed bullets beneath his coat straps. His appearance didn''t resemble that of a magus preparing for war.
However, anyone who knew him well would understand the psychological preparations he''d made for the impending battle, especially when they saw the single-shot magical gun strapped to his waist.
Irisviel, uneasy after barely having seen her husband before he left to act alone, worried further when she realized Kiritsugu had concealed his unstable mental state. But she knew that even if she apanied him, she would only be a hindrance.
But there were other factors contributing to her unease.
"..."
After calmly reflecting on her feelings, Irisviel understood. It wasn''t that she was uneasy about being separated from Kiritsugu, but because she had to act with Maiya.
From Kiritsugu''s perspective, he probably wanted Maiya to protect her, but deep down, Irisviel couldn''t fully ept it.
Yes, she had felt this way from the start¡ªthis silent woman in ck, who said nothing and let Kiritsugu handle everything. This was another reason Irisviel felt uneasy.
In today''s meeting, Kiritsugu had shown a cold and ruthless side, even someone like Irisviel, who had been with him for nine years, could sense fear and even disgust.
There was no human decency or magus''s duty, only a tactical approach to survival based on thew of the jungle, like a killing machine. After abandoning the warmth she cherished, every word and action Kiritsugu showed made Irisviel feel unfamiliar with him.@@novelbin@@
But in this meeting, Maiya was unfazed, remainingpletely silent. For Maiya, this might be the real Kiritsugu¡ªthe one she was most familiar with.
Would the person closest to Kiritsugu now not be his wife, but Maiya...?
Irisviel wondered if she harboured feelings of jealousy, but of course, she wouldn''t be so childish to let such personal emotions get in the way of her judgment.
"I understand."
As she nodded in resignation, a new sharp pain ran through her magical circuits.
It was new feedback from the forest''s surveince barrier.
"What''s wrong, Iri?"
"¡Kiritsugu, someone else has entered."
***
Saber became a silver gust of wind, speeding through the forest.
The dispute with Kiritsugu had already been forgotten. Once she was on the battlefield, her spirit was like a sword. A sword that could cleave through anything, pure and untainted, with no hesitation or confusion.
Even though her left hand was still injured, her most trusted weapon was never a Noble Phantasm, but her conviction.
The girl''s heart had always been full of glory, and she fought with her honour in mind.
With that unwavering belief, even the White Dragon perched on the Isle of Britain has fallen in before her holy sword.
With the speed that allowed her to cover several kilometres in just a few minutes, soon, the ck-armoured Berserker was in her sight.
The heavy but agile armour brought her an immense sense of familiarity. It was the type of armour that only those who had fought alongside her on the battlefield would wear¡ªa symbol of honour, a form of identification.
That was the knight, the noble one of the battlefield.
But the figure before her, Saber would never acknowledge him as a knight.
A true knight must stand tall and proud, illuminating the battlefield with their presence. They must restore honour and dignity to those who have fallen into the hellish abyss, making them human again. This was the knight''s responsibility, one that outweighed personal anger, sorrow, pain, and suffering.
But the Berserker before her was at best a beast bound in knight''s armor.
Just as she would when facing any monster, the King of Knights did not announce her name.
She just raised her holy sword, dering coldly.
"Come, Berserker!"
"¨¨¨¨¡ª¡ª!"
And so, the ck-armoured beast charged from afar, while the golden-haired knight rushed towards him.
They faced off, and the battle began!
***
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Chapter 79: Lancers Entry in the Battle
The Saber ss, known for its top-tier performance, and Berserker, who sacrifices reason for enhanced attributes in all areas.
This should have been a well-matched, exciting sh¡ªif only Saber''s arm hadn''t been injured.
The vast treetops swayed violently, and the crimson patterns on the tree trunks seemed to flow with fresh blood, shattering everything in their path.
Berserker roared in rage, grabbing arge tree from the forest and spinning it around at high speed, wreaking havoc across the battlefield.
The weapon he wielded wasn''t something grand like Romulus'' spear, which symbolized Rome itself. Instead, it was just an old tree picked from the side of the road, a twisted and chaotic weapon formed by Berserker''s frenzied will, now dyed ck.
With high-level endurance and strength, this massive weapon became a deadly spinning force, chasing after Saber''s golden figure on the battlefield.
"I didn''t expect he could even do this..."
Saber used "Mana Brust" to enhance her limbs, moving quickly. But she wasn''t attacking; she was simply trying to survive the wide-range attacks.
Therger the weapon, the heavier and clumsier it should be¡ªa universal truth. But the weapon in Berserker''s hands demonstrated unexpected agility, and Saber narrowly avoided being hit by the tree multiple times, relying on her instincts to escape danger.
If only she could cut the tree down with her sword, the dilemma would be solved.
However, the weapons created by the Knight of Owner have at least a D-rank Noble Phantasm''s quality. Even Saber''s Holy Sword would be hard-pressed to cut through it.
So, should she retreat?
Saber''s instincts told her that Berserker wasn''t here to invade Einzberlen, but rather, his goal was her.
Is he a battle-hungry heroic spirit? Or simply an anti-hero who enjoys killing?
Either way, it meant Saber had lost her right to escape.
Now it woulde down to their magical reserves. Saber quickly reduced the force of her sword strikes, knowing that if she continued to swing with full power, she wouldn''tst long. She could only use the least amount of mana to avoid Berserker''s chaotic attacks.
Berserker''s mana also couldn''t be unlimited. With the weight of the weapon he was wielding, there woulde a time when his mana would be exhausted.
The question was¡ªcould Saberst until then?
Thinking of how her left hand was useless only added to her frustration. If only she could use both hands to hold the sword, she could release her Noble Phantasm and burn the tree to nothing.
Anxious thoughts filled her mind, but she continued to stand her ground, looking for any chance to turn the battle around.
And that chance came quickly.
Two lightning strikes, red and yellow, shot through the forest, and dualnces struck. One forced Berserker to defend, and the other cleaved therge tree, now a Noble Phantasm, in half.@@novelbin@@
Saber, freed from her battle with Berserker, took a deep breath, exhausted. A slender figure in tight clothing appeared in her line of sight.
"This is embarrassing, Saber. The reputation of the Knight King is crying."
The handsome man, with almost sinful beauty, winked at the stunned Saber. His eyes, filled with magic, were not something ordinary people could withstand. Unlike his deadly and powerfulnces, Diarmuid''s smile was carefree.
"Lancer, why..."
Saber was surprised, but Lancer smiled at her and then pointed hisnce at the stunned Berserker.
"Who permitted you to behave so recklessly? This Saber''s head is a badge of honour for mynce. Outsiders attempting to seize the prize aremitting an act of theft by not respecting battlefield etiquette."
The shameless deration of a hunt didn''t anger Saber. Instead, Berserker, as if provoked, directed all of his killing intent and hatred toward the dual-spear wielder standing in front of Saber.
This was already the second time Lancer had stopped Berserker from attacking Saber. Even the mostposed Heroic Spirit would be irked by such interference.
However, strangely, Saber felt that Berserker''s anger wasn''t merely because his attack was blocked¡ªit was something more hidden, a deeper, unspeakable emotion.
But now was not the time for such reflections, as the ck-armoured Berserker charged toward Lancer with his fists raised.
"Be careful! Berserker can turn any weapon he gets into his Noble Phantasm!"
Saber warned loudly, but Lancer responded with a carefree smile.
"Thank you, Saber, but I also want to know..."
The yellow spear fell to the ground.
Asncer held the Crimson Rose of Exorcism with both hands, crouched and prepared to strike.
"Will the power to steal a Noble Phantasm still work in front of my anti-magic spear?"
***
Kah El-Melloi Archibald wasn''t here by chance.
In the evening, when he walked out of his newly established base, he was surprised to find that someone had inscribed magical words on the gate of the abandoned factory.
After easily deciphering the words, Kah learned a simple message.
"Thirty kilometres west of the city centre, deep in the national highway forest, is the Saber''s Master''s base¡ªtonight, Berserker''s Master willunch an attack there tonight."
In a situation where a Servant fight can only ur in secret, Kah''s joy was fleeting after confirming the intelligence. He quickly fell into hesitation.
He had heard of Einzbern''s domain before. Being a magus territory, it was surely protected by some form of barrier or defence, making it difficult for outsiders to gain an advantage.
However, with Berserker''s Masterunching an attack, there could be an opportunity to exploit it.
Whether due to Saber''s injuries or the interference from Kiritsugu viting the sanctity of the sacred magical contest, Kah saw potential here.
With his decision made, Kah stepped into the forest barrier alongside Lancer, arriving just moments after Berserker engaged in a fight with Saber.
Just as expected, Berserker and Saber were locked in battle.
Though Berserker''s Master had already retreated, Saber''s Master had also remained hidden.
Perhaps Kiritsugu thought that within his own domain, he could defend himself even without his servant''s assistance.
That was a miscalction.
Kah saw his course of action clearly.
First, Lancer would engage in a battle with both Saber and Berserker, preventing Saber from retreating from the battle and exhausting her further.
Meanwhile, Kah El-Melloi Archibald, the proud Lord El-Melloi, would infiltrate the Einzbern stronghold all alone.
It was a bold n.
But his confidence in himself is unshaken.
No matter what defences the Einzbern''s have, he was prepared to dismantle thempletely.
He had to.
His fiancee S-Ui was growing dissatisfied with the current situation.
If he wanted to regain her respect, he had to prove himself.
With unwavering determination, Kah advanced deeper into the Einzbern Forest¡ªtowards the Einzbern stronghold.
***
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Chapter 84: End of Kayneths Fate
Rage was like sulfuric acid, corroding Kah''s heart.
He was a first-rate magus, and by all ounts, he should never lose hisposure over emotions, especially in the face of a formalpetition.
In fact, if this battle had been a duel between first-rate magi, where both sides gave their all, Kah wouldn''t have been so furious. He would have admired and revered his opponent''s techniques, calmly assessed their true strength, and wholeheartedly employed the appropriate magecraft to counter them¡ªjust like his confrontation with Sakatsuki at the Hyatt Hotel.
Such noble and dignified gentlemanly contests were the kind of "battles" Kah was familiar with. He hade all the way to this remote country in the Far East topete with Tokiomi Tohaka, Zouken Matou, and the other fourpetitors for the right to obtain the Holy Grail.
But now¡ªthe wound piercing his right shoulder was stimting his pain receptors. It throbbed incessantly as if mocking and humiliating Kah.
This resulted from a single shot fired by Kiritsugu Emiya from his beloved gun, the Contender.
It had nothing to do with magecraft or Mystic Codes. It was merely aughable toy assembled from mechanical parts, yet it had breached the barrier between mystery and reality, prated the defences of Volumen Hydrargyrum, and left a wound on the Lord of the Clock Tower.
This wound was not sustained in battle. That act¡ªit could not be called a "battle."
It was like stepping through a rotten floorboard; like knocking over a pot while cooking; like having mud stter onto one''s finest clothes. The opponent was a cowardly insect, unworthy of being called an enemy. Even the sight of him was an insult to Kah''s eyes, nothing more than a pile of revolting trash.
Betting on the dignity of Lord El-Melloi, he would never consider such a thing as a target for his "anger."
These were merely trivial matters, something to beughed off as bad luck.
Even as Kah told himself this¡ªthe wound on his shoulder continued to scream. The searing pain tormented and gnawed at his pride.
Kah''s pale face was as expressionless as a Noh mask. It was not the face of someone "angry," for Kah bore no hatred toward anyone. His rage was entirely directed at himself. He was simply furious at this abnormal situation.
"Impossible¡ª"
His pent-up anger transformed into a destructive impulse, transmitted to Volumen Hydrargyrum. The mercury deshed out wildly, cutting and shing at the walls of the surrounding corridor.
"Such lowly scum actually made me bleed... Impossible! How could this happen!"
Kah, with the pace of a sleepwalker, pursued the fleeing Kiritsugu.
Doors blocking his path were not pushed open but shattered by the weight of the mercury.
Vases, paintings, ornate furniture¡ªall the decorations within sight were severed and utterly destroyed. Along the way, there were numerous traps.
Whenever Kah''s unguarded foot caught on a wire or stepped on a fuse hidden beneath the carpet, pre-set grenades would explode, and mines would scatter shrapnel in all directions. The instantly expanding mercury membrane repeatedly blocked all attacks with ease.
The traps set by his opponent were like toys for children, soughable that even Kah couldn''t help but scoff. But as he mocked his opponent, he was also mocking himself for being wounded by such childish tricks.
Self-mockery cut into his pride like a razor, and the humiliation further fueled the mes of Kah''s rage.
The Mystic Code he took pride in was not meant to deal with such despicable methods. His mercury was meant to intercept curses, deflect spiritual des, and break through the mes, ice, and lightning of magecraft. It was a secret art that would bring his enemies to their deaths in awe and reverence.
So, what was this disgraceful state he was in now?
Fortunately, this humiliating chase was finallying to an end.
No matter how vast the castle, the escape routes became limited when fleeing upward. The rat had been driven to the end of the third-floor corridor. This time, Volumen Hydrargyrum urately detected his location. The target seemed to have given up, standing motionless, likely preparing for a final confrontation.
"A confrontation? No, this is not a confrontation. This is an execution, a ughter!"
Kah''s entire body trembled with cruel killing intent as he turned the final corner and arrived at the end of the corridor, facing his prey, who held dual guns.
"You didn''t think your earlier tricks would work again, did you? Scum! The fact that you managed to wound me wasn''t due to your timing or a sessful ambush. It was nothing more than an unreasonable coincidence."
The arrogant magus spoke with a sinister tone, slowly advancing step by step toward Kiritsugu. Beside him, Volumen Hydrargyrum extended countless whips menacingly, swaying their sharp tips.
"I won''t kill you quickly. I''ll keep healing your lungs and heart, then slice you into pieces from head to toe. You''ll die in pain, regret, and despair, cursing the Einzberns for daring to insult the Holy Grail War!"
Faced with Kah''s deration of execution, Kiritsugu felt no panic. Instead, he chuckled inwardly.
Good, very good¡ª
By using Time Alter to suppress his bodily functions, he had deceived the mercury''s detection of body temperature and heartbeat, breaking Volumen Hydrargyrum''s tracking ability.
By using the Calico submachine gun''s bullets to suppress the mercury''s transformations, and then firing a Springfield bullet with seven times the destructive power of a 9mm round to prate Volumen Hydrargyrum and wound Kah''s shoulder, he had broken the mercury''s defensive capabilities.
As for Volumen Hydrargyrum''s offensive capabilities, when the mercury took the form of a whip, only the base moved at high speed to swing the whip, while the tip had no force at all. The speed and power of the de''s tip relied solely on centrifugal force. Such high-speed attacks also meant monotonous movements, so no matter how Kah attacked, he had never managed to hit Kiritsugu.
Thus, the three major abilities of Volumen Hydrargyrum had been deftly countered by Kiritsugu. An ordinary person, upon realizing their trump card had been neutralized, would have retreated without hesitation.
But Kah did not. His rage had consumed his reason, driving him to act like a maddened bull.
This magus''s arrogance, his stubborn refusal to adapt to the changing times, was the very weapon that would lead to his own demise.@@novelbin@@
And now, as a magus killer, all he needed to do was add fuel to the fire.
The Calico submachine gun spat fire, unleashing a relentless barrage of bullets.
"Fervor, mei sanguis!"
After being shot in the shoulder, Kah was not foolish enough to use the same method of defence. He reconstructed the mercury''s defences, abandoning the membrane in favour of a pir-like formation.
From the floor to the ceiling, countless inverted spikes rose like a dense bamboo forest, covering Kah''s body andpletely blocking the iing bullets.
The bullets were stopped by the silver des, bouncing between the spikes with deafening metallic ngs before losing momentum and falling to the ground. Not a single bullet touched Kah''s body.
But Kiritsugu showed no intention of changing his strategy. The moment the M950''s magazine emptied, the Contender in his right hand roared. This single bullet''s destructive power far surpassed that of the 9mm rounds, having previously pierced Volumen Hydrargyrum''s barrier and wounded Kah.
"You didn''t think that trick would work again, did you? Scum."
Kah''s mocking voice emerged from behind the protection of Volumen Hydrargyrum.
Unlike before, the pir-like mercury offered far greater flexibility than the membrane form. The moment the lethal bullet touched the silver spikes, all the other spikes closed in like a Venus flytrap, enveloping the bulletpletely. The densely packed, needle-like spikes transformed into a thick pir in an instant, sealing off the .30-06 Springfield round.
This move fully demonstrated the versatility of Volumen Hydrargyrum. The precision and perfection of this fluid maniption magecraft could be considered the ultimate technique of the prestigious Archibald family.
However, at the very moment, as Kah El-Melloi Archibald sessfully executed this pinnacle of spiritual and technical mastery¡ªhis fate had already reached its end.
***
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