For those who'd like to support my work and get early access, I've created a Patreon where I'm posting advanced chapters — it's already up to Chapter 33!
If you're able and willing to subscribe, your support would mean a lot. 🙏
Thank you so much to everyone following along on this journey! 💫
My Patreon: patreon.com/Evil_God_Slayer.
__________________________
Even a Master and a Servant, who have formed a contract, must use communication techniques like speech to establish a connection when they are far apart.
But if the two are bound by the Command Seal, then one party would quickly detect a disturbance in the other's scent if the other were in a life-threatening crisis.
Thus, Kayneth's dire situation quickly reached Lancer, who was still in the forest.
"What…!?"
Lancer suddenly turned to look in the direction of the Einzbern Castle right after destroying Caster's army of demonic monsters, just as he was prepared to finish off his enemy alongside Saber. For the first time, Lancer realized that his Master, whom he thought was observing his battle from behind the front lines, had already entered the enemy's formation and engaged in another battle.
Lancer's momentary hesitation was a God-sent opening for the desperate Caster.
In Caster's hands, having already completed regeneration, Prelati's Spellbook pulsed with torrents of prana.
Of course, Saber wouldn't stand by and let the mage's spells go unchecked.
"Futile struggles!"
Saber wielded her holy sword with her right hand and charged, aiming to defeat the enemy before he could complete his incantation.
But Caster wasn't foolish enough to chant incantations in front of a blade. He didn't utter a single syllable of spells, only chaotically unleashed the wave of Magical Energy produced by the Noble Phantasm.
Although the previous summoning magic had been nullified, the pools of blood staining the ground were still linked to the prana. The uncontrollable Magical Energy that surged flowed into that blood mesh but ultimately spread without form.
"Ku…"
Her vision was blocked before she could get close enough to strike; even Saber didn't make a rash move and halted her steps.
Caster hadn't intended to complete the spell to begin with, but forcibly activated a magic doomed to fail. That was enough in this situation. The blood that didn't form any summoned monster immediately boiled and evaporated due to the saturated Magical Energy within it, spreading in all directions like a mist.
This is a reckless skill that could only be used with the enormous amount of Magical Energy provided by a Noble Phantasm.
What he aimed for was a blinding mist.
Even Caster, brimming with confidence, deduced that it would be impossible to turn the situation around and achieve victory in this state.
The mage Servant quickly dematerialized while the bloody mist covered Saber and Lancer's vision. Facing two of the three Knight Classes, he couldn't even utter a word. Swallowing his anger and humiliation, Caster swiftly left the battlefield in spirit form.
Fortunately for Caster, Saber lacks the ability to transform into spirit form and pursue him. Lancer, who possesses this ability, couldn't chase him due to his Master's crisis.
"Bastard… what unbelievable cowardice."
Saber muttered angrily as she recalled the Invisible Air from the surrounding atmosphere. The refreshing breeze immediately blew from all directions and dispersed the filth of the blood mist.
When the two Servants regained their field of vision and Invisible Air was called back to conceal the holy sword's form once more, even Caster's spiritual aura had vanished, not to mention his physical figure.
"Lancer, what's wrong?"
As for the fact that Lancer could have easily pursued his enemy but instead let Caster escape, Saber didn't press him, only questioned him calmly. It was obvious something had happened based on the change in his expression.
"My lord is in trouble… It seems he left me and attacked your headquarters."
Lancer explained hesitantly. Saber also realized what likely happened and displayed a dejected expression.
'So… everything went according to Kiritsugu's plans.'
It wasn't what she wanted. Not that she completely rejected deceptive tactics, but the cruel trap Kiritsugu set up is an existence that cannot coexist with the Knight King's belief in steadfastly remaining on the battlefield, no matter what.
"It must be my Master's doing… Lancer, you should hurry. Go save your lord."
Lancer was initially stunned by Saber's insistence but then bowed his head deeply in gratitude. For Saber, this decision was the same as going against her own lord. Keeping Lancer here so his Master could be killed would be the rational choice to win the Holy Grail War.
But if we follow that line of thought, then there was no need for Lancer to fight Caster to save Saber from her crisis. He didn't consider himself foolish back then. Therefore, he wouldn't think of Saber, who let him go his way, as a fool now.
"I'm indebted to you, Knight King."
"It's fine. We swore to have a knightly duel. Let's keep that glory until the end."
Lancer nodded briefly and then vanished into spirit form. With that, he galloped toward the castle deep in the forest like a whirlwind.
×××××
When the previous generation of the Emiya family determined the Origin of their son and heir, they named him Kiritsugu due to the strange results.
Basically, he possesses the dual attributes of Fire and Earth. To be more specific, they were composite attributes, Severing and Binding. That is the form of his soul that he was born with, the true form of his Origin.
Cutting and Binding… it's not exactly the same as being called Destruction and Rebirth, because Kiritsugu's Origin doesn't carry the meaning of Recovery.
For example, a string that is cut and then reconnected would have an altered thickness at the point where the knot is tied. In other words, the act of Severing and Binding would cause irreversible Corruption in the target.
Kiritsugu became particularly aware of his Origin when asked to perform practical work. His hands weren't very skillful. If a regular gadget broke, he could fix it. But if it was a delicate machine, suddenly everything would turn out the opposite. The more he wanted to fix it, the worse the damage would be to the machine.
In truth, Kiritsugu's craftsmanship isn't extraordinary. If a normal metal wire breaks, the original function can be restored simply by reconnecting it. However, if he fixed a delicate electrical circuit using the same principles, the result would be fatal. It wasn't something that would work as long as everything was connected. If the connections fail, the circuit loses its function.
This wasn't something created by Kiritsugu's personality or temperament. From a mage's perspective, it is the true essence of the deep root of his soul.
Emiya Kiritsugu utilized his extraordinary Origin to its fullest extent when he created his Mystic Code. The first and second ribs on both sides were cut and removed from his body. The extracted ribs were ground into powder, condensed with a craft to preserve the soul, and sealed into sixty-six bullets as their core.
These bullets actualized Kiritsugu's Origin on the target when they hit. If they struck a living creature, there would be no wounds or bleeding, but the area hit would appear to suffer necrosis. The surface might seem to have healed, but the nerves and capillaries wouldn't regenerate properly, and the original function would be lost.
Moreover, as a Conceptual Weapon, this bullet poses an even graver threat to mages in particular.
Kiritsugu had already used thirty-seven bullets, but none were wasted. The bullets made using a part of his body had already completely destroyed thirty-seven mages.
Now, the thirty-eighth Origin Bullet severed the life force of a new sacrifice.
Kayneth likely didn't comprehend what was happening to his body until the end.
The moment unbearable pain spread through his body, all his vital organs and nerves had already been turned into a shapeless mess.
Before a scream could escape his throat, he was already spewing blood. All the muscles in his body spasmed with uncoordinated movements conducted by a nervous system on the verge of breaking.
The slender body dressed in a fancy suit began to perform a ridiculous dance.
Using intense pressure to make the densely compacted Magical Energy, circulating in the Magic Circuits, suddenly ignore those pathways and flow chaotically, destroying the practitioner's body in the process. The moment Volumen Hydrargyrum blocked the Contender's attack, Kayneth suffered more severe damage than being directly hit by a bullet.
When Kiritsugu's magic bullet is interfered with by magic, the impact of the Origin within the bullet would affect all the way to the practitioner's Magic Circuits.
If we compare a mage's Magic Circuits to a high-voltage power cable, Kiritsugu's bullet would be a drop of water. What would happen if a conductive liquid connected to a densely packed electrical circuit? The short-circuit current would destroy the circuit itself, resulting in permanent damage.
Simply put, causing a short-circuit in the Magic Circuits is the terrifying effect of Kiritsugu's Mystic Code.
To avoid damage from Kiritsugu's magic bullets, one must discard all magic and defend the bullet purely by physical means. In this regard, Kiritsugu's choice to use .30-06 Springfield bullets is malicious. To begin with, there's nothing that can completely block this specialized hunting rifle round. This is a type of bullet that excels in penetration. Unless in an armored vehicle, one couldn't avoid injury.
Just one shot. That would be enough. Kiritsugu dared to choose a weapon unsuited for real combat, the Thompson Contender, as his Mystic Code because it's the weapon that can cause the maximum possible physical damage.
Kiritsugu placed his finger on the trigger guard's spool when his beloved weapon fulfilled its function and swung the long barrel downward as if shaking off a bloodstain. The empty cartridge flew from the open chamber into the empty air with the momentum, falling to the marble floor with a faint trace of sulfur.
Kiritsugu felt nothing for this victory. It was exactly like all the previous times, a successful provocation with a calculated conclusion. That's all.
The destructive power of Kiritsugu's magic bullet depends on how many Magic Circuits were activated within the target at the moment the bullet struck, as it would be the practitioner's own Magical Energy that destroys their body. In this regard, it was absolutely fatal for Kayneth. As he was continuously provoked and used the maximum Magical Energy he had, he granted Kiritsugu the best result he could hope for.
Even the mighty Volumen Hydrargyrum would be destroyed if the practitioner's Magical Energy was cut off. Kayneth was lying in the sea of mercury that returned to its original form and spread across the floor, his body twitching slightly. The former Lord El-Melloi was now as harmless as a baby. Let alone a mage's power, his body might not even retain the normal functions of a human.
Although he would die sooner or later if left alone, Kiritsugu's principle is to deliver a concrete final blow to a fallen enemy. He set the Calico to semi-automatic mode and walked toward Kayneth, who already looked like a breathing corpse. He would fire a shot to his head at critical range. Then, one of the seven groups fighting for the Holy Grail would have withdrawn.
But at that moment, Kiritsugu sensed a powerful aura of Magical Energy approaching him with intimidation and furrowed his brow.
Without hesitation, Kiritsugu raised the Calico and aimed, firing repeatedly toward Kayneth. But the bullets sparked in the empty air, scattered in all directions, and vanished. It was the twin red and yellow spears that performed movements too fast to be seen.
Facing Lancer, who materialized in a stance to protect Kayneth, Kiritsugu was stunned. Stopped by the enemy's Servant at this moment. This was definitely unexpected.
Originally, Kiritsugu thought Saber had intercepted Lancer, based on the fact that Kayneth had entered the castle alone. But if so, how did Lancer get past the Knight King? If Saber were defeated, Kiritsugu would have confirmed that the recipient of his Magical Energy had vanished. However, Kiritsugu's Magical Energy was definitely still being absorbed by Saber, who still existed somewhere. His Servant was healthy, without a doubt.
Then, there's only one conclusion… he could only deduce that Saber voluntarily stepped out of Lancer's way.
Lancer looked at Kiritsugu, who was mentally wavering, with an icy cold gaze. He shifted both spears to his right hand, freeing his left to pick up Kayneth's body.
Kiritsugu didn't rashly attack this seemingly defenseless move. He had just confirmed that bullets are useless against Servants.
"…You must understand how easy it would be to pierce you right here, Saber's Master."
For Lancer, if he hadn't heard what Saber just told him, it would have been very difficult to deduce that this man before him, who didn't look like a mage at all, was actually the Einzbern Master. However, he knew his lord Kayneth's strength. If he managed to break through Lord El-Melloi's magic, there was no more reason for suspicion.
However… no, precisely because of this, Lancer's spear tip didn't point at Kiritsugu.
"I won't let you kill my Master. Nor will I kill Saber's Master. Neither I nor she want to end it this way."
"…"
'Is that so?' Kiritsugu once again lamented the conflicting personalities between him and his contracted Servant.
"Never forget. The only reason your life was spared now is the nobility of the Knight King."
Lancer declared this to Kiritsugu, his tone carrying cold sarcasm. Then he picked up Kayneth and leaped out of the castle, using his torso to break the glass window.
Kiritsugu wasn't foolish enough to pursue them. As Lancer said, that would be completely suicidal. With Saber not here, there was nothing Kiritsugu could do.
No, even if Saber were by his side, would Kiritsugu entrust this to her?
Although Lancer, the Heroic Spirit Diarmuid, is also naive, it was Saber's idiotic chivalry, rivaling Lancer's, that completely exceeded Kiritsugu's comprehension.
Her mind probably firmly believed that Lancer wouldn't kill Kiritsugu.
'There must be something wrong with her. How could the Knight King do something like allow her own Master to be exposed to just the enemy's Servant? If Lancer decided to go back on his word, my Holy Grail War would end right there. Even if that Lancer had no such thoughts, if Kayneth remained conscious, he could have used a Command Seal to demand it of him. Didn't she even think of that possibility?'
Kiritsugu contemplated this appropriately and lit the cigarette in his mouth.
'How ironic. A Heroic Spirit who single-handedly created an extremely foolish trust with an enemy Servant, while she had great disagreements with her own Master. In the end, it seems I should have chosen my Servant more carefully…'
Kiritsugu felt this failure with a pang and exhaled the hazy smoke with a sigh.
But…
Kiritsugu had no time to rest and smoke. A deep voice reached his ears.
"So, you're the true Master of Saber, Emiya Kiritsugu."
From the dark shadows, Kirei Kotomine stepped out a second after Lancer left with his Master, Kayneth. Kirei had observed their conversation and discovered that Kiritsugu was Saber's Master.
Kiritsugu gripped his Calico, ready to shoot at Kirei. Kiritsugu's hands trembled slightly; he didn't want to face that man.
"But now I understand why those two women stood in my way."
"What?"
Kiritsugu was startled by Kirei's words. Those two women? Were they Maiya and Iri? Kiritsugu couldn't think of another pair of women within the Einzbern Forest.
Kiritsugu's hands stopped trembling, and he suppressed his fear and cowardice. With a cold expression, Kiritsugu aimed at Kirei.
"What did you do to them?"
Kiritsugu braced for the worst.
"Me? I didn't do anything… but the same can't be expected of Berserker."
"Berserker?"
"Yes. Berserker seemed to want something from that woman, hm, what did he call her, ah, yes. Iri…"
Kiritsugu's hand trembled upon hearing the affectionate nickname he used for his wife. What did Berserker want with his wife? Kiritsugu couldn't help but suspect the Servant Berserker's intentions.
"…So Berserker let me pass and stayed alone with those two women in the forest. I don't know what he wants with them, nor do I care."
Kirei continued with slow steps while speaking in his deep tone. Somehow, Kirei's deep tone seemed to carry a hint of amusement and… pleasure? Kiritsugu felt something was wrong with that man, Kotomine Kirei.
"My only interest is you, Saber's Master, Emiya Kiritsugu."
Kiritsugu glanced sideways, looking at the corridor behind him, searching for an escape route. But there was nothing. To defeat Lord El-Melloi, Kiritsugu had drawn the battle to the end of the Einzbern Castle to kill him.
But in that brief glance away… Kirei charged forward.
'Fast?!'
It was too late for Kiritsugu to react with the Calico submachine gun. Kirei had closed the ten-meter distance in less than a second. With a clenched fist, Kirei struck Kiritsugu with full force in the stomach.
Kiritsugu felt some of his ribs break as he flew and crashed into the Einzbern Castle's wall. There was a deformation in the castle's wall where Kiritsugu hit after receiving Kirei's punch.
"I'm curious, Kiritsugu. Why did those two women stand in my way to protect you? Whose intention was it? Under whose orders did they fight me? Was it you, Kiritsugu, who sent them to stop me?"
Kirei asked several questions he wanted answers to at that moment, slowly approaching Kiritsugu. Kirei was genuinely interested in the answers to these questions. Who was the person who placed such a futile obstacle in his path to Kiritsugu? That truth was very important to him. But he wasn't foolish enough to challenge the Servant Berserker to extract answers from the two women; he wasn't idiotic enough to fight one of the most powerful Servants in the Holy Grail War.
Initially, when Irisviel appeared alongside Saber, he and Tokiomi thought she might be Saber's Master, and that Tokiomi was mistaken in thinking the Mage Killer was Saber's Master. But after overhearing the brief conversation between Kiritsugu and Lancer, Kirei discovered that Kiritsugu was indeed Saber's Master.
In that case, it was exactly as he and Tokiomi had known from the start: Emiya Kiritsugu was indeed Saber's Master, and the two women who stood in his way were merely his pawns.
If it was Kiritsugu who ordered the two women to fight him, then he had underestimated him.
Those two women, as opponents, were defeated by him without much effort. Even Irisviel couldn't have defeated him. If it weren't for Berserker's interference, Kirei would be interrogating the two women right now.
There was also the possibility that someone else had ordered them to stand in his way. The Einzbern family's main goal was to hide Kiritsugu as a Master. For that purpose, they would sacrifice anything. They were probably willing to sacrifice lives just to buy some time.
Still, all possibilities led to those questions.
Kirei recalled the woman Berserker called Iri.
It was a doll-like face, far too beautiful and finely crafted. Her red pupils were like rubies. She was exactly like the portrait of the Winter Maiden, Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern, passed down through the ages.
That homunculus should be the puppet responsible for being the Grail's Vessel. Thus, she should be a being of great importance in the final stages of the Holy Grail War. Sending such a pawn to the front lines of the war and exposing her to danger is definitely not a foolish move made by amateurs due to a lack of manpower.
'What was the Einzbern family thinking?'
Kirei observed Kiritsugu carefully. Kiritsugu still hadn't gotten up but sat on the ground, firmly gripping his weapon.
The Calico submachine gun. It wasn't a threat to Kirei. So Kirei approached fearlessly.
'Time Alter.'
With a silent chant, Kiritsugu activated his Magic Crest. A small Bounded Field formed around him. Emiya Kiritsugu raised the Calico, aiming at Kirei.
Kirei raised an eyebrow. That weapon was useless against him, his reinforced clothing, and muscles. When Kirei took another step, he entered the Bounded Field of Kiritsugu's Time Alter.
'Triple Accel.'
Kiritsugu accelerated time threefold, tripling his speed.
Kiritsugu actually accelerates his Blood Flow, Hemoglobin Metabolism, and Muscle Movement all at once.
Using this brief burst of speed, he can utilize his physical skills and reaction speed at a level far beyond human limitations.
Without hesitation, Kiritsugu fired the Calico as he stood up with extremely rapid speed. Kirei managed to react and protect his head with the sleeves of his clothing.
But in that moment when Kirei obstructed his vision, Kiritsugu ran at full speed, enhanced by Triple Accel.
Kiritsugu grabbed a grenade he still had and dropped it at Kirei's feet as he passed by.
The grenade, under the effect of Triple Accel, exploded at Kirei's feet, covering Kirei in thick black smoke.
None of this was in Kiritsugu's plans.
Kiritsugu knew that Berserker had invaded the Einzbern Forest. But he assumed Berserker had come after Caster, like Lord El-Melloi and his Servant Lancer, even though several Familiars were sent out of the Einzbern Forest to search for Berserker's Master.
But instead, Berserker ignored Caster and went after his wife. This truly wasn't in his plans.
In fact, all his plans were being ruined one after another. Whether today or last night, all his plans were destroyed one by one by two people: a man and a Servant, Kotomine Kirei and the black Servant, Berserker.
First, Saber letting Lancer come for his Master, preventing him from killing Lord El-Melloi and eliminating one of the Servants in the Holy Grail War.
Now, this man he didn't want to face appeared before him. All because of Berserker, who let him pass through Maiya and Irisviel in the Einzbern Forest.
'Berserker…'
Kiritsugu thought of the Servant who had an expression similar to that of mages, completely emotionless. An empty expression.
'What does Berserker want, tormenting me?'
If Berserker heard Kiritsugu's thoughts, he would respond immediately. But Berserker wasn't here and also wanted nothing with Kiritsugu.
On the other hand.
Kirei emerged unscathed from the grenade explosion Kiritsugu had left behind as he fled.
'Emiya Kiritsugu is a… coward? No, that can't be possible. He's the infamous Mage Killer; he can't be a cowardly man.'
Kirei, who watched Kiritsugu flee from him, had a strange thought, which he quickly dismissed as absurd and pursued Kiritsugu. Although Kirei's initial thoughts were correct.
Emiya Kiritsugu is a coward.