dmims Page 33
Page 33
"Teacher, to fulfill my father's dying wish, I am willing to give all my Command Seals to you. Now is not the time; the Holy Grail must not be given to anyone else!!"
Kirei Kotomine's words completely convinced the wavering Tokiomi Tohsaka. Tokiomi raised his lowered hand and looked at Kirei Kotomine, whose face was full of excitement, with burning eyes.
"Kirei, I'm glad you think that way. For your father's last wish, I am determined to obtain the Holy Grail. Kirei, once I obtain the Holy Grail, I will definitely go and pay my respects to Mr. Risei!!"
"We will meet. I think my father is also looking forward to seeing you, teacher. Teacher, make the decision!"
Encouraged by Kirei Kotomine's increasingly excited words, and seeing the Hyakko suddenly appear on the screen, Tokiomi Tohsaka slowly raised his right hand.
"In the name of the Command Spell, Gilgamesh, return!"
It has to be said that, under the influence of Kirei Kotomine's Command Seals, Tokiomi Tohsaka, as a traditional magician, straightened his back. So what if you were a king in life? In the Holy Grail War, you are just a familiar. Now that he had confidence, Tokiomi Tohsaka threw his previous servility to the back of his mind. It has to be said that with enough Command Seals, he could speak with confidence!
Under Tokiomi Tohsaka's command, Gilgamesh, who had not yet drawn his EA, once again performed a stop-the-point challenge in public. The golden light disappeared, and Gilgamesh in the scene froze on the spot. Seeing Gilgamesh unable to disobey his orders, Tokiomi Tohsaka felt a sense of exhilaration at turning the tables.
"Kiri, just watch, I'm about to show you something..."
'Pfft—'
"You don't need to perform, teacher, because I'm already satisfied..."
Kirei Kotomine used his Noble Phantasm against his master, causing Tokiomi Tohsaka to suffer double damage. The effect was outstanding, and the story behind it was heartwarming. Under this sudden sneak attack, Tokiomi Tohsaka, with his back to Kirei Kotomine, could only let out a dying "Ahhh" sound.
The hand pressing against the hilt of the sword tightened even more. As the sword Azoth twisted within his body, Tokiomi Tohsaka's neck, which was halfway turned, froze on the spot. His constricted pupils dilated, and his lifeless body slammed heavily onto the carpet.
"Teacher, you are like my father, you never understood my character until the very end."
Blood stained the carpet red along the pierced heart vein. Facing the terror of Tokiomi Tohsaka before his death, the gushing satisfaction made this man, who had been suppressing himself for decades, completely break through his decades of forbearance. The scales of saint and demon were instantly reversed. His facial muscles began to twitch, and Kirei Kotomine let out a maniacal laugh from the bottom of his heart.
"Teacher, please give my regards to my father!!"
With the sound of a sharp weapon tearing through flesh, Azoth's sword was drawn. Without the obstruction of a foreign object, the splattering blood stained the solemn priest's robes with deep red marks.
With a casual toss of the Azoth sword onto the table, Kirei Kotomine stepped over the cold corpse and walked toward the gradually gathering golden light.
"Is this the show you prepared for me? Not bad, Kirei, it wasn't in vain that I waited so long, hahaha—"
After a hearty laugh, Gilgamesh, having removed his armor, stood before Tokiomi Tohsaka's corpse with his hands in his pockets.
“Look, Kirei, how stupid you look when you die.”
Squatting on the ground, Kirei Kotomine looked at those unseeing eyes with a reassuring satisfaction.
"After all, it was in what he considered the safest place, so it's no wonder he was careless."
"You've learned humor so quickly? Such rapid progress deserves praise."
With his hands in his pockets, Gilgamesh, oblivious to the concept of an opponent, straddled the sofa, his crimson eyes, filled with pleasure, fixed on Kirei Kotomine, who was still staring at the corpse.
"So, Kirei, does the feeling of killing your own teacher give you satisfaction?"
"Are you really not in a position to object, Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes?"
A golden goblet emerged from the golden ripples, and the aroma of the divine wine instantly masked the stench of blood in the air.
"As long as you don't bore me, that's fine. Otherwise, Kirei, it will be my turn to test your resolve."
The words of eulogy for the contract were uttered by Kirei Kotomine, ignoring Gilgamesh's threats. The man, whose inner darkness had been awakened, now only wanted more satisfaction.
"I swear that your offerings will become my flesh and blood, Kirei Kotomine, my new Master."
The Command Spell that summons a hundred faces glows red in response to Gilgamesh's reply, and Gilgamesh, who is devoted to pleasure, has also found the VAN he has carefully cultivated.
"Sayonara, Kirei, let's begin, let's bring this comedy to a complete close! The Holy Grail will be the reward afterwards!"
"No objections. Enjoy yourself until you get a satisfactory answer, King of Heroes!"
At this moment, the real Archer team appeared.
Chapter 83 The Appearing Insects and the Thrown Bait
Rewinding the timeline slightly, in a bustling bar, office workers venting their desires pounded on the wooden floor, their clattering echoing through the heavy doors into the basement. A lost drunkard, bottle in hand, pushed open the heavy door, muttering curses about his life's misfortunes. A sudden chill dispelled the smell of alcohol, and Richuan, shivering and spitting, pulled his coat tighter around himself and tried to leave.
A rustling sound arose, and his raised foot sank. His drunken eyes looked down and saw several black, slimy insects crawling on his shoe and gnawing at it. Under the influence of alcohol, Richuan Gangban didn't have time to think about what kind of creatures they were. The frustrations of his life were triggered, and he kicked the fleshy insects away.
"When did it become your turn, you worm, to disgust your grandpa Hikawa? My shoes are genuine leather, you piece of shit, just as disgusting as that bastard Ogiwara!"
The heavy soles of his shoes slammed down, and the slimy marking insects burst open instantly, splashing foul-smelling bodily fluids all over Hikawa's face. The anger that had been suppressed in his heart was completely ignited. The man, who lifted his foot to vent his resentment at the wriggling insect corpses, was completely unaware of the swarm of insects crawling forward behind him.
With the replenishment of fresh flesh and blood, the humanoid shape, which was initially fixed by the wriggling marking insects, began to solidify. Riding on a cane, Zouken Matou slowly emerged from the sticky sea of insects.
"The Holy Grail! My lifelong wish cannot end here! The Holy Grail! The Holy Grail!!"
Like the piercing laughter of a sharp object scraping against glass, the pool of blood on the ground, under the wriggling of insects, outlined a magic circle summoning a servant. In the center of the magic circle, a hundred-faced split personality that had lost consciousness was gradually engulfed by the wriggling swarm of insects.
“From...As...ssin...call.”
Taking advantage of a loophole in the summoning system and relying on the remains of Hyakko, Zouken Matou summoned an Assassin with a damaged spirit origin, much like in the Heaven's Feel arc. Lancelot's Command Seals lit up, and he tossed a Crest Worm covered in carapace to his Cursed Arm. Zouken Matou's figure then disappeared back into the shadows as the swarm of worms writhed.
"Eat it."
Under the hoarse, decaying command, the crested worm that housed the Berserker's spirit origin fragment was picked up. The writhing worm exploded with foul-smelling blood under the bite of the cursed arm, and the fragments belonging to a first-rate Servant completely repaired the cursed arm's damaged spirit origin, and a gleam called reason flashed in the cursed arm's eyes.
"Servant, Assassin. I answer your call from within the shadows."
"Assassin, find me some bait, my children are hungry."
Amidst the rustling of the swarming insects, the cursed wrists, which only obeyed commands and never considered right or wrong, gradually faded. The insect chirping subsided, and the dimly lit basement returned to silence.
The scorching yellow sand disappeared, the eroded world returned to silence, the fragrance of flowers filled the nostrils again, and as the inherent barrier shattered, the golden light of the vanished illuminating the entire garden. Picking up the wine glass on the table, Iskandar drank the last cup of wine that marked the end of the banquet.
"That's all for tonight."
Setting down his wine cup, the Divine Wheel descended amidst a burst of lightning. Leading up Weber, who was crouching on the ground, Iskadar strode onto the chariot that embodied his path to conquest.
"Wait, Rider, I haven't..."
"You don't need to say anything more. I already understand what you mean. Just like what you're wearing today, being a king is a shackle for you. Just be an innocent little girl, Saber!"
With a flick of the reins, the divine ox, which had been waiting on the ground, immediately began to pound the paving stones it had laid. Under the spreading divine lightning, the divine wheel of power lifted the two of them slowly into the air.
"The responsibility of being called king is a curse for you. Lancer's words are very insightful, so I won't say anything more. Since you have already taken off the armor that symbolizes kingship, perhaps maintaining your current appearance is a better choice for you."
'drink--!'
With a flick of the reins, Iskardar, along with Weber, left the chaotic venue. Morgan withdrew his gaze from Iskardar, quite pleased with the latter's last comment, and quietly removed the curse spell. Turning to look at the frozen Artoria, Morgan disappeared into the Einzbern castle amidst a flurry of raven feathers.
On a distant hilltop, Red A, carrying a camera, breathed a sigh of relief after seeing the other Servants disperse. Recognizing the magic used by the King of Conquerors, Red A's sense of crisis regarding this Holy Grail War rose to a new level.
"Archer, stay close to Saber."
Kiritsugu Emiya's prompt came through the headset. After a brief moment of distraction, Archer noticed Artoria, who had already left the castle looking distraught. Dropping the shoulder-mounted camera, Archer, now in spirit form, immediately followed Artoria from a distance. Shortly after Archer disappeared, Morgan's figure reappeared. After recording Archer's remaining magical power, Morgan's figure returned to darkness.
Led by Artoria, Archer gradually approached the residence where Kenneth was located. Through Archer's eyes, Kiritsugu Emiya was monitoring his former Servant. With the help of Touko Aozaki, Kenneth was also monitoring Kiritsugu Emiya, who was trying to monitor him. In this Russian doll-like cycle, under Morgan's arrangement, Artoria, whose heart was broken once again, staggered and pushed open the door of Kenneth's base.
Having usurped Gilgamesh's throne, Archer, perched on a lamppost, solemnly surveyed the magic workshop below, which could now be described as a fortress. As Kenneth entered and opened the warehouse, Archer, with the aid of Hawkeye, immediately spotted a silver glint bound to the wall by mercury. At the same time, extinguishing his cigarette, Kiritsugu Emiya focused his attention on the screen before him.
"Archer, could you come any closer? Let me check on the condition of the Lesser Grail."
At Kiritsugu Emiya's request, Archer, avoiding the reconnaissance barrier below, approached the heavily sealed warehouse from a different direction. Through the broken roof tiles, he could see Irisviel's soulless and unconscious body firmly bound to the ground. He couldn't sense any intelligence in her empty eyes. Taking a deep breath, Archer awaited Kiritsugu Emiya's instructions.
Have they lost themselves?
Looking at his wife, Kiritsugu Emiya, who had murdered his father and mother for his ideals, lit a cigarette between his lips. As he exhaled the thin smoke, he extinguished the slight tremor in his heart. The man named Kiritsugu Emiya readjusted his emotions.
"Let's retreat, Archer. Our objective has been achieved. Now we need to carefully plan our strategy regarding the Lesser Grail."
Following Kiritsugu Emiya's request, Archer quietly left Kenneth's Workshop. The cigarette in his mouth burned out, erasing all memories from his mind. The man named Kiritsugu Emiya once again solidified his ideal of becoming a partner of justice.
Chapter 84 The Blade of Truth
Having severed his connection with Archer, Kiritsugu Emiya fell into deep thought. As a man who had dedicated his life's ideals to the Holy Grail, Kiritsugu Emiya absolutely could not allow the Holy Grail to fall into the hands of others. Time continued to pass, and Archer, who had already returned, did not disturb the man who was lost in thought, but calmly watched Kiritsugu Emiya, who was shrouded in shadow.
"Archer, are you confident you can infiltrate without alerting those two Servants?"
Faced with Kiritsugu Emiya's bold assumption, Archer responded to his still-obsessed adoptive father with silence. Realizing that his request was indeed a bit outrageous, Kiritsugu Emiya shook his head and began to sift through things that could be used.
Once Kenneth confirmed that Archer (Red Archer) had reunited with Kiritsugu Emiya, he turned his gaze to Artoria, who had been glaring at Karna. As if oblivious to the tense atmosphere between the two Servants, he used the Moon Spirit Elixir to hand out tea to them. Only then did Artoria turn her angry gaze to Kenneth, who was sitting in the boss's chair.
"Despicable!! You're Lancer's Master, aren't you? I didn't expect you to be connected with Mo... Sister."
Raising an eyebrow, Kenneth, sitting in the boss's chair, completely ignored Artoria's angry glare. He added a piece of sugar to his teacup and calmly stirred it a few times.
"Saber, remember your place. You are now just Caster's familiar. Your presence here is merely a transaction between me and her. Since when has the Holy Grail War ever had a requirement that alliances are forbidden? You call me despicable, and I don't deny it. I am a true villain. Thank you for your praise."
In his past life, Kenneth might have actually been able to cast a spell on Artoria through a screen, but now, it's just a mere ahoge (antenna-like hair sticking up). Kenneth had no interest in paying attention to her at all. He glanced at Artoria's flushed face, put down his tea, and walked towards the cubicle behind him.
"Your task is to stay here, and it's best to show up in the yard every now and then. Cooperate well with my actions, and your android friend will soon get a new body."
The door closed, and Kenneth's voice disappeared completely. After a while, without paying attention to Artoria, who was standing still with her fists clenched, Karna walked to the table with a serious expression and began to tidy up the somewhat messy tabletop for Kenneth.
"Lancer, what's going on?"
Even though her first impression of Karna was already at rock bottom, Artoria, who had acknowledged his martial arts skills, found it hard to understand why a hero like Lancer would treat his Master like a servant, especially since she herself only referred to Irisviel as a friend.
"I'm organizing data for Master. Master will come back to review it after I finish my work."
Realizing that Karna hadn't understood her meaning, Artoria took a deep breath, unsure how to express her doubts. After methodically categorizing the documents by time, her "poor man's insight" kicked in, and Karna instantly understood Artoria's inner turmoil.
“These are all minor matters. I have no desire to entrust the Holy Grail to. My purpose in being is to fulfill Master’s wishes. Master has entrusted his future to me, and I will use all my strength to fulfill his expectations.”
The knightly declaration echoed in Artoria's ears, and a look of surprise flashed in her pale green eyes as she looked at Karna's ever-calm face. Artoria found it hard to connect the other person with the image in her mind.
"By the way, Saber, a knight asked me to pass on a message to you."
With her ahoge sticking up, Artoria looked at Karna, who stood before the desk like a sculpture, with a puzzled expression.
"sorry."
With a completely flat tone, Artoria froze. Karna, realizing that Artoria's mind was blank, was also stunned. After a long while, Artoria looked at the stone-like Karna with a complicated expression.
"Um, that knight you mentioned, could it be yourself?"
After a moment of surprise, Karna, who had read Artoria's thoughts, revealed a troubled expression. He closed his eyes, and only after obtaining Kenneth's permission did Karna look at Artoria, whose expression had become increasingly confident.
"It wasn't me. It was a knight driven mad by regret. During our battle, I sensed a heart as clear as a lake behind his anger. In his final moments, he asked me to apologize to you. He was a true warrior, and I could feel his determination to seek redemption."
As Karna described her in such a detailed way, Artoria's body trembled uncontrollably. Thinking of the knight who had fallen into madness but still remembered her, Artoria's heart was in turmoil again. As an honest person, Karna, who had learned to speak his mind under Kenneth's tutelage, revealed his feelings without reservation.
"He was filled with remorse, regretting not returning to your side at the last moment. He was tormented until his death, hating the version of himself that ran away. He feared standing before you. On his deathbed, he made a wish to see you one last time. He wanted to atone for his mistakes, he wanted you to punish him for the heinous crime he had committed..."
"Enough!! Lancer, what do you know? It's all my fault, all my fault! If I hadn't drawn the sword back then, none of this would have happened. It was my fault, I let down those who have always followed me. Britain is..."
As a gentle person, even though Karna had already read Artoria's mind, he did not interrupt her emotional outburst. Gazing at the Knight King who bore a resemblance to Caster, Karna silently waited for her emotions to subside.
"Knight King, my eyes have seen your past. Master taught me that truth cannot be spoken in half, so please listen patiently."
Calmly observing Artoria's obsession, Karna continued the words he had previously refrained from saying.
"In their hearts, you will always be the king who guides them. They have never regretted following you; what they regret is not being able to accompany you to the very end. So, the last king of the Age of Gods, you need not be troubled by those rumors, nor regret your destined end. The praise of the world is the affirmation of your deeds. There is no need for self-blame. Find the self you were when you drew your sword. Didn't you already have the answer then?"
As she spoke, Artoria's fists clenched and relaxed repeatedly. Sensing Artoria's inner struggle, Karna, who had finished speaking, left space for Artoria, who was caught in her own thoughts.
Chapter 85 The Bait Thrown Out
In the church of Fuyuki City, Kirei Kotomine, who had already joined the ranks of tax evaders, listened attentively to Gilgamesh's teachings.
"Kiri, do you know that even without conscious awareness, the soul instinctively pursues pleasure? This inner activity manifests as interest, and when your interest is fulfilled, your heart will be immensely satisfied. Do you know that? That is pleasure."
"Pleasure?"
Recalling the shock Tokiomi felt after being betrayed by him, Kirei Kotomine couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth, the overwhelming sense of satisfaction bringing him to an instant peak.
"That's right, this is pleasure. Pleasure is a treasure that can fill the emptiness in your heart, a seed that sprouts in your heart. Think back to the feeling when you plunged the sword into the body of the teacher who trusted you, that satisfied expression. This is what you have been craving."
Seeing Kirei Kotomine become increasingly excited, Gilgamesh let out a wildly satisfied laugh.
"Say it, Kirei, it seems you've grasped the meaning of pleasure. Well then, I'll give you a chance to prove yourself. How will you face the daughter you left behind, Tokiomi? Will you kill her?"
His trembling body stopped, and Kirei Kotomine looked at Gilgamesh, who was swirling red wine in his glass, with a maniacal expression. Remembering Rin Tohsaka, whom he had sent back, Kirei Kotomine couldn't help but laugh wildly.
"No, I want to keep her. I want her to live in ignorance, to trust me, to depend on me. I also want to give her the sword that killed her father. I want her to grow up under the care of me, her father's killer! Hahaha—"
"Oh, that's a good idea. Go on."
Upon receiving Kirei Kotomine's reply, the red light in Gilgamesh's eyes faded, and he downed the red wine in his glass in one gulp. Gilgamesh then looked at Kirei Kotomine, who was still laughing wildly, with an amused expression.
"Drink—drink—"
Perhaps because he was laughing too wildly, Kirei Kotomine, who didn't have Gilgamesh's lung capacity, bent over and gasped for breath. He grabbed the muscles in his face that were contorted from laughing wildly, and his eyes were wide open. Kirei Kotomine was about to burst into a burst of satisfaction.
"That expression, ah, how beautiful! When she learns the truth, what kind of expression will she show when she faces me, her senior brother, the one who has always helped her and is her father's killer? Will it be anger? Despair? Or will she be crushed by reality and unable to recover? Ah! Sabarasi, what satisfaction I will gain! This is what I have always been pursuing!!"
With an expectant look at Gilgamesh, who was grinning crookedly, Kirei Kotomine, who had completely fallen from grace, looked at Gilgamesh, who was sitting in front of him, as if he were a saint praying for a blessing.
"Archer, I can't wait! Let's wreak havoc! The Holy Grail, that omnipotent wish-granting machine, what a delightful world it will create!!"