dmims Chapter 107 Two-way journey
Chapter 107 Two-way journey
A light mist enveloped Einzbern Castle on the outskirts of Fuyuki City in the early morning.
This fairytale-like European-style building is quiet and desolate.
In the forest, there were no cries of birds or beasts, only the sharp whistling of blades tearing through the air echoing from the courtyard.
"call!"
With a crisp shout, the holy sword drew a perfect semicircle in the air.
The violent wind pressure instantly dispersed the surrounding morning mist, sweeping up the fallen leaves on the ground and into the air.
Artoria was dressed in a blue and white knight's uniform, her golden hair fluttering slightly in the wind.
Her forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, indicating that she had been practicing vibratory exercises at a very high intensity.
At this moment, Artoria's emerald eyes were clear as water, like two exquisite jades that had been polished anew, exuding a sharpness and tenacity that made people afraid to look directly at her.
He was completely different from how he looked when he faced the berserker at the dock last night.
"Saber, let's take a rest."
Wearing a thick white fur coat and carrying a steaming cup of black tea, Irisviel walked with a pained expression to the edge of the courtyard.
Upon hearing the call from her acting Master, Artoria immediately sheathed her sword.
She walked quickly to Irisviel, bowed slightly, and accepted the black tea.
"I'm sorry, Irisviel, for leaving you in the cold wind with me."
"It's okay. Seeing you recover makes me happier than anything else."
Irisviel reached out and gently tidied Artoria's messy sideburns.
"Last night at the dock... you went through something so cruel, I'm really worried you'll stay depressed forever."
"...I was once blinded by regret and almost made a terrible mistake." Artoria held the warm teacup, her gaze fixed on the direction of Fuyuki City.
Artoria took a deep breath, her tone filled with absolute royal pride:
"He's right. If I don't even have the courage to look Lord Lancelot in the eye, then I would be the one who truly insults this bond between ruler and subject."
I cannot let the shadows of the past hold me back, whether for the sake of that unfinished miracle or to protect you behind me…
She raised her head, facing the rising sun, her gaze unwavering:
"The next time I encounter that effortless 'Knight King' on the battlefield, I will never back down."
I will prove to him that even if my country is destroyed, the benevolent rule I uphold is by no means a worthless joke!
Looking at Artoria, who had regained her radiance and was even more dazzling than before, Irisviel smiled with satisfaction:
"Yes! I believe in you, Saber. You will definitely win this war!"
……
In the dark, windowless room on the second floor of the castle, the atmosphere was the complete opposite of the warmth of the courtyard.
Kiritsugu Emiya sat at his workbench, surrounded by the pungent smell of tobacco.
His eyes were bloodshot, and a pile of blurry photos taken last night by Wu Mi using a night vision drone and sniper scope were scattered on the table in front of him.
The photo shows a rain of golden weapons falling from the sky, and a male King Arthur scattering the magical artifacts with his bare hands using wind pressure.
"Kiritsugu, the battle analysis from last night is in."
Hisayu Maiya handed over a report with a blank expression, but her voice also revealed a sense of powerlessness in the face of the situation.
Kiritsugu took the report, his brows furrowing deeply, forming a deep frown.
"That old fox Tokiomi Tohsaka..." Kiritsugu coldly analyzed the situation.
"If Saber were to face the Tohsaka family's forces head-on, even if there was a chance of winning one-on-one, she would be caught in a pincer attack by another monster, resulting in a zero chance of victory."
"Can we just use physical explosives or sniping to destroy the Tohsaka Mansion?" Maiya asked.
"It won't work." Kiritsugu immediately rejected the tempting idea, his eyes flashing with the apprehension of a seasoned assassin.
"Top-tier Heroic Spirits of that caliber, even when asleep, can easily detect killing intent and projectile trajectories from several kilometers away through their intuition or sense of danger."
Moreover, the Tohsaka Mansion was originally a magical fortress.
If we rashly attempt an assassination using firearms, and fail to kill with a single blow, we will face devastating retaliation from two exceptionally powerful Heroic Spirits.
Kiritsugu crossed out the circle representing "Tokiomi Tohsaka" on the tactics board in front of him, and then slammed the tip of his pen heavily onto another name.
Kirei Kotomine.
"A head-on confrontation is suicide. To win the Holy Grail War, we must bypass those two mountains. Currently, there's not much of a chance, but..."
Kiritsugu tapped his finger on Kirei Kotomine's photo.
"Kirei Kotomine, Tokiomi Tohsaka's disciple, the Master who controls Assassins... Hah... also from the Tohsaka family."
Kiritsugu produced an extremely thick resume, information he had purchased at great expense from within the Church.
He analyzed:
"Kirei Kotomine is proficient in Bajiquan and is an elite among the agents."
But throughout his life he kept changing his goals, seemingly uninterested in anything, yet he excelled at everything he did.
This kind of man, devoid of worldly desires and executing orders like a machine, could also be a variable in this game of chess.
Kiritsugu issued the order:
"Maiya, from now on abandon all surveillance of the Tohsaka residence and transfer all reconnaissance resources to Kirei Kotomine."
We need to lure him out of the Tohsaka family's protective circle... at least reduce some of their fighting strength first.
……
Inside the basement of the church in Fuyuki City.
Kirei Kotomine stood quietly in front of the huge cross, holding a document in his hand as well.
The cover of the document prominently displays: Emiya Kiritsugu.
Last night, the Demon King Gilgamesh's whispers were like a rusty key.
He forcefully opened the door to "pleasure" in Kirei's heart.
Go to those pains, despair, and struggles... only there will you find your feast.
As Kirei looked at Kiritsugu's information, a rare, fervent ripple appeared in his usually stagnant eyes.
This man named Kiritsugu Emiya seems willing to kill his own father and adoptive mother for some absurd idea.
He transformed himself into a ruthless killing machine; deep within his heart must have been filled with pain, struggle, and distortion that ordinary people could not comprehend.
"What... exactly are you searching for?" Kirei murmured to himself, his fingertips pressing hard on the paper of the document until they turned white.
He had a vague feeling that Tokiomi Tohsaka's tedious pursuit of the Holy Grail, or even his yearning for the origins of magic, could not fill the emptiness in his heart.
Only by completely dissecting the heart of Emiya Kiritsugu...
Only by experiencing his extreme pain and witnessing his despair as he struggles between ideals and reality can one find the true answer.
"Assassin." Kirei's voice echoed in the empty basement.
In the shadows, an assassin wearing a skull mask quietly emerged.
Kirei Kotomine turned around, and a very subtle yet chilling smile appeared on his usually expressionless face.
"Keep a close eye on the Einzberns. I need to know everything Kiritsugu Emiya does."