My Fates Codex of Type-Moon Chapter 46

"Ire: sanctio!" (Tracking: Annihilate)

Receiving the order, the mercury spread out like fine mist, conducting a carpet search across the entire first floor once more. The mercury sphere immediately located the target and rolled rapidly across the floor, moving with urgency. Ken's mouth curved into a sadistic smile as he ran behind.

The chase had begun.

There was a difference between the anime and the original novel. In the novel, the Volumen Hydrargyrum was directly contained in a ceramic jar, totaling ten liters, like carrying an urn of ashes... Director Ken's imposing presence was instantly diminished by holding such an item. In the anime, it was changed to a single test tube, and his stylishness soared.

As mentioned before, the intermediary who purchased the land for the Einzbern family was the magical administrator of Fuyuki City, the Tohsaka family.

Even if Tokiomi Tohsaka had acted like a gentleman and refrained from any underhanded tactics before, it didn't mean he would be so pedantic as to not set up surveillance during the Holy Grail War.

Especially in the dire situation of having lost Assassin.

Although the vast forest prevented the familiars from conducting a comprehensive search, Tokiomi Tohsaka's familiars arrived at the scene shortly after the magical conflict, providing the magus with vision.

It was a massive free-for-all between Berserker, Lancer, and Saber.

While Lancer had come to Saber's aid in a moment of crisis, it didn't mean they were allies; it was merely a mutual respect between fellow individuals of chivalry.

Saber's objective was to stop intruders, and Lancer, who had also entered the forest with his Master, was within her scope of interception, in addition to Berserker.

Lancer's objective was to prevent anyone from disturbing Ken's battle for revenge, so while preventing Berserker from attacking Saber, he couldn't allow Saber to be free either.

As for Berserker... he attacked anyone he saw and didn't care about alliances or animosity from the start.

It was precisely because of this that the conflict between the three Servants had fallen into a strange stalemate, unable to determine a victor until now.

In Tokiomi Tohsaka's eyes, the significance of the three Servants appearing was far more important than their current battle.

"The lord of the Clock Tower has invaded Einzbern; is he here to avenge last night's battle? Facing Ken, who is only one step away from the Crown, the Einzbern homunculi have a low chance of winning... But why is Berserker fighting Einzbern today? Who is the Matou family's Master?"

Speaking of the Matou family, Tokiomi Tohsaka inevitably thought of his, no, his former daughter, Sakura.

Over the past year, although Tokiomi Tohsaka maintained distance from Sakura, who had severed ties with him, he couldn't resist the pleas of his wife and daughter and still visited the Matou Estate to meet Sakura.

At that time, Sakura Matou's hair and eye color had already turned purple, and the person standing behind her was not the old Matou patriarch, Zouken Matou, but Kariya Matou, who wielded water magic.

Setting aside the abnormalities of the Matou family (which were repaired after being blown up), Kariya Matou's inexplicable hostility towards him also puzzled Tokiomi Tohsaka.

But even if Kariya Matou participated in the Holy Grail War... he should have chosen to oppose the Tohsaka family; why would he become an enemy of Einzbern?

While racking his brain, he didn't notice a subtle fluctuation in the Tohsaka family's barrier, but it quickly disappeared.

A black shadow, resembling Assassin, appeared at the entrance of the Tohsaka mansion, looking up at the silent house.

Please note, this is not an act.

Repeat.

This is not an act.

A stern-faced, short-haired man in a black clerical robe and an imposing physique was walking on the other side of the forest.

Kirei Kotomine had no intention of interfering in the battle. The eastern side of the forest was highly likely to become the battlefield, as enemies from Fuyuki would typically think of attacking from that direction.

Therefore, Kirei guarded the outer edge of the western forest, waiting for the battle to commence. When the battle unfolded in the east as he predicted, he intended to gamble on the chance to launch a surprise attack on the castle from behind the battlefield.

He was not unaware of the existence of the alert barrier; rather, it was precisely because of it that he walked over so brazenly.

The reason was simple: Kirei Kotomine was anticipating the arrival of that participant from the Einzbern faction.

Kiritsugu Emiya.

He desperately wanted to find answers from this man.

However, what he didn't know was that several people closely related to Kiritsugu Emiya stood between him and his wish.

For example, two women who had originally intended to flee but returned to the battlefield to protect the same man.

"Bang bang bang bang!" The hail of gunfire roared.

But before that, the calm-faced priest had already crouched down, pinpointed the enemy's location from the direction of the gunshots, and fired two Black Keys.

The dull thud of the blades piercing the tree trunks echoed.

"...Hm?" Missing the target, Kirei was somewhat surprised by the outcome.

In a moment of stunned silence, gunfire erupted from his left. Although Kirei managed to dodge at the last second, this situation was even more perilous than the previous gunfire. His reaction was slightly delayed due to his earlier conclusion that there was only one enemy.

But it was truly strange. The locations of the two shots were completely different, and the opponent's movement speed was too fast. If there had been two gunmen from the beginning, they should have coordinated their timing and used crossfire to snipe him.

Before his doubts were resolved, Kirei Kotomine sensed four more presences. He immediately drew two Black Keys in each hand, totaling four.

After an instinctive reaction, the experienced Kirei Kotomine suddenly realized something.

"This must be... an illusion?"

This was not impossible. He had already entered quite deep into the forest barrier. If the barrier incorporated illusionary magic, and there was a mage nearby who could manipulate magic, they could disrupt his senses specifically.

Was the invisible sniper indeed only one person? If there was only one, was he also the one manipulating the illusions? Or was someone else providing support...

Regardless, until he found a clue to break through the magic, he could only dance to the enemy's tune.

The priest, clad in his robes, raised the four Black Keys and rapidly threw them towards the four presences—they all missed their targets.

Immediately afterward, the bursting bullets struck him in the back.

These were high-speed bullets whose presence he couldn't even perceive. The barrier set up in the Einzbern forest could not only create illusions to deceive enemies but also mask true killing intent.

This third shot was the real killing blow.

Maiya Hisau, who had planned this battle, slowly lowered her rifle.

Under Irisviel's illusionary cover, the .300 Winchester Magnum round passed through the position Kirei had cleared with Black Keys, covering over a hundred meters with almost no killing intent, and accurately struck Kirei Kotomine's spine.

Given the destructive power of the Walther WA2000, Maiya was certain the target's spinal cord had been severed.

Kirei Kotomine reacted as Maiya had imagined, not even having time to scream before falling backward, neither spasming nor moaning in pain.

He must have been shot through the spine as planned and died instantly, Maiya judged, standing up from her sniper position. She aimed the Calico submachine gun in her hand at the fallen Kirei and cautiously approached him.

"Miss Maiya, you mustn't!" Irisviel immediately recognized this as a trap and sent a telepathic warning to Maiya, but it was already too late.

Kirei, still lying down, didn't get up. With a flick of his arm, he fired a hidden Black Key. The Black Key, fired from a low trajectory, grazed Maiya's right calf, causing her to miss the opportunity for her next move.

The next moment, the tall figure in black sprang up like a coiled spring and charged towards Maiya.

Maiya, unfazed, raised her gun to fire. But Kirei didn't even dodge, merely blocking his head and face with his hands. The collar and sleeves of his formal robe were made of Kevlar fiber, and a layer of special protective magic, unique to Church Executors, was tightly woven into the fabric. A 9mm bullet, even at point-blank range, would be incapable of penetrating it.

Even so, the kinetic energy of two hundred and fifty feet per second fired ten times in a second struck Kirei's body repeatedly, like being hit by a metal baseball bat. But his muscles, trained to the peak of perfection, acted like armor, completely protecting his bones and internal organs from the impact.

Realizing Kirei was wearing a bulletproof vest all over, Maiya immediately dropped the Calico submachine gun and drew a Rambo knife from her thigh.

In contrast to the resistance of Kevlar fiber against bullets, it had the characteristic of being easily cut by sharp blades. If guns were useless, close combat was the only way to survive.

As the barrage of gunfire ceased, Kirei drew a new Black Key in each hand and launched a cross slash at Maiya from both sides. Maiya, not slowed down by her injured right leg, deflected the consecutive attacks of the Black Keys with the heavy blade of her knife.

Although the Black Key's length far exceeded that of a tactical combat knife, it was still a reinforced throwing weapon. In close combat, compared to the Black Key, which lacked balance due to its extremely short handle, Maiya's tactical combat knife held a decisive advantage due to its flexibility.

"There's an opening!"

Sensing her advantage, Maiya lunged forward in a half-sacrificial posture—it was difficult for the Black Key to defend against an attack at this range, and even if she were counterattacked, the chance of serious injury was low.

Kirei met Maiya's right hand with his own Black Key, seemingly intending to counterattack with the length of the blade. The shadow of the blade flashed as it lunged forward, crossing with the dagger. Maiya, prepared for this, easily dodged the counterattack, tilting her head slightly to avoid the tip of the Black Key, and thus broke into the enemy's embrace.

But just as Maiya was certain victory was within her grasp, Kirei made an unexpected move that greatly surprised her.

Their right hands crossed like a cross-counter in boxing—but Kirei's right hand, which should have been holding the Black Key, was empty. He had let go of the weapon halfway through the thrust.

This meant Kirei's right hand had never intended to stab Maiya with the Black Key from the start.

His strong, well-built fingers wrapped around Maiya's right wrist. His tall, upright figure in the black robe bent like a snake, slipping under Maiya's right arm. The next second, Kirei, in a posture similar to helping an injured person over one's shoulder, slung Maiya's right arm behind her shoulder.

In the face of an inescapable, fatal despair, Maiya realized she had been deceived by the preconceived notion that her opponent was an Executor using Black Keys. This move was from a Chinese martial art, Bajiquan!

In fatal despair, Kirei's side pressed tightly against Maiya's waist. He struck Maiya's solar plexus with his left elbow, and his left foot delivered a precise blow to Maiya's supporting leg.

The most iconic move of Bajiquan—the "Li Men Ding Zhou"!

Maiya couldn't even manage to roll and landed heavily on the ground. The intense impact made her feel as if her limbs had completely detached, leaving her paralyzed and unable to move. All she felt was the searing pain in her chest from the elbow strike, with at least two ribs broken.

Although a single blow incapacitated Maiya Hisau, Kirei did not stop there.

Kirei Kotomine's sole target was Kiritsugu Emiya, and he had no particular attachment to Maiya Hisau. Therefore, he clenched his fist, preparing to deliver a finishing blow to the enemy before him.

And at that very moment, a clear and resonant call rang out.

"Shape ist leben!" (Forms, gain life!)

That was this morning.

"Kirei Kotomine... why are you suddenly talking about him?" the golden-eyed young man asked, handing Saber some snacks he'd bought by the roadside, a look of confusion on his face.

"Hmm, while it's a bit underhanded to gather information like this, you're the only one who has had contact with Kirei Kotomine, so..." Irisviel said, her face slightly flushed, taking a deep breath. "I want to know what kind of abilities that man, whom even Kiritsugu is extremely wary of, possesses!"

"Ho~~" Sakutsuki narrowed his eyes, hinting, "Isn't it because you sensed that man is getting closer to Kiritsugu Emiya, and it's making you jealous?"

"N-n-no way! How could that be!" Irisviel denied frantically, waving her hands.

"Airi, forbidden feelings between two men are not allowed," Saber reminded her softly from the side.

"How is that possible, Saber!" Irisviel's face turned bright red as her inner secret was exposed. She playfully punched the Knight King, who had no idea what was going on.

"Hahaha... Alright, I won't tease you anymore," Sakutsuki said after a moment of laughter, returning to the main topic. "Kirei Kotomine is a very dangerous individual. If you don't count me, his strength is among the top in this Holy Grail War, comparable to Kayneth."

"Kayneth... Then what about Kiritsugu? Who is stronger between him and Kirei Kotomine?" the silver-haired, red-eyed homunculus asked, her confused expression like that of a child asking if Ultraman could beat a monster.

To this, Sakutsuki shook his head mercilessly. "Regrettably, no."

"No way..."

"He's right, Irisviel," Saber chimed in, offering a fair assessment. "Regardless, Kiritsugu is an assassin; his strength lies in surprise attacks. As for Kirei Kotomine, being called an Executor of the Church, his overall capabilities will surely surpass Kiritsugu Emiya."

"Precisely," Sakutsuki nodded. "Kirei Kotomine is not a genius; he merely puts in ten times the effort others do. But precisely because of this, all his qualities have reached first-class standards."

"He has the Black Keys of the Church Executor from afar, and close-quarters Chinese martial arts like Bajiquan. His robe not only protects against bullets but also against magic, not to mention his will is as firm as rock, making ordinary illusions useless. Unless you can achieve absolute dominance in raw power like Saber and I, it will be difficult for you to find an opportunity to win."

"You can't say that. What Kiritsugu taught me wasn't just driving skills," Irisviel said indignantly, puffing out her cheeks.

"I know, and also the refinement magic that you Einzberns are best at, right?" the golden-eyed young man pierced through Irisviel's trump card with a single sentence. "But the problem is, as an Executor of the Church, how few mages has Kirei Kotomine encountered?"

Mages who are wanted by the Church are those who have delved too deep or too far down the path of magic, even endangering the world, which is why the Church issues kill orders—no matter how innate Irisviel's talent, she couldn't compare to those wanted criminals who had immersed themselves in the demonic path for decades.

"If you absolutely must encounter Kirei Kotomine and Saber is not there to protect you, Irisviel, you have only one path," the young man said, looking at Saber and raising his index finger. "Unleash all your magic at once, restrain Kirei Kotomine, and then... run!"

"Run as far as you can!" Sakutsuki's tone was resolute.

"Preferably to my side!" Saber's voice was firm.

Irisviel couldn't help but laugh and cry at their seamless coordination. After a long moment, she said, "You two... have such great chemistry."

"Huh? We do?" Saber's ahoge twitched.

"I'll take that as a compliment," the young man with golden eyes said with a sly smile, nodding as if it were a serious matter.

The memory ended there. Irisviel's beautiful red eyes fixed on Kirei Kotomine. The numerous magic circuits within her body activated in unison, summoning the signature specialty of the Einzbern family.

"Shape ist leben!" (Form, gain life!)

The magic was completed in a short, two-measure chant. Silver threads wove back and forth, drawing arcs and forming intricate outlines. They intertwined and tangled, like weaving wickerwork, creating a complex three-dimensional object. Majestic wings and a sharp beak, along with feet bearing sharp talons. The exquisite silver thread creation mimicked a giant eagle.

No, it wasn't just a mimicry of its appearance—

"Kyeeee!" The silver thread eagle let out a sharp cry, like metal blades grinding against each other. It spread its wings from Irisviel's arm and soared into the air. This was a hastily created artificial lifeform born from alchemy. Irisviel, now facing a life-or-death situation, entrusted her life to this "weapon."

The eagle flew at bullet-like speed, far exceeding Kirei's imagination. He immediately twisted his body, barely dodging. The razor-sharp beak grazed his nose.

The first attack missed. The silver alchemical creation immediately soared high, circling above Kirei's head like a true eagle hunting on the plains. It swooped down rapidly with its talons extended, aiming for Kirei's face.