My Fates Codex of Type-Moon Chapter 48

This move perfectly showcased the advantage of Volumen Hydrargyrum's adaptability. The fluid manipulation magecraft was both precise and flawless, a technique that could undoubtedly be called the ultimate skill of the prestigious El-Melloi family.

However, the very instant Sir Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald successfully executed this perfect magecraft, which was the culmination of mental power and skill—his fate had already reached its end.

Please continue reading! Turn to the last page to finish, so we can get read data. Thank you! (King's adorable pose.jpg)

"Bang, bang, bang!"

Within the arena formed by the magical barriers, two figures were fiercely battling.

They had discarded their weapons and their magecraft, engaging only with fists and feet. Yet, the momentum was fierce, the shockwaves they generated even kicking up the surrounding fallen leaves, forming miniature tornadoes.

Although he inherited Emiya's physical capabilities as a Heroic Spirit, D-rank Strength was not unattainable for ordinary people. Moreover, Emiya himself became a guardian in an era where mystery was fading, so he naturally wouldn't possess the divine power of a mythical hero.

Facing him was a top-tier agent of the Church, Kirei Kotomine, who had practiced internal martial arts since childhood. With Sakutsuki intentionally holding back, there was no significant difference in their physical abilities.

The renowned military strategy book, "The Book of Five Rings," dedicated considerable space to the importance of balancing "body and spirit," and "technique and mind" in training—the unity of "mind, technique, and body"—to signify the perfection of one's practice.

Both Kirei Kotomine and Sakutsuki were individuals of strong will. With their "body" being nearly equal, only "technique" could distinguish them.

Coincidentally, the martial arts they employed originated from the same school—Bajiquan.

His clothing had already been changed into his spiritual attire. Sakutsuki took a deep breath and stepped forward, instantly closing the distance of several meters to Kirei Kotomine.

This was a stealthy footwork technique for approaching the enemy by gliding across the ground, known as the "Living Step," one of Bajiquan's footwork styles.

Kirei Kotomine, having practiced since childhood, naturally recognized this move. His expression remained unchanged as he took a step forward.

Stomping with one foot, stepping forward with the other, power channeled from the heel, moving through the waist, connecting through both hands, and extending to the fingertips.

This strike had a resounding name: "Welcoming Sun Palm," one of Bajiquan's eight ultimate techniques.

Facing the killing blow, Sakutsuki immediately stepped back, dodging Kirei Kotomine's attack. However, the latter closed in with a right step, striking at his face with a left punch.

"Don't hit the face when you hit someone, damn it!!"

Exclaiming loudly, Sakutsuki leaned back to dodge. However, the black-robed priest relentlessly pursued, quickly turning right, palm facing upward, and thrusting his left palm towards the golden-eyed youth's throat.

"Bang!" Sakutsuki blocked with his left arm, using his right forearm to deflect Kirei Kotomine's killing blow. He then quickly turned and lunged with a punch towards his face.

Kirei Kotomine frowned, blocking Sakutsuki's attack with the same posture. He then retreated with Living Step, disengaging from the fight.

It wasn't that he was inferior to Sakutsuki, but he realized that the youth was using him as a sparring partner, and his increasingly refined Bajiquan skills were the best proof of this.

There was no better training dummy than a fellow martial artist.

Although he didn't know where Sakutsuki's Bajiquan skills, which had the form but lacked the substance, came from, Kirei Kotomine couldn't allow his opponent to continue growing.

Therefore, he decided to end it with one decisive blow!

His chest slightly puffed out, Kirei Kotomine softly chanted the incantation taught by Tokiomi Tohsaka, enhancing his entire body to a level comparable to a Heroic Spirit.

Under the boost of Reinforcement Magecraft, the man in the priestly robes moved like thunder, turning into a swift shadow and lunging into Sakutsuki's embrace. His hands, one forward and one back, one left and one right, struck in rapid succession.

The Bajiquan ultimate technique, "Twin Opening Fists"!

Unlike "Welcoming Sun Palm," the "Twin Opening Fists" attacked Sakutsuki, who seemed caught off guard, with each fist following a different trajectory.

Although Bajiquan was immensely powerful, it was predicated on hitting the target. If it missed, it was meaningless. The world of Type-Moon did not have the concept of internal energy found in wuxia novels. Even the grandmaster Li Shuwen, known for his "unparalleled strike," couldn't necessarily injure someone from a distance solely with the force of his punch. For this reason, Kirei Kotomine decisively used magecraft to enhance his physical abilities, attempting a one-hit kill.

However, this also meant he had broken the rule of "competing purely with Bajiquan."

If that was the case, Sakutsuki could naturally disregard all rules.

A diamond-shaped spatial distortion pierced through Kirei Kotomine. The next instant, the black-robed priest appeared high in the sky. The golden-eyed youth had nocked an arrow, and an arrow imbued with dense magic was aimed at his head.

"Since you want the game to end so badly..." Sakutsuki's headscarf fluttered as he stared at the suspended Kirei Kotomine, releasing the bowstring without mercy.

"Then farewell, priest."

The exploding firelight, like a miniature sun, rose from the Einzbern forest.

Turning his back to the firelight, Sakutsuki casually unstrung his bow and walked towards Irisviel.

"Madam, please stand behind me." Maiya Hisau dared not delay, shielding Irisviel with her severely wounded body, but Sakutsuki impatiently pushed her aside.

His killing intent vanished, and his spiritual attire dissipated. The youth, with his hands tucked into the sleeves of his kimono, looked harmless as he teased, "So, tell me about your mental journey? Saber and I both warned you countless times, yet you still dared to stand in front of Kirei Kotomine. You're quite brave, Madam?"

"Well~" Irisviel giggled, covering her mouth, naturally unwilling to reveal that this was her and Maiya's effort for Kiritsugu.

"I can only say that the human heart is truly unfathomable."

If it meant risking her life for Kiritsugu, then others besides herself shared the same resolve.

This answer had previously made her so scared and uneasy. But now, this fact made her feel very relieved.

Even if she were to disappear one day, someone would silently support Kiritsugu, preventing him from losing his way (a queen's declaration).

Although Irisviel spoke vaguely, Sakutsuki, who was familiar with the plot, couldn't help but smile wryly, "To say that the 'human heart' is unfathomable, it seems you are becoming more and more like a human, Irisviel."

The next moment, Sakutsuki's intuition issued a warning, and Irisviel's expression drastically changed as she blurted out.

"Be careful, Sakutsuki!"

A barrage of Noble Phantasms rained down, like a dazzling golden shower.

And amidst the downpour of deadly rain, a red streak of light broke through the air. The petal shield behind it shattered inch by inch, but it ultimately held on until its master escaped the battlefield.

Sakutsuki, having resumed his combat stance, put down Irisviel and Maiya Hisau. He activated Displacement Magecraft, teleporting them away directly. Then, he turned and looked at the golden, shining figure that had appeared unexpectedly.

"Hero King... Gilgamesh."

Archer, clad in golden armor, stood atop a treetop with his arms crossed, his snake-like pupils filled with amusement.

"I told you, cook."

"Don't be so hasty. I will show you the majesty of a king tonight."

I've discussed it with the editor, and the release date is this Friday. Since I have no experience, can any fellow readers tell me how much I should update on the release day to be considered an "explosive update"? (Brothers, be reliable.)

The golden king, the oldest Hero King, Archer, Gilgamesh.

On this night of converging winds, he did not participate in the free-for-all among the Servants. Instead, he appeared before the Masters, before Sakutsuki.

But the golden-eyed youth did not panic. He merely looked up and asked calmly, "Where is Kirei Kotomine?"

"Hmph. When this king takes action, naturally he survives."

"Why protect him?"

"Are you joking, cook!" the golden king sneered. "A subject's merits and faults are for the king to judge. Since when is it your place to point fingers!"

The plan to kill the pleasure monster early was once again declared a failure. Sakutsuki's expression also turned cold. He tilted his head, his expression quite defiant:

"Speaking of which, I've wanted to ask a question for a long time..."

"Hm?"

"You, a king who died nearly five thousand years ago, how dare you flaunt your ancient, toothless kingly way across modern times? Is it simply that you want to protect your kingly pride, or do you believe that human civilization's development after your death is not worth mentioning?"

"Are you... looking down on the progress of civilization over the past thousand years?"

"Oh? You actually dare to say that?" The Hero King's expression turned cold, and golden ripples spread out behind him. "Mongrel."

Demoted from "cook" to "mongrel," it was clear that this golden flash was truly enraged.

Countless Noble Phantasms poured out again, engulfing the spot where Sakutsuki stood.

However, a diamond-shaped space unfolded layer by layer, devouring swords, spears, and halberds like a famished beast. The golden-eyed youth stood proudly on the ground, meeting the gaze of the ancient king, and shouted loudly:

"Why don't you answer me? Have you run out of words, Hero King Gilgamesh!"

"In what capacity are you demanding this of me, mongrel!" The golden king knit his brows and actively drew a short javelin from his treasury, throwing it.

The short javelin, imprinted with unknown patterns, hung in the sky, fixing space.

Thus, the diamond-shaped space shattered inch by inch. As the golden tide surged, Rho Aias unfurled, shielding the pure land behind him.

His white hair was blown about, but the golden light in the youth's eyes shone even brighter: "I never had any identity. You can think of me as a cook, a brother, a magus, or even a king who rules himself... But before that!"

The Mountain Cleaving Sword roared out, piercing the chaotic storm of Noble Phantasms and heading straight for Gilgamesh in the tree.

The hundred-year-old ancient tree was crushed into powder. The Hero King, clad in golden armor, landed gracefully, standing on the same level as the youth.

"First and foremost, I am a human!" Sakutsuki drew his sword and charged at Gilgamesh.

"As a member of humanity that still continues to this day, I pose a question to the ancient king recorded in the first epic—"

The black and white dual blades cut down weapon after weapon, and the youth grew closer to the king with his arms crossed.

"In your eyes, does your kingly way surpass everything? Do you believe that humans must be divided into ranks, and that everyone must bow before a king's dignity?"

Facing Sakutsuki, whose blades and words were both incredibly sharp, Gilgamesh, for some reason, suddenly lost the anger on his face and even revealed a slight smile at the corner of his lips.

"Modern humans? Truly interesting... Since you raise your weapon against this king for such a reason, then this king must also show you what kingly authority is!"

The torrent of swords came to an abrupt halt. Archer personally took out a battle-axe, and with a single clash, it shattered the twin blades in Sakutsuki's hand.

"Then, listen well, you who call yourself modern!"

The battle-axe heavily struck the ground. The handsome king of Uruk, changing his arrogant tone, announced loudly:

"Identity is merely a footnote for people walking in this world. Does a shoemaker destined to be dim in the king's radiance? No, human life always possesses the same beauty!"

"But he is greedy, greedy for the king's wealth and splendor. He fears, fears the soldiers led by the king."

"So he is humble due to greed, and bows due to fear!"

"It is not because this king forced them to submit to me, but because they beheld the king's radiance and willingly allowed themselves to be driven by me!"

"Remember this, Sakutsuki. My kingly way has never been oppression and tyranny. Uruk prospered because of me, do you understand? Only this king's will can rule everything, only this king's existence can reign over everything!"

The deep forest, the bright moonlight.

A giant emerald sword pierced the night sky, and golden light illuminated the darkness.

The ancient king stood on the eternally existing earth, laughing heartily without restraint.

The kingdom of the king had become history, but as long as he still stood here, Uruk would exist forever—because he himself represented that most ancient civilization.

Hero King, Gilgamesh.

This posture, this will, was the reason he was inscribed on the Boundary Record and transformed into a Heroic Spirit.

Flowers of red flame bloomed in the darkness.

This was the battlefield where three Servants were locked in fierce combat. The stalemate between the Swordsman, Lancer, and Berserker had already become a thing of the past. When Berserker took out two weapons from behind, the situation took an unexpected turn.

"Arrrr—!"

The explosion coincided with a roar as Lancer and Saber retreated, a swarm of sparks engulfing the nearby trees. In the blink of an eye, the lush greenery turned into ashes of destruction, leaving no trace of their original form.

The acrid smell of gunpowder filled the nostrils of both Heroic Spirits.

"This weapon is—" Saber was the first to recognize the weapon in Berserker's hands. It was the type of firearm her Master was most adept at using, a mechanical projectile launcher that was mainstream in the modern world.

Ordinary bullets shouldn't have any effect…

However, as the barrage swept in again, both Saber and Lancer honestly pushed off the ground, rapidly creating distance and dodging the spitting flames.

The stray bullets that missed their targets punched large holes in the earth and tree trunks with unimaginable destructive power. Even Servants would click their tongues at such might:

"Even we would sustain fatal damage if hit by that, wouldn't we?"

"Is it because of Berserker's Noble Phantasm!"

Although it was unclear where Berserker had obtained the firearms, the mad knight in black armor held a modern gun in each hand. Both the gun bodies and magazines were corrupted by the magic of hatred, transforming into fearsome magical weapons potent enough to threaten Servants.

In the forest, where there were no cover, or rather, where the cover was incredibly fragile, Lancer and Saber, who relied on cold weapons, were unable to close the distance between themselves and the enemy, let alone attempt a counterattack.

Just like at the beginning, under Berserker's fierce assault, the other two Servants could only continuously shift their positions, engaging in a battle of attrition on the magical energy level.

The fatal blow, however, was that while Saber and Lancer needed to constantly move, consuming mana, Berserker only needed to pull the trigger—the difference in mana consumption was worlds apart, meaning Berserker's Master had more mana to support his actions.