Ideals, Combat, and Life and Death

Facing this modern battlefield, baptized by war, Shiki felt a strange sensation welling up within him.

It felt like returning to the first world he had experienced, though it was only for a few short years.

In that distorted world where technology and magic coexisted, he too was forced into one cruel battle after another.

That period was filled with pain and struggle, but it also brought Shiki considerable gains.

Not only did he master various combat techniques and develop superpowers, but more importantly, he held onto his sanity as a normal person amidst the hardship.

"Hey, Kiritsugu Emiya, and Kirei Kotomine, I ask you, does fighting truly bring you joy?"

Shiki's voice echoed through the vast lower space, clearly reaching every corner. No matter where those two were hiding, they could never ignore this question.

However, the only response he received was a barrage of intense gunfire. The whistling bullets tore through the air, heading towards Shiki.

Shiki sighed softly, his figure flashing like a phantom, effortlessly evading the projectiles that threatened him. He spoke again, his voice tinged with confusion and bewilderment, "Or is it that your so-called ideals and wishes are truly more important than everything else?"

Ideals and dreams certainly held an important place in Shiki's heart.

But he had always believed that when he encountered something more precious than his ideals, he would not hesitate to choose the latter and change his dreams.

As for Kiritsugu's seemingly noble wish, Shiki found it utterly difficult to agree with.

"Haha, you want to eradicate all wars in the world and become a hero of justice? Don't make me laugh, Kiritsugu Emiya!"

Shiki's voice roared, a massive sonic wave accompanied by vibrating air rolling towards them.

War had been a constant companion since the dawn of human civilization.

From the struggles for survival in ancient times to the scramble for resources in primitive societies; from the power plays of capitalism to the clashes between civilizations, it could be said that the history of human civilization was a history filled with conflict.

To want to eliminate war, what difference was that from eliminating humanity itself?

Did Kiritsugu Emiya truly not see this?

And that so-called "hero of justice" made Shiki feel utterly absurd.

"A hero of justice, how can those words come from the mouth of a murderer like you? Huh!"

Shiki's heart was filled with anger.

Kiritsugu, in his own way, weighed lives like balancing objects; in his eyes, human lives were merely cold numbers.

Killing is wrong.

This was a psychological understanding Shiki had established early on, and it was the mental bottom line he adhered to.

Those he killed were always after they had crossed his line, and he would never allow his conscience to be corrupted. He never wanted to become a madman or a murderer devoid of reason.

"Sacrifice the few to save the many, measured by a scale, is that your justice?"

Sacrificing the few to save the many, this choice had appeared in many stories and real-life cases, and it wasn't inherently wrong.

But the problem was that Kiritsugu Emiya should not arbitrarily decide who gets sacrificed and who gets saved.

Everyone is an independent individual. Regardless of differences in strength, status, or ability, on a spiritual level, all should be equal.

This was a principle Shiki had always upheld, whether facing Heroic Spirits with their fleeting, illusory lives, or powerful Otsutsuki aliens and demons, he did not believe their spirits were superior to humans.

Kiritsugu making choices for others in his own way undoubtedly trampled on the human spiritual equality that Shiki cherished.

"Answer me, Kiritsugu Emiya, is your spirit nobler than everyone else's? Or are you standing higher and seeing further than everyone, placing yourself in the position of judge and executioner?"

Shiki's questions echoed in the air, yet still, no response came. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his anger.

He knew he was losing his composure, and he understood that everyone here was a person of strong will, unlikely to change their stance easily due to a few words.

"Forget it, there's nothing more to discuss between us," Shiki muttered to himself. "This farce should end now."

At this moment, he could already feel that his contract with the Black Knight had been severed. The abilities of the Preta Path had also returned to him.

This meant the Black Knight had been eliminated from the Holy Grail War.

Although the Command Spells on his hand still existed, they were merely a source of magical power retained by the Winter Saintess for some purpose.

"Mr. Lancelot, congratulations, you have achieved your wish and dream."

Shiki genuinely felt happy for the Black Knight.

He imagined that at the moment the Black Knight's wish was fulfilled, he must have left this world with a smile.

Unfortunately, the distance was too great, and Shiki could not receive the Black Knight's mental communication. The Preta Path did not possess this ability, and the contract within the Holy Grail War was not yet powerful enough to achieve that.

"Then, it's time for me to bring my part to a close."

Shiki's Magic Eye shimmered with multicolored light. He saw Kiritsugu and Kirei hiding behind a load-bearing pillar. Although he didn't know what preparations they were making, it no longer mattered.

The vast difference in their strength could not be compensated for by mere strategy.

Shiki walked forward steadily. When he reached the center of the lower space, he cast a cold glance around and then let out a cold laugh.

"Boom!"

Instantly, a series of explosions erupted around him.

The violent explosions tore the entire floor apart, and Shiki's body fell along with the collapsing floor into the underground parking lot.

"Now!"

Upon seeing this, Kiritsugu and Kirei immediately pressed the mechanisms in their hands.

The traps they had meticulously set up in the parking lot were instantly activated. Five driverless cars sped towards Shiki from all directions, followed by the detonation of bombs pre-placed inside them.

"BOOM BOOM BOOM!"

Deafening explosions echoed through the underground parking lot, their power nearly comparable to aerial bombs.

The immense shockwave directly tore through the lower floor, and the entire building began to sway precariously. With the support columns blown out, the Civic Hall rapidly collapsed in less than two minutes, kicking up billowing dust.

The massive commotion had exceeded the control range of the "Dispelling of Idlers" spell. Nearby residents opened their lights, curiously peering out to see what had happened.

When they saw the once pristine Civic Hall instantly reduced to rubble, they exchanged stunned glances, silently wondering if it was another gas explosion at the hall.

And amidst the ruins of the hall, Shiki's Magic Eye gleamed in the darkness.

Within the swirling dust, a faint, spherical barrier protected him.

"That was close, that explosion just now."

Shiki exclaimed sincerely. If not for Avalon's protection, facing such a powerful, multi-directional barrage of explosives, he would have surely been reduced to dust.

With his current abilities, he still felt somewhat overwhelmed by such a large yield of bombs.

Kiritsugu Emiya and Kirei Kotomine, to deal with him, had likely brought every explosive they could get their hands on; their methods were undeniably ruthless.

The force field around Shiki gradually intensified, and his body slowly levitated, drifting towards a nearby passage.

It was through this passage that Kiritsugu and Kirei had previously retreated.

Through his Magic Eye, Shiki chuckled softly, his figure flickered, and he quickly slipped into the passage.

At that moment, at the end of the passage, Kiritsugu and Kirei were running desperately.

They traversed the underground sewers and emerged from a hidden exit.

Maiya, Kiritsugu's assistant, was already waiting there and quickly pulled them out.

Kiritsugu gasped for air, urgently asking Maiya about the observed situation: "Maiya, is the target still showing signs of life?"

Maiya quickly picked up the detector and notebook in her hand and replied, "Kiritsugu, the target is alive. The instruments indicate he might not be injured, but the thermal imaging shows a decrease in his body temperature, which is likely a sign of excessive magical energy consumption."

Hearing that the target was not dead, Kiritsugu's brow furrowed tightly. "Even three hundred kilograms of explosives couldn't kill him..."

"Heh, even a top-tier great magus would struggle to withstand the power of so many explosives. Kiritsugu Emiya, it seems we have no choice but to proceed with Plan C."

Kirei, standing beside him, also frowned. The troublesome nature of this young man far exceeded their imagination.

All the explosives within the Church, along with those Kiritsugu had acquired from the black market, were unable to inflict substantial damage on the youth. Such an enemy was no different from a Servant.

Kiritsugu quickly began to replenish his weapons and equipment, and Kirei, not to be outdone, was also busy preparing for battle.

"Maiya, any other findings?"

Maiya picked up the notebook filled with data and spoke rapidly, "Kiritsugu, the target possesses a new ability, capable of forming a barrier field around himself with a radius of about five meters. I discovered that after using it, there's a roughly five-second cooldown period, which might be a weakness we can exploit."

"A ten-meter radius, and a five-second cooldown... Thank you, Maiya. You should leave now; we're preparing to execute Plan C."

Maiya gently dropped the notebook, kissed Kiritsugu on the cheek, and whispered, "Take care, Kiritsugu." Then she turned and quickly departed.

Kiritsugu didn't respond. He loaded the drum magazine into his submachine gun, picked up the notebook from the ground, glanced at it briefly, and then casually tossed it aside.

Kirei watched all this, the corners of his mouth curling upwards into a slight smile. "Kiritsugu Emiya, if you give up the Holy Grail now, you might still have a chance to elope with your lover and start anew."

Kiritsugu shot Kirei a cold glance and said indifferently, "My beliefs, my ideals, cannot be swayed by a few empty words."

"Then your life is truly pathetic, Kiritsugu Emiya," Kirei mocked.

Kiritsugu retorted without yielding, "And are you any different, Kirei Kotomine?"

Their bickering was temporarily halted by the sound of hurried footsteps from the passage.

"Execute Plan C. We have no Plan D. If we fail this time, there will be no more chances."

Kiritsugu said with a grave expression.

"Of course, I know."

Kirei replied. Both of them simultaneously pulled back their gun bolts, standing ready to face the imminent life-or-death battle.