Chapter 4 - Crimson Demon

Irisviel had kept in touch with the Kotomines, it seems like they were both healthier and happier than ever. She hoped that meant Kirie would not receive any command spells to fight in the Holy Grail War. Although if he did, she was reasonably sure she'd have him as an ally after she explained the corruption of the Grail.

But now it was time to deal with another threat. Albeit this was one that was a lot less world-threatening. Still, preventing a child from getting raped when it was in her power to do so was worth her time. She'd had mercenaries spying on the Tohno clan, who had thick demon-blood. Her satellites had also been watching of course. She was probably the world's best stalker in this current day and age. She probably shouldn't feel as proud of that fact she does though.

If Kirei represented a twisted man who had yet to commit evil, then Makihisa Tohno - head of the Tohno clan - was a twisted man beyond redemption. Like Kirei, Makihisa was also born with some problems. His clan had interbred with an Oni at some point in their ancestry, so he was a mixed-blood. This had consequences and benefits. It made the family stronger, but at the same time their oni instincts posed a risk of overwhelming them. This phenomenon was known as the inversion impulse.

Makihisa was a man who had already given into his inversion impulse, and was schizophrenic and deranged. Normally, when a person gave into this impulse the other members of the clan would kill them. But Makihisa managed to avoid this fate somehow, and he planned on pulling two members of the Fujou clan to assist with his mental health. The Fujou clan had a special ability to transfer energy, and this energy could sooth his mind. Of course, the best method of doing so was sex. And the members that were going to be sent to assist were 2 children, Kohaku and Hisui.

So, it was time to wipe him out. She'd already contracted Kiritsugu to help. Makihisa was strong, but she'd had a long time to build up power. Kiritsugu was mostly there to provide backup and prevent any other casualties. Entering a hotel in Misaki Town, Japan, she checked in and was face to face with Kiritsugu. He had some guns, ammo, explosives, and other such tools laid out in front of him. Of course, with her growing pile of money he was spoiled for choice when it came to munitions. Maiya was also with him.

"This is Maiya, my associate." He introduced shortly, which Maiya affirmed with a nod. "I've scoped out the area, he goes to the office semi-regularly so it's not too hard to narrow down a good time to ambush him. But he's still a mixed blood and a veteran of combat, so he's probably always ready for a fight. Still, what did he do to you that you want to be involved in this operation personally?" Kiritsugu wondered.

"My eyes are watching many people, Kiritsugu. I don't know why his family hasn't executed him yet, but Makihisa has already given into his inversion impulses. He can no longer be called a man, just an inhuman monster. He's done many atrocious things, and will soon end up raping a child. I don't want that on my conscience, so we're going to make sure he's no longer a threat. As for why I'm here personally? I have a theory I want to test, so don't kill him right away. I need to perform an experiment with his body." Irisviel explained.

With their plan already made, they were mostly just waiting for nightfall so that they could strike. They chatted in the meanwhile. "So any progress on those catalysts you were searching for? And how's your research going on the one you already have?" He asked.

"Well, I've been playing around with Avalon. It's pretty top-tier, but ultimately it's made for only King Arthur to use. Plus, I'm not certain, but it may require the reverse side of the world to remain intact, in order for it to be useful. I want to try to unravel its principles to see if I can make something similar, but not limited with those restrictions. Maybe a reality marble of some sorts? I'm pretty close though." She said.

Kiritsugu chuckled. "Right, I forget. Your weird obsession with making sure things will work in space. The way you're acting it's like the Earth is going to be destroyed in your lifetime."

"Maybe." Irisviel said flatly.

"Do you really think Angra Mainyu is that dangerous?" Kiritsugu wondered. She supposed considering what she'd told him when they'd first met, that was a reasonable conclusion to draw.

"To people, potentially yes. To the planet? Hardly. I don't have any proof, so you don't have to believe me. But I wholeheartedly believe the world will end in a few decades. That is the basis for everything I'm doing. I would be happy to be proven wrong. Who actually wants the world to end? But I doubt that's the case. Perhaps thinking of me akin to the madmen of Atlas is a good way of understanding me." She reasoned.

Kiritisugu didn't really know what to say about that, so she switched topics slightly. "And I've been searching for other catalysts, but only had some successes in Greece. I've got catalysts for potentially Medusa, Heracles, and Medea. I tried to sabotage a few other areas of note, I suspect Tokiomi Tohsaka is aiming to summon Gilgamesh. But unfortunately I haven't been able to find any traces of potential catalysts, it's been quite frustrating." She admitted.

"Any of those Greek heroes would make for pretty great Servants, so I suppose I can't fault you for not using Avalon anymore." He accepted.

There was a lull in the conversation, when she suddenly remembered something. "Maiya, if you could find, help, and raise your lost child. Would you want to? I had almost forgotten, but seeing your face reminded me. I need to save those poor experiments."

Maiya's expression changed only slightly, but there did seem to be a bit of curiosity? Yearning? "You know where my child is?" She asked.

"I don't know all the details, but I have suspicions. There's a country rumored to be trying to create a special forces unit with magecraft combat capabilities." Irisviel explained.

Maiya seemed to look towards Kiritsugu for guidance. He nodded sternly. "After this hit that'll be our next priority." Maiya looked relieved, she probably would have abandoned her child if Kiritsugu had asked. From what she knew, Maiya had been forcefully conscripted into the army. Then raped by soldiers with magical circuits until she got pregnant. Then her baby was taken from her after its birth. Sadly rape and child soldiers were not uncommon in war-torn countries, but she'd been trying to help these nations find peace through major charitable contributions. It was slow progress of course.

Finally, the time came. Makihisa worked late on Wednesdays, so when he was en route back home it was already dark. The road he took was less traveled, so they'd blockaded it. Kiritsugu had a sniper rifle trained and ready, and as his car reached the barrier they'd put up he stopped his car.

At that moment, Kiritsugu fired a cursed bullet straight for his head. With reflexes beyond human norm, Makihisa managed to avoid the shot by leaning to the side, and then he tore open the door of his car and leaped out. He looked angry, his body emanated an ominous glow with his hair tinted blood-red.

Red drops pooled from his fingertips as he formed a sword of blood and charged towards their location. Kiritsugu and Maiya kept up cover fire but he managed to avoid or block anything that shot towards him. As he ran, he managed to trigger a mine they'd laid there in advance, and while he was down Kiritsugu took the opportunity to throw a grenade at him. He managed to get through them with a roar. He looked pretty injured, but not dead.

With him already brought this low, she didn't really need a class card. Her magecraft would suffice, she bound him with steel wire that she manipulated with alchemy, he tore through it a few times so she lacerated his skin until he could maintain consciousness no longer.

Kirtisugu approached his body carefully, checking his pulse and assessing the damage. "Oni kind are really resilient after all. He might recover within a few hours even with damage this bad. You better restrain him properly while we drive out of the town." He noted.

"There's no need for that. My experiment needs him conscious, but not in one piece. We'll kill him afterwards anyways." Irisviel said, as she sliced through his limbs and kept the wire sealed tight where the stumps were to prevent his flesh from reforming into limbs. Wrapping more wires, he resembled the prey of a spider, with only his head exposed. She shook him awake.

"Are you related to the Demon Hunter Organization?" He asked, struggling against the bindings but maintaining a calm attitude.

"No, but you will die nonetheless. You've given into your inversion impulses long ago right? I want to see if I can remove them. If so, perhaps at least your children will be spared from such a fate." Irisviel told him.

"Hahahahahahaha. You think you can cure this. That's the funniest thing I've heard in my life." He laughed maniacally. She supposed it did sound a bit preposterous. But either way, this experiment was pretty important for the sake of multiple people.

Arming herself with the Assassin class card, Shiki Ryougi, she perceived the world through lines of death again. She didn't merely look at the lines that would kill the body of Makihisa Tohno. She tried looking deeper, into his mind and soul. Her studies with spiritron hacking seemed to be paying dividends, as she could decipher the different parts of his soul. The part that was his human side, his oni blood and instincts, even different emotions that composed who he was.

What a frightening power this was. It could only kill things, but even surgeons cut out the diseased body parts so that the patient may recover. What she was doing was similar. Soul surgery. She stabbed at his heart, with her knife phasing through his chest. There was no blood, no damage on the surface level. But it seems oni instincts were born primarily of the blood, and the heart was what pumped that blood throughout the body. The line of death for his oni instincts was pierced, and he went from monster to man once more.

His face seemed to almost visibly age, but it was more of a mental transformation than a physical one. Like a man who finally felt the weight of all his sins catch up to him. Even then, he did not cry, for that was his pride as a leader of the Tohno clan. "So this is what you had in mind? The reign of the Tohnos ends tonight. But I feel nothing but joy. This blood has brought us far more suffering than it has benefits. For us to go extinct without all of our deaths, that is the best outcome we could have hoped for. Please, take care of my children for me." He said with a kind expression that seemed wholly unsuited to him.

"Not going to bargain for your life?" Irisviel asked curiously.

"I have committed far too many crimes. The oni blood overwhelmed me, but I remember exactly when I had let it take me over. It was a choice I made. When vengeance was more important than my sanity. What has happened after that is all my own fault." He denied.

"Won't your children be sad? Don't you want to raise them? I don't mind letting you raise them under supervision until they're grown, then revisiting your punishment. It seems you're not as horrid a person as I thought, deep inside." She offered.

"No, I am hardly their father. They do not love me, they fear me. The little love they do have for me is greatly undeserved. I shall die, and the sins of my clan with me. Please, ensure they are taken care of. That they are given a loving home, away from here. That is my last request, should you wish to heed my plea. I do not want them to grow up as Tohnos." He requested.

"Very well. I will make the arrangements. I hope you may find peace in your next life." She accepted. He closed his eyes, and then was dead a second later.

Now, to kill the oni impulses in the remaining Tohnos, wait for Kohaku and Hisui to arrive, then take them along with Shiki and Akiha Tohno away from this household. She didn't really have time to take care of any children. And more so than that…the thought of raising the children of the man she killed didn't sit right with her. She sighed. Guess after her business in Japan she was going straight to Britain.