After Saber declaration, an odd silent suddenly come upon the harbor.
This odd situation was caused by the assassins, after Saber declaration the assassins suddenly turned still, some were trembling, while the others become tense.
With this sudden oddities, Saber raise her eyebrow in confusion.
What do they up to now? She thought.
It was then she noticed the condition of the girl in her arms, the girl was visibly upset and is reacting the same way like other Assassins.
Due to being, well, a CHILD, little assassin were clearly confuse about her newfound feeling and is unable to identify or express her discomfort.
But she clearly knew that her feelings current state is caused by Saber declaration earlier.
Unfortunately for Saber, the other Assassins is very much capable to identify their feelings and were not so limited in their way to express themselves.
"!!"
Suddenly one of the assassins were screaming with rage, and goes charging towards Saber uncaring of anything else.
His actions were mimic by other assassins who is also charging towards Saber uncaring of anything else, some Assassins were trying to calm the other but they were ignored by the enraged ones.
Without warning Saber suddenly faced with a enrage mob.
What just happened? Saber thought in confusion while preparing for a battle.
But this will not be a battle.
The first one to arrive is the screaming one earlier, in his hand a dagger to stab Saber with.
He was down with a single strike from Saber.
He was immediately replaced by many other, which Saber also easily put down with a single strike each.
It was be a massacre on Saber side.
But, seeing the enraged mob of Assassins coming at her, Saber could only stare with incredulously at them.
What happened to them?
BAM!
Seeing the out of control assassins, the leader curse while hitting the container near him.
"Damn those idiots! Do they have no self control whatsoever!?" He said with heat in his tone.
The woman beside him replied.
"Well, can you blame them?" She asked back with jovial tone, though despite her jovial tone, the leader managed to note the stillness of her body and the hard grip on her hand, clearly she is trying so hard to control herself.
The cause of the assassins agitation was from Saber word of defiance.
You see, Assassin's goal in wanting to obtain the Grail is "to have a perfect and unified personality."
This is because, despite assassins numerous personality, they're still considered themselves as one person and while each personality have they're own likes and dislike, surprisingly they all share a single distaste towards a certain word.
'Hollow'
For the assassins, this single word aimed at them is worse than any kind of curse, poison, or torture. This single word is like a perfect mockery of their very existence and the mere mention of this word towards them is enough to set the Hassan of Hundred Face into a death grudge.
The reasons for this intense dislike was ironically due to their state of self, the Assassins were originally a single person with thousand personality. Each personality have their own quirk, opinion, and skill, yet somehow they didn't know who is the main personality, the real person who is the embodiment of all their personality. Despite having thousand of personalities the assassins didn't know who among them is the real selves, and apparently no personalities were claiming to be one. This is a problem unique to the assassins, they were one but at the same time they were everyone?
While this condition allowed assassin to become the nineteenth head of the Man of the Mountain, they had long wanted to be a whole person and not a scattered individual.
After all what is the difference between an whole yet empty person and a person with multiple personalities without knowing their real self?
None, that's the answer.
And they all hated it.
The leader also noted with distaste, that the reason they were summoned by their current master was due to their similarity.
Looking at the uncontrolled mob charging towards Saber, the leader felt frustration in his heart.
'This is not part of the plan, damn it!!'
Seeing Saber crush them one by one, the leader frustration become tenfold.
How the hell their plan to psychologically attack Saber backfire so quickly? Do this mob really think they can defeat Saber with such a mess attack? Do they even...!!??
Before that question is answer, the leader suddenly felt something from his master. The Madam and the other Assassin, who managed to calm themselves, also felt it from their reaction and sudden pause in movement.
Looking towards a certain warehouse, the leader murmured silently.
"The battle finally ended, huh."
Inside the warehouse is surprisingly less of a wreck, with both combatants are lying on the ground opposite of each other. The explosion mark lies between them.
Kiritsugu was dreaming of his past, Kiritsugu spent his youth wandering around the world with his father. They settled onAlimango Island, he became friends with - and had a crush on - his father assistant, a local girl calledShirleywho was four years older than him. And then a disaster struck, his friend died due to his father, and his father died due to him. After that it was a downward spiral to Kiritsugu, where he kept killing, and killing, and killing, until he had nothing left. The dream continues until the death of Maya and when it shown how Kiritsugu shot Irisveil, he finally awaken.
Shakily he tried to get up, his wound caused by the explosion is already recovered and he is only look worse for wear. But, just because the wound is healed doesn't mean that it was not painful, the moment Kiritsugu awake the pain caused by the explosion invaded his mind making him disoriented.
Looking towards the front, Kiritsugu noticed the man is also trying to get up. Seeing the priest struggling to stand, Kiritsugu once again felt fear in his heart.
'What a monster.' Kiritsugu thought.
An ordinary person would have died if they were to face an explosion head on. Fuck! he would have died if it were not for Avalon existence! Yet this bastard is still alive after all that!?
Truly monster existed in many form.
While struggling to stand Kiritsugu observe his enemies closely, just like him Kirei too struggling to stand up.
Oh?
Perhaps I've spoken too soon, Kiritsugu thought.
While Kirei did survive the explosion, he was far from unharmed. In fact, he looked worse than when they first met. Over the course of their fight, Kirei had been slashed, shoot, smashed, and just now blown by a grenade. While Kiritsugu had Avalon to heal himself, Kirei on the other hand had to suffer damage after damage in their fight.
Now, while he can still stand it was clear Kirei is barely managing.
Kirei priest robe is in tatters after receiving the explosion, with blood leaking out of his head and body, his left hand is useless after Kiritsugu sever it though it stopped bleeding by now, his shoulder and leg is shot crippling him. In short Kirei looks like shit.
Kirei stand up at the same time as Kiritsugu, both of them now looking at each other trying to assess the best way to kill the other, a tense silence appears between them.
Kiritsugu looked towards the knife on the edge of his sight. Oh, he knew he was in trouble this time, he had lost both of his gun, his glock sever by a blade and his strongest weapon the Thompson Contender is destroyed by Kirei's blow, he was now left with only his knife which is not in his grasp right now.
Not only that, while he loathed to admit it Kiritsugu was not the best when it come to close quarter combat, as he prefer to instantly killed his enemies from afar with a gun. On the other hand it was Kirei's specialty to fight in close quarter combat, of course with his current condition Kiritsugu might have a chance.
No! Don't underestimate your opponent until he died! An animal is at the most dangerous when it was on its last leg after all, Kiritsugu thought while shaking his head.
Returning his gaze towards Kirei, Kiritsugu create a crude plan to kill the priest. At the same time Kirei is stabilizing his breath to prepare himself to fight again.
The tension was broken first by Kirei.
Despite one of his leg being cripple, Kirei still managed to move in a burst of speed. Closing the distance in a blink of an eye, he pulled his fist and aim towards Kiritsugu's chest with as much power he had, now knowing the man will survive his strike.
'Double Accel!'
Seeing the priest closing the distance Kiritsugu quickly act, activating his magecraft he swiftly evade Kirei attack, letting his fist pierce the crate behind him. With his hand on the crate Kirei was open for attack, but instead of attacking Kiritsugu move towards somewhere else. In the sight of Kiritsugu were his knife, not far from where he stand.
Kiritsugu move quickly to retrieved it, like he'll he fought this bastard without a weapon!
Picking it up from the ground he faced Kirei, now with a weapon on hand. Kirei pulled his hand off the crate and observe Kiritsugu again, this time with more guard on his side.
The two men kept narrowed eyes on each other, analyzing the situation and attempting to figure out their next move.
According to Kirei's analysis, Kiritsugu's strategy consisted of a magecraft that could accelerate his movement, and a healing power that could revive the caster even if his heart was destroyed. This meant Kirei could not kill the man, no matter how heavy a wound he dealt, unless he could destroy Kiritsugu's brain. But that's exactly what he wanted, his target alive. Now knowing that Kiritsugu won't died unless he destroyed his brain had given Kirei more freedom to act.
If nothing else Kirei had just become more dangerous as of this moment, even with all of his wound and trouble.
According to Kiritsugu's analysis, with Kirei Baji-Quan skills, he would be at an extreme disadvantage in melee combat. He had lost both of his gun, and his remaining weapons consisted of one knife and a grenade. But he still had his magecraft and the healing power of Avalon on his side, as long as he played it right he could clench victory from Kirei's side. What he needed was the right strategy to fool Kirei and killed him.
Now the battle had turned into a chess match, with one wrong move will turned fatal. Whoever managed to get the upper hand will be the one to win this battle, but, each person have a different objective in mind. For Kirei to capture Kiritsugu alive, for Kiritsugu to kill Kirei as soon as possible. Only one person will get what they wanted tonight.
So–
'Time Alter: Triple Accel!'
Kiritsugu leapt toward Kirei as he uttered the forbidden spell. His unpredictable acceleration caught Kirei off-guard.As he struck with his knife, Kirei dodged the upward stab and used his good arm to block the downward slash and backhand horizontal swing Kiritsugu followed up with.
Kiritsugu shifted around to Kirei's side, right into Kirei's broken side. Kiritsugu's sharp blade sliced closer, turning around Kirei kept defended his side. Though it disadvantageous for Kirei to use one arm to defend himself, he had no other choices.
The knife attacked continuously, flickering through the air with a chilling light. No regular human would have been able to even see Kiritsugu's movements. Kirei, though, blocked every attack using just his one arm. Kirei, who easily defended himself even when faced with attacks made at three times the speed of normal humans, terrified Kiritsugu.
Kiritsugu's arms, legs, and heart let out sad screams of pain with every swing of the knife. The adverse effect of Innate Time Control mercilessly tore apart Kiritsugu's flesh, and Avalon fixed the damage, momentarily. Regardless of how Saber herself had used it, the sheath was only 'healing' Kiritsugu while in his body- it could not prevent him from taking damage, it was simply healing the damage he took.
It was at this moment Kirei make his counter attack, in a blink of an eye Kirei hit Kiritsugu's arm throwing it backwards before using his shoulders to slam him back several steps, Kiritsugu barely able to control himself so as not to fall to the ground quickly fallback to create more distance between them.
Kiritsugu grated out a spell, from a throat that was frothing with blood.
'Time Alter: Square Accel!'
The pain boiled into every part of his senses. Kiritsugu leapt up and backwards, turning in mid-air to escape from Kirei's range,he threw the last of the grenade towards Kirei only for the man to hit it to the side letting it exploded on the piling crates.
Kiritsugu maintained his four-time acceleration, continuing to leap backwards, as if strapped to a jet engine. Kirei took a moment to draw a Black Key and throw it, but Kiritsugu dodged it with ease.
Kirei charged forward, drew four Black Keys with his good hand, Kirei threw his Black Keys- not toward his opponent, but upwards. The four sharp blades danced in the air beneath the tall ceiling of the warehouse.
Kirei drew close. He again used his martial art stances to shorten the distance between him and Kiritsugu,The Black Keys fell from above. Kiritsugu finally realised Kirei's strategy when the four sharp blades surrounded him in all directions like a bird cage.
His movements were sealed. If Kiritsugu wanted to dodge Kirei's next attack, the sharp blades of the Black Keys would be waiting for him no matter where he moved. Kirei's intention had been to seal Kiritsugu's movements from the start, when he threw the Black Keys.
Kirei drove his right foot viciously into the ground, and leapt forward. This leap equaled to about five normal steps. His good foot would likely be broken the moment he landed, but it didn't matter- the following blow would decide the victor.
Him.
Arriving in front of the wide eyed Kiritsugu in a blink of an eye, Kirei punch towards the man chin. Expecting the fight to end in that moment.
Only to be met with surprise when he saw his enemy managed to dodge at the last second by several millimeters.
Kirei's fist was just a few millimeters from Kiritsugu's chin, if the blow hit Kiritsugu would definitely be out cold, ending this fight right then and there.
But Kiritsugu managed to dodge it, in the last second before the blow hit he managed to guess where Kirei was planning to hit him.
Kiritsugu already knew Kirei was reluctant to killed him in the first place because of some reason. In the course of this fight Kirei had all the chance to killed him but he didnt, because he wanted kiritsugu alive. Using this as a reference Kiritsugu guess Kirei will wanted to end this fight in a way that won't killed him.
Kiritsugu first thought was Kirei will want to knocked him out by a strong hit in the head,
And he was correct.
Seeing Kirei sealed his movement with black keys, moving in front of him, and prepared to hit him was unnerving. But, Kiritsugu remained calm and when he realizes where Kirei glancing at, he quickly moved to dodge.
Now that Kirei is in close range Kiritsugu quickly retaliated. Pulling Kirei in a bear hug, Kiritsugu makes sure he won't be able to move as the black Keys moving closer.
As the black Keys hit the both of them, blood spilled to the ground.
Because Kirei wanted to defeat Kiritsugu without killing him, the black Keys were aimed at his limbs, unexpectedly this has backfired on him badly.
Kirei had two Black Keys stabbing his body one his thigh and another one on his shoulder, Kiritsugu on the other hand have both black Keys stabbing his back. Letting out a cough of blood, Kiritsugu ignored the pain and uses all of his strength to lift kirei and perform a crude suplex.
SLAM!
An unpleasant nose echoed across the warehouse as Kirei gasp in pain.
Letting go of Kirei, Kiritsugu rolled to the side and take out the black Keys on his back before returning his attention towards Kirei, the priest is still on the ground unable to stand due to his broken legs. Seeing his enemy fall and unable to stand Kiritsugu took this chance to straddle Kirei and held his knife high in the air ready to stab the priest.
Kirei wanted to resist and moved away but now both of his legs is broken he can't even stand in he wanted to, seeing Kiritsugu straddle him with knife going down to his chest Kirei can only defend himself by grabbing Kiritsugu hand and stalled the knife.
But kiritsugu is relentless, as he keep pushing the knife even goes as far as to use his body weight to give more pressure against Kirei.
While Kiritsugu trying to kill Kirei and Kirei doing his best to survive, both of their eyes met. Kiritsugu noted that despite his condition Kirei eyes is still filled with determination to win, something that send fear to Kiritsugu heart, strengthening his intention to kill Kirei.
On the other hand what Kirei saw in Kiritsugu eyes is not determination, instead he saw a trace of purpose in the man eyes. Something that make the priest unbearably jealous of the man trying to kill him, after all isn't that what he had looking for in his life, a purpose. Everything he had ever done, anything he have accomplished, even this very fight is all for the sake of finding a sense of purpose.
And he will be damned in he fail here.
But before Kirei could contemplate more about his purpose, a fist found its way to his face, surprising him enough to lose his concentration.
With his concentration broken so does the strength holding back the knife allowing it to stab Kirei on the chest.
SHUNK!
"!" Kirei now gasping with blood coming out of his mouth, his chest however is bursting with blood staining his assailant in red.
Seeing Kirei still managed to stay alive, Kiritsugu stab him again on the chest.
SHUNK!
And again.
SHUNK!
And again.
SHUNK!
And again.
SHUNK!
And again.
SHUNK!
Kiritsugu stab Kirei numerous time with such force and speed that shooks Kirei body everytime the blow landed.
It was only when Kiritsugu realized that Kirei is no longer breathing and he was covered in blood that he finally stopped attacking.
Seeing the lifeless eyes of his enemy, Kiritsugu forces himself to stay calm. Taking a deep breath he tried to move away, but, his exhausted body won't listen and he fall down beside Kirei corpse instead.
Gasping in breath with closed eyes, Kiritsugu open his eyes to look at his side. Only to met with Kirei's dead eyes, seeing this Kiritsugu finally able to think straight.
He had won this battle.
A/N
I got sick, it might take a while until i started to write again.