Chapter 52: 52 A Blessing in the Flames
*Clang!* *Clang!*
The continuous sound of swords and spears clashing echoed, creating sparks as two golden figures had already exchanged hundreds of blows without realizing it.
At the entrance of the gymnasium.
Fionn wielded his ornate water-flow spear like a staff, launching fierce attacks at Artoria in front of him.
But as King Arthur, Artoria showed no weakness. The blue wind gathered around her sword, and her precise strikes met Fionn's ferocious onslaught, like a tidal wave.
"King of Knights, you no longer have a reason to fight, do you? I can't see any battle spirit in your eyes anymore."
Amid the clashing of sword and spear, their emotions had already been conveyed to each other.
"Enough talk, Lancer." Artoria merely swung her sword to face her opponent.
"If you want to fight, then fight. If not, then leave. I am simply fulfilling my duty as a Servant."
"Sigh..."
Fionn sighed. "Is it the command spell's compulsion, or is this your own choice? If that's the case, I understand."
"I'm truly envious of you, Saber. Though I don't know what happened, you have a chance to make up for the regrets of your past, which is what we Servants long for."
Raising his hand, Fionn gathered magical energy and streams of water coalesced around him, transforming into sharp blades of water that slashed toward Artoria.
"As a warrior, I must congratulate you first, but I also have a similar wish. My lord is still waiting for me to reach him, so I must clear away all obstacles for him!!"
"King of Knights, I will hold nothing back this time."
"I see. If this is what you desire, then let's settle this once and for all, Lancer." Artoria took a deep breath, raised her sword, and looked at Fionn with unwavering determination.
"Kiritsugu ordered me with a command spell. Unless I'm defeated, I won't let anyone pass through here. This is not only my duty as a Servant, but it's also Irisviel's choice, so I will defend this place with my life."
"Come at me!!"
With her sword raised high, Artoria cut through the incoming water blades. Magical energy surged from her, and despite her small frame, it gathered into a powerful strike.
After exchanging blows, both of them began to channel more energy, preparing to unleash even stronger attacks.
"Enough! If you still want to fight at this point, head to Ryuudou Temple; the floor tiles there are more durable."
A familiar voice suddenly broke the tense atmosphere of the duel, leaving the highly focused Saber and Lancer stunned. Instinctively, they glanced over and saw Roy casually walking into the gymnasium right in front of them.
"..."
The two knights, still in mid-battle, exchanged glances, and the tension in the air immediately dissipated.
Fionn, looking puzzled, glanced at Roy, who had walked in without a care, and then at Artoria, who stood blocking his path, unsure of what to say.
Why the different treatment?
He cautiously asked, "Could it be that my approach was impolite?"
"…Of course not!"
Veins bulged on Artoria's forehead as she was equally baffled. She hadn't even had time to think about how Roy had slipped into the gymnasium right under their noses. Her body, compelled by the command spell, leaped forward in pursuit.
She quickly shouted, "Get out of the way! I can't control my body right now!"
"Hm? So it's Artoria... You're chasing me down? I see, it's the command spell's compulsion. Kiritsugu really does love to be overly cautious, but I don't have time to play with you now."
Roy glanced back at Artoria, who was already rapidly closing the distance.
"Damn it, move aside!"
Just as Artoria lunged at Roy, Fionn dashed forward as well. Before he could even warn Roy of the danger, a surprising scene unfolded before his eyes.
*Whoosh* *Whoosh* *Whoosh*
A sound like something burning filled the air.
"Is that... flames!?"
Yes, just as Artoria reached Roy's back, Fionn's heart skipped a beat. Even he couldn't stop what was about to happen at this distance.
But what happened next left him astonished. Roy calmly raised one hand, a flicker of light flashing in his eyes, and with a swift turn, he unleashed a wave of pitch-black flames that forced Artoria to retreat with the overwhelming heat.
Fionn couldn't believe what he had just seen! Roy had, in an instant, repelled Artoria, the mighty Saber, as if he were casually playing a game of baseball!
Moreover, the dark flames surrounding Roy, his reflexes, and the aura that only a Servant could possess...
Staring at the figure in the center of the flames, Fionn was at a loss for words.
"What... is going on?"
Artoria was equally stunned.
However, the reasons for their shock were different. She had fought Roy before when he had fused with Lancelot's spirit and was defeated.
Although Roy had used Lancelot's power and many underhanded tactics, a loss was a loss, and she wouldn't make excuses for her defeat.
The subsequent heart-to-heart conversation and the dream-like journey through Avalon had helped her overcome her doubts, so she was actually grateful to Roy. That's why she had tried to warn him earlier, hoping he would avoid danger.
But to her surprise, Roy merely gave her a brief glance, then unleashed a wave of scorching heat that forced her back.
He had become even stronger than when they fought before!
"I'm sorry, Artoria. The small remnants of Lancelot in my spirit have already been dealt with."
Roy glanced at the retreating Artoria and sighed.
"Your inner conflicts have been resolved, and I've repaid my debt to Merlin. I won't hold back against you anymore."
"I have more important matters to attend to now, so I don't have time to play with you." He turned to Fionn, who had moved closer and said, "Lancer, I'll leave it to you. Stall Saber or make her withdraw here; it doesn't matter. I need to go help Professor Kayneth."
"No problem. I'm not sure what's going on, but I trust you." Fionn said with a nod.
"This Holy Grail War is strange. Even with Fintan Finegas, I can only catch glimpses of what's happening."
"My instincts constantly tell me that you're at the center of all this unease. But after spending so much time with you, I'd rather trust you."
Fionn brandished his spear and stood guard at the gymnasium door. This time, it was his turn to hold the line.
"Then, I leave it to you."
Roy glanced at the blonde knight standing before him and nodded slightly.
"I'll put an end to all of this."
With that, he turned around and walked deeper into the gymnasium.
Without stopping.
...
"You bastard, Emiya Kiritsugu!!"
In the complex interior of the gymnasium, Kayneth was already furious to the extreme.
All the entrances leading to the lowest level had been destroyed by Emiya Kiritsugu.
Scattered rubble and hidden landmines were densely packed everywhere. Just attempting to clear the rubble would trigger a chain of explosions.
This guy had actually blocked all the paths!
Faced with this situation, Kayneth felt a headache coming on. He glanced at the blocked path ahead and the remaining time, realizing he no longer had time to think things over.
He pulled out several precious jewels of various colors from his pocket and aimed them at the rubble blocking the way. Then, he activated his magecraft.
*Bang!*
Accompanied by a deafening gunshot and a dull sound, two different attacks collided in a flash, raising a large cloud of dust.
"You despicable fellow, I knew you'd be lying in ambush here."
Kayneth coldly glanced in a certain direction of the gymnasium, his hand moving swiftly. Three jewels of red, yellow, and green shot out from his palm.
"Roll over, my heart."
Under the guidance of his magecraft, the colorful streaks of light followed the set trajectory toward the direction he was watching, sealing off any escape route and blocking Emiya Kiritsugu's chance of escaping with his time-altering ability.
"Traction, my pancreas."
Kayneth then extended his hand, controlling the three jewels in the air to attract and collide with each other. Finally, a thunderous boom echoed through the area.
The red jewel erupted in a terrifying wave of magical heat, while the green jewel released a poisonous gas, and the scattered yellow powder on the ground formed a barrier that confined the enemy within its range.
"Destroy, my enemy."
The merciless combination of jewel magecraft inflicted devastating burns on the body and poisonous damage to the respiratory system, subjecting the enemy to a fierce double assault.
As the jewel magecraft dissipated, Kayneth lifted his hand and removed his white gloves, pouring out a silver liquid while chanting the final incantation.
"Fervor, meisanguis."
The mercury-like liquid formed sharp tendrils that shot into the poisonous fog, piercing the target's body and dragging them out.
It was over. With the knowledge he had, Kayneth wouldn't make the same mistake of underestimating his opponent.
Even though his anti-Origin Bullet mystic code had been destroyed by Gilgamesh, he was still a Lord... one who knew his enemy well. As long as he remained cautious and guarded against Emiya Kiritsugu's sniper shots, and took basic defensive measures, he could ensure his own safety. Against an enemy like Emiya Kiritsugu, the only strategy was to kill him instantly.
Thus, Kayneth showed no mercy, displaying the terrifying power of a fully prepared Lord of the Clock Tower.
"Hmph, stop pretending to be dead, Emiya Kiritsugu. I purposely avoided your vital organs, only rendering you incapable of moving."
Kayneth crossed his arms behind his back, watching leisurely as Emiya Kiritsugu hung in the air.
"Now, tell me the way to the underground passage. If you wish to use the Holy Grail to fulfill your wish, you must have left a path to reach it."
The weakened Emiya Kiritsugu silently stared at Kayneth.
"Not willing to talk? Then I'll just..."
*Boom!*
Kayneth frowned and raised his hand, preparing to cut off Kiritsugu's limbs, when suddenly, the surrounding structure began to collapse. A series of deafening explosions echoed in the distance, flames flaring up, and rubble falling from the ceiling made his heart race.
"You bastard! You filled this place with explosives too!"
"Cough..."
Facing Kayneth's furious roar, the suspended Emiya Kiritsugu coughed up blood from his lungs and finally spoke.
However, the voice coming from Kiritsugu's mouth wasn't a grim male tone but a weak female voice. This realization made Kayneth aware that he had been deceived.
"There's no need to search. Kiritsugu is down below with Irisviel... you're not going to make it."
"Your fate is to be buried here..."
"A fake?! This is a human skin mask, along with a disguise. No wonder that guy never showed up... it's a decoy!"
Seeing Maiya in front of him, Kayneth ground his teeth in fury.
"Sending his assistant to die in his place, Emiya Kiritsugu, just how despicable are you willing to be before you're satisfied?!"
*Tick!* *Tick!* *Tick!*
"It seems time's almost up... cough, cough... then let's die together, as an enemy standing in Kiritsugu's way."
In that instant, a dangerous ticking sound emanated from the fake Emiya Kiritsugu. Kayneth's expression changed drastically as he swiftly commanded the mercury to pierce her vital organs and fling her away.
"A human bomb! Damn it, playing such a dirty trick! You think a small gimmick like this can kill me?!"
"Fervor, meisanguis!"
At the last second before the explosion and flames erupted, he unleashed all the moonlight essence in his body and quickly chanted a spell, wrapping himself tightly in a protective barrier.
Meanwhile, Maiya, fatally wounded, closed her eyes in a daze.
Not long ago, she had completed her final communication with Emiya Kiritsugu.
He had told her that the Holy Grail War had reached its final stages, and that it was becoming too dangerous for him to ensure her safety. He had left a large sum of money and tickets to leave Fuyuki City in a safe place, telling her to leave and start a new life.
But... how could she ever leave?
From the day Kiritsugu had saved her, she had already decided to dedicate her life and future to him.
Even if it meant walking into hell, she would gladly die for him without hesitation.
And so, for the first and last time, she disobeyed Kiritsugu's orders.
She concealed her actions and came to the gym alone to confront Kayneth.
Of course, she knew that going up against a fully armed Lord of the Clock Tower by herself was suicidal.
But even so, she was willing to come here to delay Kayneth, the greatest threat to Kiritsugu, even if it meant sacrificing her life.
"Goodbye, Kiritsugu..."
"I wish you success in fulfilling your dream and a lifetime of happiness."
The light in her eyes gradually faded, and her hand fell to the ground.
Her heart stopped beating.
The flames and explosion consumed her body, along with her final wish.
----
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