Kapitel 247: Chapter 247: The Death of Cornelius Alba
Two collisions had left Alba severely injured, struggling to breathe with each breath becoming shallower. However, Sakura showed no intention of stopping. She extended her small right hand, preparing to command the Shadow Apostle for a third collision, intending to end the life of that annoying magus once and for all.
Just before the Shadow Apostle descended, another hand suddenly appeared on Sakura's hand.
"Fujino-neechan?" A hint of confusion appeared in Sakura's purple eyes.
"This is far enough," Fujino said as she grasped Sakura's hand with both of hers and gently let go.
"But the enemy hasn't—"
It was hard to imagine such cold-hearted words coming from a ten-year-old girl, but Sakura said them, speaking naturally. This was also influenced by Scáthach, not showing mercy to enemies and joking about her own life.
Sakura was even better at this than Shinji, not because she was heartless, but because of her young age and limited thinking. When people think too much, they become anxious and paranoid. Shinji, who knew too much, often faced this problem, as did Araya who was too obsessed with Shiki Ryougi.
Of course, from society's mainstream perspective, Sakura was a bit twisted. However, Fujino, who was talking to Sakura, was also a twisted individual and didn't see any problem. Fujino once again ignited the spiral in her eyes and spoke calmly.
"I'll take care of what comes next. That person insulted our teacher, and as disciples of our teacher, we must uphold her honor."
"But I promised Onii-chan that I would defeat this stalker."
"You have already defeated him. It's just that taking his life is something I will do. You are not yet fourteen, not old enough to be stained with blood. I am already sixteen and can bear this responsibility."
Article 41 of the Japanese Penal Code stipulates that "the actions of a person under the age of fourteen shall not be subject to punishment." In other words, the age of fourteen is the dividing line, and those under fourteen are not held criminally responsible, while those fourteen and older are fully criminally responsible. In other words, if Sakura, who is not yet fourteen, were to kill someone, she would not be punished because she is not yet qualified to bear that burden. That is also the reason why Fujino stopped Sakura from delivering the final blow, as the crime of murder would be borne by herself, who already has full criminal capacity.
Sakura could sense the goodwill behind Fujino's words, but she did not accept them and only asked, "Fujino-neechan, have your hands been stained with blood?"
"No," Fujino shook her head, her already fair skin appearing even paler under the moonlight.
She was uneasy. She knew the other person deserved to die, and she knew that following Shinji would lead to this day, but there was still some uneasiness in her heart. It was the uneasiness of taking a step into the unknown, a step that couldn't be undone. It had nothing to do with determination, nor did it waver because it was the path she had chosen for herself.
Sakura gave Fujino a strange smile, the curve of her lips unchanged, revealing teeth that were still white and clean. However, the innocence and purity that belonged to a child had diminished significantly, replaced by a depth that bore a resemblance to Touko.
"But my hands are already unclean."
In that year when she was five, on the day she had just arrived at the Matou house, on the night she stepped into the basement that had already been filled in, her brother killed the bad person who should have been called grandfather to protect her.
At that time, her brother's face had blood on it, and she reached out to wipe it for him.
Her brother wouldn't let her, saying it was dirty.
She said, "It's not dirty, not dirty at all, Onii-chan."
At that time, she didn't know that "dirty" had another meaning, but now she understood, and yet she didn't feel any regret. Perhaps that blood was indeed dirty, but the act of wiping away the blood for her brother meant that they both shared in this filth, this guilt of taking a life. Although she didn't kill with her own hands, she had long since borne the sin of killing.
"Sakura...you..." Fujino had never seen Sakura like this, and perhaps even her family, including Shinji, had never seen Sakura like this.
"I'm fine, Fujino-neechan. Just remembering some things."
After that night that changed her fate, to maintain secrecy and prevent any psychological trauma, Justeaze manipulated Sakura's memories, blurring and fading the memories of that night. But nobody knew that these gradually fading memories would slowly resurface as Sakura's magic abilities improved.
When Sakura mastered the "Shadow Apostle," she remembered everything.
The eerie basement, swarming insects, the terrifying old man, her despair, and the light that cut through that despair.
She wouldn't blame Justeaze, who interfered with her memories, nor would she blame Shinji, Byakuya, and Kariya for deliberately keeping things from her. She knew they all did it for her good, wanting her to be happy.
But she was even happier that she could remember everything. That way, she could overcome the last trace of uneasiness and fear and walk the same path as her brother, bearing the burden of guilt together with him.
"So, Fujino-neechan, don't stop me. I will kill him, for my brother and myself."
At this moment, Sakura emitted an aura identical to Shinji's, putting Fujino under inexplicable pressure.
"Well, I respect your choice. I will join you. If you're not fast enough, don't blame me."
Fujino couldn't refuse Sakura in this state, but she also had her persistence. The red and green spiral in her eyes focused around Alba's head. With a single spin, she could twist off Alba's head.
"Then let's begin. I'll count to three, and we'll act together." Sakura raised her right hand again, extending it straight without hesitation. Her arm declared her determination and confidence, and the Shadow Apostle rose high.
"1—" Before she could finish counting, something happened to Alba's body.
It wasn't Fujino or Sakura trying to escape. It was Alba's movement.
Despite being struck twice, Alba hadn't lost consciousness. He was waiting for an opportunity. At this point, he knew he couldn't escape, but he wanted to use all his magical power to launch one final spell. Killing the two girls would be good, but if he couldn't kill them, he would at least inflict as much harm as possible.
Alba not only possessed the skill of high-speed incantation but also the ability to lower his voice and extend the chanting time at the cost of power. Sakura and Fujino's casual conversation gave him the time to complete his magecraft.
Unprecedented magical fluctuations appeared on Alba's body, converging in his outstretched left hand, poised to strike the two girls.
Sensing that something was amiss, Sakura immediately stopped counting and activated the Shadow Apostle. At the same time, Fujino ignited the spiral in her eyes.
This was the showdown, a battle of speed.
Who was faster in the end? Alba's magic? Sakura's Shadow Apostle? Or Fujino's Mystic Eyes?
The answer surprised everyone—none of them.
The fastest was a bullet, coming from the rooftop of an apartment building eight hundred meters away, fired from the muzzle of a Walther WA2000 semi-automatic sniper rifle, a supersonic bullet.
This bullet pierced through Alba's head from above, directly penetrating his brain. The tremendous impact caused him to roll on the ground twice even after instantaneously dying. The impending magic, the collision of the Shadow Apostle, and the distortion of the Mystic Eyes all came to naught.
As the slender man who fired the shot ejected the cartridge, he calmly smoked a cigarette and muttered to himself.
"Little girls, once blood stains you, it can never be washed away. It's better to avoid getting stained if you can."
Who was he? He was Shinji's last line of defense—the Magus Killer, Emiya Kiritsugu!
PS: In fact, this scene has a deeper meaning—
Sakura: I was here first, I am the legitimate one.
Fujino: I respect that you were here first, but I also have my persistence. Watch out for me catching up.
PS2: Alba got KS by Kiritsugu.
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