Chương 22: Aren't You Dead? Assassin
Night.
Stars twinkled like scattered snowflakes, a glimmering river of light that seemed to flow from the fingertips of the cosmos.
It was the ultimate manifestation of condensed magical power.
In the distant forest, powerful magic clashed with the roaring force of a red dragon, creating a furious wind that howled through the night.
Kurumi sighed softly to herself. She had known it all along—if Saber and Berserker crossed paths, there was no way a fight wouldn't break out.
The girl rested on a tree branch, her black and red dress swaying lightly in the wind. Underneath her inky black hair, her ruby-like eyes, radiant and brilliant, gazed up at the starry sky, as if she were half-asleep.
The golden Vimana and the thunderous ox-cart had both departed, but the night's banquet had not yet concluded.
"'I' am such a lazy person, always hugging a little girl and sleeping."
There was a trace of playful complaint in her voice.
"Why does she get to hug little Sakura all the time? I want to hold her too!"
Kurumi could feel that those observing the Einzbern fortress weren't just the Servants who had revealed themselves openly.
——
Avenger and Saber were definitely on the same side. After the battle at the harbor, Kayneth Archibald was convinced of that.
The meeting at the church had only further solidified his belief.
In the past, he might have charged straight into the Einzbern castle, but now, the lecturer with the lemon-colored hair had chosen to hold back.
"The unruly Einzberns," Kayneth muttered irritably, giving orders. "Lancer, continue tracking down Caster."
Diarmuid gazed at Saber for a moment, watching as she seemed to be shouting something at Berserker, before turning to leave.
"I look forward to crossing swords with you, King of Knights."
——
A tall figure, clad in a black priest's robe, exuding a palpable sense of menace, made his way toward the Einzbern castle.
"Avenger! Kirei Kotomine is heading your way!" Irisviel's anxious voice came through the magical communicator.
Kurumi, as if waking from a nap, straightened her posture and regarded the approaching priestly executor with interest.
Kirei Kotomine halted his steps, staring at the girl who was lounging casually on a tree branch.
Avenger.
So, Avenger was also a Servant of the Einzbern faction. Kirei felt a sense of discomfort.
Assassins in spirit form had already infiltrated the forest. While they couldn't get too close to the castle itself, they were able to observe from the outskirts. Everything had gone according to Kirei's expectations—Servants fought while their Masters stayed hidden behind walls.
His plan had been to slip into the Einzbern castle while all the other Servants were distracted by Caster, so that he could ask some "small" questions of Kiritsugu Emiya.
That man was surely guarding his defenseless Master like a hunting dog.
But now, with this girl in front of him, Kirei realized his plan had failed.
The voice of Assassin echoed in his mind.
"Apologies, Master. We could not detect her presence."
Kirei stared at the girl, her smile twisted with an air of sickness.
Strength: E
Endurance: E
Agility: D
Mana: C
A mere shadow?
——
"Has no one ever told you it's rude to peek under a lady's skirt?"
Kurumi leapt down from the tree branch, manifesting two old-fashioned guns—one long and one short—in her hands. Her ruby-red eyes, glowing eerily in the dark, locked onto Kirei.
The stern executor contemplated his next move. If this was merely a clone, perhaps he could still push forward.
As an Assassin Master, Kirei knew better than anyone that a clone would be much weaker than the original. Two Black Keys manifested in his hands, which he hurled directly at Kurumi.
The truth Kirei sought was of utmost importance to him, something tied to his very reason for living.
He dashed toward Kurumi, summoning two more Black Keys as he prepared to strike.
Bang!
Bang!
Two gunshots rang out, and though Kurumi's guns were old flintlocks, they fired like modern revolvers, perfectly deflecting the Black Keys in mid-air.
She didn't use the clock-like Noble Phantasm this time. Was it because she underestimated him? No, it was because clones couldn't use Noble Phantasms. Kirei analyzed this carefully, swinging his right arm to slice at the slender neck of the girl before him with his Black Key.
He was one of the Church's most skilled Executors.
"Vengeance—Counterattack!"
Golden-red light flared up, and the Black Keys bounced off as if they had struck steel, completely ineffective.
The barrel of Kurumi's gun was now pointed directly at Kirei, but the Executor remained calm. He had already studied her abilities—continuous attacks were the key to overwhelming her.
The shot fired, and Kirei blocked it with his left arm.
His priestly robe, reinforced with Kevlar and special Church enchantments, should have been enough to withstand the bullet.
Yet, to his surprise, the golden bullet tore through his defense effortlessly, sending a spray of blood into the air. His left arm twisted unnaturally as it absorbed the impact.
But Kirei, seemingly immune to pain, instantly dropped his Black Key and drove his fist hard into the girl's abdomen.
"Bajiquan: Crushing Fist!"
...
The sound of chains clashing rang out in the night.
Kirei saw the mocking smile on Kurumi's face.
Chains?
A tremendous force suddenly crashed into him. An Assassin, breaking out of spirit form, tackled Kirei to the ground, dragging him back several meters.
It felt as though he had been hit by a raging bull; his insides churned violently.
Assassin should not have revealed themselves. The perimeter of the forest was crawling with familiars from multiple factions, and this sudden appearance would expose the truth to everyone—that the battle on the first night had been staged, and that the Church and the Tohsaka family were in league.
But Kirei couldn't blame Assassin, not now. In the act of rescuing him, another Assassin took Kirei's place and rushed toward Avenger, only to be cut down in an instant by a flash of her blade.
Blood was blocked by the black-red shadows as Kurumi held one end of the chain, the gunblade swinging lightly.
She tilted her head slightly, her lips curling into a faint, mocking smile.
"My, my~~ didn't you die already, Assassin?"
Dragging Kirei away was a female Assassin, her purple hair falling loosely around her. Beneath her skeletal mask, sharp eyes gleamed with caution as she watched Kurumi.
"Master..." she asked Kirei hesitantly.
"We're leaving." Kirei, despite the situation, had to abandon this golden opportunity.
Kiritsugu Emiya... I will come for you soon.
...
Two Assassins stood guard in front of Kurumi, prepared to die in order to buy time for their master's retreat.
"Trash..."
The flashes of her blade and the sound of gunfire were brief. The battle was over in moments.
Even among shadows, there were clear distinctions between the strong and the weak.
——
In a distant room, little Sakura, resting against a sleeping Kurumi, stared blankly out the window with her empty purple eyes.
The warmth of the girl holding her, the soft breath on her neck, gave Sakura a sense of comfort.
From the shadows gathered at the foot of the bed, a delicate figure emerged, like a porcelain doll from a twisted fairy tale.
But Sakura didn't panic; she was already used to this.
Kurumi, having dealt with everything, appeared serene as she knelt down and gently stroked Sakura's hair.
As Sakura softly closed her eyes, purring like a little kitten, Kurumi's expression became one of pure delight.
Such an adorable kitten.
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