Part 361: over load

Not satisfied with just the last update, RuanGacho is burning his prize to bring you this one.



Music: Whirlpool of Fate



A priest preaches about the teachings of God, but doesn't drive away evil spirits.
Their god is one and absolute. Supreme and all-knowing. A spirit that created the perfect world.
Such a god would never allow evil to disgrace the world that he created.

But evil still exists, corrupting men and tainting the world.
God's world is being desecrated by something that should not exist.
This is how they defined the contradiction.
That even the evil that threatens mankind is a necessary part of the world. It is something worthy of love.

In this regard, evil is a messenger from heaven.
If what brings out the goodness of men is holy, it follows that what brings out the malice of men is evil.
They are both angels sent by God.
As one who teaches the word of God, the priest has no right to eliminate them.

But.
Evil does exist, corrupting men and tainting the earth, producing gruesome tragedies surpassing human knowledge.
At times, the trials from heaven made people realize how powerless God is.
The inhuman deeds of the evil caused people to desire for miracles from the great God.

Consequently, an exception was created.
Apostles, humans that carry out the will of God instead of spreading his word…
Trials that should be observed.
Heresy that should be denied.
People who possess what should not exist, the 8th Sacrament.
Executors, destroyers of evil devised by the 120 Cardinals, were born.

They drive away darkness, purging all things that are not part of God's teachings.
They hunt down that which doesn't exist in the doctrine, so they're not bound by the doctrine.
Their immorality is forgiven.
There's only one thing they must protect: the great name of God.
For this purpose, they will destroy the evil that God created.
That is the only difference between them and the Exorcists.



Five Black Keys on each side, and a Command Spell on his right arm, unused since the last war.
These armaments are more than sufficient against a low-ranking spirit.
But he cannot kill a Servant even if he hits every one of his weapons.
Even if he may be nameless, Assassin is a heroic spirit.
He can't possibly defeat a heroic spirit unless he has a weapon of the "Scripture" scale that the selected Agents carry.

"What's wrong? It looks like your weapon is a projectile weapon as well. Would you like to try a match?"
""
The priest doesn't move.
He stares at the skull that lurks between the trees, listening to the sounds in the forest.
Rustling leaves.
The breath under the mask.
The sound of slowly melting flesh.
And the mad warrior crashing into the distance.

"…He went that way, as I thought. It seems you are not doing well with Matou Sakura, Makiri Zouken."
He talks while staring at the skull.

"Ka. Kaka, kakakakakaka!
I see, so you felt my presence, Kirei!
Why did you stop in spite of that? You could have used the boy as bait to escape.
So why are you conducting such a good deed as to be the bait yourself? Do not tell me you are moved by kindness!"



"Oh? You had business with me?"
"Of course. Either way, Emiya and I will not get out of the forest. I know we will both die eventually.
Thenit is only natural to do something for yourself before you die, correct?"
"Hm……? Then you do not mind what happens to Ilyasviel? You came to rescue her, right?"

"I care not. I can do nothing, even if I defeat Assassin here and move to help the boy. Whether Emiya Shirou succeeds or fails to save her is no concern of mine."



He holds three Black Keys in his left hand.
The priest stares at the skull in front of him while holding the swords in a fan form.

"…Oh. Then you stayed here because…"
"Yes. I must keep Ilyasviel from you, or…"



…The hostility disappears.
The white skull melts into the forest without trace.

"Or kill you here."







"Ku, haha, hahahahaha!
I see, so that's why you came to die! Fine, Kirei. We have unsavory ties. I shall see through the battle of the Church's outlier!"
The laugh echoes.
The holy man who wards off evil meets Malak al-Maut, knowing it's impossible to win

Music: Stop





I run through the forest with Ilya in my arms.
I can't turn back.
It feels like a black wall would be behind me if I turn back, which would kill my spirit to escape alive.
I don't have energy to waste on that.
He'll catch up to us if my resolve wavers.
He'll catch up and kill us both.

"Ah, haa, gah, ah, ah……!"
" "

It feels like my feet will tear off.
Ilya may be light, but carrying someone still slows me down.
Making matters worse, the forest isn't the best place to run in. Each step nearly causes me to trip.

"Ah! Haa, ah, ah, haa……!"
" !"

Faster. Faster. Faster. Faster.
He'll catch up to us unless I run faster.
The presence behind me is getting closer by the second.
This is no time to be moving this slowly.
I have to run fasterrun fast like Kotomine and run away with Ilya…!

"Ah, guh…!"
" !"



", !"
" !"

It's painful.
How long have I run for?
I'm running frantically through the forest with Ilya in my arms.
I've covered five kilometers already.
Then again, I'm so short of breath that I can't think, so it might've been twice that.
I ran full speed without slowing down.

""

"Ah"
" !"



"Kuh."
" !"

Ilya is heavy.
Oxygen is heavy.
My legs are heavy.
Death is heavy.
I'll die if he catches up to me.
I'm burdened with the fear of being killed in a single blow.

"Ah!"
" !"

I mentally kick myself before I can falter.
Run.
Just don't think and keep running.
So what if my legs are about to rip off? What's the point in worrying? Think about that when it actually happens.
For now, I just need to get out of the forest as quickly as possible.
Fill my chest with gasoline. Turn the key and ignite the engine that's stalling with fear. Keep the gear at the top. Remove the brakes.

"Haah, ah!"
" !"

Run. Run. Run.
Run to shake the uneasiness from my back.
Run to ignore the fear behind me.
Run so I won't think negative thoughts!



Shut up.
Don't yell in my ear. My eardrums are about to burst just because of my breathing. I can't spare the effort to listen to your loud voi

"No, stop, Shirou……!!!!!!!!"

"!?"
Ilya screams in my arms.
My mind reacts to her frantic warning before my body does.



Video: Hasty Defense (mirror)

"Trace…"

Music: Breach

I ready the sword I had on my waist and create a Magic Circuit at the speed of 200 miles per hour.



"On!"
Nothing comes to mind.
Analysis of creation concept, analysis of basic structure. Modification of creation concept, reinforcement of basic structure.
In an instant, I manufacture everything without even thinking about it.





"Ah."
I'm flying.
The attack I made with all my might was deflected like nothing.
I'm no match against him.
I'm no match against him.
Emiya Shirou isn't allowed to even stop that monster.

My body's floating in the air.
No, I'm flying.
I'm like a thrown lance, hurled dozens of meters by the impact.
I might fly back to the castle.
That's how much stronger he is. Escape is impossible.

Time has stopped.
I'm still flying, and I should die when I fall to the ground.
Having seen the difference in our power, I accept my fate, but…

"No way… No, Berserker…"
…I see Ilya crying in disbelief, with the black monster in front of her.

Music: Stop







"Haaahah……!"
I can only draw a single breath.
I need oxygen, but it feels like I'll explode if I take another.

"Haa, gu, haa!"
But my body moves.
That single breath gives me the strength to run.
I use all of my Magic Circuit to move my muscles and

Video: The Black Giant (mirror)





…That's the black enemy's true identity.
Kotomine said his eyes can't see.
He's right, but he's not accurate.

…That Servant has no eyes, nose, or mouth.
His glowing, red eyes are there to emit hostility.
His body is covered by the black mud, and the wound he received from Saber is left alone.

…That's something completely different.
Engulfed in the mud, he is a monster who can only destroy.
He doesn't even see who he's attacking.
The mad warrior can't recognize Ilya's figure, let alone mine.



He raises his axe-sword against the living thing in front of him.









Music: Footsteps of Destruction



"Hm, this looks like the end. I should commend you for lasting this long against a Servant."
The old man's laugh echoes through the sky.

""
Assassin remains silent, in contrast to his talkative master.
Battle is merely work for him.
The Darks that go for his opponent's vital spots are also weapons to measure the strength of his opponent.
He measures his opponent's mobility with the first dagger.
He measures his opponent's action principles with the second.
He always keeps seven meters between him and the opponent.
He maintains a distance at which only projectile weapons are useful and measures his opponent's skill.

If he cannot kill his opponent in one blow, he will force his opponent to a place where he can.
He will drive them into a corner by cutting their limbs and tiring their bodies.
For Assassin, the daggers are merely preparation for his fatal attack.
He uses them to analyze his target's skill, creates the perfect opportunity, and smashes his enemy with his evil arm.
It's just a chore for Assassin, bringing him no joy.

It's a boring chore, but the priest is better prey than he expected.
He has used at least twenty daggers already.
Although he uses them to determine his opponent's skill, each one is still meant to kill.
The priest has blocked them and reached this ruin.
He dismissed the priest as a mere human, but his powers are admirable.





Assassin fires the daggers without motion.
Aiming for the temple, pancreas, and diaphragm.
The priest challenges the lightning flashes with his Black Keys.





Video: Kyrie Eleison (mirror)

"Die."





The wing flaps.
The cursed arm, the one-winged spear, is developed.
It's an unavoidable attack.
Assassin knows the priest's capabilities.
He knows his prey is tired and wounded.

That is why this will kill.
The prey should prevent death from the Darks.
But that will be all.
Even if he saved up his energy for a counterstrike, his body is incapable of carrying it out.

After repelling the three daggers, all the priest can do is jump sideways.
And only three meters at that. He cannot escape the arm!







The cursed arm stretches out.
The priest has no fear.
He's prepared for it.
He knows that the daggers are a feint, that the cursed arm will strike him the instant he repels the daggers, and that he has no way to avoid it.

No matter what he does, he will die.
That is why…
"Set"

Music: Stop

The only thing he can aim for is a double-kill!







The Black Keys will certainly hit him.
But how unfortunate. No matter what magic he puts on the swords, the Black Keys cannot kill Assassin.
The three swords will pierce through Assassin, sticking to the tree behind him.
But that's it.
The priest will inflict injury, but will have his heart torn out in turn!





"Wha"
At that instant, the impact hits him.
The three Black Keys hurl Assassin backward, nailing him to a tree.

"What!?"
There are two surprises.
One is that the Black Keys have sealed his movement.
And the other is…

Music: Church on the Hill



"HmWhat are you doing, Assassin…!?"
It does not need to be said.
His bodyguard is sewn to a tree by the Black Keys.
To Assassin, this is only a scratch.
But the holy nails make it impossible to save the old man.



Why challenge an enemy he knows he cannot defeat?
This has always been his announced intention.

"Damn you…!"
"Be silent. You'll bite your tongue off."
The priest grabs his head and drops to the ground.

"Gi!"



He shows no mercy.

The priest smashes the old magus's body on the ground, crushes his bones, and slams his head against the wall.

"HaI see, so you will kill me!? Very well, do as you wish. But what will change? Do you think your wish will come true!?"



He walks.
Leaving a smear of blood across the stones as he goes.

"Hahaha, hahahaha! Such a hopeless wretch! Do you still seek mundane happiness!? Do you not understand that such a thing does not exist for you!?"

The blood and flesh paint a picture on the wall.
All that remains of the old magus is his head.
His body has been ground away against the stone.

And not even half of his head remains.
Even with his brain pasted to the wall, the old magus gives off his last laugh.



"You will never find it. Kirei, you were defective from birth. Just stand and watch, never fitting into the world…!"















Music: Stop