Aozaki Aoko Case File [140]

As a reliable tool of Kiritsugu Emiya, Maiya Hisau never questioned his orders, no matter how powerful the opponents she faced were.

If not for Kiritsugu Emiya, she would have long since died on that rotting battlefield or become a plaything for some warlord.

The reason Maiya Hisau still lived was because Kiritsugu Emiya had given her a new life, and so she decided to dedicate that life to him.

Though not a magus herself, she had learned a great deal from Kiritsugu about how to kill magi. A young magician, in Maiya's eyes, was akin to a higher-tier magus: an overconfident, careless genius.

Thus, when she encountered Aoko Aozaki, who happened to have her back turned—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—Maiya didn't hesitate to pull the trigger. A special bullet, loaded with a lethal dose of Hydra venom, was fired straight at Aoko's back.

However, contrary to the two outcomes Maiya had anticipated (the bullet either being dodged or deflected by a magical shield), something entirely unexpected happened. The bullet hit Aoko squarely in the back, yet it caused no wound—it simply passed right through her body.

The moment Maiya saw this through her scope, she knew she had failed. She hadn't anticipated that a magician could be this absurdly powerful.

As she watched the bullet harmlessly strike the ground in front of Aoko, Aoko turned around on the spot, her gaze locking onto the rooftop of the building where the shot had been fired.

Through her scope, Maiya saw Aoko's expression and felt a chill run down her spine. The girl was smiling at her. She knew her position had been exposed.

Aoko raised her right hand, forming a playful "finger gun," and mouthed what appeared to be "Bang!"

Immediately after, Maiya's sight through the scope was consumed by an azure-white light.

"Kiritsugu, I..."

In the final moments of her life, Maiya Hisau smiled, murmuring words of longing for the man she had dedicated herself to.

"Was there an enemy, Aoko?" Artoria asked cautiously, noticing Aoko suddenly turn and fire a magical projectile. The attack, akin to a Warhammer 40K plasma weapon, obliterated and melted the rooftop of the building where Maiya had been.

"It seems one of our allies, Kiritsugu Emiya, has betrayed the pact," Aoko replied. "This attack was likely carried out by one of his subordinates."

"Has the Einzbern faction betrayed us?" Artoria asked.

"Not necessarily," Aoko said, stroking her smooth chin. "It's probably just Kiritsugu acting on his own."

Aoko, however, didn't seem to take the attack seriously at all. She grabbed Artoria's hand, activated a teleportation spell, and the two of them disappeared from the Fuyuki Bridge.

...

At the same time, in a park near the ruins of the Hyatt Hotel, two Servants clad in golden armor were locked in fierce combat.

One of them was Kayneth's Lancer—Karna—whose anti-divine spear danced with impenetrable precision. Not only did he deflect all incoming Noble Phantasms, but he also launched his relentless attacks against his opponent.

Karna's opponent, the King of Heroes, Gilgamesh, appeared somewhat different from usual. He had discarded his upper body armor, leaving his bare torso exposed.

This was not because Gilgamesh intended to yield to Karna, but because he was genuinely exerting his full power against the son of the Sun God Surya.

Crimson markings now adorned Gilgamesh's bare skin, and his aura was significantly stronger than it had been earlier. This was due to him activating his Age of the Gods Reversion state.

This ability was somewhat similar to that of Lugh Beowulf, but Gilgamesh's reversion to the Age of the Gods was undeniably far superior.

On one hand, the King of Heroes wielded Ea, the Sword of Rupture, its spatial-tearing currents roaring violently. In his other hand, he held the Chains of Heaven, a weapon named after his dear friend Enkidu.

Coupled with numerous Noble Phantasm projections from the Gate of Babylon, Gilgamesh, and the highly skilled Karna fought fiercely, their clash intensely balanced.

Though the surrounding environment had been utterly devastated, the masters of these two powerful Servants were also engaged in their duel.

Tokiomi Tohsaka swung his staff, which was inlaid with a massive ruby. From his magic circles, roaring flames surged forth, aiming to engulf Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi.

Kayneth, however, responded calmly. Under his command, the Mercury Magecraft shifted and transformed endlessly—sometimes forming deadly blades to slash at his enemy, other times becoming sturdy shields to block incoming attacks.

Despite this, Tokiomi's magical skill was undeniably solid. While not as powerful as Kayneth, he was skilled enough to hold his ground, making it difficult for Kayneth to quickly gain the upper hand.

The intense heat of Tokiomi's flame magic frequently caused portions of the mercury to vaporize, diminishing its offensive capabilities.

"Fervor, meisanguis!" Kayneth chanted confidently, commanding the mercury, which coiled into a compact mass, preparing to strike.

"Autonlatoporlum quaerere, delectus incursio!"

The mercury-like Liquid suddenly sprouted numerous spikes, resembling a sea urchin, before spreading out like a massive net, aiming to ensnare Tokiomi.

"Intensiveeinascherung!"

Tokiomi swiftly recited a short incantation. A tiered magic circle, tall enough to reach his height, materialized in front of him. From it, an enormous conflagration erupted, forming a fiery shield that burned a safe zone within the encroaching net of Mercury Liquid.

Both the Servants and their Masters were evenly matched, neither side able to gain the upper hand. Both Kayneth and Tokiomi acknowledged the strength of their opponents.

High above, the battle in the sky had also reached its climax. Gilgamesh had unleashed Ea's devastating attack for the second time, yet Karna consistently countered it with his Noble Phantasm, Brahmastra Kundala, perfectly offsetting the damage each time.

To Gilgamesh's surprise, the Chains of Heaven—symbolizing anti-divinity—were proving ineffective against Karna.

Every time Gilgamesh attempted to bind Karna with the chains, the latter's unparalleled martial prowess allowed him to deflect or break free of them, leaving even the King of Heroes astonished.