Aozaki Aoko Case File [150]

Emiya Kiritsugu fired.

Emiya Kiritsugu decisively pulled the trigger of the Thompson Contender. The mechanism engaged, and the firing pin struck the primer of the bullet filled with his cremated bone ash.

The gunpowder within the bullet burned rapidly, releasing a massive amount of chemical energy, which then transformed into kinetic energy to propel the bullet forward.

With the sound of a gunshot, Emiya Kiritsugu, in his quadruple-accelerated world, watched Aozaki Aoko's beautiful eyes widen in surprise—seemingly not expecting his counterattack.

Without delay, Kiritsugu, ignoring his injuries, used all his strength to free himself from the restraints on the wall. He couldn't be sure whether a being as extraordinary as a Magician could still retaliate after being hit by one of his Origin Bullets.

He sprinted with every ounce of strength left in his body, simultaneously drawing a blood-grooved military tactical knife from his waist. Kiritsugu was confident that the combat techniques he had honed through countless life-and-death struggles on the battlefield would allow him to subdue the young woman before him.

Meanwhile, Aoko, still wearing a shocked expression, took two steps back—seeming as if she couldn't believe she was struck by the Origin Bullet. This only solidified Kiritsugu's resolve to engage her in close combat.

However, just as he gritted his teeth, gripping the knife and preparing to strike a vital point, he noticed that after retreating two steps, Aoko stood her ground.

He had seen the bullet pierce through her chest—but now, the graceful curves of her figure were completely unscathed.

The heart of the so-called Magus Killer sank rapidly, but his uniquely strong mental discipline drove him to continue his plan of close-quarters assassination with the knife.

In his disbelieving eyes, Aoko's figure blurred into a shadow, and then an uppercut struck Kiritsugu's jaw. The punch was so forceful that two of his teeth were knocked out, clattering to the ground.

Aoko, her movements graceful and agile, followed by lightly leaping into the air. In a beautiful mid-air spin, she landed a kick squarely on Kiritsugu's right chest, sending him flying.

Kiritsugu no longer had the strength to mount any kind of counterattack. That final kick from Aoko had fractured his ribs, driving them into his lungs.

Even if Aoko left him here and did nothing more, Kiritsugu would die slowly, as the previous necromantic spells had already robbed him of the energy to save himself.

"Did you think your Origin Bullet could hurt me? Hmm?" Aoko asked, smiling as she looked down at the dying Kiritsugu. "Too bad—your bullet passed through without hitting me."

At this point, Kiritsugu's thoughts had slowed to a crawl. His Time Alter had long since been dispelled when Aoko shattered his ribs, as the bounded field within his body had been destroyed by Aoko's overwhelming magical energy.

Seeing Kiritsugu's blood-streaked lips and his desperate struggle to breathe, Aoko felt a wave of disgust.

She snapped her fingers, and the military tactical knife that had fallen to the ground flew into her hand.

Aoko walked to Kiritsugu's side, her slender, pale fingers brushing along the blade's edge, causing it to gleam faintly with light.

A Transmutation school spell, first circle: Enchant Weapon.

Holding the now magically enhanced, razor-sharp knife, Aoko nudged Kiritsugu's arm with her foot. His right hand feebly swayed, exposing the Command Spells on the back of it.

Aoko casually flicked her wrist downward, and the magically reinforced blade sliced through Kiritsugu's arm as easily as cutting through butter.

Ignoring Kiritsugu's hoarse screams, Aoko used Mage Hand to strip the sleeve from the severed arm, revealing something that surprised her.

On Kiritsugu's withered arm, in addition to his original three Command Spells, there were over a dozen more densely packed onto it. Aoko immediately understood their origin.

Raising an eyebrow, Aoko snapped her fingers, transferring all the Command Spells from Kiritsugu's arm to her own. Including her original ones, she now possessed a total of 21 Command Spells.

Unlike most Masters, Aoko didn't have to worry about the magical energy expenditure of her Servant. These Command Spells wouldn't be used to recharge Artoria's Noble Phantasm.

Instead, the crystallized magical miracles created by the Greater Grail could achieve feats that even Aoko's sophisticated Arcane techniques couldn't accomplish—such as summoning Servants across space.

"Now then, it's time to ask you about the Lesser Grail's location," Aoko murmured to herself. "Though I doubt you'll give up the information so easily, I'll just have to find it myself."

"Look into my eyes!" Aoko commanded as she used Mage Hand to lift Kiritsugu's face, forcing him to meet her gaze. She activated a Divination school second-circle spell: Detect Thoughts.

No matter how much Kiritsugu struggled or tried to clear his mind, he couldn't stop Aoko from extracting the information she needed from his obsessive and deranged mind.

"Perfect," she said with a smirk. Summoning a Bigby's Hand, she lifted Kiritsugu's body into the air. "Looks like it's not too far from here."

Aoko fired a magical projectile, blasting a massive hole in the wall, and walked straight through.

After destroying three walls in succession, Aoko finally found herself in a room where the unconscious and critically injured Irisviel lay.

Suspended mid-air, Kiritsugu mustered the last of his strength, letting out a meaningless cry of "Aaaah—!"

Aoko raised her right hand, revealing a long row of Command Spells, and decisively issued a command:

"Self-destruct, Assassin."

...

At that moment, Semiramis, who was engaged in fierce combat with Karna and Waver, suddenly felt her heart tighten.

Both Karna and Waver noticed Semiramis's strange reaction and ceased their attacks to observe.

Then, all the countless chains that Semiramis had summoned—each tipped with sharp spikes—suddenly turned on her, aiming directly at their wielder.

Never in her wildest dreams did Semiramis imagine that her current manifestation would end this way.

The chains pierced her spiritual core, making her demise inevitable. The three onlookers, including Kayneth, were left speechless.

"Really now—" Semiramis murmured, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth as a bittersweet smile graced her beautiful face. "Is this how it always ends for me?"

...

Aoko watched as Irisviel's body melted into magic circuits, eventually condensing into a resplendent golden chalice.

Grasping the Holy Grail firmly in her hand, Aoko didn't spare a glance at the dying, tear-streaked Kiritsugu on the ground as she activated a teleportation spell and left the room.

Once Aoko departed, the entire Hanging Gardens began to tremble violently.

Without its master, Semiramis, the false garden could no longer sustain itself and began to collapse.

Bricks and debris rained down around him as Kiritsugu silently passed away.

But just as the structure was about to completely collapse, a pool of black liquid seeped out from the cracks in the rubble.

The liquid swiftly moved toward Kiritsugu's corpse, enveloping it entirely.

Then, the sole remaining arm of Kiritsugu's body twitched, and the corpse slowly pushed itself upright, eventually standing.

Where his face should have been, there was now a cluster of nine grotesque, otherworldly eyes.

Without a doubt, something—or someone—had taken control of Kiritsugu's body.

The entity piloting the Magus Killer's corpse reattached his severed arm before dodging the falling debris with speed rivaling his former quadruple-accelerated state, ultimately escaping the collapsing room.