Multiverse Adventure – My Journey Begins in Danmachi 122
by TINY FAN FICTIONMultiverse Adventure – My Journey Begins in Danmachi 122
Edited by: Tiny Fan Fiction
Chapter 122 Abandon
Looking at the arrogant and mocking smile of Gilgamesh, Emiya Kiritsugu closed his eyes and took a deep breath, using the Breathing Technique.
Feeling the intense pain radiating from his heart and lungs with each Breathing Technique, each heartbeat, images flashed before his eyes.
Some were nostalgic, some were brutal, some were happy, some were bloody…
In the end, as if his bones were being pulled out, Emiya Kiritsugu’s once proud back trembled and slowly hunched over.
“…Gil, King of Heroes, please, I beg you, save Irisviel and the others.”
Like something vital that had become part of his flesh being forcibly torn from his body, every word Emiya Kiritsugu spoke trembled, his choked and hoarse voice revealing extreme pain.
He ultimately knelt on the ground, bowing his head to Gilgamesh.
“Even if you kill me, it doesn’t matter, please, save them…”
Watching Emiya Kiritsugu like this, the smile on Gilgamesh’s face slowly faded, and in his slightly narrowed eyes, something seemed to flicker, as if reminiscing, lamenting…
“Use the Command Spell, Kiritsugu.”
It was as if he had suddenly been burned by a hot iron; Emiya Kiritsugu looked at the back of his hand with tear-blurred eyes, staring at the Command Spell, as if seeing his past life blurred by blood.
Shari’s eyes, his father’s eyes, Natalie’s eyes…
The boy’s eyes, the girl’s eyes, the child’s eyes, the old man’s eyes…
Those were the countless eyes of those he had saved and those he had killed, as if the 6 billion pairs of eyes in the world were all staring at him at this moment, demanding a choice.
In countless moments of the past, Emiya Kiritsugu had been forced to lower his head by this invisible yet heavy strength.
But at this moment, he suddenly felt that these gazes were so light, so insignificant.
Compared to that darkness, even the will of 6 billion people seemed too fragile…
“…by the Command Spell, I command.”
*
“Woman, as an artificial human, you should have no emotions, yet you so actively launch Offensive Arts against me. Why is that? Have you already Ai Emiya Kiritsugu? Is this the setting for artificial humans? Or is it your choice?”
Kotomine Kirei tried to keep his voice calm and steady, just like when he acted as a priest in the past, making people feel at ease and trust him.
If he were to disregard everything and choke a white-haired beauty by the neck, pin her down, and pierce all her joints with a weapon resembling a long knife.
“I have no malice; as long as you tell me the answer, I will guarantee your survival.”
Glaring at Kotomine Kirei with disdain, Irisviel coughed up a mouthful of blood, staining her exquisite silver hair with a hint of crimson like plum blossoms.
Then, she fell silent, closed her eyes, and wore a calm expression as if ready to embrace her fate.
This instantly enraged Kotomine Kirei, causing him to emit a sorrowful sigh that was almost akin to pain from his throat.
“Speak! What is the answer! What is the meaning given to that empty man?!”
The terms “artificial human” and “fiery emotions” are 2 unrelated words, yet in front of this woman, they harmoniously unified at this moment.
If the reason for her heart’s overflowing emotions could be found, perhaps it would provide a more comprehensive answer for Kotomine Kirei’s pursuit.
If only Emiya Kiritsugu could be added to the mix, a man who, like him, acted without any interests or reasons in the first half of his life, with a heart as empty as a void.
These individuals must have some special reason for becoming as steadfast as they are now.
Kotomine Kirei resolved to find that reason.
Thus, the calm and composed demeanor he had before was completely shattered by a different distortion, causing Irisviel to open her eyes.
She stared at Kotomine Kirei, raising her swan-like long, white neck, and spoke in a tone laced with pity, delight, and disgust.
“Ha, cough cough, so this is your true face?”
Wrong.
All wrong.
She was wrong, and so was Emiya Kiritsugu.
Although Kotomine Kirei resembled Emiya Kiritsugu on the outside, the two were entirely different, even completely opposite men.
“In that case, let me tell you, but you probably won’t believe it.”
With a hint of vengeful delight, Irisviel revealed a breathtaking smile stained with blood.
“The reason Emiya Kiritsugu persists, never gives up, and is without confusion is, world peace!”
Irisviel had come to terms with the fact that she would likely die here.
Because Emiya Kiritsugu only had one Command Spell, he would absolutely not give up on the Holy Grail War.
Even so, Irisviel felt no resentment in her heart.
Just in the next moment, a wave of golden light shone continuously, accompanied by a strong wind, coalescing into the figure of Gilgamesh.
Its radiance illuminated the darkness, also reflecting 2 faces that looked equally stunned.
Kotomine Kirei’s stunned expression was due to his complete unexpectedness of receiving such an answer, his mind filled with intense and complex emotions for a moment.
Absurdity, anger, sorrow, loneliness.
He found the answer unbelievable, even wanting to rebuke Irisviel for deceiving him.
But precisely because Kotomine Kirei knew the answer might be correct, he felt angry.
This also meant that Kotomine Kirei, in this world, had no equal.
His loneliness was beyond anyone’s understanding.
And Irisviel’s stunned expression was because she understood the implications behind Gilgamesh’s sudden appearance in an instant.
Kiritsugu, had given up?
Given up on the Holy Grail War?
Given up on his long-held ideals?
Given up on his Justice?
“Gil, Gil?”
Gilgamesh was pleased with Irisviel’s reaction, revealing a smile filled with malice.
“Irisviel, your mission and life, are now complete.”
Then, he no longer looked at the others, gazing at Kotomine Kirei instead.
“Well done, Kirei, now let us forge a new contract.”
Coming back to his senses, Kotomine Kirei approached Gilgamesh, under Irisviel’s disbelieving and enraged gaze, stretching out his hand.
“No! You! Mustn’t! Gil, don’t!”
After renewing their contract, Gilgamesh nodded in satisfaction.
“Though not very refined, it’s not boring either. I believe we’ll get along well in the future. Now, let’s find a new base of operations.”
Without waiting for Kotomine Kirei’s response, Gilgamesh transformed into a particle and strode towards the church first.
Sensing the sorrowful and dazed gaze of Irisviel behind him, Kotomine Kirei stared blankly at Gilgamesh’s departing figure, revealing a Distortion smile that was unknown to anyone.
“As you wish, King of Heroes.”
After Kotomine Kirei left, Irisviel took over 3 minutes to come to her senses and hurriedly treated the dying Hisau Maiya.
The Einzbern Family’s healing technique is essentially Alchemy, appearing as Heal, but actually directly forging and replacing the missing flesh.
Therefore, the consumption of this healing technique is also greater, not to mention that Irisviel’s Body is wounded all over and she must first treat her joints.
Fortunately, when the Einzbern Family created the artificial human, they had already added a large number of Magic Circuits, making Irisviel’s body possess an abnormally large amount of Mana.
After completing the treatment for Hisau Maiya, Irisviel didn’t stand up, she just sat there blankly, staring at the sky in a daze.
As an artificial human of the Einzbern Family, Irisviel had long accepted her fate of dying in the Holy Grail War.
It’s just that if she could help Kiritsugu achieve his ideal on this basis, it wouldn’t be bad either.
Because that meant she wouldn’t die by force, but would actively dedicate her life for the sake of love.
But now, it seems like everything is over.
Just that, Irisviel had always regarded her death as the TargetScheme of her short life, and now she suddenly finds that she doesn’t have to die, but becomes incredibly lost instead.
Until, accompanied by the rustling sound of leaves, a dejected and lost Figure appeared in front.
“Love, Ai…”
After confirming that Hisau Maiya was safe, Emiya Kiritsugu looked at Irisviel again, and immediately lowered his head in fear.
That look was completely unlike the Magus Assassin stained with countless Blood in the past, it was like a child who had done something wrong, filled with bewilderment, self-blame and guilt.
This made Irisviel feel a surge of maternal affection, and
“It’s okay! Kiritsugu! Let’s leave Fuyuki City together! Let’s find a new place to live! With Ilyasviel, and Maiya, the 4 of us together!”
Until this moment, the gloom pressing on Emiya Kiritsugu’s heart finally dissipated, and he tightly embraced his wife, weeping bitterly.
Actions speak louder than words; Emiya Kiritsugu hadn’t forgotten that he still had many enemies in Fuyuki City at this moment.
For instance, the Lord El-Melloi, whom he had crippled the Magic Circuit of and killed his wife, still had a saber in hand.
Aside from Caster, any Servant capable of Close-Combat could easily overpower a human.
Therefore, Emiya Kiritsugu packed up their things overnight, taking the mother and daughter, with the still-unconscious Hisau Maiya on his back, preparing to head to the neighboring big city to hide.
However, as the car drove down the highway, they were intercepted.
Looking at the burly man in a red robe on horseback not far ahead, along with the woman in a black suit on a motorcycle behind, Emiya Kiritsugu fell silent and quietly lit a cigarette.
Given the circumstances, it was better to take a moment to calm down with a smoke.
“Kiritsugu?! What should we do?”
“Um, Mom? Dad?”
Surrounded by 2 powerful Servants, the previously composed Irisviel couldn’t help but reveal her true nature, anxiously looking around, which immediately woke the sleeping Ilyasviel in her arms.
After all, facing a crisis when one has resolved to die is a completely different mindset from encountering danger while yearning for a happy and beautiful life.
After calming Irisviel down, Emiya Kiritsugu felt that there might still be a turning point in the situation.
If these two Servants wanted to kill them, they could simply strike with a single blow, cleaving both man and car in half.
Moreover, killing him does not equate to killing Iris and Ilyasviel.
No matter how Emiya Kiritsugu evaluated these diverse Servants, he had to admit one thing: they were all legendary heroes, full of spirit and vigor.
These individuals would not disguise themselves; they belonged to the kind that would kill honorably, even if they had to take a life.
Even Gilgamesh, that harsh character, did not lay a hand on Iris and her daughter; King Arthur and the Conqueror, who seemed even more righteous, should be the same, right?
Having made up his mind, Emiya Kiritsugu said a word and then got out of the car, quickly locking the door before Irisviel could get out.
Although he had already made up his mind, when Emiya Kiritsugu met the piercing emerald gaze of King Arthur, a shiver still couldn’t help but run down his spine.
Even when he had faced brown bears and fierce tigers before, he had never quivered like this.
This was a Servant; although they both had 2 eyes and a nose, getting close made it clear there was an intrinsic difference in the essence of life between them.
Even if the other party appeared to be just a beautiful young girl.
Although he was known as a killer with bloodstained hands, compared to the other party, the few people he had killed didn’t even qualify to be mentioned.
But then, he had only killed a few hundred at most, so he was a mouse.
While the other had slaughtered armies, razed cities, and destroyed nations, thus a Hero.
Emiya Kiritsugu said nothing, and Artoria remained silent as well.
She disliked the middle-aged man standing before her, feeling as if every fiber of his being was targeting her, but when it came down to it, she didn’t know what to say.
Take revenge for Kenneth and Sola-Ui?
On the battlefield, it was a matter of life and death, no room for talk of fairness; besides, Artoria had turned enemies into allies before.
After all, among countries, it was all about interests; if one held a grudge and sought the other’s death, they would have perished long ago.
If the other were still a Master, Artoria would have cut him down without a second thought, but it seemed he had already lost his Command Spells and was preparing to withdraw from the Holy Grail War.
Honestly, why didn’t you persist a bit longer?
Then I could have killed you without a qualm!
The most important thing was, Kenneth hadn’t given her an order to kill, leaving Artoria quite passive.
As if to resolve Artoria’s dilemma, a Servant descended between the two.
“Put your weapons away for now, come to Enzou mountain, to Ryūdō Temple; there’s a problem with the Holy Grail War.”
If it were anyone else’s message, they would have dismissed it as a poorly crafted trap.
But if it was Noah…
After a moment of mutual sizing-up, they all silently returned to their respective mounts and rode off towards the distant mountains.
Emiya Kiritsugu, driving the car, glanced at Artoria beside him, and the Iskandar (Rider) on the other side, his expression somewhat peculiar.
The style of this Holy Grail War, was it perhaps a bit off-kilter?
Other Masters and Servants would fight to the death upon meeting, so how was it that so many of us could walk together in peace?
I didn’t know, I thought we were all going on a spring outing.
After arriving at Enzou mountain, the group tacitly followed the Servant in silence, arriving at a cavern below.
As soon as they stepped inside, before Artoria could even greet Noah standing within the Magic Circle, a sudden anomaly occurred.
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