Fate/Zero:Act 14 Part 2
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Emiya Kiritsugu was very sensitive to the scent of Death.
Perhaps it was because he had witnessed the deaths of others countless times. Death can’t be seen, nor can it be heard. Nonetheless, he can still sense the silent descent of something unknown at the moment when life was waiting to disappear from the corporal body.
The times when he felt the ‘joy’ of that thing were definitely times when he must watch, helplessly, someone else’s final moments, with their lives already beyond saving.
Therefore, Kiritsugu felt despair and gave up the moment he stood in the silent underground storage.
He will definitely be witnessing someone else’s death again at this place.
Holding onto the gun tucked in at his waist, he carefully crept into the underground storage, its iron doors already smashed. There was no killing intent or any other scents of danger. There was only the air with the stench of blood permeating through it; the heat of battle had already cooled down.
There was a little figured curled up on the floor; the sound of her breathing were almost too faint to be heard. Unmoving, its gradually cooling body temperature was surprising nostalgic.
Because he had always known this scene would appear sooner or later.
He only saved this girl’s life. Her heart was already dead the moment she met Kiritsugu. This girl, who fortunately remained alive after her baptism of bullets and gunpowder, did not feel happiness but confusion at her good luck.
She could no longer feel any value or joy towards the fact she was living as a human again.
So she’ll return her life, which was saved, to the master who gifted this life to her – with her eyes closed, it almost seemed the girl was telling Kiritsugu that. It was a meeting eleven years ago.
Kiritsugu also accepted her conclusion as such.
He knew with a certain premonition that this girl will die in the near future. Kiritsugu killed his own father and his foster mother with his own hands. Therefore, he knew clearly that this girl standing beside him would also soon step onto the road of no return.
But even so, the more tools he can use the better. One day she will lose her value and be discarded; it would be a rather happy ending if she can actually manage to save the lives of two or more people… Kiritsugu gifted this girl with a name, a nationality, and taught her the skills and knowledge he possessed. That was the first beginnings of Hisau Maiya, this person whose final destiny had already been decided.
Therefore, there was no need to sigh or to feel at a loss here – this is the logical, unquestionable end.
He took Maiya’s body into his arms. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Her empty gaze wandered around till she recognized Kiritsugu’s face.
“…”
Not knowing what to say to her, Kiritsugu bit his lip with confusion.
Words of gratitude or comfort have no real effects. If he were to say anything with meaning to her at this moment – then it would be to tell her the conclusion ‘you will die here’.
Tell her that she has no tasks left, no need to be troubled any more.
If he simply regarded her as a tool to be used, Kiritsugu would definitely be able to say those things.
“…”
However, no sound could come out of his dry throat. He just stood there dazedly, his lips spasming.
“… No. You can’t cry…”
“…”
Kiritsugu didn’t notice the tears welling up in his eyes and threatened to fall out of the corners until Maiya pointed it out.
“You… need to save your tears for madam… if you cry here. No… you, are really weak. If you… start to cry now. No way…”
“I –”
He must have made some fatal error; Kiritsugu only felt that acutely now.
Functioning as a tool, thinking that even such a fate is acceptable at the end – just like Emiya Kiritsugu had always done, he had always thought Hisau Maiya was the same.
However, towards such a Kiritsugu, she spoke these words.
Shouldn’t she have had some other ways to live or die?
“This morning. You finally… returned to the Kiritsugu of the past… if you waver over such a small matter. No…”
“–”
True. At this same place, he had embraced a different woman and understood he path he should walk in his life.
Just a moment’s wavering can overturn his belief.
The correct method can achieve the impossible miracle.
He reminded himself thus. It had been only half a day.
“ – Maiya, rest assured.”
Kiritsugu said in a suppressed voice as he stared into Maiya’s eyes, which were gradually losing their light.
“Trust Saber with everything. Maiya, your task… is complete.”
Although she has lost her value, the machine that was Emiya Kiritsugu still need to keep functioning without any errors. Kiritsugu promised her that.
So there’s no need for her to keep holding on.
No need to keep suffering pain, no need to keep thinking; she can let everything go.
Hearing this incompatibly cold declaration, Hisau Maiya softly nodded her head.
“Maiya…”
No reply.
No words of correction or refusal would ever be voiced again. What lay in Kiritsugu’s arms was already an icy-cold corpse.
Rider’s escape was evidently towards Shinto’s direction.
Saber kept seeing Rider’s back appearing on top of apartment buildings and billboards; perhaps it was because the latter was jumping from one vantage point to another. Maybe he did not deliberately hide his movements due to his total disregard to Saber’s pursuing speed on foot.
Then he had overly underestimated his enemy.
Together with the completely opened throttle valves and Saber’s rising fighting spirit, the two-wheeled ferocious beast let out a courageous roar. The rumbling of the V-style four-cylinder 1400cc engine was like that of an iron-cast lion – the crazed bellowing of the giant carnivore violently shook the silence of the night.
The mechanical tool Emiya Kiritsugu had prepared wasn’t four-wheeled, but two-wheeled, perhaps to maximise Saber’s Riding skill. Compared to ‘controllable’ automobiles, which had the driver in a seat and constrained by safety belts, it is easier to control the balance if the driver becomes a part of the vehicle itself. A Servant’s reinforced skills can only be maximised through ‘Riding’ a motorcycle, with the driver’s body exposed to the elements outside.
Of course, provided that it will be used by a Servant, which is an existence beyond ordinary humans, it wouldn’t matter if the motorcycle’s functions ignore the limits of normal drivers. It was originally a ridiculously impractical and hypothetical motorcycle design, but Kiritsugu actually managed to make this design into reality.
The basic body of the motorcycle was the Yamaha V-Max, the most powerful in the modern world. The characteristics of the otiginal 1200cc 140 Horsepower engine, which could already work near its limits, were strengthened again. Moreover, the acceleration system have been completely reinforced, and made it into a monstrous abnormality that has an output equal to 250 Horsepower. That was the silver stallion Saber was now riding.
Of course, the two-wheeled design can no longer be expected to function properly after various extreme reinforcements. The wheels have too much torque and cannot generate enough friction with the road; they can only keep turning. The front wheel would jump up whenever the brakes are applied, and can throw off the driver immediately.
Saber was steering this physically uncontrollable monstrous steed perfectly and galloped at full speed. The secret to controlling this motorcycle so wilfully lies in her battle skills, which she always took pride on, and the enormous power of her prana bursts. The prana burst throbbing out of Saber’s back urged the crazed vehicle to race along the road, using its entire horsepower on acceleration.
Rather than using skill, it was more like using even more power to overwhelm the vicious beast. For Saber, who was short in stature, she can only control this 300-odd-kilogram super-heavy reinforced motorcycle in a precarious driving position. Saber was practically lying flat on top of the engine, which was covered by the plastic turbopump, and was forced to bear the powerful vibrations of the large engine while she held on to the steering. The pose was like a child desperately grasping onto the back of a beast.
However, this trial wasn’t particularly painful for Saber. The more untameable this iron beast, the more excited and vigorous she felt.
The feeling she had when driving the Mercedes-Benz was nothing compared to this current feeling of breakneck gallop. Yes. This really felt like riding a horse.
Although she was driving a creation of modern technology, her spirit had already returned to the memorable battlefields of the past – she had regained the spirit of chivalry in the times when she held her lance and charged towards the enemy formations.
“If I keep up this speed, then maybe –”
The distance between Rider and her became larger. That was the difference between the paths of jumping on top of buildings and merely driving on roads.
However, there was no need to feel anxious. It is true that a Servant’s dexterity is far above that of the V-Max in terms of maximum acceleration and maximum speed. However, this iron beast can maintain its speed as long as there’s fuel left. If she’s expecting a drawn-out pursuit, then the motorcycle would be very advantageous.
The streets of Miyama-chou were huge obstacles for the party pursuing on land. Moreover, this V-max, which has been completely revamped to achieve the ultimate acceleration, was not any different from those cars modified to compete in high-speed short and straight courses; it has almost no dexterity. However, a Servant’s superior skills overturned even the physical rule of ‘vehicles can’t turn corners in high speed’. This rule has no meaning in front of them.
Saber had completely mastered the machine’s characteristics. She didn’t slow down when she turned, but opened the throttle valves instead, and poured all the excess torque into the back wheel. The moment the front wheel drifted up due to the intense acceleration and threatened to topple the turning vehicle sideways, Saber used the explosive force of prana bursts to forcibly tilt the vehicle to the side and completed the turn. It was like she used a mighty and overwhelming blow to twist the direction of the vehicle.
Rider seemed to have passed Mion River and entered Shinto, and she couldn’t see his figure anymore. However, Saber did not panic, but looked out over the night sky to search for the other’s whereabouts.
Rider should have known that Saber, who’s already chasing him, wouldn’t give up easily. He currently cannot turn into spiritual form to hide, not with Irisviel in his arms. There were only two choices for Rider once he entered Shinto. One was to hide somewhere to avoid Saber’s pursuit, and the other was to drag out the distance between Saber and him using Gordius Wheel. Based on Rider’s personality, Saber believed he’ll choose the latter option. Therefore, she didn’t need to be anxious about losing him for the moment. The flying Noble Phantasm, Gordius Wheel, would emit large amounts of prana, and therefore won’t pass undetected for Saber.
‘The problem is that it’s disadvantageous to follow on ground –”
It’d be better if she can predict his destination as soon as she spots Gordius Wheel, then get there before him. Rather than a competition of driving skills, this was in fact a test for the pursuer’s sensitivity and hunting skills.
Everyone on the road was staring at this roaming V-Max that kept overtaking vehicles before it with a stunning speed. Saber completely ignored their looks and focused all of her concentration on the nemesis above her. She can detect obstacles blocking her path through changes in air flow. She won’t hit anything even if she closed her eyes.
“– Found him!”
Saber’s senses, like the keen sight of a wild beast, detected the prana disturbances in the sky. As if to avoid being noticed by ordinary humans, Gordium Wheel did not emit its thunderous noise, and its speed also appeared to have slowed. However, this feeling was undoubtedly the prana disturbances created by Rider’s Noble Phantasm.
The location was towards the east. He may be planning to escape out of Fuyuki through Shinto.
Saber thought the other was probably pushing his luck. If so, then she can fully exploit the machine’s acceleration using the broad national highway.
After passing through the bridge in one go and arriving on the six-laned road, Saber bravely opened the throttle valves even wider and urged V-max forwards.
Thanks to this reckless driver, the tachometer was already indicating over 6000 rotations per minute – at that moment, the engine gave out a surprising sound.
The low rumbling sound of the engine, like that of angry waves, suddenly changed into a deafening and violent high-pitched noise. The sound was even madder, and ferociously ripped apart the quietness of the night sky. The acceleration right now was incompatible to just moments ago.
The near-flight speed made Saber and her motorcycle become a soaring bullet, and the surrounding night scene whooshed past like comets.
That was the moment when the true prana hiding within that iron beast woke. Being a design that utilized the most advanced modern technology, the structure of the V-style propelling mechanism – the four-cylinder design can immediately start to work as a two-cylinder design when the limit of engine rotation is reached, and increase the amount of air sucked in to reach the ultimate acceleration. This is the unique design of the V-max. Originally, a machine using two cylinders would never have such a structure, but this design had already completely surpassed the limits for a motorcycle.
As she endured the air friction that was starting to approach the force of water pressure, Saber hang on to the body of the motorcycle with all her strength as she couldn’t help but give a peerless smile.
This motorcycle had obviously already surpassed the basic rule of a machine; that is, the limit of ‘machines are tools for men’. This is an alien creation born through advanced modern technology. That loneliness and sadness even made her feel a similarity that surpassed sympathy.
Only an inhuman Servant can let this machine show its true worth. This motorcycle – must have obtained life just for Saber to ride it tonight.
“– Alright, then you can gallop until you burn yourself out!”
Saber roared loudly in the bellowing wind, and opened the throttle valves even wider.
The speedometer was already over 300 kilometers per hour, and it was still increasing slowly.
The brilliance of the flood lights no longer seemed like a light that belonged to the ground; it could almost illuminate the sky.
“Rider. Hey, she… couldn’t have caught up with us, right?”
Waver was the first to notice this situation and pointed beneath the driver’s seat with his hand. Rider gave a downward glance towards the direction his Master was pointing at, and lifted his brows rather surprisingly.
“Huh? I was just wondering who it might be, and it turned out to be Saber. Then I can save the trouble of finding her… Say, kid, are those things called motorcycle that fast?”
“That’s… a motorcycle??”
Waver’s sight only registered it as a bright dot. That didn’t seem like the motorcycle speed he can comprehend in his normal logic even if he exhausts all his brain.
“No, that’s impossible… however, it is definitely possible through Saber’s skills. If we think this way, then perhaps…”
“Hmph, she dares to challenge me, who possesses the mighty title of Rider.”
Rider gave off a ferocious smile as if satisfied.
“Haha, this is so interesting. Since she’s caught up with us, then we don’t need to go into that weird forest anymore… if this is the case, I’ll have one heck of a good fight with her.”
Rider grasped the divine bulls’ reins, and suddenly slowed the war chariot’s speed.
“Hey, are we landing?!”
“I changed my mind. I decided to battle that little girl with ordinary ‘wheels’. There’s still a long way to go to get through the forest in front of us, right? That’s like the most ideal battleground!”
Waver originally wanted to complain why he would want to give away his positional advantage in the sky and fall into other’s trap. However, Waver remembered the power of Excalibur that he saw the day before yesterday. Based on the characteristics of Saber’s Noble Phantasm, the further away they are from her the more dangerous it would get. It would probably be safer to have a close-ranged melee battle that can limit the destructive power of the enemy’s Noble Phantasm.
“Alright, then that’s decided. You should be careful!”
“Hahaha! Kid, you’ve finally understood the intricacies of battle. Don’t worry! I am the mightiest in all of history, in heaven and on earth. No one can hinder me!”
Fortunately, there were no ordinary vehicles on the national highway at the moment. Although the meandering tarmac mountain road wasn’t very suitable for battle, they didn’t need to worry about hurting innocent bystanders.
Gordius Wheel finally landed 200 meters in front of Saber, who was coming nearer and nearer, and proudly proceeded on the road to prepare for the following attack of the challenger.
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