Fate/Zero:Act 7 Part 3
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Anger, like acid, was indeed corroding Kayneth’s heart drop by drop.
He is a first-rate magus. He should never lose his cool due to his emotions, especially when facing a situation when he is fighting for his life.
Actually, if this is a duel of secret craft between first-rate magi colleagues, Kayneth wouldn’t be harboring things like anger at all. He would probably admire and acknowledge the opponent’s finesse, calmly analyzing its true value, and concentrate in performing his magecraft that would serve as a proper reply for the enemy’s craft. Those noble and flamboyant, gentlemanly games are what Kayneth knew as ‘battles’. He made a bid for the right to use the Holy Grail, aiming to compete with Tōsaka Tokiomi, Mato Kariya, and four other unknown outstanding opponents, and arrived at this desolate place at the farthest east.
However – the pain of the wound on his right shoulder throbbed and invaded his senses as if mocking Kayneth, continuing the pain as if it was humiliating him.
This isn’t a wound taken in battle. Those things – are never fit to be called “battles”.
It was as if he stepped on a piece of rotten floor board. As if he tipped over a steaming pot. As if the only piece of presentable clothing he owns got stained with mud.
The opponent is as insignificant as an ant, not worthy to be called an enemy. A piece of rubbish that even seeing it would make him feel dirty and unpleasant.
These things are just daily hassles. Something close to being bitten by a stray dog.
It was just bad luck. Dismiss it as a simple misfortune.
Even as he tried to convince himself in this way – the wound on his shoulder was still unbearably painful. The severe pain that felt like he was being burnt alive piece by piece reprimanded Kayneth’s pride, consumed his self-respect.
Kayneth’s icy cold face was as expressionless as a mask, not loudly swearing or gritting his teeth. For an observer, that is definitely not the expression of someone in anger.
Indeed. He didn’t hate anyone. All his anger was pointed towards his own heart. It was merely that he was provoked by a situation that surprised him – something that is impossible, unreasonable.
“Impossible – ”
The rage that had nowhere to go became impulses of destruction that spread along the Volumen Hydragyrum. Kayneth smashed the walls of the corridors around him with his whips of blades.
“That base scum made me bleed… impossible! It shouldn’t have happened!”
Using a stride that looked as if he was sleep walking, Kayneth pursued Emiya Kiritsugu, who had fled. The shapeless mercury lump, taking the place of its master’s heart, followed him with its full of murderous desire.
The door that blocked his way wasn’t pushed open, but smashed to smithereens with the mercury’s weight.
Be it flower vases, paintings, or elegant furniture: all the decorations that happen fall into his sight are all smashed and destroyed.
There were many traps along the way. Using strings to pull on Kayneth’s defenseless fingers, or prepare a fuse in the carpet that got the pre-set grenade to explode or canister to scatter shots if he stepped on it. At those times, the mercury protective membrane would expand immediately and rush forward to block it.
Those set traps were like toys made to fool children, so ridiculous that Kayneth wanted to laugh. But the sound of his laughter was at the same time mocking Kayneth, who was hurt by those tricks that were like toys made to fool children around.
Self-mockery cut into self-respect like a razor. That humiliation ignited the rage in his heart even stronger.
Lord El-Melloi’s admirable Mystic Code isn’t something that is made to use for this kind of foolish tricks. His mercury should be a weapon that takes in bullets, deflects magical swords, and breaks through supernatural fire, ice and thunder. It should be a craft that make whichever magus who hates him marvel, revere, and at the same time arrive at death.
Then, what would his current distasteful situation be?
The opponent that he unleashed his proud Mystic Code to chase is nothing more than an anonymous mouse… every passing second was making him feel humiliated. The wound on his shoulder was hurting worse and worse.
An endless hysterical downward spiral – however, that had also come into sight of its conclusion.
No matter how big the castle may be, the possibilities of escape become limited if one runs upwards. The mouse finally got chased to the end of the corridors in the third floor. The stream of mercury that Kayneth sent out earlier to find the enemy accurately located him this time. Looks like the target had set himself to stay firmly where he is. He should have decided to have the final confrontation with Kayneth at that place.
Confrontation – as that word floated into Kayneth’s mind, he couldn’t help but let out a laugh.
Seems like the enemy still hasn’t given up. So that’s how it is. He had wounded Kayneth once, so there should still be a chance of victory if the same luck decided to grace him again. He should have made this final decision with all the spirit of a desperate mouse trying to bite the cat.
“Idiot…”
Kayneth’s tight mouth became twisted with his sneer as he muttered.
It wasn’t because of his skills or outstanding strategies that the mouse managed to touch Kayneth. It was just an unreasonable coincidence. There’s a need to make sure he knows the difference.
Not a confrontation. This is execution. This is slaughter.
Kayneth, as his body full of his cruel intention to kill, turned the final corner with his Mystic Code and arrived at the end of the corridor,
It basically fitted the setting Emiya Kiritsugu expected. The third confrontation with Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald.
The distance was barely 30 meters. The width of the corridor was a bit more than 6 meters. There are no places to hide. No way of going back.
Kayneth’s Volumen Hydragyrum has potentially fatal speed and power within a 7.5 meter range. The right to attack remains in Kiritsugu’s hand before Kayneth becomes that close to him.
In his left hand – within the spiral chamber of the Calico that had a new clip inserted, 50 shots of .9mm bullets waited for the moment to open fire.
Then, the Contender Mystic Code was in his right hand. The “magecraft bullet” was already within the single-load chamber.
Kiritsugu didn’t show any fear or begged for mercy; he merely stood silently holding two guns. This made Kayneth even more unpleasant and twisted his expression as he uttered mocking jeers.
“You wouldn’t think that the previous method would still work, right? Despicable thing.”
It won’t work. It would only make Kiritsugu annoyed if it does work – however, he needn’t tell the other person this. He needed to have Kayneth think that Kiritsugu is stupid enough to repeat an attack that is exactly the same as the previous one.
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