Fate/Zero:Act 9 Part 2

-95:28:46

Inadvertently glancing out the window, finding that it was already dawn outside.

Gazing at the steadily rising morning sun, Emiya Kiritsugu did not have any deep emotion, continuing to carry out the work of sorting out information.

The hotel in front of the city station where he had met Maiya three days ago, was now being used as one of the hidden strongholds. Firstly suspending all the hotel room services, then putting up blank maps of the entire region of Fuyuki City all over the walls, then labeling and marking on the map the information related to the various locations, missing none.

The several days of searching routes and times, information sent by the familiars, the spiritual variance. Obtaining, from tapping the police radio station, intelligence on the missing persons, locations of points of surveillance--¬ the icons, indicating regardless of magnitude of the night-time happenings in Fuyuki City, showed, mosaic-like, a situation in a state of chaos.

While Emiya Kiritsugu's right hand silently continued the work of marking, his left hand unconsciously shoved the nutritional supplements he had bought on his way while investigating-- fast-food hamburgers-- mechanically into his mouth, then chewing repeatedly. To Emiya Kiritsugu, who had dined at the palace-cuisine-like table of the Einzberns for nine years and had long become tired of it, this fast food filled with the sense of slaughter was more suited to his tastes. No matter how one puts it, the ability to eat under the premise of not interrupting one's work or thoughts is something that is better than anything.

When all markings on the maps were done, Kiritsugu sorted out the overall content, re-determining the direction of the Heaven's Feel.

Archer-- there was no movement in the Tōsaka house. Ever since defeating Assassin on the first day, Tokiomi had, like a hibernating bear, closed his doors and not gone out, an unfathomable silence.

Berserker-- the Master-like silhouette that had entered the Matō¬ house, though verified many times by the familiars that had been sent out, looked as if completely defenseless and could be attacked at discretion, but Berserker's mysterious special ability could contend with Archer who held an exceptionally powerful Noble Phantasm. For the sake of restricting Tō¬saka on some level, should or should not Berserker be let alone.

Lancer-- replacing the gravely injured Lord El-Melloi, his fiancé Sola-Ui Nuade-Re Sophia-Ri had begun to act. She was probably the one controlling Lancer now. Whether she was temporarily taking on the responsibilities of Master through the Book of the False Attendant or had seized the Command Seals and formed a new contract with Lancer-- if it was the former, even killing Sola-Ui could not cut off Lancer's prana supply, could not render Lancer unable to fight. In that case, whether to attack Sola, looked now as if it would still require observation.

Caster-- the previous night, there had again been a number of children missed from the city. It looked as if he cared absolutely nothing for the warrant of his arrest that had been issued by the authorities, still continuing his inhuman acts unbridled.

Rider-- no clues at all. Because he always moves about together with his Master in his flying Noble Phantasm, tracking them would be difficult. Appearing to be openhearted at the first look, a formidable enemy without any flaws.

Recuperating at the Einsbern castle, Maiya Hisau had awakened a little while back, and had related much news about Rider and Archer in the form of Irisviel's hearsay, through the telephone mouthpiece.

It seemed that that things had progressed in an unexpected direction, so Rider who had had no other way out could only use his Noble Phantasm to wipe out Assassin.

Rider's Noble Phantasm named "Ionian Hetairoi" was very much cause for concern. But what Kiritsugu cared more about was the fate of Assassin.

Though Assassin was a Servant that could be of unlimitedly increasing value, but what exactly was the underlying intent of all this? And, the Assassin troops that had attacked the Einsbern castle last night, must have mobilized their entire combat effectiveness. If not, they, individually weak in combat, would not have been able to constitute strength in numbers. This sequence of events was completely different from the farce at the Tōsaka mansion last time; this time, it could be possibly be considered that Assassin had already been completely eradicated.

Then--what about their Master?

Kiritsugu sighed deeply, lighting the first cigarette of the day. In the end, it was still this in which anticipation remained.

Kotomine Kirei. The greatest "heresy" in existence in the Fourth Heaven's Feel--

To Kiritsugu, what the exact purpose for which this man entered this war was, he still could not understand at all.

At the time of discovering Assassin in the chaotic battle at the street of storehouses, Kiritsugu had then already realized that the Master of Assassin was Tō¬saka Tokiomi's puppet, only responsible for the task of scouting. But Kotomine Kirei, behind this, had repeatedly taken many actions that he was unable to understand.

During the attack on Kayneth at the Fuyuki Hyatt Hotel, ambushing at the scene of the construction of the central building, Kotomine Kirei--

During the siege of the Einsberns, sneaking into the castle from the completely opposite direction, Kotomine Kirei--

No matter which event was being considered, only when supposing his target was Emiya Kiritsugu, could all this be explained.

First staging a farce of pretending to withdraw, then while fleeing to the Fuyuki Church to request protection, continuing to dispatch large numbers of Assassin to spy. To make this tactic even more perfect, Kirei should obviously have been hiding in the Fuyuki Church all this while, not setting one foot out of doors. But his current actions completely exposed himself.

Kiritsugu, originally hiding under the cover of Irisviel and Saber, had only been exposed during the confrontation of Lord El-Melloi, so up till the day before yesterday there should not have been anyone who knew his true identity. Even if Tō¬saka's intelligence network had truly discovered that it was Kiritsugu taking action in secret, it would not have reached the point at which it could be concluded from this that in truth it was Kiritsugu who had made the contract with Saber. And excluding these, from the perspective of the overall war, what is the objective of targeting Kiritsugu for pursuit?

Though it could also possibly be because of a completely unreasonable personal grudge, but this sort of probability is extremely low. In the process of investigating all of Kotomine Kirei's experiences, there were close to no instances of his crossing paths with Emiya Kiritsugu. Even within the magi who had been assassinated by Kiritsugu and the extrapolated associated people who had been sacrificed, there were no friends or relations of Kotomine Kirei's acquaintance.

In any case, it could surely be said-- even having lost Assassin, Kotomine Kirei will definitely stand in front of Emiya Kiritsugu and block his way. No matter what are the conditions of this man's actions, they have already exceeded the domain of the Heaven's Feel. Even after losing his Servant, he will not quietly withdraw.

While exasperatedly pondering, Kiritsugu, sighing, exhaled a mouthful of purple cigarette smoke.

When thinking of anything related to Kotomine Kirei, it is as if he has been imprisoned in bottomless darkness, and can only feel waves of dread.

Kiritsugu's tactics are to 'confuse the opponent's psyche' from beginning to end. Where the enemy is preparing to attack, what the enemy's objective is, as long as it is possible to first see through the opponent's actions, one will then be able to discover the opponent's blind spot and weakness. In addition, a magus usually possesses greater 'awareness of purpose' than normal people. It is only precisely because of this that Kiritsugu, while 'hunting', has never missed.

Yet now. An enemy like Kotomine, that one is 'completely unable to fathom, whether superficially or intrinsically', is precisely Kiritsugu's greatest threat. And before this type of powerful enemy. Kiritsugu is yet now helpless.

Virtually like a tracker who who can read his mind, see through all his actions. This time Kiritsugu does not stand in the position of the hunter but in the position of the prey. This exactly is the singular, unforeseen key factor--

"... ...Who, exactly, are you?"

At last, inadvertently murmured in Kiritsugu's mouth. The more one thinks about problems related to Kotomine Kirei, the further away from oneself the answer grows. Therefore one can only grow even more impatient.

Exactly what is interesting about this sort of pursuit-and-kill. It looked as if it would still be necessary to continue fighting under the risk of receiving unexpected attacks at any time.

Kiritsugu rented a garage in the nearby town, and inside hid an altered oil-powered car that could be remote-controlled over long distances. This civil weapon, called 'low-cost cruise missile' by the urban guerrillas, was originally the trump card prepared for use during siege by Matō¬ or Tō¬saka. If one were to run this into the Fuyuki Church in which Kotomine Kirei was lying low, even that Executor would probably not be able to prevail...

"... Bastard, that’s enough..."

While reminding himself, Kiritsugu haphazardly snuffed out the cigarette in the ashtray.

Now in front of him there were still many enemies that required prioritized eradication. What he had to gain victory in was the Heaven's Feel. And from the perspective of the Heaven's Feel, Kotomine Kirei was only a defeated Master. Even without knowing the intention for which he is attacking Kiritsugu, to be constrained within this problem and thus neglect the important battle is truly too uncalled-for.

The state of him being caught in impatience irritated him. This is probably the sign of his judgment starting to dull. There is a need to reset.

It was approximately more than seventy hours since the last time of sleep. Though under the influence of amphetamines he did not in fact feel sleepy, but the sense of fatigue was truly accumulating, so that his focus and concentration were both deteriorating.

There was approximately still some time before today's daytime meeting with Maiya; take this bit of time to ease the fatigue.

Kiritsugu perceives himself as an automated mechanical device. Therefore caring absolutely nothing for his physical health. His management of his health is the same as how he organizes his large number of weapons. Only sustaining his body in a working condition of being able to operate at full capacity.

After going to the toilet, Kiritsugu lay down on the bed, then used a self-hypnosis spell to disperse his consciousness. This is a crude way of eliminating mental stress-- the disintegration and cleansing of the psyche.

Although self-hypnosis was not some high-level thaumaturgy, but at release would cause one to experience a certain lack and dislocation of self-consciousness, so many people were not willing to use this sort of thaumaturgy. But to Emiya Kiritsugu, as long as it was the most efficient method of rest it was the best, so he used this method extremely frequently.

Approximately two hours later, the originally scattered consciousness will be restored, and the hypnotized person will naturally wake. But in this period of time, the physical body of the hypnotized person is in a walking-corpse state of complete unconsciousness; using it at this hidden place should be safe.

Kiritsugu, relaxed, after dispelling the image of his enemy from his consciousness, fell into a deep sleep.

The streets outside the window, met the rising sun and began a new day.

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