"Kiritsugu Emiya!" Saber roared upon hearing the voice and words of the newcomer.
Kiritsugu Emiya and Maiya Hisau approached from not far away. "Kill him, Saber!" With a flash of light, a Command Spell vanished from his hand.
He had already used two Command Spells on Ryougi Raku, but for Kiritsugu Emiya, it was all worth it; this man was too dangerous!
As long as he still had one Command Spell left, he remained Saber's Master, and he had many ways to make Saber overcome obstacles. As long as Saber was still interested in the Holy Grail, Kiritsugu Emiya would succeed... Only when facing Ryougi Raku was it different. This person, who completely transcended Kiritsugu Emiya's understanding and control, could only be dealt with in the most decisive manner!
Even Saber could not fully resist the will of the Command Spell. "...Leave this place, Raku!" Saber gritted her teeth, trying to resist the Command Spell with her willpower. She had just made a promise in her own name to Lancer, yet she hadn't expected to betray that promise as soon as Lancer was gone. Kiritsugu Emiya's defilement of her honor had infuriated Saber beyond measure.
"Irisviel, heal Saber!" Kiritsugu Emiya walked up to Irisviel and said coldly.
"This... this..." Irisviel took a step back, feeling quite flustered and completely unsure of what to do.
"Irisviel?" Kiritsugu Emiya's voice grew even deeper.
"Ah, yes, yes!" Secretly gritting her teeth, Irisviel still used healing magic, but the wound Lancer had inflicted was too deep and would take some time to fully heal.
Ryougi Raku heard Kiritsugu Emiya's command, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. He gripped the hilt of his sword, ready to kill him then and there... But he soon restrained himself. If the situation were completely out of control, he would naturally ignore everything and kill Kiritsugu Emiya first, but the current circumstances weren't that dire; they were still within his control.
The best revenge against Kiritsugu Emiya was not to kill him, but to plunge him into despair—a despair where living was worse than death, yet he could not achieve death! He had to be cast into a despair deeper than despair, a regret more profound than regret!
Saber was ultimately controlled by the power of the Command Spell, drawing her Holy Sword and slashing at Ryougi Raku. Even a Saber at her peak would not be feared by Ryougi Raku, let alone a Saber already exhausted and injured after a fierce battle with Lancer?
Although he had no desire to fight at the moment, he still drew his sword to meet her. For a time, the battlefield was once again torn by sword energy, and the clash of blades was incessant. However, this time, Saber gradually fell into a passive position.
Kiritsugu Emiya frowned. This outcome was not what he wanted. In his mind, a Heroic Spirit should be an existence that modern mages could not defeat. He had mistakenly believed that the previous confrontation between Ryougi Raku and Saber was due to Saber holding back, but now, Saber was fighting with all her might under his Command Spell, yet Ryougi Raku could still contend, even gaining the upper hand!
Kiritsugu Emiya seemed to have completely confused the concepts of Servant and Heroic Spirit, and his understanding of these active transcendent beings in the world was far too shallow... 'Should I have Saber use her Noble Phantasm? No, wait a little longer!' Kiritsugu Emiya pondered to himself, searching for a way to break the deadlock.
Although Saber was furious, she still fought with all her strength under the Command Spell's compulsion. In her battle with Ryougi Raku, she found herself unconsciously somewhat engrossed, but deep down, she was still resisting. This act of betraying her promise was what she detested most; for her, she would rather sacrifice herself than commit such an act... Ryougi Raku was also trying to find a way to break free from Saber's entanglement while attacking. It would be best if he could directly assault Kiritsugu Emiya. Although he could escape if he wished, since there was no great danger, why run away?
However, the act of multitasking came at a cost, and he sustained some injuries in the battle with Saber.
With a powerful slash, he widened the distance from Saber, noticing that he, Saber, and Kiritsugu Emiya were aligned in a straight line. Ryougi Raku sneered.
He swiftly drew both swords!
"Shinkage-ryū Secret Technique: Second Sword: Zankū Sen!" A cross-shaped sword energy shot out, stirring the air and rushing toward Saber like a sandstorm. Saber naturally sensed the danger and instinctively took a defensive stance, but the sword energy was so formidable that it ignored her when it struck, passing directly through her and attacking Kiritsugu Emiya!
Space became completely irrelevant at that moment. Kiritsugu Emiya, who thought he was safe with Saber in front, never expected this to happen, but he reacted extremely quickly, narrowly dodging with a clumsy roll.
"Kyokushi Nanaya!" The short katana, like a dagger, was flung by Ryougi Raku with a bizarre speed and angle. Kiritsugu Emiya, who had just fallen to the ground, could no longer react. The small knife plunged directly into his leg, pinning him to the ground.
This move was an assassination technique of the Nanaya clan... At the same time, he moved like a spider, shaking rapidly and lunging forward.
However, Saber blocked him this time. Ryougi Raku calmly calculated and, at the cost of a sword wound, still managed to bypass Saber's obstruction.
This sword wound might have impaired a normal person's combat ability, but for an extraordinary person like Ryougi Raku, it was nothing!
"Master Kiritsugu!" Maiya Hisau exclaimed in shock, shielding Kiritsugu. She raised her gun and fired at Ryougi Raku as if bullets were free.
The bullets were fast, but the shooter's speed was completely insufficient in front of Ryougi Raku. Even at close range, Ryougi Raku's speed was unaffected, and he easily dodged the bullets.
Ryougi Raku suddenly leaped up, performing a handstand jump, and pressed his left hand onto Maiya Hisau's head. With just a slight squeeze, her head would shatter like a watermelon, or even be torn off at the root!
In that instant, time seemed to stop. Ryougi Raku's expression was sinister, but he did not allow any explicit scenes to occur. Instead, he secretly transformed his Origin into a curse, deeply embedding it into her body. It was an incurable wound; from now on, her life would be excruciatingly painful at regular intervals... Maiya Hisau was a pitiable woman. Her loyalty, or perhaps love, for Kiritsugu Emiya was indeed very deep, but no matter how pitiable she was, she had stood against Ryougi Raku. No matter how loyal or loving she was, it was all for Kiritsugu Emiya.
If someone were to treat Ryougi Raku that way, he would respond with sincerity, but if they were an enemy, no matter how moving or heartbreaking, he would act mercilessly!
Now, her life was completely in his control; her existence had lost its meaning... Ryougi Raku was not a savior. He didn't have Kiritsugu Emiya's twisted ideals, nor did he possess Shirou Emiya's "foolish" desire to become an Ally of Justice. He lived only for himself and for those who loved him and whom he loved.
He knew that Irisviel would die. He felt favorably toward Irisviel and could even save her if he wished, but what then? She was indeed very beautiful. Should he capture her and add her to his harem? Ryougi Raku was not an animal that thought with his lower body. External beauty could no longer move him; only inner temperament and emotion were what he cherished.
If it were merely for appearance, he could easily infiltrate the Einzbern family; he could have as many beautiful dolls as he desired!
Irisviel was attractive, but that was also due to her feelings for Kiritsugu Emiya. This man was a typical "won't shed a tear until he sees the coffin" type. He seemed pitiable, but until he witnessed the final outcome, the ultimate tragedy, he would never repent. The Kiritsugu who repented later was the one to be pitied, not the cold Kiritsugu of now. If Irisviel didn't die and the Holy Grail didn't appear, he wouldn't feel regret; only when the Holy Grail appeared and he saw its true nature would he regret. At that time, Kiritsugu Emiya would no longer be Ryougi Raku's enemy. Then, Ryougi Raku might not begrudge him his pity.
This was a contradiction; one cannot sympathize with an enemy, and thus, the outcome was already predetermined.
What truly mattered to the current Ryougi Raku was only that golden-haired figure and, in this life, the sister who had accompanied him for many years... Even Saber only held a slight affection for him at present.
The sister complex was truly powerful, it must be said... Stepping past Maiya Hisau, he grabbed Kiritsugu Emiya with one hand. However, Ryougi Raku had underestimated Saber, because Maiya Hisau's slight obstruction allowed Saber to close in. Saber faithfully executed the power of the Command Spell, and her Holy Sword mercilessly slashed at Ryougi Raku. Ryougi Raku was still of a child's age, and his physique was not as tall as an adult's. This strike almost cut him in half!
"Hiss!" Ryougi Raku gasped; it still hurt quite a bit, no matter what.
Kiritsugu Emiya saw this result, a victorious smile appearing on his face.
"...Do you think you've won, Kiritsugu Emiya?" With a deep chill, as if freezing the entire world, Ryougi Raku grinned.
The next moment, Kiritsugu Emiya felt an unbearable pain in his body. It wasn't physical; it was a complete tremor of his soul.
"Ah!!!" A heart-wrenching scream echoed through the sky. Ryougi Raku had deeply infused his power into Kiritsugu Emiya's soul. It wouldn't kill him, but the pain made death seem like a blessing.
Kiritsugu Emiya was strong; that was the strength of his spirit. Kiritsugu Emiya was weak; that was his actual power. His power was weak, so it was naturally impossible for him to defend his soul. If he were a powerful person, Ryougi Raku would not have been able to delve into his soul so easily—that ultimate, private place of life.
Saber's hand finally loosened. After this strike, the power of the Command Spell finally disappeared... "Raku!" She quickly supported Ryougi Raku, ignoring her screaming Master, filled with deep guilt.
Irisviel covered her mouth, tears streaming down. Ryougi Raku's current tragic state deeply shocked her, and her husband's screams also left her at a loss. In her eyes, this was a true mutual destruction!
Ryougi Raku's attack on Kiritsugu Emiya's soul came and went quickly. In just that brief moment, Kiritsugu Emiya was completely exhausted.
Gasping for breath, he no longer had any strength... He gently pushed Saber away, which caused Saber a strange sense of loss. But then she saw Ryougi Raku pull the long sword from his body without hesitation, blood splattering everywhere. The wound was gruesome and terrifying, as if even his internal organs were shattered, making it clear at a glance that he wouldn't live much longer.
Saber clenched her fists. She had promised to protect him, yet she had personally injured the person she was supposed to protect to this extent. Although it was due to the Command Spell, she still couldn't forgive herself... However, Saber still had her wits about her and quickly looked at Irisviel. Irisviel and Saber already had an unspoken understanding and knew what she meant. She wanted to cast healing magic, but for such a wound, even Irisviel couldn't guarantee she could save him... "No need, Madam!" Ryougi Raku stopped Irisviel, his movements appearing completely unharmed.
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(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶) ‹ (TL : More Chapters @patreon.com/c/Gooberilla)