Type-Moon: Shinji Matou Also Wants to Be the Protagonist

You're wrong.

Artoria finally spoke, her voice deep and clear, piercing through the noise of the clashing Noble Phantasms.

"This is not a retreat—"

She suddenly accelerated, and the ground beneath her feet collapsed completely under the immense force.

His figure transformed into a golden meteor, hurtling towards Gilgamesh with a trajectory that defied all the laws of gravity.

The holy sword was raised high, and the Wind King's barrier was completely released at this moment, the compressed magic power turning into a hurricane that tore through the atmosphere.

"—This is a return!"

The sword blade slashed down.

Gilgamesh parried with his sword, and the moment the two peerless weapons clashed, the dome of the church was blown off by the soaring air current.

The moonlight poured down, illuminating the figures of the two kings clashing.

Gilgamesh's feet dug two deep furrows in the altar, and for the first time, a crack appeared in the smile on his face.

"interesting."

He whispered, his wrist, which was gripping the sword, feeling slightly numb.

"I underestimated that tattered garment—"

"What you underestimate has never been the scabbard."

Artoria gave him no chance to catch his breath, and the second and third swords followed in quick succession.

Her swordplay no longer pursues ingenious variations, but rather crushes opponents with the purest power and speed.

She even abandoned defense and devoted all her energy to how to attack more effectively.

With an all-out offensive stance and no defensive maneuvering, every strike he delivered forced Gilgamesh to take it seriously.

The clash between the two kings tore the night sky of Fuyuki City apart.

From a distance, golden rays of light could be seen shooting into the sky from the direction of the Fuyuki Church.

Sometimes it transforms into sword energy that pierces through the clouds, and sometimes it explodes into fragments like a meteor shower.

Residents living nearby were awakened from their sleep.

Thinking it was an earthquake or a gas explosion, they fled to the streets, only to freeze in place after witnessing the inhuman scene.

The two men in the center of the battlefield became increasingly engrossed in their fight.

However, as time went on, Artoria, who had almost unlimited room for error, completely gained the upper hand.

Gilgamesh was forced to flee in terror, his arrogance long since crumbled, leaving only an expression of humiliation and rage.

He roared and increased the output of the Gate of Babylon.

Gilgamesh's normal combat power is mostly concentrated in the Gate of Babylon. Just by projecting the Noble Phantasm from the Gate of Babylon, his power has already surpassed that of most Heroic Spirits.

But this also means that once someone seals it, or possesses the ability to ignore the King's Treasury.

Then Gilgamesh would just be an ordinary Servant.

Now, the barrage of Noble Phantasms from Gate of Babylon is rendered useless against the invincible defense provided by the Utopia far removed from the world.

In terms of Servant stats, even Gilgamesh, an Archer, is no match for Saber.

In close combat, Gilgamesh was far inferior.

He realized that in the blink of an eye, this small church was about to become his burial place.

Even if he was unwilling, Gilgamesh had no choice but to reveal his trump card.

After dodging Artoria's mad dog-like sword strike, Gilgamesh gritted his teeth and gripped a strange cylindrical weapon that had emerged from the Gate of Babylon.

EA—Enuma Elish, the star that separated heaven and earth.

This is a "creation tool" that existed before the concept of the sword was even born.

Its true form is not used for cutting, but rather it is a "prototype of the world itself" presented in the form of a sword.

When Gilgamesh pulled it out of the void, the surrounding space began to distort unnaturally.

It's as if the canvas of reality is being gripped and crumpled from the edges.

"Saber, you should feel honored that I have been forced to use this item."

His voice lowered, losing its previous mockery and arrogance, replaced by an almost devout fervor.

The three rotating blades of the Ea were reflected in those crimson snake eyes, each segment spinning in a different direction and at a different speed, cutting through the air, cutting through space, cutting through the very concept of "existence".

Artoria's instincts sounded an unprecedented alarm.

The dragon's essence roared wildly within her, a fear of something that could destroy her.

But she also noticed that Gilgamesh's hand holding Ea was trembling.

It wasn't out of fear, but because the sword was resisting him—or rather, greedily devouring his magic.

The activation of the Ea sword requires an astronomical amount of energy, and even a hero king with the highest level of divine blood cannot maintain its full operation for a long time.

"Alice has already gone far away."

Artoria suddenly spoke, her voice so calm it didn't sound like she was in dire straits.

Gilgamesh frowned slightly, not understanding why she would bring up that insignificant homunculus at this moment.

"so--"

Golden light burst forth from Artoria.

Chapter 75: Waiting for a Rabbit to Run into a Tree Stump

Irisviel had no idea what kind of performance Artoria would be able to deliver after retrieving the scabbard.

But in order not to hold others back, she quickened her pace of evacuation.

They didn't stop until they could no longer see the church.

Irisviel was panting heavily, and large beads of sweat kept dripping from her forehead.

His face was completely bloodless, now so pale it seemed almost transparent.

"Can't run anymore?"

A deep voice suddenly came from the shadows not far behind Irisviel.

"Who?"

The sudden sound startled Irisviel, sending a chill down her spine.

Ignoring the discomfort spreading throughout his body, he immediately turned around warily and looked in the direction from which the sound came.

Meanwhile, her hands never stopped; she plucked a strand of hair and activated Einzbern's magic.

The silvery-white hair gleamed with a metallic sheen and wove into a majestic giant eagle in the air.

The moment the giant eagle took shape, it seemed to come alive, letting out a loud cry and flapping its wings as it soared into the sky.

The giant eagle circled above Irisviel, ready to launch a dive attack on the enemy at any moment.

Irisviel's movements were fluid and graceful, proving that she was not just a pretty face.

With Irisviel on high alert, the mysterious man following behind her finally emerged from the shadows.

The moment she saw the man, Irisviel's expression changed, and she called out his name:

"Kirei Kotomine!"

Irisviel's voice trembled slightly with shock, and her fingers unconsciously clenched the fabric at her chest.

Sensing its master's emotional fluctuations, the silvery-white giant eagle let out a sharp cry.

With its wings folded, the diving posture was already formed.

Kirei Kotomine – the most gifted representative of the Holy Church, and also the Master of the Assassins in this Holy Grail War.

More importantly, this is a dangerous enemy that even Kiritsugu frankly admits he doesn't want to encounter.

After defeating Tokiomi Tohsaka, Kirei Kotomine showed no sign of confusion.

He hadn't felt happiness for over thirty years, and once he tasted it, he couldn't give it up.

Moreover, he himself was not prepared to restrain himself, but instead couldn't wait to seek new pleasures.

Even if this answer would lead him to an even deeper abyss, he would accept it willingly.

Kiritsugu Emiya was not easy to find; he had just escaped death and was on high alert.

Fortunately, Kirei Kotomine still had one clue—a bounty on Lancer placed by his father.

The value of Command Seals is so high that it's even worthwhile for Kiritsugu Emiya to take certain risks.

Therefore, Kirei Kotomine chose to wait for his prey at the church.

During this time, something regrettable happened: his father, Father Kotomine Risei, had far too keen perception.

Even though Kirei Kotomine tried his best to disguise himself, Risei Kotomine still discovered the clues.

Ironically, even on his deathbed, Kotomine Ryomasa firmly believed that some kind of demon had transformed into his son, and refused to admit that the son he had given birth to was a demon in his own right.

Kirei Kotomine didn't have to wait long in the church before Irisviel and Saber appeared.

He and Gilgamesh then tacitly chose their respective opponents.

Gilgamesh prepares to "flirt" with King Arthur, while Kirei Komine follows Irisviel, who has escaped alone.

"The homunculi of Einzbern."

Kirei Kotomine's voice was so flat it was almost hollow.

Those unfathomable black eyes swept over the giant eagle circling in the sky, yet showed no fear whatsoever.

"There's no need to be so tense. If I wanted to take your life, I wouldn't have warned you."

His words sent a chill down Irisviel's spine.

That wasn't a threat, but something far more unsettling—a callous indifference toward life.

It was as if her life or death was nothing more than an insignificant footnote in his eyes.

The giant eagle circled anxiously above her head, its metallic wings whirring as they cut through the air.

"You were following me?"

Irisviel forced herself to calm down, her mind racing.

Kiritsugu is currently scouting the movements of the other Masters in the city.

Saber was held back by Archer, and she had no one to rely on.

Einzbern's magic was exquisite.

But she is essentially a "vessel" designed to hold the Holy Grail, not something created specifically for battle.

The Einzbern family's exceptional intellect in creating human beings allowed Irisviel to quickly reach a conclusion.

She alone is no match for Kirei Kotomine.

Kirei Kotomine did not answer her question.

He walked slowly forward, the hem of his black robes rustling as it dragged on the withered leaves.

He only stopped when the giant eagle's shadow completely enveloped him.

He looked up at the alchemical creature poised to pounce, and a subtle, enigmatic smile appeared on his lips.

"Interesting creations, but the real battlefield never belongs to familiars."

His right hand was drawn from his robe, with several black keys between his fingers—the weaponry of the Church's agents.

Irisviel's pupils contracted sharply. She had heard of this weapon; it was a weapon that only a few people within the Holy Church were proficient in, and those who were proficient in this skill were all ruthless characters.

Without wasting words, Kirei Kotomine took a step forward, and the giant eagle immediately swooped down, its metal beak and claws aimed straight at his face.

Kirei Kotomine's figure blurred in an instant, and the black keys traced a cross in the air.

The alchemical creature forged from refined steel was torn apart into scattered silver threads, which fell like a sudden rain.

Irisviel staggered backward, the stinging pain from the magic backlash still lingering in her hair.