I half-expected Gilgamesh to appear out of nowhere on our way to Kirei's Church. That was how the infuriating piece of shit operated. He genuinely, truly believed that the world and all in it existed solely for his pleasure.
That was it was something of a surprise when our journey went off without a hitch. Bazett joined us at the hotel, as she'd promised, and we encountered no trouble at all rounding back through the Shinto District into Miyama Town once again.
At the foot of the hill where the Church was, Bazett even made sure to check for any traps and bounded fields. So far, she'd found only the swaying trees beside the road curving up ahead. She wanted to be completely sure though, so we waited.
I glanced at the mostly quiet Rin.
"I expected you to be more doubtful."
Rin calmly tugged a bang behind her ear, "I'll see for myself soon enough, won't I? No point in arguing if there's actual proof."
She took a deep breath.
"Archer, won't you sit at range like before?"
That would be problematic.
Thankfully, my interruption was unneeded.
"Against an enemy like the King of Heroes, I'd prefer close combat." Archer appeared behind her, giving me a pensive look, "That is where I expect him to be his weakest against us."
His master grew excited. "Are you going to finally unleash your noble phantasm?"
"I expect I'll have to."
Though he spoke to her, Archer kept staring into my eyes. He knew something. That much was clear. But, Gilgamesh came first right now. We could settle any possible grievances later.
When I looked down and sighed, I came face to face with Altera again. She was looking at me curiously. Her lips never moved, but her voice echoed in my head.
"Is he... an enemy?"
"Potentially."
In front of us, Bazett rose to her feet. She straightened her back, and took a step forward before nodding to herself. She called out to us after a good second had passed.
"It's safe."
"Yeah, I could've told you that at a glance." Rin shrugged, "But I guess you have to compensate somehow."
That was a crazy thing to say when I knew for a damn fact that Bazett could fold her like a wet towel before any of us even blinked. The punchy lady I was infatuated with was just that strong, and I couldn't help but stare at the suit pants pasted to her butt as she walked ahead. My gaze trailed down to the thicc thighs-... oh, she noticed.
Bazett covered herself with her hands.
I clicked my tongue.
Rin frowned beside me, "There's something weird going on between you two."
"Shirou has strong hands, doesn't he?" I nudged her with my elbow, winking.
"W-Wha?"
I tuned her out, "Someone should put on my Specialz."
"'What happened to you...?"
-
The Church was desolate as ever, and the very air felt foul the moment I stepped past the property line. However, my desire to throw up or leave was rather subdued now. No, I wanted to act on my desires and completely wreck this place with my bare hands, brick by goddamn brick.
My shadow writhed like a living creature with every step I took.
He would be here.
He would definitely be here.
If not, Gilgamesh was a scaredy piece of shit ducking a fade.
Instead of kicking in the main doors like I was itching to, I politely knocked instead.
A voice full of ridicule answered.
"Who might it be?"
Grinning, I cleared my throat.
"Come out. I promise we won't jump you."
Yes, the three servants and two more masters behind me were simply there for my peace of mind and nothing else. Cu Chulainn definitely didn't plan on sticking him with a massive cursed spear. And, Archer's swords were just for display.
When no answer came, I inhaled sharply and kicked the doors right off the hinges. They flew into the church and crashed against the pews, smashing apart the furniture under their weight. Kirei was standing at the head with that smug emotionless face of his. There was a barely disguised amusement in his eye.
I narrowed my eyes at his bandaged right side, and the blood was still leaking from his shoulder.
"I see you didn't walk off easy."
"The blow was from Heracles, and the King of Heroes found your trick amusing."
"Enemy?"
He looked at Altera, and a faint smile crossed his chafed lips, "In the end, you thought the same of your servant, I see. Not two days, and you've replaced him with a new one. I am proud, young man."
...
"Tools should be as tools."
"Enji-"
I calmly scanned the Church for Gilgamesh.
He wasn't here.
Bastard did duck the fade, after all.
"Take Rin to the basement. Show her."
My Crest spread over my body.
Suddenly, my nails were claws, and my teeth were fangs.
This place... was foul.
Bazett definitely wanted to stay and help, but she kept quiet. Her hand squeezed my shoulder, and then I heard the clack of heels. I was glad that she had listened.
"I end him?" Altera asked again.
"No. I do."
"But... I'm the one who fights..."
"Didn't you say you wanted new experiences?"
Kirei Kotomine was an overwhelmingly superior fighter, with decades of experience over me. That knowledge did very little to stop me from crossing the distance between us in a single leap. He gripped the podium with both hands and ripped the entire thing free before smashing it against my face.
I pulled my fists in and took the blow head-on, only closing my eyes. When I opened them, Kirei was already kicking out. I tried to slash down on his foot, but he broke his momentum and pulled the entire leg back with more ease than was humanly possible. At the same time, his fist backhanded my neck.
I punched out with my free hand, and found only his palm. His fingers gripped my fist as he reeled back his other hand. His other fist struck my stomach like a bona-fied cannon, boom and all, launching me right back across the Church.
Somehow, the pain mattered very little, overpowered by the sheer hate I had for the man's guts.
Round Deer emerged from my shadows. He stared at the priest meaningfully. Then, a majestic glow swept through the Church, rising to my elbows. I could sense the mana in the area go out of whack.
"Do you detest me, young man?"
"I didn't think I did," I rubbed my stomach, "But I do. I loathe you, and your servant."
Kirei craned his neck, unperturbed, "I see I have caused you much distress, much pain."
Perhaps because he knew that only one of us was walking away from here, the priest decided to mince words no longer.
"How delightful."
I grit my teeth.
Purple lightning spilled out of my hands and began to coil around them as the air sizzled. I could taste the ionized smell on my lips. With a grunt, the lightning lashed out alongside my punch. Kirei swayed to the side. The wall behind him exploded and burned. I crossed the distance before he'd straightened up, and kicked from the side.
The lightning disappeared, and my weight grew to that of an elephant's. Kirei made the mistake of blocking the rounding kick with his forearm. His bones shattered with a nasty squelch against my shin. His fingers shot out to pierce my neck, but a toad's tongue coiled around his elbow, pulling the arm away as he was launched into a wall.
I was upon him the moment his back hit the cement.
I roared and smashed a reinforced fist against his neck, then against his chest, and his gut, his nose, his stomach again, his neck but with my other fist. I kept punching and punching, feeling his flesh ripple under every single blow.
Kirei was strong, an incredible fighter.
But, when it came to sheer raw power, I outclassed him so badly it wasn't even funny.
That was why I was surprised when his hand suddenly latched onto my face. He pulled me in and moved at the last second to smash me against the wall instead. He dragged my face across the cement before I could even process the movement, and jabbed a key-shaped shortsword into my back. If not for Max Elephant's toughness, he'd definitely have snapped and pierced my spine.
Toad's tongue ripped him away from me.
I stared into the shikigami's beady golden eyes and offered a grateful nod. In turn, the toad sticking to the wall simply grew confused. Sighing to myself, I slapped my hands together, pointing the tip at Kirei.
A tiny, inconsequential orb of water formed inches away from my fingertips.
Max Elephant could spew out immense volumes of water, with enough force to cause a localised natural disaster.
What if all that water was concentrated into a single point?
A water jet cutter of supernatural proportions.
Kirei bent his back abnormally to avoid the sudden piercing jet. I moved my hands to follow along, but steering the pressurised water proved troublesome than I expected. Instead of the priest, I carved through the walls of the Church instead, tearing up the cement like a piece of paper before I forced the technique to a halt.
"Young man-"
He looked horrible, bleeding from all the hits I'd landed. In exchange, I was barely hurt past my mana reserves. He'd landed a good few hits, but Round Deer was healing throughout the fight.
"Shut the fuck up."
Two steps.
I leaned down. He bent his knees, and punched out with an already injured arm. I threw myself at him with the weight of an elephant again. He stabbed my back again and again with those swords of his, but I didn't stop. I blew him through one wall, then another and another until both of us had our hair and shoulder caked with cement dust and debris.
When I felt the fresh air hit my skin, I tightened my grip further and raised him into the air before slamming him into the ground with all the strength I could muster. The earth fractured under his sudden weight. Behind us, the holy place he had desecrated began to collapse.
"Damn you, Kirei."
He coughed out blood, still smiling.
"I regret-" He sputtered, "-that I could not tell Rin I murdered her father."
Uncaring if Rin had heard or not, I straddled his chest and raised a hand into the air. My shadow formed into an inky black sword. With not a smidge of regret, I stabbed the sword right through his eye.
"That's for Shuwen."
He grinned maniacally, showing the most emotion he ever had.
I pulled the sword back, and jammed the sword into his throat, again and again and again and again.
It felt like no matter how many times I hit, I would never have enough.
It would never make up for the absence of my mentor.
Nothing was enough payback for killing someone like him for some sick amusement.
Not even making his face into a dirty, unrecognisable mess.
I did not stop by choice.
"Enji-"
Bazett tightly grabbed my forearm with both hands, eyes shut tight.
"-stop. He's dead already. Please, it's not good for you."
I stared down at the gory mess under me.
"He killed Shuwen, Bazett." I looked back at her, "He killed my teacher."
Yet, to see Bazett so troubled made all the hate in my heart melt away. I was concerned for her. I did not want her to see me like this. I did not want to see her with such an expression. Altera was watching too...
In the end, I let the blade go to hug her back.
"Fine."
"...This fucking piece of shit killed my father."
I looked at Rin.
She'd grit her teeth and clenched her fists.
Her shoulders trembled.
-
I really liked how this turned out.
How was it?
What Enji was seeing btw.