Chapter 245: A Not Bad Script
"To personally kill the person you admire, huh?
Well, as a script for a beginner, this is actually not bad."
Gilgamesh appeared at the edge of the deep pit at some unknown time.
He glanced at Emiya Kiritsugu, who lay dead in a pool of blood at the bottom of the pit.
Then, he looked at Maiya Hisau, who was slumped at his feet, clutching a sniper rifle and had just fired several more rounds at Emiya Kiritsugu's vital points.
Finally, his gaze settled on Kotomine Kirei, who was standing behind him with his head lowered, seemingly lost in thought.
"It's a very strange feeling..."
Kotomine Kirei looked down at Artoria, who had rushed to Emiya Kiritsugu's side in the pit. He clutched his own heart and muttered to himself.
"It feels utterly delightful, doesn't it?"
Gilgamesh's mouth curved into a smile as he looked at Kotomine Kirei, whose true inner self he had unearthed.
"Indeed, it is a sensation I have never experienced before..."
Kotomine Kirei nodded honestly.
His heart was beating very fast now; every cell in his body seemed to be rejoicing over the scene he had just witnessed.
"We should go. Saber will be catching up soon."
After glancing at Artoria, who had set down Emiya Kiritsugu's body and stood up, Gilgamesh turned and walked away.
"Assassin..."
Hearing Gilgamesh's words, Kotomine Kirei silently summoned all his remaining Assassin clones.
"Go and stop Saber."
Looking at the only four Assassin clones left, Kotomine Kirei gave them the suicidal command without any hesitation.
And the Assassins were equally straightforward.
Upon hearing Kotomine Kirei's command, they all jumped down into the deep pit, drew their weapons, and launched a suicide charge.
"Now, when Saber sees that you were the one who killed her Master, what kind of expression will be on her face?"
Kotomine Kirei looked with keen interest at Maiya Hisau, who was sprawled on the ground with empty eyes. A flicker of anticipation crossed his face, and then he also turned and departed.
"Damn Assassin!"
Artoria had absolutely not anticipated that someone would take advantage of the final duel between her and Lancer to sneak attack and kill Emiya Kiritsugu.
A torrent of complex emotions—self-reproach, guilt, and others—instantly filled her chest.
Upon seeing the Assassins appearing before her, Artoria's emotions instantly transformed into rage.
She raised her sword and charged in the direction the Assassins had come from. Facing the Assassins blocking her way, the enraged Artoria didn't even spare them a glance, casually disposing of them as if slicing vegetables before leaping onto the outer edge of the deep pit.
"Is that you? The despicable wretch who sneak-attacked and killed my Master!"
As soon as she jumped onto the edge, Artoria saw a figure clad in black not far away.
She did not hesitate, rushing straight at the figure with her sword raised.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Lying on the ground, Maiya Hisau, prompted by the suggestion Kotomine Kirei had given her, immediately picked up the submachine gun beside her, aimed, and fired!
Facing ordinary brass bullets, Artoria chose not to dodge but activated Invisible Air, shrugging off the submachine gun fire as she reached Maiya Hisau.
However, just as she raised her weapon, preparing to avenge Emiya Kiritsugu, she finally got a clear look at Maiya Hisau's face.
"Ms. Hisau?!"
Looking at the overwhelmingly familiar face before her, Artoria's eyes widened instantly. Her body staggered backward a few steps due to the immense shock of learning the truth.
"Why? Why did you kill Emiya?"
Wasn't Maiya Hisau Emiya Kiritsugu's companion?!
In an instant, a thousand thoughts raced through Artoria's mind, until she inadvertently glanced at Maiya Hisau's hollow eyes.
"Has she been controlled?"
Realizing that Maiya Hisau had only attacked Emiya Kiritsugu because she was being controlled, Artoria did not feel relieved. Instead, a trace of despair arose within her.
Because if this was the case, she couldn't even kill Maiya Hisau to avenge Emiya Kiritsugu!
"The Master of Assassin..."
Clenching her fists tightly, Artoria was certain that the Master of Assassin had engineered the entire sequence of events.
Yet, even now, she still didn't know who the Master of Assassin was...
"Can I not even achieve vengeance?"
Noticing that her body was starting to weaken due to the lack of magical energy supply, a bitter smile appeared on Artoria's face.
"Saber?"
Just then, Maiya Hisau suddenly spoke her name in a confused tone.
"Ms. Hisau?"
Artoria instantly looked up.
The Maiya Hisau, who had previously had empty eyes, suddenly reverted to her usual cool, beautiful, ice-maiden appearance.
However, this image lasted for less than three seconds before collapsing due to the memories Maiya Hisau had just recalled.
"I killed Kiritsugu?"
Her legs giving out, Maiya Hisau knelt on the ground, looking down at her uncontrollably trembling hands. She couldn't believe that she had personally killed the man who had rescued her from the battlefield.
"You were only controlled, that's why you acted this way..."
Afraid that Maiya Hisau might do something drastic, Artoria quickly tried to defend her.
However...
"But the fact is, I did shoot and kill Kiritsugu, didn't I?"
Looking up at Artoria, who was kindly comforting her, Maiya Hisau gave a tragic smile.
She had envisioned many possible endings for herself: being used up as a consumable by Emiya Kiritsugu, dying during a mission, or being personally killed by Emiya Kiritsugu.
But she had never imagined that she would be the one to kill Emiya Kiritsugu, even if she had been controlled into doing it...
"I'm the only one left, now..."
Despondent, Maiya Hisau picked up the submachine gun that had fallen to the ground and placed the muzzle under her chin.
"Bang!"
Unlike the bodies of the Assassins, which were composed of magical energy, the bright red, warm blood splattered onto Artoria's face, causing her to freeze momentarily.
Several more seconds passed. Artoria finally reacted, shakily reaching up to touch the blood on her face, and then looking down at the now-suicide Maiya Hisau at her feet. Artoria remained silent for a long time.
When she finally looked up again, the golden light in her eyes had completely dimmed, replaced by endless fury and profound darkness...
"The Master of Assassin, I swear I will make you pay this blood debt!"
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