A dimensional journey starting from the Dragon Clan

Natalia is not affiliated with any organization and is just a bounty hunter who hunts for bounties. Her targets are those "sealed designated" magicians who have valuable research results but have left the Magic Association to conduct secret research. It is different from the "Temple Church" that wipes out all heretics in the name of judgment. The Magic Association's top priority is ensuring the safety of research results.

The most valuable among them are the "magic engravings" engraved on the magician's body. Especially for magic families, the magic seals produced through successive generations of research can produce even more powerful power when transferred to their successors.

Through negotiations with the Magic Association, Natalya allowed her son Emiya Kiritsugu to inherit part of the magic seal recovered from the body of Noriken Emiya. Although the valuable parts were withheld by the association, only less than one-half of the "residual part" was actually inherited to Emiya Kiritsugu. However, for Emiya Kiritsugu, it was enough for him to perform as a magician. own ability. Moreover, Kiritsugu had no intention of continuing his father's legacy and continuing his research on magic.

For Kiritsugu, magic is not his life's career, but just a means to achieve his own goals. And this method is just one of the many "methods" that the young man learned from the female hunter.

Tracking, assassination, and the use of various weapons - a hound cannot have only one "teeth". Being able to catch up with and kill prey in all environments and conditions requires mastering a variety of knowledge and techniques.

In a sense, the history of mankind is a history of killing. In order to be able to hunt "bipedal beasts" that have the same appearance as themselves, humans have spent countless time and wisdom researching "killing" techniques. And Kiritsugu used his own body to master all of this.

Those years stained with blood and gunpowder smoke passed in the blink of an eye.

Emiya Kiritsugu, who had experienced too many harsh battles during his sentimental youth, had completely lost the youthful youthfulness in his appearance. As an Asian of unknown age, his three forged passports all listed him as an adult, and he never aroused suspicion.

But judging from his appearance alone, even though he is not tall and has a sparse beard, his gloomy and cold eyes are definitely not what a teenager should have.

One day——

Even when he learned that his mentor and best friend, Natalia, was facing the biggest crisis in his life, Kiritsugu still showed no emotional fluctuations and still completed his mission selflessly.

No matter how anxious or shaken I felt, I still couldn't help Natalia. Because now her battlefield was inside a jumbo jet three thousand feet in the air.

The story began with the pursuit of a magician named Ode Bolzak, known as the "Magic Bee Messenger".

It is said that this magician successfully developed the Dead Apostles, who can control the magic bees under his control to increase the number of ghouls under his control through poisonous needles. They are very dangerous elements. And then he changed his name and changed his appearance, pretending to be an ordinary person and lost information for a long time. But four days ago, news broke that the man was spotted on an A300 flight from Paris to New York. Without knowing the other person's face or name at all, Natalia accepted the arduous task of finding the target and "hunting" it among the 287 passengers on the plane.

As her partner, Kiritsugu did not board the plane with her, but went to New York first to investigate Bolzak's disguised identity. The master and apprentice communicated via radio and quietly and reliably locked the location of their prey in a confined space at an altitude of three thousand feet.

About three hours after the plane took off - the assassination operation was completed more smoothly than expected. However, this was the beginning of tragedy.

The "Dead Apostle Bees" that Bolzak brought onto the plane without the knowledge of customs officials caused a deadly riot after the death of their owner. The "Dead Apostle Bees" that Natalya failed to eliminate in time attacked the passengers one after another, and the passenger seats of the jumbo jet instantly turned into a living hell where ghouls were raging.

A confined space with no room for escape. Facing the infinite increase in the number of ghouls, even as strong as Natalya felt boundless despair. Kiritsugu could only wait helplessly for the worsening situation. For Din, he must not let go of any opportunity to prove that Natalia was still alive.

One of the principles that Natalia once repeatedly warned Kiritsugu was - "No matter what means you take, you must ensure your own survival." Since he had such a creed, Kiritsugu firmly believed that the experienced huntress would be able to save the day this time. Two hours passed, and the communication machine was still silent.

Finally, when the light of the stars in the night sky was obscured by the blue-grey color of dawn, the wireless communication machine finally broke the long silence, and a tired female voice came out mixed with rustling sounds.

"...Can you hear me? Boy...you're not asleep, are you?"

"You heard me very clearly, Natalia. We are all in the sleepiest part of the night before dawn after a sleepless night."

"Of course, if you dared to go to bed last night, I would definitely kill you first... So, there is good news and bad news, which one do you want to hear first?"

Natalia smiled and said.

"Didn't we promise to start with the good news?"

"0K. Let me tell you the good news first. First of all, I am still alive. The plane is also safe. I just ensured the safety of the cockpit. The captain and co-pilot set the parameters before they died. If I were just driving, I would It can be done. It is said to operate like a small plane.”

"Have you contacted the airport dispatch desk?"

"I got in touch. At first I thought I was playing a prank.\\nBut now I'm managing it well."

"...So, what's the bad news?"

"Well - I was the only one who was not bitten in the end. All three hundred crew members and passengers were killed and turned into ghouls. The opposite side of the cockpit, separated by a screen, had completely turned into a ghoul. A flying city of death. Don’t be surprised.”

"..."

This was the worst-case scenario Kiritsugu expected.

"In this case. Can you... still come back alive?"

"Ah, this door is still strong enough. Although it is shaking now, there is no need to worry about it being broken - the landing method is quite confusing. Can such a huge thing really land safely?"

"...If it were you, it would be fine."

"Are you encouraging me? I'm so happy to hear that."

Natalie smiled wryly and then sighed feebly.

"There are still fifty minutes until we arrive at the airport. It's too early to pray now - boy, stay with me and chat for a while."

"……I do not mind."

So, the two people started chatting. Let’s start with the two hours of no contact. Then he detailed all the evil deeds of Bolzak, who had been killed. In the end, the two people naturally recalled the magicians and dead disciples they had eliminated before, as well as the Shura fields they had faced together.

Natalia, who usually rarely talks, became talkative for some reason today. From the passenger seat came the low roar of the ghoul and the sounds of constant slapping on the cockpit door. To divert attention away from that, just chatting is the best option.

"——When you first said you wanted to pursue this career, I really had a headache for a while. And no matter how hard I tried to persuade you, you refused to change your mind."

"Am I such a disciple with no future?"

"No...it's because you are too promising and qualified."

Natalya smiled bitterly and said.

"…………What's the meaning?"

"Because you can make your actions completely free from emotional control - for ordinary killers, it takes many years of training to master this ability. But you can be born with this ability. It's really An amazing talent.”

"..."

"However, choosing one's own life path based on talent and ability may not necessarily be the most correct. Before talent, there is a person's will and emotions. These are the key to determining a person's life path. Without these, a person Humans cannot be called human beings. If you first think about 'what you should do' before thinking about 'what you want to do' and just rely on routines to act... then you are not a human being, but can only be called a machine. . Very different from human life.”

The words of his mentor, who had been watching him grow up, slid through the young man's heart like frost.

"I... think you are a very cold person."

"Why are you still saying this now? Isn't it? Have I ever been gentle to you?"

"No. It's always been very harsh and merciless."

"... Generally speaking, it is the father's responsibility to train boys."

On the other end of the communicator, Natalia was silent for a while, then sighed helplessly and continued.

"However, I bear some responsibility for the reason why you did not have an education from your father. Ah, how should I put it... In short, there is no way to shirk it."

I can only teach you some survival skills, but I can't do anything else - Natalia added as if she was mocking herself.

"...Are you planning to be my father?"

"Don't confuse men and women. It's really rude of you. You should at least call me mother."

"...That's right. I'm sorry."

Although Kiritsugu answered in a calm voice, his expression looked extremely surprised.

Wireless calls where you can't see the other person's face, and certainly can't see the other person's expression. Therefore, Natalia had no way of knowing Kiritsugu's current state of mind.

"...For a long time, I have been experiencing those bloody storms alone. I have almost forgotten the fact that I am alone.

So, ah...hehe. This actually seems ridiculous. Like a family. "

"Me too--"

Now, what do you mean by these words? Kiritsugu asked himself in his mind as he continued.

"——I also treat you like a mother. I feel that I am not alone, and I am very happy."

"...I say, Kiritsugu. In order not to be too embarrassed when we meet next time, we'd better not talk about this topic."

It seems that Natalia's confused expression can be detected in her words. She doesn't seem to be used to being shy.

"Ah, the situation has worsened. We will land in twenty minutes. At such a critical moment, I can't make a fatal mistake just because I thought of something funny."

"……Feel sorry."

Kiritsugu apologized.

Natalia didn't need to make an emergency landing.

And she wouldn't see Kiritsugu again.

Only Kiritsugu knew this.

Before these ghouls were completely eliminated. Natalia had no chance of survival. There was only one way to deal with this passenger plane full of ghouls, which was to let it crash into the Atlantic Ocean. The operation to eliminate the "Magic Bee Messenger" would eventually cost the lives of Natalia Kaminsky and all the passengers and crew members - Kiritsugu had already prepared for this result.

But for Kiritsugu, he also knew that his mentor would definitely show amazing strength at the last moment. Natalia, who had always insisted on the creed of "surviving no matter what", might avoid the crash of the plane to save her own life. Kiritsugu had to take this into consideration - that would be an unexpected and worst result.

Natalia, who prioritized her own survival, would definitely choose the former without hesitation when weighing the threats that this result could bring.

Landing a passenger plane full of more than 300 ghouls at the airport and releasing these hungry dead - if there is no other way, she will definitely choose this method. It is precisely because he knows her too well. So Kiritsugu has already made preparations for this eventuality in advance.

In order to avoid the expansion of the disaster, the Airbus A300 must not be allowed to land.

This is a fact that cannot be shaken regardless of Natalia's safety.

As early as an hour ago, Kiritsugu ran across most of New York and finally bought a military portable surface-to-air missile on the black market.

Now Kiritsugu is standing on a motorboat floating on the water, waiting for Natalia's plane to appear in his sight. The giant jet airliner needs to circle for a while before landing at New York International Airport. At present, Kiritsugu's position can barely put the plane into the range of his missiles.

When purchasing weapons and choosing the shooting location, Kiritsugu once again doubted his mental structure.

From the perspective of avoiding a greater tragedy, it is also a normal reaction for him to face Natalia's death calmly.

However, what kind of person would he be if he gave up the last "miracle" that could save the woman he loved and killed her with his own hands? ()