Tribute to the Demon King

"That's right. Then, our target tonight is their group."

Kiritsugu nodded as a matter of course, his fingers slowly moved along Saber's escape route, and then stopped in the forest.

"Saber's injuries haven't recovered yet, so it's the best time to force them out. If you don't kill them now, if Saber recovers, Ellie and the others staying here will be in danger."

Kiritsugu scanned every detail of the map with his flat to almost cold eyes, trying to dig out any important information, and at the same time ordered: "Right now, force them out, and then kill them. At worst, force them out." Use his Command Spell. If Assassin's Master is not stupid, he will probably do the same. If he can eliminate two teams in one go, especially after Assassin is eliminated, the pressure in the later stage will be greatly reduced."

"Master, my clairvoyance can't see the situation in the woods. You won't tell me to bomb all the way in the general direction?"

With a joking tone, Archer crossed his legs, tilted his chair back, and said casually: "I think it's more practical to find out if there are any Masters left alone. If you want to deal with Saber's Master, at least You have to find out where they are."

"I will create the opportunity, you and Maiya seize the opportunity, kill Kenneth first, and then deal with Saber."

Kiritsugu took a deep breath, and replied softly: "I'll go and burn that forest. They fled into the forest south of Tohsaka Prefecture, and there is only one exit. Archer, wait near Tohsaka Prefecture. The clairvoyance is to investigate there. Once you find someone escaping, report to me immediately, and the same is true if you find someone using magic. If the Tohsaka family sends a heroic spirit, let’s take advantage of the opportunity to test the strength of the barrier in Tohsaka Prefecture.”

"...As you order, Master."

Archer hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded.

So that's the case, it's really worthy of Kiritsugu's tactics, simple, brutal, and effective.

First, set fire to Saber's location, forcing them not to stop and rest.At the same time, the flame might attract Assassin and the church, revealing the location of Saber and his party.As Fuyuki City's ley line manager, Tohsaka Tokiomi would not let him go.

In this case, Saber, Kenneth, Assassin, Tohsaka Prefecture——Archer has at least four attack targets.As long as Rider doesn't notice him, he can attack for six rounds and then escape safely.

But... By the same token, residents near Tohsaka Prefecture are also threatened by fire and Archer bombing.If the forest is set on fire, one does not know how much damage will be caused, and whether it will hurt the innocent—all of these are not in Emiya Kiritsugu's consideration.

He has neither the morality of being a human being nor the pride of being a magician, just a killing machine, a hunting tool that operates to achieve the ultimate goal... Emiya Kiritsugu is such a person.

Archer finally understood this.He looked at his Master with complicated eyes, hesitating to speak.For a moment, the three of them fell into silence.

So, Kiritsugu regarded this silence as a signal to end the meeting.

"Then let's leave the meeting here. Irisviel stays in the castle, I will prepare bombs and gasoline first, Archer will find the sniper position, monitor the movement of Saber and his party, and Maiya will return to the new capital to collect information. It is noon now Half past one, if everything goes well, then gather at the south side of the shopping street before five o'clock. If there is any change, report to me."

"As ordered."

Hisau Maiya nodded without hesitation, stood up, and left the meeting room.After a while Archer nodded, and disappeared into the room as a ghost.

Kiritsugu stood up last, slowly put away the map and information on the table, and then left the conference room.

But he did not leave Einzbern Castle directly, but stood on the balcony overlooking the castle's front yard, leaning against the guardrail, basking in the soft sunshine of the winter afternoon, and took out a box of buy cigarettes online.

Looking at the cigarette case, Kiritsugu's mood became complicated.

It has been nine years since I quit smoking.Part of the reason is that you can't buy the good cigarettes you are used to in far away Einzbern.Part of it is because I don't want my wife and daughter to worry about me anymore.

but now……

Kiritsugu silently stuffed a cigarette into his mouth, lit it with the disposable lighter he just bought, and the action was done in one go.

The smell of cigarettes tastes so close to the smell of gunpowder on the battlefield at this moment.

"why……"

Kiritsugu exhaled white smoke from the depths of his throat, and murmured to himself.

Why did I fall in love with a woman so deeply, and a child whose blood flowed from me?

In a trance, the scene of parting from Illya yesterday came to my mind again——

"When will Kiritsugu and mother come back?"

"Dad, I'll be back in about two weeks... Mom, it may take a long time..."

"Yeah. Ilya heard about it from my mother too. It's about a forever farewell or something."

Illya's innocent answer gave Kiritsugu the final fatal pressure.Just thinking about it makes his knees go weak.

Yes...the wife has come to her senses.And it also brought the same awareness to my daughter.

Emiya Kiritsugu will face the reality of depriving this young girl of her mother.

At that time, Kiritsugu realized that his hands were covered with bright red blood.

It would never be allowed to hug this child like an ordinary father with these filthy arms that had killed countless people—he warned himself.

But that admonition is escape, isn't it?

Soon, the child will never be able to be held by his mother again.If even Kiritsugu, as a father, gave up that responsibility... In the future, who should hug Iliasviel.

"...Illya won't be kept waiting. Papa will definitely be back soon."

With a painful realization, Emiya Kiritsugu murmured, took a deep breath for the last time, and then snuffed out the cigarette that had burned to the end.

The war that belongs to him has begun.

Author's message:

The first update is delivered! (chest out)

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Chapter 22 The story as you tell it

A scene like a nightmare is reflected in the small room.

The quivering lumps of flesh, the wet and broken eyeballs, the butterflies drawn in crayon on the wall, and the tentacles hanging from the ceiling like tongues.