Chapter 68: Episode 65

Words Count: 4706

Here's my usual spiel:

You can read 26 Episodes in advanced.

p a tr e on . com (/) LiamThePoor

A/N: So, there wasn’t supposed to be another Ep, but dammit it’s New Year! Happy New Year, everyone!

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Rin blearily rubbed her eyes,

All semblance of sleepiness swept away from her person as she felt waves after waves of Mana coagulating near the Church.

“What is–?”

She barely got the words out, before the sensation simply disappeared like a puff of smokes.

It was gone as quickly as it came, and Rin couldn’t help wondering if she had dreamt up the whole ordeal in her drowsiness.

“What did you do now, Kirei?”

Still, whether it was just a fragment of her imagination, or an actual occurrence, Rin Tohsaka would get to the bottom of this.

Regardless of how tired she felt, she was the Second Owner and the Tohsaka Heiress must complete her duty,

And once she found the one responsible for ruining her beauty-sleep, Rin would make them pay in blood.

Thus, with vengeance in her mind,

Anger in her heart,

And an odd feeling of… Anticipation that she couldn’t quite figure out for all her trainings and understandings of herself,

Rin Tohsaka set out on a Moonless Night,

Her short, reinforced little legs carrying her through Fuyuki City at a speed she never even knew they were capable of.

Her destination?

Fuyuki Church.

The same place where the Heiress had met her lost friend for the first time,

And the very place where Kotomine Kirei– Her deceased father’s former apprentice, the local Priest who was responsible for destroying her inheritance lived in.

“You better not have something to do with this, fake Priest.”

—— [Fate: DML] ——

“So you’ve finally returned, your Highness.” Kotomine Kirei said with the slightest touch of surprise and derision in his tone, trailing off ominously. Cracking my neck, I replied, trying my best to repress the rage that was bubbling up my throat. “So I have, no thanks to you.”

Even then, I could feel my forehead throbbing with angry veins.

“You’ve been gone for quite a while. I must admit, I had not expected to see you ever again.” The Priest reached into his inner-pockets to retrieve his gleaming Black Keys with a composed and emotionless expression, one I had only ever seen on him and Kiritsugu. Not going to lie, not long ago, that sight would have sent shivers down my spine, yet after everything I had gone through, after standing face-to-face with the likes of Gaunter O’Dimm and Gabriel D'Leoncourt…

It's not nearly as scary as I remembered.

Something akin to a scowl and a helpless smile crept on my face as I scoffed at the stoic Priest. “What? Upset that I ruin your perfect little plan?”

Sighing, I threw my arms up in an exaggerated gesture of powerlessness, continuing. “I thought we were Bros, Kotomine. We were building something truly special together… Until you decided to take a gigantic dump on our relationship with your plans and schemes.”

“Our break up was imminent. It’s not me–.” The Priest clenched his fists around the Black Keys, swinging the blades so fast he created gusts of wind that made my hair whip back and forth violently. “– It’s you, your Highness.”

‘Oooh! Kirei did not just say that, he did not!’ Angra roared with manic laughter inside my head, chuckling himself hoarse even as I growled. ‘Shut the fuck up! Whose side are you on here?!’

“Funny.” Deadpanning, I replied curtly. “I didn’t know you had such great sense of humor, Kotomine. Shame I’d have to tear that tongue out for your insolence!”

“Has your travel rotted your brain? Do you really believe you’re Royalty, your Highness? You’re nothing more than an orphan adopted by her Grace!” Like a cannon-ball, I shot towards the Priest, vindication and amusement bubbling in my chest at the look of sheer and utter disbelief. A quick [Observe] later, I was able to discern his Stats. In the time I was gone, Kotomine had not grown as a fighter whatsoever.

In fact, it’s the complete opposite.

“You’re… Far more delicate than I remember, Kotomine Kirei!”

The Priest was once capable of so, so much more.

His Stats averaging from eighties-to-nineties.

Even with my Upgrades, winning a battle against the former Church Executioner would have taken a while at least. Yet, to my chagrin, it seemed he had failed to keep up with his exercise routines lately, his blows and strikes lacking in strength, ferocity and a sharpness that once upon a time was inherent in his blades. “What a disappointment you turn out to be, Kirei.”

My Invictus and Infernal Iris clashed with Kirei’s Black Keys in a flashy, yet impressive display of Stats, sending sparks flying everywhere as our feet shattered the marbled-floor in millions of pieces. Feeling the fragments cut into my legs, I smiled maniacally. I could end it all right here, right now. There were so many ways for me to tear him apart, even if his natural Magic Resistance made the Priest practically immune to my AoE Crowd Control Spells.

But, I wanted this to hurt,

I wanted Kotomine Kirei to regret his actions,

I wanted to see true, genuine despair reflected in those dark, emotionless eyes,

And I couldn’t do that if I chose to finish this in a flash, I’d not be able to rub it in his face how close he was to accomplishing his dreams, and how easy it was for me to thoroughly obliterate his fucked-up plan for Humanity. “I want you to watch as I tear you and your dreams to fucking bits!”

I brought my leg up, lashing at the side of the Priest’s left knee. Naturally, the Priest tried to bring his shin up and block, but with proficiency in [Reinforcement], plus my overwhelming Supernatural Strength, I could very clearly hear an audible snapping sound where my kick had landed. Even if Kotomine’s bones hadn’t been broken from the impact, they must have surely fractured! Yet, the Priest’s face still remained of stoic indifference, almost as though he was bored…

It- It angered me– It angered me something fierce.

Following his movements from memories, I replicated the Priest’s Bajiquan. Infused with [Mana Burst], my punches struck at his solar plexus repeatedly with enough force to send Kotomine skidding back, the soles of his shoes digging in and ruining what’s left of the floor, even the Priest’s grasp on the Black Keys had loosened as blood poured out of his mouth and painted his lips red.

Kotomine crashed into… Or rather, through the wall, leaving an imprint of his body as he stumbled backwards and somehow, despite visibly struggling to slow his momentum with hands clutching his stomach, the Priest was able to maneuver until he was upright, albeit still on his knees. “There are more to Bajiquan than mere movements. Those punches– *Cough*– Use too much force, your Highness. Fighting like– *Gasp*– Like that will drain all of your Mana and Stamina in minutes.”

Vigilantly, the Priest got to his feet as he wiped the dripping trails of blood streaming down his jaws.

I let him,

His life was in my palms already, I could decide his fate anytime I wanted.

In order to truly enjoy this, I must do it slowly,

There was no reason to rush, was there?

“Even while severely injured, you’re still trying to one-up me–” Scoffing, I blinked behind Kotomine as he… Attempted to defend himself to little result. I grabbed his jaws, my fingers digging into his flesh like a vise-grip. Thrums of heartbeats echoed from within my chest, voices of the fallen arose as I focused and used everything, every deaths, every little grievances I had directly, or indirectly been apart of as tributes for the Skill. “– You want to die that badly?”

Internally, I grimaced at how my voice sounded.

Haunting,

Ghastly,

Echoing in the wrecked room like what I’d expect from the Devil,

Similar to how Angra would talk in my head.

Surprisingly, the Priest merely laughed at my words.

Contrary to my expectations, there was no trace of the despair I had originally anticipated in those seemingly bottomless depths, there was not even a hint. Just amusement, and the slightest indication of proudness, which frankly irked me to my very core. “The Hell are you smirking at, you think I won’t kill you because of that little Bajiquan tip… Is that it?”

“No, no. You’re wrong, your Highness. I’m psychopathic, not delusional. I’m merely happy that even if I die today, my legacy will live on, you’ll take my place to inflict pains on the sheep.” The Priest leaned forth, smirk stretching to his ears, eyes burning with a devilish glint. “My plans might have failed, my dreams and ambitions crushed, but knowing that I have a hand in creating the current you, however small it might have been… I can perish in peace.”

‘This piece of shit, what is he on about–?!’ Drawing another Black Key hidden inside his sleeve, Kotomine swung the blade. My arms tensed, readying for the incoming attacks, only to be disappointed when the sadistic Priest aimed it at his throat instead. “Unfortunately, I simply can not allow you the satisfaction of killing me on principals.”

“Kotomine, you–!” I blinked towards him, hands reaching to stop his suicide, but by then I was already too late.

‘Farewell, your Highness.’ The Priest mouthed just before the Black Key cleaved through his neck, sending his head bouncing and rolling off somewhere under the desk that most definitely had not been there a few months back. “Kirei… How dare you? How dare you fucking pile of shits?!”

I looked at Kirei’s headless corpse.

One of the evilest, vilest Final Boss of the Visual Novel had died like that.

Like he didn’t fucking matter in the slightest.

I thought I’d be happy– I should be, given how the Priest had tried to get rid of me, I thought I was mentally prepared to kill Kirei, yet instead I could only feel an overwhelming sense of rage coursing in my veins.

There was no sense of achievement,

No sense of relief,

Or happiness,

Just… Sadness?

‘Leo-tan, what are you crying for?’

‘What- What? I’m not cryin- crying…?’

Hands creeping up, I finally registered the wetness that was clinging to both of my cheeks.

My knees felt weak, my muscles were shriveling up beneath skin and flesh.

But, those were things I was used to dealing with,

What’s worse was this all-consuming sorrow. This, this knot– Cold and heavy, swirling inside my stomach like a parasite trying to worm its way into my Soul.

‘Why am I sad? I should be happy, Kirei’s finally gone, I won’t have to live fearing I’ll be fucking suffocated in my sleep anymore!’ I thought, telling myself to be happy, to put on my best, prize-winning smile, yet… Before I even knew it, I was on my knees, feeling more defeated than I logically should. “I- I don’t understand, Kotomine is– Was my enemy. I shouldn’t feel bad for causing his death, I shouldn’t! So why am I–?”

Why did I feel so miserable seeing his decapitated corpse?

‘It’s okay, fucker was asking for it anyway, it’s either him or you, Leo-tan.’ Sounding awkward, Angra offered me his… Rather poorly-worded consolations, quite insincerely I might add. If he wasn’t a disembodied voice in my head, I had a feeling the Daemon King would be patting my shoulder right about now. ‘I don’t get why you’re feeling bad, you said it yourself, Kotomine Kirei was your enemy!’

I was so focused on trying to find the source- the reason for my grief, I failed to realize the sounds of hurried, yet soft footsteps coming near my location, I failed to even realize the blue dot that was fast-approaching the hallway where my one-side stomp of Kotomine had brought us.

Suddenly, the door to the hallway was blasted open, and in came a Wild Tsundere. “Rin, it has been a- *Sniff*- a while. How are you?”

I forced a smile on my face, though I was fairly certain it would look twisted to everyone else.

“Le- Leo, is that you?” Rin stared at me wide-eyed, disbelief was vivid and clear on her face. Then, she fell to a crouch, arms encircling and tightening around her skirt and subsequently, her knees. I did not expect what happened next, the outburst and complete breakdown my favorite tsundere would go through within mere seconds of seeing me.

“No… No! I- I must be dreaming, I must be hallucinating again. Leo can’t be here, he’s gone, he- he won’t come back.” Her usually sweet voice was piercing, scared, as though the Heiress was trying to convince herself I wasn’t actually here. I did not miss how she said ‘again’, nor did I miss the changes in appearance Rin had apparently undergone. “You’re not real, you’re not him!”

The tsundere was obviously taller, yet thinner, more… Malnourished? There were heavy bags under her eyes, as though she hadn’t slept well for days, if not weeks or months.

“Rin, it’s me. It’s Leonis, what’s wrong?” I called out worriedly, feet dragging towards the girl as Rin glared angrily at me, tears bubbling in the corners of her eyes. “No- No! You are not, stop LYING! That idiot is gone… Just like- Just like my parents, my sister. They’re all gone.”

The tsundere was sobbing now,

The usually confident and proud, if somewhat bratty tsundere was… Sobbing hysterically into her palms.

“Why- Why are you doing this to me?” And the sounds were tearing painfully at my heart.

Before I knew it, I was kneeling by her side. Pulling her in a gentlest embrace I could manage, resting my head on Rin’s shoulder, feeling her soft strands tickled my neck and chin. Her arms encircled my torso– The right around my waist, the left on my nape. She was surprisingly gentle, almost as though she was afraid I was really a simple dream, that I’d somehow disappear in a puff of smokes. “It’s me. It’s really me, Rin-sensei.”

The tsundere looked at me with misty eyes, her hands reaching up to caress my face. “Leo, are- are you really here?”

“Yup–” I laughed, a cheeky smirk dancing on my lips as I poked her forehead. “– I’m really here. It took a while, but I really am back, Rin-sensei.”

It was so fast! Her expression changed, shifting between sadness, anger then righteous rage. Instinctively, I blinked away just as a reinforced slap came honing in on my cheek like a fucking missile. I could even see air being twisted from the sheer force the twin-tailed girl had put in. Staring googly-eyed at the tsundere, standing safely several feet away, I shrieked. “What the Hell was that for? What did I do?!”

“Where were YOU, where have you been for the last two years?!”

I was feeling pretty aggrieved, but… Wait, what? What did she mean by that? “What are you talking about? I was gone for barely three months, and it’s not like I planned the whole thing, Kotomine rigged my experimental Star-Gate to go off.”

“You were gone for two whole years and six months! I- I thought you were dead, I was just starting to get over your death–!” Rin rose to her feet, wetness dripping down her puffed up cheeks and rosy nose. “And now- Now you decided to waltz in here like you own the place, like nothing ever happened? How dare you, how dare YOU?!”

Slowly, Rin walked in front of me, her fists balling up as she punched my chest.

The first hit was gentle, like a tap from Triss or Ciri.

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The second was harder, but not by much.

The third was clearly strengthened with [Reinforcement], ‘cause even with my Stats, I was beginning to feel the strain.

The fourth made me wince in place.

The fifth was powerful enough to send me sliding back, nearly crashing the wall behind.

Again and again, Rin punched me with a vehemence I had never witnessed before, she kept going until I was about to cough up blood.

In fact, I was fairly sure she broke a few of ribs in the process too. But, I didn’t have the heart to stop the Tohsaka Heiress, my mind was still occupied with the information she had essentially thrown at me. Two years, I was gone, stranded in the Witcher-Verse for over two entire years. How? I counted the days I was there, and it should not have exceeded three months.

Yet, Rin was telling me a completely different story.

Then, it dawned on me. ‘Time Dilation. That has got to be it! About a ten times difference between Nasu and the Witcher-Verse?’

Perhaps I was onto something here. I was there for a total of three months, which meant roughly thirty months had passed for Rin, Shiro and Gil. Once more, I drew her into my arms, ignoring the dull, aching pains flaring in my chest. This whole ordeal might not have been my fault, but I nevertheless felt sorry about it. Especially since I did indeed have thoughts of staying permanently in the Witcher-Verse. For days, the selfish parts in me had genuinely wanted to leave Rin, Gil and Shiro.

He had never experienced this, this sort of friendship,

This care from another human being,

Hence I too had never been in this situation,

Knowing not what to say, I could only apologize repeatedly. “I’m sorry, Rin. I’m really, really sorry.”

We stayed there, hugging one another until Rin inevitably was lured by the sweet-whispers of unconsciousness in my arms. Gently, I held the girl, carrying her to the couch set near the Church’s main hall.

I’d have brought her to my room, but seeing the state my Workshop was in, I doubted my bedchamber would be comfortable for her to sleep and wake up in. Rin’s face scrunched in discomfort and fear.

Nearing her twitching ear, I whispered. “It’s alright, I’m back now. And I won’t leave for a long, long time. I promise you.”

Only then did she relax somewhat, the tenseness seemingly drained from her sleeping form. Watching her, hearing her softs snores caused me to drift off as well, and before I knew, I sleeping with Rin sprawling on my chest.

—— [Fate: DML] ——

Morning came hard and fast, hitting me with harsh rays of sunlight. I shot awake, thankful that I had had the foresight to pull the curtains closed last night, hence why Rin was still able to remain sound-a-sleep. The rays had not hit her yet. Carefully, I peeled her unconscious form off of me, soundlessly getting to my feet. I was going to cook her something, my cute Rin-sensei deserved that much at least!

And then I’d- I’d clean up the mess Kotomine… Left behind.

Last night was pretty fucking hectic, and in order to prioritized Rin, I had had to leave the Priest’s decapitated corpse in the hallway, which was unacceptable. Once that’s done, I’d have to unpack everything, reorganize my luggage. Afterwards, I believed an quick fix and upgraded for my Workshop was in order. Thus, with goals in mind, I set out to do my jobs, one at a time.

“You’re back finally, Little Lion. Hmmm… You’ve changed, yet your core remains human.” That’s when I heard her. In hindsight, I probably should have put the Map to better uses, paid more attention to my surrounding, but in my defense, the Map was a Game Function I received very, very recently. I was not used to, nor accustomed to having it around, instead preferring to rely on my senses, which I knew now was a mistake.

My head snapped towards the source of the voice. I knew only one person who would refer to me with that nickname. “Gil, is that you?”

Yet, I found no one behind me.

Spreading my Mana, I tried to sense for her presence.

This application of Mana was similar to Sonar, and it was supposed to be easy, last I checked.

Clutching my head, I grunted, steadying myself on the kitchen counter. It felt like my brain was being fried from the Mana frequencies, the effects were even worse than I remembered. Perhaps it’s repercussion from the Elder Blood? The lineage was… Alien to Gaia after all, I wouldn’t be surprise if the controlling bitch decided I was an Invader and tightened her leash on my neck.

“Gil, are you there?” Again, I called out in a loud voice. Was someone messing with me by using Gil’s voice and mannerism perhaps? Angra? Invictus materialized, resting firmly in my grasp. “Show yourself, before I blast your ass to next Century.”

‘Seriously, why is your first assumption always me? Why would I bother doing something so stupid, have some faith in me, Leo-tan!’ The Daemon King’s insulted voice echoed inside my head. Wait, was his voice layered with someone else’s just now? ‘Sshhh. Shut. Up! I’m trying to find her!’

“I’m over–” Golden strands filled my vision as a hand rested on my throat. It took practically everything out of me to stop myself from reacting as I sighed angrily. “– Gil-tan… Don’t startle me like that! I nearly took your entire arm off.”

My head bent to look at the Golden Queen currently looking down at me. Gil was shorter than her male Alternate-Self by about three inches, yet somehow she was able to tower over me with the top of my head pressing against her soft, malleable breasts. I wasn’t lying either, I almost cut her arm off from the elbow down! Sighing, I ducked out of her clutches, facing her only to find she was floating via a pair of winged-shoes.

“You keep doing that and I might have to put a bell on you.” I grumbled, looking at the Queen with faux anger plastered on my face. She was exactly how I remembered. That cocky smirk, the confidence that her entire body seemed to exude. She didn’t appear affected by my disappearance at all, and that was both sort of relieving and upsetting at the same time. Relieving because I knew regardless of how much had changed, Gil would remain the same no matter what,

Dependable,

Rational,

And after that hysterical display of Rin, I was in desperate need of those two things.

But, it was also upsetting because I had expected her to mourn me at least. I wouldn’t say our relationship had progressed enough to compare to what she had with Enkidu, but I thought we were close. Still, I couldn’t quite contain the emotions pouring from my chest. Thus, I approached the tilting Queen with slow, deliberate steps and my arms, before my brain could even properly register their actions, had already yanked her down from the air.

“Little Lion, what are you–?!” Gil gasped as I forcefully drew her into a hug. I had been doing that a lot lately, odd considering he was never a touchy person, having constantly been scolded by his parents for physical-contacts when he was younger. But, now was not the time to be bothered with those meaningless and menial things. Now, in this moment, I wanted to enjoy this simple act of affection. “I never stopped thinking about you, not even once.”

I might have loved Rin and Shiro,

But I was- I was in love with Gil.

For all her faults and delusions, the Golden Queen had been good to me.

If not for her protections, Kotomine Kirei would have smothered me in my sleep ages ago.

If not for her presence, I’d have never died miserably in the Fuyuki’s Great Fire.

I might make jokes, complain, and be rude to her at times, but deep down, I knew she was my Anchor.

Everything I had done and would do, I did it all for her. To hear, to see the Pride in those crimson eyes, it felt even better than gaining Skills or Stats. I was obsessed with Gil, the same way I was with Artoria. They both characterized something I could never be. The convictions they embodied, the ideals they stood for, the Pride in which they… Held themselves.

Those were everything I had ever desired,

Purpose,

Charisma,

Betterment of the self,

They were Kings and Queens,

And to know even one– Just one was watching, believing in me filled with me an endless source of passion.

“I’ve missed you so much.” I muttered in her neck, taking in the surprisingly sweet scents of wines, roses and unnecessarily expensive cloths.

The Golden Queen’s reply was unexpected, yet appreciated nonetheless. “I’ve missed you as well, Little Lion.”

—— [Fate: DML] ——

Between the cracks of walls and buildings,

Beneath the sewage system that spanned the entire City,

Within the trashes that filled every alley,

They surged, worming, slithering towards the Source of last night’s… Disturbance.

All under the orders of their True-Self who was currently inhabiting the aged and Ancient form that was once theirs.

They saw everything,

Watched as Kotomine Kirei, like a brittle spear, broke against the might of the young Magus who apparently could teleport.

Watched as the broken-shell of a man, a priest committed suicide in a foolish act of defiance,

Watched as the Tohsaka Heiress raced towards the Church with reckless abandon, caring not for those who might have seen her perform acrobatics that no child should be capable of.

Watched as the children broke down in tears.

And now?

Now, they were running, fleeing…

For the Ghost of an Era long past was back.

Oh-How they despised the Heroic Spirit,

The disgust and loathing those piercing, crimson eyes would stare at them, as though denouncing their presence as foul and vile.

What rights?

By what rights did that Spirit have to loath them?

They were the same!

Once that Spirit too had sought Immortality, only where she had failed, they had succeeded.

This accursed form… This decaying flesh,

It was not of their choosing!

They withstood everything,

All the pains,

All the sufferings,

Simply to defy the Natural Order,

To defy Death itself!

By what rights did a Queen who was offered the World on a silver platter have to judge them?

Even as he sat silent in his office, the once beautiful, squeaky-clean and prestigious place now reduced to a dark, dusty library filled with the never-ending smells of decay,

Makiri Zolgen– Matou Zouken couldn’t help but smile wickedly.

Perhaps True Immortality was closer than they had initially believed,

That boy, that Magus,

His body reeked of Mysteries,

They coursed through his veins, filling his form with inhuman Mana– The kind to rival the Barthomeloi’s Blue Blood. If it was him, if they used his corpse to fuel their ever decaying flesh, they might not need the Grail at all.

But they couldn’t touch him, not while the Spirit was here!

“What to do…” Then, an idea struck the Apostle.

Their eyes honed in on her,

Their precious granddaughter, who was playing school mere miles away.

Maybe, maybe! “Yes, yes. The boy’s quite lustful, that will work.”

If Leonis Magnum could impregnate her, Zouken would have an endless of Mana, one so potent it might just fix his broken form.

Indeed, he could not touch the boy in fear of repercussions from the Queen of Heroes, but his descendants were fair-game, were they not?

With smirk, Zouken ordered for the Crest-Worms inside her body to rage, looking in amusement as the girl suddenly squirmed inside her classroom,

Rubbing,

Twisting,

Yes, this would work.

Sakura was beautiful,

Even with his now inhuman values, Zouken could admit that.

He simply needed to be patient, make sure the boy remained oblivious to his schemes, and he would have his delicious seeds.

“Leonis Magnum, you should thank me for giving you my precious granddaughter…” Matou Zouken’ manic cackles echoed within the dark, lifeless Mansion, causing a certain sea-weeds haired boy to shiver uncontrollably, knowing the thing that wore that grandfatherly façade was scheming something again. Deep down, he pitied whoever was the thing’s target, yet there was naught he could do. After all, Matou Shinji was just an useless cripple to the rest of the Moonlit World.

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