Fate: Hero of Justice Takeover

Irisviel had never seen her husband make such an expression.

The look of utter desperation on his face resembled that of a frightened and injured child, as though he were about to burst into tears at any moment. The man standing there was no longer the highly skilled Magus Killer, but a weak and timid man.

"Kiritsugu, you..."

Irisviel could feel his chest trembling. The strong and reliable wrists of her husband, once a symbol of power, now felt as weak as a child clinging to his mother's hand.

"If I..."

Kiritsugu held onto Irisviel so tightly it hurt, his hoarse and weak voice asking in her ear.

"If I decide to abandon everything and run away—Iri, would you come with me?"

This was perhaps the last thing Irisviel could have imagined hearing from Kiritsugu.

"What about Illya... what will happen to our child in the Winter Castle?"

"I'll go back and bring her out. Anyone who stands in the way will be killed."

The man answered urgently and concisely, his response showing his resolute will.

"From now on… I will invest everything in us. I'm willing to give all my life just to protect you and Illya…"

"..."

At this moment, Irisviel finally understood how far Kiritsugu had been pushed. Before their arrival, it seemed that someone had used a mysterious method to completely break down this warrior's once-firm body and mind.

He was no longer the Kiritsugu of nine years ago—the one with the sharp instincts of a hunting dog, the cold and ruthless killer, as sharp as a bullet or blade, who had pushed himself to the extreme as a killing machine. He had changed too much, becoming fragile and worrisome.

Irisviel knew what had caused this change—it was his wife and daughter, the emotional ties that were never meant to exist in the life of Kiritsugu Emiya.

Before arriving in Winter Castle, Kiritsugu had nothing left to lose, not even the heart that could feel pain. That was why he could be so cold and ruthless, sacrificing everything in his relentless pursuit of the distant dream of saving the world.

Now, what Kiritsugu needed to do was return to the past. But turning back time caused his soul to cry out in agony. Ten years of change had been too profound, and the existence of Irisviel and Illya had allowed Kiritsugu to find new attachments to the mortal world.

The man who had once dedicated everything to his ideal was no longer there. In his place was a man with a weakness, unable to remain cold and detached.

Kiritsugu's rejection of Saber only highlighted his weakness. Simply holding himself together had become a struggle, leaving him with no strength to accept Saber, nor to consider how to mend their relationship.

Irisviel's chest felt heavy. Her beloved husband was suffering like this, and yet she couldn't save him. The one torturing Kiritsugu was not anyone else, but herself.

If she agreed to Kiritsugu's request, their future would undoubtedly take a different path, whether good or bad.

However, Irisviel only smiled gently, as if seeing through her husband's soul, and said.

"Can we escape?"

"We can. If we leave now, it's still possible."

Kiritsugu replied immediately. But his words didn't stem from genuine belief; they were just an attempt to force himself to believe in an almost nonexistent hope.

"You're lying."

Irisviel countered softly but cruelly.

"That's a lie. Kiritsugu Emiya, you can't escape. You won't forgive yourself for abandoning the Holy Grail, for being unable to save the world. You will become the ultimate judge, erasing the existence of 'Kiritsugu Emiya.'"

The man in her arms fell silent.

Was he crying? Or was he letting out a silent sob?

Because he knew, deep down, that there was no other choice.

The curtain had already fallen. The moment they stepped into Fuyuki City, there was no place left to run.

Once he realized this, it felt as though something inside him had shattered.

In its place, a new resolve began to form in Kiritsugu's heart.

"Ah, yes, we can't escape anymore."

Gently and resolutely pulling away from Irisviel's embrace, the cold and meticulous "Magus Killer" was once again revealed before her.

"At least, before Fate arrives, let me struggle a little longer."

With a voice dripping with sarcasm, Kiritsugu signalled Saber to take Irisviel away. He then took out an old pager, which neither vibrated nor made any sound. The signal was sent through a modified line into the detonator connected to a C4 bomb.

He pressed the final button without hesitation.

With a thunderous rumble, blinding fire clouds suddenly engulfed the hotel.

Although the explosion was not large, and the sound of it didn't even reach the nearby restaurant, what replaced the explosion's noise was the eerie wail of steel and concrete grinding together.

The hotel collapsed!

The 150-meter tall hotel, once standing upright, now seemed to be swallowed into the ground as it collapsed. Since all the exterior walls fell inward, no debris flew outward. The only thing that spread was the dust from the collapse, which buried the surrounding streets.

With Kiritsugu's expert demolition skills, he destroyed the hotel by targeting the load-bearing walls and key pillars. The Hyatt Hotel, under its own weight, collapsed inward, achieving complete destruction.

There was no unnecessary setup, and the impact on the surrounding area was minimal. The sound was barely noticeable—only the collapse of a building over 150 meters tall could testify to how skilled and terrifying Kiritsugu's demolition techniques were.

However, the man responsible for all this didn't even spare a glance at the explosion. His coat was blown up by the wind created by the collapsing building, and he walked calmly through the crowd, where he could hear the sobs of frightened children and the hurried reassurances of their mothers.

But these scenes no longer shook Kiritsugu's steps.

He walked indifferently forward, watching the crowds flee. Once the wind pressure subsided, he lit the cigarette dangling from his mouth and made a phone call.

"Maiya, how's it going on your end?"

"The 32nd floor showed no activity until the end, the target didn't escape the building."

"Good."

Kiritsugu reached the base of another building and, in a hidden corner of the hallway, took out a case that resembled a cello box.

"Prepare for the sniper, Maiya."

Opening the case, the well-maintained gun parts lay quietly inside. Kiritsugu, the Magus Killer, quickly assembled them into a dangerous weapon.

With a cigarette in his mouth, Kiritsugu raised the sniper rifle and coldly declared.

"Even if Kayneth is dead, Caster's master, Sakatsuki won't get taken down so simply."

"When the time comes, we'll personally put a bullet through his head."

***

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