Fate: Hero of Justice Takeover

"Fervor, mei sanguis."

"Automatoportum defensio."

"AutonlatoporIum quaerere."

"Dilectus incursio."

"Scalp!"

A liquid mercury of about ten litres flowed out of the bottle like a single-celled organism with self-regulation ability, transforming into sharp blades only a few micrometres thick, shattering the gates of the Einzbern Castle.

Though this was Einzbern's long-established stronghold, Kayneth had complete confidence. After all, he was the head of the Archibald family, a genius from the Clock Tower, a grand magus who reached the "Color Rank" at a young age. A family of homunculus, who were self-isolated and bad at combat, surely couldn't stop his progress.

Though this sounded arrogant, it was Kayneth's honest opinion. Even through the magical perception granted by the barrier, Kiritsugu could sense the deep-rooted pride emanating from Kenneth.

"The ninth head of the Archibald family, Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, comes to pay a visit!"

Kayneth declared proudly, his voice echoing through the empty hall.

"Magus of the Einzbern! You've bet your life and dignity on the Holy Grail you pursue. Come, let's have a fair and square duel right now!"

There was no response to Kayneth's provocation. In truth, Kayneth didn't expect a formal duel. With a sarcastic sigh, he walked to the centre of the hall with loud steps.

At that moment, the four seemingly ordinary vases placed in the corners of the spacious hall suddenly exploded with a loud noise. The shattered pieces were not porcelain, but countless metal fragments, which flew toward Kayneth at bullet speed.

The trap gave no magical reaction, and Kayneth didn't even notice the presence of the trap. No wonder.

Kiritsugu had previously installed "M18A1 Claymore" mines in the vases, which were anti-personnel mines developed by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War.

These weapons would launch over 700 steel balls in a fan-shaped pattern using the explosion of explosives, designed to wipe out infantry in ambush. In the blast, the central target would be utterly destroyed, turned into a pile of minced meat.

—but that was assuming the opponent was not a magus.

At the moment when over 2,800 steel balls were about to hit Kayneth, the area around him was already covered by a silver sphere.

A mercury membrane, impervious to water, expanded around Kayneth. Though it was less than a centimetre thick, it was compressed with magical energy, and its tension and hardness were nearly the same as steel. None of the steel balls from the Claymore mine hit Kayneth. They all bounced off, shattering the hall's decor.

"…Hmph!"

After the protective membrane was removed, Kayneth scoffed at the malicious trap set by his enemies. Although he knew nothing about military weapons, he recognized that the attack was not magical, just a typical explosive weapon.

In Kayneth's mind, the unpleasant truth about the events from the night before finally became clear.

He had suspected before, but now it was undeniable. Among the six enemy groups, Eiinzbern, with Saber, was the one most eager to defeat him as Lancer's Master.

However, even though Einzbern was a renowned magical family, resorting to such lowly and dishonourable tactics was unthinkable for someone who upheld the dignity of magic like Kayneth.

But—there was no more doubt now. The killer who used such despicable methods to destroy a magician's duel last night was indeed within this castle.

"…Has Einzbern fallen to such depths?"

Kayneth muttered angrily.

For someone like him, an aristocrat of the Clock Tower, this was an unimaginable fall. He could not allow them to bring unworthy individuals into this sacred battleground.

"...Fine. Then this battle will not be a duel, but an extermination."

The CCD cameras hidden in the dark corners of the hall silently recorded every move of the enemy and sent the information to the man standing alone in the guest room.

The self-defending mercury used by Kayneth had far exceeded what was rumoured. The reaction speed was even faster than that of the anti-personnel mines. This made it clear that ordinary weapons and ammunition were useless.

Though unwilling, Kiritsugu had to admit that Kayneth was indeed a top-tier magus. Reflecting back on the fact that Kayneth survived the trap set at the Hyatt Hotel, Kiritsugu should have come to this conclusion earlier.

This meant that Kiritsugu, too, had to fight Kayneth as a "magus."

Kayneth would likely search the castle room by room starting from the first floor, and Kiritsugu was currently on the second floor in the guest room. If he acted immediately, there was still time to choose a more advantageous battlefield.

As Kiritsugu thought of the castle's layout, he moved toward the door, intending to leave the guest room...

He suddenly stopped.

A glint of metallic light from the keyhole of the main door caught his attention. It was a drop of mercury. A small amount of liquid left a silver trail on the door, dripping down the surface of the door.

The moment Kiritsugu noticed it, the drop stopped flowing, and then, as if it were alive, it crawled back up the door and vanished into the keyhole.

"…I see. This is 'automatic search,' isn't it?"

Just as Kiritsugu murmured in disbelief, a silver flash pierced the carpeted floor of the guest room.

In the blink of an eye, a circular hole was cut in the centre of the floor, collapsing into the floor below. Silver tentacles leapt out of the hole.

The mercury had now assumed a jelly-like form, its tendrils anchoring onto the edges of the hole while its central disc expanded into a flat, stable platform. And on top of it, grinning in triumph was none other than Lord El-Melloi.

"I've found you, filthy rat..."

Just as the confident Kayneth gave the command for the mercury to attack, Kiritsugu drew a submachine gun from his waist and fired at Kayneth.

The mercury immediately reacted, opening a protective shield in front of Kayneth, blocking the barrage of nine-millimetre bullets. Within a few seconds, the magazine, loaded with fifty rounds, was emptied.

But those few seconds gave Kiritsugu more than enough time to chant a spell.

"Time Alter, Double Accel!"

As Kiritsugu loudly chanted the spell, torrents of magical energy surged through his body.@@novelbin@@

"Scalp!"

As the gunfire ended, Kayneth immediately issued his death decree. Two silver whips shot out with a whooshing sound, trying to slice through the immobile prey.

"Mm?"

Kayneth let out a surprised cry.

Just as the two silver whips were about to cleave Kiritsugu's body, Kiritsugu suddenly dashed through the narrow gap between the two whips with unbelievable speed, narrowly avoiding the attack.

Immediately leaping down through the hole in the floor—right under the spot where Kayneth had been standing on the mercury jellyfish.

The phrase "in the blink of an eye" truly described the situation.

No human could possibly exert such physical prowess. Kayneth couldn't react in time, stunned for a moment. But upon further reflection, it wasn't something to be shocked about. The battlefield of magus was a contest of who could surpass normality.

If a little mouse had broken into this domain, it wouldn't be so surprising, even if it was an abnormal one.

"I see. So he knows a thing or two about magecraft."

Though a smile appeared on Kayneth's face, his anger grew inside. If this were just an ordinary rat, that would be fine, but the person in front of him, despite being exposed to magic, was relying on such despicable means.

He was not just a shallow third-rate character, but a ruthless villain. It was such people who disgraced the name of the magus.

"You filthy scum... you'll die to atone for this."

Kayneth flipped his robe and jumped down. The mercury jellyfish, now restored to its original shape, followed him, bouncing down like a rubber ball.

"Ire: sanctio!"

The mercury received the command, and fine tentacles spread out like spray, once again carrying out a carpet search on the entire first floor. The mercury sphere quickly found the target's position, rolling rapidly across the floor.

Behind him, Kenneth smiled cruelly, as the chase began.

***

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