Magician in Type-Moon

Page 81

Irisviel nodded silently and released her husband. The face before her was once again that of the cold and meticulous 'Magician Killer'.

The bloody winds of battle reached the forest sooner than expected.

The Einzbern faction gathered again in the reception room—in front of Kiritsugu, Saber, and the others, Irisviel projected the images of the intruders captured by the barrier onto the crystal ball.

Suddenly, the chirping of insects came from the darkness behind them, growing louder and louder, as if something was rapidly approaching.

A strange swarm of black insects danced, moonlight shimmering through their black carapaces, and a figure was silhouetted against the foliage.

"What are these things?" Irisviel asked, somewhat alarmed.

“It must be a bug from the Matou family,” Saber replied calmly.

"Is he the Master of the Matou family?"

When Irisviel first saw Matou Pond, she asked a question, and Kiritsugu Emiya nodded in response.

The person who appeared in the crystal ball was the shared Master of Berserker and Caster, who had performed a beautiful dance on the overpass battlefield yesterday.

"But what about his spirit?"

To Irisviel's surprise, Matouchi appeared here alone, accompanied only by a swarm of insects that kept surrounding him.

Kiritsugu Emiya immediately stopped and signaled Irisviel and Saber to be on guard.

"Alice, where is he?"

"He is a little over half a kilometer northeast of the castle, and he doesn't seem to be planning to go any further into the forest yet."

The barrier erected in the forest is a circular array with a diameter of five kilometers, centered on the castle.

Matou Pond is located not far from where you enter the barrier.

If he ventures deeper into the barrier, Irisviel can activate the Area Effect – supporting her allies in battle.

However, Matouike seems to have figured this out and keeps lingering along the outer edge of the barrier.

“Looks like we’re being watched,” Kiritsugu said in a low voice, his hand already gripping the gun handle, his eyes cold and wary.

"Irisviel, the enemy is trying to lure us out."

Saber said in a tense, low voice.

If she relied on her servants' speed, she could reach Matou Pond in just a few minutes.

Irisviel understood what she meant; Saber was eager to deploy her forces now to confront Matou Ike's Heroic Spirit.

He couldn't have come alone.

The chirping of insects grew louder and louder, and countless black shadows appeared vaguely in the darkness. They rushed towards this side quickly, carrying a nauseating stench.

"Damn it, why did it have to happen at this time? Alice, you hide in the basement for now, Saber and I will go out and check the situation."

“Okay, but you must be careful.” Irisviel looked worried, but still obediently retreated to the basement.

Kiritsugu and Saber exchanged a glance and quickly walked outside. Although they still could not reconcile, they had a certain understanding in the face of the current crisis.

Saber transformed into a silver gust of wind, speeding through the forest.

She has now put her dispute with Kiritsugu behind her.

Once she stepped onto the battlefield, her spirit was like a sword, a sharp longsword that could cut through gold and jade, pure and flawless, without a trace of confusion or hesitation.

Kiritsugu followed closely behind, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings.

The swarm of insects had already enveloped the entire castle. Although Einzbern's barrier had eliminated a portion of the swarm, the insects continued to pour in, seemingly without end.

Kiritsugu Emiya didn't really want to face Ike Matou. In terms of compatibility in magic battles, the Insect Master was the worst choice for him.

As a proponent of decapitation strikes, it is most difficult to act when faced with such an overwhelming number of enemies.

Presumably, the other party also had this mindset, which is why they targeted themselves.

Kiritsugu Emiya did not rashly leave the castle to confront the enemy, because there were still some uncontrollable factors inside the castle, namely the resurrected 'Maiya'.

The reason he only returned to Einzbern now was to bury Maiya's body.

This companion who had been with him for over ten years had clearly passed away, but now... is someone playing with the body of the deceased?

This is truly unforgivable!

Saber, already in the forest, swung her sword, slicing through the swarm of insects that rushed towards her. The colorless sword light drew a dazzling arc in the night sky.

Chapter 114 Resistance

Saber's every sword strike was as swift as lightning, cleaving swarms of insects in two, yet they continued to surge forth endlessly.

The stench of blood grew stronger, and the muddy ground almost made Saber's leg armor slip, causing her to stop in her tracks.

The soil was saturated with moisture, as if a torrential downpour had just taken place.

However, what soaked the soil was not rainwater, but bright red blood.

The surroundings were filled with the nauseating stench of insect limbs, and the ground was covered with the scarlet bodily fluids of insects, like a sea of ​​blood.

Just imagining how many insects must have been killed to create such a horrific scene is enough to make one feel suffocated.

"Master of the Matou family, where is your Servant?"

Saber, who had just broken through the swarm of insects, was now standing in front of Matou Pond.

Matou Ike raised her head, looked coldly at Saber, and a sneer curled at the corner of her mouth.

"It seems you can't wait any longer, Saber. Well then, let Berserker play with you for a bit."

A flash of anger crossed Saber's eyes as she gripped the holy sword tightly.

Suddenly, the ground behind Matou Ike cracked open, and a dark shadow emerged from underground.

That was Berserker. His figure appeared behind Matou Ike like a ghost, his eyes flashing with a fanatical red light.

Berserker let out a deep growl, as if responding to his master's command.

He leaned forward slightly, ready to face Saber at any moment.

Behind him was a large group of dark green, coiled and writhing snakes.

—No, that thing is covered in suckers that look like small jaws. It's definitely not an ordinary snake. It's the tentacles of a squid or some kind of squid-like creature.

The earth beneath Saber's feet began to churn, and sea monsters covered in tentacles and spikes leaped out from beneath her feet.

Those foreign objects, as thick as Saber's wrists, stretched out instantly, wrapped around the silver armor, and began to tightly bind Saber's hands and feet with great force.

Each amorphous monster was about the size of an adult, with neither body nor limbs, resembling a giant crown-of-thorns starfish.

At what appears to be the base of countless tentacles, there is a round mouth covered with sharp, shark-like teeth.

Although it is a completely unknown creature, it is different from spirits or fantasy species. It may be an extradimensional creature that inhabits different natural laws.

"So it really was... a trap?"

Although she had anticipated that Matou Ike would be a difficult enemy, she did not feel that sense of despair from having no chance of winning.

Saber's sixth sense told her that as long as she fought to the death, she would be the one to survive.

In the brief moment Saber was bound, Berserker launched a fierce attack wielding his flag spear, his body churning with black mud and filthy magic swirling around him.

This provides powerful force for this shot.

Berserker's shot was filled with ferocious power and precise killing intent.

The spear tip drew a black arc in the night sky, carrying the filthy magic of surging black mud, like a bolt of dark lightning, pointing straight at Saber's chest.

The flagpole seemed to come alive in Berserker's hands, twisting and emitting a chilling low hum.

A heavy, putrid stench filled the air, as if the tip of the spear carried endless death and despair.

......

In the basement of Einzbern, Irisviel nervously observed the battle through a crystal ball.

She watched Saber's every move on the screen, and a strong sense of worry welled up inside her.

The moment Saber was trapped, her heart felt as if it had been violently clenched.

“Artoria…” she whispered Saber’s real name, her hands clenched into fists, her knuckles turning white from the force.

She felt the immense pressure emanating from Matou Ike and Berserker, as if even the air itself had become heavy.

Upon reflection, this was the first time Irisviel had felt 'uneasy' since setting foot in Fuyuki.

Irisviel rediscovered how reassuring Saber, always by her side, was with her, radiating calm confidence and compassion from her petite frame.

Although I am currently in the deepest basement of the castle, protected by numerous barriers, a lingering feeling remains within me...

She wasn't worried about Kiritsugu Emiya and Saber.

So what is this strange feeling of unease in my heart?

As Irisviel's mind raced with conflicting thoughts...

Suddenly, the tightly closed basement door was flung open, and instead of Kiritsugu Emiya, a swarm of nauseating black mud poured in.

As if it were alive, this black mud quickly surged into the basement, covering the floor, climbing the walls, and eroding everything.

"Kiritsugu?" Irisviel's first thought was that Emiya Kiritsugu had come to find her.

However, there was no one at the door, only the chilling black mud that kept invading and gradually taking over the basement.

She felt a strong sense of foreboding, and her unease grew stronger.

"This is impossible..." she muttered to herself, her hands gripping the crystal ball tightly, her eyes fixed on Saber's figure on the screen, but the crisis of reality forced her to shift her attention.

The black mud had spread to her feet, and the cold touch made her shiver.

She quickly stood up, wanting to leave the basement, but the surrounding black mud seemed to have a mind of its own and began to approach her.

"What is this thing?" she wondered, but she had no time to think about it. She had to find a way to escape this danger.

At the same time, a familiar figure slowly appeared outside the basement door.

It was Hisayuu Maiya, the companion she thought had already left.

A strange light shone in Maimi's eyes, as if she was unusually satisfied with everything before her.

"Who exactly are you?" Irisviel asked, looking at her in surprise.