"It's truly horrific…"
Scenes of bloodshed were not unfamiliar to Shiki. She had witnessed them both in films and in reality.
But compared to the visceral impact of today's scene, all her previous experiences seemed restrained, almost tame.
The killers she had encountered before paled in comparison to this carnage, this sea of blood and mountains of corpses.
It wasn't that her mental fortitude was lacking. Rather, as long as one was human, standing amidst dismembered limbs and the suffocating stench of blood was bound to trigger a deep, visceral discomfort.
Arcueid entered the scene with her hand instinctively covering her nose and mouth. Her delicate features grew pale, not from shock at the carnage, but from the overwhelming scent of blood that stirred something primal within her.
Everywhere she looked, body parts lay scattered. Severed heads, half-chewed, mingled with pools of blood, brain matter, and the unmistakable scent of death. The fluids of those who had lost their lives... blood, bile, and the last remnants of involuntary reflex... coalesced into a pungent, grotesque mix.
The entire floor was awash in blood, forming a vast pool. Broken bodies and tattered clothing floated on its surface. Every step pressed down on something soft, most likely the entrails of the deceased.
Blood. Defilement.
What had once been an apartment building, home to hundreds, had become a hellish pit of flesh and gore. If one listened closely, the sound of monstrous chewing echoed faintly in the darkness, a horrifying symphony of beasts feeding on human remains.
"Rest in peace…"
Standing at the heart of the carnage, Roy clenched his fists as his gaze swept over the devastation. His pale blue eyes focused on the countless distorted faces of the dead, whose silent cries seemed to echo in the void.
There were too many voices, too many souls crying out. He could not listen to them all. Instead, he took out a Bible and holy water he had borrowed from Kotomine Kirei, offering the simplest of prayers for the slaughtered.
"Don't worry… I will make the one responsible pay."
"This is unforgivable!"
At this moment, Roy was the calmest among them. By contrast, Aoko, the guardian of Misaki Town's ley lines, was seething with rage.
Someone had dared to commit such a heinous act in her hometown, right under her watch. Her fury was a volatile storm, a ticking bomb waiting to explode.
No matter who the culprit was... even if it were one of the Dead Apostle Ancestors... they would not escape her wrath.
Just then...
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunfire erupted from the floors above, accompanied by the dying roars of beasts.
Elsewhere, Emiya Kiritsugu, who had arrived ahead of them, found himself equally shaken by the hellish scene. The appearance of Dead Apostles stirred memories of his own painful past.
The island of his childhood, once a haven of innocence, had been tainted by monsters. His father, his lover, his mentor, and even his adoptive mother... they were all casualties of these inhuman creatures.
How many more lives will you drag into hell before you're satisfied?!
Anger. Grief. A tempest of emotions clouded Kiritsugu's mind. He had abandoned all pretense of subtlety, wielding his twin pistols with practiced fury, unleashing a relentless barrage of bullets to keep the beasts at bay.
Yet no matter how much firepower he unleashed, it was barely enough to stem the tide. There were too many of them... snakes, black dogs, and ravens, all glowing with crimson eyes. They emerged from the shadows, mercilessly harvesting the lives of the living.
There was no end to them. No matter how many he killed, more came. His bullets, no matter how precise or plentiful, could not halt their advance.
They were like shadows... omnipresent and unstoppable. No matter how hard he fought, they devoured everything in their path.
"They're upstairs!"
Hearing the gunfire, Roy pointed toward the ceiling before dashing up the stairs.
"You two, be careful."
Aoko called out as she hurried after him, her steps quick and determined.
...
Emiya Kiritsugu was still battling relentlessly against the monstrous horde.
The prolonged fight had exhausted his ammunition; every clip he had brought was now empty. All that remained were a few Black Keys and mithril-crafted tools, which he used to hold off the mastermind behind this hellish massacre.
But the gap in strength between them was undeniable.
"Well, you're quite the resilient little scrap of meat. To think you managed to kill so many of my beasts."
Thud… Thud… Thud…
A low, deliberate sound of footsteps echoed as a figure emerged from the shadows. Cloaked entirely in darkness, the middle-aged man's piercing gaze fixed coldly on Kiritsugu, who stood resolutely in his path.
His eyes were as chilling as a serpent's, and his towering form radiated raw power, like a figure forged of iron. Even at a distance, his oppressive presence and venomous tone suffocated Kiritsugu.
The last time Kiritsugu had felt such overwhelming pressure was during the Holy Grail War when he faced Servants.
The man before him was no less terrifying... a Dead Apostle Ancestor.
Nrvnqsr Chaos.
His power was beyond what any ordinary magus could handle with tools or weapons alone.
Kiritsugu quickly assessed the situation. He had only a few Origin Bullets left, and their effectiveness against this creature was uncertain. They were on the seventh floor, surrounded by darkness and the countless familiars lurking within. His distress signal had just been sent; help would not arrive in time. This was a dire crisis.
As Nrvnqsr Chaos drew closer, Kiritsugu gripped the Black Key in his hand tightly, swallowing hard.
This might really be the end for him... another foolish risk leading to his death.
Seeing Kiritsugu pushed to his limits, Nrvnqsr Chaos showed no haste to end his life. There were questions to be asked before the prey was slain. Slowly, he raised his arm.
Crash!
The ceiling shattered suddenly as several thick, black serpents slithered down, cutting off Kiritsugu's retreat. The sound of beasts gnawing on flesh echoed from the walls, their sharp claws already tearing through the plaster, ready to strike.
"This is bad…"
Kiritsugu broke into a cold sweat. Behind him, an unending swarm of black serpents; around him, beasts lurking within the walls; and ahead, the imposing figure of Nrvnqsr Chaos.
Every possible escape route had been blocked.
"You've done well, magus, to kill so many of my beasts. But this game is over."
"Where is the woman? Where have you hidden her?"
The woman?
Kiritsugu's mind raced. After a moment of contemplation, he arrived at a probable conclusion.
Which woman?
The monster before him was searching for someone, likely hidden somewhere in this apartment complex. His rash actions had led Nrvnqsr to mistake him for an accomplice.
If so, could he use this misunderstanding to stall for time until reinforcements arrived?
Desperation honed Kiritsugu's thoughts. He maintained a neutral expression, careful not to give himself away.
But before he could fabricate a convincing lie, Nrvnqsr merely furrowed his brow. Without hesitation, he waved his hand, commanding the beasts to attack.
"So you're just a bystander after all. In that case, there's no need to continue this conversation. Die."
The negotiation ended before it even began.
How did he know?!
Kiritsugu raised the Black Key, slicing through an oncoming serpent, but pain flared sharply at his side. A beast's fangs had sunk deep into his flesh, paralyzing him as blood poured from the wound.
"You're wondering how I saw through your lies, aren't you?"
Nrvnqsr's voice, as sinister as a devil's, slithered closer.
"You've trained your words and expressions well, but your scent betrays you. You reek of lies."
As he spoke, his hand transformed into a mass of black serpents, their forked tongues flicking eagerly, savoring the anticipation of Kiritsugu's demise.
Kiritsugu struggled to fight back, but the black hound's jaws remained locked on him. Weak from blood loss, he could only wait for death.
"Time to send you off, magus!"
A shadowy blade, sharp as any knife, slashed downward to claim Kiritsugu's life.
But...
"What?!"
A flash of silver streaked through the air.
Before Nrvnqsr could react, the hand he had transformed into serpents was cleanly severed. A razor-sharp blade of mercury had struck with precise lethality.
In the next moment, a burst of radiant energy erupted from the far side of the hallway. Roy stood there, raising his hand as brilliant white light condensed at his five fingers.
BOOM!
In an instant, the concentrated blast of magical energy exploded outward, engulfing Nrvnqsr Chaos. The searing heat of the spell burned through half his body and obliterated every beast within its radius.
Seizing the opportunity, Kiritsugu broke free from his restraints and stumbled away.
Roy's swift, decisive attack left the onlookers momentarily stunned.
The ferocity of his strike made it clear to everyone... he was truly enraged.
"You've done well, Kiritsugu. No, I should say you've finally lived up to being a true ally of justice."
Roy glanced back at the gravely injured Kiritsugu, nodding in acknowledgment of his effort.
Then, turning to Aoko, who had just arrived, he issued instructions.
"Miss Aozaki, please take Kiritsugu and get him treated immediately. The black serpent venom could cause serious complications if not addressed. Also, contact the Church and Touko. They'll need to prepare for cleanup."
"Search the upper floors for survivors. Kiritsugu held out for this long... it wasn't in vain. There must still be survivors in this building. There has to be."
"But…"
Aoko hesitated, but one glance at Roy's piercing, ice-blue eyes silenced her objections.
"Fine. Be careful."
With a nod, she hoisted the injured Kiritsugu and hurried away.
"Thank you…"
Once they were gone, Roy stepped deeper into the ruins, his hand ablaze with dark flames. The fire coalesced into a sword, which he swung mercilessly toward the rubble.
"Still playing dead?"
With a low growl, Nrvnqsr Chaos slithered out from the debris like a viper, creating distance between himself and Roy.
"So, you've finally decided to show yourself… Princess."
As Nrvnqsr Chaos confronted Arcueid, who had appeared silently behind Roy, his voice was laced with cold disdain. "I must admit, I hadn't expected you to gather so many allies. A Princess of the True Ancestors, stooping to collaborate with magus. How far you've fallen, Arcueid."
Her eyes glimmered crimson, a signal of her readiness to fight. Meeting his gaze with unyielding confidence, she retorted sharply, "Whether I've fallen or not is none of your concern, you wretched beast."
"Is that so? Then... gah!"
Nrvnqsr's derisive words were cut short as Roy moved with impossible speed, seizing Nrvnqsr by the throat before he could react. Even with his beast-like instincts, Nrvnqsr found himself caught off-guard by the sheer velocity of Roy's assault.
How is such speed even possible?
Advanced Full-Body Reinforcement Magecraft.
The intricate magic circuits etched into Roy's skin flared brilliantly, a testament to the terrifying strength now coursing through him. Nrvnqsr, for all his formidable presence, dangled helplessly, his body gripped by Roy's iron-like grasp. Those piercing azure eyes bore into him, radiating an unyielding resolve.
In Roy's vision, Nrvnqsr was a grotesque amalgamation... a dark, writhing mass composed of countless tormented beasts and twisted souls. The malevolence emanating from him, the lingering cries of the lives he had consumed, was unbearable.
Allowing this abomination even one more second to exist in this world would be a sin.
"Shiki." Roy called without looking away, his tone frigid. "Are you ready? Let's send him to his end."
Shiki stepped forward, the twin gleam of her Mystic Eyes of Death Perception igniting in her gaze. With a calm nod, she gripped the mithril knife tightly, her sharp vision tracing the intricate death lines entwining Nrvnqsr's form.
"There's no mistake."
Roy's voice remained cold as he addressed the struggling Nrvnqsr. "Tell me, Nrvnqsr Chaos. How many lives have you taken? Ten thousand? A hundred thousand? Or perhaps even more?"
If Nrvnqsr had an answer, he could not give it. Roy's grip on his throat was unyielding, silencing any attempt to respond. But Roy did not care for an answer.
This creature, who desecrated life itself, did not deserve one more word of acknowledgment.
As Shiki's blade descended to carve through Nrvnqsr's death lines, a primal instinct surged within him. Driven by sheer desperation, Nrvnqsr sacrificed his limb, severing it to escape imminent death.
With a guttural growl, Nrvnqsr's form distorted grotesquely, swelling as if he were a grotesque balloon ready to burst. In an instant, his body erupted into a dark mist, his flesh disintegrating into a pool of blood and gore. The liquid congealed beneath him, forming a grotesque swamp of pulsing flesh.
From that morbid pool, black beasts began to emerge one after another, their ravenous growls filling the air. Each drop of Nrvnqsr's blood and every scrap of his flesh gave birth to a shadowy creature. They charged with relentless ferocity, their maws snapping hungrily as they swarmed the trio.
"Hmph! Your tricks are endless, but did you really think this would stop me?"
As the shadows descended, Roy stepped forward, shielding both Shiki and Arcueid behind him. The flaming sword he had conjured earlier shimmered in his hand before vanishing into thin air.
When it reappeared, the blade of black fire was already plunging straight into the heart of the grotesque swamp. The searing heat of the flames roared to life, consuming the beasts and charring the flesh beneath them into ash. The entire area ignited in an inferno, obliterating the dark creatures in seconds.
"Now there's nowhere left for you to run."
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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