Chapter 30: Triple-Linked Crane Wings!
Some people in this world are simply like this: due to the environment they were born into or a certain accidental shift in their way of thinking, they deviate from normal moral concepts and never look back.
Perhaps some people become malicious towards the outside world purely because of external cruelty, but the moment they start inflicting their own malice on others, they are no longer innocent.
Whether or not the opponent was one of the perpetrators in this abandoned hospital, it was enough for Emiya to know that he was indeed an abuser.
Being soft-hearted is absolutely unacceptable.
Some villains absolutely must be eliminated forever to ensure that no more people suffer their harm.
Therefore...
"Trace on!"
Since he could only tentatively confirm that the opponent's technique was related to nullifying damage, he would first test whether his technique had a limit.
In an instant, Emiya again held the long bow, fitted with a Spiral Sword, and aimed at the Curse User not far away.
"Tch... this move again." Because he had just witnessed its power against the Cursed Spirit, even with great confidence in his own technique, he absolutely dared not use his mortal flesh to test a missile-like projectile.
No longer having the false bravado of moments ago, the Curse User stomped his foot, kicking up a cloud of dust, and immediately darted behind the remaining ruins.
An attack of this magnitude absolutely couldn't be repeated multiple times in a short period. As long as he temporarily avoided the edge and then closed the distance again, refusing to back off, he could use his technique to—
"Caladbolg II!"
To think he could escape Emiya's aim with such speed and clumsy cover was far too presumptuous.
A visible wave of impact exploded in front of Emiya. The crimson arrow instantly crossed the courtyard, blasted away the smoke, pierced the barrier, and arrived before the Curse User's body.
His eyes widened before he could even stop running, reflecting the image of the arrow's infinite spiral. His consciousness seemed to slow down. He unleashed his Cursed Energy,
desperately trying to twist his body, but he couldn't. For the first time in his life, he began praying to the deities he never respected, praying that his technique could block this missile-like arrow.
The next moment.
——————BOOM!!!!
Since there was no need to consider the Cursed Spirit's strong resistance to physical attacks, Emiya chose to unleash his magical energy without reservation this time.
The mixed material explosion even formed a small mushroom cloud in the sky, impacting the 'Curtain' which should not be affected by physical means.
"Huu, huu... huu..." Emiya lowered his long bow, and a rough breathing sound came from the ruins.
The figure was covered in blood, his clothing barely covering his vitals, but he was undoubtedly still alive and well.
The Curse User was ecstatic because not only was he not dead, but he had successfully endured the attack with his body mostly intact.
His technique succeeded!
Although it consumed most of his Cursed Energy, it was undoubtedly a success! He couldn't give this guy another chance to use his bow technique; he absolutely had to fight him in close combat from now on!
The Curse User silently finalized the perfect combat plan in his heart and immediately began to execute it.
"I see. I've figured it out."
What?! Emiya, who was simply standing still, suddenly spoke, startling the Curse User into pausing. But he quickly concluded that the opponent was merely bluffing.
It was impossible to figure out his technique with only two or three encounters!
"Time for you to lie down obediently, you brat!" Tearing a specialized short knife from his waist, the Curse User charged straight towards Emiya.
"Trace on."
Emiya merely projected his familiar Kanshou and Bakuya, because that was enough.
Bang!
Bang—
Using the advantage of dual swords and his superior technique, Emiya intercepted the Curse User's dagger, then swung a cut toward him which was blocked directly by the forearm, failing to achieve anything, as expected.
The enraged Curse User adjusted his stance and thrust the dagger, but Emiya leaped up to dodge and then stomped his foot onto the Curse User's face.
Boom—!
It was just a light stomp, yet it felt like a heavy object violently smashing onto the Curse User's face, sending him flying backward.
What happened? Was it luck? The Curse User constantly replayed the mistake mid-air, believing that Emiya could not have found his weakness so quickly.
But he soon let it go because he saw Emiya mid-air once again strike an aggressive stance.
'This is exactly how it should be!'
"Trace on."
Emiya once again projected Kanshou and Bakuya, but this time not just one pair, but three pairs simultaneously. Even Heroic Spirit Emiya, who usually fought with counterfeits, had developed his own sword skill through countless instances of refinement.
It was named—
"Triple-Linked Crane Wings."
Four twin blades were flung out by Emiya in different directions. They flew towards the Curse User's location in a spinning, cross formation. Meanwhile, Emiya himself accelerated upon landing, gripping his two blades and charging toward the opponent with extreme speed.
Seeing this, the Curse User was quite pleased. He crossed his arms over his chest, meeting Emiya head-on.
The true name of his technique was [Inversion].
When the technique is activated, the stronger the attack that hits him, the weaker it becomes; the weaker the attack, the stronger it becomes.
Although there was an upper and lower limit, the upper limit at least required a terrifying explosion like the one just now, and the lower limit could not be guessed by anyone unfamiliar with his technique.
No one had ever survived his counterattack after launching a desperate strike. The more seriously his opponent took the fight, the less likely they were to defeat him...!
Pffft—!
The sound of sharp blades piercing flesh echoed particularly loudly above the ruins.
"W-why...?"
The arms crossed in front of him were indeed unscratched by Emiya's attack, and the spinning blades on the sides were blocked by his arms. The real wounds were on his back. Two blades were deeply embedded in his body from behind.
But, why?
Why were the blades, despite being thrown at such a high speed, categorized as the lower limit?!
"Kanshou and Bakuya are famous twin swords in history.
They possess a special magnetic property and can briefly enhance each other to a certain degree.
If I induce attraction towards the outgoing blades, theoretically, their momentum will approach zero at one point before increasing again."
Scratch—!
"!!!!" Emiya showed no mercy, stabbing the Kanshou and Bakuya he held in his hands into the Curse User's thighs.
Clearly, the two twin blades stuck in the Curse User's back were not a pair with the ones in his hands, but rather the opposite, creating an attraction force. By doing so, Emiya was able to launch two attacks—one at the strongest level and one at the weakest—simultaneously to break the opponent's technique.
"Plea... please spare me!
I'll never be a Curse User again! I'll absolutely go back to the countryside and retire, never... never coming out again!"
The pain from his back was bearable, but the swords in his thighs were specifically placed in a position that prevented him from standing up yet also kept him from kneeling, making him want to scream and cry. But he couldn't; he had tasted freedom, and he absolutely didn't want to die!
'Not tough at all. He's begging for his life instead?'
"Do you know the last thing that Cursed Spirit said before it died?" Emiya suddenly asked.
"Wh-what?" The Curse User was somewhat confused.
"Never mind."
Expecting this kind of person to truly repent was a mistake in itself.
Slash————!
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