Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Within the magical barrier that formed the arena, two figures were engaged in a fierce battle.
They had abandoned their weapons and magic, relying solely on their fists and feet. Yet, the intensity of their clash was overwhelming, with the shockwaves from their strikes even stirring up the surrounding dead leaves, creating small whirlwinds.
Although he had inherited the physical abilities of the heroic spirit Emiya, his strength was only at a D-rank, which, while superior to ordinary humans, was not unattainable. Moreover, Emiya himself had become a guardian in a world where mystery was fading, so he naturally did not possess the immense power of mythical heroes.
Facing him was none other than Kirei Kotomine, a top-tier executor of the Church who had practised internal martial arts since childhood. With Sakatsuki deliberately holding back, there was no significant difference in their physical abilities.
In the renowned martial arts classic, *The Book of Five Rings*, great emphasis is placed on harmonizing "body and spirit" as well as "technique and mind" during training. This balance aims to unite "mind, technique, and body," embodying the pinnacle of one's practice.
Kirei and Sakatsuki were both determined individuals. While their physical capabilities were similar, it was their "technique" that would ultimately decide the result.
Coincidentally, the martial art they were using came from the same school—Bajiquan.
Having changed into his spiritual attire, Sakatsuki took a deep breath and stepped forward, closing the distance to Kirei in an instant.
This was a subtle footwork technique that allowed one to glide across the ground to approach an enemy, known as "living steps," one of the footwork techniques of Bajiquan.
Kirei, who had trained since childhood, naturally recognized this move. His expression remained unchanged as he took a step forward.
With a single stomp, he stepped forward, generating power from his heel, channelling it through his waist, and extending it through his fingertips.
This strike had a resounding name: "Palm Striking the Rising Sun," one of the eight major techniques of Bajiquan.
Facing this lethal move, Sakatsuki immediately stepped back, dodging Kirei's attack. However, the latter closed the distance with a right step and aimed a left punch at Sakatsuki's face.
"Don't hit the face, damn it!!"
Shouting in frustration, Sakatsuki leaned back to avoid the punch. But the black-robed priest was relentless, quickly turning to the right, his palm facing upward, and thrusting his left palm toward the Sakatsuki's throat.
Sakatsuki raised his left arm to block, using the force of his right forearm to deflect Kirei's deadly strike. He then swiftly turned and launched a punch at Kirei's face.
Kirei frowned, blocking Sakatsuki's attack with the same posture, and then retreated using the living steps, creating distance between them.
It wasn't that he couldn't defeat Sakatsuki, but he realized that the young man was using him as a training partner. The increasingly refined Bajiquan skills were the best evidence of this.
There was no better experience pack than a fellow martial artist.
Although he didn't know where Sakatsuki had learned the Bajiquan techniques—having the form but lacking the depth—Kirei couldn't allow his opponent to continue growing.
So, it was time to decide the outcome with a single strike!
With his chest slightly rising, Kirei softly chanted the incantation taught to him by Tokiomi, enhancing his entire body to a level comparable to that of a heroic spirit.
With the boost from reinforcement magecraft, the man in priestly robes moved like thunder, closing the distance to Sakatsuki in an instant. His hands struck out in rapid succession, one after the other, left and right.
Baji Quan's ultimate technique: "Hard Opening Left and Right!"
Unlike the "Palm Striking the Rising Sun," the "Hard Opening Left and Right" involved both fists following different trajectories, aiming to catch Sakatsuki off guard.
Although Bajiquan was immensely powerful, that power was contingent on actually hitting the target. If the strikes didn't land, they were meaningless. In the world of Type-Moon, there was no concept of "internal energy" like in wuxia novels. Even a grandmaster like Li Shuwen, known for his "One Strike, One Kill" technique, couldn't injure someone with just the force of his punches without making contact. This was why Kirei had resorted to using magecraft to enhance his physical abilities, aiming for a decisive blow.
But this also meant that he had broken the rule of "competing purely with Bajiquan."
In that case, Sakatsuki was also free to abandon all restrictions.
A diamond-shaped space passed through Kirei's body, and in the next moment, the black-robed priest appeared high in the air. Meanwhile, Sakatsuki drew his bow, an arrow infused with dense magical energy aimed directly at Kirei's head.
"If you're so eager to end the game..."
Sakatsuki's headband fluttered as he stared at the suspended Kirei, releasing the bowstring without hesitation.
"Then farewell, Father."
The explosion that followed was like a small sun rising from the forest of Einzbern.
Turning his back to the blaze, Sakatsuki casually put away his bow and walked toward Irisviel.
"Madam, please stand behind me."
Maiya, not daring to delay, dragged her injured body in front of Irisviel, only to be impatiently pushed aside by Sakatsuki.
With his killing intent gone and his spiritual attire dissipated the seemingly harmless young man, with his hands tucked into his kimono sleeves, teased.
"So, care to share your thought process? Even after Saber and I repeatedly warned you, you still dared to stand in front of Kirei. You're quite brave, ma'am."
Irisviel covered her mouth with a sly smile, naturally not revealing that this was an effort she and Maiya had made for Kiritsugu.
"Let's just say, the human heart is truly unpredictable."
If it was for Kiritsugu, she was willing to risk her life—and it seemed others shared the same resolve.
This realization, which had once filled her with fear and unease, now brought her a sense of relief.
Even if she were no longer around one day, there would still be someone silently supporting Kiritsugu, ensuring he wouldn't lose his way (a statement befitting the main wife).
Although Irisviel's words were cryptic, Sakatsuki, who was familiar with the story, couldn't help but laugh.
"To say that the 'human heart' is unpredictable... it seems you're becoming more and more like a human, Irisviel."
In the next moment, Sakatsuki's instincts screamed a warning, and Irisviel's expression changed abruptly as she shouted.
"Watch out, Sakatsuki!"
A rain of Noble Phantasms descended from the sky, like a golden shower.
Amid the downpour of death, a red figure shot through the air, the petal-like shield behind him shattering piece by piece but ultimately holding long enough for its master to escape the battlefield.
Returning to his combat stance, Sakatsuki set Irisviel and Maiya down, activating a displacement spell to teleport them away. He then turned to face the unexpected golden figure.
"King of Heroes... Gilgamesh."
Standing on a tree branch, the golden-armoured Archer crossed his arms, his reptilian eyes filled with amusement.
"I told you, mongrel."
"Don't be in such a hurry. I'll show you the majesty of a king when night falls."
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