Across the heavens, I am the Avatar Sword Master

Seeing Maiya discard her gun and choose close combat, Kotomine Kirei, who was rushing over, quickly pulled out two black keys and launched a cross slash at Maiya in response.

Although the Black Key is much longer than a wilderness survival knife, it is ultimately a throwing knife and is not very suitable for close combat.

The extremely short handle causes Black Key to lack balance during a fight, and it is not as useful as Maiya's large melee dagger when the two sides collide.

Even though Maiya’s leg was injured at the moment, she did not hesitate because of her injured calf, and directly used the thick blade of the dagger to successfully block Black Key’s two consecutive attacks.

The black keys and the dagger collided and intertwined in the air, and Maiya once again used the dagger to block Kotomine Kirei's stab.

As for Kirei Kotomine's stiffness caused by the stab, Maiya immediately realized that this was a perfect opportunity to counterattack.

She rushed forward in a half-sacrificing posture, and the dagger slashed across the black key's blade and quickly slashed towards Kotomine Kirei's neck.

In Maiya's opinion, it would be difficult for the Black Keys to defend against this kind of close-range personal attack. Even if Kotomine Kirei used the Black Keys to counterattack, she could ensure that she would only be slightly injured and give Kotomine Kirei a fatal blow.

But what Maiya didn't expect was that in a split second, Kotomine Kirei directly abandoned the black keys that served as a weapon, and his free right hand instantly grabbed Maiya's right hand that was holding the dagger.

The veiny wrist was like a vise, preventing Maiya from breaking free for a moment.

However, due to the inertia generated by her own sprint, Maiya's body almost fell into Kotomine Kirei's arms.

Seeing this scene, Maiya immediately realized that she had been fooled, and despair flashed in her eyes.

I originally thought that the other party was just an agent who was good at using the black keys as weapons, but I didn't expect that the other party was really good at hand-to-hand combat.

The boxing method used is still Chinese boxing - Bajiquan.

Bajiquan emphasizes the use of powerful, explosive and sudden force, taking down the opponent with dangerous momentum while leaping forward, and winning with short movements while attacking.

Facing Maiya who was truly wide open, Kotomine Kirei took advantage of the situation and used his left elbow to deliver a powerful elbow strike towards Maiya's heart.

"boom!"

The air was torn apart in an instant, and a muffled sound echoed in the forest.

Maiya’s body flew backwards like a kite with a broken string, hit a tree trunk a few meters away, and then fell heavily to the ground.

All of Kotomine Kirei's movements were smooth and flowing, and the confrontation between the two and Maiya's defeat took only a moment, which made it impossible for Irisviel to use magic to support Maiya.

Faced with such a strong impact, Maiya curled up in pain, spat out a mouthful of blood, and an expression of horror and disbelief appeared on her face.

With just one strike, at least two or three of his ribs were broken, and his internal organs were also injured to a certain extent.

The shock was so intense that Maiya couldn't even stand up. Her entire body was paralyzed and she couldn't move. She even felt as if her hands and feet had completely fallen off.

Even though Maiya was unable to fight after just one strike, Kotomine Kirei was already satisfied.

After all, his main target was not the other party, but Emiya Kiritsugu who was fighting fiercely with Lancer and his Master in Einzbern Castle.

Assassin has the skill "Breath Cutoff", which allows him to penetrate deep into the barrier without being detected when he transforms into a spirit.

Through Assassin's vision, we see Kayneth and Lancer invading the Einzbern Castle.

Therefore he was a little anxious and afraid that Kiritsugu Emiya would be killed by Kayneth.

If this is the case, one will not be able to achieve one's goal.

He was born without knowing what "joy" is. He was born with a personality defect and was unable to feel the beauty of things that people said were beautiful.

No matter what I come into contact with, I will study it with all my heart, constantly pursue the meaning of my life, work and study selflessly... but in the end I find that I can't get even a little happiness from it.

Except Mapo Tofu.

Because he was born into a religious family, his faith made him suppress his emotions for many years and he believed that he had almost no wishes.

Therefore, I cannot understand why I, who have no ambitions, desires or pursuits, would be chosen by the Holy Grail.

Until the man was found in the information brought by Tokiomi, everything changed again.

Kiritsugu Emiya's experience is similar to his own, but also different.

If his father Risei and Tokiomi belong to the normal humans in the world of magic, then he and Emiya Kiritsugu belong to the "other side of the line".

Seeing Emiya Kiritsugu risking his life to carry out various assassination missions, the rewards were completely disproportionate to the risks, just like a "saint" who was seeking destruction, but suddenly stopped nine years ago.

The sudden curtain call aroused Kotomine Kirei's curiosity.

Kotomine Kirei believed that marrying into the Einzbern family was the "answer" he had been looking for nine years ago.

Otherwise, someone like Emiya Kiritsugu would not stop.

But he has not found his own "answer" yet, so Kotomine Kirei believes that there is someone on the "other side of the line" in the magic world who can help him understand the meaning of life.

He desperately wants to meet Emiya Kiritsugu and find his own "answer".

Although Kotomine Kirei had no interest in the Holy Grail, when he saw Emiya Kiritsugu breaking his nine-year silence for the Holy Grail in the Holy Grail War, Kotomine Kirei felt that he had found the meaning of participating in this war.

He wanted to ask this man why he joined this war.

I also want to ask what Kiritsugu Emiya can gain by participating in this war.

Even on a battlefield where both sides' lives were at stake, Kotomine Kirei wanted to confront Emiya Kiritsugu.

Kotomine Kirei looked at Maiya who had lost her ability to fight, put away her fighting stance and prepared to go to Einzbern Castle again to meet that man and seek answers. At this time, a clear voice came from Kotomine Kirei's ears, making him realize that the battle was not over yet.

"O wreckage, give you life!"

Silver threads crisscross to form a complex outline.

The threads intertwined and combined in the air, forming complex three-dimensional objects that looked like wicker handicrafts, with fierce wings and beaks, and sharp claws.

It was an exquisite silver wire craft based on the prototype of a giant eagle.

"kyeeeee!!"

The giant eagle with silver threads uttered a loud metallic cry and flew up from Irisviel's hand, like a deadly bullet, toward Kotomine Kirei who was not far away.

In an instant, Kotomine Kirei sensed the sound of the wind and immediately dodged the attack of the Silver Eagle, but the razor-like beak of the bird still scraped off a few strands of his hair.

The attack missed and the Silver Eagle immediately circled in the air, looking for the opportunity for the next attack.

Without Irisviel's use of the barrier illusion to interfere with her cognition, Kotomine Kirei immediately saw Irisviel not far away, and immediately used magic to ask Assassin who was hiding in the forest.

"Assassin, is Saber on her way?"

"Master, Saber is not nearby."

Hearing the voice transmission from Assassin in spirit form, Kotomine Kirei's eyes flashed with surprise.

Einzbern is famous in the magic world for his emphasis on alchemy and his poor combat skills.

It is precisely because he is not good at wars between magicians that he finds Emiya Kiritsugu as a thug in this Holy Grail War to make up for his shortcomings in combat.

At this time, Kotomine Kirei still believed that Irisviel was Saber's Master, so he didn't understand why she appeared here.

If Irisviel died now, Einzbern would undoubtedly fail again in this Holy Grail War.

She is like the king among chess pieces, guarding the rear area and must not fall into danger unless it is absolutely necessary.

Kotomine Kirei continued to fight, and warned Irisviel: "Woman, leave quickly, I didn't come here for you!

Alice controlled the Silver Eagle and pecked at Kotomine Kirei again, showing her determination to keep Kotomine Kirei.

"Don't even think about it. I can't possibly let you reach Emiya Kiritsugu!"

She wanted to stop Kotomine Kirei from going to Einzbern Castle to prevent her husband from falling into an even more unfavorable situation.

Based on a woman's sixth sense, Alice keenly discovered that Kotomine Kirei in front of her was extremely obsessed with her husband.

He must not be allowed to meet Emiya Kiritsugu.

Absolutely not!

Irisviel thought so firmly.