One Piece: The World King Who Emerged from the White Town

They were clearly certain he couldn't harm Kenneth.

Diarmuid is indeed incapable of doing such a thing.

"What do you want?"

"It's simple, a life for a life. Diarmuid, are you willing to exchange your life for the life of your sovereign Kenneth? The time has come to test your loyalty."

Diarmuid's eyes widened in disbelief; he never expected Saber's Master to be so despicable!

"It seems that all that talk about loyalty is just for show," Kiritsugu Emiya continued to provoke him.

Diarmuid gritted his teeth and said, "How can I believe you will keep your promise?"

“It’s very simple. I will sign a self-compulsion certificate, guaranteeing that after you ‘commit suicide,’ you will not harm Kenneth El-Melloi Archibald or Sora Nazele Sofiari in any way.”

Kiritsugu Emiya took out the [Self-Forced Certificate] that he had prepared beforehand, and deliberately showed it to the half-dead Kenneth.

He whispered, "Whether you and your fiancée survive depends on whether your servant is truly as loyal to you as you think."

Kenneth's eyes bulged as he thought about his future and his beloved fiancée.

He also thought of Diarmuid's previous 'betrayal' of disobeying his orders, and the way his fiancée looked at Diarmuid...

He immediately mustered the last of his strength, struggling, and said haltingly, "I... command... to commit suicide here..."

Diarmuid was stunned, as if he had been hit by a heavy hammer.

But then he showed a relieved expression.

"If I can exchange my life for the survival of my monarch, it would be a fulfillment of my loyalty."

"So, as you command, my lord!"

puff!

Diarmuid turned the spear around and plunged it into his own chest!

Blood splattered instantly!

Unfortunately, he ultimately failed to complete that duel with the King of Knights.

that's too regretful.

With this regret in mind, Diarmuid slowly closed his eyes, then shattered into light and disappeared.

Thanks to Kiritsugu Emiya's machinations, Lancer, following Assassin, is eliminated!

Chapter 862 Everyone's a Villain

solved.

Although the entire method of combat was extremely despicable, it even resorted to exploiting Lancer's chivalry and loyalty to the monarch once again.

But Kiritsugu Emiya didn't care at all.

To achieve one's goals, one will stop at nothing; that's just his style.

"The Knight King is coming soon. Aren't you worried that she will break ties with you for doing this?"

In the darkness, Abel, who had witnessed the entire process, took the opportunity to remind him and asked a question.

"A complete break? That's possible, but it's no longer important."

"Now, of the seven Servants vying for the Holy Grail, only Saber and Archer remain, and I possess five Command Seals, enough to sustain me through the final battle."

Kiritsugu Emiya analyzed the situation with remarkable calmness, bordering on indifference and ruthlessness that went beyond mere calmness.

Because from beginning to end, he never regarded Artoria as a partner in battle.

More often than not, they are simply used as tools.

As for Artoria's thoughts?

Does it really matter?

Only a sentimental and soft-hearted Irisviel would care, and even speak up for her and plead for her.

Unfortunately, Kiritsugu Emiya's gentleness was reserved only for his wife and daughter.

"What a cold-blooded guy, but it also makes me think more and more about you. Perhaps in the final battle, you really can win the Holy Grail. But I'm very curious, if you really do get the Holy Grail, what will you do, what will you wish for?"

"A wish? Who knows..."

Kiritsugu Emiya was unwilling to answer the question, so he simply glossed over it.

Abel chuckled and didn't press the matter further.

then……

Artoria has appeared.

Her pupils constricted when she saw the miserable state of Lancer's Master, Kenneth.

"Lancer's presence has vanished. What exactly did you do?"

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you this question?"

Kiritsugu Emiya chose to strike first, then questioned, "It was your insistence on fighting Lancer that forced me to agree. But what did you do? In the middle of the battle, you let Lancer escape, gambling your Master's life on the chivalry of the enemy Servant."

"How dare you come to see me and question me about what I've done? King of Knights!"

Artoria was jolted!

The sharp momentum from before was immediately suppressed and dissipated.

Because that's exactly what she did.

They let Lancer leave without stopping him.

She believed that Lancer would never harm her Master.

But how is she supposed to explain this?

Based solely on one sentence, "I think" or "I believe"?

As Kiritsugu Emiya said, her actions put her Master in a perilous situation, where life or death depended entirely on whether the enemy would uphold the code of chivalry.

This is absolutely ridiculous.

Artoria, her sharp edge gone, spoke with a complex expression: "That was my fault and responsibility, and I won't try to make excuses, but now I want to know what happened to Lancer."

"died."

"How did you die?"

"He will commit suicide, using his life to prevent me from harming his Master."

Artoria froze, her fists clenched tightly.

Although Kiritsugu Emiya tried his best to downplay his actions in his words, Artoria wasn't stupid, and she immediately recreated the scene in her mind.

Then he was so angry that his whole body was trembling.

Normally, she would have questioned the other person without hesitation: why did they do this? Why were they so despicable?

But now she can't bring herself to speak.

Because Lancer was let in by her.

If she had insisted on fighting to the end, perhaps Lancer wouldn't have died such a humiliating death.

But that doesn’t mean she can forgive Kiritsugu Emiya.

On the contrary, she will definitely keep this in mind.

The seeds of a rupture have been sown.

The rift between the two was becoming more and more obvious, but no one knew when it would snap in two.

Not long after, Wu Mi and the others who had been hiding returned.

And they also brought back some 'good news'.

"Sora Nazele Sofiali was indeed nearby, and I just killed her."

"Ah."

Upon hearing his fiancée's name, Kenneth was so excited his blood vessels almost burst.

His eyes were bloodshot, and he was breathing heavily. With all his might, he managed to squeeze out a few words, "You promised... How could you..."

Kiritsugu Emiya did indeed sign his name on the "Self-Mandated Testimony".

However, Kiritsugu Emiya played a little trick here: he had no relationship with Maiya Hisau, so the contents of the [Self-Forced Testimony] would not affect Maiya.

He was indeed restrained from taking action against Kenneth and his fiancée Sola, but Maimi could.

For someone like Kiritsugu Emiya, it's impossible to leave behind two enemies who hate him for a lifetime.

So, with a bang, a gunshot rang out.

Kenneth also fell in a pool of blood.

Of course, it was Hisayu Maiya who made the move.

Artoria didn't even have time to stop it.

In other words, Lancer's death was completely meaningless.

Not only did he fail to save others, he also got himself killed.

Artoria experienced firsthand the evil of humanity, and through her own Master no less. She became withdrawn and didn't speak to anyone, including Irisviel, before turning and leaving.

She needs to be alone.

Irisviel was very worried.

But Kiritsugu Emiya felt it was worth it.

After all, the opportunity to deal with Lancer and Assassin at once is not something that comes around every day.

Even if he had to do it ten thousand times over, he would still make the same choice.

In any case, after this Holy Grail War ends, there will be no possibility of any further interaction between him and this King of Knights.