Kirei Kotomine was a very strange man—even he himself acknowledged this. He was born with a personality defect, unable to find beauty in what others called beautiful, yet haunted by what many deemed ugly. In other words, he could not derive happiness the way normal people did. Beyond that, Kirei Kotomine was a man without a sense of self. For all 26 years of his life, he had acted solely under his father's arrangements, never considering what he himself wanted to do, never pursuing anything of his own.
Even when he married Claudia Hortensia and had a child, he felt none of the emotions a normal person would. His wife, Claudia, had gone so far as to take her own life in an attempt to help Kirei experience genuine human emotions. Unfortunately, while Kirei was deeply saddened by her death, it was not because of her absence—but rather because he had been unable to savor her demise.
Thus, Kirei grew increasingly confused about himself. Having been raised in the faith, he had always suppressed his true nature. Two years ago, he was chosen by the Holy Grail and, through his father's introduction, temporarily became a student of the Japanese mage Tokiomi Tohsaka, learning magecraft and its knowledge. After that, he waited for the Holy Grail War to begin a year later, following Tokiomi Tohsaka's plans without question.
Kirei had no objections to these arrangements—or rather, he was incapable of forming objections in the first place. That was the kind of man he was: a man without a self. A freak. A being utterly incompatible with normal people.
Today, as usual, he patrolled the city in silence, watching for any threats to the Holy Grail War. When the streetlight turned green, he moved forward slowly with the crowd. As soon as he reached the opposite sidewalk, however, he stopped. He felt an intense gaze fixed upon him. His years of experience as an Executor sharpened his instincts—he knew immediately that someone was watching him.
Whoever it was made no effort to hide their presence. Their stare lingered openly… Was it just a civilian? No, Kirei dismissed that possibility first. The sensation of their gaze was entirely different from the usual curious glances his strange attire attracted. At the very least, an ordinary person's stare wouldn't make him feel this… threatened.
Whoever this is, they're no amateur. Kirei thought.
"Tap… tap…"
Despite the noisy street, the sound of approaching footsteps was as clear as if they were echoing through a silent alley—distinct, deliberate… and growing ever closer. With each step, the air seemed to thicken, the invisible pressure weighing down on Kirei intensifying. This only confirmed his suspicion: They're here for me.
Should he strike here and now? Kirei's eyes remained fixed ahead as his hands slipped into his robes, ready to draw his Black Keys at any moment. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, his nerves alight with excitement—no, more than that. Somewhere deep inside, he felt… anticipation.
What is this? Why? This was a threat akin to death itself, so why did it fill him with such exhilaration?
"Tap! Tap!"
Finally, Kirei locked onto his target. The man appeared to be a foreigner—blond hair, pale skin, crimson eyes. His features were sharp, with a pronounced nose and prominent brow, typical of a Westerner. Yet Kirei was certain he had never seen this man before. That left only one question: Why is he targeting me?
"Yo, Kirei Kotomine." The blond man spoke once they were only two meters apart. The moment he opened his mouth, Kirei sensed an overwhelming aura of malice. Still, he wasn't surprised that the man knew his name. If he had come straight for him, he must have already gathered intel.
"And you are…?" Kirei responded.
"There are too many people here. Don't you think this is a poor place for conversation?" The blond man's lips curled into a smirk. "Of course, if you refuse, then these lives around us become unnecessary. I imagine that would cause quite the headache for your father… and your teacher, wouldn't it?"
This bastard is using the civilians as hostages. Kirei immediately judged him as nothing short of pure evil.
"So, what'll it be, Kirei Kotomine?"
"..."
...
Now, Kirei followed the mysterious blond man into the mountains. The man walked ahead without a care, leaving his back completely exposed. Was he a fool, or did he simply not fear an ambush? Whatever the case, they were far from the city now—Kirei wouldn't let this chance slip by.
"Swish—!"
"Thud—!"
The sound of blades cutting through air rang out as Kirei, in a single motion, drew and hurled over a dozen Black Keys—all in under 0.3 seconds. The projectiles shot toward the blond man's back—
"Tap tap tap—!"
—only to embed themselves into the trees behind him. The man had vanished from his original position.
"What—?!" Kirei had expected him to dodge or block with magecraft, but he hadn't anticipated the man disappearing outright.
"Looking for me?" A voice came from behind. Cold sweat dripped down Kirei's neck. When did he—?! His eyes hadn't caught even a glimpse of the movement.
"Eight Trigram Palm!" At this distance, Kirei spun around and threw a punch aimed straight for the man's chest.
"Bam!!"
Once again, Kirei was stunned—the man had met his fist with his own.
"Again!" Kirei unleashed a rapid barrage of strikes, yet the man seemed to predict every move, countering each blow with perfect precision.
"Hmph. Trying to match my speed?" The blond man sneered after effortlessly blocking the onslaught. Then, with a sudden roar—
"Muda muda muda muda muda!!"
"Too fast!" Kirei could only cross his arms, relying on his robes' durability and his own strength to withstand the relentless assault. The punches came faster and faster—so much so that his vision could no longer keep up.
"Muda muda muda—MUDA!!!!"
The final, devastating blow sent Kirei flying.
"Guh—! Cough…!"
His body smashed into a thick tree, the impact snapping it in half. Blood spilled from his mouth, his organs screaming in protest. This man had reduced him to near-death with sheer physical prowess alone.
"Such… monstrous strength. Cough—!" Another mouthful of blood. Every fiber of his being screamed in agony, yet—
Why?
Why, despite his grievous injuries, did he feel no fear? No suffering?
Instead… he was exhilarated.
"Strange, isn't it? Why you're feeling joy right now?" The blond man's voice cut through Kirei's thoughts.
"You… How do you know what I'm thinking?"
"Isn't it obvious? Just look at yourself in a mirror. Right now, you're smiling like a madman." The words struck Kirei like a hammer to the heart.
"I'm… smiling?" He muttered, half in question, half in realization. He felt as though he had grasped something—yet it slipped away just as quickly.
The blond man stood over him now, hands on his hips, gazing down at Kirei's battered form.
"Kirei Kotomine, have you ever wondered why humans live?"
"..." Kirei had never pondered humanity as a whole, but he had spent over twenty years questioning his own existence—and still, he had found no answer.
Seeing his expression, the blond man smirked. His next words seeped into Kirei's mind like a cursed incantation, ensnaring him completely.
"Every human lives to overcome fear and insecurity… and to obtain peace of mind."
"Peace… of mind?" Kirei echoed, voice trembling.
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