Chapter 33: The Wind of Victory is Blowing from Behind Me
Flight?
Naturally, Polnareff did not possess such an ability.
And with a range of only C, [Silver Chariot] was incapable of hovering or flying at a distance too far from its Stand User.
However, just as Shirou Emiya could use flames to achieve jet propulsion,
Polnareff, who originally could not fly,
Only needed to borrow a few "stepping stones."
If he treated the armor plates that [Silver Chariot] had previously shed as a series of footholds,
Then Polnareff could use [Silver Chariot's] speed to dash across them almost as if they were level ground, rapidly ascending and closing in on Shirou Emiya by following the trajectory of those plates!
Of course, by doing so, Shirou Emiya would inevitably realize which one was his true form.
After all, the rest of the armor wouldn't ascend.
Only [Silver Chariot] could continue advancing toward Shirou Emiya.
In other words, this was yet another race against time.
As long as he could rapidly close the distance,
Before the life-detecting flames of [Pseudo-Magician's Red] could relock onto him.
Then even if Shirou Emiya could still use the prior perception of the life-detecting flames to react to his attack a step ahead,
Polnareff, having closed in to such a short distance,
Was capable of fully unleashing [Silver Chariot's] post-armor-off speed to achieve several things simultaneously:
Using his sword to seal off all of Shirou Emiya's escape routes, ensuring that no matter which way Shirou dodged, his rapier would pierce through Shirou's body!
Therefore...
"I've won!"
Polnareff, who had thrust his rapier into a sky-covering rain of blades, shouted enthusiastically after feeling the sensation of having truly struck something:
"This is the final blow, [Silver Chariot]!
The victory of this duel belongs to me, Polnareff... Wh-What!?"
From excitement to bewilderment.
It took only an instant.
When Polnareff used the armor-off [Silver Chariot]—with a speed exceeding the reaction of the life-detector—to run his rapier through Shirou Emiya's body and tear open that mass of flames,
He suddenly realized.
This "Shirou Emiya" enveloped in flames was not Shirou Emiya at all.
It was merely a mass of fire.
It was only because Shirou Emiya had been constantly shrouding himself in flames that Polnareff had subconsciously assumed the rising mass of fire was Shirou Emiya himself.
So the question followed:
Since this mass of fire wasn't Shirou Emiya,
Where was the real Shirou Emiya?
Gogogogogogo————!!
"The victory of this duel? You're right about that, Polnareff."
Behind him!
Shirou Emiya's voice rang out from behind him, coming from a pit in the ground at Shirou's original position: "This wind of victory is blowing from behind me!"
This was Shirou Emiya's true plan.
The flames he released earlier weren't just to make that mass of fire ascend.
They were also used to cover the fact that he was simultaneously burning through the ground beneath his feet to create a hollow just large enough for him to hide inside.
Because [Silver Chariot] was too fast.
If Shirou Emiya wanted to defeat Polnareff, he had to make Polnareff take the initiative to approach his flames.
However, this wasn't without risk.
To deceive Polnareff, even with the dust kicked up by the explosion acting as a screen, the pit Shirou burned out could only just barely accommodate him alone.
In other words, once his hiding spot was discovered by Polnareff, he would have zero room to dodge.
But clearly, Shirou Emiya had gambled correctly.
This wind of victory had not only waited until now to blow, scattering the explosion's smoke and masking his form until this moment,
But it also laid Polnareff's position bare right in front of him.
"—[Magician's Red · White Album]!!"
Faced with this handed-over victory, how could Shirou Emiya not grasp it firmly and freeze the approaching Polnareff into ice!?
-
-
-
"Lost, lost, lost... Lost? Polnareff, how could you lose?!
In that case, doesn't it mean I'm the one who has to face that terrifying guy?!"
Having witnessed this scene and seeing Polnareff frozen, Cameo was undoubtedly in a panic.
Having lost his companion and exposed himself, it was virtually impossible for Cameo to activate [Judgment's] Stand ability again.
His Stand would become nothing more than a "blank slate" with B-rank Power and Speed.
Using a Stand like that to fight Shirou Emiya... are you kidding me?!
Run!
This thought immediately surged into Cameo's brain.
Anyway, his physical body hadn't been exposed yet.
His hiding spot hadn't been found by Shirou and the others.
He could completely escape before Shirou Emiya returned here!
"As long as the green mountains remain, one need not worry about firewood... Lord DIO, I'm doing this for the ultimate victory!"
Having found such a reason for himself, Cameo turned to flee without hesitation.
However...
"What a pity. The path ahead is a one-way street."
"Ka-Ka-Ka... Kakyoin!!!"
Seeing the figure appear before his eyes, Cameo let out a broken scream.
Read ahead (100 chapters) by supporting me on buymeacoffee com/varietl or ko-fi edwriting