"Gold Experience?"
Zenith patted Shirou Emiya's shoulder. "You can try summoning your Stand. Unlike magecraft, Stand abilities originate from the mind; they are a reflection of the soul. And the Stand you've awakened, Gold Experience, has the power to give life to inanimate objects."
Gold Experience was the Stand of Giorno Giovanna, the protagonist of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 5. Besides giving life to inanimate objects, it could also be used to fuse and create body parts for healing, and even indirectly produce virus antibodies. Although its Destructive Power stat on the panel was only a C, with the boost of its A-rank Speed, it could still dish out decent damage.
Simply put, it could heal and it could fight—an absolutely perfect fit for someone like Shirou Emiya.
"Try to practice and master your new ability. I've got some things to take care of tonight, so I'll be heading out for a bit. Remember to wash the dishes."
What "things" could Zenith possibly have to take care of? He had already entrusted the construction of his factories and skyscrapers to professional managers. Heading out late at night meant only one thing: he was looking for fun.
"Get me a serving of your super spicy mapo tofu!"
Inside the Koushuu Ensakan, Zenith raised his hand and ordered the restaurant's signature dish—the legendary super spicy mapo tofu that supposedly left even the most hardcore spice lovers unable to take a second bite.
"He looks familiar. I'm honestly getting a bit sick of seeing that face lately."
Many diners couldn't help but turn and stare, drawn by Zenith's loud voice. The citizens of Fuyuki City had mixed reactions to Zenith's aggressive emergence into the public eye, but the general consensus leaned toward praise. After all, Zenith had brought them tangible, real-world benefits.
"Mr. Priest, mind if I share this table?"
Zenith pulled out a chair and casually sat down next to a priest dressed in a black cassock, acting as if they were old friends. "I didn't expect to run into a priest here. I've got quite a few things I'd like to confess."
The priest's expression was somewhat gloomy. He had, of course, recognized this highly publicized corporate tycoon, but as a magus, he had zero interest in such "mundane mortals."
Kirei Kotomine—the overseer of the Fifth Holy Grail War, and also its biggest cheater. In this Holy Grail War, his Servant was the Lancer-class Cu Chulainn. Kirei was a twisted pervert who pursued so-called "pleasure."
"Mr. Zenith, a pleasure to meet you. However, I am currently off the clock. I apologize, but I cannot listen to your confession right now."
Like Zenith cared about what he thought. He stayed firmly in his seat and poured himself a cup of tea. "Mr. Priest, I've always had a burning question. If a person is born completely unable to perceive the beauty of the world, and only finds pleasure in its evils... is such a person naturally born evil?"
Kirei Kotomine fell silent, his gaze sharpening. The person Zenith was describing was obviously Kirei himself. He felt absolutely nothing toward the things normal people considered beautiful; instead, the sorrow and tragedies of others were his spiritual nourishment.
Very few people knew about this. How did this newly emerged entrepreneur find out? And what was his goal in deliberately sitting down to approach him?
In reality, Zenith was just here to troll him. He didn't plan on killing Kirei Kotomine right then and there. As the main villain of the Fifth Holy Grail War, killing him now would ruin all the fun later.
The person Zenith was talking about wasn't actually Kirei Kotomine at all—he was talking about Dio from the JoJo universe.
"I have a friend who revealed this exact nature at a very young age. When a wealthy family adopted him, he chose to bide his time in silence, spending over a decade plotting to murder the patriarch and steal the family's fortune."
Kirei Kotomine suppressed the urge to strike right then and there. He had become genuinely interested in Zenith's story. As a "naturally born evil" person himself, he had always harbored doubts about the reason for his own existence, and he had always anticipated the birth of another life form just as "inherently evil" as he was.
"And after that? Did he succeed?"
"Of course he failed." Zenith set down his teacup, sniffing the spicy, numbing aroma in the air with a look of pure enjoyment. "The eldest son of the family that adopted him was incredibly outstanding—you could call him a truly respectable gentleman. He exposed the conspiracy and called the police, but unfortunately, he still couldn't save his father."
"This naturally born evil man then used the power of a Stone Mask to transform himself into a Vampire, gaining immortality and eternal youth. His ambitions expanded infinitely, to the point where he even tried to dominate the entire world."
*Vampire.* Kirei Kotomine frowned once again. He wasn't sure if the man sitting in front of him was truly part of the magus world, or if the story he was telling was a deliberate fabrication or just a bizarre coincidence.
Vampires did exist in the Fate universe—they were a bloodsucking species known as "Dead Apostles." But of course, there was no such thing as a Stone Mask here; the origin of vampires in this world traced back to the Twenty-Seven True Ancestors.
"So, this is your friend?" Kirei Kotomine's voice carried a hint of suspicion. "If such a thing as a vampire truly exists, wouldn't you, as his friend, likely be a vampire as well? May I be so bold as to ask for this friend's name?"
"Dio Brando," Zenith replied. "Mr. Priest, you still haven't answered my question."
Kirei Kotomine didn't answer. Or rather, he didn't know how to answer that question.
Fortunately, the waiter arrived with the food at that exact moment, breaking the awkward silence.
"I love mapo tofu. It gives me a sense of warmth, like a taste of home. I heard you studied a martial art called Bajiquan back in my homeland. If you have the time, we should spar a bit."
*Confirmed. This guy is deliberately testing me.* Kirei Kotomine stood up abruptly, but upon realizing that the gazes of everyone around them had gathered on him, he slowly sat back down.
Battles between magi had to be kept strictly hidden. When magecraft was witnessed by too many people, its Mystery would leak away, and its power would decrease. Normally, Kirei Kotomine would just choose to slaughter all the witnesses, but doing so here was highly inappropriate.
"Who exactly are you, and what is your goal?"
Kirei Kotomine was destined to lose sleep tonight. Zenith, blowing hot air from his mouth as the spicy tofu burned his tongue, casually remarked, "The dead Tokiomi says hello from hell. I predict that you will die by his child's hands."
He knew too much. How on earth did the man sitting across from him know these deeply buried secrets that only he himself was supposed to know?
During the last Holy Grail War, he had backstabbed his own teacher, Tokiomi Tohsaka, and then gifted the very dagger he used for the assassination to Tokiomi's daughter, Rin Tohsaka.
There was absolutely no second person who knew about this—unless Tokiomi Tohsaka wasn't actually dead!
As if seeing right through Kirei Kotomine's thoughts, Zenith smiled faintly. "Who knows... Oh, by the way, that Dio guy in the end? He was burned to ashes by the power of sunlight, without leaving a single speck behind. I think that's the most fitting end for a naturally born evil person. What do you think, Mr. Kirei Kotomine?"
*Vile. This man in front of me is absolutely vile!* Kirei felt a sudden, overwhelming urge to ignore the witnesses and just murder him right then and there.
Want more chapters? 50+ extra chapters are available on my Patreon :
<< patreon.com/Aragai_Sama >>