Chapter 17: It's the White Album Season Again
"Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT ALL—!!"
Inside the cockpit of the private jet.
Just like the charred [Tower of Gray]—since in the vast majority of cases, a Stand and its user share damage—Gray Fly, the user of [Tower of Gray] residing in this cockpit, was covered in burn marks despite not being directly touched by the flames of the [Fake Magician's Red].
It was a stroke of luck that [Tower of Gray] was fast enough to break away before the fire could spread. ...No, it should be said that if [Tower of Gray] hadn't lunged so fast, and if Gray Fly hadn't completely dismissed the possibility of Shirou Emiya summoning [Magician's Red], he wouldn't have been unable to brake in time once he saw the flames. He wouldn't have "delivered" himself right in front of Shirou to be scorched.
It was truly the worst luck imaginable.
"However, that little trick only works once!"
Refusing to admit that the issue was his own reckless charge, Gray Fly pinned the blame for his failure entirely on Shirou Emiya.
Believing this was all a result of Shirou's schemes, he snarled viciously, "Next time! I will definitely use my [Tower of Gray] to rip out your tongues one by one! I'll make you wish you were dead!"
Under normal circumstances, even with Intel on Shirou, [Tower of Gray] would likely never beat the flames of [Magician's Red]. Whether it was Shirou weaving himself a protective suit of fire or launching a wide-range offensive that blanketed every possible evasion route in a sea of flames, [Tower of Gray]—which was essentially a blank slate aside from its speed and the insectoid abilities of a stag beetle (like flight and compound eyes)—had no countermeasures for such attacks.
Even with [Hierophant Green] helping to deal with the troublesome [Magician's Red], Shirou's side still had the "stat monster" [Star Platinum]. Comrades were never a luxury exclusive to Gray Fly's side.
But there was one thing that Shirou and the others definitely lacked, which only the enemies possessed—
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.
Simply put, they felt not a shred of guilt for committing atrocities!
Initially, Gray Fly hadn't understood why Noriaki Kakyoin hadn't killed the pilot immediately after they boarded. But now, as he found himself helpless against the flames of [Magician's Red], he suddenly understood the pilot's purpose!
Would Shirou and the others, burdened by useless things like a sense of justice, have the heart to watch an innocent pilot die or see parts of his body go missing?
Of course, to avoid driving Shirou's group to a desperate counterattack, Gray Fly wouldn't make demands that were too outrageous. He just needed Shirou and Abdul to refrain from using the flames of [Magician's Red].
See? It was a simple enough request.
Having quickly devised this plan, Gray Fly intended to have Kakyoin snap the pilot's arm, using the screams of agony to provoke Shirou and the others outside.
"Kekeke! This is what happens when you cross Lord DIO!"
Laughing, Gray Fly could almost see a future where Lord DIO rewarded him handsomely as a hero of the cause.
"Now, let my [Tower of Gray] continue to announce our victory to the Joestars... Eh? Why has [Tower of Gray's] movement become so sluggish?"
As a long-range remote-controlled Stand similar to [Hierophant Green], Gray Fly had stayed in the cockpit with Kakyoin since they successfully boarded. The plan he had in mind only needed a quick word with Kakyoin to be set in motion. It shouldn't have taken much effort at all.
Yet, that simple movement had become exceptionally difficult at this moment.
It wasn't just [Tower of Gray] that had slowed down; even he, the user, felt a similar sensation of restricted movement.
"Is it the physical discomfort from the burns caused by [Magician's Red] earlier? ...No, that's not right!"
Gray Fly, who initially thought it was muscle damage from the burns, quickly overturned that theory. He stared in terror at the substance spreading over his own body.
"It's ice! It's as if I'm a piece of chicken being put into a freezer to be frozen solid!"
"This plane... it's turned into a refrigerator, and it's going to seal us all in ice!"
He had no idea why this was happening, but on this private jet flying at 10,000 meters, there was no one else besides the two of them and Shirou's group. This freezing ability, which wasn't in their intel, was almost certainly their doing.
Sensing this, Gray Fly struggled to turn his still-unfrozen head toward Kakyoin, shouting, "Quick, Kakyoin! Use your [Hierophant Green] to... W-what!?"
There he saw Kakyoin, who fared even worse than the still-mobile Gray Fly.
Because Kakyoin had unraveled his Stand into thin threads to lurk along the floor, he was hit first. Due to thermal contraction, cold air is denser than warm air at the same volume, meaning the floor was the first part of the jet to freeze. Kakyoin, having placed his Stand on the floor, was the first to be affected by the shared damage and was now completely encased in ice!
"[Magician's Red: White Album]. That is the name I've given this new ability."
Shirou Emiya, who had frozen the entire interior of the private jet, spoke.