This war has already lost its meaning—at least, that's how Alaric felt. He had already reaped the fruits of victory. The Greater Grail remained, still the omnipotent wish-granting device, but due to the actions of Alaric and Tiamat, it had become far too fragile to be of any significant use.
As Alaric spoke, Kotomine Shirou, sensing the moment had finally arrived, leaped down from the immortal chariot. Holding Semiramis's hand, he walked toward Alaric under the astonished gaze of Achilles.
"The Master of the Red Faction?"
Jeanne d'Arc, unable to understand Alaric's actions, instinctively spoke up: "It's dangerous ahead."
"No, it's safe," Shirou replied calmly, his expression exuding unwavering confidence.
But to Jeanne and the others—like Sieg—it seemed like nothing more than recklessness. Only Chiron and Achilles nodded slightly, as though they understood something.
When Shirou reached Alaric, he smiled and said, "Alaric, if this is your wish, then it's finally my turn."
Alaric's wish had long been clear: the salvation of self, the materialization of the soul.
This aligned closely with what Shirou pursued, though Shirou's goal was broader: the materialization of all human souls, the salvation of humanity as a whole.
Through seventy years of experience and countless sufferings, Shirou had come to see the world as irredeemable.
The Amakousa Shirou of the past had hated humanity—not because he had been killed, nor because his companions had been slaughtered, but because he despised humanity itself for accepting such a history.
Shirou simply loathed the hierarchical nature of humanity—strong and weak, devouring one another, wasting life for growth.
Thus, as a man named Kotomine Shirou, he had already reached his conclusion. He abandoned his anger and hatred, dedicating himself solely to the salvation of all mankind.
This was Shirou's grand wish.
Even Alaric was deeply curious about this wish. He wanted to see what lay at the end of such a desire, to know if it could lead to the golden future he envisioned.
This curiosity about Alaric's wish was also why Alaric still lingered in this world.
Certainly, Alaric had successfully maintained his Independent Manifestation ability, wielding the Holy Spear Rhongomyniad. But this did not mean he had erased the existence of the Ripple.
On the contrary, the Ripple still existed, though its occurrence was now under Alaric's control.
In the past, during the mythic battle in Mesopotamia, Alric had once drawn Rhongomyniad. Unable to restore its original state afterward, this act had led to the emergence of the Ripple.
But Independent Manifestation was different. This ability, fully under Alaric's control, allowed him to appear in any time and space, ignoring the effects of the Ripple as long as he kept it activated.
Conversely, if Alaric chose to deactivate Independent Manifestation, he would leave this world.
However, voluntarily leaving the world was not an appealing option for Alaric. His goal had always been to live in this world in his true form, free of the risk of being expelled.
He wanted to live openly and honorably.
But that was impossible. After successfully transforming into his larval form, Alaric embarked on a path of no return.
The Beast of Humanity is an evil that humanity must inevitably overcome. Even though Alaric was an exceptional existence, as long as he maintained the aurora's siphoning of the world, he would face suppression the moment he began destabilizing the foundation of human order.
Although Alaric lacked the means to observe the foundational values of human order, he was certain that the current situation was not much different from what had happened in Fuyuki.
In the Fourth Holy Grail War in Fuyuki, even the larval form of the Beast had not appeared, whereas now Alaric had fully become its larval form—an existence capable of shaking human order.
The Greater Grail had been activated, the requirements for forming a Singularity had appeared, yet Alaric had not seen the counter force as if they had not observed the changes in this world.
While he found Chaldea's lack of action somewhat puzzling, Alaric did not dwell on it.
What mattered more now was the situation at hand. Having fulfilled his wish, Alaric expressed approval of Shirou's desire.
No one knew this. To the participants in this war, Alaric was a man shrouded in mystery.
Looking at the white-haired young man before him, Alaric smiled and said, "The Greater Grail can't fulfill your wish right now. It doesn't have enough magical energy to materialize all of humanity's souls—or even your own. Do you still want it?"
"I'd like to try. After all, it's only a little short, isn't it?"
Under Semiramis's astonished gaze, Shirou spoke naturally with Alaric.
This had long been clear to him. From the moment Alaric, along with Tiamat, seized the Hanging Gardens, sparing his life despite overwhelming superiority, to everything that had followed.
Shirou had realized that Alaric shared a curiosity about the materialization of all human souls, though Alaric's salvation had been placed ahead of this goal.
Shirou did not understand what Alaric was so urgently pursuing, but once he became aware of this, he was certain his plan would not fail.
This was why Shirou had not resisted when Alaric took over the Hanging Gardens, even refraining from fighting for the Greater Grail.
Beyond avoiding damage to the Greater Grail, the key reason was his certainty that Alaric tacitly approved of his plan.
Though it seemed pitiful that his grand wish relied on the progress made by others, Shirou didn't care. His sole purpose, his only wish, was to save all of humanity and transform this world of suffering—
As Shirou spoke, Jeanne, who had paused because of this scene, finally began to change her expression.
Alaric's words from yesterday flashed through her mind—
Shirou's wish was wrong. Jeanne could confidently assert this. It was a wish that stripped away humanity's potential, a fundamentally flawed desire.
Due to Alaric and the aurora's presence, Jeanne had been unable to focus on this point. An unfulfilled wish was merely an empty promise.
But if Alaric, holding the Greater Grail, joined forces with Shirou—
"Sieg!"
Realizing the grave situation, Jeanne shouted immediately: "Do not hesitate!"
Boom!
Even without Jeanne's warning, Sieg, understanding the situation, resolutely unleashed his Noble Phantasm.
"Balmung!!"
Sieg quickly channeled the sword's power, enabling him to activate his Noble Phantasm at a speed surpassing his limits as a Servant.
Twilight-colored energy surged forward in a sweeping arc.
Almost simultaneously, Mordred refrained from releasing her Noble Phantasm, instead attempting to flank Alaric with a direct assault!
At the same time, a deafening roar from the horizon brought forth a gale. The primordial giant strode toward them with thunderous steps.
It was an awe-inspiring sight. The giant, towering a thousand meters tall, moved like a mountain across the earth, birthing a world of paradise with its every step.
Rumble! Rumble!
The primordial giant, having reached its peak, now stood at a colossal thousand meters. At such a size, each step covered hundreds of meters, moving with astonishing speed!
Faced with this scene, the first to respond were not Alaric, but Chiron, Achilles, and Atalanta.
Though the three belonged to different factions, their goal at this moment was the same: to form an alliance to subdue the threat to the world.
Summoned under the banner of Jeanne's arbitration, the heroes' pact would not be easily swayed by Shirou's actions.
Or so it should have been—
In an instant, Achilles turned his weapon, the Comet Spear, against his mentor, launching a ferocious attack! Foreseeing this with his brief future sight, Chiron deftly dodged Achilles's strike and unleashed a volley of arrows toward Atalanta!
The reason? Atalanta had aimed her bow not at others but at Sieg, whose back was turned to her!
The command spell borne by Sieg, known as the Dragon Command Seal, is essentially still within the scope of command seals. However, it manifests the summoning circle of a Servant's contract upon his body, allowing the legendary dragon slayer of Niederland to return to the mortal world through this artificial vessel.
It enables body information to reflect on the exterior, accumulates combat experience, materializes inherent abilities, and even recreates Noble Phantasms. This miracle is made possible by the curse of the dragon, while the transformation itself is permitted by the dragon's heart. Therefore, it is named the Dragon Command Seal—a crystallized life that consumes its bearer with every use, lasting only 180 seconds.
Three minutes—though brief, this recreation is extraordinarily flawless.
In terms of physical capabilities, Sieg can replicate Siegfried's superhuman swordsmanship, the immortality granted by his dragon blood, and even fully manifest the cursed holy sword that achieved the feat of slaying a dragon.
However, this perfection also brings with it Siegfried's fatal weakness: the area of his back unprotected by the dragon's blood armor. A strike to his back would undoubtedly be fatal to Sieg in this state!
Atalanta was acutely aware of this weakness. Yet, attacking someone who had once been an ally felt dishonorable. Nonetheless, the future Atalanta envisioned—a future where no child would suffer—could only be realized through Shirou's wish. The moment he revealed his wish to her, she had made her decision.
Thus, her arrows were fired without hesitation!
Faced with the barrage of arrows fired by Chiron, Atalanta leaped forward like a wild beast, her hands constantly moving as she shot arrows at an astonishing speed. In the span of a single breath, more than a dozen fearsome arrows were unleashed!
The sharp arrows tore through the sky, aiming directly at Sieg's exposed back as if to pierce him through in one strike!
But before the arrows could reach Sieg's back, a figure intervened. The saintly maiden swung her banner, sweeping the ancient arrows to the ground.
At that moment, a calm voice resounded: "Rhongomyniad."
The artificial holy sword, inheriting the blessing of the Holy Lance, a false blade that had accompanied someone through countless battles, was recreated in this moment.
The sword, formed through projection, carried the blessing of the Holy Lance, completing this hollow shell.
The light of the blade at the world's end was not the end of the world, but the end of a person. A jet-black slash of light was unleashed with astounding speed, rivaling even the release speed of the legendary Excalibur.
Boom!
The crescent-shaped twilight sword beam clashed with the straight-radiating light slash. The stalemate lasted only a few moments before the twilight beam was forcibly split apart!
Even though Balmung, an EX-ranked anti-army Noble Phantasm with anti-dragon properties, its semi-circular destructive nature was less focused compared to the linear devastation of Rhongomyniad. Even if the distance had been slightly closer, the result would have been the same!
Twilight was cleaved by the polar light. The first to bear its brunt was Sieg!
The dazzling brilliance filled the boy's vision. Even with the formidable ability of the dragon's blood armor, he felt the overwhelming threat of death and his insignificance.
It was as if Siegfried's strength could only carry him this far. The thought of pressing forward seemed beyond his reach.
The light arrived.
The surging torrent split the earth, turning everything in its path into molten lava. It stretched for over ten meters before finally halting—not because it had reached its limit, but because—
Jeanne d'Arc, standing firm behind Sieg, seized the chance to unleash her Noble Phantasm, extinguishing the torrent of light and preventing Sieg from sustaining even more grievous injuries.
Meanwhile, after cleaving through Sieg's Noble Phantasm, Alaric engaged Mordred in combat. Using sheer brute strength, he pinned Mordred down, rendering her unable to move.
"You're pretty strong!" Mordred gritted her teeth, glaring at the man before her.
Not far away, Jeanne, who had no time to check on Sieg, realized the alliance had broken down. She instantly understood what Shirou had been plotting all along.
Without hesitation, Jeanne commanded: "By the Command Seal! Red Archer, Rider, Assassin—assist Black Archer and Sieg in defeating Shirou and Alaric! By the Command Seal, I command Black Archer—achieve victory! By the Command Seal again, Black Saber—strengthen your body! By the Command Seal again, Red Saber—achieve victory!"
"What?!"
Achilles and Atalanta were stunned. Before they could resist, they felt an irresistible force compelling their bodies.
They charged toward Shirou!
As the absolute Ruler of the Holy Grail War, Jeanne possessed numerous abilities, including True Name Revelation and the ability to detect Servants within a ten-kilometer radius. But her most important power was the ability to issue absolute orders to Servants through Command Seals.
With 14 Servants participating in the war, Jeanne had a total of 28 seals—two for each Servant.
These seals could be freely transferred to a Master, but they could not all be used on a single Servant at once.
At this moment, Jeanne consumed two seals instantly. Each Servant received an absolute, irresistible command, forcing Achilles and Atalanta to halt their attacks and turn their focus to defeating Alaric and Shirou once again!
In Jeanne's eyes, Sieg, who bore Siegfried's heart, could still be categorized as Black Saber Siegfried, allowing her to use Command Seals to strengthen him. Four seals were expended in an instant, enhancing Chiron and alleviating Sieg, whose body was nearing its limits!
Mordred, locked in a power struggle with Alaric, also received a boost that allowed her to break free from his grip!
But—
Jeanne was not the only one with Command Seals. At the moment Jeanne issued her orders, Shirou revealed his arm, covered in Command Seals, emitting a crimson glow.
"By the Command Seal, I command Archer, Rider, Assassin—continue to fight for me. Kill Ruler and Black Archer."
Two conflicting sets of orders clashed within the bodies of the three Servants. The balance was broken when Shirou used a third Command Seal. Unlike Jeanne, who was limited to two seals per Servant, Alaric, as a Master, could pour all his Command Seals into a single Servant.
With a total of nine seals used, Jeanne's commands began to lose their effect.
However, the temporary paralysis of the three Servants gave Jeanne enough time to prepare her Noble Phantasm!
"Sieg, Archer, I leave it to you."
Kneeling on the ground, Jeanne's expression was devout. Drawing the slender sword at her waist, she felt a strange peace despite knowing the outcome.
In Jeanne's view, breaking through Alaric and Shirou could only be achieved with this Noble Phantasm.
Jeanne cut her palm with the silver sword, kneeling in prayer.
Joining her hands, she closed her eyes, assuming a posture of utmost reverence. "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them."
Rustle.
Sieg, still standing on the ground with his sword for support, fixed his gaze on Alaric. Pain screamed from every part of his body, relentlessly testing his spirit.
For the first time, Sieg felt the vivid presence of life itself—
"Sieg, prepare for battle."
Not far away, Chiron glanced at Sieg and decisively fired an arrow. Since the alliance was broken, he had to eliminate Achilles and Atalanta before they regained their mobility!
Chiron's arrows, aimed at their heads and hearts, were fatal.
Likewise, Sieg, regaining his breath, charged toward Atalanta and Achilles. To Sieg, Shirou posed no immediate threat. The only one he needed to watch out for was Alaric.
If he could stop Alaric, they could eliminate Achilles and Atalanta in one fell swoop!
Faced with this situation, Shirou remained unconcerned. After all, Alaric was more than enough to handle the problem.
As Kotomine Shirou harbored such thoughts, Alaric, who was preparing to take action, suddenly froze for a moment. His expression shifted slightly as he turned his head to look toward the plains in the distance. A knight clad in white armor was galloping swiftly toward them on horseback.
The accompanying magus, seemingly aware of Alaric's gaze, waved at him with a cheerful smile.
Not only that but Servant Summoning was activating out of thin air.
With the power of ley lines and the assistance of the strongest Primates, a summoning that should have been impossible was now complete.
It was a girl known as the King of Knights—
Alaric slowly revealed her true name: "Artoria Pendragon."
"Father?"
Mordred, who called herself the son of King Arthur, was utterly dumbfounded. Her hand, which had been poised to counterattack, froze in place. She never imagined she would see her appear at this moment.
Even Jeanne d'Arc, who was in the process of releasing her Noble Phantasm and had detected the presence of an unknown Servant's summoning, froze in her tracks. When her True Name Revelation skill immediately identified the new Servant's true name, she was utterly shocked.
"King Arthur?!"
Upon learning the true name of the summoned Servant, Jeanne couldn't even focus on releasing her Noble Phantasm anymore. Rising to her feet on the spot, her gaze was filled with astonishment as she stared at the King of Knights, who slowly opened her eyes.
Thud.
Because of the sudden distraction caused by the appearance of the King of Knights, Alaric failed to fully block Chiron's attack. Although Achilles, using his C-rank Magic Resistance managed to avoid a fatal wound, Atalanta was not as fortunate.
An arrow infused with divine energy pierced directly into her eye socket, sending a terrifying spray of blood into the air.
"Argh!!!"
Even for a hero who had experienced countless battles, Atalanta couldn't help but scream in agony at that moment.
Alaric, paying no attention to Atalanta or the panicked expression of Sieg, ignored everything. Under Achilles' watchful eye, Alaric raised his sword and mercilessly severed Atalanta's head before charging toward Artoria, the King of Knights.
If it were just Artoria's appearance, Alaric wouldn't have been particularly surprised. But that guy was here too—
"You've come, huh! Merlin!!"
Boom!
A flash of radiant light streaked across the heavens like an aurora. Purely through primal magical energy, it reached a speed that rivaled the divine. Alaric charged directly at Merlin who had arrived alongside the knight on the white horse.
Trapped in the Tower of Avalon within the utopia of his dreams, Merlin had now manifested into the world using his skill, Independent Manifestation.
As for the reason Merlin had appeared here, Alaric didn't even need to think to know the answer.
As for the method of their independent summoning, Alaric had already formed a hypothesis: "Support from the ley lines? Gaia? Alaya?"
Only with Gaia's assistance could such an autonomous Servant summoning be accomplished, but the presence of the strongest Primate, Alaya, was also undoubtedly a key factor.
But where did the connection to the summoned Servants come from?
Buzz!
As Alaric forcefully brought the white horse to a halt, Merlin dismounted. For once, his face bore no trace of his usual smile; instead, his expression was deadly serious.
"It's time to stop, Alaric," Merlin said gravely.
"Could it be that Chaldea is already here?" Alaric asked, raising a hand to clasp Tiamat's delicate hand behind him. With a faint smile, he added, "It seems this situation has gotten a bit out of hand."
As his words fell, a series of deafening explosions echoed around them.
The being known as the Primal Giant swung its massive fist toward Alaric.