Because of being bathed in the black mud, Gilgamesh gained a physical body, and Kotomine Kirei's heart was replaced by the mud, bringing him back to life.
Seeing half the city in ruins from the Holy Grail War filled Kirei with a twisted sense of joy.
Kotomine Kirei wasn't the kind of man to be discouraged by his own suffering, nor happy because of the joy others would seek.
He simply found pleasure in the misfortune of others.
And at the sight of the devastation, he couldn't help but laugh.
Meanwhile, Kiritsugu Emiya wandered the ruins of the city in despair, searching for any survivors.
There was no doubt—all these deaths were the consequence of his command to destroy the Grail.
Even if just one life—just one—could be saved...
With that thought, he dug through rubble with his bare hands, hoping for a miracle.
"I remember his face—a man with tears in his eyes, genuinely overjoyed to have finally found someone alive."
"He looked so happy, it almost made me think I wasn't the one being rescued, but he was."
With tears streaming down his face, Kiritsugu grasped Shirou Emiya's hand, weeping in relief that he was still alive.
Even saving just one person—that was his redemption.
That was Kiritsugu Emiya.
His Holy Grail War had ended. But for the future wielder of the sword, the next "champion of justice"—Shirou Emiya—the journey had only just begun.
The Fourth Holy Grail War had concluded.
What followed was an epilogue—explaining the fates of various characters:
Matou Sakura, Tohsaka Rin, Waver, Kotomine Kirei, and the adoptive life of Kiritsugu and his new son, Shirou Emiya.
Was that it?
Ye Man felt stifled.
This had to be a bad ending, right?
It's not that it was poorly written, but it was so clearly incomplete. Kotomine Kirei and Gilgamesh survived the war like nothing had happened? Just continued living in the world?
Kiritsugu simply adopted Shirou and became a regular person?
Tohsaka Rin and Matou Sakura had been shown so much earlier in the story—was there not supposed to be more to their arcs?
Ye Man felt like she had sat down to a grand feast, had just started enjoying it, and suddenly the chef took away all the dishes and utensils.
Was the food bad? Not at all. But she hadn't gotten her fill!
If she had known this would happen, maybe she shouldn't have even started watching.
Frustration.
The perspective shifted back to Artoria's battlefield from before her death.
Having just crossed over into the modern world and experienced the Fourth Holy Grail War, she found herself unable to die.
The contract she had made required her to obtain the Holy Grail while still "alive." Only then would she pass on and become a Heroic Spirit.
Until her wish was fulfilled, no matter how many times she died, she would be summoned to the Grail War again and again.
"Everyone... Lancelot..."
The scene flashed back to her final moments against Lancelot.
"I couldn't abandon my feelings for Guinevere. I couldn't forgive myself. But, King Arthur, you never condemned me or demanded my atonement. You simply stood firm, lighting the righteous path ahead. I always hoped you would personally execute me. Maybe then, I wouldn't have fallen onto this path of madness, seeking redemption through battle."
If Artoria responded to the Grail's call to change her kingdom's fate, then Lancelot responded to the Grail only to be killed by her hand.
The music, the visuals, the emotion in this flashback—combined with Artoria's tears of regret—hit hard.
Many viewers felt their noses sting.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."
Artoria sobbed as she apologized to the corpses around her on the hill.
"But one thing... King Arthur, you were the greatest king. Everyone of your knights believed in you to the end."
Lancelot's final words played over the scene.
"I was never fit to be king."
A flash of light appeared before Artoria—another Grail summoning.
Huh?
This scene exploded the 'Fate/Zero' fan group.
"Wait, another summoning?"
"No way—Artoria's responded again, meaning someone in the next Holy Grail War has summoned her."
"Not again... Does she really have to keep risking her life for that cursed Grail? Let her rest already!"
"It hurts to watch. She's just a girl! Why should she bear all this?"
"Exactly! What's wrong with Teacher Jing Yu? Didn't 'Fate/Zero' already show that the Grail was corrupted and meaningless? Why force her to chase after it again? Just let her return to her body in the past and die in peace."
"Old Scumbag just loves tormenting us."
"Damn... is this really the end?"
"Three minutes left... Do we still have a twist coming?"
"I can't accept this being the final episode!"
But in the last few minutes of the episode, a twist did happen.
The final scene returned to Kiritsugu and Shirou sitting in the veranda of their home, gazing at the moon.
"When I was a kid, I dreamed of becoming a hero of justice."
"You said was... So you gave up?"
"Yeah. Unfortunately, I did. Heroes have an expiration date... If only I'd realized that sooner."
"Is that so? Well... it can't be helped. Since you can't do it anymore, I'll take your place. You're the grown-up, so it's okay. I'll be the one to become a hero of justice."
The past—
Artoria raised her head, weary eyes responding to her second summoning from the Grail.
The present—
Kiritsugu looked at Shirou with a more serious expression.
"I see... Then I'm relieved."
As if remembering his own dreams again—
To become a hero... of justice.
The ending theme began to play.
Ye Man sat there, hollow.
Was it really... over?
Was this where the story truly ended?
There had to be a sequel, right?
Artoria had already been summoned again for a second Holy Grail War—how could there not be a second part?
Then the ending sequence, as if answering everyone's hopes, played out completely differently from the past twelve episodes.
The song was the same, but the visuals—
"What's this?" Ye Man stared blankly at the screen.
Unfamiliar scenes, in a style known as "anime" in another world, appeared.
Although the designs were based on the real actors' appearances, they had a clear animated filter—like anime versions of real people.
So Ye Man instantly recognized the characters flashing by.
The Fifth Holy Grail War.
Ten years later, in Fuyuki City.
Shirou Emiya.
Matou Sakura.
Tohsaka Rin.
Illyasviel.
Each character's anime-style design flashed across the ending.
And at the very end, what appeared wasn't just character designs anymore.
It was full CG footage, rushed out through a collaboration between Jing Yu's game division and a special effects studio.
Tragic yet epic music began—"Glory of the King of Knights."
Magic circles on the ground glowed brilliantly. When the light faded—
A beautiful girl with golden hair and elegant features appeared.
Her thoughts froze.
She knocked aside a crimson spear and looked at the boy before her.
She asked the stunned boy—
"I ask you this."
"Are you my Master?"
The boy couldn't respond.
Was it because things were happening too fast?
No, it was because the girl before him was too beautiful. He was left speechless.
Ye Man watched, her DNA practically vibrating.
Across the nation, 'Fate/Zero' fans watching at home felt their hearts race.
The strange anime-styled visuals based on Tang Rui's likeness unexpectedly hit everyone's soft spots.
"Fate/stay night" game — releasing November 1st! Artoria's story will reach its conclusion.
Those words appeared on screen—and instantly ignited the passion of nearly every 'Fate/Zero' fan.