Was this a battle?
No, regrettably, it was merely a contest of raw power, and it seemed Emiya Kiritsugu was at an absolute disadvantage.
In the open, desolate space, the sound of gunfire echoed.
Swish—!
Kirei Kotomine tilted his head, swiftly dodging a bullet fired by Kiritsugu.
His body moved with agility through the ruins, weaving and dodging with remarkable finesse and mobility, evading every attack Kiritsugu launched. Seizing an opportunity, Kirei closed the distance rapidly.
"Damn it!!"
Seeing his bullets consistently miss, and having lost two people dearer to him than life itself in a short span, Kiritsugu, already unhinged, grew increasingly frantic as the Holy Grail's descent loomed. His heart, once steady, now wavered under the weight of his desperation.
While his right hand gripped his gun, his left drew another firearm—the relic of his fallen assistant, Hisau Maiya. He unleashed a barrage of double the firepower at Kirei, clinging to the illusion that Maiya was still alive, fighting alongside him.
"Maiya… let's fulfill that dream together."
Kiritsugu murmured softly, as if hearing her familiar voice in his ear once more.
"Yes, let's realize your dream, Kiritsugu."
"Thank you…"
—Bang, bang, bang!!
As Kiritsugu lost himself in his inner dialogue, the dark figure before him darted through the hail of bullets. Even as Kiritsugu's firepower intensified, Kirei, resolute in his conviction, did not falter. His steps remained steady, driven by unwavering purpose.
Unlike Kiritsugu, lost in self-delusion and imagining his comrade by his side, Kirei's eyes were calm and resolute, fixed solely on his target—Emiya Kiritsugu.
—Clang!!
With a swift motion, Kirei's hand, wielding Black Keys, sliced through two incoming bullets, bringing him closer to Kiritsugu.
Twenty meters.
Calculating the distance in his mind, Kirei continued his relentless advance.
'How did this villain become so strong? What has he been through? Why does he have that look in his eyes?!'
Kiritsugu's gaze hardened as he watched the shadowy figure approach like a specter, his relentless gunfire unable to stop him.
At that moment, his heart—numbed by years of severing bonds and enduring loss—trembled violently, stirred by an emotion he hadn't felt in years.
…Doubt.
Facing Kirei Kotomine was like staring into a mirror.
Not only could Kirei see his own reflection in Kiritsugu, but Kiritsugu, too, had once seen echoes of his past self in Kirei.
But now… now, he saw nothing.
The confusion and aimlessness that once plagued Kirei had been replaced by an unshakable purpose. Kirei's heart was now anchored by resolve and clarity.
His gaze held no deception, his words no lies. His actions were unhindered by fear or hesitation, free from self-deception. He was simply walking his path—the one he believed to be the most righteous, the best for the world. As an Executor of the Church, he fulfilled his duty: to punish sinners and offer solace to lost lambs.
Soon, the distance closed to ten meters.
Maiya's pistol ran dry, and the comforting illusion Kiritsugu clung to dissolved under Kirei's unwavering conviction.
Yet Kirei pressed forward, while Kiritsugu's steps faltered, retreating instinctively.
All he could do now was hastily reload and fire, desperate to halt Kirei's advance. But to the priest who had found his answers, these efforts were futile.
Neither gunfire nor death held any fear for him anymore.
Death was merely redemption, and offering mercy was redemption too—for both himself and Kiritsugu.
He had no regrets. For the first time, Kirei made a choice that truly brought him joy, one that came entirely from his heart.
Even if he died here, there would be no regrets. After all, he was truly… alive?
Yes, alive.
He could feel his heart beating, emotions swirling in his mind, and an indescribable happiness resonating within him.
Memories of his past mistakes surfaced before his eyes.
Unlike Kiritsugu, who fled into his own world, Kirei chose to face and atone for his sins. Even confronted with his past confusion and crimes, his heart and steps remained steadfast. The past was irreversible; all he could do now was atone for his sins to the best of his ability—by fulfilling his duty and stopping the man before him from making a catastrophic wish.
Less than five meters remained between them. Kirei's expression was calm, showing no trace of panic. He spoke no further, his thoughts clear, his steps resolute toward his goal.
"Why?! Why?!!"
"Why does a villain like you have such a look in your eyes?! What is this?! Your self-righteous act?!" Kiritsugu, driven to the edge, roared in fury, cursing the sanctimonious hypocrite before him, hoping to shatter his perfect facade.
"Kirei Kotomine! Don't forget what you've done! You were a villain once, and a villain you'll always be!!"
"No matter how you atone, a villain can never reach paradise!!"
As Kirei drew closer, Kiritsugu's heart tightened. With no Avalon to rely on, he forcibly activated his family's inherited magecraft—Innate Time Control: Triple Accel—hoping to accelerate his own time to find a counterattack and halt Kirei's advance. But it was futile. With two sharp swishes, Kirei's speed surged at the last moment. Ignoring the specialized bullets racing toward him, he let them pierce his body and hand, closing the mere meters between them. Before Kiritsugu could cast another spell, Kirei's fist slammed into his face.
—Bang!!
The dull impact resounded as Kiritsugu spat blood, his vision swimming from the blow. He felt as if his eyes might pop out, stumbling backward, barely staying upright.
Seizing the opportunity, Kirei didn't relent. From Assassin's early investigations and Gilgamesh's warnings, he knew the secret behind Kiritsugu's bullets.
Without using any reinforcement magecraft, Kirei relied solely on his physical prowess, engaging Kiritsugu in the most primal form of combat.
—Thud, thud, thud…!
Heavy punches landed relentlessly on Kiritsugu's body. The powerful strikes left him dazed, his steps unsteady, his vision blurring.
As an Executor of the Holy Church, Kirei was a master of close combat. His blend of martial arts and Church techniques was among the finest of his generation. An Executor's body, forged through rigorous training, was a nightmare for any magus they hunted. Once an Executor closed the distance or marked their target, it was a death sentence.
Even Kiritsugu, skilled in magus combat, was no match for an Executor in close quarters. His unhinged state, devoid of his former composure, only worsened his predicament.
Though he refused to admit it, his heart was already wavering.
In just a few exchanges, Kirei had utterly crushed him—physically and mentally. Spitting blood, Kiritsugu staggered back, cornered with no escape.
"It seems the outcome is decided."
Blood dripping from his wounds, Kirei looked at Kiritsugu, slumped against the wall, coughing up blood. Calmly, he said, "Accept your end, lost lamb. May your soul find peace in hell. I'll join you there soon enough."
Why not paradise?
Kirei knew that, even if paradise existed, a fallen Executor like himself and a man like Kiritsugu, who had erred his entire life, had no place there. Hell was their only destination.
"Don't make me laugh… You're the one who belongs in hell."
Wiping blood from his mouth, Kiritsugu refused to yield. "I will save humanity!!"
"You're still using that acceleration magecraft? Your body can't handle Innate Time Control anymore, can it?"
Kirei calmly observed Kiritsugu casting his time-altering spell again. "Keep this up, and your body will destroy itself."
"No! I won't die. Not until I fulfill that wish…"
Kiritsugu gritted his teeth. "Even if you're right…"
Seeing Kiritsugu still unrepentant, Kirei's eyes filled with pity. "You still haven't reflected? You still believe in that so-called redemption, that dream of leading humanity back to Eden… Are you still severing your past? Even though your body and heart are riddled with scars from all that cutting, you persist, even as it tears you apart. After all this, don't you have any self-reflection?"
"I don't have time, even if it's as you say…"
Kiritsugu clenched his jaw. "I will fulfill my wish!!"
"You're not trying to fulfill a wish. You're pinning all your hopes on the Holy Grail, on a so-called miracle."
Kirei shook his head, understanding the truth. "But is that miracle really what you want? Perhaps it will only bring you more pain and despair."
"No, impossible! This is the miracle born from countless sacrifices… It's the miracle that will fulfill my wish!!"
Indeed, having come this far, Kiritsugu had no choice but to believe, even if that belief was mere delusion, devoid of reason.
Until he saw the truth with his own eyes, he could only cling to his pitiful hope, deceiving himself as he pressed forward.
Revealing the truth was a detective's job. An Executor's duty was to punish sinners and comfort the dead.
"Alas… pitiful, lamentable, and utterly tragic."
At this point, Kirei no longer wished to shatter the last shred of illusion in this broken man's heart.
Killing him now, letting him die with that hope intact, granting him release—that was the best farewell Kirei could offer.
"Then, it's time to end this."
Kirei raised his Black Keys, ready to grant Kiritsugu his final release. But at that moment—
—Rumble!!
With a tearing sound in the air and the gurgling of some viscous liquid, the empty space around them warped violently. Shattered glass and falling debris rained down, and an immense surge of magical energy sparked a final glimmer in Kiritsugu's hollow eyes. Before he could act, Kirei's hand shot out, seizing his throat and lifting him into the air.
"The time has come. Farewell, partner of justice. May your soul find peace…"
Kirei tightened his fist, aiming for Kiritsugu's head.
"Kiritsugu!!"
Sensing his fading life, Irisviel, on the altar, snapped her eyes open. Her once-pristine white dress was now stained black.
Clang!
The Black Keys and Kiritsugu's gun clattered to the ground together.
"A—Men…"
Kirei offered a final prayer for the dying man before him.
But before Kiritsugu's life fully faded—
—Boom!!
A torrent of crimson, viscous liquid, thick as mud, crashed from the ceiling, engulfing both figures below.
…
…
Meanwhile, at Fuyuki City's gymnasium, in an unknown space.
"I never expected… someone could find this place?"
In the empty white void, a woman's sigh echoed.
"The interior of the Greater Grail—no, its mental space. I'm not particularly skilled in matters of the soul, but thanks to Merlin, that dream demon, I made it here."
An elderly voice, deep and resonant, responded.
"Connecting directly to the Greater Grail's core is quite a feat… But if it's the legendary mentor of King Arthur, the Mage of Flowers, Merlin, known for his mastery of dreams and mental realms, it's not surprising."
"I just didn't expect, after all these years, to see someone from the very beginning again… It's quite nostalgic."
As the voice faded, a blinding white light flashed, revealing a beautiful white-haired woman in ceremonial robes within the space.
"It's been a while, Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern. From your words, it seems you still remember me, don't you?"
Across from her appeared an elderly man in a black robe, over sixty, tall and robust, with white hair swept back messily but a stern expression. He greeted the woman he had met centuries ago, completing this reunion across time.
"Of course I remember. You're the mentor of Nagato Tohsaka, the Magician of the Second Magic, the Wizard Marshal, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg."
"And a witness to the Holy Grail War. I never thought I'd see you again."
Justeaze looked at the white-haired elder with surprise.
"Heh, good to know you remember. I thought centuries might have worn you down like Marisbury Animusphere."
Zelretch smiled, pleased to see the Winter Saintess in good condition.
"Marisbury Animusphere…"
At the mention of the name and his fate, a trace of sorrow flickered in Justeaze's beautiful eyes.
"I've been in slumber, awakening briefly only during the Holy Grail War, so time hasn't eroded me."
"I see… He's gone, or rather, freed. No need to grieve too much."
Noting Justeaze's sadness at Marisbury's fate, Zelretch spoke calmly.
"It's a fitting end for him, isn't it?"
"Yes, I understand…"
Justeaze nodded, then asked, "Why have you come to see me? Is there something important?"
"Somewhat. I didn't intend to meddle with this worldline, treating it as a spectacle, but the Queen of the Land of Shadows, the King of Heroes, and that outsider have caused too much chaos. The butterfly effect has muddled many futures, leading to changes I'd rather not see."
"Tonight's chaos in Fuyuki, if left unchecked, will leave a massive hidden danger for this worldline. Missiles, Noble Phantasms, the boundary between mystery and reality shattered—combined with countless misunderstandings, it could spark an unprecedented third world war. Even the [Grand Assassin] was dispatched by the Counter Force, though he hasn't acted. His presence alone is a warning. Before things spiral beyond control, I must intervene."
"I'm here to discuss the mana drained from the Greater Grail and that troublesome existence…"
Zelretch paused, then continued—
"Angra Mainyu, the All The World's Evil. Before this worldline is judged, we must give it a chance to save itself."
He looked at Justeaze and spoke slowly.
"Now, use the power of the Holy Grail to save this worldline that belongs to you."
***
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