Ryuudou Temple. Having siphoned the prana from the leyline, Gilgamesh and Shinji descended from the Vimana.
Upon setting foot on the stone, Gilgamesh raised his head and activated his eyes—[Sha Naqba Imuru: The Star that Sees All].
As he beheld the Holy Grail through that transcendental gaze, a faint smile played upon Gilgamesh's lips.
"—The tides have turned, Shinji. At last, the preparations for the Grail's advent are complete."
"Phew...! Then we should call Kotomine..."
"There is no need. That man is already dead."
Shinji looked momentarily stunned by Gilgamesh's declaration of death, but soon a smirk crept across his face. Gilgamesh noted the reaction with a touch of curiosity.
"Hoh. You seem remarkably unperturbed, Shinji."
"Do you really think I'd care about a priest who gave me a piece of trash like Rider, Gilgamesh?"
"...Ha. That is certainly like you."
Responding with a low chuckle, Gilgamesh reached into his treasury and pulled forth Illyasviel's heart.
The heart of the Lesser Grail pulsated within Gilgamesh's hand, as if it were still alive.
Witnessing the heart thrumming with rhythmic life, Shinji recoiled slightly, his voice trembling with disgust.
"—Ugh... But what about Tohsaka? That priest said we needed her as a sacrifice to truly possess the Grail."
"Ah, be at ease, Shinji. The Grail can still be forged."
"How? No matter the Grail, he said it wouldn't work without a vessel. Without a sacrifice to anchor it, the Grail won't manifest—"
"There is no issue, Shinji... For do we not have a Master right here to serve as the vessel?"
"...What—"
Squelch!
"—Kagh!?"
Before Shinji could even comprehend the King's words, an agonizing pain erupted in his abdomen. He looked down, his body jerking like a broken automaton.
Staring down with trembling eyes, Shinji saw Gilgamesh's hand buried deep within his gut.
The confusion over why Gilgamesh would do such a thing lasted only a heartbeat; as the hand was withdrawn, his legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees.
Watching Shinji clutch his stomach and convulse in agony, Gilgamesh spoke with cold indifference.
"You desired the Grail, did you not? Then I shall grant it to you. It is a precious thing; see that you never let it go again."
"Gwa—Aaaargh!!"
Phshhh!!
Shinji's body, unable to contain the immense power of the Grail, began to bloat and distort, manifesting grotesque anomalies. Gilgamesh looked on with a sneer of derision.
"—How unsightly. Though I suppose crude things are often more amusing to observe... More importantly, a man like you is bound to vomit up the most fitting sort of filth, Shinji."
"—Guraaagh...! It hurts, it hurts... S-Save me..."
Shinji begged through tears of agony, but Gilgamesh merely turned his back and vanished into the shadows, ignoring his pleas.
***
Back at the Emiya Estate, the atmosphere in the living room grew heavy as everyone stared at the shocking news flickering across the television screen.
[...Currently, a massive earthquake of magnitude 8.0 has struck the southern region of Shinto, Fuyuki City—]
"...This is a calamity caused by the exhaustion of the leyline's prana," Rin said, her expression grim as she watched images of collapsed buildings.
"...For a disaster of this scale, it must be a Great Leyline. Given the location in southern Shinto, it is almost certainly the one beneath the Church."
"...No doubt the work of Gilgamesh. He likely substituted the missing prana required for the Grail's manifestation with the energy from the leyline itself."
"The only mercy is... that there are two other Great Leylines nearby," I added, and Rin nodded in agreement.
When the prana of a leyline is siphoned dry, it triggers catastrophic consequences. Although Fuyuki had several other leylines to mitigate the impact, the shockwaves were still severe. If anyone thought a magnitude 8 quake was 'small'...
Had there been no other leylines, an unprecedented earthquake far exceeding magnitude 8 would have devastated Japan. Fuyuki would have been reduced to a city of the dead. Compared to that, this was the lesser of two evils.
"He has gained a monstrous amount of prana at the cost of the leyline. Draining a Great Leyline would provide energy equivalent to... roughly two Servants," I explained.
Furthermore, if one accounted for the presence of their ally, Cu Chulainn, the conditions for the Grail's advent were already met. I turned to the group and spoke firmly.
"We must determine the location of the Holy Grail immediately."
"Do not worry. I have already found it. The Grail is at Ryuudou Temple."
At Rin's words, everyone's gaze shifted toward her.
"The Grail is at Ryuudou Temple?"
"Yes. There are only three locations in this city capable of supporting the Grail's manifestation—three points where the Great Leylines converge: my estate, the Church, and finally, Ryuudou Temple on Mount Enzou. That is why I released familiars to monitor those sites when Berserker went to investigate the Church."
She informed us that the familiar stationed at Ryuudou Temple had just been destroyed. I nodded slowly at the revelation.
"—I see. That Golden King has undoubtedly fortified himself at Ryuudou Temple."
"Indeed. And for proof, look at this."
Rin handed over a newspaper report stating that everyone residing at Ryuudou Temple had been rushed to the hospital by ambulance.
"...I see. They cleared out any potential obstacles in advance."
"Evicting the residents sounds like Shinji's doing. It is exactly the kind of hysterical move he would make... but in this instance, it works in our favor."
"However, Ryuudou Temple presents a difficulty. A powerful Anti-Heroic Spirit Barrier is erected there. If one is a Heroic Spirit, the only viable entrance is through the main mountain gate," Artoria noted with a frown.
"—No, I can bypass it, Artoria."
While Ryuudou Temple possesses a barrier designed to inflict damage upon spiritual bodies, I could pierce through it using the Armor of the White Dragon.
Since I was currently a Servant, I couldn't completely nullify attacks meant for spiritual entities, but the defensive properties of the White Dragon's Factor still applied. While some damage would leak through, the majority would be offset. I estimated I could endure the barrier for at least thirty minutes.
Rin nodded after hearing my explanation.
"Thirty minutes is more than enough time to reach the temple via the rear path... Very well. Berserker and I will take the back way. Archer, Saber, and Assassin—you three will storm the main gate. While you draw their attention, we will stop the Grail. Once that is done, Saber, you will destroy it."
Everyone nodded in solemn agreement. Rin turned her focus toward Artoria, Serenity, and Emiya.
"...Be careful. Can you definitely keep their attention?"
"—It is possible. I shall ensure their focus remains solely on us," Artoria vowed.
Serenity gave a silent nod. Rin then turned to Emiya, who had yet to respond.
Archer let out a small laugh as he met her gaze.
"—Oh, don't worry. I'll make sure they can't look away. I don't mind playing the decoy... but tell me, is there any problem if I simply kill that Golden Bastard while I'm at it?"
"..."
Rin's eyes widened in surprise at his audacity, but she soon broke into a smile.
"...Yes! Make sure you win... and come back with your head held high, Archer!"
"...Hmph. I'll be expecting that apology I never got when I was first summoned, then."
"Hmph, you'll have to work for it! Now... what are you all waiting for? Everyone, up! We move immediately!"
And so, we set out for Ryuudou Temple.
The final battle was finally at hand.