154 Chapter 153: Curtain Falls
Scathach's act of burning her spiritual foundation seemed to anger the "Evil of this World" that sought to descend upon the mortal realm.
The black mud in the sky and on the ground suddenly became violent and boiling. More and more black mud surged out of the hole as if attempting to expand the "hole" and complete its descent.
However, it was all in vain.
Without Scathach's soul, the hole lost the ability to continue expanding. The rules of space, the rules of the world, bound the "Black Sun" and prevented it from further enlargement.
But now was not the time to relax. It had been almost ten minutes since the appearance of the "Black Sun." The black mud tainted by the curse of the "Evil of this World" formed a torrential stream, washing away the pre-arranged dams around the altar.
If left unchecked, within two minutes, this makeshift dam made of gullies and piled stones would be breached.
"I beg of you, Mr. Emiya, I beg of you, Saber—please destroy the Holy Grail."
Without the need for Justeaze's plea or Shinji's reminder, the Master-servant pair of Kiritsugu and Saber, with their contrasting approaches but underlying similarities, were already prepared.
"Master, please use a Command Seal. Without it, I cannot destroy the Holy Grail."
This was both the only means for a Servant given by the Holy Grail to rebel against it and the necessary step for Saber, whose magical energy was running low, to replenish her mana.
"In the name of Kiritsugu Emiya—"
Receiving Saber's request, Kiritsugu did not hesitate. He pulled up his sleeve, revealing the Command Seal on his wrist.
"Saber, with the Command Seal, I command you the destruction of all the black mud."
"Saber, with the second Command Seal, I command you the destruction of the Holy Grail on the ground."
"Saber, with the third Command Seal, I command you the destruction of the hole in the sky."
"I have indeed received your command."
Saber raised the holy sword, its radiance symbolizing victory shining brighter than ever before.
When the command of the Command Seal aligns completely with the will of the Servant, the Servant receives an unimaginable amplification.
At this moment, the will of Kiritsugu and the belief of the King of Knights, Artoria, merged as one.
Not only them, but also Irisviel, Maiya, Justeaze, and Shinji, who had all come to understand the true nature of the Holy Grail and hoped for its destruction.
This collective prayer converged in the golden sword that illuminated the night sky, driving the King of Knights to loudly release the true name of her Noble Phantasm.
"Excalibur (Sword of Promised Victory)!!"
The first beam of light shot forth like an untamed wild horse, crossing half of Ryuudou Temple and directly crashing into the pool of black mud that sealed it.
The cursed black mud, contaminated and unable to withstand the roaring torrent of light, was destroyed by the scorching rays, completely evaporating the entire pool.
Immediately after, the immense magical power bestowed by the Command Seal, accelerated by the Dragon Factor, swiftly transformed into a second beam of light. It followed a trajectory similar to the first beam and accurately struck the golden chalice floating above the altar.
The vessel that once belonged to Justeaze, a part of her body, quietly lost its form and disappeared in an even more radiant light.
Justeaze widened her eyes, firmly etching this scene in her heart—it was a turning point in her destiny. She had lived as a vessel for the Holy Grail, its guardian, in the past, but now she would live as Justeaze, a human.
The consecutive use of Noble Phantasms pushed Saber's body to its limits, but the coercive force of the Command Seal and Saber's own will continued to oppress the Servant's form, even draining the magical energy that maintained her physical existence.
This was the final strike.
With the raised golden sword, the overwhelming firepower swept away the darkness in the sky.
The "hole" that continuously exuded black mud, along with the entire sky, was split in half by the light of the holy sword.
This was the torrent of light that dissipated everything.
Within it, the sword-wielding girl accepted the fact that the battle had come to an end.
"——And so it ends. My battle comes to a close."
These words were not directed at anyone in particular.
The wielder of the holy sword bent her knees, gazing at the radiant light that contained countless hopes and desires—
The crumbling Holy Grail.
What she had pursued should have granted her redemption.
And now, she destroyed it with her own hands.
Isn't it ironic?
Perhaps it is.
Has it all been in vain?
No, it hasn't. Without this encounter that transcended time and this fateful meeting, perhaps she would have forever clung to that wish that denied herself and denied all her comrades. Having reached this outcome is enough.
"——The contract is fulfilled. It is our victory, Irisviel, and Kiritsugu."
The holy sword grew faint, and her body began to fade, losing the support of magic and the contract. Artoria could no longer remain in this world.
"Saber——"
Irisviel reached out her hand, wanting to grasp the knight who had always protected her, only to find that she couldn't hold onto anything.
"I'm glad to have met you, Irisviel. If possible, I would have liked to stay by your side until you and your family are reunited. Unfortunately, I can no longer see it."
Her fading continued, and the body of the King of Knights could be scattered by the wind at any moment, but her voice remained clear.
"But it's alright. With you, it will surely be possible—Irisviel, you must be happy."
The night breeze blew, taking away the last trace of the girl's smile, leaving behind the bond she had forged with the mortal world—the scabbard named "Avalon."
Irisviel nodded vigorously. If she still had a physical body, she would have already burst into tears. She held onto the hands of Kiritsugu and Maiya, nodding with determination. "I, we will be happy! Goodbye, Saber."
"Goodbye, Saber."
Within Kiritsugu's heart, he echoed the same words.
He was not only bidding farewell to the vanishing girl, the King of Knights but also bidding farewell to the image that had lingered in his heart for over a decade.
"Goodbye, King of Knights. May you break free from the restraints of inhibition, descend from the realm of swords, and enter the ideal land. May you find happiness as a young girl."
In the silent tranquility, a man stumbled and ran into the temple. His red suit was tattered and torn, half of his bowtie was ripped off, his once handsome face stained with blood and dirt, his eyes clouded and frenzied, and he kept muttering to himself.
"Where is the Holy Grail? Where is it? I must obtain the Holy Grail and reach the root—"
"The Holy Grail has already disappeared, Tohsaka Tokiomi. It's all over now."
Out of concern for Sakura, Justeaze kindly stepped forward to remind him, but Tokiomi forcefully pushed her away.
"No, you're lying to me. The Command Seals are still here; the Holy Grail must still be somewhere, somewhere—Ah, the altar, it must be here."
In truth, he had already seen the light that destroyed the "abyss," but the Command Seals on his hand still hadn't disappeared, giving him a glimmer of hope. He staked everything on it. He didn't want and couldn't accept a failure.
Unsteadily, Tokiomi stumbled across the makeshift embankment, traversed the scorched earth by the holy sword, and climbed up the altar, split in two by a torrent of light. He fell several times along the way, only to stand up again.
In the corner of the altar, he found a fragment of gold. He held it in his palm as if cradling a treasure.
"I found it, I found it. This is the Holy Grail."
No one noticed the hidden shadow within the inner wall of the fragment, the remnants of black mud tainted by the "evil of this world." Perhaps the small Holy Grail had bounced to the side when shattered by the light of the holy sword, carrying a few drops of black mud, escaping destruction.
The black mud touched Tokiomi's hands through the cracks of the fragment and seeped into his body.
Gradually, Tokiomi felt his eyelids growing heavier. In a daze, he saw a pitch-black space and heard various whispers. Although he couldn't make them out clearly, they carried an irresistible allure.
Tokiomi laughed, a loud, hysterical laughter, tears and blood streaming down his face.
"So this is the root! I finally reached the root! I finally reached the root!"
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