CH 75

"What's happening here?" Kiritsugu muttered, his expression showing confusion.

It was 6:37, and the sun should have already risen above the horizon, even though it was autumn. However, there was no sign of the sun. Instead, the sky remained pitch-black, like a heavy curtain, and the atmosphere was oppressive.

Something incredibly strange had occurred at the church - a towering black structure had appeared. Just one glance at it was suffocating.

The city was already in turmoil from the attack by Berserker the previous night, which had destroyed many of its old buildings. While these structures were a hindrance to the city's modern development, they were also a part of Fuyuki City's history and had great historical significance.

Kiritsugu felt compelled to investigate the strange tower that had appeared. He suspected it was created by a Servant, and the presence of a suspicious Caster only reinforced this belief.

With the ominous aura surrounding the tower, Kiritsugu decided to bring Artoria along for the investigation. But a statement from Irisviel left him deeply concerned. "Be careful," she warned. "That thing is dangerous and strange."

Irisviel's health had also declined since the tower's appearance. She had become weak and pale, and Kiritsugu was forced to send her to Maiya for medical attention.

Knowing the risks, Irisviel was determined to increase his chances of victory. To this end, Irisviel gifted him with King Arthur's Avalon, taken from her own body.

Despite his worries for Irisviel, Kiritsugu nodded in agreement and set out for the church with Artoria. He took a defensive position, observing from a distance with his sniper rifle while Artoria charged the entrance.

Artoria had low expectations of Kiritsugu, but as long as he didn't force her to kill a child, she was content.

As she approached the church, she was confronted by a monstrous Assassin guarding the entrance. The creature's demonic appearance shocked Artoria, causing her to exclaim, "What are you?"

The hundred-faced Assassin let out a shrill cry, its more than one hundred heads all wailing in unison. Artoria prepared herself for battle as the monster lunged at her. She fought back with her sword.

"What is that?" Kiritsugu frowned, his confusion evident in his eyes as he held onto his sniper rifle.

Tick~ Tick~

The room was filled with the echoing sound of dripping water. Kiritsugu's attention was suddenly captured by a loud bang that reverberated from the ceiling. He narrowed his eyes and observed as the ceiling of the deserted commercial building collapsed, unleashing a torrent of black mud that engulfed him in an instant.

...

"Clang!"

Artoria and the abomination clashed swords. Despite the assassin losing its own Noble Phantasm "Delusional Illusion" It's also regaining its full capabilities, and yet Artoria still had the upper hand. The battlefield was slowly shifting towards the black tower.

"That's enough, Assassin," Kirei called out from in front of the tower. The assassin obeyed and retreated to Kirei's side.

Artoria, wielding an invisible holy sword, asked with disbelief, "That's Assassin? You turned Assassin into a monster?"

"Does it matter?" Kirei replied with a smirk, "King Arthur, I present to you the Holy Grail you have been searching for." He gestured to the ominous black tower behind him.

Artoria scowled. "What are you talking about? That evil presence cannot be the Holy Grail. You seek to deceive me."

"It is exactly what I am saying," Kirei chuckled. "The Holy Grail is before you. Whether you wish to destroy it or make a wish, the choice is yours."

Kirei led the horde of one-bodied Assassins away as Artoria gazed at the black tower in confusion.

"Is that really the Grail?" she wondered aloud.

A mysterious voice called out to her,

---- Make a wish to me. Any wish can be fulfilled.

Artoria looked around warily, trying to locate the source of the voice. "Who are you?"

---- I am the Grail.

"You can talk?" Artoria turned towards the black tower.

--- Make a wish to me. No matter what the wish may be, it can be fulfilled. Whether it's to revive Camelot or bring back the Knights of the Round Table, even the person who leads you to the path of the king can be brought back...

Artoria raised her holy sword, determined. "You evil thing, trying to attack my heart. I will destroy you!"

--- Do you really want to destroy me? Your wish is within reach. The resurrection of Camelot and all those who have died can be resurrected. Do you really want to betray them, kill them again and betray your oath?

She hesitated. "I...I..."

Her holy sword trembled in her hand.

...

Tormented by the soul within the world of mud, Kiritsugu saw the mud transform into his wife, Irisviel, and gradually began to embrace his version of justice. Killing a few to save many, he continued this pattern endlessly until, in the end, only he, his wife, and his daughter remained in the world.

To escape the control of the mud, Kiritsugu reluctantly shot his wife and daughter and awoke in the real world.

He realized that the black tower was the true form of the Grail and that it was far from just. The justice he sought was not there. With tears in his eyes, he used the scope of his sniper rifle to observe Artoria standing in front of the Grail with her holy sword.

Raising his hand with the Command Seals, Kiritsugu used both seals to issue the command, "Destroy the Grail, Saber!"

Justice was not to be found here and Kiritsugu, without hesitation or regret, released both Command Seals in one go.

The holy sword, seemingly controlled by a force beyond her, surged forward and Artoria's body was forcibly attacking the Grail.

"No! This can't be happening! The Grail! Camelot!” Artoria cried out in despair.

As she watched the light that was coalescing around the holy sword in her hand, she swung it towards the Grail. Tears streamed down her blue eyes. She had abandoned her glory to fulfill her sorrowful wish, even though she hated it. But did she have to destroy it herself?

"No!" she screamed.

The light roared, and King Arthur destroyed her own wish with her own hands.

Kiritsugu picked up his sniper rifle, intent on escaping when he saw a black hole in the sky above the Holy Church.

"What is that?" Kiritsugu face filled with shock. He could barely make out what he was seeing, but what he thought was a "hole" was in fact a true void.

The Grail War had not been truly summoned since its inception, and the accumulated magical energy over two hundred and forty years had turned into a massive vortex. This was the true nature of the black "hole."

The Lesser Grail, developed by Ainsworth, was merely the key to unlocking the hole, as well as the device used to maintain its stability. Normally, the hole would only be opened once the Lesser Grail had absorbed enough Servant souls. Thus, in the present situation, where only one Servant had died, it was theoretically impossible for the hole to be opened and the Grail to be revealed.

However, the evil housed within the Greater Grail was prematurely unleashed due to the actions of Gilgamesh, and the interior of the Grail had already established a connection with the real world, thus opening the Grail.

Unbeknownst to Kiritsugu, he made a grave mistake by commanding Saber to destroy the Grail, instead of using her Noble Phantasm to destroy the hole in the sky.

Without a 'vessel' to control it, the Grail could no longer be closed and conventional methods were now ineffective in stopping the contents of the Grail from spilling out.

The black mud, known as "All the World's Evil," possessed the power to destroy all life. At that moment, it was like a waterfall pouring down from the sky above the church.

It spread out from the center of the church to the surrounding area, causing a sea of fire wherever it passed. It was like Hell.

"No! No!" Kiritsugu cried out as he threw down his sniper rifle and rushed down to the ground floor.

How could this be?

How could this have happened?

This wasn't supposed to be the outcome! His participation in the war was to save, not to destroy!

Kiritsugu's justice was to destroy the few for the sake of the many, to destroy for the sake of salvation, not for destruction's sake.

He was willing to sacrifice everything to attain his desired justice, but it wasn't supposed to be like this.

"No! no no no no no---!!!" he shouted as he dove into the sea of fire.

...

The darkness continued to spread as if all evil was converging on Miyama with the Church at its center. Artoria, being at the center of the darkness, was the first to be consumed by the black mud.

"You wish to destroy me, but I will still grant your wish," declared the mud with a will of its own.

Artoria's world changed as she was transported to a bright, vivid world filled with light.

"King!"

"King Arthur!"

"It's King Arthur!"

As Artoria was surrounded by people calling her name, worshiping her and yearning for her, she was reminded of the beginning days of Camelot. She couldn't believe it, had Camelot truly been resurrected?

Step by step, the crowd pushed her toward the palace.

"King, you've returned!" they cried.

Amongst them were the twelve knights of the Round Table: Lancelot, Gawain, Geraint, Gareth, Galahad, Gaheris, Bedivere, Agravain, Tristan, and her court wizard, Merlin.

Tears flowed down Artoria's blue eyes as she gazed at these familiar figures. Suddenly, a familiar voice spoke up, "Back already? Why are you crying? Were you bullied?" It was Guinevere, looking at Artoria with kind eyes.

"Guinevere..."

Whispering Guinevere's name, Artoria felt tears streaming down her face. Despite this, she managed to show a smile, "Everyone, I'm back!"

...

"The so-called heroes. The so-called kings. They are all just like this. Fragile like a blank piece of paper. Subjects...heh."

As the mud began to dissipate, a dark figure emerged from within. The figure of a swordsman appeared, her form was ominous and foreboding.