As the seconds passed, the golden dust that covered the sky faded into Fuyuki's cold air, as if it had never existed.
Only Damian remained suspended, standing tall beneath the clouds.
"This…" murmured Shirō, his throat dry, unable to form words.
What he had just witnessed was completely beyond his understanding.
A faint sound echoed as Archer's projected blades vanished. He took a deep breath, trying to calm the agitation in his chest, and spoke in a low, steady voice next to Rin's ear.
"Master, Gilgamesh has been eliminated… but the Holy Grail War isn't over yet! There are still other Servants."
!
Rin jolted, abruptly snapping out of the shock of having seen the complete annihilation of the King of Heroes. Her back was drenched in sweat. She turned toward Archer, frowning, about to respond—
"Miss Tōsaka."
A cold voice resonated beside her ear, and it didn't belong to Shirō.
Rin's entire body tensed, her heart nearly stopped.
Everyone—Artoria, Shirō, and Archer—looked up at the sky at the same time.
There was Damian.
And at some point, without anyone noticing, he was holding someone in one hand.
The body hung limp, covered in blood. The black cassock was in tatters, revealing a soaked shirt beneath. Hair that was once neatly combed now fell messily over a pale face, while a stained crucifix swayed slowly over his chest.
It was Kirei Kotomine.
The overseer of the Holy Grail War.
Damian held him as if he were nothing more than trash, his gaze descending toward Rin.
"The Holy Grail… what's that thing even for?"
There was no curiosity in his voice, only contempt.
The reason Damian asked that question was simple—because as far as he understood, the so-called Holy Grail War was nothing more than a massive ritual system created by the three founding families—the Einzbern, the Tōsaka, and the Matō—with the purpose of reaching the "Root."
The myth that it could grant any wish seemed absurd to him.
If it truly possessed such power, then wishing to be invincible forever would have been enough.
That was why, to him, the Holy Grail was nothing but a lie.
"..."
Rin froze when she heard his question.
She wanted to explain the legend of the Grail, but when she saw the disdain in Damian's eyes, she understood—it wasn't a question. It was a statement.
A display of absolute scorn toward the Holy Grail.
She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Like a mirage, Damian appeared in front of her and threw Kirei's body at her feet.
Only then could everyone clearly see the man he had been holding.
Rin stared at him, unable to comprehend. "This…"
Damian pointed with his chin. "This is the one I told you about. The other assassin. The true culprit behind your father's death. The Master of that arrogant one from earlier."
!
Rin's pupils contracted, and her fingers began to tremble.
Kirei… her father's disciple was the one who had killed him?
"Impossible…" she murmured, her voice caught in her throat.
Kirei smiled, his teeth stained with blood. "The daughter of Tokiomi Tōsaka… finally knows…"
Archer's blades immediately pressed against his throat. Shirō stepped back, and Artoria tightened her grip on her sword.
"..."
Silence filled the place, broken only by Kirei's weak breathing.
Rin's nails dug into her palms until they bled.
Damian frowned and patted her on the shoulder. "Why are you so worked up? He's nothing but trash now."
He drew Yamato from its sheath and extended the handle toward her. "Will you do it, or do you want me to help you?"
Rin looked at the hilt, then lowered her gaze to Kirei's body. Hatred burned inside her, but she couldn't move.
Kirei smiled faintly, his blood-covered lips barely parting—
Swish
His figure vanished.
"Where is he?!" shouted Shirō.
Archer raised his swords, ready to strike. Artoria scanned the surroundings tensely.
But Damian calmly sheathed Yamato. "Done."
Rin stared at him in confusion. "He escaped?"
"Escaped?" Damian smirked with disdain. "He's floating in space."
Everyone froze.
"Literally." He pointed upward. "Right now, he's probably already frozen."
…
In the void of space, Kirei's body, severed by Yamato, drifted aimlessly. His face was frozen in an expression of shock, and the crucifix around his neck silently shattered, disintegrating into nothingness.
…
"This ritual should have ended."
Damian's words made everyone look up at him.
Suspended in the air, a disdainful smile formed on his lips. "The Root? Boring."
Then he closed his eyes, and an overwhelming perception spread outward as the faint hum of Yamato resonated at his waist, that energy covering all of Fuyuki before plunging deep underground.
A sharp sound echoed, and Damian suddenly opened his eyes.
Yamato slid out of its sheath.
In midair, he swung the katana a few times with apparent carelessness.
Then came absolute silence.
In the next instant, Rin, Archer, and Artoria's expressions changed abruptly.
"The magical energy… it's fading!" shouted Rin, feeling a burning emptiness run through her circuits.
Rumble… rumble!
All of Fuyuki began to shake. But it wasn't a simple earthquake—the tremor came from deep underground, as if a massive structure were collapsing beneath the earth.
Houses trembled, debris rolled, and in the underground heart where the Greater Holy Grail system lay, the spiritual network was falling apart.
The endless flow of magical energy that sustained the ritual was being "cut" and "annihilated" by a force beyond comprehension.
As Damian sheathed Yamato, the shaking intensified.
"WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" shouted Shirō, struggling to stay on his feet as the ground quaked violently.
With the tremor persisting, Damian frowned.
Swish
He appeared on the ground, just a few steps away from them. His right hand rested on Yamato's hilt, and he gently pressed it downward.
Thud
A dull, deep sound resonated, as if it had struck the very heart of the city.
Immediately, everything stopped, and silence returned.
"..."
Everyone stood motionless, staring at Damian, then at the solid ground beneath their feet, and finally at the sky, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
"W-what… just happened?"
Shirō broke the silence.
At that moment, Artoria's body began to emit a faint light, like a flame about to go out.
She lowered her gaze and saw her hands turning translucent. A spark of understanding crossed her green eyes before her expression softened.
With the destruction of the Holy Grail system, her existence as a Servant began to fade. The ley lines beneath Fuyuki were exhausted, and the spiritual node that had sustained the city for centuries had collapsed.
The entire Grail system had been erased with a few simple movements of Yamato.
Damian watched as Artoria slowly vanished, and Archer stood tense, his eyes fixed on him.
He frowned.
"Tsk."
Without warning, Yamato came out of its sheath, its icy blade aimed directly at Shirō.
Too fast!
Rin flinched, and Archer rushed forward to intercept—
Swish
A blue flash cut through the air, but it didn't strike Shirō's body—it grazed the back of his hand, right where the Command Seal glowed.
"Ah!"
Shirō only felt a faint chill, no pain, as the seal detached from his skin, floating in the air as a crimson, radiant symbol.
Damian extended his hand.
!
The seal flew toward him in a red flash and engraved itself on the back of his right hand, burning like a mark of blood.
And at the same time, Artoria's body, which had begun to turn translucent before, suddenly burst into a soft and dazzling white light.
Her spiritual form stabilized immediately, and before everyone's astonished eyes, it became completely solid.
A life force far stronger than before, belonging to a true body of flesh and blood, emanated from her.
It was a real, human body.
Surprised, Artoria looked down in disbelief, staring at her own hands, now as tangible as any human's, her eyes filled with astonishment.
Silence fell once more.
Everyone stood frozen, staring at Artoria. Her presence was now completely stable, even stronger than before.
Then they looked toward Damian's waist, where the crimson seal gleamed intensely, and finally to Shirō, who retained only a faint red mark on his hand.
Damian glanced down at the seal on his right hand. With a simple motion of his left, he released it, and the symbol vanished as if it had never existed.
He lifted his gaze toward Artoria, who radiated renewed energy, as if she had been reborn.
The ice in his expression melted away, replaced by a calm smile.
"Saber, it's time for you to return."
Artoria's body trembled at those words. Deep within her soul, the bond with Shirō shattered instantly, and an immensely superior force established a new connection with Damian.
The transfer was immediate.
A small fraction of Damian's indomitable power flowed into her, healing all her wounds in an instant. Her blue dress and silver armor were restored, gleaming as if newly forged.
Artoria lifted her gaze.
First, she looked at Shirō, who still stood motionless, confusion and sorrow reflected in his eyes. In hers, there was a faint apology… and resignation.
Then she turned to Damian, whose expression remained serene, accompanied by a warm smile.
Without hesitation, she stepped forward until she stood before him. She bent one knee, placed her right fist over her chest, and bowed solemnly to her new Master.
"Summoned by your call, Master. From this moment on, my sword shall be with you. Your destiny and mine will be one. The contract is sealed."
________
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