"Ex————calibur!!"
A torrent of light rushed towards the unsuspecting Gilgamesh with absolute might! The brilliance unleashed by the magical energy being raised to its limit was no longer something that Gilgamesh could simply block.
"This King..."
As if trying to catch the attack that had discolored the heavens and the earth, Gilgamesh stretched out his hand toward the front, only for it to hang limply as he was shrouded in light. Even if the Gate of Babylon contained treasures that changed in a thousand ways, it was helpless against an attack of this intensity. In the silhouette of light and shadow, the figure of the golden Heroic Spirit gradually dissipated, turning back into the original aether that composed his being.
King Gilgamesh, the most powerful hero in the Fourth Holy Grail War, finally tasted the consequences of his pride and returned to the Throne of Heroes under the holy sword of Saber.
...
After the war, everything was finally over, and both Saber and Shirou were exhausted.
"Hoo..."
Saber gasped, fine beads of sweat oozing from her fair forehead and sliding down her cheeks. Her blonde hair was damp with sweat and stuck to her skin.
"Shirou... You can let me go now, right?"
Saber writhed uneasily.
"I almost forgot... I'm sorry."
Shirou smiled apologetically, then withdrew his hand. Then, the scabbard that belonged to Saber was removed.
"Finally, it is time for it to be returned to its rightful owner."
"Shirou..."
Saber looked at the young man who handed her the scabbard without any hesitation, and mixed feelings welled up in her heart. Then, as if she had received the most precious gift, she held the scabbard tightly in her arms.
Saber's beautiful glass-colored eyes reflected the colors of gold and blue for a moment. The delicate scabbard was once again in the arms of its owner, and even Shirou could feel the cheers coming from the relic.
"Thank you... Shirou!"
Saber looked up at the boy in front of her, revealing the most beautiful smile yet. At that moment, Shirou, who was deeply attracted, silently imprinted this smile in the depths of his heart.
"Let's go back and see Irisviel; she shouldn't be in a good state at the moment."
Speaking of Irisviel, Shirou frowned slightly. Although he had some plans in his heart, Shirou hadn't thought about how to save Irisviel yet. Moreover, even if he succeeded, he would have to spend time in Einzbern, Germany, to get a homunculus body based on the prototype of Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern.
"Good." Saber, who had complete trust in Shirou at the moment, nodded obediently and followed behind him.
That being said... Saber wasn't well-behaved at all once she got behind the wheel. Shirou, who was jostled all the way through the mountain road, felt as if his brain was about to rattle. It didn't take long to arrive at the Einzbern Castle in the middle of the forest.
A silver-haired woman, extremely frail, was lying flat on a soft bed.
"How are you, Irisviel?"
Saber looked at her worriedly.
"Well, I'm fine, Saber. You can fight to your heart's content, don't worry about me..."
Although Irisviel comforted Saber, at this moment, she had become fragile after receiving the souls of six Servants. The extremely pale woman seemed as if she might shatter. After a few words, a look of pain appeared on Irisviel's beautiful face.
Shirou raised his hand and used a gentle sleep spell on her to give her some rest. Before the final moment comes, I can only let her endure it for a while.
As Irisviel slept, Saber sighed and looked at Shirou.
"Shirou... Archer is gone. Is it possible that once we kill Rider, the Holy Grail will appear?"
In response to Saber's sudden question, Shirou remained silent for a few seconds. Then he suddenly asked:
"I say, Saber..."
"What?"
"Britain now... has it perished?"
Saber looked confused at Shirou's sudden question. Then, based on the modern knowledge she had gained, she answered in the affirmative: "... Of course it has."
"In that case... Forget it, you wouldn't listen even if I explained it..."
Shirou sighed. He knew the truth in advance, and as he got closer to the reality of the situation, he couldn't help but feel tormented. The beautiful smile she showed after receiving the scabbard seemed to appear before him again.
Shirou took a deep breath and returned to the original topic.
"You understand the Holy Grail War as seven heroes killing each other, leaving the last one to claim the Holy Grail, am I right?"
"Is something wrong?" asked Saber.
"Hehe, you're right." Shirou smiled and continued. "It's just a bit of a misunderstanding. It's not a competition for qualifications; it's a necessary killing."
"Necessary killing?"
Saber, who was unsettled by the words, narrowed her willow-like eyebrows.
"There are three conditions that need to be met for the advent of the Holy Grail. The first is the vessel of the Holy Grail... Well, that's Irisviel."
As he spoke, Shirou glanced at the woman who had fallen into a deep sleep.
"The second is a massive spiritual vein. In the land controlled by the Tohsaka family, there is a vein in Fuyuki Town connected to a source of magical energy so huge it can be called endless."
Shirou raised his hand and held up three fingers.
"As for the last one, it's the magical energy of six Servants." Actually, it should be said that it is their souls.
In other words, for the Holy Grail War, only the Heroic Spirits are necessary; the Master is just a prop for the summoned Heroic Spirits to manifest. Even if the magus dies in the battle, as long as the soul of the Heroic Spirit is captured, the plan can proceed. As long as the battle takes place within the natural magic circle of Fuyuki Town, the defeated Heroic Spirits will be automatically recycled by the Holy Grail and stored as an energy source to activate the link.
"Six Servants..."
Saber nodded, understanding what Shirou meant.
"I see. Let's focus on dealing with Rider next."
When he thought of the King of Conquerors who disdained his ideals, Saber's eyes lit up with the spirit of battle.