Or, you guys find another savior

Using the ice surface created by Xi Jianxi as a foundation, she shattered it and transformed it into countless ice blades, which she then launched at Xi Jianxi.

However, this wave of attacks was dispersed by Artoria and Iskandar from both sides. The two swords then simultaneously slashed towards Justeza's body, severing her arm along with her shoulder.

As if feeling no pain, Justeza retreated. The ice surface shattered, and numerous pale arms emerged from the opening, grabbing at Iskandar and Artoria, forcing the two Servants to quickly roll on the ice and move out of the attack range.

Justeza, whose arms were regenerating for the second time, raised her head and looked upwards. Morgan's magic was ready and heading straight for the target.

A violent explosion stirred up waves ten meters high on the lake, and even the Greater Holy Grail's base, which resembled a mass of rotting flesh, was nearly half destroyed.

Under the cover of the mist, Xi Jianxi, who had relaxed slightly, suddenly noticed something.

Kirei wasn't here? Had he been utterly annihilated?

Unfortunately, the current situation did not allow Xi Jianxi to question Morgan or the Emiya couple, who were present earlier. From the gradually dissipating explosion smoke, Justeza was slowly rising towards the sky, near the opened 'hole.'

"Offerings, keep struggling. That way, I can devour you all more deliciously."

As she spoke, a golden cup appeared and disappeared from her body.

The magic of the 'hole' expanded rapidly.

"Is that... a Noble Phantasm?" Artoria asked in shock.

Xi Jianxi was already preparing a great magic.

"It's likely an offensive technique similar to a Noble Phantasm, coupled with an absolute advantage against Servants. I'm afraid if you're touched by it, it's game over."

"Don't just stand there, Artoria, prepare to use your Noble Phantasm," Morgan also arrived beside them.

The second Command Spell Xi Jianxi had given her instantly vanished, and a vast amount of magic began to gather.

"Saber, the magic of the Command Spell! I entrust it to you!" Irisviel, seeing this, also immediately used a Command Spell to supplement the magic Artoria needed to activate her Noble Phantasm.

"Understood!"

The King of Knights and the witch's magic instantly swelled.

Iskandar, lacking a similar offensive method, also raised his sword and summoned lightning to aid them.

The clash of trump cards was imminent.

"Black Holy Grail, sing!" (Song of Grail)

Following Justeza's declaration, the Servants also unleashed the true names of their Noble Phantasms.

"Excalibur!"

"Roadless Camelot!"

The Holy Grail's dark magic collided with the heroes' radiance.

"Life Wall!"

However, those curses could not erode the radiance of the Servants. Xi Jianxi used his magic to block all of them.

"Damn... it!"

Justeza roared in unwillingness the moment before being engulfed by the light.

Chapter 87: The Final Task

"This is... the underground cavern where the Greater Holy Grail is located."

In the more than two years spent in Fuyuki, this was Xi Jianxi's first time truly reaching the Greater Holy Grail's location.

Accompanying him, besides Morgan, were the allies who had just fought together.

The boundless sky and the desolate land almost made one forget that this was an underground cavern.

By estimation, the diameter of this area was about three kilometers. At the end of the path the group was walking on was rock that resembled a wall. And above that rock was the altar of the Greater Holy Grail.

The Black Holy Grail was destroyed, and the mass of flesh on the lake behind Ryuudou Temple was also eliminated.

Tokiomi Tohsaka, who served as the core, was retrieved from the lake by Kiritsugu Emiya's proactive intervention. Although he had lost a hand, he was still barely alive.

But what surprised Xi Jianxi even more was that Kiritsugu Emiya, who appeared to be devoid of emotion, would actively save someone.

Whether his prediction was wrong or if this man had changed, Xi Jianxi did not know.

However, when they got within a kilometer, everyone felt a barrier blocking their advance.

It was both an obstruction and a safety measure.

Within the now-closed Greater Holy Grail altar lay an inexhaustible amount of magical power that any Magus could use freely.

Without the Holy Grail manifesting as a medium, rashly coming into contact with such a vast amount of magic was extremely dangerous.

"It's enough to get this far," Morgan stopped first.

The distorted entity that appeared in the lake was merely the Greater Holy Grail's external terminal. Even if it and the 'hole' were destroyed, it would not damage the fundamental structure; at most, it would just cause the opened gate to close again.

She turned around and looked at Artoria and Iskandar, and their respective Masters.

"Once the purification ritual begins, the Holy Grail will no longer have enough magic to activate, and the Servants will begin to depart," Morgan asked quietly, "One last time, do you accept to cease the Holy Grail War just like this?"

It seemed like a superfluous question, but Morgan confirmed it again.

She was well aware of the allure of the wish-granting machine to Magus and Heroic Spirits.

After witnessing the truth of the Holy Grail firsthand, neither the Masters nor the Servants could accept the corrupted Grail any longer.

Thus, everyone's reaction was remarkably unified.

"Then, let's begin the ritual to purify the Greater Holy Grail."

Morgan raised the Demon Spear she used as a staff and gently thrust it into the air before her. As if touching a switch, a massive magic circuit appeared on the ground.

If one were to view it from the sky, the appearance of that magic circuit would be identical to Justeza's form from before.

It was precisely because Justeza, whose entire body was a magic circuit, had become the foundation of the Greater Holy Grail with its own flesh and blood that a major requirement for the establishment of the Holy Grail War was met.

The essence of the Greater Holy Grail's corruption was the entry of an out-of-spec Servant from the Third Holy Grail War into the Grail, which contaminated its magic.

Normally, purification would be an unrealistic endeavor; it could only be dismantled.

However, Morgan, who had deciphered the Fuyuki Holy Grail War system in a remarkably short time, knew what needed to be done. The price would be nothing more than consuming a portion of the magic that took sixty years to accumulate.

This would result in the stripping away of "All the World's Evil" that lay dormant within the Greater Holy Grail.

As the purification ritual for the Greater Holy Grail gradually began, everyone realized that the time for farewells was approaching. The Masters and their respective Servants walked away in different directions, exchanging parting words.

"What's wrong? Is there something you're reluctant to part with?" Morgan asked.

Once the Grail's purification ritual was initiated, she would no longer need to maintain it, unless Artoria or Iskandar were to have a change of heart and attempt to interfere.

This was why she had the leisure to inquire of Xi Jianxi.

"No... I just feel like so much has happened these past few days," Xi Jianxi replied with a wry smile. "It's been quite a struggle pursuing a wish-granting machine capable of fulfilling any desire."

"It's because Magus created the Holy Grail not to find release from all suffering, but to overcome all suffering," Morgan shook her head. "Whether it's reaching the Root or a wish so grand it exceeds the capacity of the entire planet..."

It was precisely this world-altering desire that had brought about the current world.

But it was also this desire that had led the Holy Grail War to this outcome.

"The Servants are all starting to withdraw."

Morgan's voice pulled Xi Jianxi back from his thoughts.

Artoria and Iskandar were waving goodbye to them in their own ways.

Although Irisviel looked somewhat reluctant, she ultimately wore a smile. In contrast, Waver was crying uncontrollably, prompting the King of Conquerors to pat his shoulder and offer some final words of comfort.

After seeing off the two Servants, Irisviel and Waver departed the Great Holy Grail's cavern first, leaving Morgan and Xi Jianxi to say their goodbyes as they awaited the completion of the purification ritual.

"The purification ritual is almost over," Morgan said tactfully.

Xi Jianxi looked at the witch standing beside him, a deep sense of reluctance welling up in his heart.

"Although for everyone else, the Holy Grail War didn't achieve any of its objectives, your wish has been fulfilled," Xi Jianxi forced a smile and congratulated Morgan.

"I suppose so," Morgan replied with a noncommittal smile.

As the ritual neared its end, the words he had held back for so long finally escaped his lips as a faint light began to emanate from Morgan, signaling her departure.

"If... if I asked you to stay and form a new contract with me, would you accept?" Xi Jianxi clasped the hand he could still hold.

Morgan showed a slight surprise, a hint of joy in her eyes. "Without the Holy Grail War's ritual, providing the magic to sustain a Servant would be incredibly difficult. Even for you."

"Even so, I hope you'll stay," Xi Jianxi lowered his gaze. "I haven't come to understand you at all yet."

It was unexpected, yet entirely within reason, perfectly fitting Morgan's understanding of him.

"Then there's nothing I can do. Since my husband has made such a plea, how could I not lend an ear?" Morgan flipped her wrist, grasping Xi Jianxi's outstretched hand. "Although you're not asking me to stay solely for your own sake, for now, let's pretend we didn't notice and turn a blind eye."

"I'm not that—" Xi Jianxi felt misunderstood and wanted to argue.

Morgan, however, stopped him with a look. "Rather than wasting your breath on explanations, let's proceed with the re-contracting quickly."

"Right, then I..."

Just as he was about to recite the contract incantation, his lips were sealed.

A cold yet soft sensation filled his nostrils.

Epilogue

Three months later.

Compared to the winter season when the Fourth Holy Grail War was held, Fuyuki's spring was exceptionally pleasant and suitable for outings and relaxation.

"So... to this day, Kirei Kotomine's body is still unaccounted for?"

Inside the cafe, Irisviel von Einzbern sipped her coffee and asked Xi Jianxi, who was sitting opposite her.

Waver Velvet was also present.

"Yes. Neither the Holy Church nor the Mage's Association has found Kirei's body, despite sending out personnel," Xi Jianxi nodded slightly. "As you said, Kirei was indeed pierced through the heart by the Black Holy Grail and fell into the lake."

Waver then proposed a hypothesis, "Could it have been swallowed by the Greater Holy Grail? After all, that thing looks like it could swallow anything."

"I can't rule out that possibility, but it always makes me feel uneasy," Xi Jianxi took a sip of his coffee. "I tried using an item related to Kirei for tracking magic. The final conclusion was that he had already died."

Irisviel sighed. "If that's the case..."

She had intended to offer Xi Jianxi some words of comfort, but in the end, she couldn't find anything suitable to say.

Kirei Kotomine, whom Kiritsugu had once been extremely wary of, was so easily and inconspicuously killed by the very Grail he had awakened was indeed not a comforting conclusion.

"Never mind, let's not talk about that," Xi Jianxi said, turning his head to look at one side of the cafe.

Kiritsugu Emiya was with a little silver-haired girl, looking at things in the display window.

Illyasviel von Einzbern.

Half a month after the Holy Grail War ended, Irisviel personally visited and asked him to assist her husband in going to Germany to bring their daughter back from the Einzbern family.

In reality, with Kiritsugu Emiya's abilities, taking his daughter wouldn't have been difficult. However, to be safe, they had paid a hefty sum to have Xi Jianxi assist them.

"Who is that boy?" Xi Jianxi asked.

Beside Kiritsugu, there was also a little red-haired boy.

"That child? His name is Shirou," Irisviel introduced. "His parents died in a car accident last month, and he has no other relatives to take him in. Since he got along well with Kiritsugu, he adopted him and passed on the Emiya surname."

Xi Jianxi understood and didn't ask further.

After all, he had also adopted two children himself, so he had no reason to be curious about other people's family matters.

The reason they came out for coffee today was to exchange some information about the aftermath of the Holy Grail War.

As Masters who had lasted until the end of this special Holy Grail War, they couldn't help but be concerned about many subsequent developments.

"I heard the Tohsaka girl has recently started studying with you?" Irisviel asked.

"It's more of a temporary remedial measure," Xi Jianxi shook his head.

Tokiomi Tohsaka had indeed barely survived.

However, having been forcibly used as the core for activating the Holy Grail, his magic circuits had suffered considerable damage. Although he could still use magic, he could no longer be considered a Magus, but rather a Mage.

Tokiomi, whose aptitude was not as outstanding as his daughter Rin Tohsaka's, was now completely unable to guide Rin in practical magic.

After much deliberation, he decided to commission Xi Jianxi as a tutor to teach Rin some general magical knowledge, with lessons scheduled about once a month.