Different Convictions (Continued)

He remarked to Rovey, "I don't think any King of Heroes would easily share his treasures."

"Yes, I've been through so much. First, I fought a three-way battle in Jerusalem, then I played a game of World of Warcraft in Mesopotamia, and then I played a whole round of Mortal Kombat at the Temple of Time. These are some of the achievements I've made. Why don't you give it a try?"

"..."

Hearing these nonsensical words, Emiya Kiritsugu couldn't understand them, but that didn't stop him from realizing that the man in front of him was far beyond his comprehension. So, without any hesitation, he picked up the bottles and jars and started drinking them one by one.

"Is it effective?"

How are you feeling now?

Rovey asked curiously, "Are you feeling better?"

Sorry, there's still no response.

After finishing the potion, Emiya Kiritsugu gently shook his head and slowly put it down.

"I see..."

Seeing this, Rovey roughly understood that ordinary potions could not solve the All the World's Evil; only the top-tier potions from mythology could do the trick.

At any other time, such things would have been plentiful in the Babylon Treasury.

However, his treasury was shared with Wise King Gilgamesh, and due to the pressure of the Demonic Beast Front, all sorts of potions and other miscellaneous items were distributed to the soldiers as war supplies by Gilgamesh. He also drank the potions to restore vitality and started working overtime. In addition, with the consumption of the King's Cannon, there really wasn't much of value left in his treasury. Now, all that's left are some well-known artifacts from various mythologies; potions like those are nowhere to be found.

"It seems there's no other way after all... But it's alright, I will continue to fight. Don't worry, we won't let anyone die."

Having anticipated this outcome, Emiya Kiritsugu lowered his head and gave a bitter smile. However, he was not discouraged, because he no longer cared that he couldn't be cured.

He knew his body better than anyone. After ten years of erosion, he was already terminally ill. He had tried to solve the problem in the past, but none of them worked. Now that he was continuing to burn his life force, it was naturally beyond saving.

Seeing this, Rovey sighed helplessly.

His prediction was correct; he was indeed terminally ill long ago. Ordinary potions were useless, and the only things that could save him were things like divine blood, Golden Apple, and Elixir of Immortality.

The two behind him were eaten by Gilgamesh, and the one in front of him was also gone. Now he was a completely ordinary person, no longer possessing the characteristics of Child of God, and his blood was no longer divine blood, so he couldn't solve the problem in one go.

At that moment, he suddenly felt a pang of longing for his adoptive father and the power of the Christianity.

Although it's a lot of trouble, it's really useful.

"Okay, thank you for your help. You've already done enough for me. That's good."

Even after realizing he was beyond saving, Emiya Kiritsugu did not despair or feel any sadness; his expression remained perfectly calm.

He looked at Rovey calmly and said, "Let me continue on alone from now on. I'm a little tired, so let me sleep for a while."

"I see..."

Hearing this, Rovey raised an eyebrow, then asked, "What about your daughter? Aren't you going back to take care of her? It's getting late."

"Illya ...it's alright. Maiya came here yesterday. It's enough that she's there to take care of Illya. I don't want them to see me like this."

"I'm sorry to have troubled you so much, but I'm so exhausted I barely have the strength to even talk to you. I really can't go on anymore, I need to rest for a bit..."

As he spoke, Emiya Kiritsugu's voice grew softer and softer until it finally fell silent, leaving only a series of calm breaths in the room.

This time, he had a dream, a dream of his past, a dream of himself amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Similarly, this time he saw not only himself who had killed his father, adoptive mother, and lover, but he also witnessed a tragedy.

He witnessed firsthand, amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood, a hero who had overcome Twelve Labors and possessed the power to lift the heavens, kill his own child in a fit of rage and madness.

He witnessed firsthand that the giant-like man shed tears.

The pain etched deep in his memory, the sin and agony of killing his loved ones with his own hands, resonated deeply with Emiya Kiritsugu.

This unforgettable pain caused that tall and brave giant, that hero who had faced countless hardships without shedding a single tear, to shed extremely painful tears for the first time after everything happened.

After that incident, he began to hate everything about himself, and he especially loathed his own power.

He once questioned his body, angrily questioning why it possessed such great power, and why it used those hands—hands meant to protect his family—to kill his own child.

At that moment, Hercules felt hatred for everything he possessed.

Because when he went berserk, it wasn't that no one tried to stop him, but because of his immense power, no one could stop him when he went berserk, or even delay him in the slightest.

And that child, until the very end, the smile on his face and the murmur of his father remained an inescapable curse clinging to his heart.

That was not a trial; it was his sin, his crime, the greatest Original Sin that he would have to pay for his entire life, but which he could never ever repay.

In another world, even though he relinquished the power he hated, abandoned the symbolic Noble Phantasm of the Twelve Glories, and left only his unwavering body, he still couldn't protect that tiny snowflake.

Emiya Kiritsugu also witnessed firsthand the scene where Heracles, who possessed the Twelve Labors and twelve lives and was wholeheartedly dedicated to protecting Illya, ultimately died at the hands of Gilgamesh. He also saw Illya's eyes being blinded and her life taken away by Gilgamesh at the end of her life.

At that moment, he roared in defiance along with Heracles.

"Illya!!"

Suddenly, Emiya Kiritsugu opened his eyes.

But he discovered it was just a dream, or rather, a memory belonging to Hercules.

Having seen so much, he seemed to understand everything.

At that moment, the jet-black giant stood before him, looking down at Emiya Kiritsugu.

"So that's how it is... Is this the reason you answered my summons?"

Looking at Hercules before him, Emiya Kiritsugu recalled everything he had witnessed, and at that moment he understood everything completely.

"Because we've both lost everything, because we've done things that can't be undone, we must atone for our sins; because we failed to protect Illya, we must fight once more...?"

In one world, he hated the Twelve Glories stained with blood, which led to Illya's death. So this time, even though Hercules loathed the power that killed his child, he had to endure the discomfort and pain to pick it up again.

We will overcome all difficulties, defeat all enemies, and never repeat the same mistakes.

And this time, Hercules made an unshakeable vow.

[I will never kill anyone.]

This was a vow he made from the bottom of his heart, a pledge he made to his soul.

Using this power that represents killing for good will never defeat anyone; it will only be used for protection.

He will do everything in his power to ensure that Emiya Kiritsugu and Illya live a peaceful and happy life forever.

"You saw it all, didn't you, Master? That memory about me."

"Um."

"So..."

Hercules extended his kind hand to Emiya Kiritsugu, "Please fight alongside me."

"I will."

Seeing Hercules' outstretched hand, Emiya Kiritsugu didn't hesitate and placed his hand in it. The warmth quickly spread through him, and he spoke with unwavering conviction:

"I will fight alongside you. This time, we will not repeat the same mistakes, great hero."

"Um."

Upon hearing Emiya Kiritsugu's words, Hercules, who was standing in front of him, didn't say much, but a subtle smile appeared on his lips.

It is precisely because they have similar experiences that they understand that some wounds can never be forgotten, no matter how much time has passed.

All they can do is cherish the present moment and make choices they won't regret.

Meanwhile, in Bazett's cheap apartment.

"Are you alright, Lancer?"

Looking at Cú Chulainn, who had been sullen since returning last night, Bazett sighed and then asked him a question.

Because of the commotion she caused yesterday, the police blocked the road, forcing her to take a long detour. When she arrived, Cú Chulainn was the only one left sitting on the shore of the bridge, seemingly lost in thought.

Although he appeared to be unharmed, the astonishing explosion unleashed by the release of his Noble Phantasm was undeniable.

Realizing they had lost communication, Bazett quit her job today, bought a few cans of beer, sat down next to Cú Chulainn, sighed, and asked:

"What's wrong, Lancer? Are you still upset about yesterday's battle? Is it because you didn't defeat your opponent?"

Cú Chulainn took the beer Bazett offered, took a big gulp, and replied, "How could I be so petty? It's just that there are a few things that bother me."

"Is what's bothering you... still the Servant you encountered yesterday? That person must have been very strong."

"Ah, incredibly strong. The King of the Third Crusade, despite having neither demigod blood nor divine resemblance, just a complete human being, is ridiculously powerful. Not only did he summon seven companions to assist in the battle, but he also combined the abilities of all seven into one. It's giving me a real headache. I've even lost to him in terms of speed, which I'm so proud of."

Cú Chulainn took a sip of beer and continued talking to himself, "To have achieved this much with one's abilities is truly admirable. Although that guy wasn't a king in our time, I can sense that even if he lived in our era, he would definitely be a good opponent or a good Lord."

"The King of the Third Crusade, isn't that... Lionheart King I, the Richard I? So it really was you two who clashed with your Noble Phantasm before?"

Upon hearing this, Bazett's eyes widened slightly, and he hurriedly pressed on, "So what was the final result?"

"What else can happen? I'm here completely unharmed."

Cú Chulainn whistled and continued, "He has the advantage in speed, and his hexagonal shape is flawless, but I'm still superior in martial arts, so neither of us can defeat the other. Let's just have a Noble Phantasm clash!"

"You... did you kill them?"

Knowing that Cú Chulainn was standing unharmed before him, Bazett immediately had this thought in his mind. However, given the clash of magical forces last night, it was truly hard to imagine that Cú Chulainn would emerge unscathed. That was a terrifying collision that nearly shattered the entire Fuyuki City Bridge.

"..."

Upon hearing this, Cú Chulainn's lips twitched.

Thinking about what happened last night made him feel uneasy.

They originally intended to test their skills and fight to the death with Lionheart King, but instead, their two top-tier Servant were wiped out in one fell swoop by Lionheart's slow-motion Nine Lives.

With a giant axe in his left hand and a heavy sword in his right, his combination of techniques left him completely helpless.

What's even more outrageous is that Cú Chulainn and Lionheart King, whose battle had been aborted, originally wanted to unite against this monster, which was clearly stronger than either of them, before engaging in combat.

As a result, Rovey descended from the sky and immediately stopped their battle.

More importantly, Cú Chulainn was surprised to find that Rovey, whom he had specially invited to cheer him on, was not only someone he knew, but also someone who seemed to be more familiar with Lionheart King and Hercules than with him.

Hercules seemed to have anticipated Rovey's arrival, and Cú Chulainn even suspected that Rovey had summoned this giant for him. Lionheart King was even more astonishing; the moment he saw Rovey, he knelt down as if he had met an idol, and then said some things that Cú Chulainn didn't understand. His behavior gave Cú Chulainn the illusion that he had fallen into a trap.

If he hadn't already known that Rovey's servant was a Caster, he would have thought that Lionheart King was Rovey's Servant. Anyway, things had become very strange, so he lost the will to continue fighting.

Thinking of this, Cú Chulainn sighed and said...

"It was stopped by an even stronger guy. That guy was ridiculously strong. In a one-on-one fight, I would just get smashed to pieces. I wouldn't stand a chance. Oh, by the way, that guy's real name was the great Greece hero, Hercules."

"Hercules... Heracles?!"

Bazett was certainly familiar with the name, and even more so with its power and meaning, so she was astonished to hear that this being had also been summoned. But when she thought of Cú Chulainn's head-on confrontation with that being and his unscathed performance, she felt utterly incredulous.

"So... did you escape from him?"

"No, why would I run away?" Cú Chulainn scratched his head, then his expression became extremely subtle.

"You might not believe it, but that guy's goal wasn't to eliminate the other contestants and obtain the Holy Grail; his goal was to prevent everyone from dying until the Holy Grail War ended."

"You should understand what this means, right?"

Cú Chulainn looked at Bazett and said.

Upon hearing this, Bazett's gaze grew increasingly serious, and his expression revealed disbelief. "You mean... he's going to be an enemy of the other six riders?"

"It's obvious that's what they mean."

Upon seeing his Master understand the meaning, Cú Chulainn finished his beer, stood up, and stretched.

"Not only are they powerful, but they also have the resolve to fight against the other six riders simultaneously. If we don't show the same resolve, they will be the victors, Master."

"I see."

After hearing Cú Chulainn's words, Bazett pondered for a moment and then nodded.

"That..."

She was about to say something more when she suddenly heard Cú Chulainn speak.

"By the way, Master, your idol... something seems off. Your benefactor, your white moonlight, isn't so simple either. He seems to have his own schemes. Just a heads-up, compared to Hercules, that guy is even more unpredictable. Be careful not to get tricked into bed one day and then be taken advantage of!"

After finishing his business, his tone changed again. Cú Chulainn whistled and gave a playful reminder.

"Ha?"

Hearing his words, Bazett, who was standing next to him, was taken aback.