Arc 9The Second Holy Grail War

Shirou helped defeat the Shadow Servants and Angra Mainyu, but Irisviel and Okita died, and Artoria vanished. He then returned ten years into the past as a Foreigner Servant, rescued Sakura, and reunited Kiritsugu with Natalia as the Fourth Holy Grail War continued.

  • Shirou and his allies assaulted Ryuudou Temple, where he fought Arjuna and the Shadow Servants while Okita Souji sacrificed herself to protect Kiritsugu’s group.
  • Shirou defeated Red A and fought the corrupted Enkidu, while Rasputin summoned Barbatos and Angra Mainyu threatened to unleash beasts on the city.
  • Irisviel sacrificed herself to destroy the Black Grail, Solomon defeated Barbatos, and Shirou refused Marisbury’s golden Grail before asking Artoria to help end the war.
  • Shirou returned ten years into the past with Frostmourne, erased Onaizu’s soul, and emerged as a Foreigner Servant when Kiritsugu summoned Artoria.
  • Shirou joined Irisviel and Artoria in Fuyuki, where he watched Artoria duel Diarmuid and intervened as Iskandar, Gilgamesh, and Lancelot entered the conflict.
  • Shirou gained Kariya’s cooperation, rescued Sakura from the Matou estate, destroyed Zouken’s hidden workshop, and arranged for Kariya to care for Sakura and Shinji.
  • Shirou sent Kiritsugu to a house in Fuyuki, where Kiritsugu reunited with Natalia before they set out together to confront Kirei.
Chapters 201–225 Vol. 3 Read

Ch. 201Come Try This Super-Concentrated Mapo Tofu Ramen!

Shirou, Rin Tohsaka, and Sakura met Kallen at the Fuyuki City church, where Kallen’s teasing provoked Shirou and Artoria. Shirou served Kallen his super-concentrated mapo tofu ramen and special mapo water, but Rin drank the water and collapsed.

  • Rin Tohsaka and Sakura hesitated to enter the church because they did not want to face Kallen.
  • Kallen came out to greet them and teased Rin Tohsaka and Sakura about their relationships with Shirou.
  • Kallen mocked Artoria, and Shirou had to stop both her and Artoria from attacking Kallen.
  • Shirou used his magecraft cooking equipment to prepare super-concentrated mapo tofu ramen and special mapo water for Kallen.
  • Kallen finished the food, but Rin drank the leftover water and collapsed in Sakura’s arms.

Ch. 202You're Trying to Scam Me!

After a bizarre murder in Fuyuki, Shirou gathered the others to investigate the killing and assess whether it was connected to the threat at Ryuudou Temple. He assigned Mikiya, Shiki, and Touko to investigate and gave Mikiya and Shiki protective scabbards before turning to preparations for the temple assault.

  • Rin woke at Shirou's house after drinking his specially made spicy mapo water, and Shirou told her to join the dinner and the strategy meeting about Ryuudou Temple.
  • At dinner, Kallen accused Shirou of making her pass out after giving her water, and Sakura helped him explain what had really happened to the household elders.
  • Shirou showed the group a newspaper report about a Fuyuki murder and described finding residual mana and evidence that the victim had been cut apart by threads.
  • Shirou and Solomon discussed whether the murder could be linked to Ryuudou Temple, whose barrier kept Servants out but might not stop other threats.
  • Mikiya offered to investigate, and Shiki and Touko volunteered to join him while Shirou prepared for the assault on Ryuudou Temple.
  • Shirou handed Mikiya and Shiki two long scabbards and told them to rub a spot on them three times if they encountered danger.

Ch. 203The Demon God and Souji

Okita Souji fought her Alter, who gave her the Purgatory Sword as a final trump card for the coming battle against the Shadow Servants on Mount Enzou. Shirou learned that using its power would burn away everything Okita had, but silently accepted her resolve.

  • At midnight, Okita Souji was ambushed by Okita Souji Alter and fought her across the forest.
  • The two exchanged thousands of blows, with Okita Souji Alter's superior abilities offset by Okita having a Master.
  • Okita Souji declared that she would fight for Shirou, who had never complained about her, and remain true to her sincerity.
  • Okita Souji Alter gave Okita the Purgatory Sword and faded away, and the sword merged into Okita's body as her final trump card.
  • Shirou watched from behind a tree and left without stopping Okita, accepting her choice to use every strength they had against the Shadow Servants.

Ch. 204Who Can You Beat?

Shirou kept Rin Tohsaka from joining the dangerous battle at Ryuudou Temple by showing her how outmatched she was against Kirie. Afterward, he reaffirmed to Red A that he would not abandon his ideal of becoming a Hero of Justice, leaving Red A to threaten him before departing.

  • Rin confronted Shirou about excluding her from battles, and he said she was too weak to survive at Ryuudou Temple.
  • Shirou challenged Rin to defeat Kirie, who swiftly knocked her down with Flash Step and a bamboo sword.
  • Sakura explained that Kirie could fight Servants and described her immense physical strength, leaving Rin crushed by the comparison.
  • Red A asked whether Shirou had staged the spar to keep Rin away from Ryuudou Temple, and Shirou agreed the battlefield was too dangerous for her.
  • Red A admitted he still intended to kill Shirou unless he gave up his ideal, but Shirou refused to abandon it.

Ch. 205The Stance of Transformation

Shirou and his allies broke through the barrier at Ryuudou Temple and confronted the enemy, but Attila transformed into the juvenile giant god Sefar. As the others advanced toward the Greater Grail, Shirou stayed behind to fight Arjuna and revealed his new Cocoon Blue form.

  • Solomon removed the barrier, and Gilgamesh struck down the Shadow Servants that emerged.
  • Attila transformed into Sefar before the group could stop her, prompting Solomon and Gilgamesh to prepare to fight the giant god.
  • Enkidu restrained Heracles and stayed behind while Shirou led the others toward the Greater Grail.
  • Arjuna blocked the way, so Shirou sent Kiritsugu and the others onward and challenged him alone.
  • Shirou entered his Hogyoku fusion state and transformed into Cocoon Blue.

Ch. 206Cast Off!

Shirou fought Arjuna in his Cocoon Blue form, relying on his sword and defenses because he could not use magecraft or Hollow powers. Arjuna unleashed his strongest attacks, but a cracking sound from the flames showed that Shirou had survived and the battle continued.

  • Arjuna attacked Shirou with Agni Gandiva, but Shirou destroyed the arrow with a sword swing.
  • Shirou closed in and pressed Arjuna with increasingly powerful slashes, forcing him to use azure flames to escape.
  • Arjuna fired six arrows at Shirou's vital points, but Shirou deflected or blocked them.
  • Shirou charged through Arjuna's lightning and flames and kept attacking at close range.
  • Arjuna combined a full-power Agni Gandiva attack with Pashupata, creating a vast explosion around Ryuudou Temple.
  • Kallen complained about the Mapo Tofu Shirou had left behind as something cracked inside the flames, and Arjuna prepared to continue fighting.

Ch. 207Change Bleach

Shirou defeated Arjuna with powerful Kidō spells, then rushed toward the explosion where Kiritsugu and the others had gone. He found Okita Souji near the end of her life and received her sword before she disappeared.

  • Shirou revealed his white-haired transformation and struck Arjuna with Raikōhō, then restrained him with Kidō spells.
  • Shirou used a fully chanted Senjū Kōten Taihō to pulverize Arjuna.
  • Shirou fought through Rider-class Shadow Servants as he hurried toward the explosion near Kiritsugu and the others.
  • Shirou found Okita Souji standing at the edge of the white world and learned she had stopped the Shadow Servants chasing Kiritsugu.
  • Okita told Shirou that her Spirit Core had collapsed, gave him a sword that would remain after she disappeared, and left the battles ahead to him.

Ch. 208Blooming for a Single Moment of Brilliance

Okita Souji stayed behind to hold off the Shadow Servants so Kiritsugu, Artoria, Irisviel, and the others could reach the Greater Grail. When her Weak Constitution threatened to defeat her, she used her Command Spell to awaken Demon God Okita Souji Alternatives and unleash her final attack, then spoke with her returning Master as she prepared to disappear.

  • Okita Souji asked Kiritsugu to leave her behind to fight the Shadow Servants, and he agreed after recognizing her resolve.
  • Kiritsugu led Artoria, Irisviel, and the other Servants onward while Okita Souji fought the Shadow Servants alone.
  • Okita Souji’s Weak Constitution activated as she fought, leaving her surrounded and collapsing to the ground.
  • Okita Souji used her Command Spell to awaken Demon God Okita Souji Alternatives and unleashed her Anti-World Noble Phantasm, Absolute Sword: Infinite Sky Three Stages.
  • Kiritsugu called out to Okita Souji, and she turned back to speak with her Master before her Spiritron Collapse.

Ch. 209Rise Up

Shirou stored the Purgatory Sword while Shiki, Touko Aozaki, Fujino, Natalia, and Mikiya investigated the bizarre murders and confronted the homunculus responsible. With Fujino and Touko supporting her, Shiki killed the homunculus, ending the threat in the alley.

  • Shirou stored the Purgatory Sword in his Inner World after seeing a vision of a ram-skull greatsword wreathed in blue flames.
  • Mikiya found the homunculus in an alley beside a corpse, holding a mutilated heart as she sought mana by consuming people.
  • Fujino blasted the homunculus's head apart, but it regenerated, and Touko's flames vanished when the creature swallowed them.
  • Shiki charged the homunculus and cut through its deadly threads while Fujino distorted its defenses and Natalia identified its White Crane Knight magecraft.
  • The homunculus tried to escape by melting away, but Touko reinforced Shiki, who reached it and killed it with Kuji Kanetsune.

Ch. 210You Have Cheats, but That Doesn't Mean I Don't

Enkidu struggled against Heracles, whose Twelve Labors adapted to his attacks, and used weapons from Gilgamesh’s treasury to exhaust all of Heracles’s lives. As Enkidu approached the fallen hero, Heracles’s body exploded, revealing the Black Mud of The Evil of This World.

  • Enkidu found that Heracles had become immune to the Chains of Heaven and fought him with weapons and golden chains.
  • Enkidu used Gungnir to take Heracles’s sixth life, then killed him repeatedly with the Sword of the Tree, Sky Piercer, Durandal, and Caladbolg.
  • Enkidu threw Gae Bulg at Heracles as he charged, and three golden weapons pierced Heracles to take his final life.
  • Enkidu approached Heracles’s body, which suddenly exploded and revealed the Black Mud of The Evil of This World.

Ch. 211Sword Forest Above the Canopy

Shirou fought Red A inside Unlimited Blade Works and overwhelmed him with his superior strength and abilities. As Red A faded away, Shirou inherited his world and accepted his request to protect the others.

  • Red A summoned Unlimited Blade Works and vowed to kill Shirou until he abandoned his ideal.
  • Red A attacked with Gan Jiang Mo Ye and Crane Wing Triple Strike, but Shirou stopped the blades and repelled him with Hadō #58: Tenran.
  • Red A unleashed the swords embedded across Unlimited Blade Works and fired Fake Caladbolg, but Shirou countered with sword-shaped magical energy and Hadō #88: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō.
  • Shirou struck Red A through the chest, and Red A acknowledged the difference in their strength as Unlimited Blade Works began to disappear.
  • Red A asked Shirou to use his inherited world to protect the others and warned him not to trust the unscrupulous man.

Ch. 212I Can't Die

Shirou reached the Greater Grail and found Enkidu corrupted by Black Mud and fighting Kiritsugu and Artoria. After revealing his rapidly regenerating body and new power, Shirou prepared to hold Enkidu in place so Artoria could strike them both with her Noble Phantasm.

  • Shirou discovered that his contract with Enkidu had ended and hurried toward the Greater Grail.
  • Shirou found Rasputin fighting Cú Chulainn and Bazett, Irisviel facing Angra Mainyu, and a blackened Enkidu battling Kiritsugu and Artoria.
  • Enkidu impaled Shirou, but Shirou broke free and regenerated before throwing Enkidu into a rock wall.
  • Shirou and Enkidu exchanged attacks, and Shirou's Radiant Wave blasted away half of Enkidu's body before the corrupted Servant began healing.
  • Shirou told Artoria to prepare her Noble Phantasm and promised to hold Enkidu down, trusting Hogyoku to keep him alive.

Ch. 213Fire at Me!

Shirou and Artoria destroyed Enkidu with a combined attack, while Bazett and Cú Chulainn struggled against Rasputin. Rasputin revealed a Black Grail and raised the possibility of summoning the Demon God Pillars, leaving Shirou alarmed.

  • Shirou electrified Enkidu through his golden chains, then held him in place so Artoria could destroy him with her Noble Phantasm; Shirou healed from the blast.
  • Rasputin overpowered Bazett and Cú Chulainn in close combat, leaving Bazett unable to use her Reverse Light Sword.
  • Bazett recognized Rasputin's mannerisms as Kirei Kotomine's and accused him of being the one who had stabbed her.
  • Shirou arrived after defeating the mud man, and Rasputin asked whether Solomon could control the seventy-two Demon God Pillars as a Servant.
  • Shirou recalled that Solomon could not summon the Demon God Pillars or use his Ten Rings of Authority, while Rasputin produced a bubbling Black Grail.

Ch. 214What Do You Mean, This Thing Is Barbatos?

Rasputin summoned Barbatos, whose arrival brought a flood of Black Mud and a second Irisviel. Shirou agreed to let Irisviel confront Dark Irisviel while he turned to face Angra Mainyu, who unleashed seven hundred beasts toward the city.

  • Rasputin used the Matou bloodline and Black Mud to summon Barbatos, who first appeared as a little girl and then transformed into a towering Demon God Pillar.
  • Barbatos punched Cú Chulainn into the woods, and Bazett rushed to check on her Servant.
  • A hole opened above the cup and poured out Black Mud, while Solomon tried to contain it and Irisviel stopped Artoria from attacking it.
  • Dark Irisviel emerged from the hole and hurled Black Mud at Irisviel, but Shirou blocked the blast with his Super Spiritual Pressure Wall.
  • Irisviel insisted on using her Noble Phantasm to purify the evil, and Shirou accepted her decision while resolving to find her human self afterward.
  • Shirou confronted the hidden Angra Mainyu, who split into seven hundred beasts and threatened to send them into the city to hunt.

Ch. 215Azure Waves

Shirou trapped and defeated Angra Mainyu’s beasts while Irisviel overcame Dark Irisviel by sacrificing her Spirit Core to destroy the black Holy Grail. After Irisviel vanished, Shirou confronted Marisbury at Ryuudou Temple and prepared to end the Holy Grail War for good.

  • Shirou activated Unlimited Blade Works and slaughtered the beasts Angra Mainyu had split into on Mount Enzou.
  • Kiritsugu used two Command Spells to empower Irisviel, who gained the advantage over Dark Irisviel while Kiritsugu defended her from Black Mud.
  • Irisviel sacrificed her Noble Phantasm and Spirit Core to make the black Holy Grail disappear, then said farewell to Kiritsugu.
  • Solomon defeated Barbatos, and Shirou found Marisbury at Ryuudou Temple beside the golden Holy Grail.
  • Shirou said the Grail could not resurrect Irisviel or Okita and could not grant Artoria’s wish, then asked Artoria to help him end the Holy Grail War.

Ch. 216Diary, Ten Years Earlier!

After the Holy Grail War, Shirou sought a way to return ten years into the past and restore his family’s happiness, but Aozaki Aoko’s magic sent him to Sakamoto Ryouma instead. The Counter Force tasked him with taking Frostmourne away to prevent a world-ending undead calamity, and Shirou claimed the sword.

  • Artoria asked Bedivere to take her sword to the lake, then vanished before he returned for the third time.
  • Shirou returned to Ryuudou Temple, met Romani Archaman, and promised to make him a strawberry cake when they met again.
  • Three months later, Sella found Shirou’s diary and read that he planned to use Aozaki Aoko’s Fifth Magic to return ten years and bring Irisviel back.
  • Shirou arrived in an unfamiliar place, where Sakamoto Ryouma explained that the Counter Force had brought him there because of Frostmourne.
  • Shirou took Frostmourne and erased the soul of Onaizu, the first Lich King, from the sword.

Ch. 217The Descent, City of Snow

Kiritsugu summoned Artoria as Saber for the Holy Grail War, then a second Servant, Shirou, emerged from a block of ice. At Einzbern Castle, Shirou settled into an unexpected domestic role and told Irisviel he wanted to protect other people’s ideals.

  • Kiritsugu completed the summoning ritual, and Artoria appeared as his Saber despite being a woman.
  • A second summoning array released a block of ice, from which Shirou emerged as a Foreigner Servant.
  • Three hours later, Shirou cooked for Irisviel and Saber, surprising them with his skill in the kitchen.
  • Irisviel and Shirou discussed their wishes for the Holy Grail, and Shirou said he wanted to protect the ideals of others.

Ch. 218Learned in Hawaii

Shirou brought Irisviel and Artoria to Fuyuki, where he guided them around the city while waiting to meet Kiritsugu. At the beach, he reflected on his uncertain return and revealed that he had contacted Natalia.

  • Shirou flew Irisviel and Artoria from the Einzbern estate to Tokyo, then drove them to Fuyuki.
  • Shirou explained that he had learned to pilot a plane in Hawaii and knew modern procedures and Fuyuki's roads from his own time.
  • Shirou guided Irisviel and Artoria around Fuyuki while the two women explored the city and went shopping.
  • At the beach, Shirou worried that the world would reject him after he triggered the grandfather paradox and wondered when he could return.
  • Shirou told Irisviel that he had contacted Natalia and wanted to spare Kiritsugu further pain.

Ch. 219A Few Tricks

Shirou and Irisviel accompanied Artoria to the docks, where she fought Lancer while Shirou advised her and Kiritsugu monitored the battle. Lancer exposed Artoria’s invisible sword and wounded her, leaving their duel in danger.

  • Shirou warned Artoria that Lancer’s two spears might conceal unexpected techniques, then stepped back as they began their duel.
  • Lancer’s Master ordered him to stop testing Artoria and use his Noble Phantasm.
  • Kiritsugu told Shirou that an Assassin-class Servant was nearby and that he had found Lancer’s Master.
  • Lancer’s spear struck Artoria’s Temple of the Wind King, revealing the length of her sword when its protection vanished.
  • Artoria tried to exploit an opening and charge Lancer, but Lancer wounded her.

Ch. 220What Cannot Be Avoided Cannot Be Avoided

Artoria fought Diarmuid, but his paired Noble Phantasms disabled her hand and left her at a disadvantage. Iskandar arrived and tried to recruit the fighters, but they refused, and the standoff grew tense.

  • Artoria removed her armor to fight more agilely, but Diarmuid used his hidden Yellow Rose to wound her hand and prevent her from healing.
  • Artoria recognized Diarmuid as the knight Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, and the two exchanged praise while she assessed her weakened position.
  • Shirou asked Kiritsugu to let him intervene, but Kiritsugu told him to wait because Rider and his Master were approaching.
  • Iskandar arrived in his bull chariot, declared his identity, and proposed that the others join him in conquering the world.
  • Artoria, Diarmuid, and Shirou rejected Iskandar's offer, and Iskandar provoked Artoria by calling her a little girl.

Ch. 221You're Nothing but a Fake

Iskandar confronted Kenneth and challenged the other hidden Servants, drawing Gilgamesh and Berserker Lancelot into a clash. Gilgamesh withdrew under Tohsaka Tokiomi's Command Spell after Shirou provoked him, leaving Tokiomi frustrated that Gilgamesh’s identity had been exposed.

  • Iskandar mocked Kenneth and declared him unfit to be his Master, then called on the hidden Heroic Spirits to reveal themselves.
  • Gilgamesh appeared above the street and insulted Iskandar and Shirou as fakes and pretenders.
  • Berserker Lancelot faced Gilgamesh’s Noble Phantasms and caught one weapon before using it to deflect another.
  • Shirou explained Lancelot’s skill to Irisviel and warned that Gilgamesh could end the war if he fought seriously.
  • Gilgamesh escalated his attack on Lancelot, but Tohsaka Tokiomi used a Command Spell to summon him away.
  • Shirou taunted Gilgamesh about Enkidu before he disappeared, and Tokiomi lamented that his Servant’s identity had been revealed.

Ch. 222Strike When It's Time to Strike

After Lancelot attacked Artoria, Shirou intervened, drove Lancelot away, and badly wounded Diarmuid. Iskandar withdrew with Webber, leaving Shirou and Artoria at the scene.

  • After Gilgamesh left, Lancelot attacked Artoria with a streetlamp pole, and Diarmuid intervened to defend her.
  • Kenneth used a Command Seal to order Diarmuid to help Lancelot defeat Artoria, while Shirou reluctantly revealed himself and blocked the knights with Noble Phantasms.
  • Shirou slammed Lancelot into a flour-filled shipping container, and Lancelot's Master recalled him with a Command Seal after the explosion.
  • Shirou wounded Diarmuid in a clash, then cut off his own injured arm and grew a new one as Diarmuid retreated in spirit form.
  • Iskandar chose to leave with Webber rather than fight Shirou, and Shirou let them go.

Ch. 223For Sakura

Emiya Shirou met Matou Kariya in a sewer and offered to help him rescue Sakura and defeat the Tohsaka Family's Servant in exchange for control of Berserker. They went to the Matou estate, where Shirou entered the basement and began killing the worms infesting Sakura.

  • Emiya Shirou introduced himself to Matou Kariya as a Foreigner-class Servant from ten years in the future and showed him photos of himself with Sakura.
  • Matou Kariya accepted Shirou's offer to help rescue Sakura and take down the Tohsaka Family's Servant, giving Shirou control of Berserker in return.
  • Emiya Shirou treated Matou Kariya's injuries with Projection and warned that the Imprint Worms would kill him within weeks without further treatment.
  • Emiya Shirou kicked in the Matou Family's front door and gave Matou Kariya a projected pair of Gan Jiang Mo Ye before they descended to the basement.
  • Emiya Shirou saw the worms covering Sakura and unleashed a killing force that caused huge numbers of them to die.

Ch. 224Killing Bugs

Shirou rescued Sakura and Matou Shinji from the Matou estate, destroyed Matou Zouken, and left the children in Matou Kariya’s care with money to start over. He called Kiritsugu to report that Berserker would not be an enemy for now, while reflecting that he might soon have to leave them.

  • Shirou wrapped the unconscious Sakura in pieces of the Holy Shroud, scanned the area, and found Matou Zouken’s hidden workshop beneath the Matou estate.
  • Shirou blasted through the basement floor, trapped Zouken’s swarm with Kido #73: Scattering Mountain Crystal, and destroyed it with more than a hundred Broken Phantasm Noble Phantasms.
  • Shirou entrusted Sakura to Matou Kariya, then brought out Matou Shinji and gave Kariya a basket of U.S. dollars before leaving the collapsing estate.
  • Matou Kariya found a note from Shirou teasing him about his Dark Swordsman Kariya book.
  • Shirou called Kiritsugu and reported that Berserker would not be an enemy for a while, then wondered whether Kiritsugu would cry when he left.

Ch. 225I'm Back!

Kiritsugu reunited with Natalia, whom Shirou had brought back, and asked her to help him in the Holy Grail War. Natalia armed herself and joined Kiritsugu as they prepared to face Kirei El-Melloi Archibald.

  • Shirou told Kiritsugu to visit the house he had bought in Fuyuki City, where he found Natalia waiting for him.
  • Kiritsugu joyfully reunited with Natalia and confirmed she had truly returned.
  • Shirou called to report that Berserker would not be an enemy for a long time, and Kiritsugu sent him to protect Irisviel.
  • Kiritsugu asked Natalia to help him confront Kirei El-Melloi Archibald, and she equipped herself with an AUG rifle.
  • Kiritsugu and Natalia set out together, with Natalia declaring that modern warfare could give them an edge.
Arc 9 of 13