Witnessing / Do Not Disturb

Under the silvery moonlight, the incredible black tide continued to churn and boil. Suddenly, a pair of fair hands emerged from the black tide, as if receiving a command. The boiling black tide gradually stopped its churning and seeping in.

"Splash!"

The black tide that had devoured the Heroic Spirit was torn in two as easily as a sheet of paper.

A woman dressed in a black dress and barefoot strolled out, her silvery-white hair flowing freely in the wind, shimmering in the moonlight.

"So... the Holy Grail is yours..."

" --Kiritsugu"

Chapter 119. Witnessing

In the early morning, Wang Xiaoming stared blankly at the ceiling in his room.

Having just regained consciousness, his memory was still stuck on the moment he shielded Medea from that Noble Phantasm. How could the bowl-sized wound on his stomach have disappeared?

Could it be that I... have time-traveled again?

However, the familiar decor in the room made Wang Xiaoming put that absurd idea out of his mind. As he sat up, Wang Xiaoming's gaze was drawn to a field of pure white.

It's snowing--

In the depths of winter, even the perpetually spring-like Fuyuki City could not withstand the relentless march of nature. Through the window in front of his bed, even through the glass, Wang Xiaoming could still see snowflakes faintly drifting down from the treetops outside.

Her arms were as white as the silk draped over her blanket, though that wasn't quite right, as they were slightly red.

Seeing Medea lying half-submerged beside his bed with her eyes closed, Wang Xiaoming instantly understood what was happening and could only marvel at his good fortune while secretly remembering the kindness of this beauty.

"Awake? How are you feeling?"

Although Wang Xiaoming had made his movements very quiet, he still woke Medea was in a light sleep. Opening her eyes and seeing Wang Xiaoming already sitting up, Medea asked...

"Thank goodness... Ouch!"

As he spoke, Wang Xiaoming smiled at Medea, but unexpectedly, the woman pinched him.

"Are you stupid? Why did you block that Noble Phantasm for me?"

Seeing Medea's furious expression, even Wang Xiaoming, who was confident in his abilities, couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

"Well, it was subconscious..."

Before Wang Xiaoming could finish speaking, he was met with Medea's storm of scolding:

"If you die, I will disappear with you. If you want to save me, then think of a way you can do it in a safer place. Honestly, trying to protect Servant is just a waste of time, understand?"

Listening to Medea's reprimand, Wang Xiaoming nodded repeatedly, pretending to be "listening attentively."

Seeing Wang Xiaoming like this, Medea's pent-up resentment could only turn into a helpless sigh.

"Please don't do this again next time. Even if I leave, we can still meet again. But if you die, then there will truly be nothing left."

Wang Xiaoming understood the meaning behind Medea's words: even if Medea were to leave the stage, he would still have a chance to summon her in the Fifth Holy Grail War ten years later.

Even if you say that...

The smile on Xiaoming's face slowly disappeared, and a serious look appeared in his eyes:

I don't want to see you hurt either.

Seeing Wang Xiaoming's serious expression, Medea could only smile wryly.

"I just can't do anything with you..."

Seeing the atmosphere in the room gradually becoming heavy, Wang Xiaoming subconsciously changed the subject:

"Where are the two children?"

But as soon as the words left his mouth, Wang Xiaoming was surprised to find a hint of guilt in Medea's eyes.

"... Speak."

After a long silence, Wang Xiaoming gave a bleak smile:

"I think I can accept it... probably..."

"The barrier was broken by Ryunosuke Uryu. He possesses an extraordinary Mystic Eyes, but it places a tremendous burden on his Ryunosuke Uryu. He collapsed immediately after defeating Irisviel. Then, the two children were taken away by Kirei Kotomine, who arrived shortly afterward."

Although the barrier was "killed," Medea's Magecraft skills allowed her to recreate most of the battle footage from the courtyard the previous night. However, for some reason, nothing about A. vanger was revealed in the footage.

"It's just taking them away; I don't think they'll get into any trouble."

Seeing Medea's dejected state, Wang Xiaoming forced himself to comfort her. After all, nothing he did could change the fact that the two children had been kidnapped.

--Let's just pray that Shirou's protagonist aura kicks in ten years early.

A sudden knock on the door interrupted Wang Xiaoming's attempt to continue speaking.

"Please come in--"

As the door was pushed open, Emiya Kiritsugu, still dressed in a black coat, walked in.

Before Wang Xiaoming could even ask a question, Emiya Kiritsugu posed one that caught him completely off guard:

"What exactly is the Holy Grail?!"

Gently pressing down on the disgruntled Medea beside him, Wang Xiaoming looked at Emiya Kiritsugu, whose face was gloomy but whose eyes betrayed his urgency, and couldn't help but feel a little surprised:

What did you see?

He pulled a lighter from his pocket, probably intending to light a cigarette, but judging from the flickering flame, Emiya Kiritsugu was far from calm.

Finally lighting a cigarette, he took a deep drag, and as the smoke billowed from his mouth and nose, under Medea's disapproving gaze, Emiya Kiritsugu slowly spoke:

"Black Mud..."

Emiya Kiritsugu walked coldly through the streets of Fuyuki late at night.

Even if the unknown attacker abducted Irisviel, the "Holy Grail Vessel," he would still need to perform the Holy Grail's descent ritual, making ensuring a suitable location for the altar an unavoidable problem for the victor.

In Fuyuki, there are four places with spiritual veins suitable for summoning the Holy Grail.

These are [Mount Enzo] and [Tohsaka Residence] in Miyama Town, [The Holy Church] on the outskirts of the Shinto, and the newly built [Citizens' Hall] in the city center.

Since there's no specific target, let's investigate them all.

With that in mind, starting from the Matou House and following the principle of proximity, Emiya Kiritsugu drove towards Mount Enzo. When he passed by the Tohsaka Residence, he found that the Tohsaka Residence was still in ruins.

The car stopped at the foot of Mount Enzo. To Emiya Kiritsugu's surprise, there was another car parked at the foot of the mountain. Touching the still slightly warm engine cover, he glanced at the three Command Spell on the back of his hand.

As an assassin, Emiya Kiritsugu naturally possessed superb infiltration skills, but this time he found himself unable to use any of them.

Originally, he had envisioned that Mount Enzo, as the location of the spirit summoning ceremony, should be heavily guarded. However, not only were there no enemies along the way, but even some warning barriers were nowhere to be found.

Did I guess wrong?

A fleeting doubt crossed Emiya Kiritsugu's mind, but the magical energy flowing beneath his feet proved the accuracy of his thoughts.

Since things have come to this, we can only take it one step at a time.

With that thought in mind, Emiya Kiritsugu climbed the steps, adjusting his physical condition as he went.

Perhaps the final battle to decide the Holy Grail will begin tonight.

The steps weren't long, and soon Emiya Kiritsugu reached the end.

But something unexpected happened. Without any warning, the Holy Grail, shimmering with dazzling golden light, suddenly appeared before Emiya Kiritsugu, hovering in mid-air.

--Indiscriminately spraying Black Mud, a symbol of "ominousness".

Chapter 120. Do Not Disturb

As you walk along the winding path of Ryuudou Temple to its end, what comes into Emiya Kiritsugu's view is the golden Holy Grail floating in the center of the main hall.

"..."

It was immediately clear that this was undoubtedly the Holy Grail he craved.

At the same time, this scene before him made Emiya Kiritsugu realize a fact:

His own wife, Irisviel, was dead.

"Irisviel..."

Recalling her voice and smile once more, Emiya Kiritsugu subconsciously bit his lip.

He had clearly prepared himself mentally, but when this fact, which he had anticipated countless times, actually happened before his eyes, he wanted to cry, but couldn't.

At that moment, all he knew was that the last soft spot in his heart for his wife had been completely sealed off.

With an empty gaze fixed on the mementos Irisviel had left him, Emiya Kiritsugu mechanically began to walk, muttering to himself:

"As long as we obtain the Holy Grail..."

That's right. As long as the Holy Grail is obtained and one's wish is fulfilled, then Irisviel's sacrifice will have been worthwhile.

His wife had completed all the preparations; all he had to do was stand before the Holy Grail and promise a world where no one would have to weep...

"Don't go..."

A soft murmur, seemingly coming from nowhere, lingered in his ears; faint, ethereal, yet strangely familiar.

The steps he had already taken had unknowingly come to a halt, and the belief that had been supporting him to keep going was now trembling slightly.

Both the brain and the body seem to be following the voice in their ears, preventing them from acting.

Even so, Emiya Kiritsugu felt no irritation whatsoever.

That's... unbelievable.

Emiya Kiritsugu was surprised, but that didn't mean he would follow the voice in his ear.

As if to solidify his resolve, the boots slammed heavily on the floor of the main hall. The sound of the boots hitting the ground echoed in the empty hall.

The distinct sound of footsteps, like a command pistol, caused the golden Holy Grail in the main hall to suddenly undergo a new change.

A black, mud-like substance gushed from the Holy Grail, a drop followed by a trail of Black Mud, and then, like a dam bursting, the flowing Black Mud surged from the Holy Grail and poured onto the floor of Ryuudou Temple!

This is--

Slightly delayed by the sound beside him, Emiya Kiritsugu, who hadn't yet reached the Holy Grail, wasn't affected by the Black Mud. However, watching the ominous Black Mud continuously gushing from the Holy Grail...

This thing is the Holy Grail?!

What did I gain by sacrificing so much?!

Just one glance was enough to cause Emiya Kiritsugu's conviction to begin to crumble slightly.

If that were all, it would be fine, but what happened next...

Looking at the woman emerging from the Black Mud, dressed in black, yet with an unmistakable face and a gentle, loving smile, I realized I couldn't mistake her.

Without a doubt --

"Iris..."

The man uttered his wife's name.

"Kiritsugu."

Irisviel smiled and nodded, opening her arms to him:

I still belong to you.

Looking at the familiar, nostalgic face, Emiya Kiritsugu a tightness in his throat. Then, he did something he himself couldn't believe—

"Kiritsugu..."

Watching Emiya Kiritsugu, Irisviel's eyes were filled with confusion and bewilderment.

"Why are you rejecting me (the Holy Grail)...?"

"So you ran back?"