The Dust Settles?

Holding the sleeping Illya, Sasuke stared at the hole in the distant sky with a calm expression, saying nothing to Archer.

Standing beside Sasuke, Archer looked somewhat helpless. Watching Rin Tohsaka, who had completely vanished from his sight, he asked:

"Uchiha, is there ever a time when you feel powerless?"

Sasuke's expression remained unmoved, his eyes gazing calmly into the distance. After a long while, he finally responded to Archer:

"I have in the past."

"But not now."

Archer turned his head to look at Sasuke, then turned back, shrugging with a hint of resignation:

"If there is a chance, let us meet again."

"Though in this era, you can still see Shirou Emiya."

As he spoke, Archer pondered for a moment:

"However, while I am him, he is not necessarily me."

Although Archer wanted to kill the current Shirou Emiya, the current Shirou Emiya had experienced something entirely different from his own past.

Perhaps Shirou Emiya would walk toward a future completely different from his own.

At this moment, Saber, Shirou Emiya, and Rin Tohsaka were already not far beneath the hole.

The black mud flowing down from the hole resembled black veins, spreading across the ground and releasing a thick, decaying stench that made one's blood run cold.

The black mud emitted an unpleasant odor, its surface filled with dark textures, writhing like the venom of a viper, chilling the heart.

The texture of the black mud was thick and viscous, like a piece of corroded flesh, daunting to behold.

The black mud seemed to corrode everything it touched, and at this moment, it was encroaching upon and devouring its surroundings. The flowers, grass, and trees that had once been there were rapidly deforming and losing their vitality upon contact with the black mud, leaving behind only ugly ruins.

This was something that absolutely must not be touched lightly.

Shirou Emiya looked at Saber, who had walked up before them, and knew that Saber was prepared.

But at the same time, Shirou Emiya was well aware that once the hole was destroyed, Saber, as a Servant, would also disappear.

The relationship between Shirou Emiya and Saber was less like that of Master and Servant, and more like that of teacher, student, and friends.

No one could bear to see such an outcome.

Standing beside Shirou Emiya, Rin Tohsaka saw this and felt the same, for her Archer would also be leaving.

Sensing Shirou Emiya's emotions, Saber slowly turned around:

"Shirou, it is time for me to leave."

Hearing this, Shirou Emiya closed his eyes and slowly raised his arm, which bore only a single remaining Command Spell.

After taking a deep breath, Shirou Emiya made up his mind:

"Saber, I entrust my final Command Spell to you!"

As the crimson Command Spell on Shirou Emiya's wrist flashed, Saber once again gained a surge of magical energy.

The golden holy sword in Saber's hand once again displayed its rightful, brilliant radiance!

Gazing at the hole in the sky, Saber swung the golden holy sword in her hand!

"Ex!calibur!"

Saber's voice rang through the heavens, her eyes flashing with firm determination!

The golden beam representing supreme glory slashed out from the holy sword, like a meteor piercing the night sky, heading straight for the hole in the sky!

Neither the evil black mud on the ground nor the hole leaking the black mud could withstand Saber's might!

With an explosion in the sky!

The sky of Fuyuki erupted as if a giant firework had detonated!

The magnificent golden light fell like rain, adorning the night sky of Fuyuki.

It also signaled the conclusion of this Holy Grail War.

Perhaps due to the shockwave, Saber's golden hair, which had been tied up with a blue ribbon, now cascaded down.

A breeze blew through Saber's long hair. She looked at her arm, which was dissipating into golden fluorescent light, and slowly turned her head:

"The contract is complete."

"This Holy Grail War is your victory."

"Shirou, Rin."

"Although I wished to protect you until the end, that is no longer my duty."

"Farewell..."

As her words faded, before Shirou Emiya and Rin Tohsaka could say anything, Saber turned into a wisp of golden light and vanished from this world.

With Saber's departure, Rin Tohsaka knew that Archer had also vanished along with her.

Although Rin Tohsaka did not get to see Archer's final departure, he had been there the whole time, hadn't he?

"Let's go home."

"Tohsaka."

Shirou Emiya looked toward Rin Tohsaka with a calm expression.

In response, Rin Tohsaka smiled back and gave a slight nod.

Midnight.

The shopping district in Miyama Town, Fuyuki City.

Fish Fresh House.

Everything had finally settled.

After saying goodbye to Shirou Emiya and Rin Tohsaka, Sasuke returned to Fish Fresh House carrying the sleeping Illya, and tucked her in beside Kaoru Sakura.

After covering them both with blankets, Sasuke left the bedroom and went to sit in the dim living room.

Sasuke's expression was calm, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, and he had no intention of turning on the lights.

After staying on the sofa for a long while, Sasuke finally made another move.

He brewed a pot of hot tea.

Accompanied by the humming of the kettle in the night, Sasuke took a bag of tea leaves that Sakura Masayoshi had treasured from the cupboard.

He grabbed a handful at random and tossed it into the boiling water.

After waiting a moment, the fragrant scent of tea permeated the dim living room.

After pouring the tea into a cup, Sasuke sat back on the sofa, leaned against the backrest, and slowly closed his eyes.

Getting involved in this so-called Holy Grail War was truly a troublesome affair.

It wasn't that the events themselves were difficult to handle, but Sasuke felt that the mere occurrence of such boring matters was troublesome enough.

Sasuke sipped the hot tea, his heart indifferent.

And he sat like that until morning.

The sky had only just begun to brighten when the room where Kaoru Sakura slept became lively.

It was the sound of girls playing around.

It seemed that neither Kaoru Sakura nor Illya were in any serious condition.

Although Sasuke's genjutsu had only put Kaoru Sakura into a deep sleep, she still remembered what had happened yesterday.

Illya had clearly fainted.

But for some reason, she had passed out as well.

Could it be that she was dreaming?

Although Illya's memory of yesterday's events was a bit blurry, she was very clear that the Holy Grail War had ended and that she had survived.

Even though she still had some minor issues, there would always be a way to solve them.

So, knowing roughly what had happened, Illya told a lie to Kaoru Sakura.

She threw out a bombshell of a topic, causing Kaoru Sakura to completely shift her focus.

This was the reason Kaoru Sakura was cheering and jumping for joy in the bedroom.

It was that Illya wanted to live with Kaoru Sakura from now on.

After all, the Einzbern Castle in Fuyuki had been reduced to dust.

As for returning to the Einzbern main family in Germany, that was not even a consideration for Illya.

Therefore, Illya wanted to stay in Fuyuki.

And for Kaoru Sakura, this was simply wonderful!

Without a moment's hesitation, Kaoru Sakura rushed out of the bedroom.

Looking at Sasuke, who was preparing to start his busy day of work, she said in an almost pleading tone:

"Big brother, you'll let Illya live with us, right?"

Illya, wearing pajamas, stood at the doorway of the bedroom, waiting for Sasuke's words as if awaiting judgment.

Regarding this question, Sasuke looked indifferent:

"It doesn't matter."

"As long as the old man agrees."

"Also, you should have had enough fun."

"Starting today, you can go to school."