"This question."
"Did not need to be answered."
After a long silence, Baal gave that response.
"Because—"
"It was all of it."
Squelch—
Anno suddenly turned and hurled the Holy Sword in his hand toward the space behind Sherlock Holmes.
Clang—
The Holy Sword plunged straight into the wall behind Sherlock Holmes, failing to hit its intended target.
".Uh."
Blood trickled from the corner of Sherlock Holmes's mouth.
He lowered his head and looked at his chest.
At the blade protruding halfway out of his chest—
"Wha—"
Artoria's eyes widened.
Lawrence, Mash, and Leonardo da Vinci all stared wide-eyed as well.
"Moriarty—you! Wait, could it be—!?"
Sherlock Holmes slightly raised his head, his pupils trembling as he muttered.
It was backward. My deductions—were all backward!
"You actually made such a desperate gamble!"
"You were willing to throw everything away just to pursue victory!"
He looked up at Anno.
"Anno! Kill me, quickly!"
Anno directly snatched the Holy Sword from Artoria's hand—the four Holy Swords forged by fairies could be used interchangeably by the four Holy Sword wielders—and swung it straight at Sherlock Holmes.
Boom—!!!
But his strike missed.
Holding Sherlock Holmes before him, James Moriarty wore an amused smile as he evaded Anno's slash and arrived beside the enormous crystal and the Demon God Pillars within the tower.
"Holmes, you really let me succeed so easily."
He leaned close to Sherlock Holmes's ear, unable to conceal the excitement in his voice.
"This time, I'm finally the one who won."
Sherlock Holmes gave a self-mocking smile.
"Yes, regrettably, Moriarty."
"This time, you truly won."
"Anno, quick—ugh!"
Moriarty gave Sherlock Holmes no chance to say more. A cloud of black mist surged from his Saint Graph and enveloped Sherlock Holmes. Then, the two of them vanished together into that black fog.
The