After reaching an agreement with Hyde, I began confirming the participants for the Holy Grail War. That's right—I intended to decide the roster myself.
The original four—Rin, Sakura, Shirou Emiya, and Illya—remained unchanged. Add Waver, Gray, and me, and that made exactly seven. No need to bring any other players; I could five-box it myself. How could I possibly lose?
I observed Shirou Emiya. He was still the same good kid as before. Without a rotten bastard like Shinji around, he was living a vibrant life and seemed to be a couple with Ayako Mitsuzuri. I believed he would join my side as well. The original Spiky-Haired King had also chosen to destroy the Holy Grail.
As for Waver, giving him another chance to summon Iskandar should be enough to make him grateful to me. If he refused to listen, I'd make him pay back his debts. Iskandar was a sensible man too; he would know what choice to make.
As for Illya, I could leave her to Hyde. As for Berserker, Heracles, Illya could keep him under control.
Rin, Sakura, and Gray were all on my side. The so-called Fifth Holy Grail War would merely be going through the motions. You evil Black Grail—what tricks did you have left? This time, I would destroy you completely and utterly.
I sent Waver a message telling him that the Holy Grail War would begin in a year and to remember to bring the three little ones with him. I also told him to make sure they prepared their own catalysts.
You had one year to prepare. Let me see the fruits of your training. Although it was two years earlier than expected, time waited for no one.
I went alone to Shirou Emiya's house and knocked on the door.
Footsteps sounded from inside, followed by a voice saying, "Coming." After opening the door, Shirou froze for a moment. He had apparently thought it was Taiga, only to find a stranger instead. "Um... who are you looking for?"
Pretending not to know him, I said, "I'm looking for Kiritsugu Emiya. Is he here?"
Hearing that, Shirou said with a trace of sadness, "My adoptive father, Kiritsugu Emiya, has already passed away. I'm his adopted son, Shirou Emiya."
I pretended to be saddened. "How could that be? It's only been seven years..."
Seeing my grief, Shirou invited me inside to sit.
After entering, I faced Kiritsugu's memorial tablet and said, "Our long-cherished wish could have been fulfilled if you had only waited one more year. Why did you leave first?"
Then, as if reminiscing, I said to Shirou, "Kiritsugu was an ally of justice. Seven years ago, a massive disaster struck Fuyuki City. In truth, it was man-made."
Fortunately, Kiritsugu was there to save Fuyuki City. Otherwise, it might have become far more than a simple disaster. That disaster could happen again next year. I originally wanted to find Kiritsugu and work with him to eliminate the mastermind once and for all.
But it seemed this would be difficult. Many people might die. You should leave this place as soon as possible.
I spoke with great emotion. After hearing me out, Shirou said, "Is there anything I can do? I'll carry on my adoptive father's will for him. I promised that I would become an ally of justice too."
He took the bait. I sighed. "I'm glad Kiritsugu has someone to carry on his legacy. But this isn't something just anyone can take part in. Hold out your hand and let me see whether you're qualified."
The moment I finished speaking, Shirou held out his hand. Sure enough, King Arthur's scabbard was inside Shirou Emiya's body.
I spoke again. "I didn't expect Kiritsugu to really entrust it to you. You know magecraft, don't you? Then train hard in the remaining year. I'll come for you in a year. When the time comes, Fuyuki City's fate will be in your hands."
After leaving the Emiya Family home, I mocked myself. "I've tricked another young man. What a deeply sinful man I am."
The year passed quickly. Through the influence of the Genji Clan, I relocated the residents around the Greater Grail's location under various pretexts, moving nearly a third of Fuyuki City's population away.
In June 2002, Waver brought the four little ones to Fuyuki City. Why four little ones, you ask? Because Reines insisted on coming along.
The meeting place was Shirou Emiya's house.
After they arrived at Shirou's door and knocked, Shirou opened it and stared blankly. He asked timidly, "Who are you looking for?"
At that moment, I appeared behind the five of them and said, "I called them here. Let's talk inside."
Once Shirou saw me, he understood what this was about and invited everyone in.
Waver and the others, as well as Shirou, all wanted to speak, but I cut them off. "We're waiting for one more person. They'll be here soon."
After saying that, I closed my eyes and rested as though I were some lofty master. The four little ones had no idea what was going on, so they remained silent. The atmosphere fell into an awkward hush.
They could no longer be called four little ones. Fifteen-year-old Rin already had the bearing she possessed in the Unlimited Blade Works route. Fourteen-year-old Sakura was also quite well-developed. As for thirteen-year-old Gray, it wasn't that she merely resembled Spiky-Haired King—she was exactly the same as her.
This time, Shirou Emiya would summon Spiky-Haired King, and Gray would undergo another transformation, body and all. Artoria's Dragon Heart and Dragon Factor would reappear within her. With every breath, she could continuously generate magical energy, and her body brimmed with vitality unlike anything before.
The effects of Reinforcement also surpassed those of most Casters. After fully reinforcing her body, her speed could rival bullets. Her legs were strong enough to carry Lord El-Melloi II's weight ten meters into the air. She could see bullets clearly and was capable of fighting against firearms.
Perhaps even I might not be Gray's match. Once her combat experience improved, she might truly be able to defeat me. As for Reines, she was Waver's problem, so I had no comment.
After waiting for about an hour, the front door was knocked on again. Shirou hurried over to answer it and ushered in two people: Illya and Hyde.
I said, "You came too. As the castle's central core, what will happen to the castle if you leave?"
Hyde replied, "I suspended all the castle's functions in exchange for a little time outside. At this point, regardless of success or failure, Einzbern will cease to exist."
Then I'll keep it brief: this would be the Fifth Holy Grail War, and it would also be the last Holy Grail War, because this time I would do everything I could to destroy the corrupted Black Grail.
Hyde, Illya, and Shirou Emiya, who already knew about the matter, were not particularly surprised. But Waver, Rin, and Sakura were genuinely shocked.
"Destroy it?" "Corrupted?" Amid all those questions, I said, "During the Third Holy Grail War, Einzbern summoned a Servant of the Avenger class—Angra Mainyu."
This antihero was not the god Angra Mainyu himself, but a young man from a small village of Zoroastrian believers.
The villagers wished to eradicate evil. Their method, or ritual, was to forcibly brand an innocent young man as 'All the World's Evil' and persecute him.
This innocent young man's evil reputation had merely been forced upon him by others, so naturally, he did not possess great combat ability. The Servant—the innocent young man—was defeated on the fourth day of the Third Holy Grail War and absorbed by the Holy Grail.
Although the Three Noble Families that conducted the Holy Grail War ritual had another objective, the Holy Grail, as a 'universal wish-granting device,' truly possessed the power to grant wishes.
People imposed the wish, 'May you become All the World's Evil,' upon that innocent young man, and the wish he bore was truly granted by the Holy Grail.
Thus, the Holy Grail was corrupted by All the World's Evil. From then on, the fulfillment of the victor's wish was tainted with endless malice. Wishes were often interpreted in the most evil possible way and granted only in forms that brought destruction and disaster.
After learning this during the previous Holy Grail War, its victor, Kiritsugu Emiya, destroyed the Lesser Grail. Only then were Fuyuki City—or rather, the entire world—preserved.