A Year of Preparation, the Full Cast Assembles

After reaching an agreement with Hyde, I began confirming the participants for the Holy Grail War. That's right, I intended to decide the lineup myself.

The original four—Rin and Sakura, Shirou Emiya, and Illya—would remain unchanged. Add Waver, Gray, and me, and that made exactly seven people. There was no need to bring any other players; I could run five accounts myself. How could I possibly lose?

I observed Shirou Emiya. He was still the same good kid as before. Without a lousy friend like Shinji, he was living a vibrant life and seemed to be a couple with Ayako Mitsuzuri. I believed he would join my camp 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 repay his debts. Iskandar was also a sensible man; he would know what choice to make.

Illya could be left to Hyde. As for Berserker, Heracles, Illya could keep him under control.

Rin, Sakura, and Gray were all on my side. This so-called Fifth Holy Grail War was nothing more than a formality. You evil Black Grail, what tricks did you have left? This time, I would destroy you completely.

I sent Waver a message telling him that the Holy Grail War would begin in one year, and to remember to bring the three little ones along. I also reminded him to tell them to prepare their own catalysts.

You had one year to prepare. Let me see the results of your training. Though this was two years earlier than expected, time waited for no one.

I came alone to Shirou Emiya's house and knocked on the door.

Footsteps came from inside, followed by a voice. "Coming." After opening the door, he froze for a moment. He had thought it was Taiga, but it turned out to be a stranger. "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 Emiya said with a trace of sorrow, "My adoptive father, Kiritsugu Emiya, has already passed away. I'm his adopted son, Shirou Emiya."

I put on a grieving expression. "How could this be? It's only been seven years."

Seeing my sadness, Shirou Emiya invited me inside to sit.

After entering, I faced Kiritsugu's memorial tablet and said, "If only you had waited one more year, our long-cherished wish could have been fulfilled. Why did you have to leave first?"

Then, as though recalling the past, I told Shirou Emiya, "Kiritsugu was an ally of justice. Seven years ago, Fuyuki City suffered a major disaster, but it was actually caused by humans."

Fortunately, Kiritsugu was there to save Fuyuki City. Otherwise, it might have been far worse than a mere disaster. That calamity might happen again next year. I originally wanted to work with Kiritsugu and completely eliminate the mastermind behind it.

It seemed this would be difficult. Many people might die. You should leave this place as soon as possible.

I spoke with deep feeling, and Shirou Emiya said after hearing me, "Is there anything I can do? I'll fulfill my adoptive father's last wish in his place. 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 not just anyone can take part in this matter. Hold out your hand and let me see whether you're qualified."

The moment I finished speaking, Shirou Emiya held out his hand. Sure enough, King Arthur's scabbard was inside Shirou Emiya's body.

I spoke again. "I never expected Kiritsugu to truly entrust it to you. You know magecraft, right? Then train hard during this remaining year. I'll come find you in a year. When that time comes, Fuyuki City's fate will be in your hands."

After leaving the Emiya residence, I mocked myself. "I tricked another young man. I really am a sinful man."

A year passed quickly. Through the Genji Clan's influence, I relocated the residents around the Greater Grail's location under various pretexts. It amounted to nearly one-third of Fuyuki City's population.

In June 2002, Waver arrived in Fuyuki City with the four little ones. Why four little ones, you ask? Because Reines insisted on coming along.

The meeting place was Shirou Emiya's house.

After arriving at Shirou Emiya's door, they knocked. Shirou Emiya opened it and was dumbfounded. 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."

When Shirou Emiya saw me, he understood what this was about and invited everyone in.

Waver and the others, as well as Shirou Emiya, 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 like some lofty master. The four little ones had no idea what was going on, so they kept quiet. The atmosphere fell silent for a while.

They could no longer be called the four little ones. Fifteen-year-old Rin already possessed the charm she had on 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 her—she was exactly the same as the Spiky-Haired King.

This time, Shirou Emiya had summoned the Spiky-Haired King. Gray's body had transformed again as well, regenerating Artoria's Dragon Heart and Dragon Factor. With every breath, she could continuously produce magical energy, and her body overflowed with unprecedented vitality.

The effect of "Reinforcement" also surpassed that of most magi. After fully reinforcing her body, her speed could rival bullets. Her legs were strong enough to carry Lord El-Melloi II's weight and leap ten meters into the air. She could see bullets clearly and was capable of fighting firearms.

Perhaps even I might not necessarily be Gray's match. Once her combat experience caught up, 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 Emiya hurried over to open 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 possible to destroy the polluted Black Grail.

Hyde, Illya, and Shirou Emiya already knew about this, so they were not particularly surprised. But Waver, Rin, and Sakura were indeed extremely shocked.

"Destroy it? Polluted?" Amid various questions, I said, "During the Third Holy Grail War, Einzbern summoned a Servant of the Avenger class—Angra Mainyu."

This Anti-Hero was not the god Angra Mainyu himself, but a young man from a small village of Zoroastrian believers, followers of Zoroaster, also known as Zarathustra.

The villagers wanted to eliminate evil. Their method, or rather their ritual, was to forcibly label an innocent young man as 'All the World's Evil' and persecute him.

The innocent young man's evil reputation had merely been imposed upon him by others, so naturally, he possessed no great combat ability. This Servant, the innocent young man, was defeated on the fourth day of the Third Holy Grail War and absorbed into the Holy Grail.

Although the Three Noble Families who held the Holy Grail War ritual had another purpose, the Holy Grail, as an omnipotent wish-granting device, truly possessed the ability to fulfill wishes.

People imposed the wish, 'May you become All the World's Evil,' upon the innocent young man. And the wish borne by that innocent young man was truly granted by the Holy Grail.

Thus, the Holy Grail was polluted by All the World's Evil. From then on, the method by which the victor's wish was fulfilled became imbued with endless malice. Wishes were often interpreted in the direction of evil and realized only through destruction and disaster.

After learning this, Kiritsugu Emiya, the victor of the previous Holy Grail War, destroyed the Lesser Grail. That was how he preserved Fuyuki City—or perhaps the entire world.