I studied the Matou Manor from across the street.
How many servants were left so far? I defeated Berserker, Caster, Assassin. I was Archer, so Lancer, Saber, and Rider were left. Lucky for me that I could knock two bugs out with one stone.
I'm something of a genius, but even I'm not sure what to do with Sakura. Does she still hang out with Emiya Kirika?
I have no idea, but I have to get get rid of the old worm before I move on with my plans. I sigh slowly, and reach into my treasury. Thankfully, Gilgamesh had some amazing soul scrying objects which along with his Clairvoyance allowed me to perfectly visualize the house.
Yup, that's Saukra down there, along with Zouken. I can make out Rider as well, somewhere in the upper floors. I'm starting to understand why the King of Heroes got so bored that he resorted to genocide.
There's no fun playing a game with cheats-on. Except Minecraft, of course. My 13-year old self was far too incompetent to even survive a night without the glorious help of cheats to acquire diamonds.
Ugh, I was horrifying back then. Thank god I stopped being such an emo-pest. Either way, I launch fire and level the Manor in seconds. Thousands of cannons fire upon Rider, ending her instantly while magic staves restrain Shinji and knock him out. Zouken is obliterated by special immortality killing weapons, or Harpe, uh, Gae Bolg? Gae Bolg Alternative too, I guess.
I use my scrying mirror to locate every one of his worms and then fire my satellite cannons. One worm obliterated, but I still have to deal with Sakura. As the girl is pulled towards me, I can see the shock in her eyes. She's knocked out by a pulse of mana the next.
Reaching into my treasury, I withdraw healing poultices and spear her heart open with Gae Bolg, obliterating the old worm's final trick. It is now a manner of slowly Gae Bolging every part of her (that sounds horrifying, but trust me, it's not) to obliterate the remaining worms with the guidance of Clairvoyance EX.
Sakura is completely free in ten minutes, and as a side effect, her hair has returned to its own original color. That's going to be an issue, isn't it?
Oops. Guess I have to deal with bratty Rin then, like I could care. Only Saber and Lancer are left, and I know how to deal with Lancer and Kotomine. Speaking off, Gilgamesh didn't survive the 4th Holy Grail War. I can't find any trace of his presence here, so I assume he just got ducked by the Grail.
Sorry Gil, but I missed the part where that's my problem. I look at Shinji, and wander what to do. Hmmm.
Huh.
Ho.
HMMMMMM!
4 has began thinking. Idea acquired, and I think I know how to finish this grail war! With a wave of my staves, Shinji's mind is wiped and replaced with that of a kind, loving older brother. One who would never do evil to Sakura, and is expertly trained in all manners of martial arts, plus give his body some upgrades.
He's basically the super bad-ass fighter who loves to protect his sister and bows to her every will. I then use my staffs and golems to rebuild the manor, obliterate the worm pit, and put the new Matou Siblings to sleep.
Can't wait to see how Sakura takes her new life. Anyway, I think I have a hero to make.
The Babylon Grindset is real, guys. Trust me.
As I enter the Emiya household, I can see Kirika waiting for me at the table. She looks drowsy, but immediately perks up when she sees me.
"A-Archer?" She looks so surprised to see me back. She blushes before mumbling,"I thought you would be out for a long time..."
"Rejoice, mongrel! For only Lancer and Saber remain in this Holy Grail War!"
"W-what? I thought there were 7 servants? Did you defeat them already?"
"Of course. I could have won in one night, but then I wouldn't be able to teach you."
"Oh! Archer, Illya is sick now- she started feeling bad and had to lie down after you left. Do you know what happened?"
"Huh?" Oh, shit. Illya is the grail, isn't she? "Let me see her, Kirika. I shall aid her."
She opens the door to Illya's room. "I thought you were a king?"
Heh. Time to channel my inner Tolkien. "The hands of the king are the hands of the healer."
"—Oh."
I approach the girl,, who turns up to face me. She looks feverish, and her cheeks are flushed. "O-nee...san?"
I can make out the journal held in her hands. "I read it..." She looks so sad. "Papa...HE LOVED ME!"
I can see the tears flowing out her eyes and she breaks down. "They— they all lied to me! Lied about you, and mama and papa!" Oh, so Kiritsugu gave Kirika a journal about his life story. That would be rather helpful, wouldn't it?
Kirika rushes to her side, and I can see the two hug. "It's ok, Illya-chan. You have me, and Archer too."
Illya just breaks down further. "I won't live for much longer... my body was designed to be the Lesser Grail."
Kirika eyes widen in surprise. "So..."
"You have to die for this ritual to be complete?"
"...yes."
Kirika hands tremble, and I can see the anger in her face. This Magi are so pathetic, so immoral and such children that I can't help but scoff.
"Girl, do you know who Gilgamesh is?"
"Huh...?" I can she is growing tired, but she still answers. "The first Hero of mankind, and the strongest, I think."
"Then rejoice, for the first Hero of Mankind shall heal you completely!"
Portals open up, as scalpels descend into her body. They carve out the magic circuits anchoring the Holy Grail while a stave removes Illya's soul. With a smile, countless raw supplies pour out of my grail and form a vaguely human shape.
This is the last remnants of Enkidu's mud, and made out of countless materials that have been long lost to this Age of Men. I download endless combat experience so that Illya will be able to live without fear ( and protect her younger sister ), then dunk her soul in.
The appearance is the choice of Illya, and I can see Kirika's eyes widen as it takes form.
A tall girl (guess Illya wants to be the older sister) with red eyes and silver-red hair stands up, wearing a poofy dress. She looks around and her gaze rests on me and Kirika.
Poor Kirika has to crane her eyes up to reach Illya's newly reached 6'3".
"This is..." Illya looks so happy I can't but help but smile. It's so infectious! "t-thank you so much!"
I can see the tears form on her face as she hugs me and Kirika. Kirika is crying as well, and I can hear her mumbling, "I'll always take care of you, Illya-chan..."
I chuckle, and can't help but remark on her new body. "So, silver-red? You want to be Kirika's 'onee-chan' now, don't you?"
Kirika blushes while Illya smirks. "I won't be a midget any longer! And Kirika is my younger sister, and its a older sister's duty to protect her juniors!"
I laugh. "You don't hate Kiritsugu any more, do you?"
She frowns, before crossing her arms. "Papa lied to me, so I haven't forgiven him yet. I'll forgive you though, Kirika."
Kirika laughs a little, and looks at the rest of us. "Is this what you meant, Gilgamesh?"
"About how miracles can only be achieved by hard work?"
I stare at her, and consider those words. "I meant every one of my statements. I have been lenient with my treasures up till now, but you will have to prove to be worthy of them now."
I smirk, and take in Illya and Kirika's surprise. "I expect the both of you to become true heroes, so let us head outside!"
Kirika groans as she dodged another one of Gilgamesh's swords. The man had been firing at her and Illya nonstop every since they stepped into the Emiya estate's yard.
She grunted, and reinforced her legs to leap out of the way of another missile. Illya had noticed her use of Magecraft, and promptly had a heart attack, It wasn't Kirika's fault that she thought you had to convert your nerves into circuits!
Illya had fixed it by unlocking her circuits, and Archer had told her to try analyzing his weapons and projecting them. She was shocked at the quality of the swords, and the experience she could gain by using them.
Ever since Archer had used his Wands to slow down time, her and Illya had been fighting against Gilgamesh for hours on end. Illya was able to use transmutation on the very earth to form wire beasts and hurl countless projectiles back which the King of Heroes would only smile nostalgically at.
Kirika had pushed her projection to the max, and could feel her circuits stretching as she pushed them more and more. She had been able to return Gilgamesh's barrage evenly, but would oddly feel something click every once in a while.
"That's enough." The First Hero raised his hand for them to stop. "You have reached a satisfactory point."
Illya grinned, and flashed a thumbs-up towards Kirika. She had been to quick to enjoy her new-found freedom, and proudly spoke to Kirika about her plans to eliminate and "exterminate" the Eizenborns.
"Kirika, I would like to speak to you alone."
"~Oh, Kirika— you didn't tell your onee-san that you had a boyfriend?" She grinned, and Kirika groaned. Illya had been eager to show off her new "assets" and had insisted on making such "older sister" jokes that Kiritsugu had taught her a long time ago.
"Sure thing, Archer." The two of them entered the dojo, and Archer sat down on the bench, Kirika following suit. Illya had gone inside as the sun rose, and the younger Emiya was in shock at how powerful Archer was— to be able to slow down time to such an extent?
It was mind boggling.
"Tell me, what do you desire?"
Such a question was easy for Emiya Kirika to answer. "I want to be a Hero of Justice. I want to help people."
"Justice? Do you not understand what justice is?"
"Justice is justice. It is fair, " Kirika didn't really understand Archer's question.
He appeared disappointed, and then spoke. "Justice is impossible. One side will be happy, the other will be sad. Take a group of merchants being raided by bandits? Tell me what you would do, Emiya Kirika."
It was simple— the merchants needed to be saved. "I'll defeat the bandits then, and save the merchants."
"What of the bandits? They were people driven to theft because of desperation— they have families, hopes, and dreams of their own. Who are you to deny them with your 'justice'?"
"Then I'll help the bandits too. I never said I would kill them— I'll find a way to make everyone smile."
Gilgamesh stared at her, and his lips curled into a frown. "By helping the bandits, the merchants will hate you. They will tell you to throw them in jail, to let the 'justice' of the rules be dealt to them. You will bare their hate although you helped them."
"I-I won't! As long as everyone is happy, I'll be happy. It doesn't matter if they hate me. I'm not a Hero for money, or anything else— I just want a world where no one can cry."
"So you will bare all the evils of the world, personifying this ideal known as 'justice'? You will step on the hopes of countless people for some meaningless ideal? Answer me this then, the bandits killed a family to get enough food for their children. What will you do then?"
"Then I—" Kirika paused. What would she do? Gilgamesh interrupted her.
"You only wish the people in front of you not to cry—but as you save more people, your vision expands till you can save no one. Such is the hypocrisy of your dream."
Kirika remained quiet. Gilgamesh was right, but she didn't want to listen.
"Even I, the first Hero of Mankind can not save everyone. I possess Clairvoyance to see the very future, but even then I can not save everyone— not even if I know when or how they will die. Do you know why, girl? Because it is human nature to die, to hate and curse. This is our curse, but our greatest gift."
"How can you say that? Everyone should be able to be happy- they shouldn't have to suffer!" It was the impossible ideal that Emiya Kirika had aspired for her entire life. To see it spat on was something she couldn't uphold.
"Happiness is currency. Only so many can be happy, for each human views happiness differently. Who are you to judge that, what true 'justice' or 'happiness' is?" He paused, and let his words sink in. "Such a thing is the imperfectness of our world— there can be no progress without suffering. We suffer so we learn from our mistakes, so we can change and grow. If you insist on saving everyone, think of the people you save?"
"What will become of them after you leave, once you move on to the next battlefield?"
Kirika coudn't respond, because everything Gilgamesh said was logical. It was logical, but Emiya Kirika had never listened to logic. "So what if it's impossible! Shouldn't we at least try?"
Archer sighed, and looked at the wall in front of the two. "Try? I suppose we as all humans should, but not to the level of you, Emiya. What would happen to Illya? To your friends, if you died trying to save some nameless souls in some distant battlefield? Don't these people deserve to be happy as well?"
Kirika looked at the roof and thought about it. "T-t-then what should I do? If my ideal is worthless, then what should I live for?"
"I never said your ideal was worthless. Only that you never understood how to uphold it. This is not the world where Heroes are great warriors, where strength allows justice to be upheld. No, it is the time where science, where doctors and leaders cause change to help everyone. They are the true heroes, fighting not for a nation, but for humanity everywhere. They do not kill, but let live."
Kirika thought about it. I could still make people smile. Fuji-nee would be happier too...
"My only ask of you is this Emiya: reconsider your ideal, and your pursuits. Remember that you can not save anyone if you yourself are dead." With those words, Archer left the room and Kirika with her thoughts.
Thanks for reading, and tell me what you think! We're nearing the endgame of this Holy Grail War! Make your predictions, people!
+Gywnex, this story is sadly going to be short :( It was meant as crack first and foremost, afterall! But I shall write some omakes to end it off on a high note, so rejoice!
