FATE/STAYNIGHT: WARRIOR
Ep.13 The Judgment days
"Shirou!"
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the wooden-floored hallway of the mansion. Saber and Rin dashed forward, weaving left and right through the long corridor lined with doors. The place was eerily silent, devoid of any signs of life. Yet, both of them could sense it—Shirou had to be in one of these rooms.
Suddenly, Saber came to an abrupt stop.
"Rin… I can feel it. Shirou is in that room." She pointed toward a door at the intersection ahead.
Hearing this, Rin nodded before stepping forward and reaching for the doorknob. But Saber leans her hand and grabs Rin's arm.
"Let me go in first... I don't know if there are any traps."
At Saber's words, Rin hesitated for only a moment before stepping back without argument. Saber took her place at the door.
She turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.
Inside, the dimly lit room was illuminated only by the faint glow of electronic lanterns. There, standing in the middle of the room, was Shirou—his eyes blindfolded, his hands bound.
Beside him, on either side, stood two women dressed in long white gowns with veils resembling those of nuns. Each held a long sword, the cold steel pressed dangerously close to Shirou's throat.
"Shirou…!" Rin's eyes widened in shock, sweat forming on her brow as fear gripped her.
Kuuga's legs glowed with a blue hue, reflecting the atmosphere as he swiftly dodged side to side. Berserker swung its weapon relentlessly, like a frenzied beast craving the flesh and blood of its enemy.
He crouched, both hands touching the ground, before lifting both legs over his head and spinning in a cartwheel motion, evading Berserker's incoming punch.
As Kuuga spun, his eyes caught sight of the steel sword he had once used to stab Berserker. Now, it lay shattered on the ground, completely useless.
"I stabbed it twice with the Titan Sword, but nothing happened. Could it be that I didn't pierce deep enough?"
Yuusuke pondered, recalling what had happened before and trying to devise a new way to deal with this giant.
"But why the hell did the Pegasus weapon work?"
He thought back while dodging another incoming strike.
The first time they fought, he had stabbed Berserker with the Titan Sword, and at that moment, the Kuga emblem had appeared. But after that, it never showed up again.
"Could it be...?"
Kuuga tilted his head back to dodge Berserker's sword and spun to the ground. His left hand reached for the flintlock gun on the ground, which he had previously discarded.
"Change!"
His armor shifted from blue to green, and the weapon in his hand transformed into Pegasus's bowgun.
Berserker turned and charged at him with incredible speed, but not fast enough to outpace Kuga's bow.
Swoooop!
A golden arrow shot straight into Berserker's heart.
1…2…3…4…5...
Kuuga began counting in his mind.
6…7…8…
9…10…
"Wait!?"
As he previously thought, the emblem didn't appear.
That meant… his weapon was no longer usable.
BOOM!
Kuuga quickly spun away just in time to avoid Berserker's weapon strikes; it nearly cleaved him in two. His bow was knocked out of his hand instantly, leaving him wide open.
"Change!"
Kuuga raised his hand forward and shouted. His green armor instantly reverted to blue.
He barely dodged another attack from Berserker before leaping onto the chandelier hanging above the battlefield.
"How am I supposed to beat this thing?" He thought to himself, "The sword and bow didn't work… and the staff probably won't pierce it either…"
Kuuga was deep in thought, his left hand gripping the chandelier's base while his body dangled slightly.
"Wait… I haven't tried attacking it with that yet."
Extending his right hand forward, he whispered.
"Change! "
The moment he spoke, his armor began shifting to red. But before it could fully change, Kuga let go of the chandelier and dropped straight down.
He extended his right leg, aiming for Berserker's head. Even though it realized the attack in time and raised both arms to protect itself, Yuusuke could feel a strange sensation.
A vibration—not from the outside, but inside his body.
Every cell in his body was moving rapidly, as if surging with immense energy.
Then, golden lightning crackled from within him, surging through his armor.
The golden electricity coated the edges of his now-red armor, turning it into a radiant gold.
Most of the energy concentrated in his extended leg, forming a blazing golden aura.
"Rider—"
Kuuga tensed his leg and foot. Prepare for inevitable impacts as it reaches Berserker Skin.
"Kick!"
The moment his foot struck Berserker, an intense, blinding light exploded outward.
Berserker's body was sent flying, blasting out of the castle and vanishing into the distance.
Kuuga crashed onto the granite floor, his body releasing steam, showing just how much energy had been recently used.
It's been 2-3 seconds since he stayed in that stage, before the golden color of his armor faded away, leaving only standard red-black parts.
"I can't believe it… that much power?" Illya's eyes widened in shock. The servant she had always considered the strongest had fallen once again. "You're damn hard to kill… warrior."
"And your guys are annoyingly hard to kill too…" Kuuga panted, catching his breath. "Why are you so obsessed with killing me? Do you want my belt that badly, like those guys too?"
"I did it to protect this world from you."
"Are you saying that just to make yourself look good?"
"That statement means you still don't realize how dangerous you are," Illya replied softly. Yet, just those words were enough to make Kuuga waver as if they had struck a nerve deep within him.
"Tch! You're the second person to say that… like I'm some kind of demon or Satan!" Kuuga pointed a finger at Illya, who stood above him. "Tell me! What do you mean by that? Answer me!"
His furious shout echoed through the remaining parts of the mansion.
Illya remained silent, her gaze locked onto Kuuga. She didn't say a word.
But only for a moment.
"You're getting angry because you already know the truth, aren't you...?" Illya paused briefly before continuing, "The Darklord—that's its name."
"What…? Darklord, what's this bullshit!? You think I am dangerous!?"
Though Kuuga outwardly seemed confused, beneath his mask, his expression told a different story. He knew exactly what she meant—the dark shadow he saw in his dreams, the whispers that constantly spoke to him, his own blackened form. There was no doubt.
"Dangerous? It would be more accurate to call it a catastrophe. I'm trying to stop it from taking control of you." Illya's showing seriousness in her words implies she knew much more about Kuuga than Yusuke actually does about himself.
"So you're going to kill me, then!?" Yusuke demanded a reply to his confusion, but Illya instead said back to him to remain silent.
In the instant Kuuga uttered those words, his body was violently sent flying—SMASH!
Before he even realized what had happened, he crashed hard into the wall.
His entire body went numb. Even as blood gushed from his mouth, he felt nothing. His limbs grew heavy, refusing to respond. Kuuga collapsed to the floor, his face hitting the ground.
"Yes," Illya turned toward Berserker. "And I will succeed."
Berserker approached Kuuga's motionless body, grabbed his leg, and slammed him into the floor and surrounding debris.
"Let's see how much more you can endure."
Illya smirked slightly as her Servant continued to crush Kuuga's body.
Once Kuuga ceased moving, Berserker let his body drop lifelessly to the ground.
Slowly, the red glow of his armor faded into white before vanishing completely.
Thud…
"He's dead, then."
Illya stepped down from the broken staircase, skipping over missing steps, until she stood beside Kuuga's lifeless, doll-like body.
She nudged his shoulder with her fingertip.
No response. Not even the slightest movement.
"Just to be sure, Berserker," Illya lifted her head to Berserker. "Crush his body until nothing is left. "
At that, Berserker nods before raising a weapon up, its muscles tensed so much that the veins that run through the skin are clearly visible.
SHING!
Suddenly, Berserker froze in place.
Then, the reason became clear—a long, deep wound split open across his torso, blood gushing from the gash.
"What!?" Illya's eyes widened in shock.
Before her, Saber had already struck Berserker once and was now spinning around to drive her sword into him again.
Berserker reacted just in time, raising its weapon to block the attack. The tip of Saber's blade clashed against Berserker's massive weapon.
Without hesitation, Berserker extended his other hand, fingers outstretched, aiming to crush her. But Saber swiftly twisted her body and flipped backward, retreating to a safe distance.
"Saber, you returned faster than I expected."
Illya scowled, her widened eyes filled with surprise, but her clenched jaw revealed her growing frustration.
"Your maids have freed Shirou. There's no point in stalling any longer, Illya."
Saber glanced up at Illya slightly but didn't break her focus.
"Oh? Are you sure about that?"
Suddenly, Berserker lunged forward again—his entire body glowing a deep crimson, his white eyes bulging, veins pulsing across his face as if they might burst.
He gritted his teeth together and charged at Saber.
His speed surpassed her expectations.
The moment he entered close range, she raised her sword to block—
CRACK!
Her arm snapped from the impact. An unpredictable force has just destroyed her bones, twisting them to the point she's out of condition.
"Agh!?"
Saber collapsed from the sheer force of the blow.
Her fate was sealed.
Berserker raised his weapon, preparing to bring it down upon her head.
"Wait a moment," Illya said.
At that second, the sound of two pairs of footsteps approached. She turned toward them.
Rin and Shirou came running out from the hallway, stopping abruptly at the scene after the battle before them.
In the present condition, half of the building had disappeared, as if consumed by an immense force, leaving behind only ruins and debris—evidence of a battle of unimaginable intensity. In front of them stood a massive figure, its breathing heavy and bestial, as if preparing to lunge at its prey.
But that wasn't what shocked them the most.
Behind Berserker lay the unmoving body of a young man.
Shirou's breath quickened. His face turned pale the moment he recognized the fallen figure. —
"Yusuke!"
Without thinking, Shirou sprinted forward toward his dear friend.
Thudd!
"What the hell?! Let go of me!"
"Don't be an idiot, Emiya!" Rin yanked his shirt with all her strength, throwing him to the ground. Despite being a man, Shirou lost his balance due to Rin's precise technique.
"Can't you see?! Berserker is still there!"
Her words snapped Shirou back to reality. He slowly calmed himself, reassessing the situation.
"But Yusuke… he might still be alive—"
"So what!? Are you going to throw your life away when he sacrificed himself for you?!"
"S…Sacrificed?"
Shirou's eyes widened as he looked up at Rin. Though her face was contorted with anger, the tears streaming down her cheeks betrayed her true emotions.
Crash! Clang!
"Are we going to fight now, or should we retreat and come back later?" Illya's cheerful voice returned, as if she hadn't just ordered a massacre. She spoke in a sweet tone, but her words were anything but. "Well? What will you do?"
Saber didn't answer. Instead, she turned to Shirou, her expression filled with concern.
"We should—" Shirou started but stopped midway. His brain worked furiously to stop him from making a rash decision.
Neither Saber, Rin, nor he could possibly take on Berserker right now.
Even though he wanted to rush in and save Yusuke, it was simply impossible—
"Three…"
"Wait, hold on!"
Shirou tore himself free from Rin's grasp and rushed to confront Illya, panic evident in his expression.
"Two…" Illya raised two fingers. "Time's up, big brother."
"I will—" Shirou struggled to find the right words, but his mind went blank.
Illya, who had momentarily paused as if willing to listen, slowly folded her second finger.
"One—"
Fwooooom!
In that instant, a black light erupted, engulfing Yusuke's body.
A towering black pillar formed, rising high above the mansion. Thick, black smoke surged from cracks in the ground, swirling around the pillar like a coiling dragon, stretching upward into the sky.
"Agh!?"
Rin pushed herself off the ground after being hit by the strange black substance. She frantically brushed off the dark dust with disgust.
The black light slowly dissipated.
Yusuke stood tall.
His head tilted upward, glaring at Illya. His mouth stretched into a wide grin, his eyes narrowing into razor-sharp slits.
A chilling fear spread through everyone who witnessed it.
Illya gripped the stair railing tightly, leaning forward as she screamed, "Berserker! Don't just stand there—kill him!"
Berserker lunged forward instantly.
But he was too slow.
A black energy slammed into him, sending him flying from where he stands.
As Yusuke's body transformed, black armor slowly formed over him, starting as a skeletal frame from his feet to his head. When the structure was complete, solid black plating materialized.
The Jet-black Kuuga armor.
Even his eyes, which once gleamed with life, turned into hollow voids of darkness. Only the golden horn on his forehead retained its luster. His shoulder armor sharpened into spikes, his entire form rigid and lifeless—like a merciless machine designed solely for destruction.
"Is this… the Dark Lord? " Illya's eyes widened in shock.
She had heard of it before.
But she never imagined she would see it with her own eyes.
Rin and Shirou remained frozen, unable to look away from the dark figure. They were trapped in a state of shock and fear, uncertain whether the being before them was truly their friend or something else entirely.
"Yusuke…?"
Rin whispered his name softly, her voice so faint that only she could hear it. But she desperately hoped he would respond.
In that moment—
Berserker stomped the ground, shaking the entire castle. His skin turned crimson, and steam erupted from his pores.
His muscles bulged, veins protruding violently as he roared in fury.
Then, he charged at the black Kuuga, raising his massive weapon high and swinging it down with all his might—
Grab.
The furious wind stopped instantly.
Berserker's colossal, razor-sharp weapon was caught effortlessly.
The Dark Lord didn't flinch.
It stood still, gripping the weapon as if it were a mere twig.
In stark contrast, Berserker's face twisted with rage, his body trembling as he pushed all his strength into the attack. The sheer force of his effort caused the ground beneath him to crack and sink.
"Gaaaaaaahhhh!"
Despite their vast difference in size, the weapon did not move an inch.
In that instant—
The Dark Lord shifted his right foot slightly backward and flicked his sword hand lightly.
Berserker lost his balance, lunging forward, only to be struck square in the face by the Dark Demon's fist.
Boom!
A black cloud of smoke exploded from the impact, engulfing both Berserker's face and the demon's fist. The giant warrior's head disintegrated, and his limbs went limp, swaying for a brief moment before his entire body collapsed onto the ground with a loud thud.
"No way…." Illya stood frozen, her face pale, mouth agape in utter shock. Berserker had been defeated—just like that.
"Did he kill them in just one strike…?" Rin muttered, blinking in disbelief.
Then, something unexpected happened.
"Huh!?"
"Eh!?"
The Dark Demon vanished from Illya's sight—only to reappear behind her.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Berserker resurrected from death once more. Without hesitation, he threw himself at the Dark Demon, mindless of his own safety. His eyes were now pure white, and he roared furiously again and again, signifying his complete loss of reason.
Wielding his weapon, Berserker swung with even more reckless abandon, his movements more frenzied than ever. His strength, too, had grown exponentially.
"Stop this!" Illya screamed, commanding her Servant. "Berserker!" Her voice turned into a desperate plea. She was begging for it to run away; she knew Berserker would not win and would not have a chance.
But the beast, consumed by rage, could no longer hear even the voice of his own master. Berserker battled the Dark Demon like a raging storm—until the second punch struck his chest.
Once again, his body shattered into nothingness. And once again, he revived.
"RAAAAAAAAGH!"
A war cry echoed, the battle cry of a warrior—a demigod who had completed the Twelve Labors, a god of strength. He had fought demons and monstrous threats to humanity time and time again. A Greek hero who won many battles.
But this time…
He would not win.
Blow after blow rained down upon Berserker's body. And with every strike, another of his lives was extinguished.
Illya's cries filled the air as she begged him to flee. Tears streamed down her face, yet no amount of pleading could sway Berserker from his duty.
From the moment he first opened his eyes, he had known only pain.
Until he saw the small figure before him—
A girl with snow-white hair and a face as pure as a lily.
She reminded him of his family—the family he had once failed to protect.
And so, even if he were to die in this life—
He would protect this girl with every last ounce of his strength.
BOOM!
A devastating blow struck Berserker square in the chest. His body, battered and on the brink of death, crumbled to his knees. The madness in his eyes faded, replaced by sorrow and serenity.
As he looked past the Dark Demon to Illya—
First time he smiled.
A gentle, heartfelt smile.
For the first time, he showed his happiness.
"I cannot defeat you…." His voice echoed in the wind. "But you… don't lose to yourself."
A final word made the Dark Demon flinch a little bit.
Then, Berserker's body slowly dissolved into golden dust, his fading smile forever etched into Illya's memory.
"BERSERKER!"
Illya screamed in agony, pleading for him to return. But all she could do was watch as her Servant vanished completely from this world.
At that moment, time seemed to stop.
The battlefield fell silent.
The air itself stilled, as if mourning Berserker's fall.
But the Dark Lord did not allow even a moment's pause.
His gaze turned toward Illya—the defenseless girl.
Slowly, deliberately, he took one step forward.
Then another.
He advanced, unhurried, yet inescapable.
Illya trembled. She sat frozen, her body shaking, tears welling up in her eyes as she clenched her teeth in fear.
And then—
Something unexpected happened.
"STOP!"
Shirou ran up the stairs, stumbling, falling, but forcing himself forward. He threw himself between Illya and the Dark Demon.
"Enough! Berserker is dead!"
Illya gasped at Shirou's reckless act.
"Emiya!? What the hell are you—" Rin shouted, but Shirou ignored her completely.
"I'm begging you, Yusuke! Step back!"
The Dark Demon continued walking, closing in with every second, undeterred by Shirou's words.
"YUSUKE!"
"YUSUKE!"
"YUSUKE!"
"YUSUKE!... Are you planning to kill me!? Are you going to kill your own friend!?"
As the Dark Demon reached striking distance, Shirou mustered all his strength and pushed against its chest with both hands.
But it didn't budge. Not even an inch.
It was like trying to move a mountain—like pushing against a wall of steel rooted deep into the earth.
Dark Lord views Shirou as an obstacle; no words from him are able to make it step away.
As the Dark Lord got close, he raised his fist, ready to strike Shirou, who stubbornly refused to move.
"Do you hear me!? Don't do it, damn it!" Now Shirou threw himself against the demon's chest with all his strength and pushed once more. "If you're going to kill that child, then you'll have to kill me first!"
"Ugh!?"
A distorted voice came under the Black Demon's mask. The force resisting Emiya gradually weakened. No, it wasn't just weakening—it was yielding to him.
Out of nowhere, the Dark Lord stepped back, its once stoic posture starting to waver.
"Aaaaaaaahhhh!"
It clutched its head and let out a scream of agony as if battling something within itself.
At that moment, the dark energy flowing around it began to shift and ripple in response to its cries. It staggered violently, slamming into the ground before getting up and hurling itself against the wall, causing chunks of plaster to scatter everywhere. It continued this over and over, each time accompanied by an agonized scream.
It struck the wall again with such force that cracks spread all the way up to the ceiling, splintering out like a spider's web.
Fragments of stone began to crumble from the cracks, and a second later, a section of the ceiling gave way to gravity.
"Illya!"
Shirou turned and grabbed the young girl, Lily, diving off the balcony just a split second before a massive chunk of debris came crashing down.
BOOOOOOM!
The rubble collapsed onto the area where the Black Demon stood. As soon as it hit the ground, it broke through, bringing the second-floor balcony down with it, burying the raging demon beneath the wreckage and out of sight.
Shirou held Illya tightly as they landed, his left arm slamming into the tiled floor. A loud crack echoed from his shoulder, and a wave of numbness washed over him. But even then, he refused to let go of Illya until he was certain she was safe.
"Hey, you!"
Rin rushed over as soon as they landed.
"Are you okay?"
Shirou loosened his hold, checking on the unconscious girl. Seeing that she was completely unharmed, he let out a relieved sigh.
"She's just fainted, I think." Rin crouched down to examine her. "What about you?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Shirou glanced at his left shoulder.
"Pretty sure it's just dislocated."
"You idiot…." Rin frowns.
Both of them then turned their gazes toward the ruins of the balcony. What was once a sturdy structure was now nothing but dust, rubble, and collapsed stone, piled into a heap of debris.
"Wait…what about Yusuke!" Shirou's eyes widened as he suddenly remembered—Yusuke was buried under all that wreckage.
"He's… probably under all that ruins," Rin said with a somber expression. "I don't know what kind of demon took over him, but he was too dangerous. We should regroup first."
"That might be true, but we still need to save Yusuke!" Shirou shouted, " You are a trained mage; you can probably do something! "
"Don't be ridiculous! I don't have the strength to lift that much rubble," Rin lowered her head before glancing at Saber, whose arm was twisted out of shape like a cavatappi pasta. "And Saber needs to recover too."
Rin signs, She knew that Yusuke was considered a useful ally and friend. But after whatever happened today, she didn't know he could be this dangerous to anyone later on….
"Berserker was defeated. His mission is over." At Rin's words, Shirou dropped to his knees. His face went blank, void of expression, until tears started welling in his eyes.
"If only I were stronger…"
Clap. Clap.
The sound of slow clapping echoed from the rooftop.
A man with golden hair and piercing red eyes stood above them. His black jacket billowed in the wind, resembling the cape of a grand king. But his demeanor was anything but noble—he looked more like a villain.
"Impressive. A performance quite befitting of trash like you," he sneered, tilting his head while leaning against the remains of the broken rooftop. "But trash is still trash."
"Who the hell are you!?" Rin snapped, immediately pointing at the golden-haired man.
He stopped clapping, rolling his eyes at both Rin and Emiya.
"Trash like you doesn't deserve to know the name of a king."
"What!? And when did I become trash, huh!?" Rin's outrage only made the man smirk again, but then his expression shifted when he heard Shirou speak.
"You… You're that guy from before."
Shirou gritted his teeth, clutching his injured arm as he forced himself up.
"Oh… so it's you." The golden-haired man paused for a moment before continuing. "Too bad your friend is dead."
Shirou's chest tightened, and he struggled to respond.
"He was Kirei's finest work. A shame he had to die now. Otherwise, I would've had some fun with him."
"Kirei? You know that priest!?" Rin's face contorted in shock, confusion swirling in her mind. "What the hell is going on!? I don't seem to understand anything anymore!"
Rin's frustration makes the man show off his satisfied looks.
"Little girl, there are many things you still don't know."
He then pointed a finger at Illya, who remained unconscious, looking like a sleeping princess.
"Hand her over, and I'll grant you all a painless death."
"What!?"
Rin and Shirou exclaimed at the same time.
"That's right. If you simply hand over that little girl, I'll be generous and send you all to heaven quickly. But if you don't…"
The man paused, his wicked smirk returning.
"Then I have some… fun alternatives for you to choose from."
A cold wind blew past them.
Rin's words struck a nerve, making the man visibly displeased.
"…Fine." With that single word, he waved his hand once.
Golden circles shimmered into existence behind him, reflecting off the surrounding buildings. But it wasn't just one—dozens of them emerged in the air. Within each circle, melee weapons of various shapes and sizes—axes, swords, and spears—materialized, all aimed directly at Rin and Shirou, ready to pierce their bodies at a moment's notice.
"If you can't decide, I'll make the choice for you."
The blond man raised his hand, about to flick his wrist when he suddenly halted.
"Before you die, I'll give you a name to remember in hell." He smirked. "My name is Gilgamesh."
BOOM!
A deep rumble echoed through the area, shaking the ground like an earthquake. Everyone nearby felt it—an undeniable, looming presence.
Debris trembled. Cracks spread across the castle walls.
Then, in an instant, the pile of rubble that once made up the second-floor balcony violently shifted. Chunks of stone and wood blasted outward, tearing through walls and leaving gaping holes in the structure.
And standing in the midst of it all—the source of the disturbance—was the Dark Lord.
It had returned.
"Hah… Lucky me. You're still alive. And it looks like you got yourself a new look." Gilgamesh grinned. "I suppose I'll have to test it out."
With a flick of his finger, all the golden circles realigned, shifting their aim toward Dark Lord.
There was no warning.
A barrage of weapons fired like a relentless machine gun, crashing against the demon's armor. Golden explosions erupted upon impact, engulfing the figure in blinding light.
For over a minute, Gilgamesh continued his relentless assault, firing weapon after weapon.
Then, he stopped.
"…It seems like your new form is just good at the looks only." A grin spread across his face, relishing the thrill of battle.
But as the smoke began to clear, his expression twisted into something else entirely.
The Dark Lord still stood there. Unscathed. Unbothered. It's still in the same position as before and still looking directly at Gilgamesh's crimson soul.
Gilgamesh's eyes widened in disbelief.
"…Tch."
Not giving any moment of warming up, he snapped his fingers again.
A massive number of golden portals opened behind the demon, brimming with countless spears and swords—point-blank, ready to pierce through flesh.
He snapped his fingers once more.
BOOM!
The weapons were launched all at once, but the Black Demon vanished in a blur of motion. It leaped onto the castle wall, dodging the golden rain of destruction with terrifying agility.
Before Gilgamesh could react, the demon lunged toward him.
"Shit—?!"
Gilgamesh's crimson eyes tracked its movement just in time.
The golden circles followed his gaze, adjusting their aim.
Blades and daggers filled the air, shooting toward the Black Demon. But in midair, the creature twisted its body, spinning through the storm of weapons with inhuman precision.
As it passed over one of the spears, it grabbed it mid-flight, twisting it into a new form—a gold-and-black spear that now belonged to Darklord.
"What?!" Gilgamesh's pupils shrank, his mouth slightly agape.
In that moment, the Black Demon closed the distance. It's changing form, pointing a spear toward Gilgamesh, aiming at his golden hair.
With a last second before a spear is released out of a hand, Gilgamesh flicks his own fingers, summoning two more golden portals on two sides of the Dark Lord.
From them, golden chains shot out, wrapping around the demon's body midair, locking it in place.
Gilgamesh immediately jumped back, landing on a distant stone platform.
Taking a deep breath, he wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. But then, a smirk returned to his lips.
"Heh… You really do love surprises, don't you?" He exhaled, though his expression showed a hint of unease. "But this is as far as you go."
He continued, his voice brimming with confidence.
"Those chains—even the strongest gods couldn't break free from them. Sorry, but you—"
He took a step back, waving his hand.
A massive golden portal opened beside him.
From within, a cylindrical weapon emerged—its drill-like tip beginning to spin ominously.
"This is the end."
Cling.
"…Impossible."
His voice came out barely above a whisper.
But it wasn't relief—it was pure shock.
His eyes widened. A cold sweat ran down his face.
The golden chains that once bound the Black Demon… were now shattered into tiny fragments.
And the demon was free.
With a devastating force, it pulled back its fist midair, swinging its body and adjusting to the force of the wind.
A dark force surrounding it is pushing it up to the enemies.
Once a god realized Darklord already lunged toward Gilgamesh and the spear was closing to his skin.
But a drill was pulled out in front of Gilgamesh, nearly to encounter.
"Run, you idiot! NOW!"
Rin's voice cut through the chaos, shouting at Shirou, whose eye was still on the battle.
She was already sprinting out of the castle, carrying Illya on her back. Shirou, gripping his wounded shoulder, followed alongside her, while Saber rushed behind them.
They had to escape. Fast.
And at that final second—
The Black Demon's fist met the tip of the golden drill.
A blinding light—gold clashing against black—burst forth.
A massive explosion erupted, consuming the entire front of Castle Einzbern.
A sphere of swirling energy expanded outward, golden light and darkness colliding violently.
The resulting shockwave launched Rin and Shirou off their feet, hurling them deep into the forest.
As their bodies hit the ground, silence followed.
All that remained was the distant sound of rustling leaves… and their ragged breaths of pain.
"Emiya, Emiya!" Rin turned herself over, suppressing the pain in her leg from the fall just moments ago. She crawled toward Shirou, who was propped up against a nearby tree. "How are you?"
"I'm fine… but—" Shirou rolled his eyes toward the castle.
The entire front section of the castle was gone, burned to ashes, exposing the inside of the building, which was now divided into visible blocks.
There was likely no one left inside…
"Damn it!? Why is everything getting stranger and stranger!?" Rin shouted, frustration clear in her voice. For the first time, everything felt chaotic. There were so many things she didn't understand—how they were connected, whether they were real or not—but now, they had all happened.
"Kirei! That golden bastard...whatever possessed Yusuke! I don't even know where to start!"
"It's okay, Tohsaka," Shirou placed a gentle hand on Rin's shoulder, as if to tell her not to overthink things. "But about Yusuke… I—"
Before he could finish, Shirou coughed violently. A blood splattering from his mouth—though only in small drops.
"Ah, you! You need a lot of healing!" Rin rolled her eyes before turning to Saber. "And you, how are you?"
"I am fine. Just my wrist needs healing, and I will be ready to fight again… But we should tend to Shirou first."
Rin smiled at Saber before glancing at the last person she hadn't spoken to yet—a white-haired girl, fast asleep, unaware of anything.
"You really shouldn't have saved her." Rin turned back to Shirou.
"Oh, so you wanted me to just leave her there!? I couldn't do that," Shirou frowned. "Besides… I don't think she's all that cruel…"
"What do you mean 'not that cruel'?"
"Everyone—" A weak, familiar voice echoed from the forest behind them. A ghost?
But when they turned to look…
Yusuke. His clothes were in tatters, his body covered in scratches and burns, his hair messy and missing in places—he looked like a dead man walking. He staggered toward the group before giving a small smile.
"I am thirsty—"
That was his last sentence before he collapsed to the ground.
In a narrow alleyway at night, the streets were silent. This place was even quieter.
Gilgamesh, his clothes in shreds, leaned against a wall, slowly dragging himself through the alley.
He breathed heavily from his injuries… But he was still alive.
Yet blood dripped from his mouth.
"Ugh!" He spat more blood onto the concrete. He wasn't dead yet.
Gilgamesh stopped to rest against the wall, looking up at the sky. The stars were scattered sparsely—if not for the city's lights, he would have seen more…
"I was careless… warrior… But at least, I finally found an opponent who is my equal," Gilgamesh smirked. "If only I were immortal…"
Speaking of immortality, he had nearly forgotten that he once desired it.
But now?
He wasn't sure anymore… It was as if that desire had vanished from him.
The Holy Grail had granted him a new wish. By giving him life, it had also shown him how rotten it truly was.
"I will make this wretched world valuable again."
His gaze shifted to the end of the alleyway, where a group of homeless people sat or lay on the ground.
Gilgamesh's sharp, menacing eyes locked onto them immediately.
"Prepare yourselves… you worthless beings of this modern world."
He stepped toward them, raising his hand.
"And you as well, warrior."