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At this moment, light broke through the earth.
Even the sky itself trembled before its radiance.
The Sword of Promised Victory shattered—but there was no hint of pain in the girl's eyes.
Only a smile remained.
A smile like a lily flower in bloom.
The next second, along with the notification that appeared before his eyes, Maverick's hands—which had been tightly clasped around Lily in support—finally loosened.
[SYSTEM: Your Servant has defeated 'All the World's Evil'. You have obtained 'holy grail fragment' × 3. You have obtained holy relic 'black mud' × 1. The game will end in 10 minutes. Do you wish to exit early? Yes / No?]
Exiting early was, of course, impossible.
If it were any other game, it wouldn't matter.
But in the Holy Grail War, Maverick had long stopped treating everyone as mere AI in a game.
They were real people.
Every battle was an encounter. And since it was an encounter, they had to say a proper farewell.
So as Maverick pressed [No], the chat surged with emotion.
[Hyped_Harry]: This fight was so EXCITING!
[Exhausted_Eddie]: Is it over? It's finally over~ I feel like there was no time to rest at all, it was either fighting or on the way to fight
[High_On_Life]: Ah~ I'm so hyped right now!
[Movie_Mike]: I strongly request that this entire arc be adapted into a movie. As long as you dare to release it, I will personally buy ten tickets
[One_Upper_Oscar]: Ten tickets? Who are you looking down on? If foreigners see that, they'll think we can't afford it. 100 tickets per person minimum
[Impressed_Irene]: Holy cow, big spender!
[Broke_Betty]: Rich guy, can you spare some cash? I wanna go get breakfast
[Math_Matt]: Your "breakfast" costs a suspiciously large amount
[Night_Owl_Nancy]: Holy crap! Staying up late AGAIN! Two more hours and it'll be dawn. Might as well pull an all-nighter. Max, don't even think about resting—start another round!
As the dust of battle settled, the chat was filled with a joyful atmosphere.
Similarly, in Chen Ge's stream—even though he was gone now—the viewers who had been watching remembered his sacrifice. He had wanted to participate in such a grand battle too.
But next time, his spirit seemed to say. Next time I'll bring Drake along.
And from the joy of the real world, back to the game itself.
With the disappearance of All the World's Evil and the destruction of the corrupted Holy Grail, everyone began to glow with golden light.
The Servants were fading.
Their forms flickered like candles in the wind, golden particles beginning to drift from their bodies. The Holy Grail War was truly ending now.
Watching this scene, even Maverick—who had weathered great storms—couldn't help but feel his nose sting with emotion.
And looking at her Master's melancholic expression, Lily showed a more mature smile.
"What's wrong, Master? Are you crying?"
"Is that not allowed?"
"How could it not be?"
Her voice was gentle.
"But it's best if you don't cry. Because if you cry, Master... I might not be able to help but cry too."
She took a steadying breath.
"So let's leave it at this. Even though our time together was short, I am truly grateful from the bottom of my heart."
Her golden eyes met his.
"Thank you for being my Master. You may not be the strongest Master... but in my heart, you are the best Master."
As she spoke, Artoria—who was trying so hard to be strong—couldn't help but feel her nose redden. The redness around her eyes clearly showed she was on the verge of tears.
Fortunately, Astolfo's boundless energy saved the moment.
The pink-haired Rider took a big leap and stretched out his arms, hugging Lily with one arm and Maverick with the other.
Then, as if by magic, he flipped his wrist and pulled out an old-fashioned instant camera.
"Oh my, what are you two doing? If you can't bear to part, then say it out loud!"
His grin was infectious.
"Farewell may be the main theme of life, but there's no rule that says everyone has to look sad because of it!"
He held up the camera.
"Come on! Smile! Let's take a picture together! And also—call Beowulf's Master over!"
"No... he's already gone."
"Is that so? Then the five of us it is!"
Yes—at the same moment that All the World's Evil disappeared, William had logged out of the game.
In his small room in the real world, he had taken off his helmet and cried bitterly into his pillow.
But after the bitter crying came a satisfied smile.
Yes, although there was sadness, there was also joy. Perhaps this was what adults called "life."
Anyway, he had to sleep quickly so he could have good energy tomorrow—and continue playing the game to summon Uncle Beowulf again.
Though... bothering someone like that didn't seem right. Maybe he should try some new summoning methods next time.
He hoped Uncle Beowulf wouldn't blame him.
Thinking this, William entered dreamland with a smile on his face.
And at Astolfo's beckoning—
Even Medea, who often expressed disdain for the chaotic Rider, now entered the camera's frame with them.
As the flash went off, an instant photo popped out.
Through Medea's replication magic, a copy landed in everyone's hands.
The photo showed all of them together—Maverick, Lily, Astolfo, Medea, and Max in the background. Smiling. Alive. Together.
It was a moment frozen in time. A memory that would outlast even the Servants themselves.
"Indeed, Lily-chan is the cutest!"
"No, Astolfo-san is also very... cute."
"Is that so? You're making me a little shy~"
Astolfo struck a pose, then grew slightly more serious.
"Then you two say your final goodbyes here. I still have some time left, so I'll try my best to help the victims in the city."
He winked.
"The meaning of life lies in the journey! Ciallo~! ✧"
And with that, he bounded away.
"Astolfo-san is truly a free-spirited person!"
"Perhaps..." Medea's voice was soft. "He just doesn't want us to see him cry."
Perhaps it was just as Max had guessed.
Watching Astolfo skip away toward the ruins—where survivors might still need help—Medea seemed to remember something.
She pulled out a wooden longsword from behind her.
And she handed the sword to Lily.
"This was given to me by that Archer named Arash. He said to give it to you when you truly understood what a hero is."
Medea's voice was gentle.
"I originally thought there wouldn't be a chance. But it seems... this sword was always meant for you."
"Arash-san..."
Looking at the sword, Lily seemed to see his smile again. That confident thumbs-up. That final, brilliant arrow.
Her emotions finally broke free.
She burst into tears.
[Emotional_Emily]: Arash, a man short-lived yet glorious like a shooting star
[Crying_Carl]: No, I can't stop my tears
[Grown_Man_Gary]: Damn it, I'm a 30-year-old man and I'm crying into my pillow right now
[Touched_Tina]: Everyone is a good person
[Demanding_Dan]: Max, stop being all philosophical! Give me a straight answer: can you release a Heroic Spirit Companion mode or not?!
Seeing Lily crying her heart out, Maverick and Medea naturally scrambled to comfort her.
Seeing this, Max quietly retreated.
After finding a secluded spot and removing his transformed appearance, he looked up at the vast starry sky.
Perhaps this was the meaning of creating this game.
To share the emotions in his heart with everyone.
And to engrave those emotions in their memories.
"Did I disturb you enjoying your peaceful moment alone?"
Medea's voice came from behind him.
"No. Rather, I feel a bit sorry. I went ahead and destroyed the Holy Grail with them without asking you."
"You know you made such a mistake, huh?"
Her voice was teasing, but warm.
"But it's okay. What I want... is already by my side."
She walked closer.
"Don't move. Let me lean on you for a bit."
Max looked at Medea—already a golden phantom, on the verge of disappearing—and awkwardly scratched his cheek.
But facing his apology, she simply shook her head.
She walked to his side, sat down on the edge of the ruins, and rested her head on his shoulder.
The stars twinkled overhead. The ruined city lay silent around them. And somewhere in the distance, Astolfo was probably helping survivors and making inappropriate jokes.
It had been a hell of a Holy Grail War.
But in this moment, with Medea beside him—even as she faded—Max felt at peace.
Silently, this Holy Grail War drew to a close.
As the two watched the moon together.
And so ends this arc of the Holy Grail War.
Until next time.
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