"But according to your view of religion, Ryunosuke... does that mean all of my blasphemy was nothing more than a farce?" Gilles de Rais asked uneasily.
"Not at all."
Ryunosuke waved his hand dismissively.
"Every story has its heroes and villains. Even a clown can become a first-rate performer if he plays his role with all his heart and makes the audience laugh."
"God doesn't care whether you're praising Him or blaspheming Him. As long as you play your part as the sharp-tongued straight man, I'm sure He'll happily play the fool alongside you."
Upon hearing that—
Gilles burst into hysterical laughter.
"Ohohohoho! So blasphemy and worship are both forms of reverence to you?! Ahh, Ryunosuke! Your philosophy truly runs deep! Even the God who treats all living beings as mere puppets for amusement... is nothing more than a clown Himself!"
"I see now!"
"No wonder He has such cruel tastes! No wonder you were able to summon me, and why our bodies and souls have become one! It was all destiny!"
"Excellent!"
"Then let us paint God's garden with the brightest colors of despair and the sweetest cries of agony!"
The two embraced each other and threw back their shared head in manic laughter.
"We'll show that Director in the heavens that God isn't the only one who understands entertainment!"
Walking effortlessly across the rippling surface of the river, Gilles gradually moved away from the shore until he stood at its center.
With theatrical elegance, he opened the yellowed pages of Prelati's Spellbook.
An ominous surge of violet-black magical energy erupted.
Using himself as the ritual's medium while Ryunosuke exhausted every last Command Seal, Caster unleashed his Noble Phantasm—
"Monsieur, let's create the ultimate work of art for this world together!"
"I'm so moved, Ryunosuke! Meeting you was the greatest blessing of my life!"
As Caster carried on his bizarre conversation with himself, the river beneath his feet gradually became corrupted by the violet-black mana overflowing from the spellbook.
Within moments, the clear water had transformed into something resembling a swamp that had festered for decades.
Merely looking at it was enough to make one's stomach churn.
Half-decayed humanoid limbs and rotten remains drifted up and down beneath the murky surface.
Gurgle... Gurgle...
The viscous mire writhed as though alive.
Whenever bubbles burst upon its surface, they released a nauseating stench far fouler than ordinary decay—as if the sulfurous gases from dozens of rapidly decomposing corpses had been compressed into a single unbearable wave.
Beneath the water, invisible to mortal eyes, currents of violet-black corruption spread rapidly along predetermined paths.
It was as though an enormous magic circle were being painted across the entirety of Fuyuki City, using the city itself as the canvas.
The corruption raced toward every underground Reservoir Chamber that Gilles had once used as his hideouts.
Those abandoned, dried-up facilities...
After being filled with the grotesque "art" of Gilles and Ryunosuke...
Were finally about to hold water once more.
Splash!
The violet-black seawater flooded into the underground chambers, instantly activating the twisted magical formations Gilles had left behind.
Even the hideout that Iskandar had thoroughly ravaged with the Gordius Wheel still retained enough violet-black bloodstains soaked into its walls for the ritual to function.
"..."
From his distant vantage point, Kiritsugu Emiya suddenly felt as though he were surrounded by the stench of countless rotting corpses.
His brow tightened sharply.
Yet he remained perfectly silent.
His patience was extraordinary.
Elsewhere—
Maiya Hisau finally reached her limit.
"Urgh—!"
She vomited violently.
Even over the radio, Kiritsugu could hear the agony in her voice.
"Maiya..."
"I'm fine!"
She wiped the mixture of stomach acid and half-digested food from the corner of her mouth with her sleeve, rejecting the retreat order before Kiritsugu could even give it.
Having worked together for years, the two understood each other almost instinctively.
She would never leave Kiritsugu to face this alone.
Compared to Irisviel—whose relationship with Kiritsugu often resembled that of husband and wife only in appearance—Maiya knew him far more intimately.
She accepted the burdens Irisviel never could.
She witnessed the darkness Irisviel was never meant to see.
That...
Was Maiya Hisau's resolve.
"...Haa."
After emptying everything she had eaten the previous night, Maiya took a deep breath and quickly steadied herself.
"Caster is undoubtedly performing some kind of large-scale Magecraft."
"If he finishes it..."
"The civilians of Fuyuki City will all be caught in it."
"I know."
The light in Kiritsugu's eyes seemed to dim.
Half his face disappeared into shadow.
"But there's nothing we can do."
"Even if every person in Fuyuki City has to die..."
"As long as we ultimately win the Holy Grail War..."
"Then every sacrifice will have been worth it."
Sacrifice the few...
To save the many.
That had always been the creed of the man known as Kiritsugu Emiya—the would-be Champion of Justice.
Though every decision filled him with pain and regret...
His limited power left him with no other choice.
As time passed...
Even his original sense of justice gradually slipped beyond his reach.
In its place remained only the title the world had given him—
Magus Killer.
"What kind of joke is this?!"
"Who would ever want to make choices like these?!"
Kiritsugu had screamed those words long ago.
Now...
His expression had become utterly calm.
Terrifyingly calm.
If it meant realizing his dream of world peace...
He would sacrifice anything.
Even the people he loved most.
"...O God..."
As the ominous violet-black corruption spread across the entire coastline surrounding Fuyuki City, Gilles—now fused with Ryunosuke—raised all four hands toward the heavens and began the final invocation.
At that very moment—
It was as if the Creator Himself had answered Gilles' prayer.
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion echoed through the heavens.
Like ceremonial fireworks welcoming the descent of a god...
A sun rose into the night sky.
Then—
Golden rain poured from the heavens beneath that falling sun.
And with it appeared the miracle that had descended upon the mortal world—
Lord Asgard.
The attention of Gilles, Kiritsugu, and Maiya was instantly drawn toward it.
Though separated by more than a dozen kilometers, that magnificent divine realm stretched beyond the limits of their vision.
Without regard for good or evil...
It embraced all beneath its protection equally.
Golden rain.
The holy city of Asgard.
The cursed sea.
Three overwhelming phenomena unfolded simultaneously across the night of Fuyuki City.
Each sought to stain the city with its own color...
And seize the fruit of ultimate victory.
"Ahahahahaha! God has answered me!"
Gilles shrieked in ecstasy.
He frantically tore at his own hair and clawed at his face, utterly oblivious to the pain.
"Since our honored guest from Heaven has accepted my invitation..."
"Then I, Gilles de Rais..."
"Shall prepare the grandest banquet of death and decadence to welcome Him!"
"Ah... I do hope you'll enjoy this feast as well..."
"Jeanne!!!!!"
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