FATE: Target of Grand Master

Just as Emiya Alter was about to deliver the final blow to Emiya Shirou, Shirou, enduring excruciating pain, shouted, "I will steadfastly uphold my ideals. Besides, my future shouldn't be defined by you! You only walked into a dead end once, and you're already thinking of blocking all paths? You don't even have that much resolve; you're the one who should just shoot yourself!"

Magic surged from Shirou's body, and despite never having learned it, Shirou chanted it accurately.

"I am the bone of the sword I wield."

Blood runs hot as iron, but the heart is as clear as glass.

He has fought countless battles without ever being defeated.

They have never been defeated.

They have not yet won a single victory.

Alone here, he forged a sword on Sword Hill.

Then, this life needs no meaning.

This body is destined to be formed from the "Infinity Blade"!

Under Emiya ALTER's astonished gaze, Emiya Shirou unleashed his Reality Marble: Unlimited Blade Works.

A gigantic gear hangs high in the sky, the ground littered with sword mounds. Shirou opens his eyes and shouts at Emiya Alter, "This scene is all too familiar to you. No names, no thanks, no records—just a meaningless tool. This is what you see."

"That's right. Reality Marbles are all manifestations of one's state of mind. Can't you see that this place is utterly meaningless, just like the life of someone named Emiya?"

"No, what I see is different from what you see," Shirou shook his head. "What I see is the unwavering will to persevere in upholding ideals, to fight relentlessly even when faced with setbacks, betrayal, and despair, just like the countless swords here, to keep moving forward for the sake of 'partners of justice.' That is the most fundamental difference between you and me."

"Projection, begin!"

Two black and white swords appeared in Shirou's hands, but unlike the previous short sword, the long sword, which looked like a meat cleaver, was a weapon called Gan Jiang Mo Xie Overedge.

"Archer, I must thank you for showing me the possibility of me going astray. This will only strengthen my resolve to uphold my ideals and never compromise or yield. But as for my flawed future, I will prove to you that my future is above yours!"

Shirou gripped his twin swords and charged toward Emiya Alter.

"Stop talking nonsense!"

Emiya Alter raised his twin pistols and fired wildly at Emiya Shirou.

clang clang clang!

The bullets pouring from the muzzle did nothing to stop Shirou Maekawa's advance.

After a crisp metallic clang, Shirou leaped high into the air, and with the giant gear in the sky as witness, Shirou Emiya left a large X-shaped wound on the body of Emiya ALTER.

"Ha ha ha ha..."

The black and white swords shattered, the Reality Marble collapsed, and Shirou Emiya, still in his slashing stance, knelt on one knee, panting heavily.

"I never expected that I would be the first to waver in my will."

Emiya Alter sheathed his blade and said to Shirou, "You won this time."

"Even putting aside personal grudges, you're now Matou Ryouken's Servant, aren't you? Are you just going to let me go like this?"

Emiya Shirou was somewhat surprised, but being able to stop fighting was a good thing for him.

"I already said it was due to circumstances at the time. However, you're right, I'm still Matou Ryouken's Servant, so I need your help."

Meanwhile, inside the great void, Matou Ryogen felt his contract with Archer break.

"Did he get taken down? Oh well, it's just an Archer, no big deal."

Immediately afterward, Matou Ryogen heard a series of rapid footsteps.

Xia Yan and his group, who were the first to rush into the great cavern, did not see the stone wall with the large hole this time. Instead, they saw the huge figure that looked like both a goddess and a monster queen.

"Is that a Gorgon?"

Ilya couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

Even she, who was used to controlling Servants of enormous size, couldn't help but be shocked by Gorgon's massive body.

Compared to the Gorgon, the Berserker is much smaller and cuter.

Even though Xia Yan had already told everyone his guess, everyone was still deeply shocked by the enormous size of the Gorgon and the oppressive aura it exuded.

"This spirit origin has not yet reached the standard of the mythical era, but it is indeed a Gorgon."

Medea, also from the mythological era, defined the nature of the servant before her.

Below the Gorgon stood the blue-haired youth, Matou Ryouken, and the black-armored Artoria Altera.

The large horde of monsters that I had imagined did not appear, which means that Matou Ryokon's preparations are complete.

"Hehehe. The fact that you didn't scatter and run away really did me a great favor."

Matou Tsurugi took two steps forward.

"How about it? Were you shocked by my masterpiece?"

"They're enemies anyway."

Cú Chulainn, adhering to the Celtic warrior tradition, did not complain about his opponents; he simply fought and that was it. However, his words at this moment were just right to boost morale.

"Wait a minute, Lancer."

Just as Cú Chulainn was preparing to fight, Xia Yan stopped him.

Xia Yan had a question that had remained unanswered, and he wanted a clear answer before the final battle.

He shouted at Matou Ryouken, "Matou Ryouken, your wish is immortality, then all you need is the Holy Grail. Why did you create a monster like Gorgon and drag the citizens of Fuyuki City into this?"

"Young man, you are mistaken. Even if both are immortality, there is a fundamental difference between being a tiny insect and being a powerful god. The Holy Grail can grant me immortality, but to gain immortality merely with a human body is too ordinary. I want to gain immortality as a god."

"I understand. In short, you don't want to be human anymore."

Xia Yan picked at his ear, feeling that Matou Ryouki had been possessed by some blond-haired man from the next film set.

"Human beings are ultimately limited. Obsession with the human body itself is a means for the gods to control humanity. Only by transcending human thinking can one become a being that transcends humanity."

"You'd be willing to sacrifice almost the entire population of Fuyuki City for this, right?"

Rin Tohsaka, having caught up with the main group, questioned Ryuken Matou.

"Those ordinary people are just walking magic blocks. It's their honor to be able to collect them as the magic for my immortality," Matou Ryouken replied dismissively.

"I should have known that magicians are a bunch of morally bankrupt individuals, but Matou Reiken, you are the most morally depraved among magicians. As the guardian of this land, I, Tohsaka Rin, will purge the Matou family."

Rin Tohsaka was clearly furious at Matou Riki's answer.

"So, you're still stuck in human thinking. But I don't expect you to understand anyway; you'll all become nourishment for my eternal life. Saber!"

Artoria Altera, who had been standing silently to the side, gripped her black holy sword and charged toward the direction where the group was.

clang!

A crimson spear blocked the black holy sword.

"Yo, Saber, your opponent is me. Today, I'm going to go all out."

With that, Cú Chulainn forcefully deflected the Black Knight Princess's holy sword and kicked her in her black armor, sending her flying several meters.

Artoria Altera regained her balance in mid-air, landed steadily on her feet, and then unleashed a burst of magic at Cú Chulainn.

"Master, my mana consumption will be much higher today, so please be careful."

Cú Chulainn coated his crimson spear with magic and hurled it at the oncoming black magic.

The black and red magic collided and exploded instantly, eventually canceling each other out.

Artoria Alter refused to believe it and unleashed another magical sword strike, which was once again neutralized by Cú Chulainn using the same technique.

"In the end, releasing magic is nothing more than releasing energy, and it can be canceled out with an equal amount of energy."

Although he spoke lightly, Cú Chulainn knew that his Master's magical power was no match for Saber's Master, Matou Ryouken, not to mention that Xia Yan needed to conserve magical power for summoning.

Therefore, Cú Chulainn took the initiative this time, relying on his A-rank agility to instantly close the distance with Saber, and used his martial arts to firmly entangle the black knight princess.

While Lancer held Saber back, the others began to act on their own, following the pre-arranged plan.