In Type-Moon, it all starts with adopting Sakura.

Countless black insects, hidden in the shadows, began to crawl out of the darkness along the pillars under Zouken Matou's command. They quickly surrounded Kirei Kotomine through the crack in the door behind him, forming a four-sided encirclement that made it difficult for him to escape.

“Kill him…no, leave him alive, and it would be best to preserve his Command Seals.”

The aged voice hesitated for a moment before issuing the order again.

The next moment, the pitch-black swarm of insects erupted into a frenzy, surging forward like a tidal wave, intent on devouring Kirei Kotomine, who was trapped in the center.

However, even so, even in the face of such a desperate situation, Kirei Kotomine's eyes remained calm. He did not make a sound, but simply stared at the statue of the Virgin Mary hidden in the darkness in front of him. His calm and indifferent gaze never looked at the insects around him, as if these things posed no threat to him at all.

Although I didn't only find out about this when I killed Tokiomi-sensei...

But the feeling is becoming increasingly apparent at this moment.

Ah, ah... I know, I've always known.

I was born different from others, I was born incomplete...

For me, happiness is actually bitter; only distortion is truly sweet. In other words…

Only in despair and distortion can I feel true joy, and only then can I realize that I am still alive.

I actually understood a long time ago.

My existence is a mistake for this world, for any living being, because it is the purest form of evil.

Even Merlene Solomon, who is also a monster, and Hier, one of Roya's hosts, both described themselves in this way.

It's such a serious disability; perhaps I shouldn't have been born into this world.

Even so, over the past two decades, I have still managed to maintain my conscience by suppressing my true nature.

I have tried to correct myself, to become a normal person, and to integrate into the human community, but without exception, I have failed.

That last attempt was when I tried to love a woman.

That wasn't love...

It's just that I think I should do it.

I want to do that.

I hope to rediscover the feeling of being human by falling in love with someone and having children.

As for the result...

Until the moment you die in front of me.

"As for me, I still can't fall in love with you..."

Kirei Kotomine slowly closed his eyes, murmuring silently as the endless sea of ​​insects engulfed his body.

……

"Hmph... Already dead? Poor little executor brat."

Sensing the cessation of movement below through the swarm of insects, Zouken Matou, standing atop the church and before the cross, revealed a mocking smile. "Just like your foolish and naive teacher, your betrayal and desires will ultimately amount to nothing."

"With Gilgamesh out of the picture, I'll just say that the real mission will be accomplished if we can find a way to kill El-Melloi and Kiritsugu Emiya..."

He mocked Kirei Kotomine recklessly, having already resigned him to death in his heart, having dragged him into the swarm of insects.

However, just before he was about to give his victory speech, suddenly—

boom! !

A violent explosion suddenly erupted from beneath his feet, accompanied by a huge gash. Before he could react, a dark figure leaped up from below and appeared right in front of him.

"It's...it's you! But...how is this possible?!"

Zouken Matou stared in astonishment at Kirei Kotomine, whose face had been half-eaten off by the insects and whose body was mangled, yet was growing back at an extremely bizarre rate.

Kirei didn't answer his question. His hand, which had been bitten down to a skeleton, slammed down on Zouken Matou's head and slammed him to the ground. Then, to Zouken's disbelief, the eye that had been eaten grew back. His gaze remained calm as he stared at Zouken Matou, without joy or sorrow.

"What's wrong with you?!"

Zouken Matou roared and cursed, constantly questioning Kirei Kotomine, who should have died, should have been eaten by the insect swarm, but had reappeared here.

However, the other person did not answer, and their eyes remained expressionless, only pressing their palm firmly against Zouken Matou below, silently muttering—

"Announcement"

Our company kills, our company lives.

What I am wounded, I will heal.

Nothing can surpass it; it is in my palm.

"There is no escape from my gaze."

"This, this is...?"

The sacred incantation slipped out, and a strange feeling followed, making Matou Sōken, who was pressed below, suddenly realize something.

"To destroy it."

I summon back the crippled and the aged.

They entrust themselves to me, learn from me, and follow me.

As holy incantations continued to be uttered from his mouth, a pure white holy domain spread out from Kirei Matou's palm, enveloping him and Zouken Matou below in a dazzling light, displaying a unique brilliance under the night sky.

Both of their bodies were illuminated by the holy light. Gradually, Zouken Matou's decaying face became distorted, and black mist began to rise from his withered hands. He stared intently at Kirei Kotomine, who was still chanting incantations in front of him, and with his last strength, he let out a roar that resounded through the night sky.

"Stop! Stop right now!! Stop right now!!"

Despite Zouken Matou's roar, Kirei Kotomine remained unmoved, showing neither joy nor sorrow.

During a break,

The song has not been forgotten, the prayer has not been forgotten, and I have not forgotten myself.

"No, no, you can't do this to Kirei Kotomine! My wish, my long-cherished dream, is not yet fulfilled! You can't kill me!!"

"With my lightness, I can unload all burdens and find peace in my hands."

Because of your sins, you are anointed with oil and branded.

Kirei Kotomine, holding Zouken Matou, whose head had been burned to ashes by the holy light, pointed it at the cross in front of him and said calmly:

"Eternal life is given by death."

Forgiveness is in the present moment; I swear by my flesh.

Looking at Kirei Kotomine's calm face, Zouken Matou's heart trembled violently. In his dying moments, he began to curse wildly.

"You bastard! You demon! Unforgivable! Absolutely unforgivable! You hypocritical prisoners of justice, you only know how to tarnish my ideals with your boring, false morality! I will never forgive you, never! I curse you, I curse you... Aaaaaah!!!"

—KYRIE ELEISON (Looking with compassion upon this soul)

Kirei Kotomine spoke calmly, then slowly released his hand, casting Zouken Matou's last remaining soul along the holy light into the distant galaxy, reaching the celestial realm where the Lord resided.

"..."

After finishing everything, Kirei Kotomine quietly watched the other side of the Milky Way disappear, his expression remaining neither joyful nor sorrowful, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.

And the half of his body that had been devoured by the horde was restored to its original state at this moment.

He then reached out his finger and pulled the last remaining golden apple core from his throat, tossing it into the soil at his feet.

Before entering, he ate a golden apple given to him by Gilgamesh, which could restore vitality and heal fatal wounds. This was an important reason why he remained calm even when facing endless insects.

Rather than saying that Zouken Matou found his way here on his own, it would be more accurate to say that he deliberately left the black keys so that Zouken Matou would find him...

Watching his frenzied death and hearing his unwilling roar, Kirei Kotomine, who had won the victory, couldn't help but reveal a pleased smile.

He quietly stepped off the roof, the last words his wife had spoken to him before she died echoing in his ears.

Kirei, you actually love me...

If you don't believe me, look, aren't there tears in the corners of your eyes?

"That was just a misunderstanding..."

He quietly recalled the scene, and a hint of sadness flashed involuntarily in his eyes.

"I was indeed sad at the time, but not because of that woman's death."

"Instead, I think that since death is inevitable, I would rather it be by my own hand, just like Tohsaka-sensei..."

……

The Matou family.

On the only path leading to the insect nest, an insect is struggling to crawl.

The tightly closed door had already been opened before it arrived, and a young man was sitting there coldly watching the crawling worm. He had obviously been waiting there for a long time.

※※※※※※※

……

……

13,000 words finished!

The old bug is also about to retire.

Not a moment was spent grieving the old bug's departure; the next to rush to the battlefield was—

Chapter Seventy-Seven: Goodbye Father, Goodbye My Cowardice

The night was deep, but the fierce battle continued.

"Ahhh... Ahhhh..."

"Damn Kirei Kotomine, how dare you... how dare you treat me like this! I will not let you get away with this, I will definitely not let you get away with this..."

"No, I'm about to die, the life force in my body is rapidly draining away..."

"If this continues, I'll really die... No... I can't do that! My long-cherished wish hasn't been fulfilled yet! I... I must live... No matter what, I must live! Ahhhhhh..."

The mutilated spirits before the gates of hell roared and cursed, venting their resentment.

He writhed and struggled with his broken body, desperately clinging to the last glimmer of hope for survival.

……