Shirou, who returned from the Fairy Kingdom

Kiritsugu Emiya calmly said, "Since you value that homunculus so much—"

"Shirou Amamiya, let me tell you the truth about the Holy Grail War that you don't yet know."

Shirou: "...?"

Kiritsugu Emiya began to explain: "The miracles that occur 'inside' this world will not affect 'outside' the world."

The struggle for the wish-granting machine was just a farce; the true intention of the "starter trio" in wanting to obtain the Holy Grail lay elsewhere.

The Fuyuki Holy Grail War was originally a ritual to gather the souls of seven Heroic Spirits as sacrifices in an attempt to open a passage to the "Root".

The promise to "achieve a miracle" is nothing more than bait to summon heroic spirits.

Because only rumors about "bait" circulated, only the current form of the Holy Grail War has been passed down.

This is a truth known only to the Matou, Tohsaka, and Einzbern families; it was not disclosed to the visiting magician or the seven Servants.

Irisviel, the homunculus of the Einzbern family, has the ultimate goal of killing seven Servants to activate the "Greater Grail".

Seven Riders, do you understand now? This is why the Einzbern Cult transformed their Homunculus Masters into beings covered in Command Seals from head to toe—

In order to ensure that Saber, who possessed the highest level of "magic resistance," would commit suicide at the last moment.

Although Shirou remained expressionless, he was deeply shaken inside.

"And Irisviel and Saber..."

Sensing the change in the red-haired boy, Kiritsugu Emiya revealed a slightly mocking smile.

"—It's all a lie."

The way that android acted in front of you and Saber was all a disguise and an act.

A pure and innocent doll?

That's just wishful thinking on your part; that android has always harbored ulterior motives.

The bond between the android and Saber?

What you consider precious is a complete lie from the very beginning.

Now you understand, right? Irisviel is someone you wouldn't regret killing...

"I see. Alice has actually been struggling with this all along."

After hearing everything, Shirou nodded as if he had finally realized something.

"No wonder she's been looking so sad lately behind my back and Saber's back."

I thought she was lamenting her short lifespan, but it turns out that's not the case...

She's been struggling with this decision, unsure of what to choose...

Honestly, all I had to do was say it.

Shirou's expression brightened: "Thanks, old man, thank you for telling me so much super important and useful information."

Emiya Kiritsugu stared intently at him: "What do you plan to do?"

"I will discuss with Irisviel when I get back how to forcibly end this Holy Grail War."

Shirou said with a sly expression, "It's actually quite simple. Why are you so fixated on destroying the Lesser Grail?"

"To prevent the Holy Grail from manifesting, wouldn't it be just as easy to destroy the unfinished Grand Grail?"

Kiritsugu Emiya said, "If it were really that simple, I wouldn't have had to keep chasing after you and the homunculi."

Amamiya Shirou asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"...The Greater Grail was activated from the very beginning."

"what?"

Kiritsugu Emiya said, "The Einzbern's work is so perfect—"

Aside from being unable to use magic, her abilities are almost on par with the "Winter Saintess".

So much so that the android itself was a pseudo-Gravestone with the functions of the Greater Grail.

Even if the Greater Grail located at Mount Enzo is destroyed, that homunculus will take its place as the new Greater Grail (the Winter Maiden), so it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that they are twins.

In other words, the Greater Grail of Fuyuki City—

She already possessed self-awareness eight years before Irisviel was born.

……

……

"I wonder how Shirou's conversation with that Assassin went."

Irisviel stood at the castle window, gazing anxiously into the distance.

Saber smiled and said, "Irisviel is such a worrywart. Shirou is so strong, he'll definitely be fine."

Besides, he wasn't alone; wasn't he accompanied by his servants?

"That's why I'm worried! It's because I have a Servant with me!"

Saber gave a wry smile: "Uh..."

Irisviel pouted: "That suspicious servant who's too ashamed to show his face, I wonder what his background is..."

"Waaah, and Shirou trusted her so much! I'm so so upset!"

"There must be some kind of bond between them that we don't know about."

The silver-haired homunculus said unhappily, "Saber, are you also taking that Servant's side?"

Saber shook her head slightly: "I just trust Shirou's judgment of people."

Irisviel frowned slightly: "Hmph... Even if her personality is slightly trustworthy, her strength is not worth expecting at all!"

Ultimately, aren't the Extra class all a bunch of second-rate Servants?

Because they couldn't obtain the Seven Knights class, they could only be classified as belonging to that kind of loser's bracket. Yes, that must be it—

After all, this is a story filled with the blood and tears of the Einzberns.

Upon hearing this, Saber asked curiously, "So, in the last Holy Grail War, the Einzbern summoned an Extra-class Servant... Was it really that weak?"

Irisviel sighed: "Although I've only read some records in the library."

However… even without using Saber as a standard, she is ridiculously weak; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her the weakest Servant.”

Saber became even more curious upon hearing this: "What was the true name of the Servant that Einzbern summoned 60 years ago...?"

"Well."

Irisviel frowned slightly: "What was it called again? The name was really hard to pronounce."

At the time, my great-grandfather wanted to summon a Servant of the level of a main god, but he messed it up.

I remember the Servant's name was something like... Oh right!

Irisviel excitedly uttered the name of the Avenger from 60 years ago.

……

……

"how come……"

Kirei Kotomine stared in disbelief at the scene before her.

He is currently located in the underground cavern of Mount Enzo on the west side of Fukayama-cho.

Since yesterday, when the Command Seals that should have disappeared reappeared, Kirei Kotomine's hand has been inexplicably aching.

The pain, which even magic could not eliminate, seemed to be telling a story. Following the guidance of the Command Seals, Kirei Kotomine wandered aimlessly through the streets.

Finally, he entered Mount Enzo—the place where the Greater Grail slumbers.

Then, what he saw and heard there left him speechless.

The Greater Grail is like an active volcano, spewing out overwhelming evil magic.

Kirei Kotomine, as the proxy, had fought and slain countless evil beings and enemies of humanity, but he had never seen such a surging and vast wave of evil.

What exactly did the Holy Grail, formed from the flesh and blood of the sacrificed saint, become?

Kirei Kotomine hallucinated as soon as he looked directly at the Greater Grail with the naked eye, as if a city engulfed in flames appeared before him.

On a peaceful and quiet night, a "hole" suddenly appeared in the sky above the city.

The absolute density makes the "hole" look like a pitch-black sun.

Then, black mud flowed out of the "hole".

"Is this... a curse?"

Kirei Kotomine gasped: a curse magic powerful enough to cover the entire world... a true world-destroying device.

Could something like this really be hidden underground in Fuyuki?!

It is currently just a dormant fledgling, but once the time is right, it will break free of its cocoon, and what emerges from it will undoubtedly engulf the earth and eventually wipe out all of humanity.

Just as Kirei Kotomine was feeling bewildered, a hazy figure appeared in the void above the active volcano.

“Who is that…?”

Kirei Kotomine drew the black key while remaining vigilant and shouting questions.

No, is "that thing" really human?

Surrounded by an overwhelming aura of curses, the thing seemed unaffected.

The figure that emerged from the Greater Grail looked down at Kirei Kotomine from a high vantage point, then uttered a flippant female voice.

"You're asking me? Well, I'm a champion of justice, you know?"

Kirei Kotomine was dumbfounded: "...Huh?"

Why do you look so convinced?

Of course it's a joke! Hahahaha! How disgusting!

The woman burst into laughter in mid-air, leaving a bewildered Kirei Kotomine behind.

"Ugh, enough laughing, that was so stupid..."

I don't understand why the Holy Grail would choose an idiot like you. It seems the Holy Grail is an incurable fool too.

Fine, since I'm in a good mood today, I'll mercifully tell you.

I was the mastermind behind all the curses, curses, and more curses... the final boss who ultimately made a mess of the Greater Grail.

The red-haired fairy revealed a wicked yet alluring smile and announced her name:

"The Avenger, summoned to this boring world by the homunculus during the last Holy Grail War—"

His real name is "Cursed Calamity" Cornunos~

-----------------

Volume 1, Chapter 88: Bavan Shi

The negotiations ended in discord.

Before sunset, Shirou left Kiritsugu Emiya's base.

Although he extended an invitation, saying, "There's still some time before the battle starts tonight. Old man, how about we go out for dinner together? It's on me," it was ignored.

The hotel room door slammed shut, leaving the 8-year-old child standing in the hallway with a bewildered expression.

"..."

I never expected that my ultimate weapon (cuteness and sincerity) would sometimes fail to work. Emiya Kiritsugu is indeed a man not to be underestimated.

Shirou left the inn and returned to the streets of Shinto.

"I really wanted to get along with him... Oh well, never mind."

Muttering to himself, he gazed at the orange sun sinking below the horizon in the distance.