A Villain's Journey Begins in the Type-Moon World

“You’ve come too, Mrs. Irisviel. What a pity,” Leticia said, her smile becoming even more sinister, with faint giggles emanating from the surroundings.

"I'm here too? What a pity? What exactly is this place?" Irisviel inquired further.

"Hehe, here? This is hell, of course!" Leticia said with a grin, and at that moment she exuded a chilling aura, causing Irisviel to take a step back in surprise.

"No... How could it be? How could it be hell? You must be joking, Miss Leticia. If this is hell, then it means..." Irisviel said with a forced smile.

"Just kidding? Why would I joke? Have you forgotten?" At that moment, Leticia turned around completely. Irisviel finally understood why Leticia had been facing away from her from the beginning, and why Leticia's face was so pale.

On the left side of Leticia's chest, there was a huge, bloody hole. That was where her heart was. You could even see the mangled flesh and blood inside the hole. The blood had long since dried up.

"Have you forgotten who gave me this bullet in the chest? We trusted you so much, Miss Irisviel, so why did you hide it from him? Why did you aid and abet him, letting him cruelly kill me?" Leticia's smile remained unchanged, but to Irisviel, it transformed into a chilling smile, and a deep sense of guilt began to grow within her.

"No! That's not how it is!" Instinctively, Irisviel wanted to deny it all, but Leticia's original smile began to fade, and she said in a low voice, "How pitiful, Mrs. Irisviel, you are a pitiful person too."

"Huh?" Irisviel was taken aback, not understanding what the other person was talking about.

"Have you forgotten what I just said? This is hell... Madam, your presence here means... you too have been cruelly abandoned and murdered by him, haven't you?"

Leticia's words struck Irisviel like a thunderbolt, sending an unimaginable wave of panic through her. Irisviel trembled violently, her lips turning purple as she murmured, "No...no...no! This isn't...this isn't real!"

"How pitiful, still refusing to admit the truth." Leticia shook her head, then her smile returned, and she said softly, "Well, Mrs. Irisviel, can I ask you for a favor?"

"One thing?" Upon hearing the other person's plea for help, Irisviel was able to catch her breath briefly from the vortex of self-blame and denial in her heart. She looked at the other person in confusion, not knowing what she could do to help.

"I'm in this hell, it's so cold. No blood, no heart... I can't feel any warmth. So... hehe..." At that moment, "Letitia's" body shattered, turning into wisps of blood-red mist that instantly transformed into chains, binding Irisviel's limbs. A bloody hand reached for Irisviel's heart, and "Letitia's" last words echoed in the air:

"Give me your blood and heart~ hehehehe."

In an instant, Irisviel's face turned deathly pale. She struggled desperately to break free of the chains, but to no avail, and her calls for Kiritsugu's name received no response in this place.

As the bloody hand drew ever closer, Irisviel, in despair, could only watch as it ripped her heart out. She closed her eyes in despair, desperately hoping it was all just a nightmare, that she would awaken from this nightmare after experiencing excruciating pain.

"Chong-"

"what!!!"

A whooshing sound rang out, followed by a piercing scream that made Irisviel open her eyes again. When Irisviel saw the scene before her, a feeling of joy and relief welled up within her, and she couldn't help but call out, "Saber!"

Yes, at Irisviel's most desperate moment, that familiar blue figure appeared before her, severing the bloody hand with a single sword strike, thus preventing her from having her heart ripped out.

With the complete destruction of Leticia, the chains binding Irisviel's limbs crumbled and vanished into nothingness. Irisviel ran quickly toward the familiar figure, her voice trembling with sobs, and said, "Saber... thank goodness, you've finally appeared. I thought... I was going to die at the hands of that monster."

"Where exactly is this place? Why are there so many terrifying things here? Weren't we just inside the castle, fighting those Servants? Why did I wake up here...Saber?" Seeing Artoria appear, Irisviel's heart finally settled. The terror and unease left her with countless questions for Artoria. But as she asked, Irisviel sensed something amiss. For some reason, Artoria remained silent, her head bowed.

“Irisviel…” Finally, Artoria raised her head, but her face was full of loneliness and sorrow, which made Irisviel feel a pang of sadness and heartache. She did not understand why Artoria would show such an expression.

"It's all over, Irisviel. That was the last time I helped you," Artoria said slowly.

"The end? The last time? Saber...you, you're scaring me, okay? What's going on?" I thought seeing Artoria would put my mind at ease, but her words made Irisviel feel like she was about to collapse again.

"It's over, Irisviel. The Fourth Holy Grail War... I lost, not to the Servants, but to my Master's betrayal. That's all," Artoria said slowly.

"thump--"

Irisviel collapsed to the ground. She knew, she knew Artoria wasn't the type to joke. So...was this really hell? Had she died without even realizing it?

"Let go of your last obsession, Irisviel. You are not a hero, destined never to enter the Throne of Heroes. Lingering here will only allow you to be completely consumed by the many resentments of this world. Let go of everything, disperse, dust to dust, ashes to ashes. This is the last piece of advice I can give you after we've known each other." After Artoria finished speaking, she turned around and walked in a certain direction.

"Wait! Saber, where are you going?" Irisviel struggled to her feet, wanting to chase after Artoria. Despite being exhausted by the constant stream of messages, she clung to that last straw like a drowning person.

"My battlefield isn't here... I must continue fighting. Again and again... until I finally reach the Holy Grail and fulfill my vision." After saying this, Artoria slowly stepped forward, her figure gradually becoming blurred.

"Wait, Saber! Please... please..." Irisviel tried to stop her, but her words grew weaker and weaker, and her outstretched hand finally fell limp. What right did she have to stop her now? Just as Artoria had said—she and Kiritsugu had betrayed her.

Chapter 123: Fuyuki Fire

In the blink of an eye, the place returned to silence, leaving only Irisviel alone. The unknown fear lurking in the darkness crawled up Irisviel's body like ants from her toes. Without Artoria's protection, without her lover's shelter, she could only be swallowed by the suffocating chill in this endless darkness.

Even without any apparent strange occurrences, the wispy black mist, fueled by fear, became terrifying in people's eyes. It was as if a monstrous demon, lurking in the unseen darkness, was constantly shifting its form, its greedy gaze scrutinizing them.

Irisviel had heard in the Bible that after death, if a person is without sin, they will go to a peaceful Heaven where their soul can rest. But if a person is sinful and cannot be forgiven, they will be cast into Hell and suffer torment from the devil to atone for their sins.

Since this place is also called hell, then am I... also suffering from sin, which is why my soul cannot find peace and lingers in this land of sin?

This thought inexplicably surfaced in Irisviel's mind and quickly took over her thoughts.

"No...no, if that's the case, then why is Lady Leticia here? And even Saber? This hell is different from the hell people usually talk about. Saber said that I am trapped here because of my obsession. Only by letting go of everything can I return to peace...Then, what exactly is the obsession that keeps me here? Is it resentment? Or is it the hope of seeing Kiritsugu again?"

Irisviel felt her mind was in turmoil, but subconsciously, because of Artoria's words, she had already accepted her own death.

"Ta-ta..."

Just as Irisviel was still confused about her so-called "obsession," a soft footstep broke the silence and also broke Irisviel's thoughts.

"Gurgle—"

Irisviel swallowed hard. Artoria had just warned her that what remained here were either souls with obsessive attachments like herself, or resentful malice towards everything in the world. Neither was a good thing for Irisviel in her current state.

"If you continue to linger here, you will only be completely consumed by the many resentments of this world..."

Artoria's words seemed to still echo in her ears, and Irisviel dared not move, fearing that the slightest movement of hers would attract the attention of something indescribable hidden in the darkness.

But then, the footsteps quickened, as if rushing towards her. The imposing, high-pitched thumping made her heart pound in sync. Instinctively, Irisviel was about to cry out, but she forcefully covered her mouth with both hands, afraid to make a sound. Just as the footsteps were less than 15 meters away, a blurry figure appeared before Irisviel's eyes through the thick black mist.

However, just as this blurry figure appeared in Irisviel's sight, the figure abruptly stopped, as if confirming something. Irisviel slowly lowered one hand and pressed it against her chest, suppressing her heart that was pounding in her chest.

"Da da..."

The sound was soft and slow, as if confirming that there was nothing in this place. The figure slowly left Alice's sight and disappeared into the black mist. Only after the slow footsteps faded away did Alice's beating heart calm down.

"Phew..." Irisviel finally relaxed after seeing the other person leave, and let out a breath to relieve the tension that had just arisen in her heart.

"Got you."

A chilling voice, devoid of any emotion, rang out eerily from behind Irisviel. The moment she heard it, Irisviel felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, the cold aura like icicles piercing her spine, rendering her unable to move.

"Shh-"

A whooshing sound rang out, and Irisviel instinctively tried to run away, but a large hand gripped her neck tightly. The hand was as hard as molten iron, making escape impossible, and that familiar suffocating feeling returned. Irisviel couldn't even cough, let alone make a sound. Then another hand gripped her neck, lifted her up, and turned her around.

"!!"

The owner of those iron hands was none other than Kirei Kotomine, who had nearly strangled her before. His eyes were now even colder than before, looking at Irisviel as if she were an object, ready to crush her at any moment.

"It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Irisviel," Kirei Kotomine said. "What a pity. You really are a foolish woman who knows nothing. You've ended up here too? Hmph, after all, you're just a vessel that carries the Holy Grail. That guy decided from the beginning that he would sacrifice you."

"Ugh...ugh..." Although Irisviel couldn't speak, her beautiful eyes were full of rebellious emotions.

"What? Still fantasizing that your lover hasn't betrayed you? Or... do you really think that Kiritsugu Emiya is the kind of guy who has the resolve and desire to save everyone?" Kirei Kotomine looked at Irisviel's questioning and puzzled gaze with some amusement, and then said, "Mrs. Irisviel, let me tell you something. Just a short while ago, in Fuyuki alone, tens of thousands of resentful spirits suddenly appeared."

"..." Irisviel did not understand what the other person was trying to say. All she knew was that the feeling of suffocation and the inability to die again was tormenting her, causing her spirit to wither away.

"Don't you understand? Let me explain it more clearly. These newly born resentments are directed at only one person—Emiya Kiritsugu, and those close to him. Do you understand? Mrs. Irisviel, your beloved Emiya Kiritsugu caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people in Fuyuki City in an instant."

Kirei Kotomine's words caused Irisviel's beautiful eyes to widen in disbelief. Kiritsugu Emiya… caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people in Fuyuki City? How could this be? How could Kiritsugu Emiya do such a thing?

Irisviel simply couldn't believe that Kiritsugu Emiya would do such a thing; it was utterly absurd. However, Kirei Kotomine's next words sent a chill down Irisviel's spine.

"Oh? You really don't think Kiritsugu Emiya would do such a thing? To save the people of a city, he once personally destroyed the lives of an entire plane, including his mentor-like figure. Kiritsugu Emiya is that kind of guy; for the sake of his justice, he would sacrifice everything. Aren't you the one who knows him best in this regard, Mrs. Irisviel?" Kirei Kotomine finished speaking slowly, word by word, then revealed a devilishly pleased smile, saying, "If someone told him at this moment that he only needed to destroy everyone in Fuyuki City to save the vast majority of people in the world... then, what do you think your lover would choose?"

"Waaaaah—!"

Irisviel was well aware of Kiritsugu Emiya's ideals and his determination to pay any price for them. It was precisely because of this that she understood where Kirei Kotomine's questions would ultimately lead.

"It seems you understand now. I am honored that, in my final moments, on the boundary between life and death, I witnessed that hell on earth, witnessed the raging fire engulfing the entire Fuyuki, causing countless people to wail in despair, their lives constantly slipping away, their souls roaring in the abyss... Ah, that feeling was truly wonderful. It was the most beautiful sight I have ever seen, Mrs. Irisviel." Kirei Kotomine said with an extremely pleased smile.

“Demon…” Irisviel used her last strength to utter the two words.

Chapter 124 The Cleaner

"A demon? Hahahaha, I do wish I could be such a demonic being—but alas, I am already dead and can only remain here. I cannot, like the demon who truly caused all this, recreate that beautiful scene."

As Kirei Kotomine spoke, he unconsciously tightened his grip even more, causing Irisviel even more pain and excruciating torment.

"So... I still harbor resentment, Mrs. Irisviel. That man, Kiritsugu Emiya, allowed me to witness such beauty, and I should have thanked him... However, he also took my life, preventing me from creating such a spring to delight my soul. My life ended abruptly—I wasn't even able to enjoy that supreme pleasure again before being forever deprived. Irisviel, let me take this resentment from you first—until that man, Kiritsugu Emiya, goes to hell."

Kirei Kotomine tightened his grip even more; unable to die, he brought Irisviel only ever-growing pain and mental torment. This torment would continue until the day Kiritsugu Emiya finally died.

But more than the pain in her neck, Irisviel's heart was filled with worry for Kiritsugu Emiya. Was things really as Kirei Kotomine had said? Had Kiritsugu chosen to sacrifice the entire city for his ideals? Irisviel knew that fulfilling the wish to save the world would inevitably come at a price. Both she and Kiritsugu were prepared to sacrifice themselves for this ideal.

But why... why is the price so cruel... the lives of an entire city perished because of Kiritsugu. Even if his wish is fulfilled, will Kiritsugu truly feel better? Was it all really worth it?

Feeling utterly powerless, Irisviel felt more powerless against the reality than against the pain and torment inflicted by Kirei Kotomine. She finally understood why this environment was so hostile to her. This hell beneath Fuyuki. The resentment of countless lives buried by Kiritsugu would forever bind her and the "culprit" who caused it all, Emiya Kiritsugu.

Regardless of whether they become heroes of the world... in Fuyuki City, the two of them are forever sinners.

How much time had passed? A moment? Or eternity? The unbearable pain gradually began to numb her, and only endless nothingness awaited Irisviel. Looking at Kirei Kotomine's devilish smile, Irisviel knew that there were many more extreme resentments like this to come. She would be tormented by these people for all eternity.

Perhaps... this is the obsession Saber spoke of to herself? Why does she have no memory of it? Is it because the weight of her sins has caused her to forget? Or perhaps, her torment had already begun long ago, and in the long period of panic and torment, she had already lost that memory?

But he finally understood the obsession that had lingered here all along... If everything Kirei Kotomine said was true, then he... must have stayed here to atone for his sins.

"Shh-"

"Uh!"

A flash of dark green light streaked past, followed by a muffled groan. Irisviel felt the hands gripping her neck suddenly loosen, and she collapsed to the ground. The prolonged agony of suffocation had left Irisviel with no strength left to stand, and her consciousness was momentarily hazy. However, Irisviel managed to shake her head, bringing herself back to her senses.

“C…Caster?” A questioning voice escaped from Dan's mouth. At that moment, what appeared before Irisviel was a man shrouded in black mist. He easily shattered the devilish smile of Kirei Kotomine with his dark green greatsword, turning him into a purplish-black mist. The broken purplish-black mist was absorbed by the man's greatsword and swirled around him, making him appear somewhat sinister.

"It's nice to see you again, Ms. Irisviel. Are you alright?" The man's gentle voice reached her ears, stirring a strange emotion within Irisviel. Looking up, she saw his hand outstretched, just like that night. When she was about to die at the hands of Kirei Kotomine, he had descended from the sky to save her. And now, just like now, he was reaching out his hand to her.

……

“There are many resentments and obsessions here. It was only after I found Leticia’s obsession that I discovered it was tainted with Mrs. Irisviel’s aura. So I followed that aura this way. I was about to find this place when I realized that the sound and aura had stopped in this direction for some reason. I quickened my pace to follow, but after walking for a while, I still couldn’t find it. I thought I was hallucinating and had followed the wrong direction.”

As Wang Chong spoke, he gently stroked the Broken King's Blade, smoothing and fading the purplish-black hues surrounding it. He continued, "We hadn't been far from here when we sensed a sudden commotion. So we rushed back. Luckily, we arrived in time; otherwise, when Mrs. Irisviel's soul had weakened considerably, she would have been devoured as nourishment."

Hearing Wang Chong's words, Irisviel didn't know where to begin, especially after hearing that Wang Chong had just subdued the obsession of her former Master, "Letitia." Her guilt surged uncontrollably, and she finally couldn't help but whisper, "I'm sorry... I..."

"Is it about Leticia? Madam, you don't need to worry about it anymore." However, Wang Chong shook his head, smiled faintly, and said, "Birth, aging, sickness, and death are all part of human nature. Besides, the Holy Grail War had only one person left in the end. If anyone is to blame, it's only because I'm not as skilled as others."

"In reality, Leticia never blamed you, Madam. She just lingered in this place for too long and was slowly assimilated by those resentful emotions. Actually, she passed away peacefully in the final moments I was taking care of her. It's just that I couldn't let go of some obsessions in my heart, and there were some things that required me to continue living in the mortal world for a while, so I didn't look for her immediately. As a result, this situation occurred."

"What is Miss Leticia's obsession...?" Irisviel couldn't help but ask.

"Hasn't Letitia's obsession already been shown to Madam through her actions?"

"Huh?"

"Leticia... she was worried about you, Madam, even in her last moments. She and I both knew that some things weren't your or the Knight King's will, nor your responsibility. Leticia hoped I could stay and help you, Madam, to stop that man. Unfortunately, I ultimately failed," Wang Chong said slowly. "That was Leticia's obsession; she worried about me, worried about the Knight King, worried about [unclear], worried about you, Madam. Finally, after seeing three of the four of us, her obsession was completely released, and her soul returned to its origin."

"That's why, Mrs. Irisfield, you don't need to worry about it anymore. Your arrival is more of a relief for her."

"..." Although Irisviel didn't know why a part of Wang Chong's words had become unclear, she understood the general meaning of his words. But it was precisely because of Wang Chong and Leticia's understanding of her that Irisviel felt even more ashamed and guilty, and she couldn't calm down for a long time.

"Ugh—" Suddenly, Wang Chong frowned and trembled all over, as if he was enduring some kind of pain. His hand, which had been smoothing and fading the purplish-black mist, began to struggle. The purplish-black mist also struggled desperately, thrashing about, trying to escape from Wang Chong's hand.

"Mr. Caster! What's wrong?" Irisviel exclaimed in surprise.

Wang Chong ignored it, and just gripped the purplish-black mist tightly with all his might, his hands bulging with veins, and his open eyes revealed a purplish-black aura.

"Ugh... Ah!!!"

With a furious roar, Wang Chong finally smoothed out the last wisp of purplish-black mist, which eventually turned into a faint white mist and drifted away from Wang Chong's hand. After catching his breath, the purplish-black evil aura in Wang Chong's eyes also disappeared.

"What...what exactly is going on?" Irisviel couldn't help but ask.

"It's nothing... I have to stay here for some special reasons to clear away these resentments." Wang Chong shook his head slightly, then smiled and said, "It's just being a cleaner in hell, nothing serious. As the saying goes, if I don't go to hell, who will?"

Chapter 125 Suffering in Place of Her Husband

"Cleanse the resentment here?" Irisviel watched as Wang Chong transformed Kirei Kotomine into a purplish-black mist, and then completely faded it away. In an instant, she understood what Wang Chong had done.

“Yes, the deaths and injuries here were too numerous and too severe. As a result, countless resentments have accumulated here at once. These resentments devour each other, growing stronger, and will eventually break the boundary between life and death, descending into the mortal world as great demons that poison living beings. At that time, it will be another bloody storm. To avoid that situation, someone has to do something here. Madam, do you still remember my abilities?” Wang Chong stood up, his face slightly pale, and said.

"Is it... devouring and manipulating those dead ghosts?" Irisviel had seen Wang Chong gather the dead souls together to form a ghost army on the first night, so she quickly realized what was going on.

“Indeed, my power can directly transform any soul into a pure ghost warrior, even those tainted with various auras, obsessions, or vengeful spirits filled with resentment. After the transformation, the obsessions and resentments on those souls are completely stripped away. I only need to release this wisp of ghost, and it will transform into the purest soul, returning to its original place and entering reincarnation again,” Wang Chong said slowly.

"Can those souls be sent back to their original place so easily just by relying on power?" Irisviel listened to the other party's casual description and keenly sensed that the other party was avoiding the important issues, especially since she had just clearly seen Wang Chong's painful appearance.

“Of course it’s not that simple,” Wang Chong said. “The deeper the resentment of those people, the harder it is to transform it into something pure. Not only do you need to use power to erase their power, but you also have to bear the evil pollution brought about by the root of that resentment. Take Kirei Kotomine just now, for example. His heart is not only filled with resentment, but also pure evil. I can only completely transform it by using my soul and will to bear that malice.”

“How could that be… Doesn’t that mean all that resentment and malice will be directed at you, Caster?” Irisviel said, her face turning pale.

“Someone has to do this. Like I said before, if I don’t go to hell, who will? Since I have the strength, I’ll do these things before I can’t hold on any longer. That way, I can also put an end to my obsession with staying here.” Wang Chong said casually, then reached out his hand to Mrs. Irisviel, saying, “Mrs. Irisviel, everything is settled now. Don’t stay here any longer. Returning to your original place is the end that life should lead to. Give me your hand, and out of consideration for our past acquaintance, I will ensure that you leave here without pain.”

"..." Irisviel was silent for a while, but did not immediately grasp Wang Chong's hand. Instead, she slowly said, "Caster, do you know how the Holy Grail War ended? Kiritsugu's wish... was it really fulfilled?"

"...The Holy Grail War is a hoax." Wang Chong's expression lost its previous calmness and became somewhat heavy.