"Do you… hate me that much?"
The episode opened with the battle between Lancelot and Artoria.
Looking at the maddened Lancelot, the sorrow in her eyes seemed ready to spill out of the screen.
A king who had devoted her entire life to her nation—yet even after her death, her subjects still harbored such hatred toward her.
It only reinforced the judgment people had made of her in life—
King Arthur did not understand the human heart.
Because of that, despite her purity, fairness, and absolute impartiality, she was met with rebellion from her own people. The war to suppress that rebellion drained the nation completely. Though she succeeded, her kingdom was ultimately conquered and destroyed.
In her final battle, gravely wounded, she collapsed beneath a tree. During the brief time before her death—after entrusting her sword to be returned to the lake—her will was summoned by the Holy Grail to participate in this war.
The clash between Artoria and Lancelot was brief.
Elsewhere, the battle between Emiya Kiritsugu and Kirei raged fiercely.
In Fate/Stay Night, Kirei stood among the strongest Masters. In Fate/Zero, however, he and Kiritsugu were evenly matched—Kiritsugu relying on cunning and versatility, while Kirei dominated in close combat.
Of course, this "invincibility" only applied among humans—compared to Servants, they were still far inferior.
Even so, this peak human battle stirred Xia Huiang's emotions, completely drawing him in.
Though not as visually spectacular as 'Rurouni Kenshin', the addition of light-based effects made it a different kind of visual feast.
Meanwhile, Artoria—faced with the hatred of her former comrade—began to question her past… and her life.
"Lancelot… is what you've become… also my fault?"
In the end, Artoria drove her sword into Lancelot's body.
Her expression was heavy with sorrow, tears glistening in her eyes.
"Even so, I must obtain the Holy Grail. If I don't… I can never atone to you."
"King Arthur… is that still your reason for wielding the sword? You truly are a troublesome person." Lancelot replied in a low voice.
Then—
The defeated knight collapsed.
Xia Huiang's eyes reddened.
Just a few lines of dialogue—and his heart already ached for Artoria.
She had only ever tried to be a just king.
Impartial, selfless, without personal desire.
Yet precisely because she was too upright—too inhuman—she was feared, misunderstood, even demonized.
Even in death, she bore the burden of her kingdom's fall.
If someone like her needed redemption—
Then the fallen rulers of the Xia Nation's history would never find peace.
Meanwhile—
The Holy Grail descended, completely enveloping Irisviel's body.
At the most critical moment of Kiritsugu and Kirei's battle—
From above, the Grail released a dark, corrupted liquid that ate through the structure and cascaded downward, engulfing both men.
Xia Huiang's eyes widened.
"Wait—what is this? What kind of development is this?!"
What would happen to two ordinary humans engulfed by the Grail?
Assimilation?
The story quickly gave its answer.
Kiritsugu's consciousness was pulled into a virtual world created by the Grail.
There—
The Grail manifested before him in the form of Irisviel.
Because she was the vessel.
And because she supported him.
So—
The Grail directly told him:
He could make a wish.
"Wait… is this cheating?" Xia Huiang was stunned.
The Holy Grail War wasn't even over yet!
Gilgamesh hadn't been defeated!
No—
Wait.
Even if Gilgamesh remained, if Kiritsugu was chosen by the Grail, he didn't need to die.
Then what about Kirei?
If the Grail rejected him and simply let him die—
Wouldn't that leave only one Master?
Was that even allowed?
"How will you grant my wish?"
Even with his lifelong desire within reach, Kiritsugu still asked cautiously.
Xia Huiang tensed.
Here it was—
The most critical question.
How did the Grail grant wishes?
"That question… Kiritsugu, you should understand better than anyone. Haven't you always known how to save the world?" The Grail—wearing Irisviel's face—smiled.
Xia Huiang's heart sank.
Something was wrong with this answer.
The next scene—
The Grail began to simulate how it would fulfill his wish.
Two ships, carrying a total of 501 people, encountered disaster.
Kiritsugu was given a choice—
Save one.
Without hesitation, he chose the ship with 300 people.
The other 200—
Instantly died.
Bodies torn apart.
The scene made Xia Huiang's heart jump.
Then—
The simulation continued.
The remaining 300 were split again.
200 on one ship.
100 on another.
Kiritsugu had to choose again.
At first, Xia Huiang didn't understand.
But suddenly—
It clicked.
If there were 500 people in the world, and 200 were "evil," causing suffering and war—
Then killing those 200 would leave 300 "good" people.
But would peace follow?
No.
Among those 300—
Another 100 would become "evil."
Good people could become bad.
Evil wasn't something people were born with—
It was created.
Endlessly.
Conflict was inevitable.
True world peace didn't exist.
Kiritsugu made his choice again.
He saved the 200.
He always chose the majority.
But—
After just two rounds—
Only 200 remained from the original 500.
So what did his choices accomplish?
If he used the Grail to kill all "evil" and create peace—
Would the number of survivors actually increase?
No.
The Grail's method was simply—
To apply his logic on a global scale.
Whenever a choice appeared—
It would choose the majority.
Relentlessly.
That was how it would create "peace."
Xia Huiang felt a chill run down his spine.
The Grail had no morality.
Only numbers.
If unleashed—
Anyone deemed a "threat" to peace would be erased.
Regardless of who they were.
Kiritsugu was furious.
But the Grail replied—
"You cannot include in your wish a method you yourself do not understand."
Xia Huiang froze.
So the Grail wasn't omnipotent.
It could only execute wishes through known, logical means.
["Then what's the point of you?!"] he thought.
"Don't joke with me. This isn't a miracle!" Kiritsugu said.
"It is a miracle. It is the ideal you once pursued—but could never achieve alone."
To always choose the majority—
Only a god could do that.
The Grail would simply turn Kiritsugu into that god.
Then—
The story turned even darker.
The people Kiritsugu had killed appeared before him.
And finally—
The Grail gave him one last choice.
Maiya.
Irisviel.
Illya.
"Will you save two… or one?"
Not numbers.
Not abstractions.
But family.
Kiritsugu chose—
The majority.
He killed Maiya.
He embraced his wife and daughter.
And then—
He killed Illya.
Her small head was bursting apart like a watermelon.
Xia Huiang's hand trembled.
"What the hell?!"
Kiritsugu—
What are you doing?!
Are you really sure this is just an illusion?!
What if what happens here… is real?
Irisviel collapsed, crying over Illya's body.
Kiritsugu grabbed her throat.
Tears streamed from his eyes.
She looked at him in despair.
She was the Grail—
But she was also Irisviel.
A being who loved him just the same.
Xia Huiang's eyes filled with tears.
What kind of story is this…?
This series didn't focus much on romance—
But the family bond between Irisviel, Illya, and Kiritsugu had drawn him in deeply.
And now—
"Why do you reject the Grail?" She cried.
"Compared to billions of people… two family members… I… will kill you. I will save the world." Kiritsugu said through tears.
Amid her curses—
He strangled her.
He rejected the Grail.
Xia Huiang finally understood.
If Kiritsugu had accepted—
The Grail would have begun indiscriminate slaughter across the world.
Just like the ships.
Just like the 500 people.
Killing endlessly—
In the name of "peace."
He exhaled slowly.
Shaken.
Conflicted.
And deeply unsettled.
Kiritsugu—
Was ruthless.
But also—
Truly just.
A real ally of justice.
But only—
If you were someone he deemed worth saving.
Otherwise—
Father.
Mother.
Wife.
Daughter.
All expendable.
Kirei awoke in a pool of blood.
Behind him—
Kiritsugu's gun.
Kirei's wish was simple—
To see the Grail descend.
To experience the "pleasure" it would bring.
But Kiritsugu—
Had rejected it.
In his final moments, Kirei screamed in despair—
Before being shot dead.
The Holy Grail War—
Entered its final stage.
Artoria arrived at the place where the Grail had manifested.
And there—
Waiting for her—
Was Gilgamesh, played by Su Yan.