"Saber, what are you hesitating for? Destroy the Grail! If it keeps spreading, Fuyuki will face catastrophe!!"
In Fuyuki's gymnasium, Kiritsugu's anxiety peaked as he watched black liquid ooze from the golden Grail on its pedestal.
Unlike Saber, who had just appeared, he and Kirei had endured the Grail's torment firsthand, fully aware of its danger.
The two had been tortured to near death by the All The World's Evil (Kirei less so). The thought of it escaping sent shivers through Kiritsugu.
Seeing it wear his wife Irisviel's face, he knew he had to end this himself.
As Kirei had said, humanity didn't need salvation, but he did. Before saving others, he needed to redeem himself. Ending this disaster he'd caused was his greatest redemption.
But Saber had no such intent. She gripped her sword, standing silently, gazing at the black mud and the smiling Irisviel, ignoring Kiritsugu's shouts.
This pained Kiritsugu. Instinctively, he raised his hand to use a Command Spell to force Saber to destroy the Grail, only to realize their contract was severed, his Command Spells gone.
He was powerless, left to watch the black mud spread and the motionless King of Knights.
Unlike the conflicted Kiritsugu, Kirei frowned, pondering how to minimize damage. He signaled Kiritsugu to retreat.
If Saber wouldn't destroy the Grail and its evil, they could withdraw, set up a containment zone, and limit its impact.
"Where are you going?"
As they moved to retreat, Artoria blocked them.
"If you won't act, we'll find another way," Kiritsugu replied, annoyed. "He'll set up a barrier, I'll get C4 and explosives from the car, dig a pit, bury the All The World's Evil with the gymnasium, and let the Church's experts purify it."
He glanced at the All The World's Evil, still wearing his wife's face, his eyes complex.
Though he knew the real Irisviel was sacrificed when the Grail descended, facing her likeness stirred inner conflict.
Having killed his father, his foster mother, and witnessed his partner's death, now he'd bury his wife.
Was this fate's punishment?
Recalling his past wrongs, Kiritsugu's heart ached.
"You're going to destroy the Grail…?"
"What else? Don't tell me you still dream of using this corrupted Grail to save Britannia?!" Kiritsugu eyed her warily.
"I've let that go. And…"
Artoria shook her head.
"No need for that. It's about to be resolved."
"What?"
Under Kiritsugu and Kirei's puzzled gazes, Artoria stepped aside, revealing the gymnasium's entrance.
Tap, tap, tap…
With unmasked footsteps, Roy entered, holding a megaphone from who-knows-where. Clearing his throat, he shouted to those inside.
"Ahem… Attention, terrorists! Hands off my Grail! Clear out now and let the professionals handle this."
"That voice…?"
Kiritsugu froze, recognizing the speaker.
Artoria, hearing the familiar, infuriating voice, smiled faintly, her tense heart easing as if the voice's owner could solve everything.
Kirei frowned slightly.
"He's… the one Gilgamesh called a man of miracles?"
Unlike Kiritsugu and Artoria, who'd been outmaneuvered or enlightened by Roy, Kirei hadn't met him. His knowledge came from Gilgamesh, who held Roy in high regard.
"Really, I'm the Grail War's victor, yet you lot have no loser's awareness. Instead of retreating, you're plotting to destroy the Grail. Did you ask its owner's opinion?"
Roy Crowley, the true victor of the Fourth Holy Grail War, made his grand entrance.
Leaning on his staff, he strode in with Scáthach, his powerful mana pulsing outward, startling Kiritsugu and Kirei. The same odd thought crossed their minds:
Is this guy even human?
If Roy knew they'd mentally revoked his humanity, he'd have knocked them out with his staff. But he had more pressing matters.
After all, he was here to tackle the biggest problem.
"The Grail… Or rather, hello, Irisviel—or should I say, Angra Mainyu, the All The World's Evil?"
"Hey, don't get near that black mud!"
Ignoring Kiritsugu and Kirei's shocked gazes and their warnings, Roy walked into the center of the oozing black mud.
Facing Irisviel's hostile glare from the altar, he looked helpless.
"No need for such hostility. I only borrowed a tiny bit of your mana, right?"
"A tiny bit? You call forty years of mana a tiny bit?!"
Irisviel scowled, anger flashing in her eyes at Roy's casual excuse.
If Justeaze hadn't indulged this thief, she'd have unleashed the All The World's Evil to flood the city. It was all his fault!!
But…
Seeing Roy's Sage's Staff and sensing the massive mana—her stolen mana—compressed within, her eyes lit up, the black mud boiling around her.
"You're Crowley, right? I don't know what schemes you're plotting, and you were never my target, you vile thief. But since you've delivered yourself, don't blame me for being ruthless."
Irisviel narrowed her eyes, glaring at Roy. "I'll reclaim my stolen mana and drag your soul into the All The World's Evil to corrupt it, making you its fuel!!"
"Oh? Corrupt my soul? Sure, if you can manage it."
"A mere human, a despicable thief—what are you so smug about?"
With her words, the black mud in the gymnasium boiled again. Irisviel dissolved into it, surging toward Roy.
"Not good!"
Kiritsugu, alarmed, fired his gun to stop the mud, but the bullets passed through, useless. Roy and Irisviel vanished into the black mud.
The four onlookers displayed varied expressions, awaiting the outcome.
…
"Now, make your choice, Roy Crowley…"
In the blackened Grail space, Irisviel delivered her usual opening, smiling at Roy, intending to crush him with the world's malice and endless choices, as she did Kiritsugu.
But after her speech, the surroundings didn't twist or change as expected, remaining empty. Stunned, she raised her arms to summon Roy's painful memories, but nothing worked as it had with Kirei and Kiritsugu.
"What's going on?!"
After repeated failures, Irisviel couldn't hold back, staring at the unfazed Roy. "Why don't you have painful or regretful memories? Has nothing in your life caused you regret?!"
"Regret, huh…"
Roy stroked his chin, then countered, "Forgetting to add sausage to instant noodles, not using a discount coupon, or botching a magic experiment so my familiars trashed my professor's classroom—do those count?"
"…What kind of regrets are those?"
Feeling mocked, Irisviel demanded, "Your parents! Why no regret over their deaths? That should be your greatest trauma! Didn't you dive into magecraft and join the Grail War for them?!"
"You read my parents' memories?" Roy's expression turned odd.
He hadn't expected her to access his memories, but she seemed limited to the original Roy's, not his true soul's.
Since arriving in this world, his monstrous parents had died in a rainforest. His only impressions were from those memories, with no emotional ties. As for the original Roy…
That guy was utterly reckless. After his parents' deaths, he used his family head privileges to study Aiwass's Book of the Law, sacrificing his soul and summoning Roy. Where that soul went, Roy didn't know.
In short, his family either sought or caused their own demise—nothing to do with him. No regrets. His only ties in this world were his mentor Kayneth, his hapless kouhai Waver, and friends like Touko, all of whom he'd protected perfectly in this war. What was there to regret?
"You… I see. Unlike Kiritsugu, you're a true mage—a heartless monster. Emotional detachment is normal."
After scouring Roy's memories and finding him indifferent to everything, Irisviel lost it.
What kind of cold-blooded creature was he?
"If so, forget choices—I'll just devour your soul!"
Her confusion turned to disgust after repeated failures.
Unlike with Kiritsugu, she didn't care for Roy's choices. She just wanted to see him beg in pain to satisfy her. Ultimately, she'd consume his soul and stolen mana.
Even failing this was no loss—just a game. Now, she'd devour his soul and unleash the All The World's Evil to teach humanity a lesson!!
"Die, you wretched thief!!"
Irisviel glared at Roy, her hand falling as she issued a venomous command.
An invisible curse surged toward Roy, but it had no effect.
It was as if he were immune to curses.
"I understand your feelings. In a way, you, misunderstood and named Angra Mainyu, are quite pitiful. If possible, we could talk."
"Talk? I've nothing to discuss with you wretched humans!!"
Irisviel's eyes widened, ignoring Roy's offer. She unleashed curse after curse, but they dissolved like sugar in boiling water, utterly ineffective.
"What's happening?!"
"What do you think?"
Roy met her distorted expression calmly. Honestly, he didn't find her current form ugly. Knowing Angra Mainyu's story, he could understand his hatred for humanity.
An innocent monster, a human sacrifice.
Branded an evil god, forced to bear humanity's sins, stripped of life and meaning, a mere offering that led to death.
After death, he should've slept with humanity's malice. But the Einzberns, using his original scripture, forcibly revived this innocent monster for the Grail War to fulfill their desires. Trapped in the Grail, unable to return to the Throne of Heroes, he was forced to bear humanity's imposed wish, enduring endless torment, existing only to curse humans—a twisted purpose.
Without evil and hatred, he couldn't act. Without vengeance, he couldn't exist.
So, who'd want to talk peace with him? Suggesting reconciliation would earn a snapped neck and a clear answer.
"Impossible! I used my full power—why aren't you dead? Die—burn, shoot, crush, drown!!"
Swords appeared around Roy, shattering into light on contact.
A fire erupted, which he stomped out.
A steamroller fell, swatted away.
Bullets bounced off him, some piercing Irisviel's head.
He walked across rising water effortlessly.
"What kind of monster are you?!!"
Seeing Roy unscathed by such torments, Irisviel's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Monster? No, I'm human… just not from this world. Merlin, Gilgamesh, and the old jewel man called me an Outsider or Foreigner. My soul might be a bit different from this world's."
"You might not know, but in your worldview, there's a saying. Want to hear it?"
"…Outsider… What are you…?"
Irisviel's pupils trembled, a terrifying realization dawning. If true, she could never harm him.
"In your worldview, there's a jest: aliens are the bosses, locals are beggars. Sounds absurd, but it's true."
"When you judge me by this world's human soul standards, you've already made a grave mistake. You should treat me as a unique Outer God."
Roy kindly revealed the answer.
The reason Irisviel couldn't harm him was clear.
The issue wasn't her or the All The World's Evil—it was Roy. His soul's rank and strength were too high.
Mystery yields to greater mystery.
As an otherworldly being, Roy exceeded this world's mystery limits, a supreme enigma. The All The World's Evil's soul attacks were laughably ineffective.
"Calm down. I get your feelings, but since you're intent on killing me, I'll cool you off before purifying you."
Roy raised his right hand, clapping oddly: pat, pat, clap!!
"You…"
Irisviel's eyes narrowed, sensing something.
"Don't rush. You seem unclear on Outsiders and me. Since we're in a mental world, you can attack me, so I can affect you. I'll help you understand my concept my way, convincing you."
"No—don't!!"
"I'll clarify: the real me isn't what I'm about to show. I'm different from it. I just think you need a lesson to calm down, and for purification, I'll show something intimidating. What's fitting… an Outer God? ORT? or Goetia? Hmm… for black mud, her."
Roy pondered, then his eyes lit up.
He channeled his soul, transmitting his thoughts into her mind.
"No, you can't! That thing… Get it out of my mind!! Don't make me see it—!!"
In Irisviel's vision, Roy's body melted into black liquid, spreading rapidly across hundreds of meters. The liquid writhed, expanding into a towering, human-like figure dozens of meters tall.
No, not human!!
Despite a near-human form, she had massive dragon horns, white skin with azure scales, star-shaped eyes, and an aura of maternal dominance. Her mere presence drew the All The World's Evil toward this 'mother' uncontrollably.
She resembled a human but wasn't.
This wasn't her true form—not even a projection, just a mental construct.
But it sufficed.
Using his Foreigner's absolute rank and soul strength, Roy recreated this mother's true form.
"Aaaaaaa—"
The giant mother opened her mouth, her starry eyes flashing. Beneath her colossal form, black tides surged, dwarfing the All The World's Evil. The tide of creation swallowed Irisviel and her reliance in an instant.
"Angra Mainyu, how does your All The World's Evil compare to Tiamat, the Mother of Genesis, one of the Seven Evils of Humanity?"
Irisviel, or the All The World's Evil, didn't answer—couldn't.
Her black mud was obliterated by the Sea of Life in a blink.
The Primordial Mother didn't pursue, vanishing after a moment.
But her impact lingered. Though still the Grail's space, the black mud was greatly diminished. Angra Mainyu, once appearing as Irisviel, now showed his true form.
His body was shattered by the backlash, barely holding together—a consequence of attacking a Foreigner's soul.
"Well, that's about it."
Roy's melted form reformed, replacing the fleeting Primordial Mother. He flexed his hand, ensuring no issues, and surveyed the Grail space.
The black mud and malice were cleansed by the Sea of Life. Only he and the collapsed, stunned Angra Mainyu remained.
"I sympathize with your plight, but…"
"You're still my enemy."
Looking at the fallen figure, Roy took a deep breath.
"Humans are indeed malicious, fighting for desires, breaking rules and nature, like Matou Zouken's fall."
"Yes, humanity is ugly, putting desires first…"
Angra Mainyu roared his usual rhetoric, but it couldn't sway Roy.
"No, that's wrong. Humans aren't perfect. They fight, driven by desires. Even best friends may betray for gain. But—"
"Unlike gods or fae, humans aren't fixed. They're neither purely good nor evil, not set at birth. They grow. As a human, I believe this."
Roy continued solemnly, "Angra Mainyu, though this world has much malice, why focus only on unerasable evil? Look at kindness, the shining spirits, the progress of this era compared to yours."
"Every man and every woman is a star."
"Farewell, Angra Mainyu."
"I declare myself the Almighty Lord by my heart."
"Now, I summon the Archangel of the Stars, Sea, Land, and Sky."
Ignoring his response, Roy grabbed Angra Mainyu, reciting the final purification chant prepared long ago—
[Blessed be, the Angel of Healing. Its spirit is the breeze soaring from the mountain, its golden garb shines like the sun.]
"What are you doing… If you reject me, your wish…"
"My wish? That's unimportant. I joined to test it, but the old jewel man said you can't grant it, so no need to verify."
[Blessed be, the Angel of Revelation. Its name is the water sprite dancing beneath you.]
Roy spoke calmly, his actions unwavering.
"There must be something else you want! Spare me, I'll make it happen!!"
"No point. Purifying you, I can still achieve it."
"Roy Crowley! You damned bastard!!"
Angra Mainyu roared, trying to stir Roy's desires, but failed.
[Blessed be, the Angel of Justice. The eternal flame's radiance is your majestic tablet.]
[Blessed be, the Angel of Righteousness. All creatures of the earth are under your dominion.]
[Yet the greatest joy, all calamities of flame, cannot approach me.]
[For wherever I am, I am guarded by holy angels.]
The world turned pure white.
Four figures of different colors appeared, delivering final punishment to the evil.
"Farewell forever, Angra Mainyu."
"May your soul reach paradise."
Roy spoke calmly.
"Stop! You think you understand me? Roy Crowley, you arrogant fool who thinks he knows humanity… Aaaah!!"
With a final scream, Angra Mainyu's body was purified by the four lights, turning to ash and vanishing.
"Now, I become the Almighty Lord, granting you final redemption."
"Rest well, All The World's Evil. May you awaken to a true ideal world."
***
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