With vast mana drawn from parallel worlds by the Second Magic and the Grail's own miracles, Roy's wish persisted, reversing the boundary of life and death.
Soon, dawn's light pierced the gloom, casting golden radiance over the dark earth.
As the wish unfolded, the golden Grail in Roy's hands, once brimming with mana, dimmed. Though still potent, it was no longer as grand.
If its initial mana was an endless ocean, symbolizing infinity, now it was a vast lake, merely immense.
The Grail's light faded as the wish consumed it.
Roy had no regrets. He'd used much of the mana for his relic, and the rest was Zelretch's. Since the Grail couldn't grant his true wish and Scáthach had no deep desire for it, returning Zelretch's mana to fix the world was fair—it helped him too.
Since meeting Zelretch and learning Grand Hassan was active, he'd faintly heard bells tolling.
His decisiveness stemmed partly from Zelretch's warning, a chill on his neck as if a kindly old man with a greatsword and shield might emerge from the shadows to behead him.
He'd mastered all Primordial Runes, the supreme Norse magecraft system, and forged a top-tier modern relic—a staff rivaling alchemy and Western magecraft's pinnacle. His Hall Formula was complete, his Angel Summoning perfected, and his insight into The Book of the Law reached its peak.
If he dared boast, he was a modern Solomon, the Mage King reborn.
Unlike Solomon's demon summoning, he followed Aleister's angel summoning and Silver Star theories.
Any of his feats—reforging a mythic relic, completing the Hall Formula, or summoning four mage angels via The Book of the Law—could earn him the Clock Tower's highest rank, Grand, surpassing Aozaki Touko's achievements.
But such titles meant little to him. The Clock Tower's Grand wasn't the Root's; it offered only prestige, not magical advancement. Perhaps only Kayneth would be thrilled by it.
After this Grail War, his rank-up ceremony awaited.
Not to Pride or Brand, but straight to Grand.
Unlike Touko, his achievements outstripped the Clock Tower's highest rank.
But compared to such trivialities—
"It's time to fulfill the final wish."
Atop Mount Enzo, before the newly restored Ryuudou Temple, Roy watched Scáthach twirl her crimson spear, her face eager. He gave a wry smile.
He hadn't expected it to end in a fight…
He'd hoped after all they'd faced, defeating countless foes, Scáthach would be satisfied, saying she'd fought enough and leaving gracefully.
But she still clung to her initial wish.
Even after everything, she wanted to fight him, to grant her death?
Roy was truly helpless.
If possible, he'd avoid fighting his comrade-in-arms, Scáthach, whom he trusted with his back. But…
"If this is truly your wish, I'll do my utmost to fulfill it, Shishou."
Gripping his silver-glowing legendary staff, Roy spoke resolutely, his gaze unwavering.
"So… you never thought of breaking our deal. I thought you'd say something like, 'Can we not fight? Let's make peace.'"
Scáthach saw Roy's surging mana, ready for battle, and smiled faintly.
"Haha, if I could, I'd love to run or seek peace. But a promise is a promise—our first contract, right?"
"You still remember what I said when summoned, Master?"
"Of course, never forgotten."
To Scáthach's question, Roy nodded candidly.
"You said—"
"Your fate is bound to my spear. In this war, I'll do all I can to help you achieve your desires."
"In return, when all is done, fight me truly, ending my long life perfectly."
"That is my wish, as Scáthach the Queen of the Land of Shadows."
"Pfft, you remember it well."
"But don't mimic my tone so seriously in front of me—it's punchable, Master."
Seeing Roy earnestly mimic her summoning words and tone, even the stoic Scáthach laughed.
"Punchable? Sorry, sorry…"
Roy chuckled, facing his comrade, shaking his head. "I think serious Shishou is pretty cool."
"Oh? You like that type? I don't recall taking you as a disciple. You didn't accept my invitation."
"Not accepting isn't refusing, right? The Primordial Runes and battle lessons you taught me are my greatest treasures. So…"
Roy smiled earnestly at Scáthach.
"Thank you for your guidance. I'm lucky to have met you, Shishou. This war's greatest gain wasn't relics or magecraft, but meeting you and the heroes…"
"Now, at the end, it's time to fulfill my duty as Master and grant my partner's wish, right?"
Without excess words, Roy calmly spoke, his massive transmutation array and Hall Formula instantly deployed. The temple's monks, just returned, were compelled to leave, leaving the stage to the final two.
"So that's it… Don't say such sappy things right before I'm ready to kill you, Master."
Facing Roy's sincerity, Scáthach sighed, half-complaining. "You're making me waver about dragging you to the Land of Shadows."
"Haha, still planning to take me there? Still want me as your kept man?"
Roy laughed.
"If I say yes, will you come willingly?"
"Hmm… With you there, the Land of Shadows wouldn't be bad. But my life now is boundless."
"Then…"
"No hesitation, Shishou. Let's begin."
"…Right."
—Whoosh!!
A piercing sound rang out. A thick, brown hand emerged from Roy's back, effortlessly catching a crimson flash.
"Hm?"
Scáthach, unfazed by her caught short spear, gripped her remaining crimson lance, looking at Roy in surprise. "You anticipated that, Master?"
Controlling the earth angel Uriel, gripping the crimson spear, Roy nodded, explaining.
"With all Command Seals used and the war over, our contract ends for this fight. Without mana supply, you'd opt for a quick resolution."
"A sneak attack seemed fitting…"
"Haha, you got me."
Seeing her plan predicted, Scáthach felt no shame, instead laughing happily.
"But… all your sappy talk was to stall, making me sustain my Runes and spiritual base, draining mana, right?"
She countered.
"Tit for tat… Deception's a warrior's lesson."
"No more chatter. So, you…"
Before Scáthach finished, Roy acted decisively. Releasing his staff, four colored lights struck like lightning from different directions.
—Quad War God!!
No, Quad Angel!!
With a flick of her spear, Scáthach parried the attack, her refined face smiling faintly. "You've learned to sneak attack, Master."
"Learned from you, Shishou."
Roy smiled, unleashing his remaining mana. Dazzling light surged like a torrent, bombarding Scáthach.
"Really…" Dodging, Scáthach felt her dwindling mana, sighing. "I planned to use the Grail's miracle to end my long life…"
"But thank you, Master. With you, I realized my life isn't just battle. My strength isn't as invincible as I thought. This world, human history, holds countless heroes worth fighting."
"Rather than wishing for a meaningless death, I now look forward to the future. So, I choose to gaze ahead."
"Is that so… Want to renew our contract, Shishou? I'd miss you."
Unfazed by her words, Roy kept his mana torrent firing like a cannon.
He knew women's words could deceive, especially from someone as ancient as Scáthach.
Her sincerity touched him, but too much trust could cost him.
He felt her genuine emotions, but that didn't stop her from smiling while skewering him and dragging him to the Land of Shadows forever.
Until she left or they renewed their contract, he wouldn't relax.
"A new contract? Another invitation, my dear Master?"
"Yes! I want to keep fighting with you!" Roy answered firmly.
"Sounds nice, but staying as your muscle? Pass… I must return. Sorry, I'd be your spear, but the Land of Shadows needs its queen. I have duties."
Seeing through his plan to keep her as a fighter, Scáthach smiled, shaking her head. Then, she said, "This summoning, heeding that incubus's advice and meeting you was truly fortunate…"
"Merlin, huh… Yeah, same here."
Roy nodded softly.
"With my last mana, let's settle this with one final move, Master."
"This strike will use all my strength, aiming for a god-slaying spear. Be ready."
Breaking free from the angels' encirclement, Scáthach warned Roy seriously. No longer holding her spear single-handedly, she gripped it with both, recreating the stance that pierced Gilgamesh.
As stated, this would be her final move, ending her Grail War perfectly.
"Ready, Master? Flee or face it, any method's fine, as long as you survive."
"I don't recommend fleeing. Without Vimana's mobility, you can't escape this spear's range. Running just exposes your back to death."
"So, you're set on dragging me to the Land of Shadows?"
Seeing Scáthach's sly smile, Roy's expression grew complex, unsure how to judge the situation.
"Hmph, of course. As a warrior queen, I never hold back. And…"
"Master, it's not just the King of Heroes. I crave your beautiful soul, to take to my realm and cherish."
"You heroes are such freaks, always after souls."
Roy quipped.
"Say what you want, but isn't a king's selfishness fitting?"
Scáthach smiled, then fell silent, raising her spear, gathering immense mana in her perfect form for the god-slaying strike.
"I understand."
Seeing her stance, Roy sensed the boundless killing intent.
Though not as fierce as the blow that shattered Gilgamesh's core, it was a fated strike beyond causality.
He knew she was serious. If he couldn't withstand it, his soul would be hers, a kept man in the Land of Shadows.
Sure…
Being with Shishou wasn't bad. The Land of Shadows was safe for retirement, free from Alaya's targeting. But…
His vibrant life had just begun.
His soul shone with unique brilliance.
Ending his story here? He wouldn't accept it.
[High-Speed Divine Words]
Using ancient mythic arts, Roy began his most earnest chant ever.
"—All men and women are stars. (Every man and every woman is a star.)"
"—All numbers are infinite; there is no difference. (Every number is infinite; there is no difference.)"
"—Shining Silver Star, manifest the cycle of this world's truth here."
"—My right hand is the silver sickle of the moon, my left the golden scepter of the sun!!"
Though daytime, a silver star flickered above. His staff vanished from his hand.
In its place, a silver sickle's shadow in his right and a solar scepter in his left.
Immense power gathered meters ahead, with four guardian angels converging.
The Silver Star, sun, and moon's lights fused, earth, fire, water, and wind elements orbiting like stars, coalescing into a four-colored elemental magic sword.
"Under true ether's guidance, my delusions, my thoughts' form… manifest!!"
"—Sword of Paracelsus!!"
"It's here? Then… I'm coming!!"
Without interrupting, Scáthach watched Roy complete his chant, unleashing his strongest strike.
Then, she acted…
"A spear's strike, perfected, slays gods with a flick."
"—Gae Bolg Alternative!!"
In an instant, the crimson spear left her hand, its dark red light streaking like a meteor, vanishing silently, as when it pierced Gilgamesh, elusive and imperceptible.
Without the Land of Shadows' terrain or Command Seal boosts, with scant mana, she couldn't replicate a true god-slaying strike, but…
Even so, for ordinary mages, it was an unstoppable killing blow. Against the elemental torrent and sun-moon attacks, it crossed effortlessly, reaching its target in a blink.
The pinnacle of martial arts… simplicity in supremacy. Is this truly beyond me?
As the spear vanished, nearing his heart imperceptibly, Roy mused.
He felt Gilgamesh's despair. In a confined space, without enough mobility, one could only await death.
But…
Facing this imperceptible, space-transcending strike, Roy stayed calm, his gaze resolute.
As the crimson spear materialized at his body, his lips twitched faintly.
Golden light flickered at his chest.
"Garden of Avalon!"
Prepared in advance, the Noble Phantasm activated instantly. With Merlin and Artoria's dual approval, he could briefly unleash part of Avalon unconditionally.
Whoosh!!!
A radiant white light bloomed, the otherworldly barrier unfolding, its golden shield effortlessly blocking the space-rending, causality-piercing spear.
Anti-Purge Defense, activated again!!
"That's… Avalon…"
Seeing her all-out spear stopped by Avalon's invincibility, Scáthach's soaring spirit plummeted.
She knew she'd lost.
Even her ultimate strike couldn't breach Avalon's bounds, the invincible Anti-Purge Defense, unyielding even to Gilgamesh's Enuma Elish.
Still…
"So underhanded, using Saber's Noble Phantasm against me. But… a loss is a loss. No excuses."
The tide turned. Missing her final strike, it was her turn to face ruin.
Before Scáthach could plan her next move, the elemental, sun, and moon-lit torrent and weapon shadows reached her, dissolving her faltering form under the sky.
A piercing screech filled the air.
Blinding light crashed like a falling sky.
To Scáthach, Roy's strike rivaled any A+-rank Noble Phantasm's full release.
"Impressive…"
—Whoosh!!
The blinding light struck, Scáthach closed her eyes, and her position, half the main hall, and Mount Enzo were blasted into a molten, mana-filled chasm. Her body dissolved into spiritrons, exiting the Grail War.
The final Servant, Caster Scáthach, was gone.
Roy had evacuated everyone and reinforced the Bounded Field, so aside from significant property damage, no lives were lost.
The victor was decided…
Gripping the short crimson spear, Roy recalled Scáthach's final Rune-transmitted words, smiling.
'Master, see you in the future.'
'Oh, next Grail War, use my spear to summon me as Lancer. If you dare abandon me for Saber or Archer, you're dead!!'
"Is that a threat… or a blessing?"
"I've gained and owed so much."
Roy looked skyward, reaching toward the sun, murmuring.
"Servants… and the Grail War, so fascinating. And this vibrant, wondrous world I'm in."
"Here's to meeting again, everyone~"
[Volume 1 End]
***
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