Devil's Whisper

The moonlight shone on Fuyuki City's deserted bridge.

There were no cars passing on it, which was unusual.

The strangest thing about the scene was the presence of three people: a young male with thunder and lightning dancing around him, an older male dressed in old attire, and another young male standing some distance away from the older male. He appeared to be the only 'normal' person here.

Fizzzzz*

On the entire Fuyuki Bridge, the only sound was that of passing lightning.

"Come on, King of Conquerors! Let me put an end to your never-ending fantasy." Masato said this as his mana continued to rise inexorably, like an endless ocean.

"I will present you with the best display of absolute power."

"Rider…" Waver looked at Rider with concern, feeling the overwhelming presence of Masato in front of them.

He clenched his teeth and shook his head before turning to face Rider with unwavering resolve.

Rider grinned, seeing this.

Shling~*

He drew his sword, pointed to the sky, and yelled, "Gather, my comrades! Tonight, we will be remembered as the greatest legend in history!"

Masato was encased within a sphere that extended from the tip of his raised sword.

Everything around him changed, as if I'd been transported to another world.

Masato found himself in the middle of a desert. He turned to face Iskandar and the army behind him after looking around.

"Our enemy is the mighty God of Death," Iskandar said, his smile unaffected by Masato's overwhelming presence. "A worthy adversary! Let us, my warriors, show him our path to conquest!" As the shouts of his and his soldiers filled the space between heaven and earth, he raised his sword.

"EAAARARARARARA!" With a shout, he mounted his horse and began galloping towards Masato, his army close behind.

"This is the first time I would be using this power, so you should be honored, Iskandar, as the first person to see this," Masato said quietly, looking at him and the approaching army.

Masato opened his arms, as if to hug the world, as more lightning flashed around him.

A silent whisper escapes his lips, <<Awaken: Black Imperial Sword Judecca>>

There was a brief moment of silence before....

Boom!*

A massive surge of energy rose from Masato's location, covering the entire sky of the reality marble.

The entire reality began to sag, as if the world couldn't bear the weight of the presence inside.

The Earth began to break all around Masato; the space and time around him became extremely unstable, resulting in disintegration—the reality was being bent simply by his presence.

"I can't use it outside of this world because Alaya and Gaia wouldn't allow it—and it has far-reaching consequences for the rest of the world—but it's different here."

His voice appears strangely distorted, in stark contrast to his previous voice.

"I can't hold this form for an extended period of time, so I'll finish it."

His previous sliver-black hair had been transformed into golden; the reality around him had become pixelated, as if a glitch in the matrix.

"All right, Judecca, let's go."

'Affirmative.'

In his hands was a long sword. It was a jagged blade with a hook at the tip. There was a gem inside the crossguard.

{

You've acquired the Demon Lord Element!

}

Masato raised her up in the air, pointing to the sky.

<<L'Ciel Ascella Cocytus>>

"That is...!!!" Rider looked at Masato, who silently waved her down, and Waver screamed in horror.

A massive white wave was created, blinding everyone and everything. It swept through everything, leaving nothing in its wake.

The King of Conqueror, his army, and his reality marble were divided into many sections, breaking apart, as if cut by millions of swords.

Waver's heart was racing as he watched all of this. Nothing remained, and he was forced to return to the Fuyuki Bridge.

"Ha... Ha... Ha..." Masato took a few deep breaths and returned to his normal form.

He couldn't keep that form for more than a second or two, so he put everything he had into that single strike. It didn't let him down.

After all, according to Fate, Judecce was an Anti-World Noble Phantasm. It was unsurprising that she annihilated the entire reality marble.

Masato could sense that nothing could stop him in that form. Of course, it was an exaggeration, but the sensation was genuine.

He looked at the screen in front of him after his breathing had returned to normal.

{

Ding! You've slain an enemy Servant – Rider!

+215, 548 985 XP.

You've leveled up! X5

+3 Gacha Token.

}

'Five level increases? That's not bad.'

(AN: His army is included in the xp, not just Rider.)

'How is the condition of my body, Judecca?'

'Everything is fine, Master. Only excessive Mana and Stamina usage should be tolerated with adequate rest.'

Masato thanked her and turned to face Waver. A bottle of portion appeared in his hands as he jugged them down, gaining back his mana and stamina.

Masato called out to him after a brief pause, "Waver... was it?"

"W-what?" Waver took a step back and looked at him.

Masato raised his hand, and a book appeared in front of him. He looked at him and threw it at him, saying, "He asked me to look after you. Even though I wouldn't normally care, I really liked his character, so I'll listen to him this time."

Waver took the book and examined it, asking, "Haki?"

"You don't seem to have any talent for magic," Masato pointed out, making Waver tremble, "but this skill wouldn't require magic to perform. As long as you can master it, you should have no trouble defeating powerful mages."

Not only did Haki allow one to observe everything around him, but he also allowed one to pinpoint a weakness after mastering it at a certain level.

The weakness of a Magus is his magical circle and the circulation of magic.

It would also enable him to coat ordinary bullets and make them powerful enough to penetrate tough defenses.

"But keep in mind that once you've read it, the book will be destroyed. So you'd better read it carefully enough to remember it."

Masato turned around and began to walk away, leaving Waver alone as he continued to stare at the book before tears welled up in his eyes, "Idiot... Didn't you want to take over the world? What is the point of helping others?"

---

"That was a fantastic battle."

Masato heard the voice and turned to examine where it came from as he walked away from the Fuyuki Bridge.

"Did you enjoy it?"

"Of course. But it appears that you've expended a significant amount of your energy; otherwise, we could have a battle as well." Gilgamesh replied with the same grin, staring at Masato.

"Are you worried about me now, Gil?" Stop it, but I am perfectly straight." Masato laughed as he looked at him.

Gilgamesh frowned, "Enough of this, mongrel. Did I give you permission to call me by such a way?"

"What?!" Masato inquired, startled, "I thought we were buddies by now?"

"Impossible. I only have one friend, mongrel, so remember your place." Masato's response seemed to have enraged Gilgamesh.

"That's... really sad to hear..." Masato replied, as if ashamed, "With your personality, it's clear that you only have one. But don't let it influence you, okay? Things will improve with time."

"Would you like me to kill you?" Behind him, a golden gateway opened, releasing weaponry.

"No," Masato grinned before adding, "Though I would want to test my greatest weapon on you, it appears that we would be unable to fight. Not now at least."

"Hm?" Gilgamesh frowned, but quickly understood and smiled, "Then I'll be waiting for you, Aster Pendragon. Don't let me down."

As he spoke, the space around him bent and he vanished. Kirei appears to have summoned him using his Command Spell.

'Even though I wanted to use my infinite heavenly burning sky destroying bicycle…'

Hearing him, Judecca, Est, and Restia were silent, unsure what to say.

'It is time to show Irisviel the vision Kiritsugu sees.' Thinking, he vanished from his place.

---

It was late at night, and the sky was filled with beautiful stars.

The rain was falling, but the drops were black.

Sounds of waves, splashing water, and the wind blowing through the island's trees; Kirisugu opened his eyes and looked at his front with a puzzled expression.

'This location...' He inquired as he gazed into the horizon, the beautiful scenery, and the breathtaking view.

"I knew you'd show up."

Kiritsugu looked at her, puzzled, when he heard a gentle and melodious voice.

"I had faith you would reach this place." She said this with a gentle expression on her face.

"Iri…" Kiritsugu muttered something under his breath.

"This is the location where your wish will be granted. We're inside the Grail you've been seeking."

Kiritsugu looked around and up, seeing a black hole with a darkish red aura surrounding it. It appeared as if it would consume everything.

"That's the Grail. It has yet to take shape, but the vassal is more than enough," she explained. "All you have to do now is pray to it. Only then will it be able to leave."

"Please, now... Please hurry and give it a shape. Kiritsugu, you alone are qualified to define it."

Kiritsugu looked silently at the "Grail" before looking down at her. "Who are you?"

"I am Irisviel," she replied gently, her smile still on her face.

"No." He denied, saying, "If the preparations for the Grail are finished, then she's already..."

She smiled but did not respond.

"Answer me!" Kiritsugu yelled as he pointed his gun at her.

"Indeed. I'm not going to deny that this is a mask. I can't communicate with others unless I use a per-existing personality as a shell."

"However, the personality of Irisviel that I've recorded is unmistakably the real thing," she said as she walked past him and stared into the sea. "As a result, I inherited her last wish."

Turning around, he looked at her back and asked, "Are you the will of the Holy Grail?"

"Yes. That interpretation is correct," she replied, closing her eyes. " I have a desire and a wish. The will to be born into the world," she said as she opened her eyes and looked straight ahead.

"Impossible." Kiritsugu refused, saying, "How does the Grail intend to grant my wish in that case?"

"Well, Kiritsugu... Isn't that something you should know better than anyone?" she asked, turning around.

"What?"

"You learned how to save the world a long time ago." She approached him and placed her hands on his shoulder, saying, "So I will do as you did, take over from you, and answer your prayer."

"What are you talking about? "

"Sigh... I suppose there's no avoiding it." She cupped his cheeks and raised her hands, "The only way is for you to ask yourself from within."

A sudden intake of breath, eyes wide opened; Kiritsugu found himself in a familiar room.

A normal room with two beds, a TV, and a window, where he met Maiya before the war began.

He looked around for a moment before something clicked. The TV in front of him began to play, and a man with the same voice as him began to speak.

"There are three hundred people on one ship. Two hundred on another."

"What? " He inquired, perplexed.

"Five hundred total passengers and crew, plus Emiya Kiritsugu," the voice said, ignoring him, and going on, "Let us assume that these five hundred and one people are humanity's last survivors."

The video showed two boats moving side by side, "Giant holes have opened up at the bottoms of both ships. Kiritsugu alone has the ability to repair a ship."

"Now then, which ship would you repair?"

"Of course, the one with three hundred people." He responded without much of a pause.

"As a result of that decision, you are kidnapped by 200 people on the other ship. They demand that you first repair their ship."

"So, what would you do?"

"I would..." Kiritsugu fell silent, but the sound of guns being fired jolted him out of his reverie.

He looked to his right, at the curtained window. He could see the light from the gunfire and hear the sound from the other side.

Taking a deep breath, he walked over to the curtain and pulled it back. In shock, his eyes widened and his mouth opened as he found himself standing in a ship with bodies all over it. The entire deck was covered in the blood and bodies of women and men, both old and young.

He looked around in disbelief before the voice spoke again.

"...kill all two hundred people. Correct. Emiya Kiritsugu would do something like that."

Ring* Ring* Ring*

As he found himself back in the room, he heard his phone ring. He picked it up with trembling hands and listened as the voice continued.

"Next, the three hundred survivors abandon their damaged ship, split into two new ships, and continue their journey. We have two hundred people on one ship and one hundred people on the other this time."

"However, holes have reopened at the bottoms of both ships."

"Wait." He approached the room's door and opened it while listening to the voice.

The voice, however, didn't seem to mind and continued as Kiritsugu exited the room and entered the hallway.

"In the smaller ship, you are kidnapped by the hundreds. They demand that you first repair their ship."

"What are you going to do now?"

"You are already aware! But..." he said, a little raised voice.

Suddenly, sounds of buttons pressed sounded as Kiritsugu looked at the phone that showed "No Signal".

Boom!*

A blast occurred as he found himself in a parking lot.

He opened his eyes, shocked, and looked behind him. Away from the dock, he could see a ship being blown away as fire erupted from it.

"You made the correct decision."

"Ridiculous…" He clenched his teeth and yelled at the sky or wherever he thought the voice came from, "That's ridiculous! How is that a right decision?! Two hundred survived but three hundred died for their sake! The scales are tipped the wrong way!"

"No, your calculations were accurate. You made the decision to save the majority at the expense of the minority. Is that correct, Emiya Kiritsugu?"

"You've always killed the minority on the lighter end of the spectrum. Even if it meant leaving a long trail of bodies in your wake, you believed that if lives were saved, it was worth it."

Pang* A gunshot, and he was back on the island.

"Is this what you were hoping to show me?!" He yelled.

"Yes. This is your reality. The answer lies within Emiya Kiritsugu. In other words, the course of action that the Grail should take as a wish-granting device."

"No! This is not what I had hoped for! I desired a different path! Because of this, miracles were my only hope!"

"Your wish would not include a method of which you are unaware. If you want to save the world, you must do it in a way that you can understand."

"To hell with that! How on Earth can you still believe it's a miracle?"

"It's a miracle. The deed you attempted and failed to complete on your own can be completed on a scale beyond any man's ability. What is it if it isn't a miracle?"

"Emiya Kiritsugu. You are, indeed, Angra Mainyu. The one deserving of bearing all of the world's evil."

"And now for the final question." When he turned around, he was in a shed with three people in front of him: Maiya, Irisviel, and his daughter, Illya.

Masato appeared a short distance away with Irisviel, both of them watching the scene in front of them.

Masato had chosen this time on purpose because the previous situation could influence Irisviel's decision, which he cannot have.

"Kiritsugu!" Irisviel yelled, but Masato grabbed her hand.

"Don't. Because of my presence, you are able to remain here. You'll get lost here once you're away from me."

Irisviel grew quiet and turned her gaze ahead, silently watching.

Back at Kiritsugu, the voice inquired once more.

"There are three left. Will you save two people? Or choose one?"

Kiritsugu stood up and gulped, holding a knife in his hand. He approached Maiya and...

Crrr* The flesh was slashed open, blood spilling all over the place.

"Kiritsugu, welcome home!" The scene changed, his face was covered in blood, and his eyes opened as if he was losing his mind.

"You're finally back!" Illya ran up to him, jumped into his arms, and laughed joyfully.

"You get it, don't you?" Irisviel inquired, sitting on her mansion's bed. "This is the Grail's answer to your prayer."

Illya maintained her smile and kissed him on the cheek.

"Now all you have to do is wish for it. To bring your wife back. to reclaim your daughter."

"…" As Kiritsugu looked out the window into the darkness, silence filled the room.

"Look carefully, Irisviel. This is the man you thought would give everything for his daughter," Masato said.

Irisviel clutched her hands tightly, her gaze fixed on him and his decision. But the next line seemed to dash all of her hopes, as tears welled up in her eyes.

"I won't be able to accompany you on your search for walnut buds any longer."

"Kiritsugu…" Tears streamed down her cheeks as she realized his decisions.

"It's okay." Illya replied smiling, "Illya is happy, as long as you and Mommy are with me."

"Thank you, Illya, Daddy adores you as well. At the very least, I swear to that. But..." he said as he hugged her.

"Huh?" Illya looked at him, puzzled, as he pointed his gun at her, saying, "Goodbye, Illya."

*Bam!* A gunshot, and her dead body fell to the ground.

"ILLYA!" Irisviel yelled, but Masato grabbed her hand, drew her close, and hugged her.

"She isn't real... However, that is what reality may be." He said this while looking down at Kiritsugu and the scene with cold, emotionless eyes.

'Ahh… How emotionless, how cold. Master, you are truly a horrible human being.' The sound of Restia was heard, but he ignored her while looking down at Irisviel, who was crying over Illya's body as Kiristugu shot her, saying, "Six billion people,,,against two members of my family...I...I...I'll kill you and...save the world."

Irisviel continued to cry, gripping Masato's hands tightly, her eyes having long lost their luster.

---

Her throat had long dried, and her tears had long stopped falling; like a puppet, she remained in Masato's embrace as the scene of Kiritsugu killing Illya replayed in her mind.

"Irisviel, that is Emiya Kiritsugu. That was Illya's future that could have been changed, but he chose the world over you, over his daughter who hasn't even been in this world for a decade."

Masato silently whispered into her ears as they stood some distance away from Emiya's fight with Kirei.

"I ask you now, Irisviel. What will you choose? Remain by the side of the man who might, in the future, will kill you—again—and Illya. Or by my side that can give you a happy life to live with your daughter. Choose now, Irisviel."

"…" There was no reaction from here, as if it were a broken doll that had lost its meaning in life.

She eventually looked up at Masato and asked, "Will you save Illya?"

"I guarantee it." Masato replied, his gaze fixed on hers.

"Please take me away from here," Irisviel said as she nodded and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Very well." He said this as they both vanished.

+++

This P a t r e o n is only for those who want to help me by donating money. I really appreciate it.

p a t r e o n.com / meatball chan