[137] Awakening

Kazuya's half-severed head was slowly regenerating.

The last thing he saw from his eyes at Ryuudou Temple was the sky-shattering fire and the collapsing mountains.

He himself was consumed by the flames.

As a result, the left half of Kazuya's brain began to recover.

In this state, his eyes saw the shattered brilliance resembling a giant sword, the shattered space, and the flames that could destroy everything.

Almost all the residents of Fuyuki City saw—

The sun on the ground in the direction of Ryuudou Temple!

"Roar————————!!!" A beast's roar.

Underneath Ryuudou Temple.

The black Berserker was resisting the onslaught, protecting the Holy Grail.

His flesh was slowly being charred, but his ability to continue the fight and the immortality granted by the Twelve Labours were still in effect.

After the radiance of the giant sword and the weakened double-layered bounded field had destroyed much of Berserker's flesh, the flames finally dissipated.

"Did I fail?" Lancer watched the scene before him and said, "I'm sorry, Master, I didn't succeed in destroying the Greater Grail. But now, the Greater Grail is fully exposed. Should I continue?"

The flames dissipated.

Everyone saw it.

The mountain of Ryuudou Temple had disappeared.

Only the final circle and the black mud within it remained.

The circle was still absorbing the magical energy from the surrounding ley lines.

Of course... there was Berserker guarding it all!

At the same time—

Berserker, resurrected once again, charged toward Karna!

However, there was one person who simply looked at their own hands, ignoring everything.

"Hey? What's this..." Rider looked at Saber, who was gradually dissipating, and said, "Yes, you're going to disappear."

"Yes, this foolish dream is finally coming to an end." Saber, Altera, sighed. "That... that... well, forget it."

Altera's words were cut short: "Let's end it here... enjoy this final beauty before everything is destroyed."

"Destruction... what do you mean by that, the way you keep mentioning it?" Waver asked, puzzled.

"I've said it before; I am the embodiment of destruction, willing or not. The time is coming... when I can't disobey the command of the Wandering Star. At that time, it will be the end of this civilization. I won't be like I am now... after all, I'm just a dream of the original. So... enjoy this last moment."

Having said that.

Without any Command Spells, Saber, who had been hit head-on by Lancer's Noble Phantasm, disappeared completely.

The dream was coming to an end.

...

In a certain chamber.

The White Titan opened her eyes. "I lost, huh... this feeling isn't bad. Oh, please. Next time, stop me like you did now... I don't want to destroy anymore..."

...

"It's over..." Kazuya observed the current situation and said, "Lancer is about to be taken down. Unless someone helps, his magical energy is already depleted, and he's no match for Berserker. Saber has also left the field. Now, there are only Rider, Archer, Berserker, and me... that makes four left."

However, so far, Archer had been in the distance, shooting arrows, without ever engaging in close combat, which actually matched his class.

So, what should he do next?

The battlefield was obvious; it must be Ryuudou Temple.

As for the remaining Heroic Spirits, Rider's intentions were unclear. As for Archer... no, Emiya Kiritsugu, he should be aiming to destroy the Greater Grail.

If that's the case, then Berserker must be defeated.

If that's the case...

...

"Lancer..." Tohsaka Tokiomi looked at the last Command Spell on the back of his hand, trembling slightly, before calming down slowly. "Lancer, what's your plan? Shall I use this last Command Spell to call you back, or should I replenish your magical energy?"

The Holy Grail War had already ended.

At least, his Holy Grail War had ended.

So, now he could test the "bond" he had formed with this Lancer. This Lancer was strong, even when restricted by magical energy.

If magical energy weren't a concern, the Holy Grail War might have ended by now.

In that case, just give up.

If it can't be obtained, then destroy it.

"Master... I hope you can restore my magical energy." Lancer, whose body had been sent flying by Berserker and felt somewhat powerless due to the loss of magical energy, said.

"I understand. I will now restore your magical energy."

Lancer felt the gradually replenishing magical energy in his body and the last connection with his Master that had been severed, holding his lance tightly. "Thank you, Master... I'm very happy to have participated in this Holy Grail War."

With that, he pointed his lance at Berserker. "Berserker! Although you are now a mindless monster, you are still a great hero from Greek mythology. Even when you've lost your sanity, you know what you should protect and give your all for it. Let this be the conclusion of our battle as Karna and Heracles!"

"Roar————————!!"

Lancer left the field.

But even so, he managed to take one of Berserker's lives in the end.

Now, this raging Berserker only had four lives left.

...

"In a volcanic eruption that occurred yesterday in Fuyuki City... during the eruption, Ryuudou Temple..."

Rito Ishizaki, who had already left Fuyuki City, watched the news report on Fuyuki City and was surprised: "Ryuudou Temple... since when did it become a volcano?"

Watching the news, Rito Ishizaki widened his eyes.

Because the sudden volcanic eruption at Ryuudou Temple had resulted in dozens of deaths among the tourists there and over a hundred people missing.

"What happened over there?"

Rito Ishizaki sighed. It was truly a Holy Grail War, after all...

It was incredibly exaggerated, considering that they had managed to obliterate Ryuudou Temple.

As for the volcanic eruption, he couldn't believe it. After all, he had witnessed the battles of the Heroic Spirits with his own eyes!

That day...

Was a peaceful day.

Everyone was licking their wounds.

Waiting for the next day... the final battle!

---

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