The full moon in the night sky cast its serene light over everything below. Like all things in the world, the man in the perfectly tailored suit was bathed in the moon's generous, impartial glow, his measured steps unwavering.
At the foot of Ryuudou Temple, Kuzuki stopped before the first step, lifting his eyes. Though he couldn't see the mountain gate from there, he could feel the strong winds blowing from it, carrying a biting chill.
Without much hesitation or thought, and without any change in his expression, Kuzuki took the first step.
"Are you sure you want to go? The end of your path is indeed the end," came a voice, making Kuzuki stop and turn. He saw Shinji leaning against a nearby tree with his arms crossed.
"Matou..."
After a brief glance at Kuzuki, Shinji continued in a flat tone, "Even if you go, nothing will change. Haven't you always believed that her life or death is her own choice? What are you doing now?"
Kuzuki showed no surprise at being seen through by a student with whom he had little interaction. He merely looked at Shinji with his usual, emotionless eyes.
"Ah, I just found out..." Kuzuki said as he turned and took the next step up the stairs. "People do change, and the one who changed me is her."
Shinji, seeing Kuzuki walking resolutely to his death, said no more. He simply watched as Kuzuki's figure grew smaller, his pace quickening until he was sprinting. As the fierce winds above ceased, Shinji knew that Saber and Kojirou's battle had ended.
...
When Shinji arrived at the temple gate, he found Kojirou Sasaki, who had just been defeated by Saber, sitting on the steps, lamenting his confusion between a swallow and a lion.
"I pride myself on appreciating women, but in every aspect, I'm still lacking in my training..."
A ghastly wound on his chest dyed his clothes red with blood, but even so, Kojirou wore a serene smile.
"...What do you think?" he asked.
"Who knows... I've never pursued perfection in my life," came Shinji's voice from beside him, his form materializing next to Kojirou.
Hearing this, Kojirou chuckled softly, then took the small flask of sake Shinji handed him.
After a large gulp, Kojirou sighed contentedly, "But this brief journey has been quite enjoyable..."
Seeing Kojirou's wound showing no signs of healing, Shinji turned his gaze towards the temple gate. Although he couldn't hear anything from outside, the subtle fluctuations in the barrier indicated the battle inside was nearing its end.
"It's over..." Kojirou remarked, smiling lightly. "I wonder if my Master's luck is good or bad, considering she met a man like that."
"Is this self-praise before disappearing?" Shinji teased.
Kojirou laughed heartily. "Yes, indeed! I do think I'm quite the man. She does have an eye for talent!"
As Kojirou praised himself, he then glanced at Shinji and reflected, "But when it comes to her eye for people, she missed out on another man. Perhaps her best judgment yet..."
Shinji smiled lightly, "That's true. I think so too."
After finishing the remaining sake, Kojirou's body began to emit light, dissolving into particles.
"It seems my time is up..." he said, using the ground to stand unsteadily, his sword back in his hand.
Seeing Kojirou facing him, Shinji was puzzled. Was Kojirou planning to kill him for betraying Medea? But then Kojirou tossed the sword to Shinji.
"Show me what you learned from my swordsmanship. Maybe I'll find a new direction."
Shinji frowned. How did he know I learned it? Kojirou answered, "Some things don't need words when there's a similar aura."
Finding Kojirou's intentions odd, Shinji didn't hesitate. Holding the sword with both hands, he stepped back with his right leg and executed Kojirou's proud technique—Tsubame Gaeshi!
Three sword lights slashed towards Kojirou simultaneously, unavoidable!
For the first time, Kojirou faced his own technique. In his final moment, he felt a strange sense of reflection.
As his vision shifted, he realized his head had been severed. Even in this state, he pondered swordsmanship.
—How would I counter this move if I faced it?
—Are three lines the limit? Could more lines capture a lion too?
—This youth could surpass me if he dedicated himself to the sword. What a pity...
With these thoughts, Kojirou's body, split into three, dissipated into light, along with the sword in Shinji's hand.
"Seems..." Shinji murmured, looking towards the temple gate, "if not for the Holy Grail, this war wouldn't lack for winners."
Medea, called the betraying witch, found a man who would never betray her.
Kojirou, devoted to the sword, continued his path, exploring further.
And Kuzuki found a new meaning in life he never had before.
Within Ryuudou Temple, the battle was indeed nearing its end.
In front of the renovated annex, now a "bridal chamber" meticulously decorated by Medea, the heavily wounded Kuzuki stood guard over the dying Medea, his gaze unwavering.
"Souichirou-sama..."
Medea called weakly, her heart full of sorrow.
She had known that with Archer, Berserker, and Saber's Master arriving, she wouldn't survive the night. She had been ready to fight to the death.
Even if she died, she planned to make them pay, relying on the hundreds of people's worth of mana she had gathered.
She would at least blow this place up! Maybe it wouldn't kill Berserker, but Archer and the Masters wouldn't be so lucky.
But when Kuzuki arrived after Saber, Medea hesitated. She never expected her Master to come at such a time!
This was a deathtrap!
"Caster, boost me."
Those were Kuzuki's first words upon entering, facing the three pairs.
At that moment, Medea realized what she truly wanted. Perhaps she had already gotten it without noticing...
...
"Kuzuki! Caster is doomed... There's no need for a normal person like you to risk your life!"
Shirou tried to persuade his teacher, naively thinking Kuzuki might have been brainwashed by Caster.
After all, according to Archer, Caster might have manipulated her Master into becoming her puppet.
But Kuzuki remained unmoved, silently guarding Medea.
"Souichirou, I've... I've already got what I wanted..." Medea's weak voice came from behind him, tinged with self-mockery. "It's just... I realized it too late... So, even if it's just you, live... live on..."
Kuzuki didn't move an inch. "Everything started because of me. It's not about good or evil, and I can't stop halfway."
Hearing these words, devoid of any romantic sentiment yet filled with emotion, Medea laughed suddenly, joyfully.
As her laughter faded, she mustered her strength to stand, "Souichirou... I've..."
Shush, shush, shush!!
Thud, thud, thud!!
Arrows shot towards Kuzuki, but Medea, using a burst of energy from somewhere, rushed in front of him, blocking the arrows with her body!
Clutching her pierced chest and coughing up blood, Medea staggered and leaned against Kuzuki.
"Souichirou-sama... look at the room I had renovated this afternoon... Does it look... good?"
Hearing this, Kuzuki glanced at the carefully decorated annex.
"You did this? It's beautiful."
"I'm glad... I was worried you wouldn't like it..."
With that, Medea quietly closed her eyes, no longer using magic to heal herself.
She felt the fierce killing intent from behind. She knew there was no escape, and she no longer wanted to.
Even if only for a few seconds, she wanted to feel this man's embrace a bit longer...