Salvation.
What is salvation?
In the past, if someone had asked Amakusa Shirou this question, he would have happily smiled and described the utopian world that existed in his fantasies, a world where the Third Magic had been realized.
But now, he would rather not.
He no longer had such feelings, or rather, he had lost all emotions; compared to verbal descriptions, he would only prove his point through action.
Redeeming Humanity
The moment the Holy Grail descended, both Roy and Emiya Kiritsugu rushed towards the golden chalice on the platform.
However, Roy, who had inherited part of the powers and abilities of two Servants, easily pinned Kiritsugu to the ground. Flames and black lightning coalesced around his fist, mercilessly striking the Holy Grail.
This took only a fleeting three seconds, but for a Servant, even for a pseudo-Servant like him, three seconds was more than enough time to accomplish a lot.
This included breaking Kiritsugu's spine with his right hand in the first second, followed by using his left fist to gather magical energy and bombarding the Holy Grail!
*Boom!*
The deafening sound echoed in their ears.
Terrifying magical energy exploded on the surface of the Holy Grail as a result of Roy's punch.
"No!!!"
In despair, Kiritsugu stared intently at the rising dust, his eyes wide with disbelief.
In his view, Roy's punch had not merely destroyed the Holy Grail, but everything he possessed, obliterating all his efforts and dreams up to that point.
But is that really the case?
As dust rose and horrific magical energy erupted around the Holy Grail, the explosion shook the entire underground chamber.
"What is this…"
But in the center of the dust, only Roy could see what was reflected.
*Buzz* *Buzz* *Buzz*
Just as Kiritsugu had lost all hope, a faint yet eerie sound began to resonate in the area.
The strange noise was not the sound of the Holy Grail shattering; it wasn't even a sound that should occur in nature, but rather a ringing in the ears accompanying the unbearable pressure.
Blood flowed from his nostrils, eye sockets, and eardrums.
His whole body trembled.
"Indeed, it's not that simple…"
Facing the pressure directly, Roy furrowed his brow. An unseen force suddenly weighed heavily upon him, causing his body to drop several centimeters in an instant. His feet felt as if they were nailed to the ground, his speed significantly reduced.
"Even though I was psychologically prepared, Amakusa Shirou, your current appearance truly leaves me at a loss for words…"
Indeed, it was often at the last moment that one faced a true test.
Roy clicked his tongue, not daring to linger, and quickly adjusted his posture to retreat rapidly, putting as much distance as possible between himself and the pure white monster that had descended here.
"What on earth is this?"
Like Roy, Kiritsugu's body was also subjected to this inexplicable pressure, forcing him down to the ground. He gazed in disbelief at the white shadow hovering in mid-air.
*Buzz* *Buzz* *Buzz*
The incomprehensible vibrations were like sacred chants with a unique frequency. Blinding light descended from the air, illuminating their skin and lighting up Kiritsugu and Roy's faces. After a moment of bewilderment, they were overtaken by an intense discomfort, clearly feeling their souls being forcibly transformed by that strange power.
"Hmph, you want to directly modify my soul?"
Roy glanced at the gigantic shadow suspended in mid-air, snorted coldly, and swung the black flames toward the light, retreating swiftly to avoid the illuminated area.
Meanwhile, the boy priest, who had descended along with the shattering of the Holy Grail, had transformed from something humanoid into something merely cloaked in human skin.
An angel.
A sacred yet terrifying existence.
In the eyes of Kiritsugu and Roy, two magus, this term might not represent much.
If viewed through the eyes of a well-versed and devout believer, it would be a manifestation of a miracle... the angel, the tendril of Divine Power, the servant of the Almighty Lord in Christianity.
Angels possess wisdom and abilities far beyond those of humans; they descend when humanity needs them, conveying divine messages and wisdom. But this is only when humanity and the world require it. If not needed, they merely serve as vessels of divine power, massive containers that do nothing.
Is it possible that Amakusa Shirou had used the Holy Grail's magical energy to pull the angel sleeping on the Reverse Side of the World down to this world?
No, that's not correct, because even if the true Greater Grail could indeed summon the angels slumbering in the Reverse Side of the World to the present world, angels would never obey the commands of anyone but the Lord.
They are simply vessels of Divine Power, and they will always adhere to divine will.
If it truly is an angel, then it will do nothing but strive to find a way to return to the Reverse Side of the World. So this angelic state seems somewhat off; one could say that the angel itself is very wrong.
Without time to consider this anomaly, Roy hurriedly dove into the ventilation duct, quickly escaping from in front of this angel, while Kiritsugu, unable to move, stared wide-eyed at the divine presence before him, murmuring.
"This is… a god…"
The white light soon enveloped him.
...
In another direction, Saber and Lancer had already stopped fighting. Both had someone they cared about in this city, and each had their own reasons to battle. This should have been a knightly conflict of conviction, fighting to the death until a victor emerged.
At the last moment of their fierce battle, as they were about to use their strongest Noble Phantasms to determine the outcome, an unimaginable sight appeared before them.
The ground cracked, the cement and asphalt beneath their feet crumbling like broken cookies. From the vast fissures and hollows, an immense light suddenly burst forth.
The source of the light was not far from them, and the cracks in the ground continued to spread, with blinding white light erupting from below, accompanied by a sense of danger that enveloped the hearts of the two knights.
"What on earth is that?!"
"What is happening down there?!"
With a thunderous cracking sound, a colossal object finally surged up from the ground, soaring into the air at high speed before their astonished eyes. The light converged into a point, gradually extending into something resembling wings, yet also appearing like tentacles... an eerie spectacle. They spread high into the sky, their shapes completely irregular, spiraling and extending from dozens of feet to several feet. The dazzling white light instantly illuminated the entire night sky of Fuyuki City.
A miracle, an absolute miracle.
This sight was akin to the arrival of angels as described in the Bible.
The angel that had suddenly appeared brought not only shock in appearance but also contained terrifying power within its countless extended wings. Just a touch could easily tear apart the ground and buildings as if they were paper; the feeble structures built by humanity were tossed aside like toys in their wake.
If the physical impact alone wasn't enough to cause such a grim expression on Saber and Lancer, then what could they say about the immense size and the overwhelming presence of this being? Not to mention, the surge of magical energy that was rising continuously... was this for real?
What kind of monster was this?
With a slight flutter of its wings, the surge of magical energy increased the ether concentration of the surrounding land to a whole new level, even hinting at a trend of returning to the age of gods.
Under their incredulous gaze, this angel, bearing countless wings of light, suddenly fell from the sky.
To them, it seemed as though the sun was plummeting.
"Run!!"
*Boom!*
The city trembled.
...
On the other side.
After the wings of light unfolded, the angel began to reshape the entire city of Fuyuki, using its body as the starting point. Everything covered by the wings would undergo transformation by the angel's core, which is the Third Magic.
"…What on earth is this thing… an angel?"
Kayneth, who had just been dug out of the ruins of the gymnasium by Roy, widened his eyes as if he had seen something unbelievable.
In response to his question, Roy nodded slightly.
"Damn it, what is happening? How can such an existence appear in this era? An entity of the status of an angel would be considered a divine spirit even in the Age of Gods!!"
Having already been in a terrible state from Maiya's self-destruct attack, Kayneth's brain was now trembling even more. As he felt the ether concentration around him rising continuously, his gaze became more horrified, and even goosebumps stood on end.
The Third Magic, angels, and this magical power...
"This guy intends to use Fuyuki City as a starting point to connect the ley lines of the entire Japan, planning to transform all of humanity in one go!!"
"Damn it, how are we supposed to deal with a monster of this magnitude and magical power? We actually have to take down a divine spirit reappearing in modern times."
Thinking of this possibility, Kayneth held his breath.
The more advanced one's mastery of magecraft, the deeper the fear of the creations from the Age of Gods. Even in the face of high-level phantasmal species, magus can feel powerless and terrified. Now, facing a creation that touched the realm of the gods, Kayneth was even more troubled.
"We actually have to face an enemy of the angel level… Let's retreat; an enemy of this size is simply beyond our capability to handle. To defeat this thing, we would need the power of the entire world. We should contact the Holy Church; they caused this trouble with their own god, so they should deal with it."
"No, it's too early to give up now, Professor Kayneth."
"What do you mean?"
Roy's words were hard for Kayneth to understand.
"There isn't enough time; this monster won't give the world a chance to retaliate. Before enough combat strength can be gathered from around the world, it will begin the transformation. If we contact them now, there won't be enough time."
"I know that, but what can we do now? You don't really think we can eliminate a miracle from the Age of Gods by ourselves, do you?"
"We can; we still have a chance."
"What did you say?"
"Professor Kayneth, please observe this monster carefully. Don't use your eyes; only use magical perception. Although its appearance is incredibly close to that of an angel, both in its composition and existence, the essence of this monster is not a true angel at all."
"…"
Kayneth was momentarily stunned, then he looked in the direction Roy pointed.
"You mean..."
...
"Yes, this white angel does not exist in any mythological texts, not even in fragments of records. This angel should not exist at all. It is merely a monster born from the soul of Amakusa Shirou, the martyr, combined with the magical power of the Holy Grail. Compared to a true angel that bears divine power, it has no divinity or authority."
"It's merely a form of the Holy Grail fulfilling Amakusa Shirou's wish, because that sorrowful saint believed until his last moment that God would redeem the world, thus giving birth to a false angel to complete the so-called redemption for him."
"While its specifications are still powerful, it is not invincible, so you still have a chance."
From the high tower, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, looked down at the angel connecting the ley lines and smiled.
"The key to victory has already been handed over to you, so don't let me down… El-Melloi and Foreigner."
...
In the city.
As Artoria, working with Fionn was delaying the false angel, she was suddenly struck and sent flying by countless wings of light.
"Saber! Are you okay?!"
Seeing her being knocked away, Fionn hurried to Artoria's side.
"I'm fine."
Artoria forced herself to stand and replied, "But my contract with Kiritsugu has just been interrupted. It seems that Kiritsugu has died…"
"I'm sorry, Lancer. I might not be able to continue dealing with this monster disguised as an angel."
Artoria appeared to be on the verge of collapsing.
"I see…"
Fionn glanced at the false angel that was still absorbing the magical energy from the ley lines. Although he wanted to play it cool and say something like, "Leave it to me," he knew that facing such an opponent alone was impossible. Even with Saber's cooperation, they could only barely defend themselves. If he rushed in alone, he would be crushed into the concrete in just a few rounds.
He had killed beings like this before and understood the nature of such beings.
But what exactly was this thing? It had the appearance of an angel but lacked divinity and authority. However, the endless magical power flowing within it and its terrifying regenerative abilities were incredibly troublesome.
It seemed to possess no intelligence, merely wielding countless light wings and unleashing an endless stream of magical energy to suppress everything within its reach. No matter what kind of attacks he and Saber inflicted upon its body, it could instantly recover.
If one tentacle was severed, more would grow in its place; if its body was cut, new wings would sprout from the wounds... an endless cycle that could never be finished.
This creature was adapting to their attacks and evolving!
"This can't go on."
Fionn sucked on his fingers, realizing the dire situation.
But in this case, they could only fight with everything they had.
"Leave it to me, King of Knights. I will make a desperate stand against it."
Seeing Artoria, who had lost her magical supply and was about to be unable to fight any longer, Fionn gripped his jeweled spear tightly, ready to unleash his Noble Phantasm for a final battle against this terrifying false angel.
"Awaken, my spear…"
"Hmph! Is this situation making you helpless?"
With a cold snort, a series of piercing sounds followed.
"Neither god nor human, this abominable and hypocritical monster has truly displeased me. So let it pay with its death!"
*Whoosh!*
With a dazzling golden light, continuous explosions erupted on the false angel's body.
A mass of golden particles suddenly gathered on a street lamp, and the King of Heroes Gilgamesh, clad in brilliant golden armor, made a shining entrance once again. Looking at the approaching angel, his eyes were filled with undisguised disgust.
Amid the ongoing explosions, the massive angel let out a thunderous roar but emerged unharmed. Gilgamesh's attacks did not hinder its advance.
"Truly impressive; to have created such a monster... neither human nor god, yet possessing undeniable power. The Third Magic, huh… So this is it…"
"You are… Archer. You've come as well?"
Fionn looked at Gilgamesh, whom he had just seen as an enemy not long ago, with surprise. "Are you here to deal with the angel too?"
"An angel? This absurd creature can hardly be called an angel; at most, it's just a self-governing absurd puppet."
Gilgamesh glanced at the enormous figure of the false angel before turning his gaze to the weakened Saber below.
"I responded to this summoning because I sensed the presence of the Holy Sword wielder I know and wanted to settle the score in this Holy Grail War. I didn't expect to encounter such a counterfeit; it truly displeases me."
"The Holy Sword wielder, the apocalyptic entity has appeared. You're not planning to retreat shamefully, are you?"
"No need for you to say it. I can still fight."
Upon hearing this, Artoria gritted her teeth and gathered her spirit, barely managing to stand up to launch an attack with her last strength.
"Hmph, you still have some spirit. You haven't disappointed me too much."
"However, this enemy is indeed beyond what you can handle. Let me take care of this false god myself!"
"King of Heroes, your words imply that you're also here to stop the angel, right? Then we can consider ourselves temporary allies."
Fionn stepped forward to clarify Gilgamesh's stance.
"Temporary allies?"
At these words, Gilgamesh's brows twitched, and a hint of anger crossed his face.
"Hmph! Who do you think you are to call yourself an ally?"
"Don't get too cocky! Mongrel! The only one who can be considered my ally, now or in the future, is one person only! You are hardly worthy of being compared to him! Were it not for the current situation, I would have torn you apart!"
"No need to be so agitated, King of Heroes. If my earlier words have offended you, I am willing to apologize."
"However, please take the matter seriously; now is not the time for us to waste each other's energy!"
"I agree with Lancer's proposal on this point."
Watching the two golden-haired knights standing together below, Gilgamesh fell silent.
"…"
"Don't celebrate too early. Your rudeness and overstepping will be dealt with later. For now, just do your part well!"
"Great! It seems everyone is here."
At that moment, another voice came from not far away. Roy jumped down from a height, carrying Kayneth, and politely greeted the three Servants gathered here.
"Saber, Lancer, it's so nice to see you again here. And, of course, this powerful… Archer." Roy smiled upon seeing Gilgamesh also present.
"Indeed, we finally meet, Foreigner…"
Gilgamesh cast a glance at him.
----
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