Walking down an increasingly empty street, Nero squinted and muttered, "Kai, it seems a little... unexpected attention has come our way."
Glancing around at the rapidly clearing luxury shops, Kai's expression remained tranquil. He cast an amused look at one of the stores and grinned. "Oh? Doesn't that mean we get to shop for free?"
From the moment he'd stepped out, Kai knew his shopping trip wouldn't exactly go uninterrupted. But he wasn't worried in the slightest.
In this world, very few things could escape the sight of Merlin's Clairvoyance. Through it, Kai had already gleaned everything there was to know about this Grail War—a full view of the battlefield. Kai was entirely aware of the other Servants' alliance, yet he still chose to stroll around, confident in his own strength.
Besides, he thought, where's the fun in it if it's too easy?
These Servants had come together as a powerful united front, at last bringing a glimmer of challenge to the Holy Grail War. Now, Kai mused, there might actually be a bit of excitement in this.
"Come at me, then..." Kai stretched his arms, as if already welcoming the fight. "If they're gearing up to challenge the 'final boss,' they'd better come prepared."
If this were Emiya Kiritsugu, "Hero of Justice" himself, he'd have already sent someone to assassinate every last Master the moment he'd known their locations. Many, in fact, would prefer to take the offensive when they had a complete grasp of their opponent's whereabouts.
But Kai had every intention of enjoying this role as the "final boss." So even with all the knowledge he held, he did nothing, strolling with his wives and taking in the sights.
"Nero, is there anything you want?" Kai gestured grandly toward the open mall, empty now except for them. "See anything you like? Go ahead and grab it—I'm buying today!"
"Hmph, as if I couldn't take it myself," Nero replied, eyeing him skeptically. "You've treated me like a mere servant this whole trip, you know."
"Suddenly buttering me up now... Don't tell me you've got some nefarious use for me?"
As she spoke, she was practically buried under bags, holding everything from clothes to jewelry—Nero had already become a glorified pack mule.
Not that she hadn't protested, of course. But after Kai pointed to the Command Spells on his hand, she'd deflated, resignedly accepting her "assignment."
Using Command Spells to force a Servant to do chores... it was very like Kai.
"Oh, no evil schemes. Not really," Kai said, glancing at the gleaming new watch he'd "picked up" along the way. "Though in a few minutes, it seems like we'll have some company—and we might need you to step in."
"Let's see... five enemies, each with an EX-rank Noble Phantasm, at least. Pretty impressive lineup."
"Ugh! When I find the one behind this 'let's all unite against them' idea, I'll see that they're properly punished!" Nero fumed.
"Alright, alright, we all see how mighty your Roman Empire was." Artoria shrugged, giving her holy sword a lazy flourish.
"You—!" Nero clenched her fists, eyes blazing, but she knew she couldn't match Artoria when it came to raw power. Only after Kai ruffled her hair in a rare display of affection did she cool down.
Merlin chuckled softly, eyeing Kai with that knowing look of hers. "It's only fair, right?"
"True. If they're competing with me, they may as well come fully prepared." Kai nodded, knowing full well that an uncoordinated, chaotic Grail War wouldn't have moved him to lift a finger.
With the current lineup, though, he could finally feel a spark of interest.
"Then again," he shrugged, "if they're dead set on this, let's wait for them to get ready and bring the fight to us."
"Nero, what do you want?" Kai asked, looking down at her as she bristled under her bags. "Pick whatever you'd like. On me."
"Hmph," Nero huffed, setting her bags down with a dramatic sigh. "You're up to no good. What are you after?"
"Oh, nothing." Kai shrugged. "Just a small favor."
"A favor?" Nero's eyes gleamed with opportunity. "What sort of favor are we talking about? What's in it for me?"
"Anything you want," Kai said smoothly. "Though, just with me. Anything beyond that is out of bounds."
"Anything?" She beamed with satisfaction—was this it? Her moment of victory?
Knowing Kai, there had to be some fine print, but she wasn't going to let him off so easily. After all, he'd been ordering her around all day, treating her as nothing more than a servant. As the Emperor of Rome, she was above such treatment!
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you," Nero grinned, basking in her victory. This was her win, after all!
"Good, good. Off you go then," Kai said cheerfully.
A moment later, Morgan drifted over, resting her hand lightly on his face. Lately, she'd taken to this habit, as if making sure he was truly there, a tangible presence she could keep close.
Kai gently squeezed her hand, wrapping her cold fingers in his warmth.
Morgan smiled. "Kai, why were you so intent on sending Nero off?"
"Well…" Kai sighed. "You all know this Holy Grail is a failed attempt at the Third Magic. But what you probably don't know is that the Grail is already tainted."
Each of the women stayed quiet, intent on what he was saying.
"During the last Grail War, the Einzbern family violated the system by summoning the 'Avenger' class. That Avenger was Angra Mainyu."
Angra Mainyu, the evil god of Zoroastrianism. Of course, what had been summoned was no true god, but simply a young man unjustly sacrificed as a scapegoat.
"They thought they could cheat their way to victory with an eighth Servant. But what they summoned was only a young man—tortured, killed under the title 'Angra Mainyu,' and ultimately powerless."
"Of course, he didn't last long as a Servant. He died almost immediately, his soul entering the Grail."
"But while he had no powers, he did possess 'all the evils of humanity.' This vile energy—evil drawn from six billion lives—has already corrupted the Grail."
He sighed, meeting their gazes. "Originally, the Grail granted any wish without question. But with this contamination, it now grants wishes in twisted, horrific ways."
"Wishing for humanity's salvation, for instance, might see it grant salvation through mass extinction—'saving' them all by wiping them out."
Artoria nodded in understanding. "So you intend for us to take care of this?"
Merlin glanced thoughtfully at Kai. "It's true. Even if we don't destroy the Grail, at the very least, we should cleanse it of this taint."
"Exactly," Kai agreed. "I'm not keen on destroying the Grail. It's the Einzbern family's lifelong pursuit of the Third Magic—destroying it would erase their only hope."
The Einzberns were little more than homunculi now, their purpose solely to complete the Third Magic. Without that purpose, they would cease to exist.
"My goal is to save all sentient life," Kai said. "Human or homunculus. So yes, I'd like to see the Grail manifest so we can cleanse it of this corruption."
Only Kai would extend his compassion to such lengths. Most would simply destroy the Grail to prevent further chaos. Only someone truly ambitious, like him, would hope to salvage it.
Morgan raised an eyebrow, thoughtful. "And Nero?"
"She's a high-powered decoy," Kai chuckled. "One Nero against the rest. Either she'll defeat them all, or she'll take out enough to bring out the Grail on her own."
Take Nero down? Not a chance. They'd need several Grands to pull that off. If she were to fall here, well, she'd know to take a good, long break back in the Throne of Heroes.
"Ah, no wonder you offered Nero such a generous promise," Artoria murmured. "You're not planning to let her come back at all, are you?"
"Now, now," Kai laughed. "Nero's strong. Don't you trust our Emperor Nero to handle herself?"
Indeed, Nero had become the ultimate decoy, though Kai had paid her generously for it.
---
The Holy Church, as overseers of the Holy Grail War, had officially declared Kai a violator of the war's rules.
Though meant to be impartial, true fairness was impossible; the Three Founding Families had laid roots in Fuyuki City for 500 years, with the Kotomine and Tohsaka families allied and willing to support each other. So, when the Tohsaka Servant labeled that foreigner as a rule-breaker, and all the Servants seemed to agree, it was simple to declare him an enemy.
Kotomine Risei handed out the accumulated Command Spells from previous wars to the Masters, each of them gaining two additional spells.
With the extra Command Spells, the Masters now had the power to force their Servants to unleash their Noble Phantasms multiple times—even EX-ranked Phantasms could be unleashed more than once, reaching devastating levels of attack power.
Holding her Sword of Primordial Fire, Nero was still dressed in her lavish, regal attire. Her aura of imperial sanctity distorted the space around her, and with a single wave of her slender hand, she disabled every surveillance device and tracking familiar in the area.
Nero exuded her presence without restraint, as if to boldly declare:
"I, Nero Claudius, Emperor of Rome, stand right here!"
"Rome feels the familiar presence of her child!"
It was Romulus, the founder of Rome, who first felt the resonance of Nero's challenge. Laughing heartily, he declared, "Enough with the strategy discussions! The enemy has issued her invitation!"
"O child of Rome, let Rome test the strength of your spirit and resolve!"
"Stand aside, all of you… for my spear is Rome, and Rome stands here!"
Romulus surged forward, his gaze fixed on Nero. With his hand extended, he bellowed, "Through my spear, all things are born!"
Though a Lancer by class, Romulus needed no weapon in his hand. For one who qualified as a Grand Lancer, he had long transcended the need for a physical lance. In his grasp, light itself could become a spear. His limbs could become spears. The trees, the mountains—anything could serve as his lance.
With Romulus's A++ Noble Phantasm unleashed, a colossal, robust tree shot up from the ground beneath Nero's feet—a true spear of Roman origin.
This was the spear of Rome itself, a symbolic force rooted in the legend of Romulus's mother, Silvia, who dreamt of a great tree symbolizing the destiny of Rome. Upon founding the city, Romulus had planted this spear in the soil of Palatine Hill, where it took root.
When its True Name is released, this Noble Phantasm can manipulate trees, transforming them into towering weapons. As all eyes watched, the massive tree morphed, branches spreading and merging until a sprawling city appeared atop its canopy.
Nero knew that city. It was Rome—though it wasn't the primitive Rome of Romulus's time nor the imperial grandeur of her own memory, but an idealized blend of Rome's past, present, and future.
In the next moment, the city hurtled down toward Nero.
This technique used the power of Rome itself to overwhelm its target, a city transformed into a weapon, bearing down with all its might.
There was no escape. This Phantasm spanned too wide an area and would lock onto her position, regardless of where she moved.
So, rather than fleeing, Nero made a bold choice.
"It's just… Rome, after all!"
For a brief instant, her emerald-green eyes flickered with flames, her pupils narrowing. She drove her Sword of Primordial Fire into the ground, raising her bare hands to intercept the oncoming weight of Rome.
Yes, it was only Rome—how could a single city compare to the might of the entire Roman Empire?
As Emperor, Nero was confident that her arms could bear even the weight of Rome itself.
Others might have scrambled for any way to survive under such pressure, allowing the force of the Phantasm to dissipate across the area. But Nero chose the bluntest, most audacious way—to catch it head-on.
Witnessing her act of defiance, Heracles, a Servant of immense strength, couldn't help but marvel. "Is this Roman emperor truly trying to hold off the city of Rome with brute strength alone?"
Even Servants with EX-level strength couldn't accomplish such a feat. This was Rome, a city even the God of Hosts, Yahweh, could not destroy.
Yahweh once leveled the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah in a single day, yet when he sent his archangel to destroy the unrepentant Rome, Gabriel refused to fulfill the command.
As "the Strength of God," Gabriel's refusal implied that even divine strength could not erase Rome.
Romulus, his expression solemn, shook his head. "I sense… that this child's delicate wrists might truly be capable of bearing Rome's weight."
"Look closely—see how beautiful, how radiant that Emperor is! She bears Rome upon those slender arms, and that, too, can be understood."
The city bore down, but without a sound. The Rome perched upon the tree's canopy dropped, meeting Nero's pale hands as she raised them skyward. Hoisting it above her, she shouted, "Founding King Romulus! As the progenitor of Rome, is this all the power you can muster?"
"When facing your successor, mustn't you display a founder's dignity and strength?"
A glint of madness flashed in her eyes. "If this is all you have, then hand the duty of 'Rome' over to me!"
Amused, Romulus let out a warm chuckle, taking no offense at Nero's challenge. In fact, it only served to deepen his admiration. Even as a Beast, he thought, she is still one of Rome's own, her strength and ambition for the Empire undeterred.
He smiled, eyes twinkling. "Rome is amused by her successor's defiance."
In that moment, Romulus was satisfied. To have seen this shining successor, this crowning gem of Rome, fulfilled all he had wished to witness. It closed a long-standing regret of not meeting her at the Singularity.
Gilgamesh, the ancient Sage King, felt a pang of unease. As a peerless ruler himself, he saw clearly that Romulus's fighting spirit had faded, his battle with Nero nothing more than a sparring match.
Meanwhile, Nero attacked with all her might, showing no mercy. At this rate, a complacent Romulus would be soundly defeated.
Or perhaps, Gilgamesh thought, Romulus had already fulfilled his wish and would willingly let himself fall by Nero's hand. After all, only an Emperor like Nero, the most glorious emblem of the Empire, was worthy of sending him back to the Throne.
"Better to fall to Nero than to once again be cut down by that man…" Romulus's thoughts drifted as he felt the phantom pain of that formless blade, lost now in his reverie and ready to depart from the Grail War altogether.
At his full strength, he could unleash EX-ranked Noble Phantasms that, while unlikely to kill Nero outright, could push her to her absolute limit.
One of these, Quirinus's Throne, could strip Nero of her Emperor's Privilege, and Our Arm Shall Extend and Reach the Sky was a Noble Phantasm with limitless destructive potential. Against Nero, whose concept of "Rome" rivaled his own, these attacks would reduce her by half.
After all, Romulus was not just a founder, but the god and supreme deity of Rome itself.
In his ear, Kiritsugu's frantic command crackled through Irisviel's earpiece. "Use a Command Spell, force Romulus to unleash his Noble Phantasm!"
Kiritsugu had seen that Romulus's commitment to the fight had waned. Though he couldn't yet discern Romulus's intentions to depart, he knew he wouldn't deliver a killing blow.
Raising her hand, Irisviel invoked the Command Spell on her hand. "By the Command Spell, Lancer—"
Before she could finish, Sword of Primordial Fire had already pierced Romulus's spirit core. He didn't resist, even spreading his arms to embrace Nero as he laughed heartily.
"Well done, my beloved child… Rome acknowledges you. I entrust Rome to you…"
"Rome is content, for it is certain now that Rome shall endure, growing ever grander until it reaches the sky."
Romulus had been the most dangerous Servant for Nero, but he was also the easiest to overcome.
After all, what father would raise his hand against his own child?
Only a Grand Lancer intent on safeguarding human history would strike down the Roman Emperor; otherwise, Romulus would never truly harm a child of Rome.
"Damn it!" Kiritsugu's anger finally broke through as he ground his teeth. "Iri, fall back!"
They'd already lost, and all he could do now was mitigate the damage. Losing Irisviel entirely would end the Grail War in humiliating defeat.
But it was too late—her fate as the Lesser Grail was already sealed.
She was nothing more than a tool, a vessel the Einzberns had fashioned to access the Root and achieve the Third Magic.
"Do not worry, Founder. I shall bear the weight of Rome and carry it further…"
Nero watched as Romulus's form dissolved into streams of light, her expression blank. She felt no emotions stir in her heart. The founder's era had long since passed; from this point forward, she alone would carry the Empire of Rome.
Gilgamesh sighed. "I expected as much. Romulus… was utterly unreliable."
As Romulus himself had said, Nero was born of Rome and therefore could not destroy Rome.
Yet the same applied to Romulus. As Rome itself, he could never bring himself to destroy a child born of Rome.
In the end, Nero hadn't defeated Rome—she had earned Rome's recognition, and in doing so, had become Rome itself.
Gilgamesh devised a plan in an instant. "Heracles, you pursue their Master. Arjuna and I will stay here to defeat this Saber impostor."
By now, he and Arjuna had grown familiar with each other's fighting style, a synergy allowing them to coordinate seamlessly.
Heracles, lacking the same level of coordination with either of them, could be assigned to his strength—close combat with the Master.
Heracles gave a curt nod. "Be careful. Saber is not an easy opponent."
Nero raised Sword of Primordial Fire to intercept him, but Gilgamesh's Chains of Heaven latched onto her in time. Even though Nero had removed her divine demerits, the chains, as a Noble Phantasm, retained their effectiveness.
She tore through the chains with ease, but by then Heracles had already slipped away.
As Nero glanced around, she understood his purpose—he'd gone to confront Kai's group.
Pity flickered in her eyes. "To go after those four alone…"
"You'll exit this war faster than anyone else."
---
The closer Heracles got to Kai's group, the faster his heart pounded, as if it already understood the gravity of the impending encounter.
His Eye of the Mind (True) flared with chaotic warnings, so intense that even Heracles couldn't quite parse what it meant.
Was it danger?
A trap?
Even in the most perilous of his past trials, he'd never felt such foreboding.
"No matter," he steeled himself, pressing forward, "I'll deal with him first, then worry about the rest."
Emerging before Kai, Heracles drew his bow, ready to fire—only to freeze, his hands trembling uncontrollably, barely able to hold the weapon.
"It's… it's you…"
"The King of Kings, the God among gods… the Golden King… the king of both mortals and gods… Su—"
Heracles's towering frame could bear his weight no longer. He collapsed to his knees, bowing deeply in reverence, prostrating himself fully before Kai.
"Are you… Heracles?" Kai regarded him with a slight frown. "Why do you kneel before me instead of drawing your weapon?"
"The Grail… the Grail has granted my wish," Heracles murmured, as if in a trance. "I can once again bask in the golden reign… in the light of the Golden King…"
"Golden King? Are you saying that's me?" Kai raised an eyebrow. "You're not mistaking me for someone else, are you?"
"No," Heracles insisted, slowly standing. "I would never mistake you. The Golden King's figure is unmistakable."
Sheathing his sword, he knelt again, extending it toward Kai. "Will you forgive me?"
Kai didn't take the blade, but asked, "I don't know what it is you seek forgiveness for, but let me ask you…"
"Have you ever acted against my ideals?"
"Never, Golden King."
"Have you ever sought to destroy my dreams?"
"Not once, Golden King."
"Then, tell me… have you any regrets?"
"…No regrets. Only shame."
"Then I forgive you," Kai said simply. "Whatever it was, I forgive you. You need carry no more guilt on my behalf; let go of that burden. Live freely, unburdened by any shame you felt toward me."
"Golden King…" Heracles's eyes filled with tears. Raising his sword, he said, "Then, please… grant me one final wish—to die by your hand."
"…If that's your true desire."
Kai took Heracles's blade, sighing. "I still don't know what happened to bring you here. Are you truly certain about this, Heracles?"
"Yes," he replied firmly. "Please… execute me, Golden King."
Kai's gaze softened, and he sighed once more. "If that's what you insist upon, I will honor your request."
"But remember, Heracles—I have never blamed you."
Taking the blade Heracles had offered, Kai drove it into the Servant's spirit core, granting him release.
Heracles's final expression was one of peace, as if this act was indeed a mercy, freeing him at last.
Morgan watched this display impassively. "Kai, do you truly not remember him?"
Kai closed his eyes, saying, "No, I don't recall meeting anyone like him," but a flicker of understanding lingered. If Heracles recognized him, then he suspected their fates would one day intertwine, perhaps fulfilling that title of "Golden King."
Even without full understanding, Kai felt no hesitation in granting Heracles forgiveness, in fulfilling his wish, his last request.
This act wasn't a slaying. There was no malice, no murderous intent between them.
It was mercy, a wish fulfilled, a plea answered—
But it was not killing.
"Simulation…" Kai's gaze turned downward, obscuring his thoughts. A mechanism that could defy time, reversing cause and effect… only a simulator could accomplish something like this.
"Phew…"
Kai exhaled, setting aside thoughts of Heracles and all that had transpired, a faint smile crossing his lips. "That's another Servant down."
"Just three more to retire, and the Grail can manifest. Once it's done, I'll figure out how to cleanse it."
As he spoke, a surge of magical energy flowed from him—a sure sign that Nero was about to use her ultimate move. In a moment, a massive golden theater manifested, followed by a gigantic barrier.
The Ionian Hetairoi, Iskandar's only EX-level Noble Phantasm, had been unleashed.
Once used, Iskandar's spirit would fade.
Not that it was shameful to fall now—stronger Servants than him had already retired from the battle.
Looking at the Command Spells on his hand, Kai muttered, "Nero, it's time to sweep the field with your 'Majesty of the Roman Empire.'"
This move had been known to falter in the past, lacking truly stunning victories, yet no one questioned its immense power.
With no one to counter her this time, Nero's powerful strike could finally shine.
High above, a colossal golden ring appeared, and in the next instant, it dropped, shattering Iskandar's army of knights and sending him to his departure.
Gilgamesh's expression was cool, unaffected. "This victory is yours, but we'll meet again."
He pointed to his eyes. "These eyes have seen far too much…"
"In the future, we are destined to meet once more."
"For now, I'll concede this victory."
With that, Gilgamesh withdrew voluntarily, surrendering his spirit core to the Grail.
After all, a king should make his exit with grace; they'd lost. Both Nero and Kai were too powerful for him to prevail.
Losing now only meant retreating from this Holy Grail War to await the next one.
In his all-seeing visions, Gilgamesh glimpsed an endless stream of Grail Wars, each one simply another battle among countless others.
Nero, breathing a bit heavily, remained remarkably unscathed. Even Gilgamesh's Ea, the Sword of Rupture that could tear heaven and earth asunder, had failed to truly cut her down.
Kai looked toward the Holy Grail that now appeared before him, peering into the black sludge swirling within it.
This was the accumulated corruption and malice of humanity.
He scratched his head, wondering aloud, "How am I supposed to purify this thing?"
One misstep, and all of Fuyuki City could be reduced to ashes.
"I suppose it can enable a Servant to gain physical form, but that's something only someone like Gilgamesh would even want," Kai scoffed. "Just looking at it, this thing reeks of danger and filth. Why would anyone trust it?"
"It's simple," Nero remarked with a serene smile. "I'll take physical form myself."
Without hesitation, Nero leapt into the black mud.
Against corruption, what could be more resilient than the Evil of Humanity itself—a Beast?
Though she wasn't of the Mushroom's canon lineage, sixty billion human malices weren't enough to warp Nero's will—
For she was already as twisted as one could be; there was no further she could go.
"That Nero… she never misses an opportunity, does she?"
Kai let out a quiet sigh. "Very well. Her Beast powers can assimilate the taint, though it will take some time."
The Grail remained intact, and cleansing the malice within was far safer than shattering the vessel and letting the dark sludge spill out unchecked.
Moreover—
The Beast's torn flesh, once ripped apart by Artoria, would once again be granted a body.
Only Kai knew just how fitting that truth was.
---
T/N: GOLDEN KING? SU KAI? but my gil... at least he had a graceful exit
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
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