The very air trembled as Goku's energy flared, turning the battlefield into a battlefield of pure power. The sky itself seemed to crack and bend beneath the weight of his aura, swirling with golden light. The creature summoned by Kotomine, a terrifying behemoth of dark energy, let out a guttural growl as it turned its attention to the Saiyan warrior.
"You've got guts, I'll give you that," Goku said with a grin, his hair now a shimmering golden, the familiar energy of a Super Saiyan radiating from him like a burning sun.
Mordred, still recovering from the creature's earlier blow, narrowed her eyes. "He's incredible. If this is his true power…" She looked to Jeanne, her voice filled with awe. "This could change everything."
Jeanne didn't answer immediately. Her mind was focused on the creature. It was more than just a servant, more than just a powerful being. It was something twisted, born of the Grail's own corrupted energy. It had to be stopped before it consumed everything.
Sieg's gaze was unyielding. "We can't hold back. If we want to win this fight, we'll need everything we've got."
Before anyone could react, Goku shot forward in a flash, his speed nearly breaking the sound barrier. He collided with the creature's massive frame, his fist crashing into its side with a boom that echoed across the landscape.
The creature reeled, a hiss escaping from its fanged mouth. It swung one massive claw at Goku, but the Saiyan was already gone, appearing on the other side of it. He punched through the air, landing a devastating blow to its other side.
"Whoa, this guy's tough," Goku muttered, his eyes narrowing. The creature was strong, certainly, but Goku could tell that it was still struggling to fully manifest. Its power was growing, but it wasn't at its peak yet.
"Now!" Jeanne commanded, her voice sharp and commanding. "Siegfried, Mordred—strike now, while it's distracted!"
Without missing a beat, Siegfried rushed forward, his sword held high. "For the world!" he shouted, his blade gleaming in the dim light. He swung with all his might, aiming for the creature's side.
Mordred followed closely behind, her sword blazing with energy. "Clarent, burn bright!" She charged forward, delivering a devastating slash to the creature's torso.
The creature screamed, its body writhing in pain. But the attack barely seemed to phase it.
"No good!" Mordred gritted her teeth. "It's too strong!"
Goku, hearing her frustration, turned his focus back to the creature. "Alright, time to kick things up a notch!"
With a battle cry, he shot toward the creature again, this time faster and more precise. He moved in a blur, dodging every strike the beast tried to land. His fists connected with the creature's body with earth-shattering force, each hit shaking the ground beneath them.
But the creature only seemed to grow angrier, and it responded by lashing out even more violently, creating a massive shockwave of dark energy. Goku grinned, feeling the power of the blow before leaping away just in time.
"Okay, now we're talking!" He spun in the air, a smirk spreading across his face. The thrill of the fight surged through him, but deep down, he knew this wasn't just any battle. This was the culmination of everything that had brought him here—this fight, the Grail, and the fate of the world hanging in the balance.
Suddenly, Kotomine's voice rang out, calm and cold. "You're playing right into my hands, Goku. This creature isn't just some servant or beast. It's a reflection of the Grail's true power. And the more you fight it, the more it grows."
Jeanne turned to Kotomine, her face hard with determination. "What do you mean, a reflection?"
"The Grail," Kotomine said, stepping forward with an eerie calm, "is not just a tool for granting wishes. It has a will of its own. It can create beings like this to enforce its power—beings that grow stronger as the war continues, as the souls of the fallen feed its power."
Sieg's eyes widened as he processed the information. "So this thing… it's feeding off of our battles?"
"Exactly." Kotomine smiled, the expression twisted and cruel. "The more you struggle, the more it grows. And eventually, it will become strong enough to claim everything. Reality itself will bend to the will of the Grail."
"No way in hell that's happening!" Goku shouted, his voice filled with defiance. "I'm not just gonna let you control everything! If you want this battle to end, you'll have to go through me!" He powered up even more, his golden aura expanding until it seemed to fill the entire battlefield.
Jeanne stood firm. "We can't let Kotomine have his way. We need to destroy that thing before it becomes too powerful."
But just as she spoke, the creature let out an earth-shattering roar, its body pulsing with dark energy. The ground cracked beneath its weight, and the Grail itself seemed to react, the rift in the sky growing wider, as if feeding off the creature's rage.
"It's too late," Kotomine said softly, watching the creature's form grow even larger. "You've already failed."
"No, we haven't!" Goku roared, his power surging. "I will stop this!"
With a mighty shout, he charged at the creature once more, unleashing a barrage of punches and energy blasts. His power tore through the beast's form, but each blow was met with growing resistance. The creature's body became more solid, its energy more concentrated, and Goku began to feel the strain.
"That thing's getting stronger…" he muttered. "But I won't give up! Not now!"
Mordred, recovering from her earlier attack, joined Goku, launching her own energy attacks at the creature. "I'm with you, Goku!" she shouted. "Let's end this!"
But even with their combined efforts, the creature didn't fall. It swiped at them both with its enormous claws, sending them flying back. The Grail pulsed again, and with it, the creature's form solidified, becoming an unstoppable force of destruction.
Kotomine's voice cut through the chaos. "You can't win. This is the Grail's will. You will all be consumed by it!"
But just as all hope seemed lost, a powerful surge of light cut through the darkness.
"Goku," Jeanne's voice called out, strong and unyielding. "We need to work together. Now."
Goku looked back at her, his expression grim but resolute. "Alright. Let's do this." He nodded, and without another word, he turned back to the creature, focusing his energy into one massive, concentrated blast.
Jeanne raised her sword, the light of the Holy Grail enveloping her. "In the name of justice, I command you—fall!"
Sieg and Mordred followed, their own attacks joining theirs in a united front. Together, the four of them unleashed a combined assault of light and energy, all aimed at the creature.
The creature roared in agony as the combined energy slammed into it, tearing through its body like a storm of light. The Grail itself seemed to howl in protest, its power flickering as the creature's form began to disintegrate.
"No!" Kotomine shouted, his voice cracking with fury. "You will not stop me!"
But Goku's voice rang out, fierce and determined. "We already have."
With one final, explosive burst of energy, the creature shattered into nothingness, dissolving into the light. The rift in the sky began to close, the Grail's influence waning as its power was diminished.
Kotomine fell to his knees, a snarl twisting his features. "No… This isn't over… It's not over…"
But Goku stood tall, his breathing steady. "Yeah, it is." He looked around at his comrades. "We did it."
Jeanne stepped forward, her expression firm. "It's not over yet, Goku. But we've won this battle. And for now… that's enough."
The war was far from over, but for the first time in a long while, they had a victory.