"Hippogriff—! Take us out of here!!" Astolfo shouted weakly to his mount.
As a Noble Phantasm, the Hippogriff naturally possessed far greater endurance than Astolfo himself—especially since it was a creature that existed solely in fantasy.
The earlier [Command Spell]'s empowerment had not only affected Astolfo but also extended to his mount. After all, it was ultimately the Hippogriff's charge, not Astolfo personally, that had defeated Semiramis.
If the mount had succumbed to poison first, Astolfo wouldn't have had a chance to defeat Semiramis. But even if Astolfo fell, the Hippogriff might still have triumphed.
Semiramis, fragile as an Assassin-class Servant, possessed no significant defensive armor beyond her Magecraft. Without the high endurance of someone like Spartacus, a direct hit from a Noble Phantasm was more than enough to eliminate her from the war.
Though weak and unsteady now, the Hippogriff still had enough strength left to carry them away.
Zing———!
Just as the insect swarm was about to close in, the Greater Grail unleashed a dazzling, holy brilliance.
The enormous sphere suddenly collapsed inward, rapidly condensing, shrinking down until it became a glowing golden chalice, hovering above the altar.
At that moment, the swarm of insects halted their advance. Sisigou and the others turned their attention toward the newly appeared Grail.
Only Jeanne and Achilles remained indifferent to the spectacle, locked in relentless battle.
Under the compulsion of Zouken's [Command Spells], Achilles could not cease his attack, and Jeanne likewise had no choice but to defend herself.
Thus, at the instant of the Holy Grail's manifestation, only the fierce clash of spear and banner echoed through the church halls.
Suddenly, a shadowy figure emerged at the foot of the altar—a man cloaked in darkness, face hidden behind a skull mask, radiating an aura of profound malevolence.
He quietly placed his palm upon the ground, from which a wriggling worm swiftly emerged. The worm expanded grotesquely until it took the form of an aged, decrepit old man.
Zouken Matou trembled violently with anticipation, ascending the battered steps toward the Grail, his wrinkled face filled with exhilaration.
"The Holy Grail—!"
"The Holy Grail—!"
His voice trembled like that of a child, consumed by his yearning as he approached the object of his desires.
"Where's Emiya…?"
Astolfo's Master, staring wide-eyed at the Grail atop the altar, asked Sisigou uncertainly.
Sisigou slowly exhaled, removing the cigarette from his lips with trembling fingers. With the Grail fully manifest, the fate of Emiya Shirou and Shirou Kotomine—who had entered its inner depths—was now painfully clear.
They had undoubtedly been devoured by the Grail, their souls reduced to pure mana.
"So…this is how it ends, huh?" Sisigou shook his head bitterly.
In truth, hadn't Emiya's fate been sealed the moment he'd charged into the Grail? And yet, they had all hoped—believed—that Emiya could defy fate, create a miracle, and stop Kotomine. They had believed he could come back alive.
But miracles, by definition, were rare and elusive things.
Sisigou lowered his gaze, gripping his shotgun tightly. At his side, the Hippogriff took advantage of the momentary pause in the insect swarm to rise, gently lifting Astolfo onto its back and approaching Sisigou and the homunculus.
Though the insects had stopped momentarily, lingering any longer would guarantee their deaths here. Zouken Matou still had a Servant by his side; a sneak attack was impossible.
Their only option was retreat.
Jeanne's eyes desperately urged them to flee while they still could.
Sisigou wasn't some stubborn fool from a TV drama who would remain behind despite knowing he was dead weight. Even the Assassin-class Servant was far beyond what they could handle.
And this particular Assassin was none other than Hassan-i Sabbah, wielder of [Zabaniya: Delusional Heartbeat]—among the most dangerous Hassan incarnations recorded by the Mage's Association. Naturally, Sisigou had studied these records carefully before entering the war. He immediately identified the Servant beside Zouken Matou.
Without further hesitation, Sisigou swiftly hoisted the homunculus onto the Hippogriff and mounted the creature himself.
Meanwhile, Zouken Matou reverently raised the Holy Grail in his trembling hands, face alight with fervent joy. At long last, the dream he had pursued for centuries was within his grasp.
Immortality—!
True immortality—!
No longer would he need this decaying, rotting flesh. He would finally achieve the eternal life he desired.
Who could possibly remain calm when their greatest ambition was about to come true? This was, after all, Zouken's first true encounter with the Holy Grail—the first genuine opportunity to fulfill his wish.
"Oh, Holy Grail! Grant me the immortality I seek!"
The Grail flared brilliantly upon Zouken's words, releasing a dazzling ray of golden light. The beam tore through the church roof, illuminating the darkened night sky above.
Zouken stood motionless before it, awaiting the Grail's ultimate blessing.
"Uncle—look!"
Meanwhile, in a villa halfway up the Yggdmillennia family's mountainside, Fiore Forvedge Yggdmillennia stared through a window in astonishment.
Outside, the barren landscape—scarred by battles, scorched by Karna's Noble Phantasm, and ravaged by Semiramis's Hanging Gardens—was miraculously revitalizing at incredible speed.
Fresh green grass rapidly blanketed the wasteland. This was no illusion; the very earth itself was swiftly returning to life.
But that wasn't what shocked Fiore most.
Rumble—! Rumble—!
At the edge of the plain, stones rose from the ground, assembling themselves piece by piece. In mere moments, a castle identical to the Yggdmillennia stronghold stood proudly upon the plain.
"What...just happened?"
A bewildered young man shook his head, looking around in confusion. Nearby, a mage guarding the small town stared at him in stunned disbelief.
It wasn't just structures. Even those who'd perished during the Grail War began mysteriously returning to life. The mage and homunculi stationed at the town's outskirts watched the miraculous resurrection unfold before their very eyes.
"Ugh—!"
Blood splattered across the floor of the church.
Achilles's spear had pierced Jeanne's abdomen clean through. Partly because Jeanne's combat skill was simply no match for Achilles's—but also because, freed of concern over Sisigou's safety, Jeanne had finally decided to unleash her other Noble Phantasm.
"Ruler—what are you doing?!"
Achilles couldn't comprehend Jeanne's actions. Even though he was undeniably stronger, Jeanne shouldn't have lost this quickly.
Yet Jeanne calmly drew a sword that had always hung at her waist but had never before left its sheath. Using her own body, she trapped Achilles's spear inside her wound.
With a sickening sound, she sliced open her palm upon the blade's edge.
Ignoring Achilles completely, Jeanne began reciting a solemn prayer:
"The heavens declare the victory of God;"
"The skies proclaim the work of His hands."
"Day after day they pour forth speech;"
"Night after night they reveal knowledge."
"My heart burns inside with the flames of devotion."
"This is where I meet my end."
'My destiny now runs it course."
"My life's dream has reached its conclusion.'
"I devote the only thing left to protect His way."
"O' Lord, I entrust this Life to you—"
Crimson flames engulfed Jeanne's body, rapidly intensifying.
And with a sudden burst, Jeanne's voice rang out defiantly:
"After despair, hope will surely follow—!!"
"[La Pucelle—]!!"
The flames of martyrdom surged forth, enveloping the entirety of the church in blazing scarlet fire.
---
T/N: oh? i dont think he was able to make his wish... seems more of shirous
bonus chaps
100 stones -> 1 chapter
200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
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