In Type-Moon, it all starts with adopting Sakura.

"Yes, let's go together to fulfill Kiritsugu's dream."

"Thanks……"

—Da da da!!

As Kiritsugu Emiya began to mutter to himself, the dark figure before him continued to weave through the hail of bullets. Even as he sensed the enemy's firepower suddenly intensify, the priest, already resigned to his fate, did not slow his pace; he steadfastly carried out his will.

Unlike Kiritsugu Emiya, who was still indulging in self-admiration and fantasizing about fighting alongside his opponent, Kirei Kotomine's eyes were incredibly calm and resolute at this moment. His only target was Kiritsugu Emiya before him.

—Clang!

With a sudden swing of his arm, the hand holding the black key sliced ​​apart the two incoming bullets, bringing him even closer to Kiritsugu Emiya.

Twenty meters.

Calculating the distance in his mind, Kirei Kotomine's figure continued to approach his target relentlessly.

'How did this villain become so powerful? What happened to him? Why does he have that look in his eyes?!'

Upon seeing the black figure that was attacking him like a ghost, Kiritsugu Emiya, who was still firing continuously, narrowed his eyes.

At this moment, his heart, which had long since become numb from severing ties and loss, began to tremble violently, brewing an emotion he hadn't felt for many years.

……Suspect.

When facing Kirei Kotomine, Kiritsugu Emiya felt like he was looking in a mirror.

Not only could Kirei Kotomine see his own reflection in him, but Kiritsugu Emiya could also see many of his past self reflected in Kirei Kotomine.

But now... now, there's nothing to see anymore.

That sense of confusion and helplessness has been replaced by a firm goal. At this moment, Kirei Kotomine's heart is supported only by determination and enlightenment.

His eyes held no falsehood, his words no deception, and his actions were unwavering in the face of fear and hesitation, nor did he deceive himself. He was simply practicing his own way, the way he believed to be the most correct and the best for this world. He was simply fulfilling his important duty as a clergyman: to punish sinners and to comfort lost sheep.

Soon, the distance was ten meters.

Hisayuu Maiya's pistol was out of bullets, and the illusion she had conjured up for self-comfort was also shattered by Kotomine Kirei's unwavering belief.

At this moment, Kirei Kotomine was still moving forward, but Kiritsugu Emiya had already begun to retreat uncontrollably.

All he could do now was quickly reload and keep pulling the trigger, trying to stop Kirei Kotomine from getting any closer. However, the scene before him had no effect on the priest who had found the answer in his heart.

Whether it's a hail of bullets or death, he has long since lost all fear.

Death is nothing but salvation, and so is showing mercy, both for him and for Kiritsugu Emiya.

He had no regrets. This was the first time he had made a choice that made him so happy and that came entirely from his heart.

Even if he dies here, there's nothing to regret, after all, he's truly... alive now?

Hmm, are they alive...?

Yes, he is alive, truly alive.

He could feel his heart pounding, emotions brewing in his mind, and an indescribable happiness echoing in his heart.

The absurd things I had done in the past, long ago, gradually came to mind.

Unlike Kiritsugu Emiya, who chose to escape and immerse himself in his own world, Kirei Kotomine chose complete acceptance and atonement. Even seeing his confused past and the sins he had committed, his heart and steps remained unwavering. The past is irreversible; all he can do now is to repay those sins to the best of his ability, for example—

'Fulfill your duty and stop this man from making that heinous wish!'

The two were now less than five meters apart, but Kirei Kotomine remained calm, showing no sign of panic. He didn't say anything more, but simply continued forward as always, his mind exceptionally clear, his steps leading straight to his goal.

"Why? Why?!"

"Why would a villain like you look like that? What is this supposed to mean?! Is this some kind of self-pity? Don't be ridiculous!!"

"You're nothing but an ignorant fool who thinks he understands others and jumped out on his own! Don't think you'll be redeemed by saying a few words of self-reflection!!"

Compared to Kirei Kotomine's current awareness, seeing Kirei Kotomine's calm demeanor even while fighting him, Kiritsugu Emiya was now driven to the brink. He glared and roared, cursing the hypocritical man in front of him, trying to expose his perfect disguise.

"Kirei Kotomine! Don't forget what you've done in the past! You were a villain before, and once you're a villain, you'll be a villain for life!!"

"No matter how much you atone for your sins, the wicked can never reach heaven!!"

As the figure drew ever closer, Kiritsugu Emiya's heart tightened. Without Avalon, he forcibly unleashed his family's inherited magic—Time Limit Triple Speed—intending to accelerate his own time to find a way to counterattack and stop Kirei Kotomine's advance. However, all of this was in vain. Accompanied by two ear-piercing sounds of "whoosh—!!", Kirei Kotomine's speed increased once again at the last moment. He completely ignored the special bullets that were being fired at him at an accelerated speed, letting them pass through his body and hands, suddenly bridging the distance between the two of them, which was only a few meters apart. Then, just as Kiritsugu Emiya was about to activate his magic, he punched him hard in the face.

Bang--!!

The dull thud of the punch was deafening. Kiritsugu Emiya coughed up blood, and his brain spun from the impact. He felt as if his eyeballs were about to pop out, and he could only stagger backward.

However, Kirei Kotomine, who finally seized the opportunity, did not stop his actions, because he already knew the secret contained in the bullet that Kiritsugu Emiya had just fired, based on the results of the earlier Assassin investigation and Gilgamesh's warning.

Therefore, he is not using any enhancement magic, but is fighting Kiritsugu Emiya with his bare hands in the most primal way.

Bang bang bang...!!

Heavy, dull punches rained down on Kiritsugu Emiya's body, the powerful blows almost making his eyes glaze over and his steps falter, until he could no longer see what was in front of him.

Kirei Kotomine, as an agent of the Holy Church, is a master of close combat. His Bajiquan and the Holy Church's fighting techniques make him a top-tier fighter even among his generation. In addition, the agents' bodies are forged through countless trials, so for the magicians they hunt, being approached or targeted by an agent will definitely become a terrifying nightmare.

Even Kiritsugu Emiya was not exempt from this. His fighting skills were outstanding in the battle against magicians, but he was completely outmatched against the Proxy.

Close combat would only lead to this miserable end, not to mention that he has lost his mind and has long lost his former composure.

Although he still stubbornly denies it, his heart has already begun to waver.

In just a few rounds, Kirei Kotomine completely defeated him, both physically and mentally. At this moment, Kiritsugu Emiya could only cough up blood and stagger backward until he was forced into a corner with no way out.

"It seems the outcome is already decided."

With blood streaming down his body, Kirei Kotomine looked at Kiritsugu Emiya, who was leaning against the wall and coughing up blood. He said calmly, "Rest in peace and face your end, lost sheep. May your soul find rest in hell. I will come to find you soon."

As for why it's not heaven?

Because Kirei Kotomine knew that even if Heaven truly existed, a fallen priest like him and Kiritsugu Emiya, who had made mistakes throughout his life, were not qualified to enter it; their only destination was Hell.

"Don't joke around... You're the one who's going to hell."

Kiritsugu Emiya wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, but he did not give in. "I must save humanity!!"

"Are you going to keep using that acceleration magic repeatedly? Your body can't support the fixed time anymore, can it?"

Kirei Kotomine calmly watched Kiritsugu Emiya unleash his time magic once more, and slowly said, "If you continue to use it like this, your body will automatically begin its self-destruction."

"No! I will never die. I must move forward before I can fulfill that wish..."

"Have you still not reflected on your actions? You still believe in that so-called salvation, wanting to bring humanity back to Eden... You're going to have to confront your past again..."

Seeing Kiritsugu Emiya, who was still unconscious, Kirei Kotomine's eyes were filled with pity. "Have you cut yourself off? Even though your body and heart are already riddled with holes from cutting yourself again and again, you still keep cutting yourself off. Even though these marks have already shattered you, you still keep going... After experiencing all this, don't you have any remorse?"

"I don't have time left, even if it's really as you say..."

Emiya Kiritsugu gritted his teeth, "I will also fulfill my wish!!"

"No, you're not trying to fulfill your wish; you're placing all your hopes on the Holy Grail, on so-called miracles."

Kirei Kotomine shook his head slightly. At this moment, he understood what was going on. "But is that miracle really the miracle you want? Maybe that so-called miracle will only bring you more pain and despair."

"No, impossible! It's a miracle created by countless sacrifices... that's the miracle that can grant my wish!!"

Yes, you've already come this far, and there's nothing else you can do but believe.

Even if this belief is just wishful thinking on your part, even if there is no reason for this belief.

Until you see it with your own eyes, you can only cling to a pitiful hope and deceive yourself as you move forward.

Revealing the truth and bringing everything to light is what a detective should do, while the duty of clergy is to punish sinners and offer solace to the dead.

"Alas... How tragic, how pitiful, and even more lamentable."

Now that things have come to this, Kirei Kotomine no longer wants to shatter the last vestige of hope in this pathetic man's heart.

To kill him now, to leave him with that hope even in his dying moments, to give him a release—that was the best farewell I could offer.

"Then, it's all over."

Kirei Kotomine brandished the black key, intending to grant Kiritsugu Emiya his final release, but the next moment—

Rumble!!

With a tearing sound in the air and the churning of some liquid, the empty space around them began to distort rapidly. Broken glass and falling stones rained down like rain, and the massive magical reaction that followed brought a final glimmer of light to Kiritsugu Emiya's empty eyes. However, before he could make a move, Kirei Kotomine's hand had already grabbed his neck and lifted him up in mid-air.

"It's almost time. Farewell, comrade of justice. May your soul rest in peace..."

Kirei Kotomine clenched his fist and aimed it at Kiritsugu Emiya's head.

"Kiritsugu!!"

Sensing Kiritsugu Emiya's increasingly weak aura, Irisviel on the altar suddenly opened her eyes, only to find that her pure white dress was now stained black.

clang!

Black keys and firearms, weapons belonging to each other, fell to the ground together.

“A—Men…”

Kirei Kotomine offered his final prayer to the man before him who was about to die.

However, before Kiritsugu Emiya's life could be completely extinguished, they heard—

Boom!!

A massive, blood-red liquid, as viscous as mud, suddenly crashed down from the ceiling, engulfing the two figures directly below it.

……

……

Meanwhile, at the Fuyuki City Gymnasium.

In some unknown space.

"I never expected... that someone would actually find this place?"

In the empty white space, a woman's sigh suddenly came.

"The interior of the Greater Grail, no, it should be called the spiritual space. I am indeed not very good at things that involve the soul, but thanks to Merlin, that nightmare, I was able to get here."

Another old man's voice rang out, his voice deep and resonant.

"Directly connecting to the central core of the Greater Grail, that's truly remarkable... However, if it were Merlin, the legendary mentor of King Arthur and the magician of flowers, who was most skilled in dreams and mental abilities, it wouldn't be surprising if he could achieve this level of capability."

"I never expected to see the same people from the very beginning here again after so many years... It's really quite poignant."

As the sound gradually faded, a blinding white light suddenly flashed by, and then a beautiful white-haired woman dressed in sacrificial attire appeared in the space.