Chapter 16

Yuuji arrived alone at Ryudoji Temple, where he saw the Holy Grail floating ominously above the temple grounds. The area was eerily quiet, too still—nothing seemed out of place, and yet, something felt undeniably wrong. He couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that this was all far too simple.

Below the Grail, a foul, black sludge oozed onto the temple floor—unnatural, viscous, and violently at odds with the Grail's divine appearance. As the sludge made contact with the ground, small flames ignited spontaneously, consuming everything in their path.

Staring at the black mud, Yuuji finally understood why Red A and Muramasa had warned him that this war would be the fiercest yet.

"You can't touch that sludge," Yuuji's instincts screamed. Just looking at it made his skin crawl. He knew that direct contact would bring disaster.

But the sludge was alive—conscious. As Yuuji moved closer to destroy the Grail, the black ooze reacted. It twisted and surged into a monstrous humanoid form, charging straight toward him with terrifying speed.

"Naive," Yuuji muttered.

In an instant, he projected the Wings of Icarus from God of War, propelling himself skyward and out of the sludge creature's reach. The sun held no sway over him; he flew freely, dodging the sludge's attack with ease.

Not to be outdone, the black sludge morphed into a massive beast and gave chase.

Yuuji aimed to strike the Grail directly, but before he could reach it, a beam of black light shot across the sky—blasting him out of the air and sending him plummeting into the sludge below.

The foul mud clung to him immediately, threatening to consume him—but somehow, he didn't lose consciousness. Something—someone—was protecting him. A force surrounded his mind, shielding it from the madness.

He didn't have time to question what was saving him.

Because his attacker had appeared.

A figure emerged from the darkness, clad in full-body black armor laced with crimson markings. A matching mask covered his face, and every motion radiated immense magical energy. In his hand was a double-edged black sword, pulsing with malevolence.

Yuuji didn't hesitate. He immediately projected Pandora: Reincarnation Mode at full power.

Dozens of missiles launched toward the armored figure—but with a single swing of his sword, a blinding magical energy wave erupted from the blade, obliterating every missile and shattering Yuuji's projection.

Yuuji gritted his teeth. This enemy was far stronger than expected. If this was just a guardian, then the true power behind the Grail would be unimaginable.

"Stand down. You're not my match, Yuuji Emiya," the dark swordsman said coldly—his voice eerily familiar. The tone was detached and calm… like his own.

"If you know who I am, then you also know I won't back down." Yuuji summoned The Scarlet Queen, his personal sword, and charged forward.

Blades clashed. Sparks flew. The two warriors moved in a blur, testing each other with precision. Despite the intensity, the dark swordsman didn't seem frustrated—instead, he appeared to relish the battle.

"Yuuji Emiya," the dark figure said mid-duel, "As your other mentor, how could I possibly lose to you?"

His magical aura flared. With one powerful strike, he sent Yuuji flying back, forcing him to regroup.

Yuuji narrowed his eyes. "Altria... Saber—is that you?"

Thanks to Red A's memories, he recognized her—his once-loyal heroic spirit, Altria Pendragon.

"So you remember. That makes things simpler." Saber's voice was resolute. "You know then, that you have no chance of defeating me."

"We'll see. I'm not one to give up," Yuuji shot back, projecting Frostmourne, hoping its power could turn the tide.

Frost and ice swirled around Yuuji as he prepared to strike again—but this time, he didn't don full-body armor. Instead, only his right arm and leg were covered, preserving mobility. He was ready—and something had changed.

Two golden chains materialized around Frostmourne, binding it and radiating divine energy. Yuuji felt protected—supported.

"Thank you, Lancer... and whoever else stands with me."

The sword's energy began to affect even the sludge, diminishing Saber's magical power.

"So the black mud amplifies your power, Saber," Yuuji said through gritted teeth.

"Hmph. Even so, I won't be defeated."

She unleashed another black energy beam, but the ice shield around Yuuji solidified just in time, absorbing the blast. He retaliated, summoning a rain of icy spikes to pelt Saber from above.

But Saber was relentless. Drawing in external magical energy, she neutralized the ice attack and launched a counter with her Curry Stick—her blade imbued with searing golden power. Yuuji's shields barely held.

The clash became a stalemate. Neither side would yield.

Until the balance broke.

A gunshot rang out.

Yuuji staggered as a bullet tore into his shoulder. Turning toward the source, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"It's been a long time, Yuuji... You've grown."

Standing there was a man he knew all too well.

"Dad...? No—it's the black mud's puppet," Yuuji whispered. The face was unmistakable: Ikumi Kishi, the man who once gave everything for justice.

Even though Yuuji wasn't the original Shirou, the memory of Ikumi still resonated within him. The emotional weight was overwhelming.

"What's the matter, Yuuji? Keep fighting," Ikumi said, firing again.

Yuuji refused to retaliate. He only dodged, refusing to strike the man he revered most.

"Please… stop," he begged, even as bullets grazed past him.

"Come on, Yuuji. Fight me!" Ikumi shouted, continuing the assault.

But Yuuji couldn't bring himself to do it. Even now, even against a twisted version of his father—he couldn't raise his blade.

Finally, Ikumi landed a direct hit, knocking Yuuji to the ground. He stepped forward, prepared to deliver the final blow.

But… he hesitated.

Ikumi's hand trembled. He couldn't pull the trigger.

The black sludge might have shaped his body—but somewhere, deep inside, his true self still lingered.

Ikumi Kishi—the man—resisted.

He broke through the corruption of the sludge. His own beliefs proved stronger. But as he reclaimed his mind, the magical tether that powered him snapped. The false Ikumi began to fade.

"Father!" Yuuji cried, crawling toward him, tears streaming down his face. His emotions—long since buried—now surged to the surface.

"Yuuji… You've grown strong," Ikumi said with a peaceful smile. "Please… stop this war."

And with that, he dissolved into nothing, returning to the black.

Yuuji remained on his knees, trembling. He had received his final command.

"I won't forgive this. I will destroy the Grail. Father… watch over me."

With steely resolve, Yuuji activated his final trump card.

Golden light erupted from his body, the sheer surge of magic shaking the battlefield. Even the black sludge recoiled.

"What… what is this?" Saber murmured, staggered by the magical fluctuations.

As the light faded, Yuuji stood transformed.

Two divine daggers hung from his waist. Golden wool adorned his right shoulder. Red sigils pulsed across his skin.

"This is my final ace... the power to slay even gods."

"Take it."