In the oppressive dark, sealed deep beneath the earth, "It" was lost in the abyss, dreaming in slumber of the countless, haphazard, and sprawling wishes entrusted long ago.

A beautiful world, a perfect life, a soul without flaw… Because such longing was too intense, all other sins had to be entrusted to one place; such was the desire of the weak.

By answering those pleas, "It" once saved a world. There is no evil but me, there is no flaw but me; the only one deserving of hatred is me, the only one deserving of scorn is me.

By saving the world in such a manner, peace was granted to them.

Therefore… "It" was not hailed as a savior. There was no praise, no reverence, no song of glory—only spit, only curses, only contempt. At some unknown point, even the human name was stripped away, leaving only the designation of its mode of existence, which ultimately became a concept passed down through generations.

The infinite darkness sighing in the deepest parts of the earth… that place was once a repository of limitless potential. One day, "It" entered this space like a seed, taking root there. From that day forward, it became the womb birthing the darkness that belonged to nothing else, absorbing that endless magical power while awaiting the arrival of the destined day.

And then… "It" heard it, clearly heard it.

Someone was calling out: “I will gladly bear all the evil of this world if that is what it takes to save it. I am willing to carry every ill upon myself.”

Look, someone is calling for me; someone needs me. I am being called for, along with blessings. Then… answer him. Accept him. Let all the world’s…

Endless magical power surged, the all-encompassing darkness took shape.

“Your wish can be granted. It can be fulfilled,” "It" stated.

And then…

“Let the evils of this world grant it for you.”

…

Sorcery is clandestine, unknown to the masses. Even those participating in the Holy Grail War must adhere to this rule, so no one casually instigates conflict during the daytime. Only when night falls…

For the entire day, Lin Luo and the girls remained sequestered at home, preparing for the battles ahead. After a day of rest, everyone had largely recovered. Both Lily and Mikoto were in peak condition, and as if arranged perfectly for this final confrontation…

Precisely at eight o'clock in the evening, a deep, muffled peal of thunder suddenly sounded in everyone's ears. It was not actual thunder, but the vibration preceding the eruption of the massive magical energy coiled deep underground.

Not everyone could hear this sound, but any magus, or anyone bearing peculiar power, situated within Fuyuki City could perceive it.

“That sound just now…” Lily looked out the window with a grave expression.

“It seems it is about to begin,” Nero also rose from her position, speaking in a low voice.

“Yes, no doubt about it,” Lin Luo nodded. While others could only hear the sound, the three of them could clearly sense its origin: the burial site of the Greater Grail—Ryudou Temple on Mount Enzou.

Logically, the All the World’s Evils should not emerge until most Heroic Spirits have been absorbed by the Grail, but contrary to Lin Luo’s expectation, the Black Grail was stirring after the demise of only three Servants. Moreover, Irisviel was still alive. Did it no longer require a vessel?… The All the World’s Evils.

Although the situation differed from his predictions, this was actually good news. The earlier the All the World’s Evils awakened, the weaker its power, and the greater the chance of eliminating it.

While he didn't expect to ally with the other Servants, if they could destroy the All the World’s Evils before it fully manifested… with the combined strength of himself, Lily, Nero, Mikoto, and Mugino, they might actually have a chance to destroy it.

It was a gamble, but…

“I trust everyone has no further doubts,” Lin Luo turned around, his gaze sweeping over the girls in the room. “I already explained the All the World’s Evils to you this afternoon. Now is the perfect time to eradicate it. Let us gather all our strength and bring this Holy Grail War to a definitive end.”

“Mm,” everyone immediately nodded, Rin and Mikoto showing the most resolve. After all, Rin’s parents and relatives were near Fuyuki City; if the All the World’s Evils truly possessed world-ending power, she absolutely could not stand idly by. And although Mikoto had no ties to this world, for her, such a thing was an absolute must-be-stopped, for she was the host of the Kind Heart.

Initially, Lin Luo hadn’t intended to tell them about the All the World’s Evils, but after much thought, he decided it wasn't solely his concern. This was different from fighting Accelerator in Academy City; this enemy endangered everyone’s lives, and they had an absolute right to know.

Although this enemy was unprecedentedly powerful, hadn't they faced a formidable foe like Shigeo in Academy City before…? He trusted in his own strength. Since they had already entered a war of gods, their lives were already in a state of constant peril; therefore, they might as well go all out.

…Running on the path toward Mount Enzou, Lin Luo suddenly recalled something. He communicated via telepathy to Little Ber, who was flying overhead, “Little Ber, there is something you need to take care of.”

“Uh, what is it?”

“I need you to steal something.”

“Stealing? I’m not a bandit,” Little Ber complained slightly.

“It’s not an ordinary item; it’s… Do you understand?”

“Ah, that thing… I understand! I will definitely complete the mission,” Little Ber’s tone was filled with excitement.

“Where did she go?” Lily asked, noticing Little Ber’s sudden departure first.

“Preparations, just in case,” Although this journey was an adventure, Lin Luo had made several contingency plans, even thinking about a final fallback route… naturally, he hoped not to use that route unless absolutely necessary.

Less than half an hour later, the group arrived at the foot of Mount Enzou. Standing before the stone steps at the base of the mountain, they looked up at the layers of materialized magical energy, dense and pervasive like thick fog, and everyone couldn't help but frown. Even those who weren't magi could see it clearly; it was overwhelmingly oppressive.

“You’ve got to be kidding me, this much magical power…” Rin was so shocked she could barely speak. She could barely imagine such immense magical force, and it was suffused with extreme malice that even caused her internal Magic Circuits to recoil.

“There’s no point talking about it now; let’s go up,” Lin Luo stated firmly. But before a few of them could take a step, an extremely arrogant voice suddenly rang out from above.

“You are slow. I was almost getting impatient waiting for you.”

Everyone immediately looked up. On the stone steps leading to Ryudou Temple above, it was as if the void had been sliced open by a sword. First, a radiance brighter than the sun appeared before them. Then, the space closed again, and enveloped in golden light was a petite young girl.

“The King of Heroes, Gilgamesh,” Lin Luo’s expression tightened slightly. Although he knew he would face her, he hadn't expected her to arrive so quickly—no, perhaps she had been waiting here all along.

“Hmph,” the golden-haired, red-eyed girl snorted coldly. Clad in golden armor, like a queen looking down from on high, she stood with her hands on her hips, surveying the crowd. “You children have done quite the trick, making Tokiomi Tohsaka exhaust all his Command Spells. Even I, without my Command Spells, would have to vanish obediently. However, the Grail will not be surrendered easily. You mongrels, are you prepared to accept the judgment of your King?”

The girl’s tone was saturated with murderous intent, not born of anger, but purely the instinct of a monarch being provoked.

“Judgment? I require no judgment from anyone,” the one who responded to the King of Heroes was the Ruler of Rome. Ignoring the oppressive aura the other emitted, she calmly and heavily took steps upward.

“King of Heroes, let the battle between you and I be concluded here.”

“Perfect timing,” the girl nodded haughtily. “Emperor of Rome, let your blood be the offering to my greatest treasure.”

As she spoke, she reached behind her and drew a sword from the void’s treasury.

Perhaps it shouldn't be called a sword, as its shape was too bizarre. It possessed a hilt and a guard, and its length was comparable to a standard longsword, but the critical blade section was composed of three tightly connected cylindrical segments. The edges, which weren't sharp, were twisted into a spiral; the three cylinders wound around each other like slow-moving chains, extending outward in an interlocking helix.

“Is that your greatest treasure?” Nero frowned, gripping the Prima Materia tightly in her hand.

It must be said, these two made fitting opponents. Not only did they share similar arrogant temperaments and walk the path of kingship, but even their weapons were unique and unconventional.

“Indeed. This is my ultimate treasure, EA. Come, Emperor of Rome, I shall personally demonstrate the laws of this world to you.” The girl pointed her sword at Nero. The three grinding-stone-like cylinders began to rotate against each other with immense weight and force, releasing an immeasurable surge of magical power.

“It is indeed a treasure,” seeing this, Nero dared not be careless and acknowledged it, then raised the Prima Materia high.

“Witness the talent of the Empress! Hear the thunderous applause! Embrace the glory of a ruler! Bloom like a flower, and let the curtain rise—The Golden Theater!”

Suddenly, under the slightly surprised gaze of the King of Heroes, a colossal golden theater descended from the sky, enveloping the two combatants within.

“Eh? Where did they go?” For the others, however, the two had simply vanished into thin air, disappearing from their sight.

“Nero must have taken her away, bringing her into the bounded field to contain the King of Heroes,” Lin Luo frowned. He didn’t understand bounded fields very well. His best guess was that Nero had relocated the Golden Theater elsewhere. After all, they couldn't allow their battle to interfere with the objective of destroying the All the World’s Evils. However… using the Golden Theater this early, what about her headaches?

Lin Luo knew that Nero’s Golden Theater couldn't be sustained for long; once her headaches struck, he too would be affected.

“There’s no time to consider that now; let’s go up quickly,” realizing this, Lin Luo didn't hesitate further and immediately spoke.

But just as he took a few steps forward, a rumbling sound like rushing thunder suddenly erupted from the sky… In the distance, the King of Conquerors arrived, rolling in on his Divine Thrashing Chariot.

“He’s here too.”

“He wouldn’t not come. How could he not sense such massive magical fluctuations here?”

“Leave him to me,” Lily said calmly.

“Alright, he’s yours. Let’s go up,” Lin Luo said no more, quickly running upward, with the others immediately following. Only Rin remained still.

“Rin, you should go too.”

“Huh? Why? I’m your Servant; shouldn’t I be fighting alongside you right now?”

“That is true, but the situation over there is more critical now. Without me and Nero, it will be extremely difficult for Lin Luo to destroy the All the World’s Evils. Besides, I am in perfect condition; trust me, I won’t lose,” Lily said with confidence.

“Okay, Lily, you must win!” Knowing this was no time for hesitation, Rin gritted her teeth, gave Lily a deep look, then turned and ran upward.

Pulling his gaze away from Rin’s retreating back, Lily looked up at the Divine Thrashing Chariot, whose full form was now visible, and the imposing King of Conquerors standing upon it, shouting loudly, “King of Conquerors, Iskandar! Let us settle the battle left unfinished last time!”

“The White Knight King,” the King of Conquerors brought his chariot down to land on the ground, looking at the pure white knight before him, flashing a grin. “Hah! It seems a fight today is unavoidable. What do you say, Servant?”

Waver Velvet, sitting beside the King of Conquerors, suddenly showed unprecedented determination on his face as he looked at the Hero before him. He raised the tightly clenched right hand, displaying the Command Spells that remained unused. “I, Waver Velvet, issue a command with my Command Spell.”

You must achieve ultimate victory.

Issuing a command again with my Command Spell, Rider, you must seize the Holy Grail.

Finally, I command you with my last Command Spell, Rider, you must conquer the entire world. Failure is not permitted.

The three Mystic Marks released their latent magical energy swiftly, swirling into a cyclone before vanishing.

The youth looked up at his King with fearless courage. “With this, I am no longer your Master. So, go forth and fight to your heart’s content, my King.”

The King of Conquerors stared at him with a solemn face, then suddenly burst into unprecedented laughter. He slapped the boy on the shoulder forcefully. “Since this is my Master’s order, I must answer the first Command Spell. Keep your eyes wide open and watch closely, kid.”

After saying that, he turned toward the White Knight, his eyes burning with the conviction of inevitable victory.

“You have a fine Master, King of Conquerors,” Lily commented.

“You are no different, White Knight King,” the King of Conquerors laughed.

“Indeed. Let us begin now.”

With those words, both simultaneously raised the swords in their hands…

“Ionioi Hetairoi.”

“Knights of the Round Table.”