"Good heavens, what is that?" The moment they stepped through the main gate, everyone was stunned into silence. The original temple grounds had been razed to the ground. Endless demonic energy surged up from the earth; the layered soil writhed and boiled, resembling black magma emitting thick, rolling smoke.

The Black Mud formed by the Black Holy Grail had completely assimilated Ryūdō-ji. This place was now a heavy, oppressive black mire saturated with deadly, evil power.

"Everyone, be careful. Don't let the Black Mud touch you," Faced with the scene, the group instinctively retreated a few steps. Lin Luo swept his hand forward, and a faint white mist materialized to shield them.

This Black Mud possessed extremely potent corrosive properties, capable of polluting the very hearts of men. Though he doubted it could truly corrupt the host of the World Core—after all, mysterious power usually falters before greater mystery, and the Grail, no matter how enigmatic, couldn't possibly surpass the World Core—it was still only a speculation, not a guaranteed immunity. Lin Luo was unwilling to take that risk lightly.

"What now?" Mugino asked grimly, gathering white light in her hands.

"Those who can fly, take to the air and stay off the ground as much as possible. Those who can't, ensure your own defenses are up," Lin Luo stated with grave seriousness. Mugino nodded, and in the next instant, two black wings sprouted from her back. Her Fallen Angel form fully unleashed, and she shot into the air.

Lin Luo glanced up, then turned to Rin. "Rin, bring out Ruri. Have it set up a protective barrier around you all. Can you manage that?"

"Yes, I should be able to." Rin immediately released the black cat from the jewel. Perhaps due to innate sensitivity, the creature’s fur stood on end the moment it faced the extreme Black Mud. Without any command from Rin, a barrier three meters in diameter instantly enveloped the group.

"This barrier..." Lin Luo was first startled, then overjoyed. While he wasn't an expert on barriers, he could clearly feel, by permeating it with the power of Rules, that the barrier cast by the black cat was exceptionally strong—at least, one he couldn't breach without using his own Rules.

Of course, even with the barrier's high strength, Lin Luo wasn't completely at ease. He drew his right hand toward Misaka, Rin, and Saten, and three dense clouds of white mist completely wrapped them. This was the absolute defense of his Creation Domain. Although its defensive power was significantly weaker than it was in the Toaru world, combined with the black cat's barrier, it should at least hold off attacks from ordinary Noble Phantasms, given his current strength.

"Shirei Release." Following this, he pinched two fingers together, and the White Dog God rushed up from its seal, quickly shrinking under Lin Luo's direction to perch on Saten's shoulder. "Saten, unless absolutely necessary, do not leave this barrier."

"Got it," Saten replied with a nod.

Although Saten Kaori was also a Level 5 Esper, her ability was ill-suited for frontal combat. She shouldn't have been brought on this mission, but Lin Luo had other plans for her presence.

"Lei." Finally, Lin Luo turned his gaze to Lei, the only one not wrapped in white mist. This wasn't favoritism; while his Rule power was limited and spreading it thinner reduced its strength, Lei could merge with him. Once weaponized and held in his hand, she was safer than anyone else.

"Gloomy Starry Night accompany me... The two become one." Without hesitation, a distant chant flowed from Lei's lips. In the blink of an eye, the Blade of the Verdant Wind, brimming with holy power, was firmly grasped in Lin Luo's hand.

All preparations were complete. At this moment, Lin Luo had deployed every card up his sleeve, solely to confront the Root of All Evil.

"Fortunately, the Root of All Evil has not fully awakened yet. Next, I will find the core of the Black Holy Grail and then, using everyone’s combined strength, launch a full-force strike. Everyone else, maintain high alert as much as possible."

Lin Luo stated this solemnly. Without waiting for a reply, his sensory field fully expanded, surging toward the Black Mud ahead. The instant he made contact, he felt the immense erosion caused by the concentration of all the world's evil, the endless negative emotions.

This is the Root of All Evil? This is the Root of All Evil...

It wasn't Lin Luo's first encounter with this entity, but the last time, it had been completely dormant. Thus, while the sensation was deeply unpleasant, it hadn't significantly affected him. Now, however, facing the nearing awakening of the Root of All Evil, even Lin Luo himself was overwhelmed by a torrent of negative emotions—hatred, anger, hostility, jealousy—and a fierce urge to destroy everything welled up inside him.

Damn it. Lin Luo's expression changed; he instantly recognized the danger. The Root of All Evil was clearly not something easily dealt with.

But he couldn't pull back now. The Black Mud already saturated the entire temple; without finding the core of the Black Holy Grail, any attack would be meaningless.

So, Lin Luo gritted his teeth and forced himself to remain calm. Calm down, calm down. These aren't my own feelings. I withstood the deaths of over ten thousand Misaka Sisters in the Misaka Network; a mere trace of negative emotion shouldn't be able to break through.

Just then, Lin Luo suddenly heard a soft song ringing in his ears. His entire internal world felt as if it had been purified; all negative emotions were expelled.

He instinctively looked back. He saw Lei’s spectral soul-form with her eyes gently closed, positioned as if in prayer, her lips slightly parted.

"So that's how it is. Lei, thank you so much." Lin Luo immediately understood. The song of the Seraphim Angel could dispel evil. With no further worries weighing him down, his sensory field rapidly penetrated the Black Mud, searching for the core of the Black Holy Grail.

As Lin Luo engaged his sensory field, Rin and Mikoto also looked solemn, cautiously observing their surroundings.

Rin held four jewels in each hand, each brimming with immense magical energy—all of them Superior-grade jewels. Mikoto, meanwhile, was enveloped in crackling electricity, and black iron sand churned beneath her feet. Against an unprecedented foe like the Root of All Evil, neither dared to let their guard down.

"Look over there!"

At that moment, they heard Saten's sudden exclamation from behind them. Following her gaze, they saw three figures running from a short distance to their right: the Knight King Artoria, Emiya Kiritsugu, and Irisviel.

Due to the presence of the Root of All Evil and the resulting flood of magical energy, the barrier placed long ago by the high monk Dōkai to prevent non-human entry had been forcefully shattered. The entire topography of Mount Kuraka had changed, rendering the distinction between the front and back gates meaningless. Emiya Kiritsugu and the others had arrived at Ryūdō-ji from a different direction.

They too appeared stunned by the sight before them, staring at the black mire in shock, nearly speechless.

"This... is this the Holy Grail? How could it be like this?" The young Knight King murmured, seeming unable to believe that such evil magic could possibly be a Holy Grail capable of granting any wish.

"That's not a Holy Grail at all; that's the Root of All Evil!" Rin shouted.

"You..." Hearing Rin's words, they finally snapped back to reality. Irisviel quickly inquired, "The Root of All Evil? What is that?"

"What else could it be? It's the entity formed from all the malice in this world! The Holy Grail has been contaminated by it, and if someone summons the Grail, it will destroy this world! You lot... you still think you can win and take the Grail?" Rin questioned, suppressing the fury in her heart.

"This... Why would the Holy Grail..." The three were dumbfounded by the accusation, exchanging bewildered glances. If this were true, what had all their long struggles amounted to?

"Ah, caller of mine, you have finally arrived?" Suddenly, a heavy voice resonated in everyone's ears.

"Who?" Everyone's expression immediately darkened.

"Oh, you who are willing to bear all the evil of this world! I, summoned by you, am now answering your call. Come, accept me."

Under the incredulous gaze of the group, a figure formed entirely of Black Mud materialized in the mire. Then, appearing overjoyed, it began moving toward Emiya Kiritsugu.

"What did you say? I summoned you..." Emiya Kiritsugu instinctively stepped back, enveloped by an inexplicable dread.

"It doesn't matter if I have to bear all the evil in this world. If that's how the world can be saved, then I am willing to carry the world's wickedness!" the figure made of Black Mud stated in Emiya Kiritsugu's voice, laced with uncontrollable excitement. "Look, you are just like me. Come, let us bear this evil together!"

"No... Impossible," Kiritsugu's face turned ashen. He finally understood: the words he had spoken yesterday had summoned such a monster. His true wish... How could it be? How could it be?

Similarly, Saber and Irisviel turned pale. The Root of All Evil could not lie, for it had no reason to. Thus, there was only one conclusion: Emiya Kiritsugu had summoned the Root of All Evil, and his wish to save the world had ultimately brought about destruction.

"Come, accept me. Let us save this world through evil together!" The Root of All Evil seemed to laugh maniacally, and the figure made of Black Mud rapidly lunged toward Emiya Kiritsugu.

"You bastard..." Almost instinctively, the Knight King, gripping the Holy Sword, charged forward to meet the Root of All Evil, but then...

"Rooooar!"

At that moment, a sound that should not exist in the mortal realm, a sound only heard in Hell, erupted violently.

"King Ar-thur!"

The roaring voice was filled with rage, hatred, and unwillingness. A towering black silhouette rushed toward the Knight King with unimaginable speed—it was... the final Black Knight, A!