Emiya Shirou's body turned into ash, and a gloomy holy grail completed its escape.
It floated in the sky, allowing Kisaragi Rin and the others to witness the revitalization of its energy.
Like a beating heart, every vibration brought the great fire outside Fuyuki City closer.
[Quest - Corrupted Holy Grail is being completed]
[Your choice is: Allow the Corrupted Holy Grail to fully manifest]
"I don't think I have a way to reverse the Corrupted Holy Grail's manifestation, do I?" Kisaragi Rin complained upon seeing the Paradise prompt. "Are we supposed to gather the seven Dragon Balls, make a wish, and go back to this world's past to change the plot?"
Setting aside whether it was possible, Kisaragi Rin already had other plans for the Dragon Balls that were about to be gathered.
One of the three quests relating to Emiya Shirou had been completed; the remaining [Quest - Corrupted Holy Grail] and [Quest - Mystery of This World] seemed to require waiting for the grail to fulfill the wish it failed to grant ten years ago.
That is, the great fire would burn the last of Fuyuki City, sucking away all the mystery from the entire world line, leaving behind an "daily life" world devoid of the Supernatural.
"This world line is about to be destroyed."
Yukinoshita Yukino watched the approaching fire, unsure how to process her emotions.
She was still too weak.
Wait... isn't it normal for me, a Level 3, to only have this much strength? Why am I involved in such a complicated world at this level!
Yukinoshita Yukino looked at Kisaragi Rin, finally tiredly accepting her fate in this world.
Although mentally and physically exhausted, thankfully, things had never spun out of control.
Medea and Esdeath found a Dragon Ball on Yuusuke's Corpse.
Now they were only one piece short of completing the set, which, according to Shinomiya Kaguya, was also a hidden quest.
"Perhaps on one of Yuusuke's other bodies."
Medea remembered that Esdeath's former Master, Ito Makoto, had been captured by Yuusuke.
Just then, Kisaragi Rin recovered his senses from staring at the Corrupted Holy Grail, looked at Medea, and said, "Medea, please find the remaining bodies of Yuusuke."
"Understood, Master."
...All signs of life had completely vanished from Fuyuki City. Using Sorcery, Medea quickly located the last remaining Yuusuke.
Near Fuyuki City Central Park.
Strange wool had already grown in the yard of the villa where the last Yuusuke was buried.
Their perspectives were shared; when Kisaragi Rin dragged Yuusuke to see the Deity, the Yuusuke lying here also saw Its existence through the connected viewpoint.
Although there was a layer of filtering, this Yuusuke's soul still couldn't withstand it.
Esdeath used ice to cover the top layer of soil and throw it aside, exposing the Golden Coffin containing Yuusuke. Opening the Golden Coffin, the person inside still wore the appearance of Steve Rogers.
"What was this guy thinking? Digging a hole and burying himself before the fight is a bit too perverse, isn't it?"
Kisaragi Rin complained.
"Maybe he anticipated no one would collect his Corpse, so he made one himself?"
Yukinoshita Yukino also chimed in with a complaint.
During her time with Kisaragi Rin, Yukinoshita Yukino's personality had subtly changed; just like when she used Disguise as Kisaragi before, she could now make jokes with a straight face.
Shinomiya Kaguya also wanted to speak, but having not seen Kisaragi Rin for so long, she blushed and didn't know what to say, so she could only continue pretending to be a cold, aloof ice sculpture.
Yuusuke had merged with Steve Rogers, and the Treasure Chest on his body still hadn't dropped. Naturally, the Yuusuke lying in the Golden Coffin was not yet dead.
Originally, he thought Kisaragi Rin would mock him, but Kisaragi Rin was just chatting casually with Yukinoshita Yukino, seemingly never having taken this pursuit seriously.
Such contempt.
Such... infuriation.
"Y-You, why?"
Yuusuke wanted to laugh, but he could no longer feel the muscles in his face.
"Let's end this soon..."
Yuusuke struggled to prop himself up, trying to locate Kisaragi Rin through his blood-red retina.
He asked unwillingly, "You bastard, do you dare accept a Life-or-Death Gamble?"
On the back of his hand was the final Command Seal.
Since all his other bodies had died, this Command Seal had transferred to the back of his hand.
"I won't gamble."
Kisaragi Rin shrugged and flatly refused.
You're probably brain-damaged from being burned by the Evil God. You call it a Life-or-Death Gamble, and you expect me to take it?
"It's a very valuable Ability; you won't lose by gambling," Yuusuke patiently stated.
Kisaragi Rin: "Oh."
Yuusuke: "..."
Looking toward the sky, he raised the back of his hand.
"I will use one Command Seal to unseal one of my Items—the Arrow."
Without asking again, Yuusuke still tossed the Item to Kisaragi Rin's feet.
"For someone like you, I believe that sooner or later, you will take the gamble."
Having said this, Yuusuke's body leaned back and lay down on the coffin.
Kisaragi Rin was startled when he saw the Item's appearance. After having Medea inspect it, he cautiously took it into his hand.
Item - Arrow
Description: Will you become the next Corpse?
Effect: A creature pierced by the Arrow may awaken a special power called a Stand, or it may die instantly. Of course, there are also those whose very existence attracts the Arrow's pursuit.
Usage Condition: Creature.
"...So it's this thing."
Letting out a breath, Kisaragi Rin said calmly.
After reading the description, he understood what Yuusuke meant.
I lost, but I don't admit you won.
I give this Item to you, believing that someone like you will take this gamble sooner or later.
At that time, the Arrow will execute the judgment.
You might survive, or you might die by the Item I gifted you.
Kisaragi Rin gazed calmly at Yuusuke, who was also looking back mockingly.
"According to the Cultivation power system, perhaps you are thinking that if I refuse to accept this, today's events will become my Inner Demon someday..."
Kisaragi Rin loosened his fingers, allowing the [Arrow] to rest flat on his palm, and asked Yuusuke, "Tell me, is it possible that I don't need to gamble at all?"
"What joke are you telling?"
If looks could kill, then Yuusuke's current gaze would be the most malicious curse in the world.
The use of the [Arrow] carries the conceptual Ability to cause instant death, which is why he could unseal it using a Command Seal.
After obtaining this Item, Yuusuke couldn't recall how long the [Arrow] had been in his possession. He had always been too afraid to gamble with it himself. Even during this Life-or-Death Gamble, he unsealed the [Starving Ghost] and he unsealed the [Jié], but he never gave himself an [Arrow].
Kisaragi Rin ignored Yuusuke. He simply spread his palm, and the [Arrow] tilted.
Like a raindrop falling into water, the [Arrow] melted directly into Kisaragi Rin's palm.
"Gambling is merely the helplessness of the weak."
"And it has already chosen me."
Shinomiya Kaguya stared blankly at Kisaragi Rin, her ice sculpture-like face already flushed red by the distant great fire.
[You have killed Foreigner - Steve Rogers]
[You have obtained Steve Rogers' Treasure Chest]