――――――But. "Haa―――ah―――" The shadow wavers. In front of the crater, the Great Holy Grail. Bathed in the ruddy glow, ――― is standing. "――――――Kotomine Kirei."

"Yes. It seems we've both managed to survive, Emiya Shirou." A voice filled with strong will. As if it's fate, the man blocks my way through this desolate realm. "―――What are you doing? There's nothing for you to do now." I don't ask him how he's alive. He's dying. I don't feel magical energy from his body. There's a black stain where his heart should be. …Like me, a brief fire that's like a turned hourglass. I don't hear his heartbeat. He doesn't have much longer to live. This is not speculation, but a predication. Kotomine Kirei will die in a few minutes, even if he doesn't do anything. "Do not ask something so obvious. There is only one goal for me: to give life to the curse." "―――What? You can't do that. He won't become yours."

"…Are you insane? What are you saying with that dying body of yours? And even if it's born like you wish, you'll ―――" "The same goes for you. There is no sanity here. Our end will be the same, even if we accomplish our goals. You will destroy it, while I will protect it. But there is nothing to be gained, no matter whose goal is achieved. You came here knowing that. ―――This is a meaningless battle. We are two madmen engaging in useless folly." "――――――" ...Kotomine will not back down. He won't retreat, and I can't use projection as long as he's there. I need time to project. He'll smash my head if I show such an opening. "…Why? Why are you going so far to protect him? Even if he's born, you gain nothing. So why?" Even on the verge of death, why does he approve of mankind's enemy, all evils of this world?

"There is no room for questions. This is my only pleasure. ―――Emiya Shirou. As you feel supreme bliss in others' happiness. I feel supreme bliss in others' unhappiness." "―――" "First of all, why kill it? It is arrogance to assume it is evil even before its birth. Is it not love to allow a life that yearns to be born into the world?" "Don't lie to me. He's killed many people already. I can't let him out." "Oh. Then let me ask. What is good and evil? Are you saying murder is an absolute evil?" "That's....." ...I can't answer such a question. Good and evil mean nothing to me now. The justice Emiya Shirou believed in disappeared the instant I decided to save Sakura.

"……………………I see." That makes me realize. We're irreconcilable. I opposed him ever since I first saw him. …I finally realize why. He said we're similar. I understand now. We both believed ourselves to be sinners. And we both lived in a certain way to free ourselves of those chains. ―――We both knew we could never be freed, but believed it was the right atonement, and sought salvation that would never be given to us. "――――――Of course you're not going to back out." There's no way he'll withdraw if he's the same as me. It's not that he's trying to grant his because he's about to die. ...That's right. It's not that he's protecting his oath in his last moments. That's how he lived until now.

He never walked a different path. So even if he's to die in the next minute, he doesn't know any other way to live. ".....Humph. And this is also a way to take out my anger. I knew it was a possibility, but at last I realize it." He steps forward. There's not much time left for either of us. So we have to settle the match quickly. We have to extinguish the other's fire before our own blows out.

"I am going to release my pent-up emotions here."

…Yeah. He's empty because he couldn't obtain it, no matter what he tried. He sought and sought, but couldn't obtain happiness. And the only way of life he found was carrying death. So how can he abandon his way of life now?

We're both almost dead. All we can do it to drive our fists into our opponent. There's no technique or strategy involved. It's a mere brawl to the death.

I won't die here.