The dim space let in not a single ray of sunlight; only the gigantic magic circle set in the volcanic crater emitted a blood-drenched red glow, illuminating this underground chamber like a lighthouse in the desolate wilderness.
This was the massive underground cavern beneath Mount Enzou—where the Great Holy Grail was located.
In this curse-infested place, even the Mage's Association had few who could resist the curses and make it here.
"Looks like you had your fun."
At the edge of the crater stood a middle-aged man dressed as a priest.
At a certain moment, he seemed to sense something, and a strange smile slowly appeared on his face.
"You're back, huh?"
A shadow flowed out of the magic circle where the Great Holy Grail resided, like water, gradually taking shape. It turned into a dark figure, pitch black except for its clearly visible eyes.
It was Angra Mainyu.
He grinned and greeted the middle-aged priest, like a traveller returning home, waving to an old neighbour.
"Yo, Father, were you waiting for me to come back?"
"To be precise, I was waiting for you and the cursed spirit to return together. Unfortunately, only you came back."
The middle-aged priest let out a short nasal sound, as if expressing some dissatisfaction.
"That Nightmare Cursed Spirit, if used properly, could've created all kinds of delightful things. Yet you wasted it so easily."
Immediately, Angra Mainyu pictured all the scenarios this man might've enacted with the Nightmare Cursed Spirit.
"…Just curious, if that Nightmare Cursed Spirit were still alive, what exactly would you have used it for?"
"Nothing special. For example—sneaking into the dreams of the homunculus Roy and Rin separately, having Roy brutally murder Rin, having Rin infuriate Roy, driving a wedge between them, stirring up conflict, and ultimately pushing them into mutual destruction…"
The middle-aged priest—none other than Kotomine Kirei—couldn't help but raise a delighted smile as he spoke.
Just the thought was exciting!
Angra Mainyu's eye twitched furiously.
Though they'd cooperated once before, he still thought Kirei's brain had serious problems!
But unfortunately, the Nightmare Cursed Spirit really was finished, and there was no way to use it again.
A cursed spirit with such a rare power had died—regrettable, yes—but Angra Mainyu felt it had been worth it. Because what he gained was beyond imagination.
"So, what now? You said you were looking for someone to replace me—was that homunculus the result?"
Kirei came back from his pleasant fantasy and brought up a topic that made Angra Mainyu uncomfortable.
Ten years ago, he had taken advantage of Kirei's malice, unleashed all the evils of this world, and used the power of the Great Holy Grail to engulf the world in flames.
The Holy Grail had no will of its own; it could only act based on the wishes of others.
But Kirei was different from a simple villain.
His personality was more peculiar. What he loved was a feeling called "pleasure." But such a feeling could only be obtained from humans. In his subconscious, he believed that humanity could suffer, but must not go extinct—humans had to live so he could continue seeking pleasure.
The Holy Grail understood his will—killing over ninety percent of humanity, but deliberately sparing a small number, thus creating the current situation.
But Angra Mainyu was not satisfied.
He was the embodiment of malice, the innocent monster burdened with all the evils of the world.
What he wanted was total human extinction.
So, he sought out Roy.
"Ah, well... yes, that's right. But regrettably, I miscalculated."
Angra Mainyu scratched his cheek, looking rather troubled.
"If that homunculus had been willing to become my Master, his malice could surely have overturned this world completely. But he simply refused to agree, and was unimaginably stubborn. I kept tracing back through his past and still couldn't figure out how he managed to suppress his malice... Could it be lingering goodwill toward humanity?"
Angra Mainyu just couldn't understand.
The homunculus's desire to destroy the world definitely wasn't fake.
Even if that malice had been softened somewhat by the girl named Jeanne, her later death, in his eyes, should have further intensified that inner evil.
But the opposite happened—Roy instead suppressed his inner darkness.
It made no sense at all.
Those magi had killed Jeanne in the name of saving the world—he should've exploded completely and become an even greater and purer evil. So why was he instead able to suppress his own malice?
"Heh, they call you the embodiment of all the evils of this world, and yet you're still bound by the dichotomy of good and evil, you mongrel!"
A sudden voice descended with a flash of golden light into the underground cavern.
The figure had golden hair and crimson slit-pupiled eyes like a serpent—dangerous and inhumanly handsome. He was clad in dazzling golden armor, his face twisted into an arrogant and menacing grin.
Compared to Angra Mainyu or Kotomine Kirei, this man radiated a wholly different aura.
His very being exuded a powerful sense of presence, as if he were the center of the world. Just one glance at him gave an overwhelming sense of oppression, as though failure to kneel before him would incur divine wrath.
Angra Mainyu's lips twitched slightly.
"Yes, yes, so what great wisdom does Your Majesty the King have for us?"
His tone was utterly casual—far from respectful.
Clearly, he didn't care much for this "Golden Boy."
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
The golden one—Gilgamesh—surprisingly didn't mind the disrespect. Instead, he laughed as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"How foolish, you nameless human cloaked in the title of evil god! Tell me—do you think, when faced with equal amounts of good and evil, which way humanity would lean?"
"Well…"
Angra Mainyu rested his chin on his hand, puzzled.
"Evil, I guess?"
"Of course it's evil!"
Gilgamesh looked down at him with a smug expression, as if saying, "See? You're not that dense after all."
"Humans hold goodwill in their hearts, but goodwill is the easiest to forget. Malice, on the other hand, only takes the slightest spark to ignite the flames of hatred. Show humans kindness, and they'll feel grateful—but the moment you take that kindness away, their resentment will erupt like a volcano. If you impose equal malice upon them as you withdraw your kindness, they'll forget all your past favours and only resent your present cruelty. Even a dog wouldn't be so ungrateful, would it? Humanity, in essence, is a species more vile than beasts!"
"When it comes to equal amounts of goodwill and malice, malice will always overwhelmingly crush goodwill. So tell me—what kind of goodwill could possibly suppress malice powerful enough to destroy the world?"
Angra Mainyu thought long and hard, but in the end could only shake his head helplessly.
He had no answer.
Even the goodwill that could save the world wouldn't be enough to suppress malice that could destroy it.
Gilgamesh sighed lightly, his face full of disappointment.
"How dull. What you're looking at isn't mere goodwill—it's something deeper, heavier, more sorrowful than goodwill—"
With a trace of sentiment, Gilgamesh turned and left.
He never gave the answer, seemingly leaving it deliberately unfinished.
Kotomine Kirei fell into deep thought.
Angra Mainyu stuck out his tongue at Gilgamesh's back.
Can this cryptic bastard just go die already?!
"Forget it. The Holy Grail War has already reached the endgame. Let me see for myself—what lies in your heart, that can even suppress the malice capable of destroying the entire world…"
***
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