Fate: Hero of Justice Takeover-Chapter 646

Chapter 646: The Corridor of Blazing Heaven and the Defeated

Amidst the ruins of the Moon Sea, a crimson-robed youth with golden eyes bent down and picked up a fragment of architecture that was slowly dissipating.

Behind him, the towering school building stood tall, bathed in streams of data as it visibly repaired its damages. Yet, something had irrevocably changed.

Hakuno stared blankly at the school’s walls. Through the clear glass windows, she caught glimpses of the empty corridors, numbered rooms, and verdant plants glistening with dew—so pristine they seemed untouched by time.

Once, nine hundred and ninety-nine candidates had walked these halls, their lively voices filling the vast floors. The hallway lights still reflected the paths they had taken. Now, only light and shadow remained.

The reality she had taken for granted had become a memory that could never be relived... and this heart-wrenching realization had struck her in just a few fleeting days.

"You may dwell on this feeling, but never grow accustomed to it, my Master," the emperor, beautiful as a rose, grasped her hand and solemnly warned. "Once you become numb to it, you can never return to ordinary life."

"...I understand, Saber." Hakuno rubbed the corners of her eyes and instinctively glanced toward a certain spot—where a once-confident boy, now defeated, clutched his chest, and the knight who had sworn to protect him had long since vanished.

"This is the taste of defeat," the Holy King murmured, earnestly savoring an emotion that was commonplace to others. "Cooled emotions are terror—this is the human heart, and its deepest emotion is despair."

He could not imagine defeat.

No, he lacked even the capacity for it.

He knew only victory, never having learned the emotions that followed loss.

This was not perfection—it was simply the absence of fear.

He was nothing more than a flawed monster, unworthy of being called "human."

"At last... I have drawn closer to you all, closer to the ’humans’ I was meant to protect..." A deep violet hue crept across Leo’s face as he reached toward the sky. "Regret, sorrow, the terror of death, and obsession... I cannot comprehend the true meaning of these emotions. Someone like me has no right to lead others."

"I... am such a fool."

In a sigh of resignation and unwillingness, tears spilled from the boy’s eyes.

"Sakatsuki, you know, don’t you? What is still lacking to become a true king—just like Gawain."

"Gawain... he understood that defeat was necessary. Yet, even so, he wielded his holy sword with all his might for victory, staking his life to serve me with loyalty."

"Then... would you blame him?"

"Of course not." Leo withdrew his gaze and smiled. "He was a true knight."

The young Holy King continued, "Sakatsuki, after this... whatever lies ahead, I leave it to you to see for me. They say the Holy Grail can change the world—"

"Allow me, in my final moments, to selfishly entrust this responsibility to you."

The path of the ideal Holy King ended here.

After a long time spent in his cocoon, he had finally emerged as a king, transformed like a butterfly.

Yet, it was a pity that his life would end without truly living.

Savoring these unfamiliar emotions like fine wine, Leo curled his lips into a bitter smile—and then, he vanished.

His data along with Gawain’s drifted along the torrent of information, converging toward the core until finally being intercepted and absorbed by an ancient tome.

[Fate Compendium records updated]

[Sun Knight Gawain defeated – Round Table credentials enhanced]

[Inherent Skill: Knight of the Round Table charged (2/3)]

[Intel acquired: Ideal King-Saint. Please reconstruct information body within SE.RA.PH] 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Even as he sat upon the Throne of Heaven, the Fate Compendium faithfully relayed information to its master. Sakatsuki gazed at the luminous screen in the void before focusing his eyes beyond it, where the serene saint smiled peacefully.

"You have failed."

"Though we both bear the title of saint, this does not mean our fates are the same," the saint responded. "You should know that all sentient beings, since time immemorial, have been trapped in the cycle of life and death because they fail to recognize the eternal, pure, and luminous true nature of their minds. They cling to illusions, and because these illusions are unreal, they remain trapped in samsara."

"Are you saying that although Leo is the Ideal King-Saint, he failed to see his true nature?" Having spent considerable time with this venerable being, Sakatsuki could now grasp some meaning from his cryptic words. "Indeed, or perhaps it was fate. Those who attempt to shoulder the apocalypse alone with frail shoulders will inevitably meet the same end."

King Arthur of old was no different, and neither was Leo now.

A Britain fading into mystery, a world on the brink of extinction; a Holy King who drew the sword of kingship amid the hopes of millions, and an Ideal King-Saint forged from the last embers of hope—even their endings were the same, collapsing under the weight of countless unavoidable burdens.

The winds of time are always weathered by rain and storm. Sitting across from the legendary Savior, Sakatsuki gazed at the ruins of Tsukumihara Academy, sipping tea with an inexplicable sense of how much had changed.

"Setting aside fatalism, the Moon Holy Grail War has ended. My ascension to the Throne of Heaven is inevitable. Soon, our struggle will reach its conclusion."

Moonlight poured like water, illuminating the young man’s clean profile and silver-white hair. The shimmering light of miracles pulsed around him, standing in stark contrast to the overwhelming radiance of Buddhist light, like a pure land amidst countless Buddha realms.

Yet when Sakatsuki raised his eyes, those sharp, rainbow-hued Mystic Eyes silently spoke of a hellish nightmare.

"Even with your level of defense against righteousness, you will still fall before me."

The Savior plucked a flower, smiling without a word. But behind him, a motionless figure stirred—a man with short black hair and hollow gray eyes, rising like an emotionless machine.

"Survival of the fittest. If you can win, then come—"

"I will always be watching from the Throne of Heaven."

Sakatsuki fell silent, his gaze fixed on the white-robed man, eyes filled with pity.

Beyond, Buddhist bells tolled softly, lotuses bloomed, and radiant light illuminated the ten directions, boundless Buddha realms.

Chanting "Namo Amitabha, Namo Amitabha."

With the five remembrances complete, taking refuge in the Buddha, taking refuge in the Sangha—amid ancient temples and green lamps, attachments scattered like dust.

The chants of Buddha echoed like sighs.

————

"Let’s go, Hakuno." The girl heard the familiar call—the same confident, gentle voice that had supported her through the first battle, the second, and countless moments of protection.

Now, at last, it was time to stand before him and prove how much she had grown.

"I’m ready, Sakatsuki." Hakuno took a deep breath. "Where do we fight?"

Faced with Hakuno’s resolve, Sakatsuki merely pinched her cheek affectionately.

"Trying to overthrow your master so soon? You’re in quite the hurry."

"Oh? Does the Governor need a break?" Nero blinked playfully, grinning. "I never thought the Governor would be the first to tap out~~"

No sooner had she spoken than Sakatsuki delivered a solid chop to her forehead, making her clutch her head and crouch in pain. "Ow! Why does the Governor treat my Master and me so differently? You’re biased!"

"Could you at least try to act with some dignity, you foolish emperor?" Sakatsuki sighed before explaining, "My final battle with Hakuno is inevitable. But before that, I need to eliminate all potential threats to prevent others from reaping the spoils."

"Threats? But Rin has already lost her Servant, Alice has been disqualified as a Master, and Leo and Gawain have already withdrawn..."

Nero counted the remaining Masters and Servants, puzzled. "By that count, aside from me and my Master, there’s no one left."

Tap, tap, tap. The sound of small leather boots against the floor drew everyone’s attention. They turned to see a graceful girl, lithe as a doe, charging forward and grabbing Sakatsuki by the collar. Her delicate face pressed close, teeth gritted in fury.

"Sakatsuki, explain this to me—why are there two of you? And how dare you look down on this beautiful genius’s intelligence!"

"Rin...?" Hakuno tilted her head. "So you’re not dead after all."

"Hah?! Sorry to disappoint you by still being alive!" Rin’s veins bulged at Hakuno’s oblivious remark. First, she had miraculously survived death, then she’d been silently mocked by Sakatsuki (the original), and finally, she’d been tossed around by the fierce battle between Gawain and Sakatsuki. All her emotions—gratitude, surprise, tsundere confusion—had stewed into a dark, resentful mess in her mind.

For some reason, though, she didn’t dare provoke Hakuno in her current state, so she redirected her anger at Sakatsuki. "Actually, I’ve had my doubts from the start. If you participated in the preliminaries, how did you become a Servant?"

"Why is there an extra Master in this Holy Grail War? Where did this woman calling herself Draco come from?"

"How were you able to intercept the Moon Cell’s data? We’ve worked so hard on the surface just to participate in the game—we couldn’t even alter the rules!"

"Don’t tell me... you’ve been cheating from the very beginning?"

Bombarded by Rin’s rapid-fire questions, Sakatsuki rubbed his temples and pried her hand away. "Hold on, Master Rin, enough already... I know you have a lot of questions, which is exactly why I’m about to take you all to find the answers."

"About to?"

"That’s right. The final threat awaits at the end of this journey."

With a crisp snap of his fingers, a diamond-shaped light screen unfolded. Sakatsuki took Draco’s hand and stepped through first, then turned to wave at the stunned group.

"If you want your questions answered, follow me."

No one refused. Even Rin, who had lost her Servant, would never back down at the final moment. After exchanging a glance with Hakuno, she stepped forward alongside her, vanishing into the light.

As the scenery shifted, they were greeted by a radiant staircase floating in a void.

[Location Unlocked]

[Corridor of the Blazing Heavens]

"..." As if realizing something, Rin opened the Master’s interface and immediately showed an expression of understanding.

"Just as I thought, the other sectors are closing down. It seems the only part of this spiritron virtual world still remaining is this corridor."

"But why? We haven’t even determined the last Master yet," Hakuno said.

"This place is trigger-based. As long as a Master reaches this location, all other sector data will be cleared, and the Moon Holy Grail War will enter its conclusion phase." Despite it being his first time setting foot here, Sakatsuki acted with practiced ease. Holding Draco’s hand, he ascended the steps.

"Let’s go. At the end of these stairs is the Throne of Heaven. The Holy Grail you seek is there."

"My dear contractor~" Draco tightened her grip on Sakatsuki’s hand and leaned against him, her breath as fragrant as orchids. "Don’t you think our current appearance is quite similar?"

"Similar?" Sakatsuki turned his face slightly as golden hair brushed past his vision. Draco’s proud crimson horns stood tall, adding a wild beauty to the Red Dragon Emperor. As she straightened her posture, her exquisite figure pressed tightly against the young man’s arm, bringing a soft, dough-like sensation.

She nestled against him without reservation, openly displaying her affection.

"Umu~ Just like a married couple walking toward the wedding altar~~" As if declaring her sovereignty, Draco happily clung to Sakatsuki’s arm and brought her face closer.

"Mwah~"

The kiss landed on Sakatsuki’s cheek and was reflected in the eyes of Nero and Hakuno. Unsurprisingly, Miss Nero was the first to explode.

"To do such things in public! Thou art truly shameless! I feel ashamed on thy behalf!"

"Oh?" The post-third-ascension Draco wasn’t the least bit intimidated by her original counterpart. Stroking her red lips, she flashed a teasing smile. "So thou claimest thou wouldst not do as I have done?"

"Of course... I would!" Nero puffed out her ample chest and answered without hesitation.

Smack! Hakuno’s palm landed on Nero’s pert bottom with a crisp sound. Nero yelped in pain and turned her head with a pitiful expression, meeting her Master’s utterly exasperated gaze.

Nero, whose side are you even on?!

"M-Master, that... ehe?"

"We’ll settle this later, Saber." Hakuno gave a small huff through her nose and quickly walked forward. Without arguing with Draco, she directly grabbed Sakatsuki’s sleeve and put on a pitiful expression.

"Teacher..."

Sakatsuki stiffened. Seeing the vulnerability in the chestnut-haired girl’s eyes, he hesitated—after all, he’d watched this child grow up. Even if he tacitly allowed Draco’s behavior, wasn’t this too much stimulation for her...

But while Hakuno knew Sakatsuki’s weak points, Draco was equally familiar with his personality. With a strong tug, Sakatsuki was pulled back into Draco’s embrace, his face buried in her chest to the point he could only make muffled noises.

Hakuno’s hand grasped empty air. She instinctively looked toward Draco, only to find this IF-version Nero lifting her chin to gaze down at her imperiously, even giving her chest a slight shake—the meaning couldn’t be clearer:

Can you even play at this level?

Hakuno lowered her head to glance at her modest chest. While not exactly an A-cup, it was certainly nowhere near as generously endowed as Nero’s naturally gifted proportions. Her face immediately darkened with displeasure. But Draco wasn’t about to let her off the hook—her crimson lips parted slightly as she silently mouthed two words.

Hakuno and Nero strained to read the silent syllables, instantly deciphering the phrase:

"Loser."

??!!!

"Pfft." Rin Tohsaka, who had been pretending to check her Master status screen while secretly eavesdropping all along, desperately clamped both hands over her cheeks as her body trembled with suppressed laughter.

"Lo—" Sakatsuki was stunned too, quickly grabbing Draco’s hand and looking up, pretending not to notice Hakuno’s flushed face or Nero’s heaving chest in outrage. He awkwardly laughed and changed the subject:

"Ah, here we are! We’ve reached the Throne of Heaven. Anyway, let’s check out the situation first, ha, haha, hahaha..."

And so, a newlywed couple and several self-proclaimed ’losers’ arrived at the climax of the Moon Holy Grail War.

A familiar figure had been waiting for them all this while.

"You’ve arrived... Huh?"

The holy, godlike young man clad in the Robe of Heaven tilted his head slightly, his golden eyes shifting toward the red-cloaked, handsome version of ’himself’ among the group.

Archer-me, what’s going on here?

...How should I know?!