Chapter 657

"Your goal should be to defeat me before the Greater Grail completes the Third Magic, but as you can see, the remaining magical energy on my side is enough to defeat you all."

Amakusa Shirou was very confident, one might even say arrogant, because he had the capital for it, having dominated the Greater Grail.

"Jeanne, this is for you. This is the banner you should be holding."

Gilles picked up the holy banner Jeanne had dropped on the ground and handed it to her respectfully.

Jeanne: "No, please hold it, and please protect us. I will not use this banner; this banner is a weapon for protecting people, not for combat."

Gilles: "But—"

"I leave it to you; I must pray to the Lord."

Jeanne placed her hand on her sword, the Sword of Saint Catherine, which she had never once used during her lifetime.

Gilles's eyes widened; he clearly understood the significance of Jeanne's words.

That sword was the only weapon Jeanne possessed, and the meaning of using it here was likely—

Rin Tohsaka: "Huh? So that sword wasn't just a decoration."

Illya: "Really, we never saw Jeanne use it from start to finish."

Kayneth: "Is it a Noble Phantasm? But Jeanne shouldn't have had any deeds related to a sword in her lifetime, right?"

Bluebeard: "A sword?"

He remembered that sword; it was merely a decoration during Jeanne's lifetime as well.

Jeanne: "It is enough if you do so while I pray. Could you please protect me and little Sieg?"

This was said based on absolute trust, even though Gilles was a Servant summoned by Shakespeare.

"As you command, Jeanne... although it is only for a brief moment, I feel very happy to be able to speak with you again."

Gilles finally returned to his original self. Although the weapon in his hand was different, his majestic appearance was exactly that of the Marshal of the past, the heroic figure of Gilles de Rais.

Jeanne: "... Gilles, there is something I forgot to tell you in my lifetime."

Gilles: "Oh my, that is—"

Jeanne: "Thank you. It was good to have met you."

Gilles was momentarily stunned; he didn't know whether he should laugh or cry.

Even upon returning to the Throne of Heroes, he would not forget this moment, for he was too satisfied.

Bluebeard: "Ugh, ugh, ugh (biting his handkerchief), damn it..."

Why, why, why wasn't that sentence said to him!

He was so jealous!!!

Rin Tohsaka: "This counts as being jealous of one's own self."

Extra Feng Xi: "Simps are all like that; don't pay him any mind."

Jeanne: "Little Sieg, we must say goodbye here."

Sieg was taken aback and realized what was happening; he did not show a sorrowful expression and asked: "Will we never be able to meet again?"

Jeanne: "No, I promise you, I will definitely go to see you again."

Even if this journey were to be endlessly long, it would not matter.

Sieg: "I will wait for you."

Illya: "Wait a second, wait a second, why are they saying goodbye?"

Emiya Kiritsugu: "Are they planning to sacrifice themselves?"

Tokiomi Tohsaka: "Sacrificing themselves—is it to fight the opponent to the death, or to activate that Noble Phantasm?"

Waver: "It should be... to activate the Noble Phantasm."

Waver: "I have a rough idea of what that Noble Phantasm is, the one activated by sacrificing oneself."

Rin Tohsaka: "What?"

Waver: "That Noble Phantasm isn't a sword, it's fire, isn't it."

Jeanne: "You guessed correctly."

Rin Tohsaka: "Fire! Could it be!"

Waver: "That's right, it's the flames that burned Jeanne to death. I never expected that they would actually manifest as a Noble Phantasm."

Gilles de Rais: "No! Jeanne, you absolutely must not use that thing!"

【"The 'Greater Grail' has begun synchronization."】

【"'Arm of the Sky'—fall!"】

【Amakusa Shirou waves his arms, and the giant arm falls like a meteor.】

【The giant's arm smashes toward the three of them, and Gilles immediately reacts.】

【"Amakusa Shirou Tokisada, holder of the Greater Grail, I am Gilles de Rais of Brittany. Now, I shall be your opponent—"】

【Gilles raises his flag and shouts valiantly, taking on this powerful blow.】

【In an instant, sound vanishes from the world; the Arm of the Sky, comparable to an Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm, collides violently with the flag, creating a massive roar in the surroundings.】

【Sieg reflexively covers his ears and crouches down, and Shakespeare also hurriedly tries to move away from the two.】

【"Cough, ah..."】

【A smear of blood spills from Gilles's mouth; although he used the holy flag to withstand the blow, his body is struggling to hold on.】

【After all, this body of his is not a true Heroic Spirit's body.】

【Amakusa Shirou gives him no chance to catch his breath; a second attack descends immediately, and the loud noise and silence strike again.】

【Gilles has completely cast pain aside; even an impact sufficient to shatter every bone in his body is of no concern to him. He likely will not stop until the very moment he dies.】

Rin Tohsaka: "Uh... is this really Gilles de Rais..."

Looking at the Marshal heroically blocking the attack in the video, then looking at the Bluebeard going insane in the group chat, it is hard to imagine they are the same person.

Extra Feng Xi: "You should just treat them as two different people."

Rin Tohsaka: "... That's fine too."

【Jeanne, naturally, is not idle; she draws Saint Catherine, uses the sword to cut her own palm, and kneels on both knees to begin praying.】

【"The heavens are the glory of the Lord, the sky is the great work of God's hands."】

【"Day transmits language, night conveys knowledge."】

【"They neither converse nor speak, and their voices cannot be heard."】

【"The warm light spills over the earth, extending to the very ends of the world."】

【"Ascending from the end of the sky, circling all the way to the end of the sky."】

【"My heart burns within me, burning along with my thoughts."】

【"My end is here, my fate is here, my life is here."】

【"My life is equivalent to nothing, wandering like a shadow."】

【"My bow cannot be relied upon, and my sword cannot save me."】

【"With the only thing remaining, I hope to protect his footsteps..."】

【".... Lord, I entrust this body to Your disposal—"】

【A flower of flame appears from the drawn hilt; these are the very flames that took Jeanne's life. People believe these flames are punishment for the witch, but Jeanne believes these flames are the final salvation.】

【This is Saint Jeanne, the first and last sword.】