You are very strong, but my painting style is better than yours!

"My name and my senior's name are actually..."

"Catch it with gritted teeth!"

As if venting this nameless rage, King Saber Arthur raised the reversed holy sword high.

"boom--!"

An even greater amount of magic gathered on the blade, and a massive, jet-black pillar of light rose from the king's hand.

The mere wind pressure generated by the flow of magic created a storm in the great void that crushed everything. The rubble was swept into the gale and then ground into powder by the dissipating magic, quickly rising into a gray tornado.

"Well……"

Mashu struggled against the wind pressure, gripping the shield tightly with both hands, afraid to let go.

No, this attack can't be blocked—that's the conclusion the girl made.

But she had to hold on!

She chose to stand in front of everyone; she had decided to protect everyone with her own body, and she would never back down.

This girl, who covered one eye with her bangs because of her introverted nature, was clearly weak and timid, yet at this moment she was braver than anyone else.

"Are you planning to face everything alone? Foolish!"

Saber's gaze darkened, and with a roar, she unleashed a torrent of black energy from her blade.

Like a myth come to life, the radiance cleaved through everything, mercilessly crashing into the great cross shield once more!

"boom--!"

An unprecedented impact struck the shield, and the immense pressure caused her body to groan in agony within half a second. The slender girl could no longer support herself and knelt on the ground.

Just then, two hands reached out from the left and right and pressed down on her right hand, resisting the impact together.

"Well……"

Mash looked up in surprise and found that her Master and another Servant had appeared beside her from behind.

That was the Free Servant they encountered after arriving at this singularity. As an unnamed lancer, he dealt with Rider and Archer. Without him, the two of them would never have been able to reach King Arthur.

"Senpai, Berserker-san..."

"How can we let you shoulder everything alone at a time like this?"

Ritsuka struggled to hold up the shield and managed to give Mash a weak smile.

"And I."

The man reached out from the other side and braced himself against the shield.

"Just call me Iori... Although I am a nameless Servant, I still have some power."

"Of course, we promised to go back together!"

With these words, a stroke of the Command Seal on Ritsuka's hand disappeared, and an extremely pure magical power began to flow.

"..."

Mashu opened her eyes wide, wanting to say something but not knowing where to begin.

"It's alright, Mashu."

Ritsuka and Iori exchanged a glance, both with determined looks in their eyes, while the Master lowered her head to look at Mash, saying gently but firmly, "You can do it, we all believe in you, and—you are not fighting alone!"

"……Um!"

A lovely smile, like a flower, bloomed on the girl's face. "I understand!"

If power can be hidden in words, then this sentence undoubtedly gave Mash boundless courage.

There is no need to avoid battle or fear the enemy. With companions by your side, you are fearless. While protecting others, you are also supported by them from behind.

Yes, the so-called "protection" is by no means a one-sided effort and sacrifice, but rather the gathering of everyone's will to form an invincible shield!

"Mash Kyrielight—Battle begins!"

hum!

The simple, unadorned shield was instantly coated with a dreamlike light and shadow.

A dazzling, transparent barrier unfolds like an expanding barrier, with intersecting light trails constantly rotating, as splendid as an inverted kaleidoscope!

……

France, a battlefield scarred by war...

"Battle over... The enemy's spiritual energy reaction has been confirmed to have disappeared."

Mashu hesitated before asking, "Have we... won?"

"Yes, we won."

Iori gasped for breath, looking quite exhausted, and spoke with difficulty.

He was dressed as a Nordic-style swordsman, wielding a platinum two-handed greatsword.

In Mash and Ritsuka's eyes, this is a rather strange Servant. He was a Berserker in Fuyuki... Although it is normal for Servants to change classes, his clothes, weapons and combat techniques are completely different!

However, they still received a lot of care from Iori this time, which deepened Ritsuka and the others' gratitude.

"Congratulations, Masters of Chaldea."

Joan of Arc walked slowly, her body disheveled from the battle, yet the Saint Maiden was surprisingly carefree.

"You have won the victory and saved this era."

Joan of Arc smiled gently and said, "Although it was a very tough battle, there will probably be many more difficulties waiting for you in the future. I hope you can remember how you feel now, and never give up hope even in the most desperate situations."

"Ms. Jeanne..."

Ritsuka pursed her lips, seemingly realizing something, and her expression turned sorrowful. "Are you going to disappear?"

"Yes, after all, I was originally a Servant summoned by this era to fight against the distortion. Now that the cause of the distortion no longer exists, the singularity will be corrected, and I will return to the Throne of Heroes."

"However, please don't look sad."

Our separation is only temporary. We will answer the call whenever you need help. This is both to protect humanity and to protect you.

Iori, Mashu, and Ritsuka exchanged glances and all smiled with relief.

"Saving humanity is an almost impossible task, but if it is you, you will surely be able to break through the thorny path and find the light and hope that can save the world."

...Well, I don't really like saying goodbye.

Keep it up! Don't let the lousy guys who created this hellhole lose!

……

In the holy city that was originally called "Jerusalem";

“Bedwell…I was the first and the last knight.”

In the majestic palace, the Lion King, clad in magnificent armor and a cloak, looked at the handsome knight kneeling before her and revealed a vivid, anthropomorphic expression.

Suddenly, a warm sensation slid down my cheek.

"Well?"

The pure white king paused, wiping the corner of his eye, staring blankly at the water stains, lost in thought.

His dignified and imposing face remained unmoved, showing neither regret nor sorrow, but... the tears were uncontrollable.

why?

—Thinking this, the Lion King's hand holding the Holy Lance trembled slightly.

She refused to admit it, so she swung her holy lance, but the powerful blow was blocked by the old, worn-out greatsword.

Clang!

The Servants, who are like ghosts, and Artoria, who is like a goddess, are like two sides of the same coin.

Ironically, standing with Chaldea at this moment was Assassin Aizen Iori, who seemed more inclined to the evil side.

"Iori! Mashu, provide backup!"

"Understood, Master!"

Ritsuka and Mash acted in perfect unison. Although Iori didn't need any help, he pretended to be struggling, allowing Mash to wield the shield and participate in the battle against the Lion King.

"Ah ah ah..."

After failing to break through Iori's defenses for a long time, the Lion King was once again repelled by Iori's greatsword and clutched his head in pain.

"King..."

His hands and feet began to crumble into clods of earth, and Bedivere, whose chest was pierced by the Holy Lance, smiled slightly and slowly bent down, kneeling on one knee.

A silvery-white light shone on his right arm, and the metal arm was finally freed, gradually returning to its proper position in the light.

It was an incomparably dazzling golden sword!

The broad, straight blade gleams with the brilliance of glory and stars; its very existence is a symbol of victory and kingship.

—Excalibur, the sword of Victory!

The prosthetic limb that Merlin created for Bedivere was actually a transformed version of the Star Sword!

“My king, it is time to return this sword to you.”

Bedivere held the holy sword in his left arm and looked up at the pure white goddess.

"Please remember our past, your ideals and great achievements!"

"No!"

The Lion King drew his holy spear, but surprisingly took a step back as if in fear.

"Don't bring that kind of thing near me! It's a past I've long since abandoned, and it's useless to me now!"

She seemed to be desperately denying something, shaking her head repeatedly: "No, no, no, it's not like that... it shouldn't be like that..."

"If this is something you don't need, then why are you shedding tears?"

Bedivere gazed tenderly at the Lion King: "My King, let me complete this final task, end my thousand-year journey, and offer my loyalty."

Believe me, as long as you grasp this sword, the doubts and anxieties that have been troubling you will dissipate like the morning mist in the dawn light.

"No, I won't..."

He spoke these words with a trembling voice, but the Lion King could not control himself and slowly reached out his right hand to grasp the golden hilt of the sword.

"—!"

In an instant, the holy sword shone with an incomparably dazzling brilliance, and fragments of memories from the distant past surfaced in the depths of consciousness, their dust blown away by the light of the holy sword.

Clang——!

The hand holding the Holy Lance loosened its grip, causing this supreme weapon to fall to the ground like scrap metal, which the king no longer cared about.

"I finally remember... Bedivere, have you been wandering all this time, enduring hardships, in order to eliminate that cause and effect?"

That's amazing! My last and best, loyal knight!

And so, here is my final judgment: Stand tall, Lord Bedivere!

You have undoubtedly returned the holy sword; you have indeed fulfilled... the king's command.

"Is that so...that's good."

Now I can rest in peace. Farewell, my king.

After speaking, the knight's body completely turned into dust, and then gradually dissipated in a burst of spiritual light...

"Then let us begin, Chaldea lords."

Artoria looked at Ritsuka, Mashu, and Iori with a gentle smile.

Ritsuka still had tears in her eyes, but she was startled by the Lion King and quickly assumed a proper fighting stance.

Seeing this, Artoria smiled brightly: "Although I have abandoned the Holy Lance, I still have the Holy Sword in my hand... Let's use this to put a period to our story!"

"As you wish!"

Iori, draped in a black cloak and wearing a white bone headdress, stepped forward—this time, his role was that of an assassin enshrined in the temple.

Speaking of which, how many times have I collaborated with this Heroic Spirit?