As the Sea Demon was consumed by the Oath Cannon, the thunder in the sky ceased, and the night returned. Then, a small, limp figure tumbled from the sky, destined to hit the sea, when suddenly a shadow materialized above the water as if by instant travel, gently catching her.

“Lin… Luo…” Mikoto opened her eyes, looking utterly weak, which was entirely understandable. To pull a mountain-sized behemoth from the sea and then isolate it in another dimension required a level of power that perhaps only she truly knew—a power that completely transcended limits.

And she was currently in the body of a seven or eight-year-old. While her strength remained undiminished, her physical stamina had dropped significantly, causing her to collapse into weakness the moment she relaxed.

“You did wonderfully, so you can rest properly now,” Lin Luo said softly, offering her a gentle smile.

“Mmm.” A look of contentment crossed Mikoto’s small face before her eyes closed, and she fell into a deep sleep.

The next moment, Lin Luo, still holding Mikoto, returned to the shore, discovering that one more person had joined the assembly—the shimmering little Loli.

“Quite impressive, King of Knights,” the golden-haired, crimson-eyed girl remarked, gazing at Saber’s imposing countenance with an expression of deep interest mixed with distinct teasing. She then addressed the King of Conquerors, “Did you see that, King of Conquerors? That is the radiance of Saber. After witnessing that light, do you still refuse to acknowledge her?”

The King of Conquerors snorted dismissively, seemingly beneath him to answer, yet his face showed no insult; instead, he watched the sword-wielding girl as one would regard a tragic spectacle… It was only because she shouldered the hopes of the people of an entire era that she could unleash such might. Because it shone so brightly, it was all the more heartbreaking. Who could imagine that the one burdened with such weight was merely a young girl fond of fantasy?

But, it ends today. At least she stood tall, chest out, steadfast in the path she chose; in that regard, at least…

“King of Knights, Lord of Rome, and… the Hero King of Babylon.” The King of Conquerors stood upon his chariot of divine might, surveying the three kings before him. He shed his usual demeanor, regarding them like destined rivals, solemn and serious. “The enemy is vanquished for now. Let us part ways here. When we next meet, the Holy Grail War shall meet its end. And before that…”

His gaze settled on Lin Luo, and he stated gravely, “Tell the White King of Knights to prepare. The next time our armies clash, I will exert my full strength. One of us will surely fall then.”

With that, without waiting for a response, the King of Conquerors urged his chariot forward with a mighty roar, rocketing toward the heavens, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Watching the receding back of the Conqueror King, Lin Luo let out a soft sigh. He knew he could no longer hold back; the final great battle was imminent. The Angra Mainyu… Never mind. Some things are inevitable, no matter how hard one tries to stop them. Since he couldn't prevent it, he would let nature take its course—at worst, they would fight to the death.

At this moment, not just Lin Luo, but everyone standing there had reached the same resolve.

Hearing the Conqueror King’s words, Saber understood that unlike when she left the banquet last night, he had acknowledged her as a king and had stated his position: their next meeting would be a battle unto death.

What shocked Saber even more, however, was Archer’s identity. Although she had suspected it, she never imagined he would be… the Hero King of Babylon. No wonder he was so arrogant, so haughty.

“King of Knights, our final battle is also set for the next encounter,” the Lancer said solemnly, holding his single spear and looking at Saber.

Saber nodded, a flicker of guilt crossing her eyes as she regarded the spear in his hand, but she quickly grew serious. “I will fight with all my strength in the decisive battle. I will not show any mercy because of your actions before; that is a knight’s principle.”

“Hahaha!” The Lancer roared with unmatched spirit. “That is how a final battle should be. If you showed mercy, it would be meaningless. Farewell.” With that, he gave a slight bow to the assembly and sped away into the distance.

“Hero King, our duel shall also be settled when we meet next,” Nero said calmly, holding her deep crimson greatsword, taking a step forward as she addressed the shining golden girl.

“Hmph. Wait until you come to challenge me.” The golden-haired, crimson-eyed girl sneered, but there was no contempt in her gaze. Having crossed swords briefly with the woman before her, she knew deep down that this opponent was no pushover.

“This King sails upon the Gate of Babylon, wandering the world, solitary atop the peak. At the time of our final confrontation, I shall show you what it means to be the Hero King!” At this moment, the girl named Gilgamesh spoke with gravity, her crimson eyes like lotus blossoms flashing with a divine light no one could decipher. Then, the golden radiance receded, and she vanished.

“Then we too shall bid farewell, King of Knights.” Lin Luo, still holding Mikoto, nodded to Saber and Irisviel, then departed the location with Nero and Rei.

...

“That’s strange, I feel like I’ve forgotten something?” As they walked, something suddenly surfaced in Lin Luo’s mind, hazy and yet impossible to pin down.

“Hahaha, have you come down with senility?” Nero teased.

“Senile, my foot. I’ve never had that disease.” Lin Luo shot her a side-eye, then rubbed his chin, beginning to ponder… What exactly had he forgotten? Right, let’s review from a moment ago; something must have been missed in between.

Seven Servants, seven Masters were dead. Caster’s Master, Ryuunosuke Uryuu, should have been dealt with by Kiritsugu Emiya. That minor character wasn't worth worrying about; he was repelled instantly by three Servants and was no concern for now. The Conqueror King was handled. Then, oh right, Lancer…

Lin Luo remembered. This Holy Grail War didn't just have seven Masters; accurately speaking, there were eight—no, counting Irisviel as a proxy, there were nine.

Lancer’s Master at this moment should be Kayneth’s fiancée, Sola, and she had most likely been captured by Kiritsugu Emiya by now… The Holy Grail War was inherently a zero-sum game; especially the Fourth War, it was unimaginably brutal. Lin Luo didn't want to be a savior, risking himself to help people who had no connection to him.

But the problem was, the events following Sola’s capture demanded his attention. The Angra Mainyu was different now than before. Even if he couldn't stop the outbreak of the decisive battle, if the Servants died carrying resentment and malice, they would absolutely become nourishment for the Angra Mainyu, increasing its power.

This was something Lin Luo absolutely could not allow.

No matter what, he had to suppress the power of the Angra Mainyu to the lowest possible level; this related directly to their own safety.

“Nero, I’m leaving Mikoto and Rei in your care for a while. I need to handle something important,” Lin Luo said gravely, handing the sleeping Mikoto to Nero.

“Something important… What is it?”

“It concerns our own safety. Don’t worry, it’s nothing too difficult. For now, please protect Mikoto and Rei for me. I can resolve that matter alone.” Without waiting for Nero’s reply, Lin Luo sprinted rapidly in one direction.

“Truly hard to figure out. Tsk, never mind.” Nero shook her head. Although she felt something was odd, she didn’t dwell on it. After all, she now had some understanding of Lin Luo’s strength. While he might not be able to defeat a Servant, he should be capable of protecting himself. Moreover, for her right now, preparing for the battle against the Hero King was more critical.

Where is it? Where is it? Where is it…

Lin Luo ran, simultaneously casting his sensory field wide, searching everywhere… In the memories he possessed, Lancer ultimately died harboring curses against everyone. If something like that entered the Grail and became food for the Angra Mainyu, the consequences were unimaginable.

“Found them!” Suddenly, the collision of two forces entered Lin Luo’s sensory field, startling him. He could determine that the owners of those two forces were Lancer and Saber. He hadn't expected them to clash so soon, less than two hours after eliminating Caster.

Simultaneously, Lin Luo’s sensory field registered other information that caught his attention… It was Rin and Lily, and the others.

“Lin Luo!” Obviously, they had sensed him too. Rin’s mental communication reached his mind.

“Rin, where are you?”

“We’re in the building to your right. We just spotted a situation, and just as we were about to act, little Saber saw you.”

“A situation? Forget that for now; there are more urgent things to do. Let’s meet up first.”

“Oh, okay… okay.”

In less than a minute, Lin Luo reunited with Rin and the others. Lily, (Mugino), (Shokuhou), and little Saber—none of them had engaged in combat.

“Right, that important thing you mentioned…” As soon as they met, Rin urgently asked.

“Let’s talk while we move. I hope it’s not too late.” A degree of anxiety crept into Lin Luo’s tone.

In a derelict factory, sword light and spear shadows crisscrossed. The golden Holy Sword and the demonic red rose of the spear clashed, a grim re-enactment of their standoff in the warehouse district two nights prior. Saber and Lancer, these two Servants, had begun their true final battle.

However, their close-quarters sword-and-spear engagement was far more intense, direct, desperate, swift, and heavy than their first encounter—a direct collision of power against power.

Sword and demonic spear intertwined, locked in a confrontation, sending dazzling sparks flying. Driven by power and speed far exceeding human capacity, the clash of legendary treasures broke the sound barrier, pushing the ultimate divine skills of this critical moment into an exquisite contest.

Irisviel watched the duel, her expression exceptionally tense.

It was impossible to tell how many rounds had passed—perhaps dozens, perhaps hundreds. It was beyond the scope of the naked eye to judge. After their weapons locked, the two finally separated, creating a distance between them.

“Take this!”

Just then, the Lancer shouted loudly and lunged with his spear. But to everyone’s astonishment, the thrust was not aimed at Saber; instead, he reversed the spearhead and plunged it toward his own heart!

Horrified, Saber understood almost instantly: only a Command Seal could force a Servant to commit suicide!

She tried to intervene, but having just recovered her guard, it was too late; she could only watch. However, just then, a white light, seemingly surpassing all speed, flashed before her eyes, and then…

Clang!

The tip of the spear was blocked. What blocked the demonic spear was the golden sword—Excalibur!

Its owner was, without question, the only one in the current age: the White King of Knights.

“A battle between knights should not end in this manner!” Lily said, her voice heavy with restrained fury, her right hand holding her sword against the spear tip while her left grasped the spear shaft.