The view before his eyes was nothing but a despairing blackness, boundless and endless, as if the entire world had been cursed. Unbearable, utterly unable to bear the sheer malevolence of existence.

Undoubtedly, the only one in this age capable of carrying such a curse must be the King of Heroes alone. The absolute authority of the rule, which nothing could obstruct, lost its defensive power before that infinite curse. The seeping in of the Black Mud, its absorption, and then...

Just as he was about to lose consciousness, a brilliant light suddenly pierced his eyes, a radiance that seemed to cleanse everything in the world. Enveloped by that golden light... evil could not invade.

"The Land Where Dreams Rest... Avalon?"

The moment consciousness returned, Lin Luo instantly understood what it was. That dazzling golden light enveloping him, blocking all the Black Mud outside... it could be nothing else. However, the maximum capture range of the scabbard only allowed for one person; it could only grant invulnerable defense to one individual. Since the scabbard was currently functioning upon him, that meant...

"Saber?" Thinking of this, Lin Luo quickly looked to his side, only to see the girl, her magic utterly spent, three-quarters of her body already submerged in the Black Mud. He couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Why?"

"This way... I am returning it to you," the girl smiled, speaking as if finally released from a burden. At this moment, she had given up resisting, allowing the curse of the Black Mud to cover her entirely.

"Idiot, no one ever said you needed to repay anything," Lin Luo began to move, struggling toward the girl. His body felt as heavy as if it were filled with molten iron. Although Avalon protected him from the corrosion of evil, that did not mean he could move freely within the Black Mud; his progress was incredibly difficult.

"That won't do," the girl shook her head. Her soft tone carried an unexpectedly firm resolve. "This scabbard must protect you, whether for her sake or to repay what I owe you."

"Just... hold on a little longer, I'll pull you out right away..." Lin Luo gritted his teeth and pushed forward, breaking through the layers of the Black Mud's restraint, reaching out his hand.

But the girl paid him no mind, forcing a bitter smile. "Ah, now I finally understand. Some things, once they happen, have happened, and there is no way to redo them. Why didn't I understand until now? No, I should have understood long ago; I just didn't want to believe it."

"Then, do you believe it now? What is done cannot be taken back." He responded to her words while grasping forward with even greater force... just a tiny bit more, and he could have grasped her.

Yes, what is lost cannot be regained, what is done cannot be undone. What has already happened can never be relived; life is not a game where one can reload or save. Even for Rin, she returned ten years into the past, saved her family, saved her sister, allowing them to live happily. But what of it?

In her memories, her parents had died once, her sisters had been separated once; these memories could never be erased. Ten years without a single relative, only her... No one could change this fact.

Right, even if she went back, it couldn't be changed. What she did was merely create a new future, but in that future, there was no place for her.

For her, the past was always singular: the past where she was alone.

She was merely an interloper, detached from cause and effect, adrift outside the flow of time.

That sorrowful past, no matter how altered, remained etched in her heart. Therefore, there was no place for her here; this was not a setting for her existence. Her past remained singular forever.

This was the same as the past Saber wished to change. Even if she truly returned to the moment she drew the Sword in the Stone, even if she truly altered history, the memory of the kingdom's fall could never be wiped clean. She had only recreated a new reality, and regardless of whether it was better or worse, one thing was certain: in that new future, there would absolutely be no existence for her.

"Ah, I believe it. I have been chasing a mistaken wish all along," the girl laughed. "Perhaps, besides myself, no one else would wish to relive it. After all, everyone has fought with all their might, struggling to live. If everything were redone, it would negate everyone's efforts. A King should live on, bearing all of this."

"Have you decided? Then you should not give up now." Lin Luo reached his hand out to her.

But the girl shook her head, not taking his hand, instead leaning backward. "Precisely because I have decided, I will bear all of this. Therefore, I cannot escape again. Besides, Avalon can only protect one person."

"Wait, Saber..."

Lin Luo's words received no reply, for the girl before him was completely swallowed by the Black Mud.

"What an... incorrigibly foolish person," Lin Luo clenched his fist, an inexpressible pressure crushing his heart.

"Lin Luo..." A gentle voice reached his ears. The spectral silhouette of Leigh hovered over his back, a flicker of faint sorrow in her eyes... The two were currently fused, equal to one person. Protected by Avalon, the Black Mud could not corrupt Le either.

"Ah, I know. This is not the time for grief. Hmph, some others won't give me that opportunity," Lin Luo knew what Le meant, and he knew what he had to do now. He raised his head, coldly staring at the Black Mud surrounding him.

"Then come, Le, give these wretches the strongest strike, let them know..."

Lin Luo held the Blade of the Verdant Wind in both hands, raising it behind him. The white spiral merged with the dazzling golden light... this was the result of the combination of Avalon enveloping Lin Luo's entire body and his own power.

Though he couldn't explain why this reaction occurred, the power he felt at this moment was undeniably stronger.

"...Gale Ring." The roaring wind pressure sounded like a giant dragon growling. The wind blades shimmering with golden light tore apart and vaporized every trace of Black Mud in sight. The surging wave pierced the darkness, allowing the pure white moonlight to be seen once more.

Taking advantage of the Black Mud not having time to reform, Lin Luo instantly escaped using teleportation, standing suspended in the night sky.

"Not bad, not bad. You actually managed to escape that defilement," the blonde, red-eyed girl looked up at Lin Luo floating in mid-air, showing a rare smile of appreciation. However, in the next moment, a sinister smirk curved her lips, and she spoke with slight annoyance, "But to force this King to look up at you—that is a capital offense!"

Bending her body, she gripped the Ea with one hand. As the blade rotated, a dull sound emanated from the sword body, and immense magical power began to gather once more.

"This woman..." Seeing this, Lin Luo couldn't help but grit his teeth. This sparkling little loli was erratic and insane, throwing tantrums all day long, and now, at a time like this, she chose to pick a fight with him. She must have a death wish.

"Lin Luo, the new chant..." Le whispered softly. The opponent's attack was impossibly strong; Gale Ring alone could not contend with her. "This is the strongest chant I can use right now. I don't know if it can block her, but..."

"No, don't recite the new chant yet," Lin Luo shook his head, refusing before Le could finish. Indeed, Gale Ring absolutely could not stand against Ea. The only thing that might contend with it would be the lost, most ancient ballad, but given Le's current condition and their current fusion level, such a ballad was impossible to sing.

Moreover, using a new chant would put considerable strain on Le. Rather than that, it was better to continue using Gale Ring. There was no need to clash head-on with the golden flash; as long as they could withstand her initial wave of attacks using Avalon, they could then strike unexpectedly...

"Mm, I understand." Their hearts were synchronized at this moment, and Le nodded, then they began reciting the chant together.

The next instant...

"Gale Ring."

"Enuma Elish."

Lin Luo and the King of Heroes unleashed their attacks simultaneously. The roaring wind and the beam of destructive magic collided. Predictably, after less than a second of stalemate, the storm formed by Gale Ring was scattered by the vastly superior force, which then surged toward Lin Luo without pause, like a rampant torrent.

However, the wielder of such a terrifying strike did not display any smugness. The crimson pupils of the blonde girl held an expression of disbelief, for she saw that after their attack dissolved, the opponent had not fled but was instead charging headlong toward the attack of Ea.

"Are you... insane?"

The girl asked subconsciously, but what shocked her even more came next. The immense power wrought by Ea had undeniably struck the opponent, yet the target seemed protected by something; the earth-shattering magical power could not penetrate.

And Lin Luo used this opportunity to instantly teleport to the girl's side, unleashing another strike.

A sharp gust of energy rushed toward her face. The girl's expression changed slightly, but there was no fear in her eyes, for countless Noble Phantasms had already materialized behind her, shooting toward Lin Luo like lightning.

"Damn it!" Lin Luo instinctively raised his blade to block, and then, the sounds of clang, clang, clang rang out continuously.

"Ugh..." Le's slightly pained voice reached his ears, causing Lin Luo to frown. Instantly, the authority of the rule fully activated, and an invisible white mist immediately permeated his surroundings, briefly blocking the assault from the Gate of Babylon.

"Le, are you hurt?" Retreating from the King of Heroes' attack, Lin Luo immediately inquired behind him.

"I'm... fine." Although she said so, Lin Luo could tell that Le's voice was already very weak. That was natural; although Avalon's power could protect them from harm as much as possible, he was not the proper master of the scabbard. Forget absolute defense; even the duration of the defense was extremely short. And Le, who had faced EA and the Gate of Babylon head-on, must have consumed far greater power.

"I apologize, Le. Rest well; I will handle the rest of the fight alone," Lin Luo said with a trace of guilt, while mentally summoning Bai Rui.

In an instant, a white light shot over from a distance. Before Le could react, Lin Luo swiftly withdrew from his fused state with her, then handed her over to Bai Rui, instructing her to carry her away from the battlefield.

"Is this truly wise, giving up such a powerful weapon?" The King of Heroes glanced at the figure flying toward Bai Rui and did not try to stop her, instead looking at Lin Luo with slight disdain.

"You'll know soon enough, disobedient little loli," Lin Luo responded with a touch of mockery... His tasks now were twofold: first, eliminate the golden flash; second, destroy the Black Holy Grail. Both had to be completed before the scabbard's defense ended, or he would have no hope left.

"Little loli? You mongrel!" Such an address made the girl grind her teeth in anger. Her eyes filled with killing intent, and she gripped Ea with one hand, assuming the exact same posture as before.

"That move again? Then I'm not holding back... whatever the consequences," Lin Luo sneered, bending his body and actually mirroring the girl's posture exactly.

The girl frowned instinctively, but then her eyeballs nearly popped out, for she saw something suddenly appear in his previously empty hand, and that object was...

"EA?" The girl blurted out, an expression of utter disbelief on her face.

"Of course. What can contend with Ea except Ea itself?" Lin Luo stated as a matter of course.

"Damn you... a mere fake, perish! Enuma Elish!" The girl couldn't fathom how the opponent had replicated her ultimate treasure, but such an act filled her with immense humiliation, and she attacked without hesitation.

"It is true that a fake's power will surely be inferior to the genuine article, but... Enuma Elish!"

Almost at the same moment, Lin Luo also launched his attack.

Instantly, two immense forces collided. At that moment, the heavens seemed to collapse and the earth to shake violently.

But Lin Luo was not fool enough to try to fight Ea with sheer force against the King of Heroes, as the authority of his rule was far from complete, and he absolutely could not win a direct clash. Therefore, the instant he launched his attack, he used teleportation to arrive behind the girl, his right hand lightning-fast, hooking around her neck, while his left hand gripped four brilliantly shining gems.

"You..." The girl's face immediately changed drastically. She could feel the immense magical power contained within those four gems. Her resistance to magic was only C-rank; even an A-rank spell could inflict some damage upon her, and the magic contained in these four gems was clearly above A-rank, possessing the absolute ability to obliterate her.

Naturally, this was because the gems Lin Luo was currently using were the unused