"Thank you for granting me the choice," the King’s gaze settled upon the only man before her. "The chance to continue existing in a different way, so that this end is not choked with regret."

"Thank you for guarding what is most precious to me," the King spoke to the girl who was her exact double. "My husband, my child—I entrust them to the other me."

Finally, the King’s gaze rested on the solitary Knight before her. "And Bedivere, I thank you too. For following a useless King like me, never abandoning your post. Having you as my guardian knight brings me no greater joy."

"My King! You must not speak so! It is my own inadequacy!" Bedivere sank to one knee, her face contorted with agony.

A sorrow of final parting enveloped both Artoria and Bedivere, yet only Lin Luo understood this was not the end. Though separation was inevitable now, a reunion awaited someday—no sorrow, no sighs necessary. All that was needed now was...

"Alaya, let us complete our final pact." Lin Luo rose, and as his voice fell, a silver-haired maiden materialized in the air above. Her eyes were clear as ice, devoid of human emotion, yet one could sense a hidden, burning intensity within, as if condensing all the world's feelings.

Alaya’s appearance shattered the atmosphere of grief. Bedivere stared blankly, momentarily unable to process the sight.

"Is it decided?"

"There is no need for hesitation." Lin Luo nodded, then turned his attention to the King, whose consciousness was fading, shouting, "Come, our King! Surrender your consciousness and memories entirely! Bear the weight of all responsibility! To save that sorrow which is already decreed, and to continue forward with honor as the King—deceive yourself this very moment! Deceive the entire world!"

"This is the world we shall guide!" Boom!

An invisible energy burst forth in the space. The King’s body drifted slowly upward. Alaya hovered above her, the power of the contract flooding into the King’s form, altering her memories, reshaping her life, changing her very timeline. From this moment, the King would achieve the realm of a Heroic Spirit while remaining in human form, breaking free from the shackles of the timeline. The price, however, was bearing all responsibility; all existence beyond the timeline was erased from her memory, forgotten until that destined day arrives!

The King vanished. Alaya departed. Bedivere had not yet recovered from the shock. Artoria hoped for the day when she might merge again with her other self. Lin Luo looked towards the sky, watching for the enemy's imminent arrival, the completion of the second reverse causality line, which inevitably heralded another catastrophe.

Footsteps sounded from not far away—Kikyo Katsura, Fujibayashi An, and Kanade Tachibana. They had not participated in this segment of history, yet they were bound to intervene in the coming war.

The entire Demon Sea was enveloped by the power of a barrier, one set in place the moment the Heroic Spirit contract was established. Alaya had arranged it, guiding all enemies into this formation through Gaia’s consciousness.

The enemies were still outside the world, but Lin Luo already received a communication from Gaia. "Still demons that devour worlds, but this enemy is stronger than the last. The lowest tier is LV3. While there are no LV4 entities yet, there are demons beginning to approach that level. With your current strength, you have no chance of winning. However, I can send you reinforcements this time, but before they arrive, you might be completely routed. Prepare to the highest degree before the fighting begins." Lin Luo was prepared for battle, but if the opponents were insurmountable, there was one last thing he had to do.

"Bedivere, I entrust this child to you." Lin Luo handed the infant in his arms to the Knight.

"What?" Not only was Bedivere stunned, but Artoria’s expression also shifted drastically upon hearing Lin Luo’s words. "Why are you giving away our child..."

"Don't you understand yet?"

"..." Seeing the look on Lin Luo's face, Artoria understood. Unlike their time in the world's seams, they were powerless to protect the child now. Though heartbreak wrenched her, for the child’s safety...

"Bedivere, I am no longer King. The bond between us is no longer sovereign and subject, but friendship. I cannot command you as a King; I ask you only as a friend. Bedivere, please raise this child for me, for us!" Artoria suppressed endless sorrow, tears streaming down her face as she spoke.

"I—I understand!" Bedivere forced back the urge to weep, nodding heavily as she took the child. "In the name of a Knight, I swear I will ensure this child grows up safely." "The Scabbard shall protect you!" Artoria reached out, letting the Scabbard's light cascade over Bedivere and the child. The sleeping infant startled awake, emitting a heart-wrenching cry. Artoria could not bear to look, covering her mouth to stifle her own sobs.

"Let’s go, Bedivere." Lin Luo’s heart was as heavy as hers, but he could not afford tears. He pointed in a specific direction. "You, who exist within the timeline, do not need to enter the coming battle. Run forward from here. The Scabbard will keep you safe. Leave now."

"May your journey be blessed with victory!"

Bedivere bowed deeply, knowing the urgency allowed no hesitation. She immediately bolted away, clutching the child, leaving behind only a few stray tears and the infant's wails.

Just as Bedivere’s figure vanished from sight, a fissure tore open in the sky, and countless Abyss Demons poured out from the rift—each one an LV3, each one a rule-level powerhouse!

"Unforgivable!" Sharp eyes fixed on the Abyss Demons descending from above. Artoria transmuted grief into strength, flashing forward in an instant, soaring through the sky with both hands raised in a sword-wielding posture. Her empty hands suddenly manifested a golden radiance, coalesced from her Radiant Glory.

"Glory is my essence!"

As she struck downwards, the golden light tore through the air, instantly shredding the leading Abyss Demon. Yet more surged toward her.

"I'm here too!" More maidens appeared in the sky. Yuri Nakamura shot out countless projectiles; Kanade Tachibana unleashed barrages of light arrows; Cirno scattered sheets of ice rain. The rushing sounds seemed capable of ripping the firmament apart. On the ground, most of the Abyss Demons had landed. Shiina, Fujibayashi An, and Kikyo Katsura fought without reservation, pouring all their effort against the enemy.

Exhilarating music flooded heaven and earth. Under the influence of that blessing, and with the (Master) and (Contractor) fighting side-by-side, everyone’s combat power increased significantly. Even facing opponents stronger than themselves, they felt no fear. And beyond that...

"Come forth... Creation!"

Though the experience points for fully embodying LV2 were not entirely filled, it no longer hampered future development. Lin Luo unhesitatingly absorbed the mental imprint of the Primal Tree, manifesting once again as a rule-level powerhouse.

The Sword of Mist and Rain in his left hand, the Sky-Breaker Blade in his right. Wielding the twin blades, he moved with earth-shattering speed. The power of Clairvoyance guided energy, ensuring not a single leaf touched him, while the Rule of Life shielded him—nothing could penetrate!

The battle between the two sides raged fiercely. With Lin Luo wielding the rule of Creation, the others could disregard their own defenses and attack with full force.

Artoria was especially ferocious. Already a high-level Spirit, coupled with the Scabbard granting her intrinsic invulnerability and numerous BUFFs, she was like a tiger among sheep. Ordinary LV3 Abyss Demons were not a match for a single move of hers.

But even so, facing thousands upon thousands of enemies, they were insufficient. More critically, several particularly powerful ones had already crossed into the peak of the Spirit rank—they simply could not be damaged!

If not for the binding power of the barrier, some might have already fallen.

As time passed, three Heroic Spirits, exhausted of power, returned to the Throne of Heroes. Losing Iwaya's blessing, the group's fighting strength waned drastically. Artoria was no longer unstoppable. Only Lin Luo could maintain a fragile hold by relying on the Rule of Creation; everyone else had descended into mortal peril.

"Sky-Breaker Blade... Cleave Heaven and Earth!" In desperation, Lin Luo could not wait for Gaia's reinforcements. He was forced to risk fully unleashing the power of the Sky-Breaker Blade. As the sword cleaved downward, space shattered. The Demon Sea, already connected to an alternate dimension, immediately erupted into spatial turbulence, threatening immediate annihilation.

The Abyss Demons could not escape the barrier for the moment, meaning if the Demon Sea collapsed, they would perish too. Seizing this opportunity, Lin Luo instantly summoned the Starlight Causeway, and everyone rushed toward it in flight. Cirno was closest to Lin Luo, but upon touching the Starlight Causeway, she abruptly vanished.

Before Lin Luo could react, or before the others could fully enter the Starlight Causeway, two figures suddenly burst forth from the collapsing space, attacking Artoria and Fujibayashi An with blinding speed.

"Danger! Those are Earth Rank!"

Lin Luo’s expression instantly changed. The two girls under attack were powerless to resist, forced to watch the assault near.

"Victory... Sword of Reincarnation!"

Just as the two girls were about to be struck down, a figure streaked in with golden lightning and arrived in the nick of time, slaying the two Earth Rank Abyss Demons with a single sweep of the sword.

It was a handsome youth, perhaps seventeen or eighteen, with short golden hair and a face suggesting mixed East-West heritage. He wielded a golden longsword, his brow subtly echoing Artoria’s features—he was a Heroic Spirit.

Reinforcements... Could it be him?

Seeing the youth, Lin Luo immediately recalled someone. It had to be him—the only one capable of ignoring the effects of this reverse causality!

At this moment, aside from Cirno's sudden disappearance, everyone else had entered the Starlight Causeway. Artoria naturally saw the youth, and a profound surge of emotion rose within her. She gazed, stunned. "Is that person...?" "Yes, Bedivere fulfilled her oath well," Lin Luo murmured, a smile touching his lips. The next second, the Starlight Causeway lifted off the ground.

The young Heroic Spirit, who had been battling the Abyss Demons on the verge of being swallowed by spatial turbulence, suddenly turned, watching the direction where the Starlight Causeway departed. A relieved smile crossed his face. "Farewell, Father, and... Mother."