"One, two, three..." "One, two, three, four..." "......four, five......" The young man lay still in the darkness, his bright eyes meticulously scanning the environment. His hand, gripping the hilt of his sword, remained poised for an attack, his lips counting silently.

He wasn't counting enemies; instead, he was using the observation of the surroundings and the movement patterns of the surrounding copies to pinpoint a route that would allow him to escape this place swiftly. Two duplicates were to his left, the closest to him. If he moved silently, he could force them back within three moves, and the other duplicates wouldn't arrive in time—undoubtedly the fastest path. However, the terrain on this route was terrible. While he could ignore it, the girl beside him could plummet into irrecoverable disaster with just a slight misstep. No certainty, this path could not be taken.

The other three directions would require at least four moves to force the enemies back, consuming too much time. Before they could disengage, other enemies would instantly surround them, making it far more dangerous! As he observed, the youth's brow furrowed deeper. This situation reminded him of his life before, when he had violated his code of chivalry to infiltrate the Church in search of information about his birth parents, pursued by countless elite Church experts. Although that encounter was a near-death struggle, at least he had been alone. It was said that when brave men meet on a narrow path, the courageous one wins; as long as he dared to fight, victory would ultimately be his. But this time was different. This situation was more perilous than any moment in his past life!

He glanced towards the maiden beside him, keenly aware of why this sense of crisis was so intense—even he felt fear. He could stake his life in a gamble, but he dared not risk hers, not even the slightest danger for her to endure. Because... she was too fragile! What should he do?

The youth contemplated countermeasures for the situation, but despite racking his brains, he had to admit internally that whatever he did would only devolve into a desperate struggle. With his current strength, it was impossible to escape this siege of enemies, who were overwhelmingly stronger than him, while bringing along a novice magician girl beside him who was utterly defenseless in comparison to the foes, let alone the greater number of enemies awaiting them afterward. No matter how he looked at it, it seemed like a dead end!

"Break out through the lower right corner." Then, just at that moment, a voice echoed in his ear. Startled, he instinctively scanned his surroundings. The girl beside him blinked at his strange action, but he didn't notice, desperately trying to locate the source of the sound. "Break out through the lower right corner. Go five hundred meters forward, turn into the small path, and just keep going, keep going. Someone will meet you there. Listen to their arrangements and head to the hotel in the city center. That place is absolutely safe." The voice sounded again, and this time he heard clearly: this voice wasn't in his ear but directly in his mind. Moreover... this voice was not unfamiliar. It was that of the cloaked figure from over a month ago who had held the girl beside him hostage before inexplicably letting them go. Why would that person offer help at this moment? Was there a conspiracy?

His innate caution immediately prompted him to consider the worst-case scenario. While such suspicion didn't align with a knight's bearing, he wasn't a rigid knight; the basic instinct of self-preservation would not be discarded because of chivalry. Yet, upon second thought, he felt his suspicion was perhaps redundant. After all, in his current state, even if left alone, he would only face a dead end; that person needed no reason to go to such lengths. He could trust him! His intuition told him so.

Since he chose to believe, he naturally didn't hesitate. He immediately reached out, grasping the slender waist of the girl beside him, pulling her tightly into his embrace. Normally, such an intimate gesture would provoke a roar and a flurry of resistance from the girl, but at this critical juncture, she merely blushed slightly before wrapping her arms around his body in return. The girl's action revealed her vulnerability, exposing her current state of mind... trust and expectation, as he understood it. It was enough to understand it this way. There was no need to dwell on extraneous matters, because even this alone was proof that he was alive again, allowing him to fight wholeheartedly, to protect. His pride, his dignity, would not allow him to betray this trust and expectation. Therefore, the moment their bodies pressed closely together, infinite fighting spirit ignited in his eyes. Like a flash of lightning, he burst from the darkness holding the girl, striking like lightning towards the first enemy on the right.

The Golden Longsword seemed even more dazzling in the darkness. The reflection of light momentarily disabled the enemy's reaction. Although the opponent's combat instincts were sharp and he reacted immediately, the young man had already anticipated this scenario. The Golden Longsword slashed down swiftly, instantly severing the enemy's arm. Although not fatal, his goal now wasn't to kill but to break out. He knew exactly what actions would buy the most time. Having severed the enemy's arm, he leaped again, charging forward without looking back. Simultaneously, the other enemies were alerted and rushed toward them with lightning speed. He had no advantage in speed; he would soon be surrounded—in less than three seconds, at most. He knew this clearly because he had simulated this exact scene countless times in his mind beforehand. But! He knew this time they could succeed, because...

"Don't mind them, charge straight ahead." Indeed, the voice sounded once more. Three seconds seemed long, but in reality, it passed in an instant. As the voice fell silent, he could already see the enemies' attacks coming. He believed the girl in his arms could also see them. He even knew that if he ignored these attacks, in the next moment, not only he but also the girl in his arms would be blown to pieces by the enemy assault. However, since he had chosen to believe, there was no need for further doubt. If he acted with hesitation, it would have been better not to believe from the start. So, ignoring the surrounding attacks entirely, he accelerated his charge towards the enemy directly ahead who had already initiated an attack... this scene made it look as if he were actively seeking death.

Seeing this, a flicker of surprise crossed the girl's eyes. She instinctively opened her mouth but ultimately said nothing, merely burying her head and gently closing her eyes. She knew her own incompetence and powerlessness. She hadn't inherited her father's magic, nor did she possess the talent of her older sister. While envying the swan-like children of others, she felt inferior about her own plainness. This inferiority forced her to live in the shadows, unable to enjoy life in the sunlight as freely as others, gradually making her dislike contact with others, transforming her into a shadowy, obscure existence. Sometimes she yearned to find someone to rely on, but the more she relied, the more she lamented her own inability. Ultimately, she was still a solitary being. But when there was a strong pair of arms beside her to shield her from the wind and rain, why refuse? Why not try to accept it? Was it because of her own incompetence that she wasn't qualified? Even if only for such a brief moment, even if she were to die afterward, at least... it felt warm. To trust him, to entrust everything to him... Ayaka Sajyou knew this was the only thing she could do right now. She must do it! When one cannot exert strength, what else is there but to believe?

Ayaka Sajyou chose to believe in him, and he chose to believe in that voice. At this moment, both their lives were entirely out of their own hands, existing in that uncertain future. But whether it was her or him, there was no unease in their hearts. While believing in each other, they also believed... they could survive! Boom! The sound of the imminent attack vibrated in their ears, but in the very next moment, a light suddenly illuminated the dark night sky. The light shot down like an arrow, carrying brilliance and vitality. Those arrows not only blocked the surrounding attacks for them but also annihilated all the enemies. Taking advantage of this opportunity, he hugged the girl tightly and sprinted forward with all his might. Straight ahead, straight ahead... He strictly followed the voice's instructions, cautiously avoiding enemies lingering nearby while speeding forward as fast as possible. The path that had seemed so close now felt extraordinarily long. He didn't know how long he had been running; he only knew that he was getting closer and closer to the destination. Whoosh! However, just then, an arrow shot towards them with the speed of a meteor. He instinctively looked over and saw a figure in a dougi (martial arts robe) drawing a bow atop the sky. He couldn't see the face; it was a duplicate. Just by looking at it, he could sense the disparity; that enemy... was definitely not someone he could fight. But he didn't need to fight him. Because almost simultaneously, a black rift suddenly appeared in front of the arrow, swallowing it whole as if it were the mouth of a monstrous beast. Then, a girl's head poked out from the black rift, shouting at him, "To the right, the hotel!" After speaking, the girl retracted her head and instantly appeared behind the duplicate. He didn't pay attention to the subsequent battle, nor could he afford to, because following the sound of that piercing arrow, more enemies surged towards them. All he could do was obey the girl's instruction, turn right, and rush directly toward the hotel. Keep running! Following the constant prompts from that voice and the successive appearances of reinforcements, he could finally see the road leading to the city center hotel... it was only five minutes away; that was the absolutely safe zone. "The interference is severe; I can only help you this far..." The voice in his head cut off before finishing. He understood that he might not receive any further assistance and would have to rely on his own strength to cover the remaining five minutes. But there was nothing to fear! Feeling the warmth of the girl in his arms, he tightened his grip on the longsword and rushed forward fiercely. Enemies sprang out from both sides of the street, pouncing on them like beasts hunting prey, but his expression never wavered. Wielding his Golden Longsword with all his might, he protected her and advanced relentlessly. Crimson blood surged from his body, spraying into the sky and scattering onto the earth, dyeing his silver armor red, and also dyeing the girl in his arms. This blood belonged to both enemies and himself, but he didn't care at all, because what he was focused on, what he saw, was only one thing... the finish line ahead! As enemies fell one by one, the crowded street seemed to widen. And as he drew closer to the end, he sensed that the atmosphere surrounding the hotel was vastly different... not just the hotel, but the entire plaza centered around it felt safe. "Hold on!" Although enemies kept coming and his remaining strength dwindled, precisely at the most difficult moment, a group of girls—some he knew and some he didn't—rushed out from the hotel, blocking the fiercest wave of enemies for him. Reinforcements! This sight bolstered his confidence; he believed... he could certainly fulfill his promise. Holding this intense conviction, he raised his longsword once more, and finally, he was only one step away from the plaza. But at that moment, his expression drastically changed. Then, with a forceful throw of both hands, he hurled the girl in his arms violently into the plaza ahead. Bang! The girl crashed heavily onto the ground. As she got up, she looked at the young man opposite in disbelief. Standing motionless at the edge of the plaza, he forced a tender smile onto his face and said, "See? I told you, you... will definitely not die. No matter what curse... I... can break it all..." "Saber... You, could it be?!" The girl stared blankly, finally noticing a sharp blade protruding from his heart. "Don't worry, it's just... a minor injury." With that gentle smile, he turned around. At this moment, the girl saw it clearly: a blood-red long spear was lodged in his back. Gungnir—the Spear of Certain Hit! "Hey, Heroic Spirits don't die, especially ones like me..." He turned his head, looking at her with faint, dying eyes, and simultaneously raised the Golden Longsword, aiming it at the enemy in the sky who had thrown the spear, chuckling, "Even if I die, I don't need anyone to avenge me, because I will handle my own affairs." As the words faded, the Golden Longsword cleaved forward... Sword of Victory Reincarnation! A blinding light instantly engulfed the enemy in the sky. And the swordsman, having exhausted all his strength, could no longer hold his sword. With a clang, the longsword symbolizing his identity finally clattered to the ground. "Saber!!!" Ayaka Sajyou's eyes filled with tears as she cried out and ran towards him. Turning around, the youth wore a weak smile. "I'm sorry. I've been lying to you all this time. I'm actually not King Arthur, I am..." "None of that matters at all..." The girl desperately shook her head, reaching out her hand as she ran, desperate only to grasp the one presence that made her feel warmth. A sorrowful smile contorted her tear-streaked face. "Please tell me your real name..." However, before her hands could reach him, the person before her dissolved into sparks scattering before her eyes, leaving behind only a single sentence echoing in her ears. "Live on. You must live on..."

PS: Listening to Hatsune Miku's "Death Flag Code" while writing this chapter was so lovely; it was so healing, I felt completely restored!