C434

"Mom, please, let me go!"

Within the vast expanse of the imaginary world, Sakura was shouting loudly.

She desperately wanted to pry open the gateway that led out of this world, yet an even more formidable force restricted that exit.

"Mom, I need to get out!" Sakura yelled out.

She had no doubts about who was behind this, and she was painfully aware of who had the power to effortlessly confine her within this imaginary world.

The one who bestowed strength upon her, who granted her authority– her caring mother, the primordial goddess of Mesopotamia, Tiamat!

When Angelica suddenly launched an attack on Miyu and the others, her brother turned to her with a request. He left the youngest to her care, asking Sakura to lead her to safety and protect her from harm.

True to her promise, Sakura stepped up and protected her sister. But then, an unsettling change rippled across the sky. At first, it was a colossal arm, and shortly thereafter, an immense dragon head emerged into view.

The dragon's gaping maw opened, revealing a hand eerily similar to her brother's black mud. It was at this moment that her mother, Tiamat, made her move, pulling Sakura into a seemingly boundless world, untouched by the confines of time and space—an endless expanse.

"Mom, please...!" Sakura cried out.

Remembering how a huge, monstrous being suddenly ripped across the sky, spreading an overwhelming sense of dread that felt like the beginning of an apocalyptic nightmare, she was very worried about her brother, little sister, and even her elder sister who'd just come back from Finland.

She had strong urge to protect her loved ones from harm, but there she was, stuck in this place thanks to her mom.

"Right here, my child, you're absolutely safe."

Sakura's loud cries didn't go unanswered.

The primordial goddess, who seemed to inhabit this boundless imaginary world, responded to her.

In her heart, conflicting emotions swirled—a blend of maternal love and a sense of killing intent.

Sakura's eyes darted around as she couldn't hold back any longer. She yelled out, "Mom, please, I need to get out of here!"

"I can't allow that, my dear. It's too risky out there."

The dark expanse of the imaginary world suddenly started glowing, casting its light upon her.

Slowly, Sakura began to realize that she was surrounded by two colossal hands.

When she turned, her gaze met that of a colossal goddess with an expression that was both delicate and affectionate.

Tiamat cradled Sakura within the palm of her hand, her soft purple eyes reflecting genuine concern as she peered down at her.

"Mom, I'm begging you, please let me go. My brother, little sister, and elder sister are all out there. I can't just stay here and do nothing."

"This place is safe."

Sakura's response was filled with frustration, "But safety alone isn't what matters, Mom!"

"You're saying this because you don't know the true nature of that thing. It doesn't matter if you don't know how terrifying it is. But as your mother, I can't let you get hurt."

Tiamat's expression softened with affection.

...

Young Shirou stood beside the Tower of Light, meticulously establishing a defensive network in the sky. He also made use of Merlin's Clairvoyance EX to monitor the situation happening in Fuyuki City and analyze the details.

By now, civilians were already close to Mount Enzou. Under the guidance of Fuyuki City's administration, working in tandem with his own troops and government officials, they were being actively evacuated from the mountain's vicinity.

He felt a wave of relief wash over him. The planet hadn't betrayed him; there was indeed an escape route at Mount Enzou.

The City Hall was a hub of bustling activity. Thankfully, with Merlin taking on the role of a central overseer, a significant share of his responsibilities was shouldered, lightening his burden.

Staring up at the sky, Shirou found himself both bewildered and weighed down by a heavy heart, as the enormous dragon head lay in a deep slumber due to the planet's meddling, and black humanoid figures protruded from the dragon's neck, each of them letting out haunting howls.

——[??????]

His Noble Phantasm still couldn't perceive the truth behind those humanoid shapes on the dragon's neck. However, he had already pieced together the truth about them.

They were the gods. One of the humanoid figures that Karna had mentioned earlier was probably none other than Karna's own father, the Sun God Surya. And among those humanoids on the neck, Astraea was likely there too!

But it just didn't make sense. How could their enemies absorb gods like this?

This kind of enemy was way beyond what mere humans could handle...

——Looks like you could use a little hand, King of Men.

Once again, his body oozed with crimson mud, and the voice of Crimson Moon echoed in his mind. But this time, her tone wasn't as stern as before. It carried a gentle quality, an enchanting aura, akin to a succubus luring hearts and tempting them toward corruption.

"Can you actually lend me a hand, Crimson Moon?"

——Certainly. Just pledge yourself as my vassal.

Shirou couldn't help but chuckle, "You've got to be kidding. How many Gods have you taken down?"

——All of these are Gaia's creations. I am the King of the Moon. They don't stand a chance against me.

"You've got it wrong. Many of these so-called gods are just outsiders who came down here, given divine status because of how humans perceived them. And your existence is like a footnote in this story!" He scoffed.

——Impossible! Why do you still possess such a tenacious will at this moment?

"Isn't it obvious? If I let myself be beaten by you, I'd never live it down!" He sneered.

——Allow me to share a little secret with you.

"Do you really think you can confuse my mind?"

——Hehehe... Guess what? You've got a child!

"Heh," Shirou chuckled, waving her off dismissively.

Trying to pull a fast one on him with this trick?

Heh. 

He's always been the virtuous type, never dipping his toes into romantic stuff. He's never even had a girlfriend before, and suddenly he's supposed to be a dad? Ridiculous.

——Don't write it off just yet. Let me show you.

A satisfied grin crept onto Crimson Moon's face as moments from the past flickered to life within Shirou's consciousness.

Although Crimson Moon's will was attached to 'Vampiric Evil,' she couldn't erode Shirou's spirit and will. His 'Indomitable Will A+++' skill was like an unbreakable shield, so tough that not even the planet could put a dent in it.

So, Crimson Moon couldn't affect him, she was left powerless against him and even the scenes she wanted to show him couldn't draw his consciousness into them. Instead, they transformed into images displayed within his mind.

These scenes... 

Seemed somewhat familiar.

The grand palace before him was none other than the palace from his Camelot days.

Inside the palace, deep into the night, he saw the scene of himself buried in paperwork.

"Your Majesty, I've carefully brewed chicken soup for you. Please try it," Morgan approached with a smile, holding out the steaming bowl.

Shirou sternly ordered, "Stand at the door, thirty steps away from me!"

A quick glance, and he couldn't help but chuckle, "You're not trying to tell me that Modred is our kid, right? That's a good one! I've always seen right through that woman's intentions, but I never let her get close enough for that kind of stunt. I didn't touch a drop of that soup!"

——Don't be too hasty, King of Men. The real show has just begun.

Shirou scrunched his eyebrows.

...

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