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He led Artoria to a more secluded place, away from prying ears. After releasing her hand, he turned to face her. She looked striking in her lion armor and helmet. He hesitated for a moment, trying to find the right words to begin their conversation.

It was she who expressed her concern first, saying, "My King, are you planning to face this danger alone?"

He paused, then gave a gentle smile. "Yes, I've decided to face this one alone."

Her voice grew more urgent. "But why? Even if I've failed as a knight before, I can still be of some use. Please, let me help."

He shook his head gently, causing her heart to sink. But he was right; she was just a failure of a knight who had let him down. There's no way he would want her help now.

His voice broke through her thoughts, "I'm not turning you away; I'm just worried for you."

She looked up at him, confusion lighting her eyes.

He stepped closer and gently removed her lion helmet, revealing a stunning face beneath. His gaze softened as he peered into the depths of her eyes. "Please, don't dwell on past mistakes. If anyone is to blame, it's me, not you. Crimson Moon manipulated my deepest desires, but the origin of those desires was me. I'm deeply grateful to you. Despite the pain I've caused you, you're still willing to stand by me."

"No... that's not true, my King," she began, but before she could continue, he stretched out his hand and wrapped her in a gentle hug.

She couldn't help but shiver. His Majesty... no, the man she revered… was holding her. She wanted to return the gesture, to wrap her arms around him, but hesitation held her back.

Lost in thought, she remembered the endless suffering and pain of her life. How did she find herself in such a blissful moment? It felt like a fleeting dream, almost too good to be true, as if it would disappear in the next moment.

He looked deeply into her blue eyes and said earnestly, "Artie, I will take responsibility."

She averted her gaze, feeling overwhelmed. "My King... you don't need to sacrifice yourself for someone like me. I am just a failed, unworthy woman."

"At the very least, you mean something to me."

She was stunned.

He said seriously, "There's always been a bond between us. Let's try again. Start from the beginning, be together, and truly understand each other. If, of course, you can forgive some of the less than noble thoughts I once had about you."

How could she hold any of that against him? Yet, was this even real?

"But you, you're about to..." her voice quivered, the weight of her concerns holding back the words.

He nodded, "Yes, I intend to devour it."

He gazed deeply into her eyes, "Believe in me. A year, that's all I ask. I'll return without fail. I'll come back to you as Fujimaru Shirou. Can you wait for me?"

"My King... I... someone like me... I don't deserve someone like you... but... I will wait... if you're safe, if you're happy, that's all that matters to me," she murmured, her gaze directed at the ground.

He found himself puzzled. He hadn't noticed this side of her before. Why was she so self-doubtful now? Was being manipulated by Crimson Moon such an unbearable thing for her? Reflecting on it, maybe he could see why it would be. It had tarnished her feelings. It must be hard for her to accept, but it made sense.

He was the same. The very thought that he'd been manipulated by Crimson Moon and brought suffering into her life weighed heavily on him.

Seeing Artoria with her head down, he took a deep breath. 

For all his outward confidence, he was experiencing his first romantic relationship.

To be more precise, because of Crimson Moon's interference, he had missed the initial stages of innocent love. Yet, given that it was his own deepest desires that had brought them here, he had to take responsibility.

With another deep breath, he moved closer, cornering her against a nearby wall, his hand beside her.

"My King...?" Her voice quivered with surprise.

Without a word, he gently lifted her chin and pressed a tender kiss to her lips.

Her eyes fluttered wide. Unlike his earlier relentless demands, this kiss was sweet, gentle, and slightly inexperienced.

He brushed her hair gently, murmuring, "Be more confident, especially when you're with me."

A deep blush painted her cheeks, and she turned away, too flustered to speak.

No one would believe that this was the legendary Lioness of Camelot, Artoria Pendragon, the King of Knights. The same queen who once toppled the Hun Empire in the annals of history.

Shirou and Artoria made their way back to the main hall together, her cheeks still tinged with a blush as she took a seat to one side.

Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow, asking her in a strange tone what had happened, but she just kept her eyes low and sipped her wine in silence.

"This is really nice." Merlin wiped the corner of his eye with his sleeve, looking like an old father worrying about his daughter's love life. But it was Solomon's stare that gave him an uneasy feeling every time their eyes met.

Shirou settled back into his seat at the table.

Gilgamesh snorted and said, "Have you finally sorted out your personal affairs?" 

Shirou nodded, "Sorry for the delay."

Gilgamesh swirled the wine in his cup before taking a sip, "Keep in mind... if you proceed with this, if you become what I think you might... then I won't hesitate to see you as an enemy."

"Don't worry. I'm not going to become your enemy, and I won't turn into a 'Beast.' I'll always be Fujimaru Shirou."

"Do you really believe you can maintain control? The evil within you is reaching a breaking point."

"I won't know if I can do it unless I try, right? You once told me that to truly control our future, we have to break away from destiny. I believe that the future is something we shape ourselves. So, yes, I've made up my mind."

He then smiled and said, "I used to believe that trying what seemed impossible was just plain stupid. But when I became king, I learned that real strength is in attempting the very things you think you can't. We don't just magically gain skills out of thin air; we push ourselves until they emerge. So, I'll take on this trial and return as a human, as Fujimaru Shirou!"

Gilgamesh was quiet for a moment. He was always so full of pride, but right now, he was faced with someone just as proud. Why hadn't he met someone like this in his own time? Maybe then, he could have had a true friend.

Crack, Crack—

Dirt shifted in the distance, and Zelretch emerged from the ground.

Shirou stood up. "Seems like it's time for me to go."

"The feast isn't over yet." Gilgamesh protested.

"But I need to leave."

Gilgamesh's expression turned serious. "Listen, Shirou. If you don't make it back... I will personally deal with the menace known as the 'Beast'!"

Shirou hesitated, then faced him with a smile. "Well, if I screw up, I guess you'll have to clean up after me, Gil."

Approaching the old man, he said, "Zelretch, lead me to the interdimensional rift. I'm going after that invader."

"You sure about this, Eternal King?" Zelretch asked. He wasn't a fool, so how could he not see it coming?

Shirou just nodded. "I've made up my mind."

"You've made up your mind, and that's your problem. But I've only just broken free from that mind-control, and Merlin and I have some unfinished business!" Zelretch said with a hint of anger.

"We can sort out your problems later."

The old man looked at him, pausing for a moment before nodding in agreement.

The room's attention was focused on Shirou.

Meeting their eyes, he gave a reassuring smile.

In the next moment, both he and Zelretch vanished.

The previously joyful atmosphere suddenly became gloomy.

Gilgamesh took a quiet sip from his goblet.

Contrary to their wishes, the banquet of the Three Kings ultimately ended with one person leaving, bringing it to a close.

A unique banquet with two heroic spirits and one living being.

But...

The first to leave was the living person.

Karna, Arjuna, and the three Counter Guardians were covered in what looked like spiritual particles.

Karna remarked in his usual calm manner, "It appears things are back to normal. Time to go."

Okita Souji muttered under her breath, "Would be nice if the next assignment was something like this..."

Emiya kept his thoughts to himself, remaining silent.

Kiritsugu took a long drag from his cigarette, blowing out a ring of smoke, his face bearing its usual forlorn expression.

"Isn't it time to end the banquet, King Gilgamesh?" Solomon asked.

Gilgamesh lazily swirled the wine in his cup and remarked, "The banquet continues until he comes back. But should he fail, I'll be the one to kill him."

The aroma of the exquisite wine was intoxicating. However, the banquet was on pause, awaiting the king's return.

The host said so, and as a result, the banquet continued, like a story that hadn't reached its conclusion.

"My King..." Artoria's voice was soft as she looked up at the pitch-black sky.

She was well aware that her king was preparing to go to the battlefield all by himself, bearing the weight of the entire world on his shoulders.

Merlin stood beside her, not sure what to say.

...

In a secluded corner of the Temples of Time...

One of the Demon God Pillars, Barbatos, loomed in a state of dishevelment. Below it lay the unmoving, broken body of a one-eyed giant.

"I did it! I actually did it! Hahaha… Why aren't you getting up? Come on, get up! Hahaha…"

Barbatos cackled, a hint of madness in his voice, "You see this, Baal? It's me! I, Barbatos, am the first to defeat the most giants! I'm the strongest! Hahaha—!!!"

Even spent, Barbatos couldn't wipe the grin off his face. Next on his list was to see how the other Demon God Pillars were faring. They must still be busy in their own fights, right? He couldn't wait to have a good laugh at their expense.

However…

"What the… Where is everyone? Where did everybody go?"

Confusion painted Barbatos's face. The vast Temple of Time was eerily empty.

"Baal! Flauros... where are you guys? Don't abandon me! This is so scary!" Barbatos cried out.

...

Zelretch tapped into his Second Magic, leading Shirou through the shifting barriers between worlds, navigating the gaps that bridge different realities.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Shirou simply nodded.

Zelretch shook his head, "It sounds crazy to me, but if you're set on it, who am I to argue?"

Shirou smiled, "You know, this is my first time traversing between parallel worlds."

"And? How does it feel?"

"Reminds me of when I crossed the 'Root'. Doesn't feel all that different."

Zelretch fell silent.

Shirou and Zelretch stepped into the dimensional rift together. It looked and felt eerily similar to the 'Root' – spirals of shimmering particles swirling around, giving off an oddly surreal sensation. Not too far off, a massive, dark whirlpool cast an ominous shadow.

To be honest, from a distance, it looked as if they were staring into the cosmos itself. Above that inky whirlpool were numerous terrifying faces, each radiating an intense and commanding authority. It was clear as day; these were some aspects of the gods.

"Is that what they really look like?" Shirou glanced at them. "They're a lot scarier than I imagined."

Zelretch began, "When I was mending the dimensional rifts, that thing swallowed me whole. What you saw invading your world was just a fragment, bringing along Pandora and the Holy Grail. But this right here? This is its true heart."

He then paused, looking straight at him, "Knowing what you're up against, are you still planning on taking it in?"

Shirou met his gaze and nodded.

His determination didn't waver as he stepped closer to the invader's heart.

"What an... idiot," Zelretch said under his breath, arms crossed and tone dripping with sarcasm.

His eyes followed Shirou as he went into the core.

Zelretch couldn't help but scoff, a blend of righteous indignation and a penchant for poking fun at people. But his amusement didn't last long.

In a split second, the whole thing vanished!

The moment Shirou set foot inside, it simply... disappeared.

The old man blinked a few times, his face a mask of confusion.

It was totally gone!

It vanished right in front of his eyes – the Magician of the Second Magic!

And with it, Shirou was gone too!

"Where... where did they go?"

The elderly magician's face was a picture of sheer disbelief.

It was gone!

Utterly and completely gone!

Not a trace left behind, right before the eyes of the Magician of the Second Magic. Now, only the dimensional rifts remained...!