Two Kings and the Black Mud

Camelot became the most powerful country on the European continent. In the palace at night, the forever fifteen-year-old Artoria looked up at the sky.

The half-moon in the sky reminded her of the girl she met in Fuyuki Central Park years ago.

How is she now?

Artoria shook her head self-deprecatingly. Now... has her wish finally come true?

Despite some minor issues, Camelot remained the most admired nation, even in the medieval era, attracting many who lived in misery.

"King~"

Artoria turned around, her expression relaxing slightly. "It's you, Guinevere."

The elegant and graceful woman nodded. "King, the night is deep. Please return to the palace to rest."

Artoria froze for a moment. The woman's face overlaps with that of Kurumi, the goddess.

"Whoosh—"

The night wind rustled the leaves, and Artoria lowered her eyes, lost in thought.

The same mechanical, deadpan voice from years ago reappeared in the middle of the night.

"Have you fulfilled your wish?"

Artoria hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.

"Do you want to stay in this era?"

Artoria opened her mouth. "What happened to Kurumi after the Holy Grail War?"

The voice did not respond. Instead, it transmitted a visual scene into Artoria's mind.

In the image, the divine radiance surrounding Kurumi sent her into a timeline. Still, the enormous consumption of divine power left Kurumi powerless against the 'All the World's Evils' within the Greater Grail.

Ultimately, the "black mud," filled with various evil auras, engulfed the goddess!

Afterwards, nothing could stop the black mud. The 'All the World's Evils,' filled with corrupt and foul energy, wreaked havoc on the island of Japan!

Mass destruction ensued, large swathes of land tainted with evil, emanating a menacing aura.

Cold sweat broke out on Artoria's forehead. "Is this... is this real!?"

"This is a possible, or already occurred, time fragment."

The mechanical voice was ambiguous, but Artoria's heart tightened!

Anxiously, she asked, "Can you send me back to that era?"

"To help her?"

"Yes!"

"Will you give up the powerful nation you built with your own hands? Abandon Camelot, abandon everything you have?"

Artoria closed her eyes, memories of Kurumi's every expression flashing before her—from a witch to Kurumi, from wickedness to compassion for all beings.

Thinking of Guinevere today, Artoria realised this place was not her era.

Her time had long passed, and she had become a renowned king in human history.

Returning to the past to rebuild Camelot was her heart's desire.

"I know that another consciousness has always existed within me. From a certain perspective, she is 'me.'"

Artoria looked ahead, seriously asking, "If I leave, will this world collapse?"

"No."

Artoria nodded. "I believe you. I will let 'me' take over this body. I want to return to the present world as a Servant!"

"Have you decided?"

"Yes!"

"Buzz!~"

Like the sound of time warping years ago, Artoria felt herself gradually rising and her body becoming transparent.

She looked down to see a girl with the same appearance as hers, looking up at her with a complex expression.

Artoria pressed her lips together. "I hope you protect Camelot well."

Her dress shifted from blue to white, and the girl below lightly nodded. "Rest assured, Camelot is my kingdom too."

"That's good~."

Her voice faded in the wind. The girl in the blue dress, now wearing a white dress, stood still for a long time until Guinevere came out again.

"King? How are you...?"

The voice was slightly strange, the tone trembling with surprise!

The girl in the white dress turned around, her face bearing an unprecedentedly healing smile. "Guinevere, tomorrow, I will announce to Camelot that their king is actually a woman."

———

Kiritsugu Emiya saw through the essence of the Greater Grail. Upon his consciousness returning to his body, the first thing he did was use a Command Spell to make Saber release the Noble Phantasm's actual name, destroying the already tainted Grail.

Strangely enough, Artoria, whose consciousness was trapped in the dream, could attack unconsciously!

A small piece of the dream was torn apart, and before Kurumi could stop it, a golden stream of light struck the Grail!

"Boom!—"

The Greater Grail was shaken by this force, and out of self-preservation, the 'All the World's Evils' within it quickly filled the entire golden cup!

Various malicious thoughts intertwined, lacking a foul odour but deeply unsettling.

The 'All the World's Evils' overflow accelerated, and once it flowed out of the Greater Grail, it expanded at an extraordinary speed!

Kurumi squinted her eyes, increasing her divine power output to forcibly condense the dream world into a small sphere and place it inside herself!

Kurumi didn't notice that after she ascended, a golden light shot out of her body directly into the Servant form of Saber.

Artoria opened her eyes just in time to witness the terrifying scene!

The 'All the World's Evils' were rushing towards her while Kurumi was in the air, constructing some kind of spell.

Artoria gripped her sword hilt tightly, feeling a huge void in her magical energy. She didn't understand why.

With her magical energy reserves, she could only unleash the Noble Phantasm's actual name once more.

"Ex—calibur!!!"

The upraised holy sword revealed its proper form, draining the last of Artoria's magical energy.

A golden stream of light tore from the sword's edge, shooting straight at the incoming black mud!

The attack, which could quickly kill a Servant, only managed to hold back the 'All the World's Evils' for a few seconds!

Artoria's eyes twitched slightly. She no longer had the strength to resist, and for the first time, she felt a sense of despair as the black mud surged towards her.

Has Kurumi always been fighting such a monster?

She looked up at the sky—several large magic arrays formed, arranged in a hexagram pattern. Kurumi stood in the centre, constantly channelling divine power into the formation.

Artoria closed her eyes, murmuring, "Goodbye, Kurumi."

"Boom!~"

Just before the black mud could engulf Artoria, a seed compressed with divine power shot into her body!

Then, the black mud swallowed Artoria and continued to rage, surging towards the old residential area!

Kurumi did not watch the black mud but focused on the Greater Grail. The divine spell needed a little more time, and the black mud was sure to cover most of the old residential area.

As the old residential area near the central park turned into a hellish landscape, the divine spell finally descended!