C450

The sky was ablaze with vibrant colors as beautiful as the aurora, yet it didn't bring comfort to the people. 

A massive dragon head dominated the sky, seemingly asleep yet incredibly intimidating. Alongside it, enormous arms floated ominously above, instilling a sense of dread in anyone who gazed upon them.

The sky turned pitch-black, and a heavy, eerie atmosphere settled in. Black humanoid monsters started dropping from above, almost like raindrops falling from the sky.

A towering beacon of light stood proudly on the earth, its radiance shining brilliantly. An endless stream of light wove an intricate web, instantly obliterating the monsters descending from the sky. They were reduced to ashes before even having a chance to touch the ground.

Amidst the darkened city, flames danced and cast an eerie glow, creating a tense atmosphere. Brave soldiers launched fierce attacks against the black humanoid creatures that had managed to descend from the sky while Shirou was dealing with Crimson Moon.

Fueled by [Mana Burst] and bolstered by his Red Dragon buff, the soldiers' individual abilities received a significant boost. Though they might not have reached the level of legendary heroes, together, they presented an impressive might.

Once caught within the encirclement of these soldiers, escaping was extremely difficult unless one possessed strong AOE attacks like Gilgamesh or Artoria, which were capable of dealing with them.

In this dire scenario, it was only Shirou's Noble Phantasm that could directly confront these black humanoid monsters.

Amidst the reverberating clash of weapons that filled the city streets without pause, the commanders of the legions exhibited unwavering composure.

Though possessing immense power and a form of immortality, these monsters lacked consciousness. Creatures driven solely by instinct couldn't stand up against the disciplined might of the legions.

Every member of the King's Legion was a battle-hardened soldier who had faced wars against magical creatures, Dead Apostles, and even Attila...

Whether commanders or combatants, they were all seasoned veterans.

Amidst the massacre, many soldiers couldn't help but smile. Standing side by side with their comrades in this fight brought back memories of years gone by.

Countless soldiers engaged in the siege against the black humanoid monsters, while others, directed by their commanders, were dispatched to assist the ordinary citizens.

Yet, a surprising sight greeted some soldiers: numerous middle-aged civilians had spontaneously banded together, stepping up to offer aid to others.

Such a display left the soldiers astonished. They had always viewed themselves as the rescuers, and the city's residents as those in need of saving. The realization that the city's inhabitants were also taking part in their own salvation caught them off guard.

An old voice rang out, "This city once witnessed the descent of the Savior of Light. The Savior spoke of humanity shaping its own destiny. The light's other side resides within us. As long as our passionate hearts keep burning, the light will continue to shine."

"Doing what lies within our power is our duty, and that's the teaching of the light," another voice chimed in.

It turns out that these people were all resurrected by the Holy Grail ten years ago.

That miracle remained vivid in their memories, and the teachings of the light were never forgotten.

They would never forget that the most dazzling stars were their hearts burning with zeal, shining even brighter than the sun.

The soldiers who were actively involved in rescue operations found themselves utterly taken aback. Little did they expect that this city had its own figure, much like their King, who had once ignited a flame of hope in the hearts of its people.

However, this figure was undoubtedly not as remarkable as their own King. The soldiers firmly believed in this.

Rescue operations advanced in tandem with the volunteers, as countless people were guided towards Mount Enzou.

The city's populace, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, arranged themselves in lines resembling leaf veins.

From a bird's-eye view, it resembled a bustling colony of ants, tightly clustered and truly impressive.

Moreover, the troublesome task of moving the elderly and sick was making swift progress, courtesy of the collective efforts of many.

Though lacking the prowess of Heroic Spirits, they held a different strength – the societal power of human civilization, which had evolved over time, shaped by systems, human intellect, and experiences. If power were to be measured only in terms of raw, brutal might, it would be a disservice to the progress of civilization.

The black mist on the sea's surface was slowly approaching.

Lined along the coastline, the King's Royal Guards summoned their Noble Phantasms one after another, trying to stop the advance of the ominous black mist.

Magi opened their mouths and started chanting, unleashing one spell after another against the creeping mist.

The mist seemed tangible, like condensed darkness, and the magical energy beams were not illusory either; they gleamed with dazzling light.

The sky was dark while the ground was bright, creating a seamless blend of light and shadow.

Shirou, along with Chloe and the rest of the group, came across Angelica. She was in the midst of taking down the black creatures, and Beatrice was right there beside her, doing the same.

He laid out the reason they were there.

"Understood," Angelica affirmed with a nod.

Though she normally would've been more casual with him, the glow that enveloped him made her instinctively treat him with a touch of respect.

Angelica gripped the Eternal King Class Card in one hand while placing her other hand on Chloe's chest.

As soon as they touched, the air around them quivered for a second.

And then—

In an instant, there was a whooshing sound as Caster-Eternal King and Archer-Gilgamesh inside Chloe's heart switched places.

"Ah..."

Chloe let out a painful cry, making Illya's expression turn to worry.

Just then, Chloe's body lit up, radiating a dazzling white light.

The next moment, Chloe's golden armor morphed into a silvery set that looked a lot like Shirou's when he's in his Eternal King mode. The only thing that didn't change was her silver hair.

"How are you feeling, Chloe?" Illya's voice tinged with worry.

"I feel... actually pretty good. It's just that my powers and Noble Phantasms have switched around, and that's a bit disorienting. And, I can't activate my Noble Phantasm now." Chloe tightened her fist as she spoke.

Curious, Sapphire chimed in, "How come you're not glowing, Chloe?"

"Huh?" Chloe blinked before letting out an exasperated sigh. "I'm not a lightbulb. Why would I be glowing?"

Sapphire gestured towards Shirou, "Well, that King over there is glowing."

Angelica passed the Archer-Gilgamesh card to Shirou, who didn't even give it a second glance before tossing it over to Gil.

Catching the card between two fingers, Gil looked slightly annoyed as he said, "You could be a bit more careful with my other half. I'm slightly displeased, Eternal King."

Shirou said, "Change back quickly."

Gil didn't immediately absorb the class card. He just pocketed it and smiled, "The timing isn't right yet."

"If you end up losing it, that's on you."

Just then, his communication stone buzzed to life as Galahad reached out to him.

Galahad's image flickered into view within the stone cradled in his hand.

"What's the matter, Galahad?"

"My king, most of the evacuation procedures are complete. I kindly request that you also evacuate from the city."

"I'm leaving you in charge. You're the commander now. Make the calls as you see fit; I won't be giving orders."

"Well...," Galahad's face displayed a troubled expression.

Shirou spoke firmly, "You've brought a fallen kingdom back to life. How can you hesitate, especially when you stand before this King? Show some backbone, Galahad!"

Galahad nodded, inhaled deeply, and then announced, "Evacuation is nearly finished. We're now preparing to evacuate the command center as well."

Shirou nodded approvingly. "Well done."

"There's one more thing, my king," Galahad added.

"What is it?"

"The acting representative of the city's Church wants to have a meeting with you."

"Is it important? If it's not, then there's no need for a meeting."

"She claims to have a stone that received a message from the world that spawned that monster. She wants to deliver the information to you personally."

"A message from that monster's world?" His eyebrow lifted as he thought for a moment. "Alright, set up the meeting at Mount Enzou."

"As you command, my king!"

Galahad's image vanished from the stone.