C470

It's over. The moment Arcueid decided to become the Moon's Ultimate One, every issue surrounding Crimson Moon was resolved. There are no more lingering problems.

With the change of the throne, everything left by the previous king would be buried, ushering in a new era.

The Dead Apostles who had infiltrated the human army started to pull back, almost like a receding tide. But this time, Shirou wasn't about to let them off the hook.

He did two things at once. First, he sent Camelot's troops to cut down the Dead Apostles. Second, tapping into the Emperor's power, he summoned a swarm of magical beasts that tore the Dead Apostles to shreds.

The Dead Apostles were defeated, and most of them perished in the battle, with only a few managing to escape. Unfortunately, among the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors, very few were present, and the most crucial figure, White Wing Lord, managed to escape the purge.

Even so, it wasn't a total loss. The battle did a number on White Wing Lord's influence, and Barthomeloi Lorelei, who's been on his trail, isn't the type to let him get away easily. Plus, Altrouge is eyeing this as her chance to rise up and stake her claim as the Dead Apostle Queen.

White Wing Lord had assisted Crimson Moon, but it seemed like he had lost on all fronts. However, there was one thing he had achieved. He had once initiated the plan to hunt Arcueid, the last True Ancestor, which ultimately led to the death of the Tenth Dead Apostle Ancestor, Nero Chaos, in London at Shirou's hands. And now, from a certain perspective, his plan to hunt the last True Ancestor had succeeded.

It's just that he didn't hunt her; instead, she hunted Crimson Moon and ascended to become the Moon's Ultimate One (UO).

Perhaps his grand scheme to hunt down the last True Ancestor was less of an actual plan and more of a way to send some information to Crimson Moon, who was hidden within Arcueid at that time.

Standing on the earth, Shirou looked up at the moon, a distant yet somehow intimate object in the sky.

Deep down, he knew that up there was his best friend, closer in spirit than the moon could ever be in miles.

She was always the lively one, full of concern for everyone around her. The one who could light up a room and make everyone feel happier just by being there.

He clutched his chest and showed a bewildered expression.

His heart ached, a deep, gnawing pain.

When he left Britain over fifteen hundred years ago, his heart had throbbed in agony as well, but at least he had been mentally prepared for it. This time, Arcueid's departure caught him completely off guard.

He knew deep down... once again, he had lost someone dear to him.

Eternal King, Emperor of the Moon—what did those titles even mean?

Strength, power, influence—where were they now?

At his core, he was still that vulnerable Fujimaru Shirou. The same person who felt utterly helpless when faced with difficulties!

His hand tightened into a fist, the fire in his eyes blazing brighter than ever.

His magical energy couldn't sustain the Emperor form any longer. He reverted back to his Eternal King state.

And with Crimson Moon gone, the fragments also vanished, as if they'd never existed.

The Emperor of the Moon no longer existed, and if he wished to manifest as the Emperor once more, it was likely that next time, he would need to obtain the authority of Arcueid, who had ascended to become the Moon's UO.

Artoria stood beside Gray, silently watching him, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything. Her feelings for him had always been genuine, yet they had been tarnished by Crimson Moon. Although she had been manipulated into using Morgan's incomplete potion on him, the fact remained that she had made that choice.

She was a knight who had betrayed her vows, stripped of her knighthood. She had no business standing beside her king, and she knew it was an irrefutable truth.

What she wasn't aware of was that Shirou was equally unable to face her.

He'd learned the disturbing details from Crimson Moon: how she had penetrated his innermost thoughts, manipulated his darkest desires, and turned them against Artoria. What he'd done to her, how he'd punished and demeaned her—it was unforgivable.

It was nothing short of shameful.

Why hadn't his Noble Phantasm revealed the truth? Wasn't that supposed to be its purpose? 

But then he realized—the flaw lay in the fact that Crimson Moon was an extraterrestrial being.

Whether it be Gil's or his own Noble Phantasm, neither could see through the forces from beyond Earth.

'How can I face the king?' Artoria pondered, her heart heavy with sorrow.

'How do I face Artie?' Shirou was deep in thought.

Just then, the sky showed signs of something unusual.

The crimson moon was gone, replaced by a gentle, soft moonlight. Yet a black mist started to shroud the sky, spreading across the globe.

Shirou knew that he didn't have time to be lost anymore.

He turned his back without meeting her eyes and spoke with a weight in his voice. "Artie, let's move. We can talk about our matters once all of this is over."

She stared at his back, nodded silently, and fell into step behind him.

Concealed behind her lion-headed helmet, her expression remained hidden from view, but the absence of sparkle in her eyes made it clear that she believed she had once again disappointed the king.

Using his [Clairvoyance EX], he reached out to Solomon. "Solomon, let us in!"

King Solomon drummed his fingers against the armrest of his throne. With a soft "thud," a portal to the Temple of Time opened, pulling them inside.

"Brother!" Ritsuka cried out.

Just as they were enveloped by the light, he glanced back at his youngest sister and said, "Be good."

He then turned his gaze forward, leaving the world with nothing but the fading outline of his figure.

The crisis of annihilation was averted, and although the black mist still lingered, the apocalyptic threat from the crimson moon had been eliminated.

Though communication devices remained out of service and networks were still down, the existential threat had been clearly lifted. What was left was the lingering black mist that veiled the sky.

People cheered. There were celebrations.

But amid the joy and relief, there was someone—somewhere—whose heart was heavy with sadness.

Altrouge stared up at the moon, obscured by the pervasive black mist. Her hand brushed through her long hair, her face a mosaic of conflicting emotions. "So, you've finally left," she whispered. "Maybe it's for the best. This way, no one will be around to... to challenge my power."

"Arcueid... brother... sister..." Ritsuka sobbed.

She had lost her best friend, and her brother was off to war again. Her sister remained missing, her whereabouts unknown to this day.

How had everything come to this?

All she wanted was to live a normal, everyday life with her family and friends.

"I won't cheat anymore, I won't make people sad... I'll play games with you too. So, Arcueid... brother... sister... please come back. Ritsuka will be strong, won't cry, and won't make you worry anymore, so... please come back," Ritsuka sobbed.

The people around her—Illya, Miyu, Chloe, Galahad—they were at a loss, unsure how to console this five-year-old child. Meanwhile, an unseen evil doppelganger watched silently as Ritsuka poured her heart out in tears.

The moon shone bright in the sky, but its brilliance felt utterly pointless. It glowed with radiance even when its light seemed to serve no purpose.

It had to be said, it was quite ironic.

....

Shirou and Artoria moved through space, heading towards the Temple of Time.

In the main hall, Solomon sat on his throne, while Gilgamesh busily launched his treasures at the invaders, preparing them for detonation. With a soft 'whoosh,' they landed behind him.

Gilgamesh didn't turn to acknowledge their arrival; he merely grunted—a terse greeting. Artoria looked at his gleaming golden back and softly said, "Thank you."

Despite the demeaning treatment she'd received from Gilgamesh during the Fourth Holy Grail War, she felt compelled to express her gratitude now. Had it not been for that blank Class Card, she would have been dealt a cruel fate—learning the devastating truth and dying at the hands of Crimson Moon, consumed by insufferable pain and hatred yet utterly powerless.

It was the blank card that gave her a chance to defeat Crimson Moon—a single success amidst countless failures in her life, symbolizing her sweet revenge.

And true to Gilgamesh's prediction when he'd given her the card, she did indeed find herself thanking him for it.

Yes, she did find herself profoundly grateful to Gilgamesh.

In a tone oozing with arrogance, Gilgamesh snorted, "Consider it a minor act of kindness, a grand gesture from this King to a mere mongrel like yourself. Grovel and accept my benevolence!"

Artoria's eyebrow twitched. Her hand instinctively moved to the hilt of her sword, but she let out a sigh and relaxed her grip.

She still had a deep-rooted aversion to Gilgamesh.

Manifesting as Rider in this particular moment, she was the King of Knights, resolutely committed to vanquishing Crimson Moon and the Giant God. Such a version of her could hardly stomach Gilgamesh's insolence.

However, this time, she had held back with all her might. 

A single strand of hair on her forehead seemed to stand in an attacking posture, but she restrained herself.

Shirou, however, was less patient. He frowned and said, "Enough with your needless taunts, Gil."

"Oh?" Gilgamesh arched an eyebrow and sneered, "Defending your treasures now, Fujimaru Shirou?"

"She's not my treasure."

Her gaze dimmed slightly, but she had prepared herself for this.

But then he continued, "She's my woman. And I won't tolerate anyone disrespecting her."

She stood there, taken aback and unable to believe her ears.