Before the War Between Races Begins / The Struggle for Survival Between Species

The white god once denied the existence of the Throne of Heroes, declaring that there was no mystery or Servant in the world he created. However, on Mars, Shirou, who foresaw the crisis, chose to revive this system once again.

After all, in times of great human crisis, those most outstanding beings in Human History on the Throne of Heroes are still very reliable.

At that moment, a little girl with long black hair in the orphanage suddenly felt her whole body become burning hot, even hotter than being exposed to the scorching sun in a black shirt and pants in summer. She felt as if her blood was boiling, throbbing, and her arms turned bright red.

Suddenly, her hair turned fiery red, Mars like a burning bonfire, and flames erupted from her hands. Uncontrollably, she rose higher and higher, flying towards the person with the afro due to inertia.

With a loud bang, a little boy with a broom-like hairstyle was startled, as were the people around him. But what surprised them most was the little girl's hands engulfed in flames, and her broom-like hair burning brightly.

"Waaaaah!! Help!" The little boy with the broom-like hair felt his head was on fire and frantically ran around in all directions.

"Aaaaah!" The surrounding children scattered in fright, keeping their distance from the boy who was following the fire.

Under the astonished gazes of the surrounding girls, a chubby boy rushed forward, frantically trying to swat at the flames of the broom head with his schoolbag, nearly knocking the girl unconscious.

Finally, someone came and broke the farce after a girl screamed.

"Calm down! Calm down! Xiao Na! Xiao Na!" At this moment, an older girl with a ponytail rushed over. Her hair had turned light blue, and she released a water ball to extinguish the raging flames on the little girl who had turned into a red-haired girl.

The little girl, exhausted after the flames were extinguished, collapsed to the ground, her hair returning to its original color.

The blue-haired girl quickly caught her, preventing her from falling to the ground.

"Sister Mei..." the little girl opened her eyes and whispered.

"Don't worry, it's all over now." The girl comforted the other girl, then looked up at the other side and said angrily, "Hey, Shirou, Gil, you guys just stood there watching the show up there, not even taking care of these kids!"

"Sorry, sorry, I was just watching the show," the blond, red-eyed boy said, shrugging.

"After all, they are heroes who have received energy from the Counter Force and are about to fight for the survival of humanity. They should be able to overcome this kind of difficulty on their own. Although I also hope that these children can grow up carefree for a while longer, the time we have left is just so limited," Shirou said calmly.

"Even so... at least we should consider these children's feelings!" the blue-haired girl said, biting her lower lip.

"So I'm the chosen one~! Wahahaha! I'm so amazing!... Um... could you tell me what a new species is? I don't mean evolution, like the Pokémon stories Shirou told us, like Charizard evolving into Deviljho? Aren't I a psychic or something?" Shana laughed excitedly.

"The chosen child?... Me too!!!" At this moment, the broom-haired boy who had been knocked unconscious woke up. He burst out with energy, and his hair turned into a green hedgehog's head. He jumped up excitedly.

Immediately afterward, the chubby boy next to him also awakened, transforming into... a ball-shaped, red swordsman.

"How is it? Can you feel the Servant within you, Natasha?" Shirou asked.

The little girl closed her eyes, sensed it, and when she opened them again, a fiery red light flashed in her pupils. She spoke, "I am the Oda Nobunaga? The one who brings an end to the chaos, the one who preaches the world... nobu? Wahahahaha?"

"Hahaha~! I am the Oda Nobunaga, Nobu Shana ~!!!" The little girl tried to laugh like the little person inside her, but she felt it was a bit silly. She tried, but still couldn't learn it.

"Well, in a way you have indeed evolved," Gil said.

Shirou said, "Yes, you have been chosen by the Counter Force of Mars, gained energy, and awakened your power. You have the opportunity to become a 'new species' recognized by Mars as the most intelligent of all beings. For some reason, you accepted the power of the earth and underwent some kind of change. However... according to Darwin, you should actually be considered to have been mutated."

Strictly speaking, after this change, we became beings different from humans. Our genes also underwent new changes. We were no longer humans composed of the original twenty-two pairs of chromosomes plus an X or Y chromosome, but became a new species that had never existed in this world before."

"Huh? You mean... I'm no longer human? Did I mutate? Like a mutant, did I grow wings, get covered in scales, or turn completely blue? Or can I transform?" Hearing this, the chubby boy's face turned pale. He hurriedly jumped off the bed, touching and feeling his body. Finally, he turned his back to Haotian, pulled down his pants to look at himself, and let out a big sigh of relief before calming down.

"In other words, we didn't obtain external power from the foundation of the human body. Rather, the power of the earth caused some kind of change in our bodies, giving us the instinct to possess unique abilities. Whether it's my ability or your flames, they are actually instincts mastered by a part of our changed bodies."

"Well, you can understand it this way: you've gained Superman power, and this power exists to protect humanity, because everyone has a human heart, that's beyond question. Although some abilities will cause changes in the body during use, we haven't discovered any 'new species' whose bodies exceed the human range when the power isn't used, so you can rest assured," Shirou said unhurriedly.

"Gulp..." Haotian, the boy with the broom-like hair, swallowed hard and asked in a low voice, "Um, Shirou- ge, Gil, what will happen if we don't participate?"

Gil said with a wicked grin, "It's alright, but if humanity is wiped out, you'll be the biggest criminals."

"Eh? This is so heavy, but I guess I have no choice but to agree." The chubby boy and the broom-headed boy hugged each other.

Shirou calmly explained, "It's alright. The Dragon Vein won't force anyone; it's all voluntary. Even if you give up joining this event, no one will blame you. It's your right. But we won't allow anyone to use this power to do bad things. Otherwise, I'll personally lock you up and strip you of your powers."

"Whoa, that's scary! Is this really not a threat?" The chubby boy was startled.

Chapter 972 Before the Start of the Race War

"What's there to be afraid of! Watch my Three Thousand Worlds! I'll prepare plenty of cannons and wipe out all those bastards! Wahahahaha!!!" Shana clenched her fists, her whole body burning with rage as she spoke.

Shana smiled and said to the chubby boy, "Akai, you're really strange. Didn't you want to be a member of the expedition team before? Everyone in the class is thinking about using this ability to start a career or enjoy life. Someone like you who doesn't care about anything and doesn't plan to contribute to the country, isn't he just a useless person?"

"I don't understand those complicated things, and I don't want to worry about them. As an ordinary elementary school student, I spend my days at school doing silly things with my friends, playing games, and fooling around. I also secretly have a crush on a girl. Even in a somewhat heavy environment, I want to enjoy my youth to the fullest."

Once you get to high school, find a girl who is a good match for you, not necessarily too pretty, and have a proper relationship.

After graduation, I can honestly do the job assigned by the government, raise a dog, get married, have a big, healthy son, enjoy family life, and live a peaceful and happy life. That would be enough for me.

"I never expected something like this to happen." The chubby boy said weakly. He was initially thrilled to discover that he had all sorts of cheat codes, but after being told the truth, he no longer felt any excitement.

The chubby boy thought to himself that he had nothing to hide. No matter what he did, he would only be a clown being played in the palm of someone's hand. So he might as well let his mind wander and speak freely.

"What a lazy bum with no ambition!" the boy with the broom-shaped haircut said mockingly.

The chubby boy retorted, "That's called having self-awareness. I'm just an ordinary elementary school student. Although it's impolite to say these things on our first meeting, you probably know me better than I do. So I'll just say it: I simply can't understand people like you. Doing so much and going to so much trouble, aren't you tired? No matter how strong your abilities are, if you can't protect your own life, it's all meaningless. Besides, you're an elementary school student too, right?"

"Here, have some candy." Shirou stepped forward, took out a round, spiral-patterned lollipop, and handed it to the chubby boy.

"Thank you, Shirou- nii! I swear to follow you to the death." The chubby boy took the lollipop and happily licked it.

"Pop." The chubby boy pulled out the lollipop, then stuffed it back inside, making a satisfying sound.

"Give me back my gratitude, and in the end you're still just a brat, aren't you?" Haotian with the broom head roared inwardly.

"Shana, what kind of people do you think these 'new species' are?" Haotian asked, turning to the side and looking down at Shana at a 45-degree angle.

"Huh? It looks like a giant monster, like a demon." Shana's first thought was of the 1935 TV series Journey to the Journey to the West, where the demons all liked to eat Tang Monk, so Wukong had to kill them.

However, Tang Monk disliked killing, but he couldn't stop the other party from killing, so a fight was inevitable.

Xiao Mei looked at the child, and the expression in her eyes was still the usual cuteness, but she always felt that when the child said those words, she seemed very, very lonely.

Yes, Mars children learn to be responsible for themselves very early; circumstances don't allow them to remain innocent forever. Once they turn ten, they're considered little adults. Especially in orphanages, they have to take responsibility for many things themselves.

So in this matter, Shirou had no reservations. He directly explained the danger and seriousness of the situation to the children, telling them the cause and effect of the matter, and then letting them make their own choice.

In reality, we are all just ordinary people. The ability to strike is not something we actively choose, but rather something suddenly bestowed upon us by the 'earth'. Some people receive this blessing, become grateful to the world, and develop a greater love for nature.

Some people may not want these abilities at all, yet they are alienated from their friends because of them. Among people like us, the gentle, the irritable, and the indifferent should all be understood.

Ultimately, we've all just become less adept at communicating with outsiders, but are still good people who love peace and nature.

Ultimately, all we all want is a life of mutual understanding, freedom, and equality.

Although I can't change Mars, at least in Noah City, on this land, I want to make it our paradise, so that we can live happily.

We don't need to live a cruel life like the one governed by the Mars Counter Force. Here, everyone just needs to pursue their own happiness without harming others.

"Xiao Na, I'll go with you, and I'll protect you," Haotian said to the little girl, his face slightly flushed.

"... Haotian, you are such a good person," Shana said, moved.

"Uh..." Haotian, with his green hair, stood there awkwardly.

"Pfft, hahahaha." The chubby boy chuckled to himself.

Haotian looked at his mischievous friend Akai and asked, "What are you laughing at? Are you coming along or not?"

The chubby boy shrugged and said, "I'm going too. Since you're going, I can't just let you take the risk alone."

"Hmph, that's more like it." Haotian snorted, then laughed.

The two brothers, being good friends, put their arms around each other's necks.

Shirou addressed the children in the hall, saying, "The Dragon Vein is a liberal alliance. Normally, everyone just does their job. If it weren't for unavoidable circumstances, we wouldn't send you children to risk your lives. The battle will be fought by me and the heroes who are willing to go to the battlefield. As for the rest of you, it's up to you to choose whether to go back to school or live a different life."

"Those who are willing to go to the battlefield, stay here. As for the rest of you, go to Xiao Mei's place for a check-up. Once you're sure you're healthy, you can go back to your rooms. Although there are still many problems to overcome, we can support your schooling and accommodation for the next few years, and at least your daily life will be fine. I've arranged everything at the school and the orphanage, so you can rest assured."

"Brother Shirou, we don't want you to leave." Several younger children ran up, grabbed Shirou and the others' clothes, and pleaded with tears in their eyes.

"Don't cry, your brother is just going on a long trip. If all goes well, he'll be back soon," Shirou said softly, ruffling the children's hair.

Chapter 973 Survival Competition Among Species

At this moment, only the children who had awakened their abilities remained in the orphanage's hall; everyone else had returned to their dormitories.

"Since you've all stayed, then I'm now your comrade-in-arms. Let's not delay, let's set off now. The great battle will probably begin around midnight tonight," Shirou said.

"Huh? Now? Isn't there any beginner training?" The chubby boy was startled and raised his hand to ask, shrinking back as if he wanted to run back to the dormitory.

Shirou shook his head, pulled the chubby boy back, and explained, "The Servant will pass on their combat experience to you. Once you start moving, you'll know what to do. You two are naturally compatible, otherwise, you wouldn't have been chosen to fight. You could just find other adults. It's just that the enemy is too strong. If you can't fully utilize the power of the Servant, you might not be able to win."

"But how do we get there?" Shana asked, looking around in confusion.

"Do you know why our organization is called Dragon Vein?" the girl named Xiao Mei asked with a smile.

"Just like the storytellers on the radio say, the Dragon Vein is the source of a country's destiny. If it's severed, there's no way to achieve anything," the chubby boy said, standing up and shaking his head.

"Hmm, but this is only one of them!" At this moment, Xiao Mei conjured a golden wool out of thin air and walked out the door.

With a flash of golden light, a giant red dragon appeared. It was an unprecedentedly enormous creature, leaving the children speechless. Even the elephants they had seen in movies were no more than a tenth the size of it. Its wingspan was at least twenty meters long when closed, and if it spread its wings, it would probably be fifty meters long.

This is the dragon from Greek gods, the guardian of the Golden Fleece, the treasure of King Aeetes of Colchis, son of the sun god. Even the heroes of the Argo were terrified when they saw it. Later, Jason received help from Medea, the sorceress and daughter of the King, who bewitched the dragon, stole the Golden Fleece, and escaped on the ship.

If Shirou hadn't set up a barrier from the start, blocking any outside views, the orphanage, despite its remote location, would have already caused a commotion.

The group climbed onto the dragon's back, and the giant dragon leaped high into the air, instantly reaching a height of a thousand meters. During this time, Xiao Mei gave the children a brief pre-training lesson, simply smiling as she continued speaking.

Although the 'new species' may resemble animals we know in appearance, they have evolved and mutated completely to adapt to the Mars environment.

Please treat them as unknown monsters from Mars. Their abilities are too diverse and bizarre. At first, people became fanatical because they gained power, which caused a lot of fighting.

Because our energy and that of the "new species" both come from the Counter Force of Mars, which, to put it bluntly, comes from the natural energy of various aspects of Earth, there is a natural affinity between us and nature. However, this affinity can be an advantage, but it can also become a weakness.

Xiao Mei pointed at Shana and said, "Your power is fire, so you'll naturally feel close to fire and feel aversion to water."

"Yeah, I felt a little dizzy just now." Shana nodded, as if she understood something, but upon reflection, it wasn't really a big deal.

"But you don't usually take proper showers, do you? You can't do that again," Xiao Mei said.

"This is really..." She really got caught in the crossfire. Shana always takes a shower as quickly as possible; how did she know?

"Mars has such scarce resources, I'm just conserving water." Shana wanted to run away.

"When we get back this time, I'll give you a thorough bath and scrub you clean," Xiao Mei said without any hesitation.

"No... no need, I can disinfect myself with fire," Shana said, shaking her head repeatedly as she pleaded.

"There are more and more awakened 'new species' on Mars now. If you encounter these 'new species,' how will you get along with them?"

"Sigh... let's just start by saying hello politely, shall we?"

"No, you should kill them before they kill you."

"Huh?"

The children were dumbfounded, looking at the usually gentle Sister Mei with surprise. Why did she seem like a completely different person now?

"Is there really no way to have a proper conversation with other creatures?"

"There's no other way, because we were destined from the beginning not to coexist. It's a matter of life and death, a rule set by the planet's will. At this level of evolution, neither we nor the new species are yet able to survive freely on Mars. The only way out is to devour each other," Xiao Mei said calmly and firmly.

"Aren't there any good creatures?" Shana asked softly.

"Yes, there are such people, but not here. There were also people on Earth who loved cats and dogs more than people, or cars more than people. If they were tolerant of others but strict with themselves..."

As long as you abide by the law and don't harm others, there will be no problems. Even with different beliefs and various conflicts, reasonable people can still understand each other. Some noble souls, who actively strive to build a better world, may exceed the scope of most people's capabilities, but they will still earn people's respect.

But what if they force you to conform to their doctrines? What if they threaten to beat you if you don't? That would be terrifying, almost like the Taliban in Afghanistan. Even the indigenous people don't like them."

Like a 'new species' born from the power of plants, unable to bear seeing people harm flowers, grass, and trees, the messenger of the sea once launched a tsunami due to ocean pollution. Because the environment is too harsh, birds die, and air pollution causes storms. These things are not surprising at all.

As Shirou just mentioned, we are the same as the 'new species'; in the traditional sense, we are no longer human. Only by relying on the power of Servant can we possibly compete with those new species.

"But now it's a fight for survival. Those new species need to devour other species and evolve into the strongest creatures on Mars. Humans are also their target."

Indeed, the new species are not wrong; they just want to survive. For example, the new plant species are harmless and friendly, but when it comes to survival, things are different."

"If it were a more relaxed environment, I would like to coexist harmoniously with more species, but if conditions don't allow it, and I'm destined to live only one kind of life, I will choose the important people around me," Xiao Mei said firmly.

At this moment, the dragon stopped and spread its wings high in the sky.

"We've arrived," Xiao Mei said in a low voice.

Chapter 974 The Monster Charges Towards the Camp

The monsters, now imbued with Mars energy, convulsed. Some of their tiny insect-like forms had swelled to several meters in size. Others resembled reptiles, covered in ferocious scales, while still others were plants. They had now detached from the ground and were moving freely.

The expedition's camp, located a few kilometers from this battlefield, housed nearly a hundred humans who were implicitly considered participants in this competition. Survival of the fittest, the law of the jungle—no one can escape it if they want to survive on Mars.

The dragon arrived above the battlefield, and all the monsters roared in unison, charging towards them.

"Then let's go!" Shirou said.

"Roar!!" The giant dragon, which had just sat down, swooped down and then did a 360-degree turn.

"Huh?!"