Zero Countdown. Middle

"Nghh...!"

His right hand clutched his neck, the wound bleeding ceaselessly, bright red drops falling from the azure sky.

His crimson eyes, filled with boundless rage, were fixed on the King before him.

"You bastard...!!"

The deterioration of his wound made the voice of the greatest king of antiquity hoarse, grating like sandpaper against the skin.

With a violent flick of the dagger in his hand, he sent the dagger, originally no larger than his palm, flying into the air. It instantly transformed into a massive spear, three meters long. Golden dragon patterns coiled tightly around the spear shaft, glaring at the sky.

He thrust the spear into his back, and Xia, with his naturally sharp, hawk-like eyes carrying a unique arrogance and disdain, stood on the high platform, sneering at the Hero King possessed below.

"A grunt... even a common monster from the Fairy Forest would be a hundred times stronger in close combat than you! How pathetically weak... Hero King."

Xia's disdain and mocking words completely filled the Hero King's rage meter! The frenzied Hero King, one hand covering his wound, drew a crimson long blade from the reappearing Gates of Babylon.

The moment the crimson long blade appeared, the Hero King's entire body's magic erupted!

Red mana, mixed in the air, spiraled uniquely around the long blade.

"Laugh now while you can, you mongrel!!"

Accompanied by the Hero King's endless roar of fury and a sudden burst of crimson magical light, it surged madly towards Xia's position!

The sky swept by the crimson mana flow showed scenes like cracked glass. The spatial rifts, created by the primordial sword Ea, were fault lines formed by compressed mana and conflicting wind pressure, attacks resembling spacetime distortions that would shatter all enemies.

It was truly like the creation of heaven and earth.

"But if it's about creating heaven and earth!!"

His hawk-like eyes narrowed sharply, and he drew the dragon-patterned spear from his back, whirling it in a wide arc! It brought forth a golden light capable of obscuring the sky, charging straight into the crimson mana flow!

The golden light was about to collide with the crimson mana flow when, in an instant, it transformed into a colossal golden battle axe! Xia leaped up, grabbing the golden battle axe in mid-air! Then, wielding the giant axe, he adopted a posture as if cleaving a mountain towards the crimson mana flow!

"I'm your ancestor here, damn it!!!!!" With Xia's furious roar, the golden battle axe split the crimson mana flow down the middle with an unstoppable chop!

"ROOOOAR!!!" As the golden light of the giant axe in Xia's hand flashed, a golden crescent moon appeared in the sky!

A moon-like golden shockwave! It instantly shattered Ea's crimson mana flow, and with undiminished power, it charged towards the Hero King behind Ea!

"He actually... shattered Ea!!"

But the Hero King no longer had much time to be surprised, because as Ea's impact vanished, the golden moon's mana flow appeared before him!

In his haste, the Hero King could only summon several shield Noble Phantasms from the Gates of Babylon to meet it, attempting to block the surging golden moon.

However, the shields that stood in the path of the golden moon were like trying to stop a speeding truck with tofu. They shattered into pieces with a clatter...

CLANG!!!

But fortunately, just as the golden crescent was about to slice the Hero King in half, a massive, ancient shield appeared before him, forcefully blocking the golden crescent!

"A Noble Phantasm from the Age of Gods...?!" Xia narrowed his hawk-like eyes slightly, judging the ancient shield that had blocked the golden moon.

"But... even a Noble Phantasm from the Age of Gods is ultimately an outdated thing! It's no match for the treasures of the new world!" He raised the golden battle axe high again and swung it down fiercely! Two golden moons appeared simultaneously, charging towards the Age of Gods Noble Phantasm!

The ancient shield, which was already struggling to block one golden moon, collapsed the moment the remaining two golden moons rushed towards it!

Subsequently, the stunned Hero King endured the direct impact of the twin golden moons!

BOOM!!!!

With a violent explosion, a black smoke appeared in the sky, and from within the black smoke, a humanoid figure, engulfed in black smoke, fell.

CRASH!!

The humanoid object that smashed into the ground lay still, spread out in a perfect 'X' shape.

The dust settled...

The golden warship in mid-air slowly turned into a wisp of smoke and disappeared.

"Hah... hah... it's over," Xia said, catching his breath as he looked at the humanoid-shaped crater on the ground.

The recent battle had consumed more than half of Xia's mana, especially the final twin golden moons, which had instantly drained a quarter of his mana. While the power was immense, the consumption was also too great.

Xia, floating in mid-air, managed to stay airborne with wings created by his own mana.

Then...

The golden battle axe, with a flash of golden light, gradually reverted to its spear form.

He swiftly spun the spear in his hands into a high-speed rotating sphere. As the speed of the spinning spear increased, thin layers of static electricity gradually formed along the edges of the spinning spear, becoming thicker and thicker.

Until finally, the golden wheel had become an electric wheel surrounded by thick arcs of electricity.

Xia abruptly stopped spinning. He slowly raised the spear, entwined with lightning power, behind him with his right hand. He extended his left hand flat, his entire body bent into a "大" shape.

Now!

For the Hero King on the ground!

The final fatal blow!

"Cough... No mercy? Cough... What a... rude mongrel. Heh heh... cough!" Looking at the black dot flashing with blue light in the sky, the Hero King lying in the ruins said with a slight curl of his lips.

He had lost all semblance of kingly demeanor now.

The once radiant figure was now severely emaciated.

His proud golden hair had lost its luster, and his crimson eyes were now filled with exhaustion and the satisfaction of battle.

The golden armor... was already in tatters. That it hadn't crushed him to death was thanks to the armor's final moments of duty.

"Heh heh... what a state of disarray... I... cough." A bitter smile touched the Hero King's lips as he quietly awaited the final blow from the person in the sky.

"Well... but... this battle was exhilarating enough... I'll forgive your weakness. Let's have a serious rematch next time!" With that, the Hero King slowly closed his eyes. He was truly tired this time.

Watching the Hero King, who no longer moved on the ground, Xia's cold, sharp hawk-like eyes trembled slightly.

{...Although he was an arrogant and conceited king, perhaps he could have become a friend... What a shame!}

The slight waver in his heart was instantly steadied by the iron will forged in the Fairy Forest.

He raised the lightning-charged spear high once more.

Moving like thunder.

Traveling like an aurora.

A gaze that spanned heaven and earth.

"Lightning Spear!!!" With a roar, the true name was unleashed! The lightning-wreathed spear in Xia's hand instantly transformed into an ultimate beam of light! In almost the blink of an eye, a thunderous roar erupted from the ground!!

Swoosh, swish, swish... crack!

EA, flying out of the explosive mist, spun its cracked body and embedded itself directly into the rock.

Then...

It slowly dissolved into a stream of green particles, carried away by a gentle breeze.

Xia, having ended it all, descended from the sky, maneuvering his magic wings.

He walked to the center of a massive crater, pulled out the still-sparking Dragon Crest Golden Spear, twirled it a couple of times, and then thrust it directly into his back.

The wind gently caressed Xia's long black hair, carrying a hint of emotion.

Xia walked away from the place, step by step, heading towards the battlefield that belonged to Saber.

Though proud, not unfeeling.

A being like a god.

The pinnacle of humanity.

Kneeling to his mother.

Yet standing proudly in the heavens.

Requiring only a single command.

To swear allegiance as king.

Standing atop the ruins of the castle, two peerless kings faced each other.

"Before I show you my peerless Noble Phantasm... answer me one question! Respected Knight King!"

"What!" Facing the Conqueror King's question, Saber tightly gripped the Holy Sword in her hand, responding with a slightly deep voice.

"Is a King an arrogant person?!"

After Saber answered, "A king is solitary," the Conqueror King, Alexander the Great, laughed and summoned his ultimate Noble Phantasm.

It was an Independent Manifestation created by Alexander.

Saber's eyes widened in astonishment as she gazed at the mirage-like scene that appeared around the Conqueror King.

One, two, four... the images gradually increased, looking like an army. The colors also grew more vibrant.

"How is this possible? You're not a magus!" Saber, clearly startled by the Conqueror King's use of Independent Manifestation, asked loudly.

"I couldn't have done this alone."

If you can't find the book by its title, try searching for the author. Maybe the name has changed!

Iskandar, standing tall within the vast bounded field, proudly denied it with a laugh.

"This is the land my army once traversed. This scenery is deeply imprinted in the hearts of the warriors who shared hardships with me."

"This world can be recreated because it is imprinted in each of our hearts."

Before Saber's astonished eyes, cavalrymen began to materialize around Iskandar. Although their races and equipment varied, their strong physiques and valiant knightly bearing all showcased the ferocity of an army.

"Are these... all Servants?!" Saber swallowed slightly, feeling her hands tremble.

"That's right! Behold, my peerless army!"

Filled with pride and self-esteem, the Conqueror King stood before the cavalry ranks and raised his arms, shouting:

"Even if their bodies are destroyed, their Heroic Spirits are summoned. They are my loyal warriors of legend. My eternal friends who have responded to my call across time and space. They are my treasure! They are my kingly path! Iskandar's strongest Noble Phantasm—Army of the King!"

An Anti-Army Noble Phantasm of EX rank, a continuous summoning of independent Servants.

There was a god of war, a king of conquerors, and the pioneers of many dynasties. Gathered before him were unique Heroic Spirits, only ever heard of in legends.

They all possessed illustrious reputations—they were the warriors who had fought alongside Iskandar.

"Target! The very end of the sky we conquer!!"

With the Conqueror King's bold cry, countless soldiers and kings submitted to his command.

"A King must live more authentically than anyone else—they must be admired by all!"

The Conqueror King, astride Bucephalus, shouted loudly. The peerless Heroic Spirit soldiers responded with the clatter of their shields, shouting together.

"The one who gathers the convictions of all heroes and embarks on an expedition with them as their goal is a King. Therefore—

A King is not solitary! For his aspirations are the wishes of all his subjects!"

"Indeed! Indeed! Indeed!"

The Heroic Spirits' spirited shouts soared through the sky. No enemy or barrier posed a threat before the Conqueror King and his companions. Their high morale could traverse the earth and cleave the seas.

"—You are my King. I swear to serve you and to perish for you. Please, guide me forward, and let me see the same dream." This was not a mere pledge of loyalty, but the heartfelt sentiment of all those captivated by this man.

A genuine and sincere response.

It was precisely this that caused Saber to question her own adherence to the path of kingship: "Indeed, Knight King!

Just as that young king spoke of you!

In the past, you were like a chaste saint, beyond compare in purity, but who would wish to die for an ideal? Who would long for that day and night? A saint can only comfort the people, not guide them. Only by displaying desire and splendor can one lead a nation and its people forward.

A king must possess stronger desires than anyone else, be more uninhibited, and more quick-tempered. He should be a true human, encompassing both purity and impurity, not a saint. Only then will his subjects be convinced and his people aspire to him!"

"Knight King, your justice and ideals may have saved the nation and its people for a time, and that is why your heroic name is still sung today. But what became of those you saved?"

Heroes who gambled their dreams of kingship and charged into battle alongside their king.

Loyalty that never ended, even in death—the Conqueror King turned this into an extraordinary Noble Phantasm.

Saber was shaken, not by the power of the Noble Phantasm, but because it had shaken the conviction she took pride in.

This perfect support—

This bond between the so-called Noble Phantasm and its subjects—

Something she had never obtained until the very end of her life pursuing ideals as the Knight King—

Creak.

Creak creak...

Her tightly clenched silver teeth emitted an inexplicable grinding sound.

Indeed.

Her entire life as a "King" was spent fighting for her nation, fighting for its greater prosperity and strength.

Twelve great battles.

Several life-or-death struggles.

The peerless, loyal knights who followed closely behind her!

—The reason we remained undefeated through great battles?

—A king like a dragon!

—The foundation of our dominance on the battlefield?

—Our King, like a god of war!

—What is our King's name?

—King Arthur!

But...

"King Arthur. He doesn't understand people's feelings..."

With those words, the first knight to leave her side walked out of the royal palace.

However, King Arthur offered no rebuttal or obstruction, merely viewing it as a part of the nation's growth.

Not long after...

More and more people agreed with that knight's words.

More and more knights left King Arthur's side.

Then... another great war descended, and King Arthur once again led his troops to battle.

After the conquest was complete, the young king received news that his nation had been betrayed.

His own son had started a civil war to usurp the throne.

Leading the subordinates who still followed him, he broke through fortress after fortress, slaying the knights who had once submitted to him.

His heart... ached.

Eyes. Crying.

Body. Trembling.

But... this is a part of the nation's growth. Accept it, overcome it, and a new world will surely await.

This was King Arthur's thought at the time.

The final blow before death, a long sword piercing through the chest, the king's blood dripping.

"You're just a monster without human emotions!"

Shattered.

Somewhere...

Shattered...

Broken memories, a resolute face raised once more.

Looking at the peerless army before them, and the king standing tall on the war chariot.

The small body straightened its chest.

Drawing the Holy Sword, it aimed at the enemy hundreds of times its own number.

I was indeed betrayed.

Perhaps I really did everything wrong.

But...

The blade was drawn! Aimed at the king not far in front.

"Come on! Conqueror King!!!!!"

The body erupted in an instant! Bringing with it the Holy Sword, which emanated an aura like a storm!

Fearless.

Unafraid.

The beautiful face held only strength and resolve, the Holy Sword in hand no longer trembling.

The silver armor shone with a brilliant luster.

That radiant golden hair danced in the wind.

Knight King.

The strong maiden. Artoria!

Now.

She brandished her blade!

For her own glory!

Fight on, maiden!

---OVER---