Training, training, and more training, all so that more people here might survive after the final battle.
A Singularity wasn't something that simply ceased to exist after the anomaly was eliminated. It was like a pimple on human history; even after it healed, a scar could remain.
For example, if an ordinary person died within a Singularity, the Human Order would find a reason for their death after the Singularity was resolved.
But if they survived, the Human Order's job was even easier. They would simply forget the Servants, the visitors from Chaldea, and everything that had happened during the period when human history had entered the Singularity.
In other words, Guinevere and the King of Knights' efforts to save more people were not in vain.
Unlike them, Leonidas, though also training soldiers on the Demonic Beast Front, wasn't thinking so far ahead. He only hoped the soldiers would have a fighting chance against the Magical Beasts.
"Hah, truly worthy of the King of Sparta, fully deserving of the name 'Spartan education' passed down through the ages."
During her idle chat with Ushiwakamaru, the King of Knights defeated Leonidas, earning his hearty yet reluctant laughter.
After their duel of personal might, the King of Sparta began competing with the King of Knights in training soldiers.
Under his and the King of Knights' orders, the soldiers he trained and a portion of the newly arrived supply convoy gathered, both sides demonstrating what they had learned.
"Muscle, courage, and trust in comrades—this is Sparta."
"Discipline, sworn loyalty, and absolute obedience—this is Camelot's knighthood."
Ushiwakamaru seemed to have endless commentary. After she casually described the traits of Spartan warriors, Guinevere casually followed up with the traits of her own Berserker Knight Order.
Whether looking at either group of soldiers, Ushiwakamaru's face was etched with envy. Even as a renowned general in the Far East, she had never employed such cruel and rigorous training methods.
However, what she envied most was that Guinevere and the King of Knights were actually teaching the soldiers about Mana.
"In my era, the Decline of Mystery had progressed too far. In King Leonidas's time, he lacked such refined methods for Mana training.
Lady Guinevere, you could actually entrust the regular training to King Leonidas. His methods are even faster than yours, and you two could focus solely on teaching the soldiers how to wield Mana."
As a renowned general from the Far East, Ushiwakamaru quickly offered a good suggestion once the topic shifted from personal matters to official business.
Although Guinevere had already planned to teach only the basics for a few days before having the specialized captains take over as instructors.
"The regular soldiers can be trained that way, but give me the elite among them. If the King of Heroes can afford to maintain a cavalry unit, I can find a way to secure mounts for them.
In my view, while a cavalry unit is difficult to use in siege defense, if led by an exceptional Rider, it can always achieve unexpected results.
Besides, aren't you interested in my method of training a Knight Order?"
"You're not leading them yourself?"
"They can't keep up with me."
"I feel like I'm being underestimated."
"Then shall we have a little match?"
"Bring it on!"
Unlike their straightforward duel of personal might, the competition between King Leonidas and the King of Knights in soldier training was more of a draw, offering valuable insights for both.
One day, one night... five days, five nights. Time flowed by like a river, and Guinevere no longer had to worry about the basic training.
During these days, Guinevere's two greatest gains were building good relationships with many Servants, including Anna, and finding a place where she could freely hone her swordsmanship.
This place was just before the Absolute Demonic Front, where Guinevere had single-handedly forged a new city wall.
The endless stream of Magical Beasts meant an endless supply of opponents for her to freely wield her sword against.
"That's two hundred already. Want to bet on how many she'll kill today, Miss Anna?"
"I don't gamble."
On the hundred-meter-high city wall, Anna stood by a battlement, while Ushiwakamaru perched atop it like a monkey. Both watched the battlefield below, where Guinevere and the King of Knights were engaged in a killing competition.
Two remarkably similar swords, two sets of swordsmanship born from the battlefield, yet with completely different styles.
Between the two, Guinevere's swordplay seemed random, but in truth, it had no set forms at all—just a return to simplicity, reacting to every move as it came.
What about the King of Knights? Her swordsmanship has clear patterns and principles; it's just not rigid, relying more on Instinct in battle.
Yet, one could faintly see that their swords were both clashing and merging.
"Guinevere, is acting as a reef here truly beneficial to your swordsmanship's progress?"
"Of course it is. If I miss this opportunity, where else can I find Endless Magical Beasts that have lost their minds and are consumed by bloodlust? I have a feeling that if I just keep swinging my sword freely, it will definitely help me fully complete the Sword of Destined Judgment."
"Besides, before Mash and the others arrive, what else can we do besides swing our swords here or return behind the city walls to train soldiers?"
"We agreed not to steal Mash and the others' experience unless we absolutely have to intervene."
"And as for that Dual Noble Phantasm, shall we continue studying it later?"
Sharing a Class and Spirit Origin was a first for both of them. They still hadn't figured out how to use the Dual Noble Phantasm, but after several failed activation attempts, they had a general understanding: it could unify one of their base stats, taking the highest value between them for that specific stat.
For example, if Guinevere's Strength is B and Luck is A+, while the King of Knights' Strength is A and Luck is A, after the Noble Phantasm's intervention, both of their stats would become Strength A and Luck A+.
Furthermore, this Noble Phantasm's effect also applies to any enhancements cast on either of them.
After understanding the effect, the two naturally became eager to figure out how to unleash it. To them, the Noble Phantasm's effect was already impressive; not to mention, its passive effect would also be strengthened after its true name release.
"But Guinevere, are you sure your feeling is correct? You think we can unleash this Dual Noble Phantasm just by continuing to build our rapport? By getting even closer? I find it hard to believe. If the release condition were truly that simple, our current rapport and closeness should already be enough."
She swung her sword, effortlessly dispatching a Magical Beast. Their current conversation was also a result of their research into this new form; they could communicate telepathically, much like a Lord and their Servant.
As time continued to pass, the various factions in Babylonia prepared for the coming war.
Outside this era, nearly 4,300 years later, Chaldeas, located amidst the Antarctic mountain range, finally began preparations for a new round of Singularity exploration.
"Doctor, is Mash's body okay?"
"Her body and soul are both stable, and the stability of the Spirit Origin within her body is also extremely high. It's just..."
Within Chaldea, Da Vinci-chan, still using the 'Mona Lisa' puppet, was questioning Dr. Romani.
They all understood that as a homunculus, if Mash didn't experience another miracle, her physical lifespan would reach its end by the time the Singularity was successfully restored.
"But Doctor, isn't it already a gain for Mash to have lived this long and been able to help everyone?"
In the thin hospital gown, within the cold, sterile room, only Mash's smile shone with extraordinary brilliance.