Thanks for the invitation. I'm in Type-Moon, inheriting the legacy of Zi-O.

That was the last gift her father gave her before he passed away.

"...If it were all a dream back then, I wish it could last a little longer." Rubbing her slightly sore eyes, Nianzhuo lay down on the bed, exhausted for the first time.

The clock continued to tick away, its hands turning round and round.

Unable to sleep, Nianzhuo opened her eyes and stared at the mechanical ceiling.

Nianzhuo got out of bed and turned on the light in his room.

The room was bathed in white light, making it appear particularly desolate, and the decorations were nothing more than some ordinary furniture.

"Let's go for a walk." Nian Zhuo picked up his magnetic card, opened the door, and went out.

The corridor was filled with a sense of technology, yet the steel now seemed so cold to Nian Zhuo.

He hugged himself tightly, feeling cold. Although the room temperature was normal, he still felt a long-lost chill.

"...What a place that seems devoid of any human warmth." Looking around, Nian Zhuo wandered aimlessly down the corridor. "The most fortunate thing is that at least the people here haven't lost their humanity." Before he knew it, Nian Zhuo had arrived at the training ground.

Touching the cold nameplate, Nian Zhuo's gaze traveled far away.

It seemed as if he had returned to the past, to the scene where the pure knight taught him every day.

Even if I were knocked to the ground back then, I would probably still be able to laugh happily.

But now, his master is gone, and has also left him.

"...Let yourself relax." Turning the magnetic card in his hand, Nian Zhuo opened the door to the training room.

"Setup complete: Thirty bipedal dragons."

"The trainee's physical fitness has not met the standard. Would you like to lower the standard?" "No need." He felt utterly listless, but Nian Zhuo pinned his hopes on the battle, hoping it would alleviate his loneliness.

Inside the training room, the scenery gradually changes.

The boundless desert and thirty bipedal dragons gradually revealed their forms.

Nencho did not use the newly acquired Zi-O II, nor did he use the other Riders' Watches.

He simply took out the Zi-O watch face, turned it, and pressed it to make it ring.

Nianzhuo noticed that his palms were sweating as he placed the driver on his waist.

“Zio—” As always, Nen-cho flipped the driver at his waist.

The time ring looked somewhat blurry, and Nian Zhuo could even see his own lifeless eyes reflected in its light.

"Rider Time! Kamen Rider Zi-O!!"

Nian Zhuo seemed to have returned to the moment of his first transformation, with a silver clock appearing behind him and beginning to slowly turn.

Perhaps due to the influence of mental confusion, even the bright silver armor on his body appeared somewhat dull.

"..." Speechless, Nian Zhuo gripped the Time Gun Sword in his hand and wiped the long blade.

The reflection of Zi-O could be seen on the blade, and Nianzhuo looked at the two-legged dragon in the air.

The dragons, controlled by the program, naturally noticed the only anomaly in this vast desert—Nian Zhuo.

Thirty flying dragons flapped their wings in unison, creating emerald green wind blades that cut through the air, and flew towards Nianzhuo.

Without a word, Nian Zhuo simply raised his spear and sword and charged towards Feilong as well.

As the wind blades attacked, Nian Zhuo mechanically swung his sword.

Swinging the sword, swinging the sword continuously, swinging the sword mechanically.

Those that could be caught were all shattered by the sword blade, while those that could not be caught were all caught by Nian Zhuo without dodging or avoiding.

The current Nian Zhuo is more like a berserker than a cavalryman, and a completely berserk one at that.

However, the cost of equipping a berserker is also obvious.

"Trainee's physical strength has been detected to have reached its limit, automatic failure." The cold, mechanical synthesized voice, the flying dragon, and the desert scene all disappeared, leaving only Nian Zhuo lying on the cold floor, panting heavily.

"..." A wave of soreness washed over him, and the silver armor vanished completely in a burst of purple light. Nian Zhuo felt as if every bone in his body was about to fall apart. "...Was I just too confident?"

The power of a knight is also related to the mind, but Nian Zhuo, who is currently in a state of utter confusion, is probably unable to fully unleash it.

After shattering the first few wind blades, Nian Zhuo was completely trapped in a situation where he was constantly being knocked away by the flying dragon's wind blades.

In the end, all that remained was this aching body.

"...I'm kind of craving coffee." Since there were no plans afterward, Nian Zhuo remembered there were vending machines outside the training ground. He forced his still twitching hand to support himself and staggered towards the outside of the training ground.

"Ding-dong—" Nian Zhuo placed the magnetic card on the vending machine's sensor, and the coffee he ordered automatically rolled out.

Sitting on a chair to the side, Nianzhuo absentmindedly drank the cold coffee in his hand.

If it were a painting from the past, the craftsman would definitely snatch the pot of coffee and replace it with black tea.

"...Master, if it were you, what would you do?" As if murmuring, Nianzhuo, his eyes still vacant, couldn't escape his inner turmoil. "...Am I being too sentimental?"

Nianzhuo became like this simply after leaving that mirror world.

Even she herself couldn't understand what she was doing or thinking. At least Nianzhuo's heart had never been so chaotic when she saw her parents whom she hadn't seen for more than ten years.

How long has this situation been going on? It's been at least a long time.

My parents, whom I haven't seen for a long time, vanished in my arms.

The master I had always admired had actually disappeared long before the very beginning.

"As a time traveler, do you want to prevent all the tragedies from happening?" This is a thought that everyone has probably had.

However, how is it possible to completely prevent tragedies from happening...?

However, Nianzhuo was just somewhat unwilling, no matter what it was about.

"Alright, Nianzhuo. Cheer up." A familiar male voice reached Nianzhuo's ears, and a hand protected by purple armor was extended in front of him.

Nianzhuo quickly raised his head. He was absolutely certain that the voice belonged to his master, Galahad, whom he had not seen for a long time.

However, when he looked up, the pure knight was no longer there; only the cold wall opposite him remained in Nianzhuo's vision.

He leaned his head back against the wall and covered his eyes.

"What... should I do now?"

A profound sense of powerlessness permeated Nianzhuo's limbs and bones.

However, a fragrant aroma entered Nianzhuo's nasal cavity.

A pair of hands landed on his shoulders.

"What's wrong...?"

The final act is also a new beginning.

When Nian Zhuo opened her eyes, she was met with a pair of orange eyes.

"...Mary?" Incredulous, Nianzhuo froze on the spot, unable to move. "It's the middle of the night... how...?"

"Are you wondering why I'm still wandering around here at this hour?" After receiving Nian Zhuo's nod, Mary's forehead appeared with a "well" shape, and she slammed the heavy block she was carrying onto Nian Zhuo's head. "I'll tell you...!"

"--You haven't forgotten that I also have to help Ritsuka popularize magic knowledge?" Nian Zhuo only remembered when he said this. Since the last singularity, Mary had taken the initiative to tie Ritsuka up to popularize magic and history knowledge. However, it was quite rare for it to end so late now.

“…There’s another reason.” Mary tugged at Nianzhuo’s cheek. “As your Master, how could you not come and see if your Servant was inexplicably lost?” Smiling, Mary stared at Nianzhuo’s lifeless eyes with a blush.

She then sat down next to Nianzhuo, her long legs in orange stockings crossed, looking at Nianzhuo's face with concern.

"So... what happened?"

Nian Zhuo didn't know where to begin, or rather, it wasn't his true intention to make Mary worry about him again.

But—Nianzhuo saw that Mary's hands were also trembling.

She was also nervous. The director of Chaldea did not have the superior mindset of a user when facing his servant.

"..." For the first time, Nian Zhuo felt that the magic link was so effective. Mary's breathing gradually became heavier, and the tension in her heart was also transmitted through the magic circuit.

“Actually, I’m a little confused, Mary.” Taking a deep breath, Nianzhuo decided to tell Mary the whole truth.

"I saw my parents, whom I hadn't seen for over ten years, in my dream." Recalling the satisfied smiles on his parents' faces before they passed away, Nianzhuo's hands unconsciously clenched, the coffee can creaking under the weight. "But the next moment, they shattered. No matter how much I called out or ran, they never appeared in that dream again. And I couldn't do anything."

"And Galahad, his... his departure, was it also because I couldn't do anything about it?" Master, parents, Nianzhuo could only watch them leave without being able to do anything. In Nianzhuo's eyes, resentment and shame were gradually filling up.

"Am I a failure?" Should she ask others? Or herself? Nianzhuo couldn't tell right now.

However, unexpectedly, as soon as Nian Zhuo finished speaking, Mary stood up from beside him.

She walked up to him and lifted his head, which had been hanging down.

Their eyes met again, but this time Mary's gaze, which had initially been filled with doubt and concern, had turned into anger.

“Listen carefully, Nianzhuo. You are not a failure at all.” Each word was enunciated, and both her expression and tone conveyed Mary’s seriousness and anger. “You are a member of Chaldea, and also the hero who protected Ritsuka and Mash, ending two singularities. You bear the heavy responsibility of saving humanity and protecting the future of humankind. So no matter what, you are not a failure.” Mary spoke firmly, looking unwaveringly at Nianzhuo.

“…Hmm.” Nian Zhuo gave a simple reply, remaining completely unmoved. “What you said…√. I really, perhaps I wouldn’t call myself a failure, right?” It seemed that Mary’s words had no effect.

"--Well then, let me share some of my thoughts." Director Mary's tone suddenly changed.

Gently, she wrapped her arms around Nianzhuo's neck.

The fragrant breeze enveloped her; even Nian Zhuo hadn't expected Mary to do this.

“You’re not a failure, Nianzhuo.” Mary’s eyes softened, and her gentle voice whispered in Nianzhuo’s ear, “You are—my hero.”

With his eyes wide open, Nian Zhuo could feel his heart starting to pound violently.

“You’re my hero~” Mary pressed her forehead against Nianzhuo’s, her eyes conveying a complex emotion.

“…You saved my life, Nianzhuo. You saved many lives.” Her tone was so gentle it didn’t sound like her own, and Mary’s eyes seemed somewhat profound. “Do you remember, Nianzhuo, in that dazzling and destructive explosion, you saved my life.”

"Do you remember when you saved the 'Dragon Witch' in the First Singularity?"

"Do you remember when you rescued the insecure Emperor in the second singularity?"

Blinking her eyes, Mary recounted everything Nianzhuo had ever done as if it were a treasure trove.

"—Do you remember, at the very beginning of our journey, you saved me from death?" Finally, a blush rose on Mary's cheeks, and these words, brimming with the girl's most sincere emotions, were uttered.

“…He should have died.” These four words seemed to have triggered Nian Zhuo, and he quickly hugged the girl tightly in his arms.

"Ah...! Nian, Nian Zhuo?!" Mary's cheeks flushed even more, and her push seemed so weak.

“No…it wasn’t supposed to die. No one is supposed to die.” However, Nianzhuo just stared intently at her, at her bright and lively eyes. “So, you’re still alive, Mary. You’re still alive.”