Dear readers,

I want to begin by expressing my gratitude for your patience and understanding during this period of sporadic updates. Over the past few weeks, I've faced significant challenges in managing and scheduling due to my involvement in health program training. This, coupled with the increased workload brought on by the holiday season in my country, has taken its toll. Not to mention, as head of the medical department, I find myself heavily constrained with overnight shifts and double shifts, leaving me with limited time to dedicate to writing and advancing my projects.

However, I am pleased to report that relief may be on the horizon. Specifically, this upcoming weekend presents an opportunity for me to focus intensively on projects that are most relevant and of interest to you, with the goal of completing several pending chapters.

Additionally, I'd like to share with you that recently, inspired by readers like Vicktrapp10 on Wattpad and Vitoriatrapp on FF, I have revisited my personal archives and rediscovered a fragment that I had removed from the previous chapter two years ago. If all goes as planned, you can expect to enjoy the complete Chapter 3 next Thursday, not merely this excerpt that I've shared today.

I sincerely thank all of you who have encouraged me not to abandon this story. Your ongoing support has been instrumental in my decision to persevere.

I would like to reiterate that "Mahōka Kōkō no Rettōsei" and its respective adaptations are the property of their authors. Similarly, "Fate/Stay Night" and its various adaptations and visual novels are the property of Kinoko Nasu and Typemoon.

Best regards,

KaleidoMirror.

The following scenes may be sensitive for the reader; please consider reading it in accordance with the site's rules and policies.

In an instant, my world came crashing down.

I've been through so much in just three days, but it's still difficult to explain the despair I experienced in the abyss. Even when I close my eyes, I can't erase the rubble and ashes that covered me. I was alone, disoriented, and wounded, but I couldn't ignore the frantic beats pounding inside my chest, even as I tried to block out the lingering echoes of explosions in my ears.

"Why did this have to happen to me?" I asked myself over and over, but there was no answer.

As I gritted my teeth, feeling weak and fragile, I could only keep moving forward, each step heavier on the torn ground.

I still remember how everything ended in a matter of minutes. From the darkness, a giant emerged, covered in shadows and red lines, the culprit of this massacre. I still tremble at the memory of how its clay-like body tore apart the corpses of USNA special agents who fought valiantly but ultimately perished in battle against an unknown force.

I can't provide more details because my memories are so vague, perhaps because deep down, I fear that I am still living this nightmare; its savage and crazed cries, a deep cruelty in its crimson gaze—these are things I will never forget.

Finally, I understood the meaning of the phrase: "Be careful when you pray, for God is not the only one who listens." The creature looked at me for a few seconds before ignoring me and continuing forward, eliminating the rest of the strike units.

Even at the edge of danger, I had no strength left in my legs, feeling the fresh dampness in my groin. I don't understand why it didn't finish me off, but that no longer matters. At that moment, I realized that my name and surname meant nothing in the harsh reality of war and the blade of death.

In the midst of this desolate wasteland, the smoke obscured my vision, my long blonde hair, matted with blood, partially covering my face. Feeling the remnants of adrenaline dulling the pain, my hope mixed with deep desolation, but I could only keep moving forward.

"You can do it! Just a little more... Angie!" I repeated to myself, trying to stay on my feet despite the exhaustion and sweat stinging my eyes. I could feel my lungs burning and the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth.

"Could this be my destiny?" I wondered ironically, aware of the absurdity of my dire situation.

The image of my grieving parents flashed in my mind, and with it, the painful question of whether I had been a filial daughter to them, unsure if I had met my grandfather's expectations. Would I never have the chance to achieve my dreams?

Tears rolled down my cheeks, my face a mess, but my blue eyes still held onto a final hope, wishing for one last desire like in those fairy tales I loved to hear.

"Will I soon be joining you, Oba-sama?" I murmured with my last strength, my breathing becoming increasingly shallow.

These were my final thoughts, with my eyelids growing heavier. I wasn't sure if it was blood escaping my lips or just remnants of vomit; at this point, it didn't matter. I felt the last vestige of reality fade away like a candle in the snow.

"Was it too much to ask for someone to genuinely care about me?"

I bit my trembling lips in frustration. Even this small wish turned out to be just an illusion of a girl who didn't know the truth of the world. But at least I found solace in the vision of the starry night shining over the infernal chaos that surrounded me.

"I only wish my departure doesn't cause more suffering to anyone."

"Hey... Mei-chan...! Is this how the story ends? Don't you think it's too sad?"

I sighed one last time as I felt my heartbeat grow weaker. It was only seconds, but in that moment, I glimpsed my brief life, slowly accepting that this was the end.

"I know I can do it!"

A gasp escaped my lips as I heard a familiar, confident voice resonating in the darkness. Though I could barely make it out at first, his figure, cloaked in black and red, marked by flames, shimmered with magical remnants that flickered with each step.

I felt an unexpected urge to respond, though my throat was dry and my parched lips could barely form words.

"It doesn't matter if this ideal is foreign... or false."

The air began to vibrate around us, but my gaze remained fixed on him. Even the heat from his nearby flames caused me no pain; on the contrary, it was his authoritative voice that left me speechless as I watched the iridescent sparks in the air.

"It will always be my ideal!"

Despite his short stature, his figure remained firm, raising his hand to the sky, surrounded by brilliant lines that descended and transformed his body, emanating fiery, uncontrolled magical energy.

"I will do whatever it takes to keep it alive!"

Pressing his hand to his chest, the ground beneath his feet trembled with great force and intensity. With a single movement, everything fell silent until a crack exploded in the distance, where the creature of my nightmares was watching us both. Fear and death returned, but it was his golden eyes that looked at me gently but determinedly, trying to convey that everything would be okay.

I wanted to scream for him to run, but I couldn't. I tried to get up, but it was difficult. I wasn't aware of how he had approached me. But I noticed that despite his injuries, he smiled at me, trying to remain defiant in the face of the imminent danger only 100 meters away.

"Even if in this life I never find it..."

He knelt to gently hold me, staining himself with my blood as he carefully lifted me. I experienced a calm and security I had never felt before, amidst the storm of ashes and sulfur enveloping me. My world, illuminated by the Sun as I knew it until that moment, was irrevocably transformed by knowing the truth 'illuminated by the Moon.'

"What I've always sought... Unlimited Blade Works!"

Though exhaustion overwhelmed me, I will never forget how the ground shook at his words, creating a bright orange sphere that protected us at its epicenter, unleashing a rain of ashes and destruction around us.

Given the severity of the incident, what appeared to be a volcanic eruption like never before occurred in the year 2085. Its origin remains a topic of debate, but it is known to have happened near the insurgent military facilities of USNA defectors, hidden in the Grand Canyon desert in Arizona. Therefore, it wasn't illogical that the natural disaster completely transformed much of its natural geography.

This event caused a commotion in all nations worldwide, commonly known as the "New Pompeii Eruption." As a result, privileged magical influence powers allocated significant resources and accelerated programs to identify the triggering cause. Strangely, there were no more details, only faint traces in classified files under the epitome 'Volcanic Burst.' Everything beyond that was unknown, with no related clues found for at least five years, during which new questions emerged about the capability of the person able to unleash fury like an enraged volcano eruption.

As usual, I find it difficult to fully express my satisfaction with our progress so far. I had every intention of completing Chapter 3 in its entirety, but the available time has been limited. Nevertheless, I am committed to delivering a truly comprehensive content soon with "The Dream of a Golden Star."

Furthermore, I am delighted to inform you that we have received a total of 96 reviews, along with the support of 331 favorites and 465 followers. Your support has been essential, and I am sincerely grateful for each display of appreciation.

Before I sign off, I would like to address some feedback received regarding the previous chapter. I will be sending private messages to discuss and address these points appropriately.

Until we meet again as KaleidoMirror, I eagerly await our next update. See you soon!